RM IB Coordinator?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

But as I understand it, this isn't a new thing. Those lesser, contaminating RM kids have already been participating in the program. So if mixing kids brings negative changes to the program -- it's already happened. The program you're defending as special actually already isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

But as I understand it, this isn't a new thing. Those lesser, contaminating RM kids have already been participating in the program. So if mixing kids brings negative changes to the program -- it's already happened. The program you're defending as special actually already isn't.

Yes and no actually. IB always had certain number of set aside seats for home school kids but the mainstreaming effort by the new guy is a new thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

But as I understand it, this isn't a new thing. Those lesser, contaminating RM kids have already been participating in the program. So if mixing kids brings negative changes to the program -- it's already happened. The program you're defending as special actually already isn't.

Yes and no actually. IB always had certain number of set aside seats for home school kids but the mainstreaming effort by the new guy is a new thing.

None of you parents in the know are explaining yourselves very well. Personally, I am not disputing the idea that mixing home school and magnet kids can dilute the rigor. But that was already in place, right? How is this "mainstreaming" initiative different? Why is no one answering that question no matter how many times it is asked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

But as I understand it, this isn't a new thing. Those lesser, contaminating RM kids have already been participating in the program. So if mixing kids brings negative changes to the program -- it's already happened. The program you're defending as special actually already isn't.

Yes and no actually. IB always had certain number of set aside seats for home school kids but the mainstreaming effort by the new guy is a new thing.

Let it be. In schools that offer IB around the county, the big lament is that no one wants to do the full diploma. I would like to see how many students from the home schools actually want to do this program or are able to earn the IB diploma. Since 2.0, quality of students have gone down, not up, I would like to see this school produce enough IB caliber students to fill these seats and actually earn a diploma. The new guy is doing what his bosses have told him to do.

The big issue remains getting Hoover back. She knows the IB program and the MCPS system.

[Anonymous]

There are three forms of "integration" that have been going on for years. 1: About 25 spots go to JW kids 2: Any qualified RM kid can join in 11th grade (similar to all the other IB programs in MCPS) 3: Non-IB kids can take certain electives. This is nothing new. It is similar to Blair SMAC, non-magnet qualified kids can take available spots in some electives. I am not aware of anything that has changed other than Ms Hoover leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in RMIB for a future kid. Can someone please explain what the principal has done so far to change the program, other than let Ms. Hoover go? I can understand that may be huge, but assume for the sake of argument a replacement is also excellent. What has changed? It seems like parents are saying more home school kids are being let into the magnet classes. Do you mean for the 9th and 10th grade classes, which I am guessing were previously just magnet kids? And so you're upset because the level of the class then gets diluted by people who, as a group, don't have the same scores and credentials as the magnet kids? Weren't home school kids already let into the 11th and 12th IB courses anyway? I'm assuming few home school kids did that in the past, both because very few kids choose IB to start with and then the level of the class is that much higher because of the caliber of the magnet kids, scaring people away. Is the principal doing something to make it more likely that the home school kids actually enroll in those IB classes?

To me the issue is not home vs test-in kids. It's the "water down" affects of mainstreaming the program. The RMIB is special for one reason - the type of kids in the program, highly driven smart kids who work incredibly hard. There is no way mixing kids will NOT bring negative changes to the program.

But as I understand it, this isn't a new thing. Those lesser, contaminating RM kids have already been participating in the program. So if mixing kids brings negative changes to the program -- it's already happened. The program you're defending as special actually already isn't.

Yes and no actually. IB always had certain number of set aside seats for home school kids but the mainstreaming effort by the new guy is a new thing.

Let it be. In schools that offer IB around the county, the big lament is that no one wants to do the full diploma. I would like to see how many students from the home schools actually want to do this program or are able to earn the IB diploma. Since 2.0, quality of students have gone down, not up, I would like to see this school produce enough IB caliber students to fill these seats and actually earn a diploma. The new guy is doing what his bosses have told him to do.

The big issue remains getting Hoover back. She knows the IB program and the MCPS system.

According to the info they give to the parents, the RM kids that join the program in 11th grade have just as a high of a diploma rate as the magnet kids in 9th. You know IB does not actually start until 11th grade right?

[Anonymous]

And if this is what you are calling "mainstreaming" it is not new..it has been happening for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are three forms of "integration" that have been going on for years. 1: About 25 spots go to JW kids 2: Any qualified RM kid can join in 11th grade (similar to all the other IB programs in MCPS) 3: Non-IB kids can take certain electives. This is nothing new. It is similar to Blair SMAC, non-magnet qualified kids can take available spots in some electives. I am not aware of anything that has changed other than Ms Hoover leaving.

Regarding point one, I didn't know that happened. Does that mean of the 100 kids accepted 75 are from other schools and 25 are from JW, or JW is an extra 25 beyond the 100?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child in the program. We were happy with it. I would say I did not see elitist attitudes among my daughter's friends, but I do know that cohorts coming from magnet middle schools come with this history. The year is still young, but some of the changes we see this year are troubling. The most immediate for us is the reorganization of language classes and combined classes with different levels. Now to be fair, last-year's language classes were also nothing to write home about relative to our middle school instruction. I know some kids also faced problems with reorgization of math. In general, kids are somewhat demoralized. There is a sense that the administration does not care about the program. It has not been very responsive to concerns, with poor communication (a lot of generalities, very few specific responses to concerns). In our case, I might consider bringing my child back to our excellent home school if things go south, as the watered down program and school tensions may not be worth a very long commute and lost hours each day any longer.

How were the math and language classes re-organized ?

What concerns were the administration not responsive to?


.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child in the program. We were happy with it. I would say I did not see elitist attitudes among my daughter's friends, but I do know that cohorts coming from magnet middle schools come with this history. The year is still young, but some of the changes we see this year are troubling. The most immediate for us is the reorganization of language classes and combined classes with different levels. Now to be fair, last-year's language classes were also nothing to write home about relative to our middle school instruction. I know some kids also faced problems with reorgization of math. In general, kids are somewhat demoralized. There is a sense that the administration does not care about the program. It has not been very responsive to concerns, with poor communication (a lot of generalities, very few specific responses to concerns). In our case, I might consider bringing my child back to our excellent home school if things go south, as the watered down program and school tensions may not be worth a very long commute and lost hours each day any longer.

You've summed up the problems - 1) kids are demoralized; 2) the admin doesn't care (if principal can have his way, he would probably kill the program); and 3) the program will eventually suffer. For those with young kids, I'd recommend that you monitor IB student profile every year until your kid is ready to apply. It's the only way to monitor any decline in program.

[Anonymous]

Still no specifics..what specifically is so demoralizing to the kids? I know several kids in the program who love it. They said good things about Ms Hoover but do not seem to feel she is irreplaceable...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
According to the info they give to the parents, the RM kids that join the program in 11th grade have just as a high of a diploma rate as the magnet kids in 9th. You know IB does not actually start until 11th grade right?

Yes, you are correct. The diploma rate of RM kids that join in the program in 11th grade is just as high as the diploma rate of the magnet kids in 9th. AND, these kids are very welcome to be in the RMIB program. These students have the caliber to be in the program and they should be allowed to be in the program during 11th grade.

In fact, there should be no quota at all. ALL RMHS students who have the capacity and will to do this diploma program should be able to join in the 11th grade. Please remember that the magnet students are being drawn from all over the county. Every HS school has only a handful of students who qualify for this exam. So, to expect 25 students (instead of a handful) from RMHS to be of the same caliber as the selected candidate is ridiculous. The program that allows RM students to be in the magnet program has been there since the program was put in RM. All RM students and parents know about this option, yet, only a handful avail of this opportunity? Why?

And of the handful who do avail of this opportunity and self select into this program, is there any surprise that they have the same diploma rate as the magnet kids? Absolutely not.

However, the Principal is trying to divide and conquer and deflect what the real issue is. This is an issue about a very seasoned IB coordinator being let go. It is not an issue about having qualified RM students into the program. RM students know about this program and there is not a long line of students who want to join this program. Are you kidding me? Most RM students are very well aware of how very demanding this program is and they have no desire to be in it.

[Anonymous]

So why was she let go? What is the principal aiming for? I agree plenty of RM kids choose not to do IB..even the very qualified ones. My child brought home the form and tore it up laughing. He has no interest in IB. After pyp and myp, reflection is a word he hates to hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, you are correct. The diploma rate of RM kids that join in the program in 11th grade is just as high as the diploma rate of the magnet kids in 9th. AND, these kids are very welcome to be in the RMIB program. These students have the caliber to be in the program and they should be allowed to be in the program during 11th grade.

In fact, there should be no quota at all. ALL RMHS students who have the capacity and will to do this diploma program should be able to join in the 11th grade. Please remember that the magnet students are being drawn from all over the county. Every HS school has only a handful of students who qualify for this exam. So, to expect 25 students (instead of a handful) from RMHS to be of the same caliber as the selected candidate is ridiculous. The program that allows RM students to be in the magnet program has been there since the program was put in RM. All RM students and parents know about this option, yet, only a handful avail of this opportunity? Why?

And of the handful who do avail of this opportunity and self select into this program, is there any surprise that they have the same diploma rate as the magnet kids? Absolutely not.

However, the Principal is trying to divide and conquer and deflect what the real issue is. This is an issue about a very seasoned IB coordinator being let go. It is not an issue about having qualified RM students into the program. RM students know about this program and there is not a long line of students who want to join this program. Are you kidding me? Most RM students are very well aware of how very demanding this program is and they have no desire to be in it.

All of this agitation, demoralization, and doom of the entire IB program because the principal got rid of a well-liked staff member?