MCPS to end areawide Blair Magnet and countywide Richard Montgomery's IB program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

Incorrect. You need to rewatch the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

Incorrect. You need to rewatch the meeting.

Read the materials they have shared

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is bonkers. The regional program seems responsive to the concerns parents raise here all the time that high performing kids are shut out of the very few high performing programs. Now, a larger group of high performing kids will be able to learn with their high performing peers, with the speciality focus area piece available to try to equal out the number of high performing kids at each school. Seems like a good approach to me. As for the rarefied Blair offerings, kids can get those in college.

Exactly. HS is about exposure not specialization.

So why kill the existing program that gives kids the most exposure?

What exactly is the problem with keeping our outstanding cross-county programs AND reorganizing the school district into regions?

I would have thought this was a good solution too, but apparently it has already been tried and failed with IB programs.

How?

I don't know the details but apparently people think RMIB is way better than the regional IBs?

Even if RMIB is better than the regionals (that's to be expected), doesn't prove that the regionals have failed.

I guess the theory is that the regionals would do better if the top students weren’t all flocking to RMIB.

The kids I know that went to the regionals weren’t significantly worse than the RM kids. But the regional programs just were not good. It turns out you can’t just decide to run an IB program and have it magically appear fully formed without putting a lot of expertise and resources into developing it.

Hard disagree here. Springbrook IB has grown to the 3rd largest Diploma Programme in the county, behind RMHS and B-CC. There has been tremendous interest in the regional magnet from inside and out of the consortium. The previous poster should come out to the interest night at Springbrook. It is always a packed room of 8th graders from the NEC, Rockville, Magruder, and Sherwood clusters. One thing right at that school is the incredible work of the two coordinators in developing what was once a tiny program of 40 DP students overall into 150+ students.

What are the IB test scores for the various IB programs?

According to a PP, IB test scores don't matter, so that means, the test scores are low. But you can see it

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/data/LAR-charts/IB-Exam-PP-%20for-Test-Takers.html

No doubt, the regional magnet test scores aren't as high because it does not attract the top students in the county. But, the goal of MCPS is not to make sure that these students do well on the IB tests, but to be exposed to rigor.

However, if the majority of the regional IB students find the material difficult, then the teachers will have to slow things down. Also, there is a lack of demand for more advanced IB classes, particularly in STEM. Those regional IB magnet schools don't offer some of the more advanced STEM classes that RMIB does.

If they do away with the county RMIB magnet, the highest performers will be diluted across the regions, and the peer cohort won't be as high achieving. The demand for those advanced STEM classes will go down because of this diluation. It's possible that no IB magnet or only one or two IB regional magnets offer those advanced STEM classes, which goes back to the issue of uneven course offerings.

At the end of the day, MCPS cannot offer this type of equity across the county without dumbing things down. This hurts the highest achievers, but helps more of the not as high achievers.

The few things about MCPS that was attractive will no longer exist, and families of very high achieving families will leave MCPS as it will no longer provide the one thing over the school districts around this area, namely a few strong county wide magnet programs.

FWIW, I had one kid go through RMIB and one not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is bonkers. The regional program seems responsive to the concerns parents raise here all the time that high performing kids are shut out of the very few high performing programs. Now, a larger group of high performing kids will be able to learn with their high performing peers, with the speciality focus area piece available to try to equal out the number of high performing kids at each school. Seems like a good approach to me. As for the rarefied Blair offerings, kids can get those in college.

Exactly. HS is about exposure not specialization.

So why kill the existing program that gives kids the most exposure?

What exactly is the problem with keeping our outstanding cross-county programs AND reorganizing the school district into regions?

I would have thought this was a good solution too, but apparently it has already been tried and failed with IB programs.

How?

I don't know the details but apparently people think RMIB is way better than the regional IBs?

Even if RMIB is better than the regionals (that's to be expected), doesn't prove that the regionals have failed.

I guess the theory is that the regionals would do better if the top students weren’t all flocking to RMIB.

The kids I know that went to the regionals weren’t significantly worse than the RM kids. But the regional programs just were not good. It turns out you can’t just decide to run an IB program and have it magically appear fully formed without putting a lot of expertise and resources into developing it.

Hard disagree here. Springbrook IB has grown to the 3rd largest Diploma Programme in the county, behind RMHS and B-CC. There has been tremendous interest in the regional magnet from inside and out of the consortium. The previous poster should come out to the interest night at Springbrook. It is always a packed room of 8th graders from the NEC, Rockville, Magruder, and Sherwood clusters. One thing right at that school is the incredible work of the two coordinators in developing what was once a tiny program of 40 DP students overall into 150+ students.

What are the IB test scores for the various IB programs?

According to a PP, IB test scores don't matter, so that means, the test scores are low. But you can see it

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/data/LAR-charts/IB-Exam-PP-%20for-Test-Takers.html

No doubt, the regional magnet test scores aren't as high because it does not attract the top students in the county. But, the goal of MCPS is not to make sure that these students do well on the IB tests, but to be exposed to rigor.

However, if the majority of the regional IB students find the material difficult, then the teachers will have to slow things down. Also, there is a lack of demand for more advanced IB classes, particularly in STEM. Those regional IB magnet schools don't offer some of the more advanced STEM classes that RMIB does.

If they do away with the county RMIB magnet, the highest performers will be diluted across the regions, and the peer cohort won't be as high achieving. The demand for those advanced STEM classes will go down because of this diluation. It's possible that no IB magnet or only one or two IB regional magnets offer those advanced STEM classes, which goes back to the issue of uneven course offerings.

At the end of the day, MCPS cannot offer this type of equity across the county without dumbing things down. This hurts the highest achievers, but helps more of the not as high achievers.

The few things about MCPS that was attractive will no longer exist, and families of very high achieving families will leave MCPS as it will no longer provide the one thing over the school districts around this area, namely a few strong county wide magnet programs.

FWIW, I had one kid go through RMIB and one not.

Some folks here don't realize this will result in real time consequences to their kids. That "extra" boost is really critical in college admission and performance as well as kids' post college education (med school, law school, phd...etc. which undoubtedly many of these kids will pursue). MCPS will continue its journey to become mediocre at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is bonkers. The regional program seems responsive to the concerns parents raise here all the time that high performing kids are shut out of the very few high performing programs. Now, a larger group of high performing kids will be able to learn with their high performing peers, with the speciality focus area piece available to try to equal out the number of high performing kids at each school. Seems like a good approach to me. As for the rarefied Blair offerings, kids can get those in college.

Exactly. HS is about exposure not specialization.

So why kill the existing program that gives kids the most exposure?

What exactly is the problem with keeping our outstanding cross-county programs AND reorganizing the school district into regions?

I would have thought this was a good solution too, but apparently it has already been tried and failed with IB programs.

How?

I don't know the details but apparently people think RMIB is way better than the regional IBs?

Even if RMIB is better than the regionals (that's to be expected), doesn't prove that the regionals have failed.

I guess the theory is that the regionals would do better if the top students weren’t all flocking to RMIB.

The kids I know that went to the regionals weren’t significantly worse than the RM kids. But the regional programs just were not good. It turns out you can’t just decide to run an IB program and have it magically appear fully formed without putting a lot of expertise and resources into developing it.

Hard disagree here. Springbrook IB has grown to the 3rd largest Diploma Programme in the county, behind RMHS and B-CC. There has been tremendous interest in the regional magnet from inside and out of the consortium. The previous poster should come out to the interest night at Springbrook. It is always a packed room of 8th graders from the NEC, Rockville, Magruder, and Sherwood clusters. One thing right at that school is the incredible work of the two coordinators in developing what was once a tiny program of 40 DP students overall into 150+ students.

What are the IB test scores for the various IB programs?

According to a PP, IB test scores don't matter, so that means, the test scores are low. But you can see it

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/data/LAR-charts/IB-Exam-PP-%20for-Test-Takers.html

No doubt, the regional magnet test scores aren't as high because it does not attract the top students in the county. But, the goal of MCPS is not to make sure that these students do well on the IB tests, but to be exposed to rigor.

However, if the majority of the regional IB students find the material difficult, then the teachers will have to slow things down. Also, there is a lack of demand for more advanced IB classes, particularly in STEM. Those regional IB magnet schools don't offer some of the more advanced STEM classes that RMIB does.

If they do away with the county RMIB magnet, the highest performers will be diluted across the regions, and the peer cohort won't be as high achieving. The demand for those advanced STEM classes will go down because of this diluation. It's possible that no IB magnet or only one or two IB regional magnets offer those advanced STEM classes, which goes back to the issue of uneven course offerings.

At the end of the day, MCPS cannot offer this type of equity across the county without dumbing things down. This hurts the highest achievers, but helps more of the not as high achievers.

The few things about MCPS that was attractive will no longer exist, and families of very high achieving families will leave MCPS as it will no longer provide the one thing over the school districts around this area, namely a few strong county wide magnet programs.

FWIW, I had one kid go through RMIB and one not.

What am I supposed to see in the link? Maybe it's my phone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

What’s the main difference between SMCS and STEM? “Technology/Engineering” instead of Computer Science?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

They might drop a couple classes if there's no longer enough demand for it but they have not said anywhere that they will be changing the program itself other than eligibility. If you think differently, you need to prove it (and not by saying "they are calling them STEM rather than SMCS" so they must be different," which you'd understand why that's not what that means if you'd been following all the details.(

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

What’s the main difference between SMCS and STEM? “Technology/Engineering” instead of Computer Science?

SMCS is one specific program that a) already exists and b) would continue to exist according to the slides from Thursday's meeting. STEM is the broader category into which this specific program fits. Each region would have at least one program that fits within each of the broader categories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

What’s the main difference between SMCS and STEM? “Technology/Engineering” instead of Computer Science?

SMCS is one specific program that a) already exists and b) would continue to exist according to the slides from Thursday's meeting. STEM is the broader category into which this specific program fits. Each region would have at least one program that fits within each of the broader categories.

So are you saying that each region will have some type off STEM program..maybe SMCS or maybe something new? Doesnt that defeat the whole purpose of doing this?

[Anonymous]

Mr o said many times that isn’t the program, it’s the kids. the whole point of the magnet is the peer group. trachers, classes they are important but without peers it’s game over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

What’s the main difference between SMCS and STEM? “Technology/Engineering” instead of Computer Science?

SMCS is one specific program that a) already exists and b) would continue to exist according to the slides from Thursday's meeting. STEM is the broader category into which this specific program fits. Each region would have at least one program that fits within each of the broader categories.

So are you saying that each region will have some type off STEM program..maybe SMCS or maybe something new? Doesnt that defeat the whole purpose of doing this?

Stop trying to make sense of nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

What’s the main difference between SMCS and STEM? “Technology/Engineering” instead of Computer Science?

SMCS is one specific program that a) already exists and b) would continue to exist according to the slides from Thursday's meeting. STEM is the broader category into which this specific program fits. Each region would have at least one program that fits within each of the broader categories.

So are you saying that each region will have some type off STEM program..maybe SMCS or maybe something new? Doesnt that defeat the whole purpose of doing this?

Why would that defeat the purpose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

A) changing the catchment destroys the program

B) Disregard high achievers so high achieving families learn to avoid MCPS and by extension MoCo. Lowering educational standards will surely lead to a more stable society and an economy that supports the masses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate the perspective of the current student, but listen to those of us with experience outside specialized schools. You would still have your string peer group because you would be taking the same classes for your specialized program. Possibly some of your electives might be integrated with “regular” kids, but it’s an important life skill for you to learn. You will not live your adult life surrounded by peers with your same level of intelligence, motivation, and access.

My own experience at a HS in a different state with 3,000 students, 555 in my graduating class. Our grade had a cohort of kids on advanced tracks and we were need up with almost all of our classes together for 4 years because we were the only students eligible for those advanced courses.

MCPS doesn't have a TJ or Stuy.
The countywide programs already have electives and even core courses shared with the host school.

Regardless, people who have never seen a specialized countywide program for don't understand the value it provides for the students who would be bored in the "advanced" courses.

When we were young, students who didn't have access to such programs would graduate high school early or Dual Enroll at a university, and have to find a gap year program or deal with the social challenge of being a year or more younger than their classmates.

And that’s what will happen again. For the regular advanced kids there are already many options - there is a wealth of AP classes, more IB spots than demand, the CAP program, Project Lead the Way, early college, dual enrollment. SO MANY options, not all well used. Any motivated advanced student can build a path through high school that meets their needs. But for the very highly motivated and extremely high achieving, Blair is the offering with the track record of meeting their needs. For a very small number of kids who need it. It is extremely short sighted to take this away.

A) Blair isn’t going away it’s catchment area is changing
B) If it’s for a very small number of kids then it actually makes sense if it does go away and instead funnel those kids to their next stage at university. The county has to be good stewards of resources in providing opportunity.

The magnet is going away. The proposals are NOT too continue the existing program but start new (lesser) programs. There is a stem program listed as one of many. Blair’s program isn’t called “stem”. It is a different program that will not be as advanced.

Incorrect. You need to rewatch the meeting.

Does the Board not publish documents or minutes?
A meeting video is not an accessible format, and also a meeting remark is nothing like a committed plan.