How often are Eastern local students pulled into open magnet spots?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was curious whether they ever take kids off the wait list that aren’t in-bounds at the new semester? The only ones my daughter knew of were already at eastern...anyone know?

They don't make outside invitations after the school year has started. They don't want to have the students change schools. A local student entering the magnet would only have to change their English and World Studies class, as well as drop one elective (to take the mandatory Media class), but could keep the same math, science, PE, and other elective classes/teachers. It's a logistical nightmare to bring someone new from out-of-bounds in the middle of the school year - all new classes, possible change in bus route, changing extracurriculars, possibly jockeying for position in the band/orchestra, etc.

Yes, it is definitely important to minimize jockeying for position in the band/orchestra!

Clearly, you've never been much of a musician. Competition for first chair can be fierce! There are summer class scholarships and future college scholarships on the line. I still remember the quarterly position auditions from when I was in middle school and how the top students (not me - I was barely competent on flute) upped their outside lessons in anticipation.

[Anonymous]

This happens every year, but it's usually 2-4 kids, whereas last year it was more like 7-8, so it was more obvious. It's always reserved for bright kids who are identified as being capable of the transition. It tends to happen at the second semester mark so they haven't lost an entire year of the magnet.

[Anonymous]

FYI, the Eastern program will accept new students up until the start of 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This happens every year, but it's usually 2-4 kids, whereas last year it was more like 7-8, so it was more obvious. It's always reserved for bright kids who are identified as being capable of the transition. It tends to happen at the second semester mark so they haven't lost an entire year of the magnet.

I gather this year there were about a half dozen, although DD could only think of about half that number who had left the program. But take that with a grain of salt.

I think she said at least one or two of the new kids had been in a CES program, so they may very well have been on the wait list originally.

Given that there are no "enriched" cohort classes at Eastern, I'm surprised those kids wouldn't have been selected originally. I assumed the reason they were taking those mid-year kids from the gen pop was because they're not given any kind of enriched cohort offerings at Eastern, and thus were in greater need of it than kids at home schools with enriched classes (yes, yes, I know, but leaving aside the reality, the MCPS thinking is that cohort + enriched classes is equivalent).

But if they've done it that way in the past, I guess that's not the case. Must just be to avoid mid-year transfers.