TPMS vs. Hoover Middle School
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Hello, our DS has the opportunity to attend TPMS magnet program and we are trying to decide between that and Hoover, which also has a good reputation. Our son is bright and creative but also probably has mild ADD and I'm guessing is on the spectrum. I'm thinking it could be good for him to be with a group of like minded students in the magnet program, and I've heard really good things about the teachers at TPMS. However, the commute is also longer, and we will have another kid starting at Hoover, so it would really be easier to have them both attend Hoover. I'm wondering if any other parents can share their experiences when it comes to choosing the magnet program over a home school that already has a good reputation. We come from an elementary school that feeds into Churchill and also had a good reputation, but we have personally been underwhelmed, so I'm wondering if our experience at Hoover will be similarly underwhelming. Thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
|
My kid is at Churchill and went to TPMS at a time when the final admissions were not lottery based, so I'll be honest: the cohort was stronger (it is still quite strong though).
When we arrived at Churchill I honestly think there was just one other kid who had attended TPMS in their class. My kid was OK with that, but it could be a rough transition back. I think that is a serious thing to consider. I understand there are about 20 "new" kids each year from 8th to 9th. The academics and environment at TPMS were fantastic. But now there is a new principal (who is good), and the way the classes work are different (and changing again as far as I read on DCUM). Some of the really stellar teachers my kid had are gone now, like the old 7th grade science teacher who also stood up the community service club (I do not know how this is working now so no insult to the current people in those roles). If I had this decision to make today personally again I think sticking with Hoover would be the smarter choice, but I am not sure that I would have made that choice in your position because the draw of the program is strong (or was for us). Our family is very happy at Churchill and my child was very prepared for math and science and coding (though is not leaning towards a STEM major). |
Anonymous
| Personally I’d stick with Hoover. It’s a great school and your child will have plenty of strong peers. In my opinion, it’s not worth the bus ride or having his friends all over the county. |
Anonymous
| Hoover period |
Anonymous
| Can he handle block schedule? Also be mindful that there is uncertainty on TPMS’s bell schedule after next year. |
Anonymous
Sadly the new principal has driven away many of the great teachers in the magnet and weakened many of the things that made it great. She has driven a wedge between the administration and families with inept communication. It’s still a good program but I question whether it’s worth a long commute if you have another good option, especially as you’ll only be able to take one elective. |
Anonymous
Not after next year - next year. |
Anonymous
|
The benefit is one required CS class. But because TP will now be 7 periods, that means your student will not have an elective if they want a foreign language as well.
The science class is also better. Commute is long. |
Anonymous
| If you are an engaged parent who can supplement the school, local school is better than commuting. |
Anonymous
| One more data point for your reference - Our kid went to Hoover, and now attend Blair Magnet. Hoover experience was memorable and the kids had a great time. Hoover graduates adopt as well as Takoma Park graduates at Blair. |
Anonymous
That’s an anecdote, not a data point! |
Anonymous
nice - TPMS alumni? |
Anonymous
|
Even if one buys the premises that a slightly advanced curriculum in a mixed area with a stacked student peer group in the specific classrooms is better than an affluent middle school with a high standards community and a stacked peer population. Is the marginal exposure to advance ABCs and 123s (that is often soon brain dumped) and a middle school resume worth the hours spent commuting daily while being extracted from the neighborhood and community? Haven’t met many adults who state “if only my middle school resume was stronger” but I have met quite a few that talk about the types of enrichments they did like sports, dancing ect. Two hours a day is 10 hours a week coupled to a heavy homework load, IMHO it is pretty unimaginative if going to piney brach road daily is the best most productive thing you can do with your time. Hardly any of the magnet kids end up going to Ives or super elite colleges even if they continue on though HS anyway so what exactly are you getting with all of that.
There are a million ways to get into a good college esp if you can afford IB for Hoover. Focus on living not striving, you can take a level math in summer school if you really want them to get ahead. A few compressed weeks beats uprooting one’s life and community. |
Anonymous
OTOH, if magnet is your peer group, then joining that group on 6th instead of 9th has benefits. If you care about the non-magnet peers on the magnet campus, then the TPMS+SMCS magnet puts you in the building the non-magnet TPMS->Blair students 6-12 instead of 6-9. (This argument was stronger before the lottery decimated the TPMS->SMCS pipeline. Now, the W middle school -> SMCS pipeline is larger.) |
Anonymous
An anecdote is a datapoint. PP is probably not a TPMS alumni. |