Downcounty MS Options for Advanced Learners/GT, Please Advise
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Anonymous
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Have you looked into the MCPS middle school magnet consortium? There are three schools (lottery admission to anyone in MCPS, but located in Silver Spring/Wheaton). One focuses on arts, one on digital design and the third on aerospace technology, so one of your kids might like this. Not sure of the ethnic demographics. They are in high FARMS areas, but draw kids from across the county because of their programs. My daughter applied to the arts program, but didn't get in (just luck of the draw).
For more info, see http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/msmagnet/ |
Anonymous
I'm the PP who posted about White Oak. Both Stonegate and Westover have had significant numbers students who take Math 7 in 5th grade (these are the students who took Math 6 in 4th grade); those students then move on to Algebra in 6th grade at White Oak. This is the current/recent past situation because these students were already on the accelerated path in the general education program before MCPS rolled-out the 2.0 curriculum; so it could be that in the coming years there will not be significant numbers of students who are even reaching Math 6 by 5th grade. But since your kids are middle school age, they should be able to get on/stay on the accelerated track that currently exists outside the magnet program. And, in comparison to White Oak, Takoma Park magnet students -- regardless of whether they took Math 6 or Math 7 in 5th grade -- take Magnet Math 6 in 6th grade (formerly, Magnet IM); magnet students typically do not take Algebra (the magnet level course) until 7th grade. Students who successfully complete the Takoma Park magnet program, typically move on to Algebra II (they will have taken Geometry in 8th grade); students who successfully complete the accelerated track at White Oak, typically take Pre-Calculus in 9th grade (they will have taken Geometry in 7th grade and Algebra II in 8th grade); but, at some point, I think all of the students end up in the "same" place on their respective magnet vs. general ed tracks (because the magnet level courses in HS are often compressed -- for example, a magnet student could essentially take Calculus AB and Calculus BC as a single course vs. a general ed student taken them as two separate courses). Finally, the same accelerated math track that is available at White Oak is/should be available at Takoma Park for its accelerated non-magnet students; however, non-magnet students do not take magnet math courses, instead they take the appropriate general ed course (for example, Geometry or Honors Geometry). |
Anonymous
There is no magnet interview, thank goodness, for either kids or parents. The kids do a short essay as part of the application form, explaining why they think the magnet is right for them. It's been a few years and I can't remember if there was also a parent essay. They don't care whether you will fit in with the school community or make large donations.... |
Anonymous
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OP here. Thanks again for this information. We have another year or so to weigh options and scout for properties. The concept of an application middle school program is so foreign to DCPS (and DC Charter) that it's helpful to have input from MoCo families who've participated.
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Anonymous
Is the essay only for Eastern humanities or is it also for Takoma Park science & math? |
Anonymous
The application process involves an essay for both, but for testing, I think the kids only write an essay for Eastern. |
Anonymous
Students applying to either Eastern or Takoma Park complete three of four parts of the admissions test; all applicants complete the logic/Raven and reading comprehension parts; those applying to Eastern complete the writing part and those applying to Takoma Park complete the math part; students applying to both Eastern and Takoma Park complete all four parts of the test -- i.e., logic/Raven, reading comprehension, writing, and math. The admissions test is administered the first Saturday in December; the application will be due the first Monday in November. Similar to the testing, all applicants complete the same general essay(s) (e.g., describe/introduce yourself) regardless of whether they apply to Eastern or Takoma Park, but there's a separate essay unique to each school. The parent essay is optional but I personally don't know any parent who has not completed this part of the application. |
Anonymous
Thanks for clarifying; you are right. I guess my memory on this is fuzzy, maybe even blocked, after the trauma of having three kids applying to, respectively, college, high schools, and middle schools, all the same fall. By January I wanted to slit my wrists. |
Anonymous
No problem -- I'm in the throes of the same trauma except I'm ready to slit my wrists now 
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Anonymous
So I'm sure I understand (because this might be an interesting option for us in a couple of years, and one that I hadn't considered previously), your plan is to own one place in DC and use that as your residence for DCPS purposes and a second place in Takoma Park, MD and use that as your residence for applying to the Takoma Park MS magnet program? Are you sure you can apply for the Takoma magnet as a Takoma resident if the kid in question in enrolled in a public school in a different jurisdiction? Many thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
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Original poster here. As far as we can tell, you need to furnish a DC address when you register your kid for DCPS school in the spring, and to file/pay DC income tax for the previous year, but said address doesn't need to stick for the entire academic year if it's your last year in DCPS.
As long as you're using a MoCo address by the fall, when MD kids take the magnet exam(s), you should be fine in those applicant pools. If your kid strikes out in the magnet applications in the spring, you simply register for a regular middle school program in MoCo at that point. We just talked to a family whose daughter entered the Eastern magnet (6th grade) using this approach. In their parent essay, they simply explained that they were transitioning between the school systems, keeping their child in a DCPS school for a final year (5th grade) after having moved to MoCo. I get the impression that this approach will not be a problem to MoCo school officials, since it's still common for families to change systems (with almost all the movement from DC to MoCo for older kids). You must be a MoCo resident (with residency documents to prove it, e.g, drivers license with MoCo address, utilities bills, pay stubs) before your kid takes the magnet exams to try for a magnet, but there's nothing to stop you from shuttling between two homes during your kid's last year in DCPS, or even simply attending a DC school from MoCo for part of your last academic year in DCPS or DC Charter. Paying MD state income, and property or rental taxes, for the year your kid starts school in MoCo should be part of your plan in the interests of staying on terra firma legally. |
Anonymous
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+1. It's not difficult to switch school systems if you get the necessary residency docs, register/apply for schools and magnets by MoCo. deadlines, and file the relevant Federal and state tax returns covering the school years in question.
I just wouldn't advertise your transition to other parents or school officials at either end in the event that busy bodies claim you're not justified in the timing/sequencing of your switch. You are, so no need to swing open the door to interference. Only the FBI can check where your family sleeps every night. But if you're coming out of DCPS or DC Charter, where there are no G/T programs, and have an advanced learner, I'd cover your bases with Johns Hopkins CTY testing and summer programs and other supplemental work, which you carefully document,including by collecting recommendations from instructors outside DC public schools. In our experience, MoCo administrators will work with you if you do this and your kid qualifies for advanced middle school work in their system. |
Anonymous
FYI, at Eastern Middle School is also a magnet (but for humanities). There, non-magnet and magnet kids both can take accelerated math. They have math classes at least 2 years ahead and at least a few kids who are working 3 years ahead, but those have to go over to nearby Blair. |
Anonymous
| Another potential option for you is to move into the Rock Creek Forest section of CC/SS which is a 5 min drive from the Silver Spring metro (red line). This is Westland Middle School and BCC High School, which has a competitive IB program. There are certainly houses in your price range although they will be smaller. |
Anonymous
I thought the BCC IB program was open to everyone. |