Are the non "W" schools really that bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing, if you buy in a zone that's within your budget, you are going to be surrounded by people like you. There are plenty of perfectly normal, involved parents in schools across the county. They may not be able to afford the same things as the W school parents but neither can you if you stretch your budget just for the schools.

We could easily afford the W districts, but chose the DCC instead. We are not alone, personal decision.

[Anonymous]

"The cause is culture, namely poor culture. Color doesn't matter. Poor culture, whether it's a WV holler or a Baltimore ghetto, has an education aversion and there's not much anyone in schools can do about it. At some point we have to start leaving some kids behind so that the 80% who want to learn aren't hamstring but the 20% who don't." (sorry, actual quote feature wasn't working on my computer)

OP, this is why some choose to not send their kids to a W school. This un-nuanced, looking-down-on-people attitude (obviously many folks in the W clusters don't think like this, but on average, I'd bet more do than the non W clusters). If my kids thought this way, I would think that I didn't do a good job in their education. My kid is thriving at a downcounty school, with high test scores (e.g., all 5's on AP tests, suggesting he seemed to get a good education in those classes!), he's happy, he's got a really great friend group, and he would have the skills to articulate a really thoughtful response to the thinking in the quote above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Mcps is great in special programs where you are surrounded by an academic cohort and teachers who aren't tasked with arguing with ignorant parents.

If yoire not in a special program you'd better get into a W

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Mcps is great in special programs where you are surrounded by an academic cohort and teachers who aren't tasked with arguing with ignorant parents.

If yoire not in a special program you'd better get into a W

Correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I get why you are concerned with the school district and what high school you will be zoned for. But your child is 3. A lot can change in your life between now and when they are going off to middle school or high school. Also, schools get redistricted. You know what they say about the best laid plans. I would not make any financial sacrifices to be in a W district right now. I'd personally want to make sure the elementary school is strong and go from there. And keep in mind, there are all kinds of magnet middle schools and high schools. If your kid is into engineering, they could end up somewhere like Wheaton which has a highly competitive program in that discipline.

OP - ignore most of the other posts and focus on this one.

My kids were in the RM cluster and had great experiences. A mix of teachers - some great, some okay, a couple bad - and good academics (both opted for AP classes instead of IB). They were involved in school (sports and other groups) and had a really nice cohort of friends peers. A cohort I would put up against any cohort in a W school.

I knew other families such as yourself. Moving to MoCo because a parent grew up there and would only consider Ws. Honestly, their kids fared no better than mine who went to RM.

That being said, a lot of the neighborhoods around RM and QO are going to get redistributed in the next couple years because of the new high school. The RM my kids went to may be very different than the RM when your DD is in high school.

Op, regarding Gaithersburg- there an enormous development underway near the 7/11 , across from a future biotechnology office space that is permitted to house as many workers as the pentagon. The infrastructure in that area can not handle the traffic and 30% of that housing is slated to be low income.
The QO area has a small island of children from the UMC and the rest of it is .. not where'd I'd choose to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Mcps is great in special programs where you are surrounded by an academic cohort and teachers who aren't tasked with arguing with ignorant parents.

If yoire not in a special program you'd better get into a W

Incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I get why you are concerned with the school district and what high school you will be zoned for. But your child is 3. A lot can change in your life between now and when they are going off to middle school or high school. Also, schools get redistricted. You know what they say about the best laid plans. I would not make any financial sacrifices to be in a W district right now. I'd personally want to make sure the elementary school is strong and go from there. And keep in mind, there are all kinds of magnet middle schools and high schools. If your kid is into engineering, they could end up somewhere like Wheaton which has a highly competitive program in that discipline.

OP - ignore most of the other posts and focus on this one.

My kids were in the RM cluster and had great experiences. A mix of teachers - some great, some okay, a couple bad - and good academics (both opted for AP classes instead of IB). They were involved in school (sports and other groups) and had a really nice cohort of friends peers. A cohort I would put up against any cohort in a W school.

I knew other families such as yourself. Moving to MoCo because a parent grew up there and would only consider Ws. Honestly, their kids fared no better than mine who went to RM.

That being said, a lot of the neighborhoods around RM and QO are going to get redistributed in the next couple years because of the new high school. The RM my kids went to may be very different than the RM when your DD is in high school.

Op, regarding Gaithersburg- there an enormous development underway near the 7/11 , across from a future biotechnology office space that is permitted to house as many workers as the pentagon. The infrastructure in that area can not handle the traffic and 30% of that housing is slated to be low income.
The QO area has a small island of children from the UMC and the rest of it is .. not where'd I'd choose to live.

QO (along with RM) boundaries will be withdrawn. Same for WJ and DCC area with Woodward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And how would all these people posting actually KNOW the difference, u less they've sent their kids to both? You're only hearing from those saying "we went to a non-W and it was fine." Same as me saying we went to a W and it was fine. It's anecdotal and irrelevant.

Look at HS graduation rates (if your kid falls into the wrong cohort, will they still graduate?). Look at test scores (what percentage get top test scores/have a chance at top colleges)? And, as others have stated, poverty is the true problem, so look at the percentages of FARMs students.

And, what do we do about poverty? Solving that will be more difficult than solving the elusive opportunity/achievement gap!

Newsflash: people move. My eldest graduated from a non W and my second and third are in a W. There is no comparison for many of the reasons already listed above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I get why you are concerned with the school district and what high school you will be zoned for. But your child is 3. A lot can change in your life between now and when they are going off to middle school or high school. Also, schools get redistricted. You know what they say about the best laid plans. I would not make any financial sacrifices to be in a W district right now. I'd personally want to make sure the elementary school is strong and go from there. And keep in mind, there are all kinds of magnet middle schools and high schools. If your kid is into engineering, they could end up somewhere like Wheaton which has a highly competitive program in that discipline.

OP - ignore most of the other posts and focus on this one.

My kids were in the RM cluster and had great experiences. A mix of teachers - some great, some okay, a couple bad - and good academics (both opted for AP classes instead of IB). They were involved in school (sports and other groups) and had a really nice cohort of friends peers. A cohort I would put up against any cohort in a W school.

I knew other families such as yourself. Moving to MoCo because a parent grew up there and would only consider Ws. Honestly, their kids fared no better than mine who went to RM.

That being said, a lot of the neighborhoods around RM and QO are going to get redistributed in the next couple years because of the new high school. The RM my kids went to may be very different than the RM when your DD is in high school.

Op, regarding Gaithersburg- there an enormous development underway near the 7/11 , across from a future biotechnology office space that is permitted to house as many workers as the pentagon. The infrastructure in that area can not handle the traffic and 30% of that housing is slated to be low income.
The QO area has a small island of children from the UMC and the rest of it is .. not where'd I'd choose to live.

The what now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Mcps is great in special programs where you are surrounded by an academic cohort and teachers who aren't tasked with arguing with ignorant parents.

If yoire not in a special program you'd better get into a W

Correct.

This whole thread is full of folks saying the opposite. But you go on and continue to believe what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my dcc kids went from CES -> TPMS magnet -> Blair SMCS and I feel this was much stronger education that what any W could provide and is an option for anyone who is serious about their education.

This was our path too in the DCC, although one DS went Wheaton Biomed. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Mcps is great in special programs where you are surrounded by an academic cohort and teachers who aren't tasked with arguing with ignorant parents.

If yoire not in a special program you'd better get into a W

Correct.

This whole thread is full of folks saying the opposite. But you go on and continue to believe what you want.

Are you incapable of handling someone disagreeing with you? Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And how would all these people posting actually KNOW the difference, u less they've sent their kids to both? You're only hearing from those saying "we went to a non-W and it was fine." Same as me saying we went to a W and it was fine. It's anecdotal and irrelevant.

Look at HS graduation rates (if your kid falls into the wrong cohort, will they still graduate?). Look at test scores (what percentage get top test scores/have a chance at top colleges)? And, as others have stated, poverty is the true problem, so look at the percentages of FARMs students.

And, what do we do about poverty? Solving that will be more difficult than solving the elusive opportunity/achievement gap!

The original question wasn't about the difference between W and non-W schools, it was about whether the latter are "really that bad." Those of us with kids in non-W schools are plenty qualified to share our experiences with those schools. Saying, "my kids went to a non-W and it was fine" *is* relevant because that's the question the OP asked. It's DCUM, so it had to turn into a comparison, but that wasn't the initial request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And how would all these people posting actually KNOW the difference, u less they've sent their kids to both? You're only hearing from those saying "we went to a non-W and it was fine." Same as me saying we went to a W and it was fine. It's anecdotal and irrelevant.

Look at HS graduation rates (if your kid falls into the wrong cohort, will they still graduate?). Look at test scores (what percentage get top test scores/have a chance at top colleges)? And, as others have stated, poverty is the true problem, so look at the percentages of FARMs students.

And, what do we do about poverty? Solving that will be more difficult than solving the elusive opportunity/achievement gap!

I agree that this is anecdotal and worthless but still - I grew up in the area and had groups of friends who went to both W and non W schools. The W friends were FAR more successful in life overall, even though our family's HHIs were fairly similar. I ended up paying a **** ton later in life to move to their W district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of nonW kid here and it's been great. I almost laughed at your message - no offense meant, but I just can't get over that people think the non W schools are so scary. Just strikes me as a really dated way of thinking. If I'm being 100 percent honest, I'd be nervous to send my kid to a W school (I know people won't believe me, but it's true). My kids' friends at nonW school are super down to earth, and I think a lot more so, on average, than a typical W school kid. Also minor plusses of nonW are that college admissions and making sports teams will generally be more competitive at W schools than nonW.

Your writing style tells us all we need to know about your expectations regarding academic excellence.

alot of commas, but that's how people talk in real life. This is the internet