Two paths to magnet program at Richard Montgomery High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine attended the Open House. According to him - they presented an one liner about how RM provides access to all 11th grader to the IB program. It did not register to anyone that they were talking about the RM-cluster students on tat slide and no one asked follow up questions.

Kind of CYA kind of introduction to the topic without having to be transparent about it.

Or maybe it register, but nobody was bothered about it.

Can you please post your impression of the session then - you are here just to argue for arguments's sake. Were you there? Did you learn anything about this issue - which was never presented in any magnet OH before. The only reason there was even a CYA statement there because magnet parents are asking administration to be at least transparent about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine attended the Open House. According to him - they presented an one liner about how RM provides access to all 11th grader to the IB program. It did not register to anyone that they were talking about the RM-cluster students on tat slide and no one asked follow up questions.

Kind of CYA kind of introduction to the topic without having to be transparent about it.

Or maybe it register, but nobody was bothered about it.

Can you please post your impression of the session then - you are here just to argue for arguments's sake. Were you there? Did you learn anything about this issue - which was never presented in any magnet OH before. The only reason there was even a CYA statement there because magnet parents are asking administration to be at least transparent about it.

People sure are making a lot of assumptions about other people's motivations and opinions.

OP wanted MCPS to say that this is happening. And they did say it. But that wasn't good enough, because nobody complained. So you conclude that the lack of complaining must mean that nobody understood. However the alternative explanation, which is equally plausible, is that people did understand, but it didn't bother them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine attended the Open House. According to him - they presented an one liner about how RM provides access to all 11th grader to the IB program. It did not register to anyone that they were talking about the RM-cluster students on tat slide and no one asked follow up questions.

Kind of CYA kind of introduction to the topic without having to be transparent about it.

Or maybe it register, but nobody was bothered about it.

Can you please post your impression of the session then - you are here just to argue for arguments's sake. Were you there? Did you learn anything about this issue - which was never presented in any magnet OH before. The only reason there was even a CYA statement there because magnet parents are asking administration to be at least transparent about it.

People sure are making a lot of assumptions about other people's motivations and opinions.

OP wanted MCPS to say that this is happening. And they did say it. But that wasn't good enough, because nobody complained. So you conclude that the lack of complaining must mean that nobody understood. However the alternative explanation, which is equally plausible, is that people did understand, but it didn't bother them.

I agree and maybe it was CYA moment or maybe it was: tonight is about applying to the magnet in 9th grade there will be a another time to explain the DP program to 11th graders. There are plenty of things that can't be spelled out in detail at these meetings and other opportunities to ask questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine attended the Open House. According to him - they presented an one liner about how RM provides access to all 11th grader to the IB program. It did not register to anyone that they were talking about the RM-cluster students on tat slide and no one asked follow up questions.

Kind of CYA kind of introduction to the topic without having to be transparent about it.

Or maybe it register, but nobody was bothered about it.

Can you please post your impression of the session then - you are here just to argue for arguments's sake. Were you there? Did you learn anything about this issue - which was never presented in any magnet OH before. The only reason there was even a CYA statement there because magnet parents are asking administration to be at least transparent about it.

People sure are making a lot of assumptions about other people's motivations and opinions.

OP wanted MCPS to say that this is happening. And they did say it. But that wasn't good enough, because nobody complained. So you conclude that the lack of complaining must mean that nobody understood. However the alternative explanation, which is equally plausible, is that people did understand, but it didn't bother them.

I agree and maybe it was CYA moment or maybe it was: tonight is about applying to the magnet in 9th grade there will be a another time to explain the DP program to 11th graders. There are plenty of things that can't be spelled out in detail at these meetings and other opportunities to ask questions.

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

There must also be a an open house for students zoned for RM where the Diploma Programme would be explained. That is the appropriate place, it doesn't really involve all eighth grade families in the county, which is who was invited on Tues. The RM website has a tab "IB Programs" plural, it begins:

The IB Programs at Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery is home to the MCPS IB Magnet, which was the first International Baccalaureate program in the county when it was established in 1987. The Richard Montgomery Cluster also houses the district's only complete IB continuum of programs in the Primary Years Programme at College Gardens Elementary School, the Middle Years Programme partnership between Julius West Middle School and Richard Montgomery and the Diploma Programme also at Richard Montgomery. The three IB programs provide a coherent educational framework which seeks to develop students who are creative and compassionate individuals by promoting international awareness and understanding. All IB Programmes worldwide operate under the fundamental philosophy that by educating students, we create a better world.

Yes, this is hard for an uninitiated parent to parse, but with careful reading it's clear RM doesn't just have an IB magnet, it has a DP program for in bound students, who had the MYP at Julius West, etc.

Yes, OP and others think this is a sneaky back door into the magnet, but for the inbound students it's just the logical culmination of work they already committed to in the other schools. And even so they don't have full access to the magnet, the DP doesn't begin until 11th grade. The suggestion of lawsuits is just over the top, although sadly it wouldn't be the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

NP here. Based on the slides, the bolded part should read "who are qualified". But to be honest, I don't get the point of this whole exercise. Your "pathways" description sounds like you're suggesting to parents that if their kids don't make it through #1, they should consider moving to the RM feeder zone so as to use #2. The way this information is covered currently seems more appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

this is MCPS's way to open up the program to more minority kids via back door. they are aggressively trying to rebalance asian/white vs black/latinos in magnets as some of you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

this is MCPS's way to open up the program to more minority kids via back door. they are aggressively trying to rebalance asian/white vs black/latinos in magnets as some of you know.

You keep saying it's a back door. It's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

this is MCPS's way to open up the program to more minority kids via back door. they are aggressively trying to rebalance asian/white vs black/latinos in magnets as some of you know.

You keep saying it's a back door. It's not.

sorry but it wasn't me. if someone said the same thing, i guess i'd agree with that person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

NP here. Based on the slides, the bolded part should read "who are qualified". But to be honest, I don't get the point of this whole exercise. Your "pathways" description sounds like you're suggesting to parents that if their kids don't make it through #1, they should consider moving to the RM feeder zone so as to use #2. The way this information is covered currently seems more appropriate.

Except RM has eliminated the evaluation of "who is qualified" for 10th graders in recent year to admit more students from RM Clusters into magnet program in the second pathway.

There are two reasons I am stressing on this pathways issues:

1. MCPS/RM have not been honest with Non-RM clusters parents when they accept of reject their kids through an excruciating application process. I know of many parents who did not apply because of the elaborate application process. They have turn around and accepted many RM-Clusters students in 11th grade into the same magnet-program through a second application process without letting anyone outside the cluster know.

2. In the recent years they have abolished the second application process and admitting 10th graders into the magnet program based on students interest.

I am all or providing access, but not for providing access in secretly. I am all for abolishing unreasonable "qualification check" for otherwise qualified students, but not for holding a set of students to a much higher standard of entry than the RM cluster students while using "county provided" resources for magnet resource for the whole school.

The slides school presented on Tuesday makes it much harder for non-cluster parents to understand that there exist a second pathway for cluster students and also to understand that the cluster students do not have to jump the application hoop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Got the slide OH slides forwarded to me by a friend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3r5nmSM3uHPNEFrbThFSkhJbVk/view

See age 27: "RMIB is committed to providing qualified 11th graders access to the Diploma Programme"

Does this sound like RM or MCPS wanted to come clean with what is being done with respect to RM-Cluster students with the second path to magnet? If not why not. Why is it too early present this information clearly. Why does RM/MCPS want to obfuscate this information?

Non-RM Cluster parents, certainly encourage your students to apply. If your students are accepted, ask RM point blank for their plan regarding this 11th grade path for RM-cluster non-magnet students. If your students decides to join RM, hold RM and MCPS accountable for the magnet program's integrity. If your student gets rejected and would still want to appeal, get this in writing to appeal and file lawsuit if required. Your student has a right to access the same magnet Program that RM has been opening up without proper qualification vetting to RM-cluster non-magnet students in 11th grade.

Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.

Except for the "coming clean" part, which makes it sound like it's something shameful that should be covered up. But it isn't.

I disagree, it looks to me as a small print disclosure. Otherwise they would have clearly spelled it out like the following:

Pathways to magnet IB RM

#1 Non-RM Cluster students apply in grade 8 to enter the Magnet IB at RMHS in grade 9.

#2 RM-Cluster students in grade 10, who are interested to join the Magnet IB program, are allowed to join the program in grade 11.

Why did they not make it this clear?

There must also be a an open house for students zoned for RM where the Diploma Programme would be explained. That is the appropriate place, it doesn't really involve all eighth grade families in the county, which is who was invited on Tues. The RM website has a tab "IB Programs" plural, it begins:

The IB Programs at Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery is home to the MCPS IB Magnet, which was the first International Baccalaureate program in the county when it was established in 1987. The Richard Montgomery Cluster also houses the district's only complete IB continuum of programs in the Primary Years Programme at College Gardens Elementary School, the Middle Years Programme partnership between Julius West Middle School and Richard Montgomery and the Diploma Programme also at Richard Montgomery. The three IB programs provide a coherent educational framework which seeks to develop students who are creative and compassionate individuals by promoting international awareness and understanding. All IB Programmes worldwide operate under the fundamental philosophy that by educating students, we create a better world.

Yes, this is hard for an uninitiated parent to parse, but with careful reading it's clear RM doesn't just have an IB magnet, it has a DP program for in bound students, who had the MYP at Julius West, etc.

Yes, OP and others think this is a sneaky back door into the magnet, but for the inbound students it's just the logical culmination of work they already committed to in the other schools. And even so they don't have full access to the magnet, the DP doesn't begin until 11th grade. The suggestion of lawsuits is just over the top, although sadly it wouldn't be the first time.

It is a sneaky back door that only cluster-parents are shown. It is not a logical culmination if you promote your school as "magnet" IB school and require some students to jump higher to reach the same place that cluster-students can easily following the back door. If I was one of the parent whose kids were rejected in the application process, I would absolutely sue the county. In fact this back-door is a "class-action" suit worthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is a sneaky back door that only cluster-parents are shown. It is not a logical culmination if you promote your school as "magnet" IB school and require some students to jump higher to reach the same place that cluster-students can easily following the back door. If I was one of the parent whose kids were rejected in the application process, I would absolutely sue the county. In fact this back-door is a "class-action" suit worthy.

My kid was rejected in the application process last year. I don't have a problem with allowing RM 11th graders to participate in the IB diploma programme at RM. In fact, I think it would be shameful for RM to deny them this opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It is a sneaky back door that only cluster-parents are shown. It is not a logical culmination if you promote your school as "magnet" IB school and require some students to jump higher to reach the same place that cluster-students can easily following the back door. If I was one of the parent whose kids were rejected in the application process, I would absolutely sue the county. In fact this back-door is a "class-action" suit worthy.

My kid was rejected in the application process last year. I don't have a problem with allowing RM 11th graders to participate in the IB diploma programme at RM. In fact, I think it would be shameful for RM to deny them this opportunity.

^^^But if you want to keep being angry about it, then you should do that, I guess.