Is the quality of the Blair Magnet Program going down?

[Anonymous]

The recent story of the Rockville HS Science Bowl Team (with maybe one superstar) defeating the Blair Magnet Science Bowl Team made me worry. I know that the school received a new magnet coordinator about four or five years ago. The principal is brand new and loves tweeting. I haven't heard good things about the community superintendent who is also new.

TPMS parents tell me the quality is going down. Is this true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The recent story of the Rockville HS Science Bowl Team (with maybe one superstar) defeating the Blair Magnet Science Bowl Team made me worry. I know that the school received a new magnet coordinator about four or five years ago. The principal is brand new and loves tweeting. I haven't heard good things about the community superintendent who is also new.

TPMS parents tell me the quality is going down. Is this true?

I don't know, but I don't see how Mrs. Johnson's choice to tweet reflects (negatively or otherwise) on her ability as a principal. I loved her as principal at TPMS and think she is a terrific (and warm and approachable) administrator.

The TPMS principal tweets, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The recent story of the Rockville HS Science Bowl Team (with maybe one superstar) defeating the Blair Magnet Science Bowl Team made me worry. I know that the school received a new magnet coordinator about four or five years ago. The principal is brand new and loves tweeting. I haven't heard good things about the community superintendent who is also new.

TPMS parents tell me the quality is going down. Is this true?

I don't know, but I don't see how Mrs. Johnson's choice to tweet reflects (negatively or otherwise) on her ability as a principal. I loved her as principal at TPMS and think she is a terrific (and warm and approachable) administrator.

The TPMS principal tweets, too.

No effort was made to associate being good/bad administrator with tweeting.

My worry is the quality of the magnet program and whether it is worth moving to the area for someone who might benefit from a math-science magnet environment. Curious if anyone else shares your experience.
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Well I wouldn't move to the area based on the magnet, since there is no guarantee that your child would get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I wouldn't move to the area based on the magnet, since there is no guarantee that your child would get in.

True, though based on current performance in a magnet program, there is a reasonable possibility. Reading DCUM and what I've learned from friends makes me concerned enough to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I wouldn't move to the area based on the magnet, since there is no guarantee that your child would get in.

True, though based on current performance in a magnet program, there is a reasonable possibility. Reading DCUM and what I've learned from friends makes me concerned enough to ask.

Move to Poolesville. Much better school, kids know everyone else, and a stronger magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The recent story of the Rockville HS Science Bowl Team (with maybe one superstar) defeating the Blair Magnet Science Bowl Team made me worry. I know that the school received a new magnet coordinator about four or five years ago. The principal is brand new and loves tweeting. I haven't heard good things about the community superintendent who is also new.

TPMS parents tell me the quality is going down. Is this true?

I don't know, but I don't see how Mrs. Johnson's choice to tweet reflects (negatively or otherwise) on her ability as a principal. I loved her as principal at TPMS and think she is a terrific (and warm and approachable) administrator.

The TPMS principal tweets, too.

No effort was made to associate being good/bad administrator with tweeting.

My worry is the quality of the magnet program and whether it is worth moving to the area for someone who might benefit from a math-science magnet environment. Curious if anyone else shares your experience.
Thanks.

Then why write "The principal is brand new and loves tweeting"?

I wouldn't move to the area for the magnet unless your child has been admitted. It is highly competitive to get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I wouldn't move to the area based on the magnet, since there is no guarantee that your child would get in.

True, though based on current performance in a magnet program, there is a reasonable possibility. Reading DCUM and what I've learned from friends makes me concerned enough to ask.

Move to Poolesville. Much better school, kids know everyone else, and a stronger magnet.

Been to the area and love it. The magnet is much stronger and has a modern feel to it. Blair, I think, is kind of stuck in the tried and true rut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I wouldn't move to the area based on the magnet, since there is no guarantee that your child would get in.

True, though based on current performance in a magnet program, there is a reasonable possibility. Reading DCUM and what I've learned from friends makes me concerned enough to ask.

Move to Poolesville. Much better school, kids know everyone else, and a stronger magnet.

Been to the area and love it. The magnet is much stronger and has a modern feel to it. Blair, I think, is kind of stuck in the tried and true rut.

What are the school facilities like? Isn't it a much older building?

[Anonymous]

I don't agree that the Poolesville magnet is stronger than Blair's magnet. I don't even understand how anyone could make this comparison without having kids in both schools. Other odd aspects of this thread are that the principal and the magnet administrator are different people (and genders), and also Blair's current principal used to be TPMS' principal as anyone with connections to TPMS would know. So this whole discussion seems uninformed.

Both schools follow basically the same curriculum, so the difference, if there is one, would be in the quality of the teachers. (Facilities are pretty much irrelevant IMO, but if it matters to you, Blair's building is less than 10 years old.) I can't speak for Poolesville, but the Blair magnet teachers my kids have had have been fabulous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that the Poolesville magnet is stronger than Blair's magnet. I don't even understand how anyone could make this comparison without having kids in both schools. Other odd aspects of this thread are that the principal and the magnet administrator are different people (and genders), and also Blair's current principal used to be TPMS' principal as anyone with connections to TPMS would know. So this whole discussion seems uninformed.

Both schools follow basically the same curriculum, so the difference, if there is one, would be in the quality of the teachers. (Facilities are pretty much irrelevant IMO, but if it matters to you, Blair's building is less than 10 years old.) I can't speak for Poolesville, but the Blair magnet teachers my kids have had have been fabulous.

Having evaluated the quality of both and spoken to the appropriate people---I can tell you Poolesville is better. The main school at Poolesville is old but they have a new addition on the right side of the main building. Poolesville has a rural feel and Blair is at a busy Silver Spring intersection. The non magnet classes (your child will take non magnet classes at either school---English, History ...) are incomparable. Poolesville, because of its student body, is able to teach at a much higher level.

I don't understand the relevance of the principal and the magnet coordinator being different people of opposite genders!!! Yes, the new Blair principal is from TPMS. When Darryl Williams, the previous principal left, some teachers decided to leave.

Blair has the Math, Science, CS magnet and the CAP program. Poolesville has "houses," for example the Math, Science, CS House. At least one student got into MIT in 2012.
Poolesville is a rising star, and Blair seems to be a falling star.

Blair needs to buck up if it wants to stop the slide.

PP which grades are your kids in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that the Poolesville magnet is stronger than Blair's magnet. I don't even understand how anyone could make this comparison without having kids in both schools. Other odd aspects of this thread are that the principal and the magnet administrator are different people (and genders), and also Blair's current principal used to be TPMS' principal as anyone with connections to TPMS would know. So this whole discussion seems uninformed.

Both schools follow basically the same curriculum, so the difference, if there is one, would be in the quality of the teachers. (Facilities are pretty much irrelevant IMO, but if it matters to you, Blair's building is less than 10 years old.) I can't speak for Poolesville, but the Blair magnet teachers my kids have had have been fabulous.

Having evaluated the quality of both and spoken to the appropriate people---I can tell you Poolesville is better. The main school at Poolesville is old but they have a new addition on the right side of the main building. Poolesville has a rural feel and Blair is at a busy Silver Spring intersection. The non magnet classes (your child will take non magnet classes at either school---English, History ...) are incomparable. Poolesville, because of its student body, is able to teach at a much higher level.

I don't understand the relevance of the principal and the magnet coordinator being different people of opposite genders!!! Yes, the new Blair principal is from TPMS. When Darryl Williams, the previous principal left, some teachers decided to leave.

Blair has the Math, Science, CS magnet and the CAP program. Poolesville has "houses," for example the Math, Science, CS House. At least one student got into MIT in 2012.
Poolesville is a rising star, and Blair seems to be a falling star.

Blair needs to buck up if it wants to stop the slide.

PP which grades are your kids in?

Unless you have had kids in both schools, you have no way of knowing how these two schools compare.

I'm laughing out loud at your "busy intersection" versus rural comment. This is relevant ... how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that the Poolesville magnet is stronger than Blair's magnet. I don't even understand how anyone could make this comparison without having kids in both schools. Other odd aspects of this thread are that the principal and the magnet administrator are different people (and genders), and also Blair's current principal used to be TPMS' principal as anyone with connections to TPMS would know. So this whole discussion seems uninformed.

Both schools follow basically the same curriculum, so the difference, if there is one, would be in the quality of the teachers. (Facilities are pretty much irrelevant IMO, but if it matters to you, Blair's building is less than 10 years old.) I can't speak for Poolesville, but the Blair magnet teachers my kids have had have been fabulous.

Having evaluated the quality of both and spoken to the appropriate people---I can tell you Poolesville is better. The main school at Poolesville is old but they have a new addition on the right side of the main building. Poolesville has a rural feel and Blair is at a busy Silver Spring intersection. The non magnet classes (your child will take non magnet classes at either school---English, History ...) are incomparable. Poolesville, because of its student body, is able to teach at a much higher level.

I don't understand the relevance of the principal and the magnet coordinator being different people of opposite genders!!! Yes, the new Blair principal is from TPMS. When Darryl Williams, the previous principal left, some teachers decided to leave.

Blair has the Math, Science, CS magnet and the CAP program. Poolesville has "houses," for example the Math, Science, CS House. At least one student got into MIT in 2012.
Poolesville is a rising star, and Blair seems to be a falling star.

Blair needs to buck up if it wants to stop the slide.

PP which grades are your kids in?

Unless you have had kids in both schools, you have no way of knowing how these two schools compare.

I'm laughing out loud at your "busy intersection" versus rural comment. This is relevant ... how?

Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? The rural-busy intersection comment is very relevant to safety.

The statement of needing to have kids at both schools is equally ignorant. I'm not going to enlighten you because I don't want anyone to suffer retaliation. Poolesville is a rising star, and Blair seems to be a falling star.

[Anonymous]

I'm not either PP, but someone in a policy position could know a lot about both schools without having kids at either. I'm sure there are stats somewhere showing actual performance of both schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not either PP, but someone in a policy position could know a lot about both schools without having kids at either. I'm sure there are stats somewhere showing actual performance of both schools.

Right! Someone in a policy position (or an informed individual) may be aware that there have been pedestrian safety related issues at Blair. A Blair student was featured on the safety ads on local buses. Believe me, some of us know of what we speak. DCUMers, just don't put everyone down.