Is anyone planning to pass on HGC?

[Anonymous]

My DD is at PCES. She did the only homework she has on the bus home from school this afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is at PCES. She did the only homework she has on the bus home from school this afternoon.

I have a child at PCES too. Don't your kids work on the projects at home? (For example, the current author study project with the multiple assignments). That's what DC has found to be much more labor intensive as compared to homework at the home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is at PCES. She did the only homework she has on the bus home from school this afternoon.

I have a child at PCES too. Don't your kids work on the projects at home? (For example, the current author study project with the multiple assignments). That's what DC has found to be much more labor intensive as compared to homework at the home school.

She has been reading the author study books at school and sometimes in bed (so I guess that is a little homework but I don't think she sees it that way as she would be reading a book before bed anyway). She says she has two hours a day to work on the project in school, including time to read the books. She did have more homework the first quarter with the NA project but since then she has worked on the long term projects at school. Sometimes she has to print something at home to turn in the next day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have already passed on even considering HGC. My kid is a year ahead (skipped a grade) and is in the top groups in class for reading, writing, spelling and math. The challenges are built-in for us, we don't need to go outside of our home school as needs are being met.

For most kids the home school is fine..

[Anonymous]

We opted not to go in 4th and never looked back. Very happy she stayed. Two out of six kids came back and finished 5th at their homeschool. It was not the homework but the long commute and missing of the lasting friendships, school spirit and doing all the 5th grade events with their home school. I find that most of the kids that leave and stay at HGC do so for one of three reasons. 1. Parent pushed. 2. Poor home school. 3. Lack of friends and hoping to bond/start anew in HGC.

If your child is happy at their school, has close ties (sport teams/ girl/boy scouts etc...) and has positive friends, teachers and community, why move them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD was accepted at an HGC. We are struggling with whether or not to send her. The program looks great, but she is happy at her home school, performing well, and not bored. Curious if others are planning to pass or have passed and what your reasons were. I really wish MCPS could program IN THE HOME SCHOOL for kids instead of making them go to a whole new school for 4th/5th. I also abhor the amount of homework they say is required. But it is a hard choice to pass on what looks like a really nice opportunity...

I agree. Why not make kids that need ESOL go to different schools? I bet that wouldn't go over so great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was accepted at an HGC. We are struggling with whether or not to send her. The program looks great, but she is happy at her home school, performing well, and not bored. Curious if others are planning to pass or have passed and what your reasons were. I really wish MCPS could program IN THE HOME SCHOOL for kids instead of making them go to a whole new school for 4th/5th. I also abhor the amount of homework they say is required. But it is a hard choice to pass on what looks like a really nice opportunity...

I agree. Why not make kids that need ESOL go to different schools? I bet that wouldn't go over so great.

OMG, PP. Are you serious? You realize that most of the kids in ESOL are lower income? Yes, they provide bus service, but it is somewhat of a hardship to have your kids be bused away from your area. My DC is bused to an HGC, and it can be very inconvenient for things like afterschool activities in the evenings.

[Anonymous]

I read PP and think those kids probably didn't belong there to start with. You move them because they need and want more challenge. Mine stayed on home sports team, scout troop, aftercare. Kept in touch with local friends (though several also attended magnet). My DD had a good home school experience but loved all the extra projects at the center.. It was worth it to her to make new friends and found some of new schools traditions fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have already passed on even considering HGC. My kid is a year ahead (skipped a grade) and is in the top groups in class for reading, writing, spelling and math. The challenges are built-in for us, we don't need to go outside of our home school as needs are being met.

For most kids the home school is fine..

True. Mine unfortunately needed this program (even he realized it) and thrived there. Our home school has zero acceleration opportunities. My son enjoyed the projects but has missed some home school friends. I wish there were adequate opportunities in our home school as well but there are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We opted not to go in 4th and never looked back. Very happy she stayed. Two out of six kids came back and finished 5th at their homeschool. It was not the homework but the long commute and missing of the lasting friendships, school spirit and doing all the 5th grade events with their home school. I find that most of the kids that leave and stay at HGC do so for one of three reasons. 1. Parent pushed. 2. Poor home school. 3. Lack of friends and hoping to bond/start anew in HGC.

If your child is happy at their school, has close ties (sport teams/ girl/boy scouts etc...) and has positive friends, teachers and community, why move them?

Neither my kid nor any of his HGC/magnet friends meet any of these criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD was accepted at an HGC. We are struggling with whether or not to send her. The program looks great, but she is happy at her home school, performing well, and not bored. Curious if others are planning to pass or have passed and what your reasons were. I really wish MCPS could program IN THE HOME SCHOOL for kids instead of making them go to a whole new school for 4th/5th. I also abhor the amount of homework they say is required. But it is a hard choice to pass on what looks like a really nice opportunity...

Part of the effectiveness of the Center program is the highly-able peer group. The kids feed off each other and that is extremely constructive and important to the process. It would not be possible to "program" that in the home school.

Homework is completely manageable.

-PCES/TPMS magnet/Blair SMAC magnet mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We opted not to go in 4th and never looked back. Very happy she stayed. Two out of six kids came back and finished 5th at their homeschool. It was not the homework but the long commute and missing of the lasting friendships, school spirit and doing all the 5th grade events with their home school. I find that most of the kids that leave and stay at HGC do so for one of three reasons. 1. Parent pushed. 2. Poor home school. 3. Lack of friends and hoping to bond/start anew in HGC.

If your child is happy at their school, has close ties (sport teams/ girl/boy scouts etc...) and has positive friends, teachers and community, why move them?

Because they are incredibly bored, recognize that they are incredibly bored, and although they have close ties, positive friends, teachers and community, are willing to take the risk of a new school to alleviate the boredom.

My child went to HGC - not pushed by me, was at a superb home school and had many friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We opted not to go in 4th and never looked back. Very happy she stayed. Two out of six kids came back and finished 5th at their homeschool. It was not the homework but the long commute and missing of the lasting friendships, school spirit and doing all the 5th grade events with their home school. I find that most of the kids that leave and stay at HGC do so for one of three reasons. 1. Parent pushed. 2. Poor home school. 3. Lack of friends and hoping to bond/start anew in HGC.

If your child is happy at their school, has close ties (sport teams/ girl/boy scouts etc...) and has positive friends, teachers and community, why move them?

Neither my kid nor any of his HGC/magnet friends meet any of these criteria.

I have two kids. One who went to HGC/MS Magnet and the other currently at an HGC. My kids are very different from each other but neither meets your narrow criteria. One possibly met number 3 in the sense that he didn't have a peer group at the very good home school so was happier at HGC. The other didn't meet any of the criteria in any sense.

[Anonymous]

OP here: this has been a really interesting discussion. Thank you all for your helpful responses. I think my child will be fine either way certainly. I have been very interested in the varied view points on this issue. It has been very helpful as we weigh this decision with our child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have already passed on even considering HGC. My kid is a year ahead (skipped a grade) and is in the top groups in class for reading, writing, spelling and math. The challenges are built-in for us, we don't need to go outside of our home school as needs are being met.

For most kids the home school is fine..

The kid described isn't "most" kids though, obviously. Most kids do not both skip a grade AND end up in all the top groups.