MCPS to end areawide Blair Magnet and countywide Richard Montgomery's IB program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are expanding these programs to more schools so more students can take advantage of them. Why should MC taxpayers continue to support these programs when there are so many kids that could benefit from a magnet, but there aren't enough spaces? Now hopefully they'll start working on middle school magnet issue.

No they aren’t. they are getting rid of the selective test-in schools.

[Anonymous]

So these will be like Blairs Academies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just told my junior Blair kid that the STEM at Blair will be replaced. He asked me "What's wrong with it? I thought MCPS is proud of this program."
Well, nothing wrong but looks like some ephemeral bureaucrats think that can do something better. That's laughable looking at how they managed MCPS in the last 10 years.

Did you tell him the truth (that it will not disappear, but that there will be 6 SMCS programs including Blair and Poolesville serving the top 3% of county kids rather than the top 1%)? Or were you overdramatic and told him "they're destroying Blair"?

Blair runs some classes only every 2nd year because there aren't enough kids interested and able. What are the regional programs with half the students going to do? Run the class once every 4 years?

Does every smart science kid in MCPS really need to have access to marine biology and plate tectonics and 10 other niche science offerings? I think they'll live if they have to wait until college, in exchange for twice the number of kids getting access to something slightly less robust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are expanding these programs to more schools so more students can take advantage of them. Why should MC taxpayers continue to support these programs when there are so many kids that could benefit from a magnet, but there aren't enough spaces? Now hopefully they'll start working on middle school magnet issue.

No they aren’t. they are getting rid of the selective test-in schools.

Please don't lie and spread alarmist rumors. They said the opposite of this.

[Anonymous]

30 years ago, we only had 1 SMCS program county wide. They added another and split the county, and people went nuts, saying Poolesville will never be Blair! But we had a bigger county, and there were enough kids to the challenge. We are bigger even now. It'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just told my junior Blair kid that the STEM at Blair will be replaced. He asked me "What's wrong with it? I thought MCPS is proud of this program."
Well, nothing wrong but looks like some ephemeral bureaucrats think that can do something better. That's laughable looking at how they managed MCPS in the last 10 years.

Did you tell him the truth (that it will not disappear, but that there will be 6 SMCS programs including Blair and Poolesville serving the top 3% of county kids rather than the top 1%)? Or were you overdramatic and told him "they're destroying Blair"?

Blair runs some classes only every 2nd year because there aren't enough kids interested and able. What are the regional programs with half the students going to do? Run the class once every 4 years?

Does every smart science kid in MCPS really need to have access to marine biology and plate tectonics and 10 other niche science offerings? I think they'll live if they have to wait until college, in exchange for twice the number of kids getting access to something slightly less robust.

I took Marine Biology at Blair 25+ years ago. It was an every-year thing then. It wasn't that hard. It wouldn't be a big deal to not have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just told my junior Blair kid that the STEM at Blair will be replaced. He asked me "What's wrong with it? I thought MCPS is proud of this program."
Well, nothing wrong but looks like some ephemeral bureaucrats think that can do something better. That's laughable looking at how they managed MCPS in the last 10 years.

Why is your super genius junior being spoonfed Mama's drama instead of being given references to reputable sources to investigate?

The reputable sources of MCPS? 0 trust in these guys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a surprise? Taylor didn't start off strong and now another leader failing our kids. Instead, they should be expanding it. No one wants their kids bussed. Better to offer the classes as the home schools to allow all kids the same opportunities. He hasn't completed any of his early promises, including transparency.

I think that Taylor is claiming the regional programs across the county will duplicate the competitive magnet programs. I think he may underestimate what it takes to successfully undertake these programs.

I don't give 2 sh*** about Taylor, but I do think he is quite aware that programs will not be duplicated exactly. Watered down magnets for more kids will keep the middle to upper class masses happier than a couple of signature programs that not as many kids can access. The magnets were a tool to diversify schools back in the day. They did their job. It is time for change.

BTW, all the things that people talk about with the magnets (regeneron winners, etc.) are really things that parents are facilitating. Those families will still be able to provide those opportunities to their children.

+1 I think it's fine, and in fact a social good, to provide more access to more kids. Yes, even if that means a slightly less rigorous experience for the 10 kids per year who sign up for the most rigorous classes at SMCS.

I agree with this, but I'm also worried about the feasibility of standing up, what - 30? new magnet programs in 2 years and having even decent quality for all of them.

How do you figure? There are only 6 proposed regions, not 30.

[Anonymous]

Those of you with young smart kids, you are screwed. You don’t know it now but by the time your kids’ are ready for HS, you will see.

[Anonymous]

There will be only the magnet name, no quality. Blair lost a computer science teacher few years back and even today they didn't find a proper replacement. The new teacher has never teacher cs classes before. Go figure how easy is going to be to find good teachers for 6 centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a surprise? Taylor didn't start off strong and now another leader failing our kids. Instead, they should be expanding it. No one wants their kids bussed. Better to offer the classes as the home schools to allow all kids the same opportunities. He hasn't completed any of his early promises, including transparency.

I think that Taylor is claiming the regional programs across the county will duplicate the competitive magnet programs. I think he may underestimate what it takes to successfully undertake these programs.

I don't give 2 sh*** about Taylor, but I do think he is quite aware that programs will not be duplicated exactly. Watered down magnets for more kids will keep the middle to upper class masses happier than a couple of signature programs that not as many kids can access. The magnets were a tool to diversify schools back in the day. They did their job. It is time for change.

BTW, all the things that people talk about with the magnets (regeneron winners, etc.) are really things that parents are facilitating. Those families will still be able to provide those opportunities to their children.

+1 I think it's fine, and in fact a social good, to provide more access to more kids. Yes, even if that means a slightly less rigorous experience for the 10 kids per year who sign up for the most rigorous classes at SMCS.

I agree with this, but I'm also worried about the feasibility of standing up, what - 30? new magnet programs in 2 years and having even decent quality for all of them.

How do you figure? There are only 6 proposed regions, not 30.

And 5 magnets for each region

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will be only the magnet name, no quality. Blair lost a computer science teacher few years back and even today they didn't find a proper replacement. The new teacher has never teacher cs classes before. Go figure how easy is going to be to find good teachers for 6 centers.

That many magnet caliber teachers are impossible to find. This whole thing is so crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a surprise? Taylor didn't start off strong and now another leader failing our kids. Instead, they should be expanding it. No one wants their kids bussed. Better to offer the classes as the home schools to allow all kids the same opportunities. He hasn't completed any of his early promises, including transparency.

I think that Taylor is claiming the regional programs across the county will duplicate the competitive magnet programs. I think he may underestimate what it takes to successfully undertake these programs.

I don't give 2 sh*** about Taylor, but I do think he is quite aware that programs will not be duplicated exactly. Watered down magnets for more kids will keep the middle to upper class masses happier than a couple of signature programs that not as many kids can access. The magnets were a tool to diversify schools back in the day. They did their job. It is time for change.

BTW, all the things that people talk about with the magnets (regeneron winners, etc.) are really things that parents are facilitating. Those families will still be able to provide those opportunities to their children.

+1 I think it's fine, and in fact a social good, to provide more access to more kids. Yes, even if that means a slightly less rigorous experience for the 10 kids per year who sign up for the most rigorous classes at SMCS.

I agree with this, but I'm also worried about the feasibility of standing up, what - 30? new magnet programs in 2 years and having even decent quality for all of them.

How do you figure? There are only 6 proposed regions, not 30.

5 programs per region times 6 regions is 30. But probably almost half will be existing programs that are either kept virtually identical (the various IB programs, Blair and Poolesville SMCS, VAC, etc) or adapted from a similar program or local signature program. And the brand new ones will only need to serve freshmen in their first year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago, we only had 1 SMCS program county wide. They added another and split the county, and people went nuts, saying Poolesville will never be Blair! But we had a bigger county, and there were enough kids to the challenge. We are bigger even now. It'll be fine.

If you compare Blair's magnet offerings to Poolesville's magnet courses, you can see that Poolesville's program is still being stood up - not as many courses offered there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The solution is simple, Create more Blair Magnet and RMIBs. Use the expertise/playbooks from these programs to help create new centers of excellence. No point tearing down what exists.

Isn't that exactly what they're hoping to do? The Blair Magnet and RMIB aren't being discontinued.