SSIMs or Eastern Middle School

[Anonymous]

if a child does not get into a Magnet, which of these 2 middle schools is better at parent involvement, motivated children, etc.? neighborhoods are very similar but schools are very different.

[Anonymous]

Don't know anything about Eastern, but neighborhood families are very happy with SSIMS.

[Anonymous]

And Northwood HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And Northwood HS?

Full of gang members. Fights. Knives. Stabbing out front during a basketball game.

[Anonymous]

Stabbing... by students from other high schools. Northwood is fine.

[Anonymous]

I thought a Northwood girl stabbed a visiting Blair girl?

[Anonymous]

Girl from Kennedy stabbed a girl from Blair. Unfortunately, it happened outside Northwood.

[Anonymous]

And I don't think anyone should draw any conclusions about Kennedy, Northwood, or Blair just because of that incident. For goodness sake kids were disciplined for assault and alcohol possession at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School color day in October and I don't see anyone steering clear of BCC.

[Anonymous]

I'll take alcohol over stabbings any day of the week

[Anonymous]

I have a child at Eastern. I feel like expectations of teachers and administrators in the non-magnet track are very low. Cheating occurs in both magnet and non-magnet sections. Behavior is a serious issue. My child's general sense is that stuff happens at school and that teachers and security see it happening but there are either no consequences or worthless consequences.

That said, I do know that some motivated, high performing non-magnet kids are allowed to participate in magnet classes like reading in 6th grade, and presumably some are also accelerated in math. (The accelerated math classes are not part of the magnet program, but many magnet students take them.)

I don't know what proportion of the school is like this. This is a specific question you should ask -- what percent of the non-magnet students are taking math 1 year ahead? 2 years ahead? What percent are reading above grade level? Are they grouped together in advanced classes or spread out among other students who don't have as high reading scores, etc.

Parental involvement is hard to judge. There is a PTSA which does try to raise money and hold events. But, the amount of money raised is extremely small. Why this is, I am not sure. Is it a reflection of not enough parent volunteers? Or a reflection of the fact that something like 40+% of the school is on FARMS and presumably don't have the financial resources or time to give to the school? Or a reflection of the fact that 1/3 of the school is in the magnet and many of these parents live distant from Eastern. Participation at PTSA meetings is very small.

I am not impressed with the principal. I would characterize her as nice, well-meaning, but largely ineffective. School has failed to make AYP 2 years in a row on her watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child at Eastern. I feel like expectations of teachers and administrators in the non-magnet track are very low. Cheating occurs in both magnet and non-magnet sections. Behavior is a serious issue. My child's general sense is that stuff happens at school and that teachers and security see it happening but there are either no consequences or worthless consequences.

That said, I do know that some motivated, high performing non-magnet kids are allowed to participate in magnet classes like reading in 6th grade, and presumably some are also accelerated in math. (The accelerated math classes are not part of the magnet program, but many magnet students take them.)

I don't know what proportion of the school is like this. This is a specific question you should ask -- what percent of the non-magnet students are taking math 1 year ahead? 2 years ahead? What percent are reading above grade level? Are they grouped together in advanced classes or spread out among other students who don't have as high reading scores, etc.

Parental involvement is hard to judge. There is a PTSA which does try to raise money and hold events. But, the amount of money raised is extremely small. Why this is, I am not sure. Is it a reflection of not enough parent volunteers? Or a reflection of the fact that something like 40+% of the school is on FARMS and presumably don't have the financial resources or time to give to the school? Or a reflection of the fact that 1/3 of the school is in the magnet and many of these parents live distant from Eastern. Participation at PTSA meetings is very small.

I am not impressed with the principal. I would characterize her as nice, well-meaning, but largely ineffective. School has failed to make AYP 2 years in a row on her watch.

I have a child at Eastern in the magnet. I would agree with this assessment (although I haven't run into cheating, but I will have to ask DC!) My child is no angel but he is shocked by the behavior of some of the kids in the nonmagnet, and shocked also by the administration looking the other way. On the other hand, they are really draconian about some things.

I really like the magnet program and the education is amazing ... but the overall school environment is not particularly friendly or welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Why do you send DC then over home school? These descriptions of EMS are really upsetting unless this is par for the course at other MS. I liked the Magnet presentation, but did not get an idea of the school as a whole, I do appreciate the info.

[Anonymous]

I'm a NP and would love to hear more about SSIMS as well.

[Anonymous]

Our DCs attended SSI and thrived. The staff is dedicated and the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) adds another way to engage students at this funky age. It is a very diverse school, and they handle diversity very well. No kid seems to be off the radar.

Because SSI does not have a magnet program- MYP is a whole-school program - it does not suffer from the issues that seem to dog school-within-a school. They were in the partial immersion program that continued from Sligo Creek and had a large core of high-achieving students in all of their classes.

We found it to be an island of calm and high function between Sligo Creek and Blair.

[Anonymous]

RE: SSIMS: I have heard many parents in my neighborhood complain that the level of instruction is overall pretty low and there are lots of disruptive behaviors. Plus they have eliminated any kind of ability grouping so all kids are together in big chaotic classrooms. I am considering it for my fifth grader but am really afraid it won't be challenging enough.

RE: Eastern: We chose the magnet and are happy we did so, despite the issues overall in the school. The challenge and level of education that DC is getting is really great -- equal to any private school we looked at. There are definitely downsides to Eastern but overall I think it was a good choice. I would NOT send a kid there who wasn't in the magnet, however.