Parents of current 7th graders - what do you think about the 6 regional magnets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think pushback and pressure on this proposal is mounting. Right now, MCPS and the board are standing firm in shoving it down the public's throats. Not sure if that will get them across the finish line. We'll have to see how things play out over the next few months.

You see MCPS is a large organization and there are many schools that are you know 1 and 2 stars mostly nominally 3 star in MCPS. You'll see some of the vocal ones on here, but in general most people are all for busting up the poo poo elite squad who are seen as taking advantage of the system and throwing us lottery crumbs.

The proposed plan is nothing but crumbs packaged to sound that people are getting something. No new teachers; no new resources; just bunch of programs that are either watered down and not much of an improvement over existing class offerings or some highly specialized programs that meet interests of very few.

Of, course not do you think they were going to share their eliteness with us? When everyone gets a good education, your poo poo won't smell as bad.

[Anonymous]

I have a 7th grader at westland middle school. We love close by and there's no way I'd consider a magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think pushback and pressure on this proposal is mounting. Right now, MCPS and the board are standing firm in shoving it down the public's throats. Not sure if that will get them across the finish line. We'll have to see how things play out over the next few months.

You see MCPS is a large organization and there are many schools that are you know 1 and 2 stars mostly nominally 3 star in MCPS. You'll see some of the vocal ones on here, but in general most people are all for busting up the poo poo elite squad who are seen as taking advantage of the system and throwing us lottery crumbs.

The proposed plan is nothing but crumbs packaged to sound that people are getting something. No new teachers; no new resources; just bunch of programs that are either watered down and not much of an improvement over existing class offerings or some highly specialized programs that meet interests of very few.

This is what you really need to focus on vs. worrying about Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think pushback and pressure on this proposal is mounting. Right now, MCPS and the board are standing firm in shoving it down the public's throats. Not sure if that will get them across the finish line. We'll have to see how things play out over the next few months.

You see MCPS is a large organization and there are many schools that are you know 1 and 2 stars mostly nominally 3 star in MCPS. You'll see some of the vocal ones on here, but in general most people are all for busting up the poo poo elite squad who are seen as taking advantage of the system and throwing us lottery crumbs.

The proposed plan is nothing but crumbs packaged to sound that people are getting something. No new teachers; no new resources; just bunch of programs that are either watered down and not much of an improvement over existing class offerings or some highly specialized programs that meet interests of very few.

Of, course not do you think they were going to share their eliteness with us? When everyone gets a good education, your poo poo won't smell as bad.

Some don't want your kids to get a good education - less competition.

[Anonymous]

I hope those opposed to this plan will testify against it and write in to the BOE. We have until March, when the BOE will vote on it, per the updated timeline at the last Board meeting:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

[Anonymous]

The current class of 7th graders that may be the first group to go through the new process have really gotten the short end of the stick at mcps if they've been around since KG.

1. They had the horrible benchmark curriculum and can barely spell.
2. Didn't start Eureka math till 1st grade - the second half of which went down the hole because of COVID
3. For those that qualified, got zero enrichment bc of COVID in 2nd and 3rd grade.
4. For those that needed it, county wide ELC was rolled out when they were in 5th grade so they missed another chance for enrichment in 4th of their school didn't have ELC (many did not! And those that did had inequitable implementation).
5. Now they'll be guinea pigs for a bunch of random programs that the county is slapping together like a cheese sandwich in the cafeteria.

Good luck class of 2031.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope those opposed to this plan will testify against it and write in to the BOE. We have until March, when the BOE will vote on it, per the updated timeline at the last Board meeting:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

This is a done deal. They don't care about testimony which is why they barely acknowledge it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current class of 7th graders that may be the first group to go through the new process have really gotten the short end of the stick at mcps if they've been around since KG.

1. They had the horrible benchmark curriculum and can barely spell.
2. Didn't start Eureka math till 1st grade - the second half of which went down the hole because of COVID
3. For those that qualified, got zero enrichment bc of COVID in 2nd and 3rd grade.
4. For those that needed it, county wide ELC was rolled out when they were in 5th grade so they missed another chance for enrichment in 4th of their school didn't have ELC (many did not! And those that did had inequitable implementation).
5. Now they'll be guinea pigs for a bunch of random programs that the county is slapping together like a cheese sandwich in the cafeteria.

Good luck class of 2031.

For the last 20+ years, they have taken an approach of not teaching vocabulary or spelling or grammar, which is a huge reason why kids are struggling. They need to go back to traditional teaching methods. Math with the strategies also doesn't work. Back to the basics, including math facts. You have to teach at home or get tutors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current class of 7th graders that may be the first group to go through the new process have really gotten the short end of the stick at mcps if they've been around since KG.

1. They had the horrible benchmark curriculum and can barely spell.
2. Didn't start Eureka math till 1st grade - the second half of which went down the hole because of COVID
3. For those that qualified, got zero enrichment bc of COVID in 2nd and 3rd grade.
4. For those that needed it, county wide ELC was rolled out when they were in 5th grade so they missed another chance for enrichment in 4th of their school didn't have ELC (many did not! And those that did had inequitable implementation).
5. Now they'll be guinea pigs for a bunch of random programs that the county is slapping together like a cheese sandwich in the cafeteria.

Good luck class of 2031.

I agree this class has gotten screwed, and that 1 and 5 in particular really suck, but:

2. Eureka math is so slow and cyclical in grades K-2 that I doubt missing it in K matters that much
3. There's not much enrichment available for now kids in 2nd and 3rd even outside of COVID.
4. There was literally one grade of kids who got two years of ELC, this year's 6th graders. Some older kids got it in their individual schools, and a few schools are letting 5th graders finish it out, but no 4th graders or below will ever have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope those opposed to this plan will testify against it and write in to the BOE. We have until March, when the BOE will vote on it, per the updated timeline at the last Board meeting:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

This is a done deal. They don't care about testimony which is why they barely acknowledge it.

No one wants this plan but CO and the two members of Black/Brien Coalition. Will they be able to ram it down anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope those opposed to this plan will testify against it and write in to the BOE. We have until March, when the BOE will vote on it, per the updated timeline at the last Board meeting:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

This is a done deal. They don't care about testimony which is why they barely acknowledge it.

Well, I for one plan to at least try. I hope others will as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think pushback and pressure on this proposal is mounting. Right now, MCPS and the board are standing firm in shoving it down the public's throats. Not sure if that will get them across the finish line. We'll have to see how things play out over the next few months.

You see MCPS is a large organization and there are many schools that are you know 1 and 2 stars mostly nominally 3 star in MCPS. You'll see some of the vocal ones on here, but in general most people are all for busting up the poo poo elite squad who are seen as taking advantage of the system and throwing us lottery crumbs.

The proposed plan is nothing but crumbs packaged to sound that people are getting something. No new teachers; no new resources; just bunch of programs that are either watered down and not much of an improvement over existing class offerings or some highly specialized programs that meet interests of very few.

Of, course not do you think they were going to share their eliteness with us? When everyone gets a good education, your poo poo won't smell as bad.

Some don't want your kids to get a good education - less competition.

That is the general sense that I get. How hard is it to offer advanced courses to smart kids. It's not like some finite resource. It seems they intentionally make it more difficult for certain kids to get these classes. I mean in rural areas they have math tracking for example. So many small schools in rural settings have the AP courses. Then they have absurd rules that you have to attend the high school by your home address(keep in mind they know they aren't going to offer certain classes there). They also refuse to subsidize private education if you might need the advanced classes.

Overall impression is it's a crooked system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current class of 7th graders that may be the first group to go through the new process have really gotten the short end of the stick at mcps if they've been around since KG.

1. They had the horrible benchmark curriculum and can barely spell.
2. Didn't start Eureka math till 1st grade - the second half of which went down the hole because of COVID
3. For those that qualified, got zero enrichment bc of COVID in 2nd and 3rd grade.
4. For those that needed it, county wide ELC was rolled out when they were in 5th grade so they missed another chance for enrichment in 4th of their school didn't have ELC (many did not! And those that did had inequitable implementation).
5. Now they'll be guinea pigs for a bunch of random programs that the county is slapping together like a cheese sandwich in the cafeteria.

Good luck class of 2031.

+1
Especially #1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope those opposed to this plan will testify against it and write in to the BOE. We have until March, when the BOE will vote on it, per the updated timeline at the last Board meeting:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

This is a done deal. They don't care about testimony which is why they barely acknowledge it.

Well, I for one plan to at least try. I hope others will as well.

BOE does blow off testimony, but still worth trying so they know opposition is still out there.

Also worthwhile to email. Volume does matter. Not just the BOE address, since the person who filters really does filter (ie, not send your comments to others, just send you an AI-generated bland response), so be sure to copy each member individually too.

And forward that email to whoever else you want, like County Council members or whoever else in MCPS you want to know about your voice.