If Your Bethesda/Potomac Kid Goes to Blair Magnet, How Do You Handle After-School Activities?

[Anonymous]

Uber it is trackable and cheaper than a car plus insurance. Why waste any more time than necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uber it is trackable and cheaper than a car plus insurance. Why waste any more time than necessary.

As long as you don't mind your teenage daughter alone in a stranger's car everyday..

[Anonymous]

I think if your kid wants to do a lot of after-school activities, they should go to their local high school, unless they don't need any down time at all. That said, after school activities AT school would probably be the best bet, for whatever type they choose. (for convenience) My freshman didn't do any after-school activities except for rec soccer. Next year I'll try to get her to take on a club as well, but they do stay very busy with coursework.

[Anonymous]

It is also possible to use the magnet bus system to get to locations closer to out of school activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You bought in Bethesda/Potomac for the great schools. Keep your kids at their home school and leave Blair for the poors you hate so much or move.

99% of them do

It doesn't always work out the way the parents expect. We bought a home in a "W" HS area for the schools. We expected all of our children would go to local schools. So far, we have had one DC go through W HS and another DC go to magnet HS. Some parents can afford to send their children to private schools when public options don't work. We can't. It's also not fair to our younger children to take them away from friends at the middle school to move to Silver Spring for older sibling to attend Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You bought in Bethesda/Potomac for the great schools. Keep your kids at their home school and leave Blair for the poors you hate so much or move.

99% of them do

It doesn't always work out the way the parents expect. We bought a home in a "W" HS area for the schools. We expected all of our children would go to local schools. So far, we have had one DC go through W HS and another DC go to magnet HS. Some parents can afford to send their children to private schools when public options don't work. We can't. It's also not fair to our younger children to take them away from friends at the middle school to move to Silver Spring for older sibling to attend Blair.

This board is for all MD schools, and if you’re living in one of the top rich clusters in one of the top school systems I don’t think what seems fair to you or not regarding after-school activities at a magnet you chose to send your child to is really relevant to most of us. To complain that you can’t afford to send them to an even richer private school also doesn’t help.

[Anonymous]

tricky situation, OP

But we found that hiring a driver was the best option. There were several of us in this boat who created a schedule, found a driver, and created a carpool of sorts.

a win-win!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You bought in Bethesda/Potomac for the great schools. Keep your kids at their home school and leave Blair for the poors you hate so much or move.

99% of them do

It doesn't always work out the way the parents expect. We bought a home in a "W" HS area for the schools. We expected all of our children would go to local schools. So far, we have had one DC go through W HS and another DC go to magnet HS. Some parents can afford to send their children to private schools when public options don't work. We can't. It's also not fair to our younger children to take them away from friends at the middle school to move to Silver Spring for older sibling to attend Blair.

This board is for all MD schools, and if you’re living in one of the top rich clusters in one of the top school systems I don’t think what seems fair to you or not regarding after-school activities at a magnet you chose to send your child to is really relevant to most of us. To complain that you can’t afford to send them to an even richer private school also doesn’t help.

Why so prickly PP. OP wants to know how kids who live in Potomac and Bethesda manage EC activities at Blair. Not a complaint but a good question for a responsible parent to ask. It is especially important to figure out when these kids have an extra school period and a long commute. The poster you are piling onto simply said that she has kids at her neighborhood school and one kid at Blair and that while the Blair kid might have an inconvenient commute she does not want to move because her other kids are happy in the neighborhood school. We are all trying to do our best for our kids and this forum is a great resource. No need to take offense when none is given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You bought in Bethesda/Potomac for the great schools. Keep your kids at their home school and leave Blair for the poors you hate so much or move.

99% of them do

It doesn't always work out the way the parents expect. We bought a home in a "W" HS area for the schools. We expected all of our children would go to local schools. So far, we have had one DC go through W HS and another DC go to magnet HS. Some parents can afford to send their children to private schools when public options don't work. We can't. It's also not fair to our younger children to take them away from friends at the middle school to move to Silver Spring for older sibling to attend Blair.

This board is for all MD schools, and if you’re living in one of the top rich clusters in one of the top school systems I don’t think what seems fair to you or not regarding after-school activities at a magnet you chose to send your child to is really relevant to most of us. To complain that you can’t afford to send them to an even richer private school also doesn’t help.

Why so prickly PP. OP wants to know how kids who live in Potomac and Bethesda manage EC activities at Blair. Not a complaint but a good question for a responsible parent to ask. It is especially important to figure out when these kids have an extra school period and a long commute. The poster you are piling onto simply said that she has kids at her neighborhood school and one kid at Blair and that while the Blair kid might have an inconvenient commute she does not want to move because her other kids are happy in the neighborhood school. We are all trying to do our best for our kids and this forum is a great resource. No need to take offense when none is given.

PP's reaction seems fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You bought in Bethesda/Potomac for the great schools. Keep your kids at their home school and leave Blair for the poors you hate so much or move.

99% of them do

It doesn't always work out the way the parents expect. We bought a home in a "W" HS area for the schools. We expected all of our children would go to local schools. So far, we have had one DC go through W HS and another DC go to magnet HS. Some parents can afford to send their children to private schools when public options don't work. We can't. It's also not fair to our younger children to take them away from friends at the middle school to move to Silver Spring for older sibling to attend Blair.

This board is for all MD schools, and if you’re living in one of the top rich clusters in one of the top school systems I don’t think what seems fair to you or not regarding after-school activities at a magnet you chose to send your child to is really relevant to most of us. To complain that you can’t afford to send them to an even richer private school also doesn’t help.

If you have the money to buy a million dollar house you should have enough to pay for transportation. Its absurd to take away downcountry slots from downcountry kids when the "W" schools are "far superior." If you want your kid to go to Blair figure it out or move. You can afford to buy them a car/insurance and yes, you can afford to send them to private school - you can take money out from the house... should have equity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if your kid wants to do a lot of after-school activities, they should go to their local high school, unless they don't need any down time at all. That said, after school activities AT school would probably be the best bet, for whatever type they choose. (for convenience) My freshman didn't do any after-school activities except for rec soccer. Next year I'll try to get her to take on a club as well, but they do stay very busy with coursework.

Or, parents drive them. Its part of parenting.

[Anonymous]

Current Blair parent here. Yes, many kids do EC. ?Kids in competitive swim clubs do more than 20 hours practice every week. ?kids play club tennis put more than 20 hours to practice. There are many clubs in Blair. The activity buses leave blair at 4:30 pm and take kids home to various stops in Bethesda and Potomac. The one arrives at BMES around 6 pm. The other one arrives at BEthesda ES at 5:30 pm. ?of there is any traffic incident, the bus could be delayed up to 30 min or even one hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current Blair parent here. Yes, many kids do EC. ?Kids in competitive swim clubs do more than 20 hours practice every week. ?kids play club tennis put more than 20 hours to practice. There are many clubs in Blair. The activity buses leave blair at 4:30 pm and take kids home to various stops in Bethesda and Potomac. The one arrives at BMES around 6 pm. The other one arrives at BEthesda ES at 5:30 pm. ?of there is any traffic incident, the bus could be delayed up to 30 min or even one hour.

Parents drive, kids carpool, or take school buses.

[Anonymous]

I went to the Blair magnet in the 90s and lived in Germantown. Took the late bus when I had activities or my dad picked me up by car (for newspaper, when it went really late).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current Blair parent here. Yes, many kids do EC. ?Kids in competitive swim clubs do more than 20 hours practice every week. ?kids play club tennis put more than 20 hours to practice. There are many clubs in Blair. The activity buses leave blair at 4:30 pm and take kids home to various stops in Bethesda and Potomac. The one arrives at BMES around 6 pm. The other one arrives at BEthesda ES at 5:30 pm. ?of there is any traffic incident, the bus could be delayed up to 30 min or even one hour.

Parents drive, kids carpool, or take school buses.

For Bethesda - the J buses run very frequently between Bethesda and Silver Spring, and the Z buses run very frequently on 29 between Silver Spring and Four Corners.

It will be much faster between Bethesda and Silver Spring once the Purple Line opens, of course.