Takoma Park MS Magnet - 25 inbound seats?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woooton is the largest cohort at Blair. Before the magnet admission changes, Wootton sent the most kids to TPMS close to and even sometimes exceeding the 25 spots set aside for TP non-compete. Frost, Cabin John and then Pyle were the largest feeders into TPMS beyond special seats. Some of the OOB kids that go to TPMS do go onto Blair. The only way you can possibly get to a claim that Blair has a large cohort from TP is to count the OOB students who attended TPMS and decided to attend Blair too.

Oh and most of Wootton isn't even in Bethesda or Potomac. Its in Rockville so this whole I am so insecure about Bethesda and Potomac and desperate to be perceived as good as that area from the crazy Takoma Park person is really unwarranted.

The Wootton HS building is in Rockville, it's true. But is most of this area Rockville?

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/ServiceAreaMaps/WoottonHS.pdf

I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that 25 seats are reserved for inbound students? Can anyone provide an official cite for this info?

Yes, and it's one of several reasons why many parents who value education buy into the Blair/TPMS pyramid.

They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to gain access to 25 (100 across all grades) affirmative action seats out of 3400 kids? That is some Blair math right there. The lower standards help sure but still a long shot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But I keep reading that TPMS is an impossible distance from Bethesda and Potomac, and so nobody from Bethesda and Potomac goes there? Or is that Blair? I can never keep this stuff straight.

Many white families in Bethesda and Potomac have not historically applied to either TPMS or Blair. It has been the Asian-American families choosing the long bus ride.

Wootton is the biggest feeder into Blair and was the biggest feeder into TPMS. I have no idea how kids from Wootton can stand that bus ride. The area that feeds Wootton is somewhere between Darnestown, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Western Potomac. Its very far out there.

According to the magnet student directory, Blair is the biggest feeder into Blair.

No it doesn’t, I am looking at it right now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you out of your mind? Sorry your Bethesda/Potomac child did not get in. There are high achieving kids everywhere. The set aside of the 25 seats is a historical compromise, but it doesn't really matter anymore. TP is a very intellectual area (lots of college professors live there and other science-y types) and their kids are very bright. The TP kids perform very well and likely would've gotten in anyway.

I doubt many people really believe that.

Also one can look at how many local kids get in the Blair Magnet program.

The largest single cohort @Blair magnet are from Takoma & Silver Spring.

Makes sense. I read these days that Blair's average SAT scores now are 50+ points higher than any W.

Do you really think when at a glance comes out that the high poverty Blair will have federally registered test scores that high or do you think that just maybe the Blair published brag sheet just picked a small targeted sample group of known kids because it wasn’t official. I am actually looking forward to when the real scores come out you can shut up about this. Shame we have to be pointing out how it is still just low GS Blair to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that 25 seats are reserved for inbound students? Can anyone provide an official cite for this info?

It's true and IMO MCPS should restrict the entire program to in-boundary students since it would reduce busing costs.

Where are you going to get the super-achievers from then? The majority of in-bound students are low performing. The high performing in-bound students are already in the program. The program by itself does not make the super-achievers. Families and SES plays a role. Bethesda and Potomac still remains the best bet to provide that support to their students as well as providing the usual high achieving racial groups.

Do you expect high performing students and their highly educated and successful parents to leave their Bethesda homes and move to TPMS? They would rather go to their home W school. The whole magnet program and the attempt to close the achievement gap will fail if these students start going to their home schools. Eventually, the losers will be those high achieveing students from all racial groups who are not rich enough to be in Bethesda.

Say what? You must not know the student body well. I do and have 2 kids through the program. Both in bound. In bound TPMS kid #2 accepted to Blair SMACS, CAP, RMIB & both Wheatons. Hardly a low performer Many other in boundary the same. I also know several in boundary TPMS kids (now seniors) who are NMSF.

I think it's great to have dedicated seats for local kids. It ties the local and magnet communities together. This does not mean that the local kids are "less qualified." (Most in my kid's year hot into both TPMS and Eastern & they weren't in boundary for Eastern). There are so many "qualified" kids. It's not a singular test metric (though I'm sure you wish it were). I find that many of the Potomac area kids are immersed in prep/enrichment, making them more skilled or ahead in some concepts because they've had extra "school." This in no way means that that kid is brighter or more able than other kids on the same academic track who meet the requirements. All of these students can be "high performers" in the TPMS curriculum. Some (like yours presumably) get the extra nudge and call it "smarter." It's not. TPMS students throve and perform highly across geographical regions. Get over your bad self.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that 25 seats are reserved for inbound students? Can anyone provide an official cite for this info?

It's true and IMO MCPS should restrict the entire program to in-boundary students since it would reduce busing costs.

Where are you going to get the super-achievers from then? The majority of in-bound students are low performing. The high performing in-bound students are already in the program. The program by itself does not make the super-achievers. Families and SES plays a role. Bethesda and Potomac still remains the best bet to provide that support to their students as well as providing the usual high achieving racial groups.

Do you expect high performing students and their highly educated and successful parents to leave their Bethesda homes and move to TPMS? They would rather go to their home W school. The whole magnet program and the attempt to close the achievement gap will fail if these students start going to their home schools. Eventually, the losers will be those high achieveing students from all racial groups who are not rich enough to be in Bethesda.

Say what? You must not know the student body well. I do and have 2 kids through the program. Both in bound. In bound TPMS kid #2 accepted to Blair SMACS, CAP, RMIB & both Wheatons. Hardly a low performer Many other in boundary the same. I also know several in boundary TPMS kids (now seniors) who are NMSF.

I think it's great to have dedicated seats for local kids. It ties the local and magnet communities together. This does not mean that the local kids are "less qualified." (Most in my kid's year hot into both TPMS and Eastern & they weren't in boundary for Eastern). There are so many "qualified" kids. It's not a singular test metric (though I'm sure you wish it were). I find that many of the Potomac area kids are immersed in prep/enrichment, making them more skilled or ahead in some concepts because they've had extra "school." This in no way means that that kid is brighter or more able than other kids on the same academic track who meet the requirements. All of these students can be "high performers" in the TPMS curriculum. Some (like yours presumably) get the extra nudge and call it "smarter." It's not. TPMS students throve and perform highly across geographical regions. Get over your bad self.

^^Woops, meant kid #1 accepted to all the HS magnets. Kid #2 still at TPMS (also accepted to Eastern, like kid #1 and many many local peers).

[Anonymous]

Yes but these kinds of kids all across the SS area as well. So why shouldn’t the rest of DCC be given access to compete for those seats? Perhaps your kid #1 became a compelling candidate for all the magnets because he got a stellar education through the TPMS reservation, which he may not have had he competed across the county, or even DCC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Do you really think when at a glance comes out that the high poverty Blair will have federally registered test scores that high or do you think that just maybe the Blair published brag sheet just picked a small targeted sample group of known kids because it wasn’t official. I am actually looking forward to when the real scores come out you can shut up about this. Shame we have to be pointing out how it is still just low GS Blair to do it.

Do what now? It's not a high-poverty school. 2017-18 FARMs 36%.

[Anonymous]

Blair's FARMS and have been on FARMS number is 53%. This is the more accurate number for poverty.

20% of the school is from the magnets. The CAP program pulls from across the DCC. SMAC pulls from DCC and many but not all other schools in the county. Very few magnet kids are FARMS. Some magnet kids are from in boundary Blair but not most or even many.

So about 30% of Blair's regular in boundary program is non- FARMS. Without the magnet, Blair would be a much higher poverty school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair's FARMS and have been on FARMS number is 53%. This is the more accurate number for poverty.

20% of the school is from the magnets. The CAP program pulls from across the DCC. SMAC pulls from DCC and many but not all other schools in the county. Very few magnet kids are FARMS. Some magnet kids are from in boundary Blair but not most or even many.

So about 30% of Blair's regular in boundary program is non- FARMS. Without the magnet, Blair would be a much higher poverty school.

Yes, if you use the poverty measure that is a bigger number, AND you exclude everybody who is in a magnet program, AND you assume that nobody in a magnet program is poor, and you ignore the fact that Blair is part of the Downcounty Consortium, then Blair's poverty rate is higher! How about that.

Similarly, if pigs had wings, they'd be pigeons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair's FARMS and have been on FARMS number is 53%. This is the more accurate number for poverty.

20% of the school is from the magnets. The CAP program pulls from across the DCC. SMAC pulls from DCC and many but not all other schools in the county. Very few magnet kids are FARMS. Some magnet kids are from in boundary Blair but not most or even many.

So about 30% of Blair's regular in boundary program is non- FARMS. Without the magnet, Blair would be a much higher poverty school.

Spreading falsehoods isn't the cure for Blair envy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that 25 seats are reserved for inbound students? Can anyone provide an official cite for this info?

It's true and IMO MCPS should restrict the entire program to in-boundary students since it would reduce busing costs.

Where are you going to get the super-achievers from then? The majority of in-bound students are low performing. The high performing in-bound students are already in the program. The program by itself does not make the super-achievers. Families and SES plays a role. Bethesda and Potomac still remains the best bet to provide that support to their students as well as providing the usual high achieving racial groups.

Do you expect high performing students and their highly educated and successful parents to leave their Bethesda homes and move to TPMS? They would rather go to their home W school. The whole magnet program and the attempt to close the achievement gap will fail if these students start going to their home schools. Eventually, the losers will be those high achieveing students from all racial groups who are not rich enough to be in Bethesda.

Say what? You must not know the student body well. I do and have 2 kids through the program. Both in bound. In bound TPMS kid #2 accepted to Blair SMACS, CAP, RMIB & both Wheatons. Hardly a low performer Many other in boundary the same. I also know several in boundary TPMS kids (now seniors) who are NMSF.

I think it's great to have dedicated seats for local kids. It ties the local and magnet communities together. This does not mean that the local kids are "less qualified." (Most in my kid's year hot into both TPMS and Eastern & they weren't in boundary for Eastern). There are so many "qualified" kids. It's not a singular test metric (though I'm sure you wish it were). I find that many of the Potomac area kids are immersed in prep/enrichment, making them more skilled or ahead in some concepts because they've had extra "school." This in no way means that that kid is brighter or more able than other kids on the same academic track who meet the requirements. All of these students can be "high performers" in the TPMS curriculum. Some (like yours presumably) get the extra nudge and call it "smarter." It's not. TPMS students throve and perform highly across geographical regions. Get over your bad self.

*this*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes but these kinds of kids all across the SS area as well. So why shouldn’t the rest of DCC be given access to compete for those seats? Perhaps your kid #1 became a compelling candidate for all the magnets because he got a stellar education through the TPMS reservation, which he may not have had he competed across the county, or even DCC

DP. That doesn't work because just like a student from Wootton, a student from somewhere else in the DCC would displace an inbound TP student. When the set aside is only for inbound students, it doesn't grow the magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you out of your mind? Sorry your Bethesda/Potomac child did not get in. There are high achieving kids everywhere. The set aside of the 25 seats is a historical compromise, but it doesn't really matter anymore. TP is a very intellectual area (lots of college professors live there and other science-y types) and their kids are very bright. The TP kids perform very well and likely would've gotten in anyway.

I doubt many people really believe that.

Also one can look at how many local kids get in the Blair Magnet program.

The largest single cohort @Blair magnet are from Takoma & Silver Spring.

Makes sense. I read these days that Blair's average SAT scores now are 50+ points higher than any W.

Do you really think when at a glance comes out that the high poverty Blair will have federally registered test scores that high or do you think that just maybe the Blair published brag sheet just picked a small targeted sample group of known kids because it wasn’t official. I am actually looking forward to when the real scores come out you can shut up about this. Shame we have to be pointing out how it is still just low GS Blair to do it.

In previous years, when comparing the largest common demographic cohort between Blair and any W, Blair's SAT average was always 50+ points higher. This is a matter of public record and has been discussed to death here, but I'm guessing you'll find another lame excuse.

[Anonymous]

This is so destructive. The magnet programs that was the lure for coming to Montgomery County has been severely watered down and for what? Achievement Gap has become even more significant. We are trying to educate kids who don't want to be educated and parents who don't value education.

The middle class/working class high achieving student who could get an excellent education at the MCPS magnet is the one who is losing out. The communities that were high achieving have now become even more accomplished. Now every high achiever weaves in the PC story of how they are helping poor URMs in their college essays so that they can go to the Ivies and become successful. This is all a bunch of BS.