7 Math teachers are leaving Richard Montgomerry HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they are upset with the 50% rule on tests? But this is also MPCS standard so unless they are leaving the county the policy will be the same.

What 50% rule on test? Is it new?

No nothing new. The concept is that if a kid takes a test and fails they will not get a grade lower than 50%. The philosophy is that it gives them an opportunity to recover with other grades rather than taking away all hope of passing so the kids stops going to the class. Controversial but used in other school systems outside of MCPS too.

Thank you.
I found an article about MCPS's 50% rule of test: https://rockvillerampage.com/6513/opinion/grading-system-still-a-problem/
It is not new. So this may not the reason that made the teachers leave RM HS.

Maybe it was not enforced for the IB program. Now that the new principle is pushing to improve access to the IB for non-magnet students, the grading need to be changed too.

The neighborhood kids that opt for IB junior year are not the ones that are being supported by the 50% rule. Next guess?

[Anonymous]

Thank you GOD that we did not choose RMIB!

I had some frank discussions with current parents after Hoover left and they explained how the new principal and the new coordinators were clueless and frankly had an agenda to dilute the program.

RMIB had a diploma rate of 96% under Hoover. In two years it went down 10%. It will continue to go down more.

Very sorry to see Mrs Goetze leave. I hope her fantastic Physics teacher DH does not leave too. These are gems of this program and they will be plucked by some lucky W school or even perhaps Blair.

7 IB teachers leaving in Maths. OMG. The Principal is a low achieving putz who always hated the magnet program. You should never ever hire someone who is a low achiever to oversee a program for high achievers. Their jealously will make them sabotage the program and that he is doing.

I hope there are enough Bethesda lawyers who sue the asses of MCPS.

I

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you GOD that we did not choose RMIB!

I had some frank discussions with current parents after Hoover left and they explained how the new principal and the new coordinators were clueless and frankly had an agenda to dilute the program.

RMIB had a diploma rate of 96% under Hoover. In two years it went down 10%. It will continue to go down more.

Very sorry to see Mrs Goetze leave. I hope her fantastic Physics teacher DH does not leave too. These are gems of this program and they will be plucked by some lucky W school or even perhaps Blair.

7 IB teachers leaving in Maths. OMG. The Principal is a low achieving putz who always hated the magnet program. You should never ever hire someone who is a low achiever to oversee a program for high achievers. Their jealously will make them sabotage the program and that he is doing.

I hope there are enough Bethesda lawyers who sue the asses of MCPS.

I

RM Principal's son applied to RMIB program this year, so I don't think he hates it *that* much, nor would he want it to be a failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they are upset with the 50% rule on tests? But this is also MPCS standard so unless they are leaving the county the policy will be the same.

What 50% rule on test? Is it new?

No nothing new. The concept is that if a kid takes a test and fails they will not get a grade lower than 50%. The philosophy is that it gives them an opportunity to recover with other grades rather than taking away all hope of passing so the kids stops going to the class. Controversial but used in other school systems outside of MCPS too.

Thank you.
I found an article about MCPS's 50% rule of test: https://rockvillerampage.com/6513/opinion/grading-system-still-a-problem/
It is not new. So this may not the reason that made the teachers leave RM HS.

Maybe it was not enforced for the IB program. Now that the new principle is pushing to improve access to the IB for non-magnet students, the grading need to be changed too.

Does anyone know if this is the case?
I know at Blair it is generally harder to get top grades in Magnet classes. Wouldn’t be surprised if this was the case at rmib

[Anonymous]

Kids in the IB program are very strong college focused tests. They are not getting though HS only because they can not get less than a 50 on their tests. I can not imagine a teacher changing a career path because they can not give an IB kid less than a 50 on a test..especially if they are staying in MCPS where they will have the same policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in the IB program are very strong college focused tests. They are not getting though HS only because they can not get less than a 50 on their tests. I can not imagine a teacher changing a career path because they can not give an IB kid less than a 50 on a test..especially if they are staying in MCPS where they will have the same policy.

What if they are not only leaving RM HS but also leaving MCPS?

[Anonymous]

It’s the principal. He is pushing out pro-IB/pro-Hoover teachers. These are all excellent teachers with many years with IB program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s the principal. He is pushing out pro-IB/pro-Hoover teachers. These are all excellent teachers with many years with IB program.

The principal needs to step down!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the principal. He is pushing out pro-IB/pro-Hoover teachers. These are all excellent teachers with many years with IB program.

The principal needs to step down!

You do realize this thread started with "I heard some parents saying.." They listed only 5 teachers and 1 is retiring. The whole conversation about the 50% rule came from someone saying she heard that class participation was supposed to be 50% of IB math grades. A whole lot of conjecture to suggest removing the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have had an enormous amount of staff turnover at our different MCPS school ever since a new principal arrived several years ago. Many beloved and long-term teachers have left. Awesome new teachers have left, too. Parents are becoming concerned, but we really know so little. Staff is very quiet about why they are leaving (or we don’t even know until they are gone). Can or should parents do anything in a situation like this?

A W middle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the principal. He is pushing out pro-IB/pro-Hoover teachers. These are all excellent teachers with many years with IB program.

The principal needs to step down!

You do realize this thread started with "I heard some parents saying.." They listed only 5 teachers and 1 is retiring. The whole conversation about the 50% rule came from someone saying she heard that class participation was supposed to be 50% of IB math grades. A whole lot of conjecture to suggest removing the principal.

Perhaps, but this thread reveals some cracks in the hull of the GoodShip RMHS.

[Anonymous]

My RM student reports that the 7 teachers are leaving in protest of certain policies. Nothing specific to IB. They teach other classes too. He did not have enough specifics on the issues for me to repeat. One related to the 50% rule but was not like they were taking a stand and not doing it. I am sure what I heard was not complete or totally accurate.

[Anonymous]

It's not like the PrinciPAL makes up policies. They are judged on their ability to implement MCPS efforts to comply with ...shocking...federal requirements. It's a new world teachers...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not like the PrinciPAL makes up policies. They are judged on their ability to implement MCPS efforts to comply with ...shocking...federal requirements. It's a new world teachers...

Overturn the ridiculous discipline / no discipline policy and fire the top administrators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the principal. He is pushing out pro-IB/pro-Hoover teachers. These are all excellent teachers with many years with IB program.

The principal needs to step down!

You do realize this thread started with "I heard some parents saying.." They listed only 5 teachers and 1 is retiring. The whole conversation about the 50% rule came from someone saying she heard that class participation was supposed to be 50% of IB math grades. A whole lot of conjecture to suggest removing the principal.

I didn't get that either. Thread title: 7 teachers leaving! Post: 5 teachers leaving. Follow-up: 1 of the teachers leaving is retiring. So, ???