Einstein vs. Northwood, and how does school choice in the DCC work?

[Anonymous]

My kid took PE 3 out of 4 years at Einstein, so yes it can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if your child is not an AP kid, which it sounds like, ignore the AP posts. MCPS calls some regular classes honors to make parents happy. Einstein is a good choice, I'd just worry about the math piece. MCPS is a mixed bag before covid and now during. We are barely getting any education and will be basically homeschooling over the summer, especially math as there has been very little the past few months. But, its very school and teacher specific as some schools/teachers are really going above and beyond and some are doing the absolute minimum.

Hopefully, since it's 16 months away he'll be there in person.

I don't know if he's an "AP kid" but he definitely won't be an "AP freshman", if that makes sense.

Algebra 1 is one class, though. If it's terrible, we'll get a tutor. He'll come in in a good place, because we have the time to make sure his preAlgebra is really solid, and we have an online tutor now that we got because he's home due to covid and bored so we figured why not. A year of math tutoring is cheaper than private school.

But after the first year, he'll be in a classroom with 9th graders who took Algebra 1 in 8th right? So the concerns people are expressing disappear?

No, he will be with kids who have basically taken remedial math or the lowest/lower level math in MCPS and those kids then transition generally to Algebra in 9th. Standard for MCPS is to take Algebra in 7th or 8th and then in 9th those kids will be in Geometry or Algebra 2. The kids that take Algebra in 7/8 do not repeat it in 9th. A few middle schools allow Algebra in 6th so what we are saying is his math could be 2-3 years behind his friends in Math. Other classes shouldn't be that much of an issue and depending on the school, some of the privates are much stronger in writing/reading/language arts so he could be ahead.

So, is it possible he take Algebra in 8th at your school and do pre-algebra this summer so he can be with his peers in 9th in Geometry?

Algebra in 9th is fine but what we are saying is most of the average to above average will have taken Algebra in 6-7-8 so the kids who will be taking Algebra in 9th will be kids not very strong in math, which is fine but some of his friends will be much further along and in 9th will be Geometry, Algebra 2 or above. If he struggles in math, taking Algebra in 9th is a good choice but his peers will probably be in a higher level math.

Any child at my child's school is his peer, and his potential friend. So, the other kids in Algebra 1 will be his peers, and knowing my kid who makes lots of friends, his friends too. If he takes preIB English, or Dance as PE or whatever else, those kids will also be his peers and his friends.

I am still confused as to why my bolded statement isn't true. After Algebra 1 he'll be in Geometry, are you saying that a 10th grader taking Geometry wouldn't be in a class with a 9th grader taking Geometry? If not, then wouldn't the issue that people seem to be concerned about, that the class would have too many kids who need support, be an issue for literally one year?

Your thinking is correct, there will be mixed grades in all the math classes.

[Anonymous]

By sophomore year, OP’s son will be in class with better prepared math and foreign language students; most of them won’t be in his grade. Even junior year math classes (Alg II and Foreign Language 3) might have a large number of freshmen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in bounds for one of those two, but really live pretty equidistant between them. My kid is a 7th grader in a K-8 private, so most of what I hear chatter about is private, but I think public will work better.

He's very musical kid. He likes singing, and playing a brass instrument, and doing musical theater. Any thoughts on how to choose which one to rank first?

Also, I know that if he ranks the one that is in bounds for us first, he's guaranteed a slot. If he ranks it second, and doesn't get his first choice, is he also guaranteed a slot?

Are there other schools we should be considering?

Einstein is the school for him. My son went to Einstein for the Visual Art Center Magnet and the love and support in that school is so beautiful. My son still sees it as “the best 4 years of his life”. He just graduated the duel program from RISD/Brown and he has watched his peers become professional actors, teachers, artist, etc. Einstein might not be Duke Ellington but I’ve never met an unhappy kid there. Some say Einstein theatre can rival DE.

[Anonymous]

I still don’t get why you assume that my kid must be “peers” with kids in APUSH. You clearly have this view of the kids in Algebra 1, but I don’t understand why, since you clearly don’t give them any benefit of the doubt, I am not sure why my kid gets it. Because he plays an instrument? Because the fact that I managed to pay for Catholic school means I must be middle class and therefore my kid must be somehow superior?

I really don’t mean to be obtuse. Clearly, my kid hasn’t moved fast academically. There are reasons, but lots of low income kids have the same reasons apply to them. And others have some better reasons, like the fact that their whole life got turned upside down by the need to flee to a new country. Why do you assume my kid’s reasons are legit?

I'm going to finish the thread in a second, but OP, I love you. Thank you, and I hope you and your son love your new school community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if your child is not an AP kid, which it sounds like, ignore the AP posts. MCPS calls some regular classes honors to make parents happy. Einstein is a good choice, I'd just worry about the math piece. MCPS is a mixed bag before covid and now during. We are barely getting any education and will be basically homeschooling over the summer, especially math as there has been very little the past few months. But, its very school and teacher specific as some schools/teachers are really going above and beyond and some are doing the absolute minimum.

Hopefully, since it's 16 months away he'll be there in person.

I don't know if he's an "AP kid" but he definitely won't be an "AP freshman", if that makes sense.

Algebra 1 is one class, though. If it's terrible, we'll get a tutor. He'll come in in a good place, because we have the time to make sure his preAlgebra is really solid, and we have an online tutor now that we got because he's home due to covid and bored so we figured why not. A year of math tutoring is cheaper than private school.

But after the first year, he'll be in a classroom with 9th graders who took Algebra 1 in 8th right? So the concerns people are expressing disappear?

No, he will be with kids who have basically taken remedial math or the lowest/lower level math in MCPS and those kids then transition generally to Algebra in 9th. Standard for MCPS is to take Algebra in 7th or 8th and then in 9th those kids will be in Geometry or Algebra 2. The kids that take Algebra in 7/8 do not repeat it in 9th. A few middle schools allow Algebra in 6th so what we are saying is his math could be 2-3 years behind his friends in Math. Other classes shouldn't be that much of an issue and depending on the school, some of the privates are much stronger in writing/reading/language arts so he could be ahead.

So, is it possible he take Algebra in 8th at your school and do pre-algebra this summer so he can be with his peers in 9th in Geometry?

Algebra in 9th is fine but what we are saying is most of the average to above average will have taken Algebra in 6-7-8 so the kids who will be taking Algebra in 9th will be kids not very strong in math, which is fine but some of his friends will be much further along and in 9th will be Geometry, Algebra 2 or above. If he struggles in math, taking Algebra in 9th is a good choice but his peers will probably be in a higher level math.

Any child at my child's school is his peer, and his potential friend. So, the other kids in Algebra 1 will be his peers, and knowing my kid who makes lots of friends, his friends too. If he takes preIB English, or Dance as PE or whatever else, those kids will also be his peers and his friends.

I am still confused as to why my bolded statement isn't true. After Algebra 1 he'll be in Geometry, are you saying that a 10th grader taking Geometry wouldn't be in a class with a 9th grader taking Geometry? If not, then wouldn't the issue that people seem to be concerned about, that the class would have too many kids who need support, be an issue for literally one year?

Your 10th grader in Geometry will be taking Geometry with 9th and 10th graders depending on the school schedule/kids needs. They also may take Geometry with some 8th graders if their middle school does not offer it and are bussed in. Our middle school said they will bus kids to the middle school if they don't have the math classes they need. So, plan for 8-11th graders in the class. Some schools try to keep the kids in the same grade together, others don't. You are missing that the issue isn't a one year issue, but four year issue. Algebra in 9th is one of the lower/lowest math tracks in MCPS. Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

Here is the course information. Except ESOL or inclusion, Algebra will be the lowest option for kids. Its fine to take it in 9th.

Email the counselors at the high schools and talk to them. I did that for our school next year regarding math and one called and was extremely helpful (but I may have gotten lucky with that person).

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/a-j/einsteinhs/2020-2021-9th-grade-registration-card-final.pdf

[Anonymous]

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her
and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

All of humanity are his peers. He might possibly feel that he has more in common with other students who are his own age and other students whose parents have gone to college. On the other hand, OP says that her son is very friendly and gets along well with everyone. She knows her son best. Maybe OP could ask the guidance counselor for the percentage of freshmen in Algebta 1 vs Geometry vs Alg 2 vs PreCalc. There will be freshmen in all 4. She could also ask about the percentage of high school students in Algebra 1 who pass the state exam. Is it the PARCC test? In general, the middle schoolers do better on the Algebra 1 PARCC test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe it's required IF your kid is doing MC2 at Northwood - not sure otherwise.

What is MC2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

Let me blunt. His “peers” are kids who are also well behaved, come from MC/UMC families who care about education, and do extracurricular activities (band, sports). Also kids who he is in honors history with (who fit the qualities) above. If the kid attended a parochial school k-8 and his parent cares enough to come on this board, he is probably a clean-cut, good kid. So the kids who are in honors/Ap classes are his peers. My child was in Algebra 1 but all other classes honors in 9th grade. She felt behind her peers. Don’t be obtuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe it's required IF your kid is doing MC2 at Northwood - not sure otherwise.

What is MC2?

Middle College

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/partnerships/middle-college.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

The discussion is really about what child will take in 9th. The lowest level for kids who would be considered his peers is Algebra. This child will take Algebra in 9th and Geometry in 10th. That is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe it's required IF your kid is doing MC2 at Northwood - not sure otherwise.

What is MC2?

Middle College

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/partnerships/middle-college.aspx

This kid isn't going to be eligible for this or is it appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

Let me blunt. His “peers” are kids who are also well behaved, come from MC/UMC families who care about education, and do extracurricular activities (band, sports). Also kids who he is in honors history with (who fit the qualities) above. If the kid attended a parochial school k-8 and his parent cares enough to come on this board, he is probably a clean-cut, good kid. So the kids who are in honors/Ap classes are his peers. My child was in Algebra 1 but all other classes honors in 9th grade. She felt behind her peers. Don’t be obtuse.

+1, nicely said. Unfortunately, some of us needed to be blunt early on but were trying to be nice about it. There are lots of benefits to parochial schools, especially the structure, teaching style and text books but there is a huge range within all the schools and some are more advanced academically than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your child may be embarrassed not being on the same math track as a lot of his peers.

I'm not OP, but I'm going to take some inspiration from her and ask that you spell out exactly what you mean by "a lot of his peers.

You can't possibly mean "kids at his school" because we've established that there are kids at his school in Geometry. So, what exact qualities would you say OP's child has, and what qualities to his peers have?

Let me blunt. His “peers” are kids who are also well behaved, come from MC/UMC families who care about education, and do extracurricular activities (band, sports). Also kids who he is in honors history with (who fit the qualities) above. If the kid attended a parochial school k-8 and his parent cares enough to come on this board, he is probably a clean-cut, good kid. So the kids who are in honors/Ap classes are his peers. My child was in Algebra 1 but all other classes honors in 9th grade. She felt behind her peers. Don’t be obtuse.

It is useful to hear from someone with firsthand experience. I don't thnk that clean-cut=good kid, though