Is the Blair magnet open to everyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of my Blair kids took magnet classes. Not all magnet classes are open to other Blair kids, however. Also, you can't jump into upper level magnet classes if you haven't taken the prerequisites, which are usually also magnet classes. A word of warning on the magnet classes: often these are AP-level classes but squeezed into a single semester, so your kid has to be willing to really work at it.

Certain CAP classes are also open to non-CAP kids. I think the open CAP classes include theater, but not CAP journalism or US government. My kids were both in CAP, but I want to emphasize that you don't have to be in CAP to take the open magnet classes.

This is very wrong information. Because of the interdisciplinary aspect of the program, CAP theater is directly linked with English, History and Photo. A kid could not be in one class without the others, that's how the program is designed. The CAP kids just did a week-long project that involved hours of in-school library time. A non-CAP kid, with a non-CAP schedule, could not do that.

There are certainly other theater classes in the school. Maybe that's the source of your confusion?

No, no, no. My kids were in CAP and theater definitely had non-CAP kids. The kids do week-long projects, for sure, but generally these "interdisciplinaries" are coordinated between English and Social Studies (in 9th grade, when CAP kids take Theater) or between English/Journalism/Government in 10th grade.

Nope. Maybe it was different in your day, but my kid is a CAP 9th grader and just finished this project. It involved coordination between all 4 CAP classes. It's utterly impossible for a non-CAP kid to participate due to the logistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ 22:58 - come on man, no need for that.

You're right, there would be no need for it if it was a legitimate question. But it's the same person who starts this same thread every 3 months or so.

This is the typical response of the trolls. How did the dumbass know it was the same person asking the question? Even if it was the same person it is a legitimate question.

The Blair magnet is open to everyone. The magnet courses are really easy and they don't have their seasoned teachers teaching the classes. So the magnet classes are not as good as some of the nonmagnet classes.


Again, the magnet is open to anyone who wants the challenge.

For reasons expressed on this thread, the CAP is not open. Another reason maybe that it is predominantly white and the principal is too scared to destroy that program as well.

The magnet is predominantly Asian.

This is wrong in multiple ways. My CAP kids have taken magnet classes. Some magnet classes are open to non-magnet kids from CAP or anywhere else in Blair. Not all magnet classes are open to non-magnet kids, however. For some magnet classes, you will need to meet with the magnet administrator to discuss your interest and preparedness.

Same thing goes for CAP. Some CAP classes are open to non-CAP kids from anywhere else in Blair, but not all CAP classes are open to non-CAP kids.

I know the magnet is open to everyone, including capies. what are the magnet classes that are not open to everyone?

what are the CAP classes open to everyone and how does one get in?

[Anonymous]

I attended the information meeting for the Blair magnet as well as the Blair CAP program.

According to my notes from the magnet info meeting:
The Blair Math and Science director said that the core classes were just for magnet students. The electives are open to non-magnet students if they qualify and IF there is space. According to my notes, 90% of the students in the electives are magnet students. In 9th and 10th grade there are four core/required classes each year. In 11th grade there are 2 required classes and in 12th grade just one but they are also spending one class period (I am not 100% sure about this - whether they do it in school or on their own) on their big research project. I believe they take electives in 11th and 12th grade.

I did not take notes at the CAP info meeting so I am relying on my memory here:
The CAP director said that because of the way the classes are scheduled, it is nearly impossible for non-CAP students to take CAP classes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended the information meeting for the Blair magnet as well as the Blair CAP program.

According to my notes from the magnet info meeting:
The Blair Math and Science director said that the core classes were just for magnet students. The electives are open to non-magnet students if they qualify and IF there is space. According to my notes, 90% of the students in the electives are magnet students. In 9th and 10th grade there are four core/required classes each year. In 11th grade there are 2 required classes and in 12th grade just one but they are also spending one class period (I am not 100% sure about this - whether they do it in school or on their own) on their big research project. I believe they take electives in 11th and 12th grade.

I did not take notes at the CAP info meeting so I am relying on my memory here:
The CAP director said that because of the way the classes are scheduled, it is nearly impossible for non-CAP students to take CAP classes

The coursework is listed on the magnet website as is the presentation that was made to prospective students. I remember seeing a presentation on a website that listed the courses that had non magnet students enrolled. I will look for the info and post.

[Anonymous]

http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

What changes? I doubt they could be anything material. More like scheduling things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended the information meeting for the Blair magnet as well as the Blair CAP program.

According to my notes from the magnet info meeting:
The Blair Math and Science director said that the core classes were just for magnet students. The electives are open to non-magnet students if they qualify and IF there is space. According to my notes, 90% of the students in the electives are magnet students. In 9th and 10th grade there are four core/required classes each year. In 11th grade there are 2 required classes and in 12th grade just one but they are also spending one class period (I am not 100% sure about this - whether they do it in school or on their own) on their big research project. I believe they take electives in 11th and 12th grade.

I did not take notes at the CAP info meeting so I am relying on my memory here:
The CAP director said that because of the way the classes are scheduled, it is nearly impossible for non-CAP students to take CAP classes

So it seems theoretically possible for non-CAP kids to take CAP classes, but in practice it almost never happens. My CAP kid mentioned having a magnet kid in what I think was a non-core CAP class. I wonder if there's something about CAP and magnet schedules that makes taking each others' classes easier than it is for the rest of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

What changes? I doubt they could be anything material. More like scheduling things.

Possibly in the quality of teachers. I have to say, though, that my kid is currently in a magnet computer science class with a teacher who just started this year, and that teacher is incredibly impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

it will face slow death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

it will face slow death.

I fail to see how you can conclude this. As someone who attended the info meeting reported, 100% of the students in magnet core/required classes are magnet students and 90% of the students in magnet elective classes are magnet students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended the information meeting for the Blair magnet as well as the Blair CAP program.

According to my notes from the magnet info meeting:
The Blair Math and Science director said that the core classes were just for magnet students. The electives are open to non-magnet students if they qualify and IF there is space. According to my notes, 90% of the students in the electives are magnet students. In 9th and 10th grade there are four core/required classes each year. In 11th grade there are 2 required classes and in 12th grade just one but they are also spending one class period (I am not 100% sure about this - whether they do it in school or on their own) on their big research project. I believe they take electives in 11th and 12th grade.

I did not take notes at the CAP info meeting so I am relying on my memory here:
The CAP director said that because of the way the classes are scheduled, it is nearly impossible for non-CAP students to take CAP classes

So it seems theoretically possible for non-CAP kids to take CAP classes, but in practice it almost never happens. My CAP kid mentioned having a magnet kid in what I think was a non-core CAP class. I wonder if there's something about CAP and magnet schedules that makes taking each others' classes easier than it is for the rest of the school.

Don't both have an extra elective built into their day? Isn't that why they stay beyond the end of the regular school day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

it will face slow death.

It is already on its last legs with veteran teachers "retiring" and magnet students being recruited by other programs. The principal's history of dismantling magnets and students realizing that the magnet is being dismantled is causing a bad atmosphere for learning.

The principal's known antogonism towards the magnet and her being viewed as a relentless self promoter----kids point to her twitter feed which usually fatures a selfie----has made the school a bad place to be.

Was at the presentation and realized that all the accomplishments were pre Rene Johnson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

it will face slow death.

It is already on its last legs with veteran teachers "retiring" and magnet students being recruited by other programs. The principal's history of dismantling magnets and students realizing that the magnet is being dismantled is causing a bad atmosphere for learning.

The principal's known antogonism towards the magnet and her being viewed as a relentless self promoter----kids point to her twitter feed which usually fatures a selfie----has made the school a bad place to be.

Was at the presentation and realized that all the accomplishments were pre Rene Johnson.

This is a useful post for any psychology student wishing to study this particular poster because it contains all her standard wishful delusions in one place. There's not one shred of truth in any of it, as anyone associated with the magnet, the school, the greater DCC community, or reality knows. But she'll continue to come here regularly and write about how the principal's tweeting is destroying the school, and then respond to herself.

The one part I wish was true is the part about "other programs." Sure would be nice if there were more spots and opportunities for advanced students, particularly the hundreds of kids each year who don't get into the Blair magnet.

[Anonymous]

I am grateful for the Blair-hating poster's obsession with the principal, her Twitter feed, and her selfies. It makes identifying the Blair-hating poster as the Blair-hating poster much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/12272: Finally, Junior Marie-Therese Burton concluded the Town Hall with a question regarding county Magnet teachers. “It seems that the Magnet is becoming assimilated with the rest of the school. I would like you to address how the Magnet will be preserved as a special program,” she said.
Dr. Starr emphasized that the county cannot change magnet program structure. “I will not and cannot be changing the Magnet structure. I have not diminished [nor] increased magnet programs.”

However, a principal can make changes.

it will face slow death.

I fail to see how you can conclude this. As someone who attended the info meeting reported, 100% of the students in magnet core/required classes are magnet students and 90% of the students in magnet elective classes are magnet students.

I think this settles the debate about the program being "dumbed down"