Disappointed about CES

[Anonymous]

The whole process stinks. Last year 2 kids from our home school got in, and 3 more 99%ers (that I know of) were waitlisted. One who didn't get in originally had a mother who was able to pull strings to get her child in. MCPS does a huge disservice to bright kids who are ready to be challenged but for whatever reason are locked out of the CES.

[Anonymous]

My older daughter is very smart, but didn't get into CES either. However, we plan to do our own version of CES at home. There are plenty of home schooling resources available that meet or even exceed what CES teaches. As much as it may be bragging rights, CES doesn't really matter in the long run. Kids can still take AP classes in high school, skip grades if they can test out of the material, etc... Also, there are plenty of coding and robotics camps during the summer, lots and lots of educational toys at a reasonable cost (e.g., robotics kits, game programming tutorials).

The only real difference that I see between CES and non-CES students is that enrichment comes from parents for the latter kids.

[Anonymous]

Are they planning to expand the local CES option? This would address that issue. And in a handful of schools where there aren't enough kids, they could be bussed the nearest centre

[Anonymous]

Some parents including myself care more about a great curriculum than the name GT program itself. Hopefully with the new curriculum County has adopted for this upcoming school year, kids will all receive good quality education, both at CES and home schools.

Anonymous wrote:There are many smart kids and very few slots. It makes no sense that MCPS doesn't have a gifted classroom in each elementary school. You supplement at home. 4th grade compacted math picks up but everything else is school specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they planning to expand the local CES option? This would address that issue. And in a handful of schools where there aren't enough kids, they could be bussed the nearest centre

By creating local centers at the larger elementary schools they'd also create more space at the regional centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some parents including myself care more about a great curriculum than the name GT program itself. Hopefully with the new curriculum County has adopted for this upcoming school year, kids will all receive good quality education, both at CES and home schools.

I'm so tired of MCPS experimenting. My kids have been guinea pigs to the last 2 and each time they roll out a new so-called better curriculum it takes a few years before the teachers are properly ab;e to implement and the kids pay the price.

Anonymous wrote:There are many smart kids and very few slots. It makes no sense that MCPS doesn't have a gifted classroom in each elementary school. You supplement at home. 4th grade compacted math picks up but everything else is school specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some parents including myself care more about a great curriculum than the name GT program itself. Hopefully with the new curriculum County has adopted for this upcoming school year, kids will all receive good quality education, both at CES and home schools.

I'm so tired of MCPS experimenting. My kids have been guinea pigs to the last 2 and each time they roll out a new so-called better curriculum it takes a few years before the teachers are properly ab;e to implement and the kids pay the price.

Anonymous wrote:There are many smart kids and very few slots. It makes no sense that MCPS doesn't have a gifted classroom in each elementary school. You supplement at home. 4th grade compacted math picks up but everything else is school specific.

Perhaps, but isn't it better they're moving away from one we know doesn't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some parents including myself care more about a great curriculum than the name GT program itself. Hopefully with the new curriculum County has adopted for this upcoming school year, kids will all receive good quality education, both at CES and home schools.

I'm so tired of MCPS experimenting. My kids have been guinea pigs to the last 2 and each time they roll out a new so-called better curriculum it takes a few years before the teachers are properly ab;e to implement and the kids pay the price.

Anonymous wrote:There are many smart kids and very few slots. It makes no sense that MCPS doesn't have a gifted classroom in each elementary school. You supplement at home. 4th grade compacted math picks up but everything else is school specific.

Perhaps, but isn't it better they're moving away from one we know doesn't work.

Yes, but the CES bound kids are getting a well tested and well-honed curriculum. where the teachers have been able to iron out the kinks and share wisdom. The non-CES but CES ready kids have to play guinea pig again.

[Anonymous]

Actually both CES and non-CES share the same curriculum. I'd rather say at CES teachers may better focus on carrying out the curriculum, with less diversified students, with less need for bridging gap. The 'peer' effect once ever works!

Anonymous wrote:There are many smart kids and very few slots. It makes no sense that MCPS doesn't have a gifted classroom in each elementary school. You supplement at home. 4th grade compacted math picks up but everything else is school specific.

Perhaps, but isn't it better they're moving away from one we know doesn't work.

Yes, but the CES bound kids are getting a well tested and well-honed curriculum. where the teachers have been able to iron out the kinks and share wisdom. The non-CES but CES ready kids have to play guinea pig again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have same concerns as OP. I am less worried about the title of being in CES or Magnet. Rather how do I give them at least some of the opportunities they are getting in these advanced programs? MOCO curriculum is just not rigorous enough in some cases.

Former ES and MS magnet parent. I think it's all about supporting their passions. If your kid loves to write, sign them up for an outside writing program. My kid loves a certain topic and one year we sent her to a CTY day camp to take a "class" in that area -- she loved it. If they like science, go to science museums and watch science videos, etc.

Magnets can be a mixed blessing. Both MS magnet kids are bored to tears in HS, despite AP classes. Everyone has to learn to deal with their boredom. Everyone has to learn that not being picked for a rigorous academic program is not about inadequacy, but rather that there are more kids that could benefit from these programs than there are seats. It's OK for your kid in ES or MS to bring other stuff to do if they finish their boring busy work in school. Or, they can use that time to finish work from other classes so they don't have homework after school.

I agree that appropriately rigorous challenge is the best, but the absence of it just means that parent and child have to do more on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have same concerns as OP. I am less worried about the title of being in CES or Magnet. Rather how do I give them at least some of the opportunities they are getting in these advanced programs? MOCO curriculum is just not rigorous enough in some cases.

Former ES and MS magnet parent. I think it's all about supporting their passions. If your kid loves to write, sign them up for an outside writing program. My kid loves a certain topic and one year we sent her to a CTY day camp to take a "class" in that area -- she loved it. If they like science, go to science museums and watch science videos, etc.

Magnets can be a mixed blessing. Both MS magnet kids are bored to tears in HS, despite AP classes. Everyone has to learn to deal with their boredom. Everyone has to learn that not being picked for a rigorous academic program is not about inadequacy, but rather that there are more kids that could benefit from these programs than there are seats. It's OK for your kid in ES or MS to bring other stuff to do if they finish their boring busy work in school. Or, they can use that time to finish work from other classes so they don't have homework after school.

I agree that appropriately rigorous challenge is the best, but the absence of it just means that parent and child have to do more on their own.

And this is the rub. Many parents want their kids in the CES program because the advanced learning goes on during the school day - so that they don't have to do more on their own. Many of these parents have very demanding careers and little time to engage in home school-type activities. Many others don't have the educational expertise to teach advanced curriculum to their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I agree that appropriately rigorous challenge is the best, but the absence of it just means that parent and child have to do more on their own.

And this is the rub. Many parents want their kids in the CES program because the advanced learning goes on during the school day - so that they don't have to do more on their own. Many of these parents have very demanding careers and little time to engage in home school-type activities. Many others don't have the educational expertise to teach advanced curriculum to their kids.

NP. I refuse to supplement w/academics at home. My 99th %ile kids will do just fine in school, life, whatever. At home, we focus on play, social interaction, chores/life skills, sports, the arts, etc. I’ve been told they can register for whatever level classes they want in high school (as long as they have the prereqs), so I feel like all this ES/MS angst over placement is unnecessary. Yes, they’re a little bored in school, but as long as they’re doing ok socially, it doesn’t really bother me.

[Anonymous]

I have two examples to tell you: Two of my coworkers had sons in the same grade, zoned for Wootton, both Asian boys, both very smart and strongly STEM oriented. One went along CES-TP-Blair path, one got accepted but reluctant to take the traffic, and had the philosophy that standing at the top of Wotton may increase the chance to get accepted by Ivy than standing in the medium of Blair.

Then the Blair kid went to Carnegie Mellon, the Wootton boy went to MIT. After that many years, the Carnegie Mellon boy is on his last year to residence (majored in dermatology), the MIT boy is creating his own unicorn company in Silicon Valley. Both are successful, in slightly different ways.

The point for me is, it doesn't really matter that much. The career and happiness largely depend on kids born IQ and EQ, and environment they grow up from (e.g., if you work hard, that's a positive role model for them). CES is not the only magic way, not even close to.

[Anonymous]

CES parent here. Honestly, with the new curriculum and tracking at our local school, we’re thinking of pulling our kid. There doesn’t seem to me to be that much difference and you lose a lot by not going to the local school. I think there might be more difference in the curriculum at the high school or middle school level. This stuff just doesn’t seem all that advanced to me and the peer group doesn’t seem all that different either. Don’t sweat it, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CES parent here. Honestly, with the new curriculum and tracking at our local school, we’re thinking of pulling our kid. There doesn’t seem to me to be that much difference and you lose a lot by not going to the local school. I think there might be more difference in the curriculum at the high school or middle school level. This stuff just doesn’t seem all that advanced to me and the peer group doesn’t seem all that different either. Don’t sweat it, really.

Sounds like it goes back to bragging rights on the part of the parents.