Third round options on Woodward Boundary study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

They're looking at, like, less than 350 kids per grade at Einstein (assuming the gains and losses from programs even out-- if they don't, they could shrink another couple dozen kids per grade easily), compared to, what, around 500 now? How are they going to be able to offer a reasonable amount of class options at that size?

They aren't going to offer a reasonable number of classes. They don't offer a lot of classes now. And, all that will be reduced. The expectation is you go to MC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they eventually turn Einstein into a holding school.

Did an Einstein student bully Taylor when he was at BCC? Steal his lunch? Egg his car? Is that why he hates Einstein and acts like he wants to erase it?

It's really bizarre he's going after Einstein. Laura is a big advocate for Einstein so maybe its to spite her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

They're looking at, like, less than 350 kids per grade at Einstein (assuming the gains and losses from programs even out-- if they don't, they could shrink another couple dozen kids per grade easily), compared to, what, around 500 now? How are they going to be able to offer a reasonable amount of class options at that size?

See, this is exactly how the programs could be used for good, if they were thoughtful about this stuff... they could go heavy on the number of program seats at Einstein to create critical mass for both electives and high level classes, to help make sure Einstein's a strong school where local students want to stay But instead they're only giving Einstein an average number of program seats for their region, and even if the biomedical program actually does draw top students from elsewhere (I'm skeptical), the high level courses in the magnet are apparently going to be IB rather than AP and there's only going to be a handful of them. There is zero sign any of it was designed with an eye towards whether it will help or harm the future of Einstein.

If these folks are Central Office would be willing to just spend a few minutes thinking about what each school most needs and would benefit from (or we're willing to invite and respect suggestions from others on what schools need), we'd be in such a different place...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

They're looking at, like, less than 350 kids per grade at Einstein (assuming the gains and losses from programs even out-- if they don't, they could shrink another couple dozen kids per grade easily), compared to, what, around 500 now? How are they going to be able to offer a reasonable amount of class options at that size?

See, this is exactly how the programs could be used for good, if they were thoughtful about this stuff... they could go heavy on the number of program seats at Einstein to create critical mass for both electives and high level classes, to help make sure Einstein's a strong school where local students want to stay But instead they're only giving Einstein an average number of program seats for their region, and even if the biomedical program actually does draw top students from elsewhere (I'm skeptical), the high level courses in the magnet are apparently going to be IB rather than AP and there's only going to be a handful of them. There is zero sign any of it was designed with an eye towards whether it will help or harm the future of Einstein.

If these folks are Central Office would be willing to just spend a few minutes thinking about what each school most needs and would benefit from (or we're willing to invite and respect suggestions from others on what schools need), we'd be in such a different place...

I don’t think central office understands academics and the classes. The biomedical is a nothing program and Einstein doesn’t have a lot of science or math to draw in stem one engineering or computer science. The admin is checking out more and more so closing the school given its age and other factors could be a possibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

They're looking at, like, less than 350 kids per grade at Einstein (assuming the gains and losses from programs even out-- if they don't, they could shrink another couple dozen kids per grade easily), compared to, what, around 500 now? How are they going to be able to offer a reasonable amount of class options at that size?

See, this is exactly how the programs could be used for good, if they were thoughtful about this stuff... they could go heavy on the number of program seats at Einstein to create critical mass for both electives and high level classes, to help make sure Einstein's a strong school where local students want to stay But instead they're only giving Einstein an average number of program seats for their region, and even if the biomedical program actually does draw top students from elsewhere (I'm skeptical), the high level courses in the magnet are apparently going to be IB rather than AP and there's only going to be a handful of them. There is zero sign any of it was designed with an eye towards whether it will help or harm the future of Einstein.

If these folks are Central Office would be willing to just spend a few minutes thinking about what each school most needs and would benefit from (or we're willing to invite and respect suggestions from others on what schools need), we'd be in such a different place...

I don’t think central office understands academics and the classes. The biomedical is a nothing program and Einstein doesn’t have a lot of science or math to draw in stem one engineering or computer science. The admin is checking out more and more so closing the school given its age and other factors could be a possibility.

If the admin is checking out, can't they just replace them with better people rather than close the whole school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, Einstein is smaller than Eastern in these options. That's just weird.

They're looking at, like, less than 350 kids per grade at Einstein (assuming the gains and losses from programs even out-- if they don't, they could shrink another couple dozen kids per grade easily), compared to, what, around 500 now? How are they going to be able to offer a reasonable amount of class options at that size?

See, this is exactly how the programs could be used for good, if they were thoughtful about this stuff... they could go heavy on the number of program seats at Einstein to create critical mass for both electives and high level classes, to help make sure Einstein's a strong school where local students want to stay But instead they're only giving Einstein an average number of program seats for their region, and even if the biomedical program actually does draw top students from elsewhere (I'm skeptical), the high level courses in the magnet are apparently going to be IB rather than AP and there's only going to be a handful of them. There is zero sign any of it was designed with an eye towards whether it will help or harm the future of Einstein.

If these folks are Central Office would be willing to just spend a few minutes thinking about what each school most needs and would benefit from (or we're willing to invite and respect suggestions from others on what schools need), we'd be in such a different place...

I don’t think central office understands academics and the classes. The biomedical is a nothing program and Einstein doesn’t have a lot of science or math to draw in stem one engineering or computer science. The admin is checking out more and more so closing the school given its age and other factors could be a possibility.

If the admin is checking out, can't they just replace them with better people rather than close the whole school?

All your comments are correct but this is MCPS. Einstein has so much potential and now will be destroyed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting to see the popularity of option F. This (along with B) is the big change option for my neighborhood — ESS, currently zoned for Blair and could move to Northwood. I’m not foaming at the mouth about it but I’d prefer to stay Blair.

Yeah I'm an ESS family and agree with you. I think Northwood will be a fine school but I hate the idea of middle college. It feels like it kind of destroys both the high school and the college experience. I hope with the larger school there will be enough advanced kids not doing MC that my kids can do normal high school and still have advanced classes. So I hope we stay Blair, but we'll make the best of Northwood. I was upset about the possibility of being sent to SSIMS and then having it be closed and have to be bussed for middle school so I'm glad that seems like it won't happen.

+1 I am a potential Woodward family. (It's extremely likely I will be Woodward after the latest options. Only a fleeting hope remains of WJ). Reason why I am opposed to Woodward is that it has a arts program and that Middle College/ MC program. You articulate the point correctly. It feels like it destroys both high school and college experience. They should just offer a standard high school with some advanced classes for kids who need it, and music or painting elective for kids who want those.

I'm at the point where I need to focus on fighting the regional model very strongly. All attention goes to that.

[Anonymous]

Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

It makes sense to appease the screeching of "why don't Whitman and BCC get hurt too???"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

Option F won't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

Option F won't happen.

Option F is the only one that doesn't leave Wheaton overcrowded per its capacity of 2220 as listed in the current CIP so that is the one I will support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

It makes sense to appease the screeching of "why don't Whitman and BCC get hurt too???"

The "screeching" you are referring to is MCPS choosing to leave DCC schools overcrowded and facing numerous boundary changes and split articulations while nothing changes for Whitman or BCC..

Option F is the only option that doesn't leave Wheaton overcrowded based on its capacity of 2220 listed in the CIP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

It makes sense to appease the screeching of "why don't Whitman and BCC get hurt too???"

The "screeching" you are referring to is MCPS choosing to leave DCC schools overcrowded and facing numerous boundary changes and split articulations while nothing changes for Whitman or BCC..

Option F is the only option that doesn't leave Wheaton overcrowded based on its capacity of 2220 listed in the CIP.

all the schools are at about 80% capacity in many models

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Increasing FARMS at Whitman by 3% is funny though....it's like they had to try something...

Ridiculous to change two elementary school communities and move students out of walk zones for this very minimal increase that has no impact on the original focus of the boundary study. Option F does not make sense.

It makes sense to appease the screeching of "why don't Whitman and BCC get hurt too???"

The "screeching" you are referring to is MCPS choosing to leave DCC schools overcrowded and facing numerous boundary changes and split articulations while nothing changes for Whitman or BCC..

Option F is the only option that doesn't leave Wheaton overcrowded based on its capacity of 2220 listed in the CIP.

all the schools are at about 80% capacity in many models

They added 500 seats to Wheaton by saying 500 students will be doing CTE programs at Edison. That explanation makes no sense for many reasons, starting with the fact that Edison programs are part time and can't fulfill graduation requirements by themselves.