Any recent experience with Odessa Shannon Middle School (formerly Lee MS)?

[Anonymous]

No experience with Shannon specifically but my child went from CES back to neighborhood middle school and basically had to repeat the math she had learned before. We were not really aware it was happening until too late to request a change. Ended up at Blair and got to MV by senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do many of the children in the surrounding neighborhood(s) attend other schools? I've always wondered why the school has the reputation that it does, as it is not located in an economically depressed neighborhood.

It's a Jewish neighborhood, fairly Orthodox, and therefore has a high percentage of kids in religious schools. This is the main reason.

In our actual experience with the school, the reputation was undeserved. Odessa taught my family that Great Schools and FARMS rates are not reasons to reject a school. If you are uncomfortable with immigrant families, or people who are socially not like you, or culturally different, it may not be the school for you. But those families also value education. Also have highly intelligent children. Also want them to succeed.

Except that’s not quite the case at this school. Yes there are some families that value education there, but far more children there are not college bound kids. And that’s fine, I’m not saying they should all go to college but I don’t want my child surrounded mostly by those type of students. I would prefer more college bound kids. Also, the school is not diverse. Look at the racial and SES make up of the students. It’s not evenly balanced among all races. Also, more kids are FARMS than not. Again, I don’t have any problem with low income students but I don’t want that to be the majority of the kids.

Honest question: how do you know whether these kids are college bound? They’re in 6th - 8th grade. How is it that you have already determined college isn’t happening for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do many of the children in the surrounding neighborhood(s) attend other schools? I've always wondered why the school has the reputation that it does, as it is not located in an economically depressed neighborhood.

It's a Jewish neighborhood, fairly Orthodox, and therefore has a high percentage of kids in religious schools. This is the main reason.

In our actual experience with the school, the reputation was undeserved. Odessa taught my family that Great Schools and FARMS rates are not reasons to reject a school. If you are uncomfortable with immigrant families, or people who are socially not like you, or culturally different, it may not be the school for you. But those families also value education. Also have highly intelligent children. Also want them to succeed.

Except that’s not quite the case at this school. Yes there are some families that value education there, but far more children there are not college bound kids. And that’s fine, I’m not saying they should all go to college but I don’t want my child surrounded mostly by those type of students. I would prefer more college bound kids. Also, the school is not diverse. Look at the racial and SES make up of the students. It’s not evenly balanced among all races. Also, more kids are FARMS than not. Again, I don’t have any problem with low income students but I don’t want that to be the majority of the kids.

Honest question: how do you know whether these kids are college bound? They’re in 6th - 8th grade. How is it that you have already determined college isn’t happening for them?

PP has a good "eye" for determining whether a child is headed for college or not.

[Anonymous]

Look at the graduation rate and college readiness score for the feeder high school. Again, I didn’t say all are not college bound but statistically there are far more non college bound kids there than I’m comfortable with. If you have no other choice, then I’m sure you can get a great education there and go on to a great college, but if you have a choice, then why not send them to a school that aligns better with your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both my husband and I went to a top university, so that's about the level of expectation we have for our kids (and they say they have for themselves). However, I know my kids.

Although my younger kid will rise to any challenge presented (straight As in 5th grade CES and compact math, entered in both TPMS and Eastern lotteries), he will only work as hard as he's pushed, and would be more than happy to slack off if the school does not offer a rigorous program. If the "magnet level" math and history class still are taught as poorly and low-level as they were in 2019 (the first year they were offered), he will definitely not be getting into any good high school magnet, and will continue his slacking in high school.

On the other hand, if he's surrounded by friends who are ambitious and/or hard workers, then he will work hard, too. If OSMS has improved their classes for top students, and there's at least 10 or so other students in his grade who demand (and receive) good enrichment, then he'll probably be fine. He said the "next smartest kid" in his compact math class is going to OSMS next year, and that's one of his best friends.

As for the poster above who said "I don’t want my child surrounded mostly by those type of students," those are EXACTLY the SAME students that your child was surrounded by in elementary school if you live in that area, at least until 3rd grade if your child was accepted into the Pine Crest CES, and even the Pine Crest CES has at least 6 kids from the OSMS catchment area (Arcola, Kemp Mill, Glenallan). You had already made the choice to have your child surrounded by "those types of students" when you moved into your home.

Rather practically and cold-bloodedly speaking: if your child goes to Odessa, they will almost certainly get into Kennedy IB, as I think they reserve 25 slots for local kids coming from their feeders. Some may see this as evidence that the program isn't RMIB, but RMIB has 1000-plus applicants and 100 slots? The people I know with kids are Kennedy IB are very happy. It's a very close-knit nurturing environment. Sometimes I wish we'd selected it.

You will also be free to throw your hat in for all the other magnets, of course.

MC2 is a straight lottery, but I haven't heard of them turning anyone away. If you didn't select Kennedy IB, Northwood's the other feeder and the other option.

And again, you still have the options of applying to the Blair, RM, Poolesville, Wheaton, etc.

A lot of us went to top schools, op, and attended highly-competitive magnet high schools. OSMS isn't going to set your kid on the road to Slippery Rock Teacher's College or (horrors!) Denison. Unless that's where they want to go. If anything, it just gives you more options than most will have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the graduation rate and college readiness score for the feeder high school. Again, I didn’t say all are not college bound but statistically there are far more non college bound kids there than I’m comfortable with. If you have no other choice, then I’m sure you can get a great education there and go on to a great college, but if you have a choice, then why not send them to a school that aligns better with your child.

Yes, how shocking. A large number of ESOL kids don't go to college immediately, at least not anywhere you've heard of.

When we were at OSMS, I went to college career day with a few teachers and a schoolbus full of kids, none of which had classes with my kid. They were all still planning on going to college. Most for STEM or business. They were good kids. Smart, interesting, dynamic, and it made me really take a pause to think about class, SES, cultural bias, and how toxic the UMC hamster wheel truly is. Your kilometers may vary.

[Anonymous]

We have recent experience. Our IEP child was there for 1 1/2 years. The first year was great. Last year the school had many problems with fights and even some drug over doses. The administration was not open about the problems. We ultimately left after significant bullying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is scheduled to go to Odessa Shannon Middle School (formerly Lee MS) next year. (Despite being in every lottery pool, we had no luck.) We have heard mostly bad things about the school in the past, so we're very nervous. DC is currently in a CES and is in compact math, and is hoping to eventually get into either the Blair SMCS magnet or another STEM magnet for high school.

3 years ago, when our older child was going to middle school, we were told by a Blair staff member that it was exceedingly rare for a Lee MS student to be invited to the SMCS magnet there, and that we should consider AOPS, test prep academies, and other outside of school activities to try to catch up because Lee did not adequately prepare students for the SMCS program. Our older child also shadowed a Lee MS student in the AIM 6 and HIGH classes in spring 2019, and found them to be WAY less challenging than even what they had been doing in their 5th grade CES and compact math. They also complained that the Lee students were not engaged in the class (DC answered more than most of the students actually in the class); many were doodling or sleeping during class. (Our older child got into TPMS 3 years ago after appealing, and will be in the Blair SMCS magnet next year. I can confirm that the TPMS 6th grade magnet math and HIGH classes in 2019-2020 were FAR more rigorous than what they had experienced at Lee MS in spring 2019.)

Does anyone know how many OSMS 8th graders got into the more competitive criteria-based high school magnets this year, e.g., Blair SCMS, RMIB, Wheaton Biomed, Wheaton Engineering?

Since they started the lottery system for getting into the Eastern/TPMS magnets, is there a decent-sized cohort "left behind" such that OSMS has more challenging classes now (than in 2019)?

Are there opportunities at OSMS for extra enrichment, science fair, extensive research projects, other advanced activities, etc.? (The after school LEGO robotics club there doesn't seem to be any more than the plug-and-play activity that's also offered at the elementary schools. It's not like a FIRST Robotics competition club.)

Is there any computer science class at OSMS that teaches more than just Scratch, e.g., extensive Python or Java coding?

Do the smart kids get bullied there?

Please pay for middle school. I don’t think you or your child will thrive there. I’m sorry.

[Anonymous]

9 month old zombie thread alert!

[Anonymous]

We have recent experience. Our IEP child was there for 1 1/2 years. The first year was great. Last year the school had many problems with fights and even some drug over doses. The administration was not open about the problems. We ultimately left after significant bullying.

[Anonymous]

My first kid went there when it was E. Brooke Lee and when Mrs. Hayden-Williams was principal. The school was not great. The building was old and falling apart but my kid got good grades. I suspect it’s because the rigor was low. His last year at the school was during COVID, so it was virtual.

The new building is beautiful and they have a new leadership team who seems to care a lot. But I also have seen several families pull their kids out due to drugs and fighting so I don’t know what’s going on there. It’s sad.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you have a moment, I’m curious now a year and a half later for what kind of experience you’ve had, if any, with Odessa Shannon MS. Positives? Negatives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9 month old zombie thread alert!

Who cares? It is helpful information. Weird phrases you make up, poster. "Zombie thread" WTH is that?? Do you mean "older thread"? Use standard English.

We did private for our middle-schoolers. Then to Einstein HS for IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the graduation rate and college readiness score for the feeder high school. Again, I didn’t say all are not college bound but statistically there are far more non college bound kids there than I’m comfortable with. If you have no other choice, then I’m sure you can get a great education there and go on to a great college, but if you have a choice, then why not send them to a school that aligns better with your child.

Yes, how shocking. A large number of ESOL kids don't go to college immediately, at least not anywhere you've heard of.

When we were at OSMS, I went to college career day with a few teachers and a schoolbus full of kids, none of which had classes with my kid. They were all still planning on going to college. Most for STEM or business. They were good kids. Smart, interesting, dynamic, and it made me really take a pause to think about class, SES, cultural bias, and how toxic the UMC hamster wheel truly is. Your kilometers may vary.

Are you saying that a large percentage aren’t going to become delinquents and dropouts too? Because your Harvard bound if only for an opportunity is a stereo-type as well and a naive one at that. Truth is no matter the fairness or desire, that is the type of middle schools the kids creating the current crime statistics come from. I went to Lee in the early 90s and there were guns and drugs in it back then with some kids from hard environments. The staff did their best to keep us GT kids separated but when the ratio is about 4 to 1 there was quite a bit of overlap. IMHO the area is worse now and the Jewish kids less likely to attend even if the building is fresh and newer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do many of the children in the surrounding neighborhood(s) attend other schools? I've always wondered why the school has the reputation that it does, as it is not located in an economically depressed neighborhood.

It's a Jewish neighborhood, fairly Orthodox, and therefore has a high percentage of kids in religious schools. This is the main reason.

In our actual experience with the school, the reputation was undeserved. Odessa taught my family that Great Schools and FARMS rates are not reasons to reject a school. If you are uncomfortable with immigrant families, or people who are socially not like you, or culturally different, it may not be the school for you. But those families also value education. Also have highly intelligent children. Also want them to succeed.

Except that’s not quite the case at this school. Yes there are some families that value education there, but far more children there are not college bound kids. And that’s fine, I’m not saying they should all go to college but I don’t want my child surrounded mostly by those type of students. I would prefer more college bound kids. Also, the school is not diverse. Look at the racial and SES make up of the students. It’s not evenly balanced among all races. Also, more kids are FARMS than not. Again, I don’t have any problem with low income students but I don’t want that to be the majority of the kids.

Smart and college bound are different things.

I was a smart, very poor inner city Baltimore kid. Being poor made attending college harder, but it didn’t make me less smart than someone whose parents could write a check for full tuition.