Blair Magnet Question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

This is a really mean and smug post, and most of it completely contrary to DC's experience who has found everyone to be really collaborative. There are established friend groups from Takoma but it's the same story all over the school. There are 2-3 middle schools where most everyone came from so of course they are all coming in with established friend groups.

DP. Completely disagree. PP's post didn't strike me as mean at all. Having kids tgat went through TPMS/Blair, I can see how this is tough for someone coming in from a different school, but things will open up a bit. Also, my kids had some of the complaints about magnet attitudes as well (both at TPMS and Blair). But, there are more collaborative types too. Just keep looking, PP. Also, I think it's great that her kid is making friends with CAP and reg Blair kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

This is a really mean and smug post, and most of it completely contrary to DC's experience who has found everyone to be really collaborative. There are established friend groups from Takoma but it's the same story all over the school. There are 2-3 middle schools where most everyone came from so of course they are all coming in with established friend groups.

DP. Completely disagree. PP's post didn't strike me as mean at all. Having kids tgat went through TPMS/Blair, I can see how this is tough for someone coming in from a different school, but things will open up a bit. Also, my kids had some of the complaints about magnet attitudes as well (both at TPMS and Blair). But, there are more collaborative types too. Just keep looking, PP. Also, I think it's great that her kid is making friends with CAP and reg Blair kids.

My Blair magnet kid socialized with non-magnet students including CAP and regular Blair kids. DC loved the magnet classes, but didn't connect or socialize with the other magnet kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine had Cap and nonmag friends in other classes, club and her sport. She liked a mix and thought the classes/sport with non mag kids was a nice change from the mag culture.

I guess some kids looked down, but I think most embrace the diversity Blair has to offer. We know lots of bright kids who didn't get a mag/Cap spot who are at Blair. There really shouldn't be this "us/them" divide.

Perhaps some just don't realize this but kids can take an equally challenging mix of classes without CAP or SMCS. In fact, you can even take many magnet classes in 11th or 12th if you meet the prereqs and are interested in those subjects. One of my kids was in the magnet the other wasn't. The one that wasn't still managed to take 8 magnet classes in their time at Blair in addition to 12 APs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

This is a really mean and smug post, and most of it completely contrary to DC's experience who has found everyone to be really collaborative. There are established friend groups from Takoma but it's the same story all over the school. There are 2-3 middle schools where most everyone came from so of course they are all coming in with established friend groups.

DP. Completely disagree. PP's post didn't strike me as mean at all. Having kids tgat went through TPMS/Blair, I can see how this is tough for someone coming in from a different school, but things will open up a bit. Also, my kids had some of the complaints about magnet attitudes as well (both at TPMS and Blair). But, there are more collaborative types too. Just keep looking, PP. Also, I think it's great that her kid is making friends with CAP and reg Blair kids.

NP. It struck me as condescending as do most of the posts on this thread talking about "regular" kids and diversity. Can't you people just talk in your own school forums?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

This is a really mean and smug post, and most of it completely contrary to DC's experience who has found everyone to be really collaborative. There are established friend groups from Takoma but it's the same story all over the school. There are 2-3 middle schools where most everyone came from so of course they are all coming in with established friend groups.

DP. Completely disagree. PP's post didn't strike me as mean at all. Having kids tgat went through TPMS/Blair, I can see how this is tough for someone coming in from a different school, but things will open up a bit. Also, my kids had some of the complaints about magnet attitudes as well (both at TPMS and Blair). But, there are more collaborative types too. Just keep looking, PP. Also, I think it's great that her kid is making friends with CAP and reg Blair kids.

NP. It struck me as condescending as do most of the posts on this thread talking about "regular" kids and diversity. Can't you people just talk in your own school forums?

Huh? That's some weird chip on your shoulder to equat syntax of "regular" to ID a nonmagnet student with being condescending. Same for liking diversity. Take that axe off the grinder, there is no condescension there.

[Anonymous]

My 11th grader has a fairly equal mix of friends from the magnet program and the rest of Blair. He is not super into STEM so many of his friends are from other activities that he enjoys.

It’s a huge school and there are many opportunities to interact with all sorts of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 11th grader has a fairly equal mix of friends from the magnet program and the rest of Blair. He is not super into STEM so many of his friends are from other activities that he enjoys.

It’s a huge school and there are many opportunities to interact with all sorts of students.

It really does depend on the kid. I don't think it's fair or accurate to generalize about this anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

It’s only been a few weeks. My introvert kid has spent a lot of time with other friends from middle school but is also starting to make new ones in his block and through an after school club. She needs to give it a little longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is a freshman, an introvert and having a hard time finding connections with these magnets kids. DD told me most of the TPMS kids keep to their previous friendships from middle school. Not to mention, most talk horribly about the non-magnet kids which my dd dislikes. She prefers to hangs out with non-magnet kids and eat lunch mainly in her teachers' classrooms. She really likes three of her magnet teachers a whole lot therefore she hangs around in their classrooms. Those three teachers also run some clubs so dd joined those. DD plays a sport and made two close CAP friends there. She really likes the CAP kids who are not as competitive as the magnet kids. This is not an environment for everyone. On a positive note, she really loves her magnet courses. The classes are providing her the challenge she needed and wanted.

P.S DD came from a private school. This is all new territory for her.

It’s only been a few weeks. My introvert kid has spent a lot of time with other friends from middle school but is also starting to make new ones in his block and through an after school club. She needs to give it a little longer.

When I was in HS, I did make a few new friends at the beginning of 9th but that snowballed over the next year or two into a much larger friend group. It didn't happen all at once but was gradual.