Can we make a list of things for DCC families can come together to advocate for?

[Anonymous]

I think we should advocate for an end to regions and magnets and just advocate for improving our home schools. How to improve our home schools should be based on processes involving only our home school. As school communities, we should assess but all of our students need, and figure out how to allocate our resources accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is closing SSIMS something we can oppose? I realize there are issues with the space, but I am really against this area losing a middle school.

I agree with you completely.

+1. Simply making Eastern and Sligo bigger is such a poor solution. Middle school is traumatic enough. Is it the norm in other areas to have MS with 1,200+ kids?

Tinfoil hat tangent:

I know there are a million legal steps that need to be taken to sell that land, but let's be real. SSIMS is in a prime spot. Close to DTSS and a cute neighborhood primarily dominated by SFHs. Steps to the Purple line and Sligo Creek Park and trail. So how long will it actually remain a holding school? Any bets on what will really be on that property in the next decade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we should advocate for an end to regions and magnets and just advocate for improving our home schools. How to improve our home schools should be based on processes involving only our home school. As school communities, we should assess but all of our students need, and figure out how to allocate our resources accordingly.

This, right here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

Why? Northwood’s theatre program is about on the same level as Blair’s — kind of like fast food: not terrible, not gourmet, just decent.

Completely false and just ignorant.

OP is has a point. My child isn’t zoned for either Northwood or Einstein, but if I had to choose, I’d go with Einstein. Even then, I’d try to see if my child could stay at their home school for part of the day and take arts classes at Einstein in the afternoon.
Also, I don’t think Whitman should hand over Humanities to Northwood when most of their students end up at MC anyway. The MC College program is pitch perfect for Northwood. I really don’t get what the complaints are about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

Why? Northwood’s theatre program is about on the same level as Blair’s — kind of like fast food: not terrible, not gourmet, just decent.

Completely false and just ignorant.

OP is has a point. My child isn’t zoned for either Northwood or Einstein, but if I had to choose, I’d go with Einstein. Even then, I’d try to see if my child could stay at their home school for part of the day and take arts classes at Einstein in the afternoon.
Also, I don’t think Whitman should hand over Humanities to Northwood when most of their students end up at MC anyway. The MC College program is pitch perfect for Northwood. I really don’t get what the complaints are about.

This sounds really ignorant from someone whose kid isn't in the schools we're talking about. Whitman would not be "handing over" their Humanities magnet, because it doesn't exist yet. MCPS has proposed to give them one, and no one understands why.

As to "most students end up at MC" I'd be interested to see where you got the numbers to support that. In addition, Northwood has a new, larger building scheduled for opening in 2027, and the boundary of its catchment area is being redrawn to fill the building and relieve overcrowding from other schools. The academic profile of the Northwood HS students will be a lot different in 5-10 years than what it is today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

I’m confused. This did not change. Einstein got music, but Northwood still has theater and dance. Where does it say otherwise?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is closing SSIMS something we can oppose? I realize there are issues with the space, but I am really against this area losing a middle school.

I agree with you completely.

I agree also and I'm not in the DCC. It is a highly walkable school convenient to the Purple Line. MCPS cannot let schools deteriorate only to abandon them due to renovation costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

Why? Northwood’s theatre program is about on the same level as Blair’s — kind of like fast food: not terrible, not gourmet, just decent.

Completely false and just ignorant.

OP is has a point. My child isn’t zoned for either Northwood or Einstein, but if I had to choose, I’d go with Einstein. Even then, I’d try to see if my child could stay at their home school for part of the day and take arts classes at Einstein in the afternoon.
Also, I don’t think Whitman should hand over Humanities to Northwood when most of their students end up at MC anyway. The MC College program is pitch perfect for Northwood. I really don’t get what the complaints are about.

Are you from the DCC area? You don't sound like it, especially with that weird assertion that most Northwood students "end up at MC anyway," whatever that's supposed to mean. If not, can you please stay out of this conversation and let us talk amongst ourselves?

[Anonymous]

Don't worry about WJ and Woodward.

Focus on stronger academics at all schools.
Reinstate the DCC so kids have more opportunities.
More arts, electives and academic offerings like the W schools have.
More support for the students struggling to get them to grade level and graduation.
Fix the schools with mold, plumbing, electrical and other issues.
If home schools cannot offer classes at the school, MCPS offers them virtually or transport students to other schools. And, align the school schedules so that can work smoothly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

Why? Northwood’s theatre program is about on the same level as Blair’s — kind of like fast food: not terrible, not gourmet, just decent.

Completely false and just ignorant.

OP is has a point. My child isn’t zoned for either Northwood or Einstein, but if I had to choose, I’d go with Einstein. Even then, I’d try to see if my child could stay at their home school for part of the day and take arts classes at Einstein in the afternoon.
Also, I don’t think Whitman should hand over Humanities to Northwood when most of their students end up at MC anyway. The MC College program is pitch perfect for Northwood. I really don’t get what the complaints are about.

Very few kids do the MC college program at Northwood. I would look at the academic offerings at the time for each school and choose that way. Both schools are about equal. If Einstein doesn't get more arts teachers, I'm not sure what a "magnet" would look like except in name only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is closing SSIMS something we can oppose? I realize there are issues with the space, but I am really against this area losing a middle school.

I agree with you completely.

+1. Simply making Eastern and Sligo bigger is such a poor solution. Middle school is traumatic enough. Is it the norm in other areas to have MS with 1,200+ kids?

Tinfoil hat tangent:

I know there are a million legal steps that need to be taken to sell that land, but let's be real. SSIMS is in a prime spot. Close to DTSS and a cute neighborhood primarily dominated by SFHs. Steps to the Purple line and Sligo Creek Park and trail. So how long will it actually remain a holding school? Any bets on what will really be on that property in the next decade?

The largest middle schools (6-8th grades) are typically under 1000 students. 800 to 900-plus students at most. Any larger is hard to manage, especially with higher English Learner and higher poverty populations.

SSIMS should remain a walkable neighborhood middle school. And students will also be able to take the Purple Line to school.

[Anonymous]

I actually do think we should fight to keep the DCC model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Performing arts, especially theater, criteria program to Northwood.

This NEVER should have been changed and we will fight for it.

I’m confused. This did not change. Einstein got music, but Northwood still has theater and dance. Where does it say otherwise?

Reality is that none of this really matters, and fighting over it is silly. A strong program depends on the teachers there at the time and their focus. They aren't giving schools more teachers for these programs, so for Einstein, they only have three music teachers so they cannot expand the program as those teachers are stretched thin. The new theater chorus teacher seems good, very active, and strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually do think we should fight to keep the DCC model.

No, it's been horrible for Kennedy.

School choice is a conservative approach to education that treats schools like businesses that have to compete with one another. It doesn't work. The kids that most need better schools don't have the resources to travel to a further school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is closing SSIMS something we can oppose? I realize there are issues with the space, but I am really against this area losing a middle school.

I agree with you completely.

I agree also and I'm not in the DCC. It is a highly walkable school convenient to the Purple Line. MCPS cannot let schools deteriorate only to abandon them due to renovation costs.

Thank you! Thiiis