Confused why BCC and other Western MOCO schools have so few high school options

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the informative comments. Hopefully I’m not screwing up my kid’s future, but I was honestly just thinking of my kid being optimally engaged in his high school learning. He likes school, but classes in biomedical engineering seemed nifty for him. I’m not angling for him to go to Cal Tech - he’s a smart cookie and does well but that just isn’t the end goal. Regardless, I get that BCC has many great/good course options and will just focus on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

BCC did not want to be part of the Downcounty Consortium, when the DCC (and NEC) were formed. Originally, the plan was for BCC to be part of the DCC. The DCC HS programs would then have been an option for your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the informative comments. Hopefully I’m not screwing up my kid’s future, but I was honestly just thinking of my kid being optimally engaged in his high school learning. He likes school, but classes in biomedical engineering seemed nifty for him. I’m not angling for him to go to Cal Tech - he’s a smart cookie and does well but that just isn’t the end goal. Regardless, I get that BCC has many great/good course options and will just focus on that.

BCC has the IB program. All the W schools are very good and have tons of APs. Any smart and motivated kid will get a great education at any of these schools.

For magnets, MCPS wanted to distribute things around the county - Poolesville, RM, Blair.

Not unreasonably.

[Anonymous]

Op, to answer your question, it’s because the DCC schools were considered far less desirable. So they created special programs and a certain degree of school choice to make people in the DCC a little happier.

You’re supposed to be satisfied with BCC because it’s one of the “good” schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

TLDR: you only get to elite engineering universities with the most rigorous science classes, and those will either be at the Blair STEM magnet or any W school STEM AP schedule. No need to look further. Question is: is your kid hardcore enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

What they mean are why aren’t there magnets at the rich kid schools instead of the schools of the poors?

[Anonymous]

What sciences courses do BCC students, and other non-CS special programs, take after AP Comp Sci Principles and AP Java?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because BCC and the other downcounty schools are very high quality schools. If your MS student is interested in biomedical engineering, they will be very well prepared at BCC or one of the available magnets.

Were those kids who passed out drunk in the bathroom well prepared?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

The consortiums were devised as an alternative to racial integration through busing. If you don't want involuntary busing, you offer choices that invite people to voluntarily bus for programs. BCC was supposed to be part of the DCC, but BCC parents protested vehemently as they saw themselves as more west-county, than down-county. BCC-zoned students can apply for the Blair magnet or the RM IB program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because BCC and the other downcounty schools are very high quality schools. If your MS student is interested in biomedical engineering, they will be very well prepared at BCC or one of the available magnets.

Were those kids who passed out drunk in the bathroom well prepared?

Don't worry they are at every school, public and private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

Poolesville also has Project Lead the Way (PLTW) engineering courses. My DS did that in parallel with the Global Ecology program- it was a good fit for him.

There is also Early College in 11th & 12th grades, where HS students earn an associate degree at MC in parallel with HS diploma. Your kid might be interested in the engineering program at Rockville, or the Biotech one at Germantown.
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/high-school-students/dual-enrollment/degree-and-pathway-programs/early-college-program/index.html

[Anonymous]

Err, you realize that many BCC parents have historically fought and lobbied like crazy to stay in the BCC district rather than be redrawn towards a DCC district that is actually closer to your house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

The only one that's a true intellectual standout is the bolded. It's the TJ of Maryland. The other two are very nice, but not any better than W schools. The other "special programs" you are thinking of are not really selective. They're attractively-packaged to attract kids to traditionally under-served areas of the county, but the intellectual rigor, content quality and peer cohort just aren't there.

Eventually most parents realize this, and also take note of the ridiculous commute.

Some of us actually live in traditionally under-served areas of the county, and our kids are doing just fine on intellectual rigor, content quality, and peer cohort, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

The only one that's a true intellectual standout is the bolded. It's the TJ of Maryland. The other two are very nice, but not any better than W schools. The other "special programs" you are thinking of are not really selective. They're attractively-packaged to attract kids to traditionally under-served areas of the county, but the intellectual rigor, content quality and peer cohort just aren't there.

Eventually most parents realize this, and also take note of the ridiculous commute.

Some of us actually live in traditionally under-served areas of the county, and our kids are doing just fine on intellectual rigor, content quality, and peer cohort, thank you.

1) +1000
2) And my neighborhood is filled with _educators_ at every academic level, public and private, so I'm pretty sure we are informed consumers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since today is notification day, I was looking up what we would apply to next year for my son who is in 7th now. We zone to BCC. Compared to all the other schools, it seems like BCC kids (and the other Western/Southern schools) don’t have any magnet/application based options outside of Blair SMCS, RMIB, and Poolesville Ecology. My kids is a Biomedical/Engineering kid. Those application based magnets look fantastic. Why don’t the kids in our area get that option?

The only one that's a true intellectual standout is the bolded. It's the TJ of Maryland. The other two are very nice, but not any better than W schools. The other "special programs" you are thinking of are not really selective. They're attractively-packaged to attract kids to traditionally under-served areas of the county, but the intellectual rigor, content quality and peer cohort just aren't there.

Eventually most parents realize this, and also take note of the ridiculous commute.

Some of us actually live in traditionally under-served areas of the county, and our kids are doing just fine on intellectual rigor, content quality, and peer cohort, thank you.

1) +1000
2) And my neighborhood is filled with _educators_ at every academic level, public and private, so I'm pretty sure we are informed consumers.

Informed?
In this nebulous district system?