What are W schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can back about 25 years for Montgomery County history. The "W school" name came about when the Washingtonian and other magazines used to publish the top schools. This followed the US News and World report rankings. This is before you had zillow and other sites easily providing rankings. The pattern of the top schools having a W in their names created the nick name W school. The "W schools" referred to Churchill. Whitman, WJ and Wootton. WJ and Wootton were originally "provisional members" of the club due to their high test scores. I suspect that if either's scores ever dropped they would have been booted out quickly. Churchill and Whitman had prestige beyond just their ratings, college placements, notable alumni, and desirable areas. Back then MCPS was 60+% white as opposed to 30% white so there were plenty of other white majority white schools in MCPS that just didn't score as well on the various tests.

The 4 W schools have consistently stayed in the top even as MCPS has fallen over all in rankings. Whitman fell out one year because students boycotted PARCC and another year Whitman didn't bother to submit scores. Whitman continued to reign as the most desirable school in the system based on prestige etc. In recent years , Poolesville has consistently been ranked the #1 school in MD and dominates all the charts. Poolesville must lack a PR department though because you never hear anything about its top performance.

In actual W school areas you don't hear anyone using this name or giving a hoot. People moving in now just look at the scores which stand on their own. You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas.

BCC was ranked #1 in the US by TIME or US News back in the early 70s and was held in much higher regard than the W's.

[Anonymous]

"You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas."

+1 this is so true!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can back about 25 years for Montgomery County history. The "W school" name came about when the Washingtonian and other magazines used to publish the top schools. This followed the US News and World report rankings. This is before you had zillow and other sites easily providing rankings. The pattern of the top schools having a W in their names created the nick name W school. The "W schools" referred to Churchill. Whitman, WJ and Wootton. WJ and Wootton were originally "provisional members" of the club due to their high test scores. I suspect that if either's scores ever dropped they would have been booted out quickly. Churchill and Whitman had prestige beyond just their ratings, college placements, notable alumni, and desirable areas. Back then MCPS was 60+% white as opposed to 30% white so there were plenty of other white majority white schools in MCPS that just didn't score as well on the various tests.

The 4 W schools have consistently stayed in the top even as MCPS has fallen over all in rankings. Whitman fell out one year because students boycotted PARCC and another year Whitman didn't bother to submit scores. Whitman continued to reign as the most desirable school in the system based on prestige etc. In recent years , Poolesville has consistently been ranked the #1 school in MD and dominates all the charts. Poolesville must lack a PR department though because you never hear anything about its top performance.

In actual W school areas you don't hear anyone using this name or giving a hoot. People moving in now just look at the scores which stand on their own. You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas.

BCC was ranked #1 in the US by TIME or US News back in the early 70s and was held in much higher regard than the W's.

Really? I lived in the BCC area in the 70s and had I not gone to private school my parents would have used my grandparents address in order for me to attend Whitman because BCC wasn't seen to be a good option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can back about 25 years for Montgomery County history. The "W school" name came about when the Washingtonian and other magazines used to publish the top schools. This followed the US News and World report rankings. This is before you had zillow and other sites easily providing rankings. The pattern of the top schools having a W in their names created the nick name W school. The "W schools" referred to Churchill. Whitman, WJ and Wootton. WJ and Wootton were originally "provisional members" of the club due to their high test scores. I suspect that if either's scores ever dropped they would have been booted out quickly. Churchill and Whitman had prestige beyond just their ratings, college placements, notable alumni, and desirable areas. Back then MCPS was 60+% white as opposed to 30% white so there were plenty of other white majority white schools in MCPS that just didn't score as well on the various tests.

The 4 W schools have consistently stayed in the top even as MCPS has fallen over all in rankings. Whitman fell out one year because students boycotted PARCC and another year Whitman didn't bother to submit scores. Whitman continued to reign as the most desirable school in the system based on prestige etc. In recent years , Poolesville has consistently been ranked the #1 school in MD and dominates all the charts. Poolesville must lack a PR department though because you never hear anything about its top performance.

In actual W school areas you don't hear anyone using this name or giving a hoot. People moving in now just look at the scores which stand on their own. You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas.

BCC was ranked #1 in the US by TIME or US News back in the early 70s and was held in much higher regard than the W's.

Really? I lived in the BCC area in the 70s and had I not gone to private school my parents would have used my grandparents address in order for me to attend Whitman because BCC wasn't seen to be a good option.

This was an over reaction to the Black Silver Spring Neighborhoods that got zoned there for diversity. It most have seems alien to have poor black kids for the other side of town by the railroad tracks coming form neighborhoods that haddn't that long ago got running water and paved roads in an affluent white high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

You made a great choice. School averages do not reflect the opportunity available at one school or another. Some schools are more socioeconomically diverse than others, but there are strong peer cohorts and rigorous classes at any school of 2K students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

You sound like someone who really hates Einstein, yet has no actual experience there. What's the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

Yep, just like there are many things the W's have that Einstein doesn't : racits, drugs and golf! Suck it Einstein.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

Yep, just like there are many things the W's have that Einstein doesn't : racits, drugs and golf! Suck it Einstein.

That's not true--Einstein does have golf!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

You sound like someone who really hates Einstein, yet has no actual experience there. What's the point?

Jealously is a UGLY disease ask any W parent. Einstein has a lot things the Ws don't which includes the best visual art program in the STATE. VAC kids are doing masters paintings and getting into the top universities while W kids are still doing finger paintings in 12th grade. Money can buy you a tutor but it can never buy you class and talent. Your daughter will be happier at Einstein than any of the W schools, I promise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

You sound like someone who really hates Einstein, yet has no actual experience there. What's the point?

Jealously is a UGLY disease ask any W parent. Einstein has a lot things the Ws don't which includes the best visual art program in the STATE. VAC kids are doing masters paintings and getting into the top universities while W kids are still doing finger paintings in 12th grade. Money can buy you a tutor but it can never buy you class and talent. Your daughter will be happier at Einstein than any of the W schools, I promise.

Many W parents suffer from a complete lack of imagination. They buy into simple myths like GS ratings and when anyone explains there's this whole bigger world out there they go bonkers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What excatly are W schools? I moved here from Delaware 2 years ago and just love this school system. My daughter is in 8th grade and picked Einstein for dance and IB! However, I'm hearing so much about W schools but don't know excatly what they are I even try to search it up. Are they magnets? Or private schools?

Schools that parents believe to be better than the other schools in the county. You and your daughter are making a great choice choosing Einstein. One of the few schools that offers a rigorous dance program. Something none of the W's have

There are many things Einstein has that the W’s don’t. Poverty, gangs and dance!! Suck it Ws

You sound like someone who really hates Einstein, yet has no actual experience there. What's the point?

Jealously is a UGLY disease ask any W parent. Einstein has a lot things the Ws don't which includes the best visual art program in the STATE. VAC kids are doing masters paintings and getting into the top universities while W kids are still doing finger paintings in 12th grade. Money can buy you a tutor but it can never buy you class and talent. Your daughter will be happier at Einstein than any of the W schools, I promise.

Many W parents suffer from a complete lack of imagination. They buy into simple myths like GS ratings and when anyone explains there's this whole bigger world out there they go bonkers.

1+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can back about 25 years for Montgomery County history. The "W school" name came about when the Washingtonian and other magazines used to publish the top schools. This followed the US News and World report rankings. This is before you had zillow and other sites easily providing rankings. The pattern of the top schools having a W in their names created the nick name W school. The "W schools" referred to Churchill. Whitman, WJ and Wootton. WJ and Wootton were originally "provisional members" of the club due to their high test scores. I suspect that if either's scores ever dropped they would have been booted out quickly. Churchill and Whitman had prestige beyond just their ratings, college placements, notable alumni, and desirable areas. Back then MCPS was 60+% white as opposed to 30% white so there were plenty of other white majority white schools in MCPS that just didn't score as well on the various tests.

The 4 W schools have consistently stayed in the top even as MCPS has fallen over all in rankings. Whitman fell out one year because students boycotted PARCC and another year Whitman didn't bother to submit scores. Whitman continued to reign as the most desirable school in the system based on prestige etc. In recent years , Poolesville has consistently been ranked the #1 school in MD and dominates all the charts. Poolesville must lack a PR department though because you never hear anything about its top performance.

In actual W school areas you don't hear anyone using this name or giving a hoot. People moving in now just look at the scores which stand on their own. You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas.

BCC was ranked #1 in the US by TIME or US News back in the early 70s and was held in much higher regard than the W's.

Really? I lived in the BCC area in the 70s and had I not gone to private school my parents would have used my grandparents address in order for me to attend Whitman because BCC wasn't seen to be a good option.

In 1960, the school was rated "Best School in America" by Time magazine.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethesda-Chevy_Chase_High_School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can back about 25 years for Montgomery County history. The "W school" name came about when the Washingtonian and other magazines used to publish the top schools. This followed the US News and World report rankings. This is before you had zillow and other sites easily providing rankings. The pattern of the top schools having a W in their names created the nick name W school. The "W schools" referred to Churchill. Whitman, WJ and Wootton. WJ and Wootton were originally "provisional members" of the club due to their high test scores. I suspect that if either's scores ever dropped they would have been booted out quickly. Churchill and Whitman had prestige beyond just their ratings, college placements, notable alumni, and desirable areas. Back then MCPS was 60+% white as opposed to 30% white so there were plenty of other white majority white schools in MCPS that just didn't score as well on the various tests.

The 4 W schools have consistently stayed in the top even as MCPS has fallen over all in rankings. Whitman fell out one year because students boycotted PARCC and another year Whitman didn't bother to submit scores. Whitman continued to reign as the most desirable school in the system based on prestige etc. In recent years , Poolesville has consistently been ranked the #1 school in MD and dominates all the charts. Poolesville must lack a PR department though because you never hear anything about its top performance.

In actual W school areas you don't hear anyone using this name or giving a hoot. People moving in now just look at the scores which stand on their own. You only hear the term W school from people who do not live in the W school areas.

BCC was ranked #1 in the US by TIME or US News back in the early 70s and was held in much higher regard than the W's.

Really? I lived in the BCC area in the 70s and had I not gone to private school my parents would have used my grandparents address in order for me to attend Whitman because BCC wasn't seen to be a good option.

In 1960, the school was rated "Best School in America" by Time magazine.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethesda-Chevy_Chase_High_School

It still is a great school, with many prominent alums who return to the school. It draws from downtown, walkable Bethesda,Chevy Chase and parts of Silver Spring.