Robert goddard Montessori move
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Anonymous
I get angry by the entitlement I see from the Specialty Program families. This is just one example of a long list of instances. The inequity, especially at middle school level, is staggering. The immersion schools and Montessori have class sizes well below 20 per class in grades 6-8 while for the majority of PGCPS schools that number is closer to 30. I think that in the schools that surround RGMS the class sizes can get up to 40 because they are that overcrowded. The funding that PGCPS pours into these programs is huge and only benefits a small number of students. Can you imagine being a middle school student at Wirt who has 40+ kids in their class while 2 miles up the road there is a school building that is only 50% occupied and the class sizes are below 20? We are lucky because our kids tested into the TAG program and have good MS options, but most kids in the county don't have that option. And no, Hyattsville middle school is a neighborhood school that houses a specialty program. Most of the TAG centers and High School specialty programs are located in neighborhood schools. |
Anonymous
It's both. It's a neighborhood school with a creative and performing arts audition-based program. It's arguably two schools in one. The families in the creative and performing arts program are economically advantaged and vocal parents. The PTSO at HMS is advocating for both programs though. |
Anonymous
It seems very contradictory that the HMS community is wrongly attacking the specialty schools saying that they are privileged etc., when they too have a specialty program. The irony! 😄 |
Anonymous
You clearly don’t understand how the CPA program works. It’s by audition. That means admission is based on the student’s demonstrated talent that is reviewed by a panel of staff. It’s not by whose parents know how to maneuver a lottery process. Plus the teachers in the CPA program also teach arts classes available to the entire student body. RGMS parents clearly demonstrated their entitled attitudes with their words and actions; I believe one of your parents stated they could not understand why PGCPS would put the disrespectful HMS students with the reputable students of RGMS. If RGMS hadn’t made it clear they didn’t want to share their school (and your PTA president corresponded with the CEO to that effect as well) this wouldn’t have happened. |
Anonymous
I'm sorry that comment was made, but it was ONE person and not reflective of a whole community. How does one maneuver the lottery process? It is random, that is why it's called a lottery.... |
Anonymous
Applying for the lottery process requires: 1. knowing a lottery exists 2. having the means and resources to deal with a half-day program for your 3 year old 3. computer access I could go on, but surely you get it? The numbers of FARMS and SPED students at RGMS compared with other local schools provide the data to back it up. Please, do some research into the wider world of PGCPS. |
Anonymous
Look, I agree with the HMS community, but clearly by audition still has a basis in privilege and you should also acknowledge that. Parents still have to apply for the audition. Most Title 1 families cannot afford private lessons. Surely you know as anyone does who lives in the HMS boundary that parents in the know get their kids in early to private voice or instrument lessons to help them prepare. |
Anonymous
You cannot put everyone in the same bucket. I did not have the resources for half day 3 year old program,so my child got into the 4 year old program. I am far from being "well off". Either way you cannot call the program maneuvering the system. There are many different programs for children to learn in different ways; montessori, language immersion, performing arts etc....but for you to be so against the specialty programs and children learning in different ways just makes you sound bitter. |
Anonymous
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You clearly don’t understand how the CPA program works. It’s by audition. That means admission is based on the student’s demonstrated talent that is reviewed by a panel of staff. It’s not by whose parents know how to maneuver a lottery process. Plus the teachers in the CPA program also teach arts classes available to the entire student body. RGMS parents clearly demonstrated their entitled attitudes with their words and actions; I believe one of your parents stated they could not understand why PGCPS would put the disrespectful HMS students with the reputable students of RGMS. If RGMS hadn’t made it clear they didn’t want to share their school (and your PTA president corresponded with the CEO to that effect as well) this wouldn’t have happened. Look, I agree with the HMS community, but clearly by audition still has a basis in privilege and you should also acknowledge that. Parents still have to apply for the audition. Most Title 1 families cannot afford private lessons. Surely you know as anyone does who lives in the HMS boundary that parents in the know get their kids in early to private voice or instrument lessons to help them prepare. do you actually *know* the backgrounds of the kids in the CPA programs? it's a mixture of kids from various socio-economic backgrounds; some have had private lessons, many have not. and do you realize that the PTSO has advocated FOR YEARS to expand the program so more kids can participate? But it's not been successful because the school is over capacity and PGCPS doesn't want to pay for additional staff. |
Anonymous
You clearly don’t understand how the CPA program works. It’s by audition. That means admission is based on the student’s demonstrated talent that is reviewed by a panel of staff. It’s not by whose parents know how to maneuver a lottery process. Plus the teachers in the CPA program also teach arts classes available to the entire student body. RGMS parents clearly demonstrated their entitled attitudes with their words and actions; I believe one of your parents stated they could not understand why PGCPS would put the disrespectful HMS students with the reputable students of RGMS. If RGMS hadn’t made it clear they didn’t want to share their school (and your PTA president corresponded with the CEO to that effect as well) this wouldn’t have happened. Look, I agree with the HMS community, but clearly by audition still has a basis in privilege and you should also acknowledge that. Parents still have to apply for the audition. Most Title 1 families cannot afford private lessons. Surely you know as anyone does who lives in the HMS boundary that parents in the know get their kids in early to private voice or instrument lessons to help them prepare. do you actually *know* the backgrounds of the kids in the CPA programs? it's a mixture of kids from various socio-economic backgrounds; some have had private lessons, many have not. and do you realize that the PTSO has advocated FOR YEARS to expand the program so more kids can participate? But it's not been successful because the school is over capacity and PGCPS doesn't want to pay for additional staff. Please post a side by side comparison of kid's socioeconomic backgrounds in the CPA program and not in the CPA program and then we can discuss. I do know the PTSO has advocated for years to expand the program. They have done a great job supporting the school. I also know that the UPES community advocated against enlarging the CPA program to sixth graders several years ago when the county proposed it. This is not the county shutting it down; this was another component in the community shutting down enlarging it to sixth grade. Like I said above, I agree with the HMS community. RGMS should be in a right-sized building since the county needs flex space. Their are five other schools that will need flex space in the coming years. I can agree with that and also point out that the audition process and extra funds to HMS for the CPA program are also a points of privilege. You just don't like my pointing that out because it defeats your argument. |
Anonymous
Look, I agree with the HMS community, but clearly by audition still has a basis in privilege and you should also acknowledge that. Parents still have to apply for the audition. Most Title 1 families cannot afford private lessons. Surely you know as anyone does who lives in the HMS boundary that parents in the know get their kids in early to private voice or instrument lessons to help them prepare. do you actually *know* the backgrounds of the kids in the CPA programs? it's a mixture of kids from various socio-economic backgrounds; some have had private lessons, many have not. and do you realize that the PTSO has advocated FOR YEARS to expand the program so more kids can participate? But it's not been successful because the school is over capacity and PGCPS doesn't want to pay for additional staff. Please post a side by side comparison of kid's socioeconomic backgrounds in the CPA program and not in the CPA program and then we can discuss. I do know the PTSO has advocated for years to expand the program. They have done a great job supporting the school. I also know that the UPES community advocated against enlarging the CPA program to sixth graders several years ago when the county proposed it. This is not the county shutting it down; this was another component in the community shutting down enlarging it to sixth grade. Like I said above, I agree with the HMS community. RGMS should be in a right-sized building since the county needs flex space. Their are five other schools that will need flex space in the coming years. I can agree with that and also point out that the audition process and extra funds to HMS for the CPA program are also a points of privilege. You just don't like my pointing that out because it defeats your argument. yes, I do acknowledge there is privilege, and it's something the school community is very much aware of re: CPA. but I still contend that a specialty school within neighborhood school is not equivalent to a self-selected lottery system for an entire specialty program. |
Anonymous
Look, I agree with the HMS community, but clearly by audition still has a basis in privilege and you should also acknowledge that. Parents still have to apply for the audition. Most Title 1 families cannot afford private lessons. Surely you know as anyone does who lives in the HMS boundary that parents in the know get their kids in early to private voice or instrument lessons to help them prepare. do you actually *know* the backgrounds of the kids in the CPA programs? it's a mixture of kids from various socio-economic backgrounds; some have had private lessons, many have not. and do you realize that the PTSO has advocated FOR YEARS to expand the program so more kids can participate? But it's not been successful because the school is over capacity and PGCPS doesn't want to pay for additional staff. Please post a side by side comparison of kid's socioeconomic backgrounds in the CPA program and not in the CPA program and then we can discuss. I do know the PTSO has advocated for years to expand the program. They have done a great job supporting the school. I also know that the UPES community advocated against enlarging the CPA program to sixth graders several years ago when the county proposed it. This is not the county shutting it down; this was another component in the community shutting down enlarging it to sixth grade. Like I said above, I agree with the HMS community. RGMS should be in a right-sized building since the county needs flex space. Their are five other schools that will need flex space in the coming years. I can agree with that and also point out that the audition process and extra funds to HMS for the CPA program are also a points of privilege. You just don't like my pointing that out because it defeats your argument. I am also all for RGMS moving IF they were to get a building that would fit all of their classes and not be out of boundaries. I think we ALL can agree Meadowbrook is too small for everyone, to far from the Hyattsville area, and too run down. This is a situation the pgcps administration needs to fix, because no one should be sent to Meadowbrook. |
Anonymous
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First of all HMS is a Title 1 school, which means that more than 80% of the students are FARMS eligible. RGMS has a FARMS rate of 38%. RGMS parents are clearly privileged in comparison.
Another point is that by 5th or 6th grade, kids can start to advocate for themselves and teachers in their neighborhood schools can help them navigate the system. I know several cases where music teachers have encouraged their rising 6th or 7th graders to apply for CPA schools. The TAG program is similar. First grade teachers know who is TAG identified and can reach out to the parents of those kids and let them know that the TAG program exists and how to apply. TAG middle school coordinators can come to the neighborhood schools and talk to the students and parents about the program and how to apply. The point about having different learning styles would have a lot more merit if the system actually placed kids based on those needs rather than a random lottery system. There are plenty of lower elementary kids at Pullen who have zero musical or artistic talent. There are plenty of kids in neighborhood schools who would thrive at Montessori and plenty of kids at RGMS who would thrive at traditional schools. Specialty programs co-located with neighborhood schools is the better option. The extra resources that come with the Program can be shared with the rest of the students. If the PTA manages to get a grant, it doesn't JUST to to the CPA or TAG kids, it is for the entire school. The drawback is that the presence of the specialty program kids can skew the FARMS data and the school can lose their Title 1 status (Chavez, Kenmoor, Capitol Heights). |
Anonymous
So if you presume that the majority of the CPA students at HMS are not FARMS, then the FARMS rate of the non-CPA student body would be over 90%. |