DCC for non-magnet kid

[Anonymous]

Sorry if I am using the incorrect terms. We are fairly new to this and trying to understand.

DC is in 4th grade and has ADHD. It is pretty well-managed and he does pretty well, but he didn't qualify for CES or compacted math. Knowing what I know about him (and understanding he's only 9 and things could change), I'm assuming he will not qualify for the magnet lottery. That's fine by me, but I'm hearing coded things like "poor cohort" outside of the specialized programs. As a parent who was once probably considered part of the "poor cohort" as a kid, I'm maybe a little overly sensitive to this language, but I also want to make sure we're meeting DC's long-term needs.

I know there is a lot of criticism of some of the DCC schools, so would love to hear a balanced view.

Does anyone have a similar experience with your kid (particularly an ADHD kid), especially in SSIMS to Northwood? I would put this in the kids with special needs forum, but I am seeking info specific to MCPS so hoping for a broader view.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on your child. Any MCPS MS or HS is going to have a hard-working, high-achieving, cohort of kids. Some of those kids will be in a magnet or choice program, and some will not, but they will exist in any school.

Similarly, every school is going to have a cohort of troublemakers. At a rich school, those troublemakers are drinking and doing higher-end drugs. At a poorer school, they are vaping and smoking pot. The pool of troublemakers is probably smaller at a rich school, but it still exists.

So the question you need to figure out is whether your child is going to seek out the troublemakers. Does his ADHD present as risk-seeking and/or school avoidant?

The other thing to consider is school administration, which is typically more stable at the MS and HS levels. A good principal hiring good APs can make all the difference.

[Anonymous]

It’s all a little unstable now since Northwood is being renovated. Fewer kids valued it in the DCC process as a result, but after its complete it will probably be one of the more desired schools. You have a seat there and can probably use it happily.

The MS magnet program is really small - 120 kids from the entire DCC. It doesn’t impact cohorts much except at the very top, so don’t worry about that.

[Anonymous]

There is still choice outside of magnets. My kids weren’t interested in magnets or even the choice process and we’re very happy in our home school (Einstein). Home school traditional high school experience is always an option. Don’t overthink it if you like your neighborhood high school! My kids have ADHD as well. Accommodations aren’t a problem.

[Anonymous]

I live in the DCC and know plenty of UMC white kids that are not in magnet programs.

I think it might be helpful for you to tune out DCUM posts about "poor cohorts". IME there's a really big difference between how people talk about schools on DCUM vs IRL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in the DCC and know plenty of UMC white kids that are not in magnet programs.

I think it might be helpful for you to tune out DCUM posts about "poor cohorts". IME there's a really big difference between how people talk about schools on DCUM vs IRL.

Wow. Where did UMC or white come in to play in this conversation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the DCC and know plenty of UMC white kids that are not in magnet programs.

I think it might be helpful for you to tune out DCUM posts about "poor cohorts". IME there's a really big difference between how people talk about schools on DCUM vs IRL.

Wow. Where did UMC or white come in to play in this conversation?

Come on. When people talk about "poor cohorts" they are not envisioning UMC white kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in the DCC and know plenty of UMC white kids that are not in magnet programs.

I think it might be helpful for you to tune out DCUM posts about "poor cohorts". IME there's a really big difference between how people talk about schools on DCUM vs IRL.

NP - with kids in DCC middle and elementary schools - IME, there unfortunately are a lot of people IRL who perpetuate misinformation about "poor cohorts" in the DCC. The difference (again, IME) lies in these perceptions vs. reality, which is that there are plenty of UMC kids (white and non-white), who attend college and are not in magnet programs. This idea that there are few DCC kids who are college-bound, whose families value higher education, etc., is laughably incorrect.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the insights.

PPs are correct. The language is so not-so-thinly veiled. I know there is a lot of fear-mongering here about the DCC, but there had to be "regular" kids succeeding and heading to college. DCUM makes it sound like it's magnet/IB or bust.

I'll definitely tune out the noise and continue supporting DC the best we can. We really love our ES and our community.

[Anonymous]

I strongly advocate for Loiederman MS. You can has 3 electives, it’s so awesome. Although I don’t have an ADHD kid, i feel the school overall is very accommodating and welcoming.

Can’t say about the HS path, but Einstein, Wheaton, and Blair are among the top picks for DCC kids

[Anonymous]

Northwood is fine even with the commute to Bethesda. The school is underrated. The twice exceptional program is there (gifted/talented learning disabled). DC likes that the school is smaller than a lot of the other DCC high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the insights.

PPs are correct. The language is so not-so-thinly veiled. I know there is a lot of fear-mongering here about the DCC, but there had to be "regular" kids succeeding and heading to college. DCUM makes it sound like it's magnet/IB or bust.

I'll definitely tune out the noise and continue supporting DC the best we can. We really love our ES and our community.

“Regular kids” meaning white and UMC according to this thread. Not even veiled racism anymore.

[Anonymous]

What seems to be missing from this racist discussion among white people is that excluding CAP (which is mostly white, UMC kids) the magnets are not in any way predominantly white or predominantly upper middle class. This is particularly true of MCPS’s flagship magnet at Blair, where white kids are very much the minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is fine even with the commute to Bethesda. The school is underrated. The twice exceptional program is there (gifted/talented learning disabled). DC likes that the school is smaller than a lot of the other DCC high schools.

That won't be true for much longer, after the new and much larger Northwood building opens in 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What seems to be missing from this racist discussion among white people is that excluding CAP (which is mostly white, UMC kids) the magnets are not in any way predominantly white or predominantly upper middle class. This is particularly true of MCPS’s flagship magnet at Blair, where white kids are very much the minority.

It has been a long time since MCPS released the demographic data for magnets, but RMIB and Poolesville are both at least plurality white.

All of the magnets, including Blair, are predominantly upper middle class if we use a normal metric for upper middle class, not a DCUM metric.

So actually the only true thing here is that the Blair magnet is predominantly Asian. Which is fine and cool but doesn't really mean anything about the rest of the programs.