Why w school students not preferred in Blair magnet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many students from W-schools, my DD included, choose not to apply for or attend the Blair magnet program because the quality of education sucks.

The magnet program is open to anyone at Blair who wants the pretext of a challenge and has been watered down accordingly.

My 2 cents.

Can I suggest that we don't respond to this poster? They obviously didn't have someone attend Blair SMAC and don't know the requirements or the curriculum or the students that attend.

I would hazard a guess that their student did not get into magnet programs and they have made this up. There is plenty of data to measure the strength of the curriculum and the requirements to attend SMAC. It's just not for everyone.

+10 I am out of this one..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many students from W-schools, my DD included, choose not to apply for or attend the Blair magnet program because the quality of education sucks.

The magnet program is open to anyone at Blair who wants the pretext of a challenge and has been watered down accordingly.

My 2 cents.

Sorry you did not take the time to learn more about the program.. Certain magnet electives (which don't start till junior year) are open to on-magnet students if there is space and if the student has met the same pre-rec requirements as the magnet student. That is very different than opening the classes to anyone at Blair. I know there are a variety of good programs in MCPS but only Poolesville and Blair offer the high level and variety of offerings in SMAC.

Too bad you don't understand the state of magnets in MCPS. Poolesville bears no comparison to the Blair magnet because it is a whole school magnet.

The magnet courses at Blair are open to non-magnet students if you want them and for the most part have taken an AP course or two. In other words, the magnet sequence is being equated to AP courses anyone could take! W-schools, in my opinion, give a better AP experience in rigor and content.

You do not know what you are talking about. Nothing about your post is accurate.

~Parent of one Blair SMAC student and one Whitman student

[Anonymous]

The poster is right about higher level Blair magnet courses being open to students with AP experience but not the magnet sequence.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/math/: There are also several mathematics courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any Blair students who have completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students completing A.P. Calculus may take Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations (also known as Magnet Analysis 2) or Linear Algebra. Those completing Precalculus or higher may take Applied Statistics. Discrete Mathematics is offered for those who have completed Precalculus with Analysis and A.P. Computer Science. Finally, if a student manages to finish Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations before graduation, he/she may move onto Complex Analysis. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/science/: There are also several science courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any 11th and 12th grade Blair student who has completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students who have completed Honors Physics and are taking/have completed A.P. Calculus may take Quantum Physics or Thermodynamics. Students who are taking/have completed just A.P. Calculus can take Optics. Those who have completed Honors Chemistry can take Materials Science or Plate Tectonics and Oceanography. Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics are the prerequisites for Astronomy. Students who have completed Honors Chemistry and Algebra II with Analysis can take Analytical Chemistry. Those completing Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Precalculus with Analysis can take Physical Chemistry. Those who complete Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry may take Genetics, Cell Physiology, or Marine Biology. Students who have taken Honors Physics and are taking/have completed Magnet Analysis II (AKA Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations) can take Mathematical Physics. Finally, there are no prerequisites for 11th and 12th graders who wish to take the very popular Origins of Science. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

AP is essentially the prerequisite for entrance to advanced magnet courses. Magnet students can take these courses after the magnet sequence.

The school has equated the magnet sequence to common AP courses. Yes, the Blair magnet was once well regarded. It no longer is the program it used to be. And yes, my child is in the magnet and bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The poster is right about higher level Blair magnet courses being open to students with AP experience but not the magnet sequence.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/math/: There are also several mathematics courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any Blair students who have completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students completing A.P. Calculus may take Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations (also known as Magnet Analysis 2) or Linear Algebra. Those completing Precalculus or higher may take Applied Statistics. Discrete Mathematics is offered for those who have completed Precalculus with Analysis and A.P. Computer Science. Finally, if a student manages to finish Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations before graduation, he/she may move onto Complex Analysis. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/science/: There are also several science courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any 11th and 12th grade Blair student who has completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students who have completed Honors Physics and are taking/have completed A.P. Calculus may take Quantum Physics or Thermodynamics. Students who are taking/have completed just A.P. Calculus can take Optics. Those who have completed Honors Chemistry can take Materials Science or Plate Tectonics and Oceanography. Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics are the prerequisites for Astronomy. Students who have completed Honors Chemistry and Algebra II with Analysis can take Analytical Chemistry. Those completing Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Precalculus with Analysis can take Physical Chemistry. Those who complete Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry may take Genetics, Cell Physiology, or Marine Biology. Students who have taken Honors Physics and are taking/have completed Magnet Analysis II (AKA Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations) can take Mathematical Physics. Finally, there are no prerequisites for 11th and 12th graders who wish to take the very popular Origins of Science. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

AP is essentially the prerequisite for entrance to advanced magnet courses. Magnet students can take these courses after the magnet sequence.

The school has equated the magnet sequence to common AP courses. Yes, the Blair magnet was once well regarded. It no longer is the program it used to be. And yes, my child is in the magnet and bored.

Would your child be bored at a W school or private? Sounds like your child needs to take college classes, which is not typical for most kids, even magnet kids.

[Anonymous]

I have a freshman in the Blair SMAC program taking magnet pre-calc and a child in a neighborhood program taking honors pre-calc. The magnet version is not at all close to the honors version. They cover more material and the tests are much more rigorous. If PP's student did not find challenge in the magnet then I can't imagine what she would be saying about a mere honors to AP track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The poster is right about higher level Blair magnet courses being open to students with AP experience but not the magnet sequence.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/math/: There are also several mathematics courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any Blair students who have completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students completing A.P. Calculus may take Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations (also known as Magnet Analysis 2) or Linear Algebra. Those completing Precalculus or higher may take Applied Statistics. Discrete Mathematics is offered for those who have completed Precalculus with Analysis and A.P. Computer Science. Finally, if a student manages to finish Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations before graduation, he/she may move onto Complex Analysis. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

From http://mbhs.edu/departments/science/: There are also several science courses offered by the Magnet Program that are available to any 11th and 12th grade Blair student who has completed the appropriate prerequisites. Students who have completed Honors Physics and are taking/have completed A.P. Calculus may take Quantum Physics or Thermodynamics. Students who are taking/have completed just A.P. Calculus can take Optics. Those who have completed Honors Chemistry can take Materials Science or Plate Tectonics and Oceanography. Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics are the prerequisites for Astronomy. Students who have completed Honors Chemistry and Algebra II with Analysis can take Analytical Chemistry. Those completing Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, and Precalculus with Analysis can take Physical Chemistry. Those who complete Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry may take Genetics, Cell Physiology, or Marine Biology. Students who have taken Honors Physics and are taking/have completed Magnet Analysis II (AKA Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations) can take Mathematical Physics. Finally, there are no prerequisites for 11th and 12th graders who wish to take the very popular Origins of Science. Some of these courses may have additional prerequisites or other requirements; please see the Magnet Program's webpages and/or your guidance counselor for more information.

AP is essentially the prerequisite for entrance to advanced magnet courses. Magnet students can take these courses after the magnet sequence.

The school has equated the magnet sequence to common AP courses. Yes, the Blair magnet was once well regarded. It no longer is the program it used to be. And yes, my child is in the magnet and bored.

Exactly what do you mean by this? What grade is your DC at Blair? I guess I don't believe your statement.

[Anonymous]

To the PP whose child is bored in SMAC. I would encourage you to look into enrolling your child in college classes. There is always a small group of kids within the magnet program who don't find the program challenging enough. My ds finds it to be just right. He has to work hard, he is challenged on a regular basis but it is not stressful. I for one am glad it is not tougher than it already is. I have looked at the material ds's friends in honors physics and honors chem have done and his magnet classes are much more rigorous and go deeper into the material.

[Anonymous]

If your child is bored in the magnet program, then

1. Maybe your child should choose some electives that interest your child more. The list is extensive.
2. There are a TON of extra curricular options, both at lunch and afterschool. Try some!
3. Agree with PP who doesn't believe your statement. The program does an extensive amount to over accelerate even within the program. There's as much stress there as anyone wants to absorb. Some kids clearly want more than others.

[Anonymous]

Also wonder if bored child tested into both functions and the accelerated comp sci class in 9th grade. Have you spoken to the coordinator and his teachers about the lack of rigor?

[Anonymous]

The 9th grader from the blair smac should enroll at umd. He is wasting his life in Blair. The only usefulness for him to stay at Blair would be winning top math, computer or science award in competitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC will be in 9th grade in a W high school. Did not make it to Blair SMAC magnet. Talking to others I get a feeling that very few (2 or 3) students from MS made it to Blair though MS is one of the very good schools, with so many bright kids. Why is it that the screening committee would prefer to select a student from non w school area over the one from w school with former having equal or lesser scores? Why is this assumption made that a student from silver spring would benefit more from Blair magnet than the one who would go to Churchill or Walter Johnson or Wooten.

By "bright" you mean "white," and by "white" you mean "superior," OP. The assumption that the county's more affluent neighborhoods produce fundamentally smarter and more capable students is a reflection of classism and barely-concealed racism in those neighborhoods. (And no, the presence of some people of color in those schools and neighborhoods does not counter this reality.) I grew up in Bethesda and attending a W school, where the seemingly benign "nothing but the best for my kid" mentality reflects an assumption that the offspring of the Bethesda/Potomac bourgeois have a birthright to better resources, better access to better programs, etc. than other taxpayers in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC will be in 9th grade in a W high school. Did not make it to Blair SMAC magnet. Talking to others I get a feeling that very few (2 or 3) students from MS made it to Blair though MS is one of the very good schools, with so many bright kids. Why is it that the screening committee would prefer to select a student from non w school area over the one from w school with former having equal or lesser scores? Why is this assumption made that a student from silver spring would benefit more from Blair magnet than the one who would go to Churchill or Walter Johnson or Wooten.

By "bright" you mean "white," and by "white" you mean "superior," OP. The assumption that the county's more affluent neighborhoods produce fundamentally smarter and more capable students is a reflection of classism and barely-concealed racism in those neighborhoods. (And no, the presence of some people of color in those schools and neighborhoods does not counter this reality.) I grew up in Bethesda and attending a W school, where the seemingly benign "nothing but the best for my kid" mentality reflects an assumption that the offspring of the Bethesda/Potomac bourgeois have a birthright to better resources, better access to better programs, etc. than other taxpayers in the county.

There are 16 high schools that can apply to Blair SMAC. The largest number of kids come from Takoma (logical since they had the benefit of the middle magnet- approx. 40 most years). Second highest MS is Wooten (a W school!). Most other schools only have a few kids accepted. Let's not create bias here.

[Anonymous]

PP again..to clarify..40-ish Takoma kids accept spots at Blair most years. Not sure about the acceptance rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC will be in 9th grade in a W high school. Did not make it to Blair SMAC magnet. Talking to others I get a feeling that very few (2 or 3) students from MS made it to Blair though MS is one of the very good schools, with so many bright kids. Why is it that the screening committee would prefer to select a student from non w school area over the one from w school with former having equal or lesser scores? Why is this assumption made that a student from silver spring would benefit more from Blair magnet than the one who would go to Churchill or Walter Johnson or Wooten.

By "bright" you mean "white," and by "white" you mean "superior," OP. The assumption that the county's more affluent neighborhoods produce fundamentally smarter and more capable students is a reflection of classism and barely-concealed racism in those neighborhoods. (And no, the presence of some people of color in those schools and neighborhoods does not counter this reality.) I grew up in Bethesda and attending a W school, where the seemingly benign "nothing but the best for my kid" mentality reflects an assumption that the offspring of the Bethesda/Potomac bourgeois have a birthright to better resources, better access to better programs, etc. than other taxpayers in the county.

so true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC will be in 9th grade in a W high school. Did not make it to Blair SMAC magnet. Talking to others I get a feeling that very few (2 or 3) students from MS made it to Blair though MS is one of the very good schools, with so many bright kids. Why is it that the screening committee would prefer to select a student from non w school area over the one from w school with former having equal or lesser scores? Why is this assumption made that a student from silver spring would benefit more from Blair magnet than the one who would go to Churchill or Walter Johnson or Wooten.

By "bright" you mean "white," and by "white" you mean "superior," OP. The assumption that the county's more affluent neighborhoods produce fundamentally smarter and more capable students is a reflection of classism and barely-concealed racism in those neighborhoods. (And no, the presence of some people of color in those schools and neighborhoods does not counter this reality.) I grew up in Bethesda and attending a W school, where the seemingly benign "nothing but the best for my kid" mentality reflects an assumption that the offspring of the Bethesda/Potomac bourgeois have a birthright to better resources, better access to better programs, etc. than other taxpayers in the county.

There are 16 high schools that can apply to Blair SMAC. The largest number of kids come from Takoma (logical since they had the benefit of the middle magnet- approx. 40 most years). Second highest MS is Wooten (a W school!). Most other schools only have a few kids accepted. Let's not create bias here.

I don't think PP is creating anything. The subtext of OP's post was clear. She believes that (wealthy, white, Asian) kids are being systematically denied entrance to the SMAC program. The only reason to believe that is because you think 3 kids per year or whatever is too few, because "W kids" should get more spots.