We are new to poolesville high school global ecology program and are not impressed.

[Anonymous]

Ha! My SMCS kid calls the Global program babysitter's club. They have a pre-K like curriculum. Some of them take SMCS courses too though. SMCS and Humanities are rigorous with SMCS being the hardest only because of its focus and pacing. She did tell me they have a bus in the stall at their school just for them and they go out to eat lunch and to get ice cream. I also think the SMCS kids are jealous as they have to work non-stop and go to school an extra period while Global kids have the time of their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in the SMCS program and it’s very challenging.

Global also used to be pretty hard to get into. Maybe this changed when they got rid of the COGAT test?

Did you not go to the open house? It’s was clear when we w we that there were lots of field trips. Seems most kids love it.

Op here. Of course we went to the open house. The field trips themselves are not the problem, it’s what they do during field trips. It’s all fluff and no substance. It’s just a big party. Of course the kids will love it. That’s fine, but isn’t it suppose to be a magnet program? In addition, the classes room teaching are so bland. Where’s the challenging coursework? I guess like a PP stated, it will get more challenging, but I have serious doubts.

Do you have an 8th grader for whom you are hoping to cut down on the competition for this year’s application process?

+1 lol
OP if you’re so unhappy and if your child is in fact in this program, please move to a different school. Many (including you) would happily take their place.

Next week this individual will post, “CES/Blair magnet/RMIB/(insert criteria-based magnet): not impressed.”

[Anonymous]

As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in the SMCS program and it’s very challenging.

Global also used to be pretty hard to get into. Maybe this changed when they got rid of the COGAT test?

Did you not go to the open house? It’s was clear when we w we that there were lots of field trips. Seems most kids love it.

Op here. Of course we went to the open house. The field trips themselves are not the problem, it’s what they do during field trips. It’s all fluff and no substance. It’s just a big party. Of course the kids will love it. That’s fine, but isn’t it suppose to be a magnet program? In addition, the classes room teaching are so bland. Where’s the challenging coursework? I guess like a PP stated, it will get more challenging, but I have serious doubts.

Do you have an 8th grader for whom you are hoping to cut down on the competition for this year’s application process?

+1 lol
OP if you’re so unhappy and if your child is in fact in this program, please move to a different school. Many (including you) would happily take their place.

Next week this individual will post, “CES/Blair magnet/RMIB/(insert criteria-based magnet): not impressed.”

Because they want to brag to their friends that their kid is in a magnet program right?

[Anonymous]

Trolling, Trolling, Trolling….

Just stop it’s not funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Easier than non magnet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Easier than non magnet?

I have a child in global, and it is easier than non magnet Bc the first year of global, the kids can’t even take one magnet class. Whereas, if u were at a regular non magnet school they allow you freedom to take some magnet classes freshman year. So in that sense, yes, non magnet t program can be more challenging than global.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trolling, Trolling, Trolling….

Just stop it’s not funny.

Maybe YOUR the troll and this parent is just letting people know the TRUTH without all the fluff and perfect optics than mcps is known for when advertising/hyping up their programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Easier than non magnet?

I have a child in global, and it is easier than non magnet Bc the first year of global, the kids can’t even take one magnet class. Whereas, if u were at a regular non magnet school they allow you freedom to take some magnet classes freshman year. So in that sense, yes, non magnet t program can be more challenging than global.

Sorry I meant to say AP classes freshman year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child goes to the global program and so far they have gone in one field trip where they walked around ate ice cream, cooked eggs and slept in a tent. The class programs in the school have not been challenging, with one class having a nap session everyday. What is this pre-k? We are not impressed….any other global parents out there feeling the same?

Someone alert the government. A parent is unhappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Easier than non magnet?

I have a child in global, and it is easier than non magnet Bc the first year of global, the kids can’t even take one magnet class. Whereas, if u were at a regular non magnet school they allow you freedom to take some magnet classes freshman year. So in that sense, yes, non magnet t program can be more challenging than global.

Sorry I meant to say AP classes freshman year

Definitely a troll. AP Seminar is required and my kid took AP CS as a freshman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Or maybe MCPS offers kids different programs to meet kids' different learning styles. Y'all need to find the Goldilocks one that's just right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who has had kids in all three magnet prgms at poolesville. I have noticed
Global too easy
Humanities too easy
Smacs too hard
There seems to be no middle magnet program. I think they should find a balance between these programs, Bc it’s not healthy to have one extreme program and on the other end too easy of a prgm.
And Those people who say global is challenging are bullsh*tting others, themselves, and their kids. Just stop already!

Easier than non magnet?

I have a child in global, and it is easier than non magnet Bc the first year of global, the kids can’t even take one magnet class. Whereas, if u were at a regular non magnet school they allow you freedom to take some magnet classes freshman year. So in that sense, yes, non magnet t program can be more challenging than global.

Sorry I meant to say AP classes freshman year

Definitely a troll. AP Seminar is required and my kid took AP CS as a freshman.

For what it’s worth, AP seminar is a class where the ap score is given by the teacher not the college board (so very subjective) and AP CS is a credit that is not accepted at most colleges (UMCP does not count it as a credit).

[Anonymous]

I don't understand how some posters are willing to spout off inaccurate information as fact! AP Seminar is NOT graded solely by the local school teacher as you would have learned at BTSN from the teacher. My DC is at PHS taking AP Seminar this year. AP Seminar is a required course for 9th grade PHS Global Ecology students and 10th grade PHS Humanities students.

It's also easy to verify on the College Board's AP Seminar web page which explains comprehensively the course components and grading:

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-seminar/exam

"Assessment Overview
The AP Seminar assessment consists of three parts: two performance tasks and the end-of-course AP Exam. All parts measure student achievement of the course learning objectives."

Performance Task 1: Team Project and Presentation—20% of AP Seminar Score
--Individual research report (1,200 words), College Board scored, 50% of 20%
--Team multimedia presentation and defense (8–10 minutes, plus defense questions), Teacher scored (group score), 50% of 20%


Performance Task 2: Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation—35% of AP Seminar Score
--Individual written argument (2,000 words), College Board scored, 70% of 35%
--Individual multimedia presentation (6–8 minutes), Teacher scored, 20% of 35%
--Oral defense (2 questions from the teacher), Teacher scored, 10% of 35%


End-of-Course Exam (2 Hours)—45% of AP Seminar Score
--Understanding and analyzing an argument (3 short-answer questions); suggested time: 30 minutes, College Board scored, 30% of 45%
--Evidence-Based argument essay (1 long essay); suggested time: 90 minutes, College Board scored, 70% of 45%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't understand how some posters are willing to spout off inaccurate information as fact! AP Seminar is NOT graded solely by the local school teacher as you would have learned at BTSN from the teacher. My DC is at PHS taking AP Seminar this year. AP Seminar is a required course for 9th grade PHS Global Ecology students and 10th grade PHS Humanities students.

It's also easy to verify on the College Board's AP Seminar web page which explains comprehensively the course components and grading:

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-seminar/exam

"Assessment Overview
The AP Seminar assessment consists of three parts: two performance tasks and the end-of-course AP Exam. All parts measure student achievement of the course learning objectives."

Performance Task 1: Team Project and Presentation—20% of AP Seminar Score
--Individual research report (1,200 words), College Board scored, 50% of 20%
--Team multimedia presentation and defense (8–10 minutes, plus defense questions), Teacher scored (group score), 50% of 20%


Performance Task 2: Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation—35% of AP Seminar Score
--Individual written argument (2,000 words), College Board scored, 70% of 35%
--Individual multimedia presentation (6–8 minutes), Teacher scored, 20% of 35%
--Oral defense (2 questions from the teacher), Teacher scored, 10% of 35%


End-of-Course Exam (2 Hours)—45% of AP Seminar Score
--Understanding and analyzing an argument (3 short-answer questions); suggested time: 30 minutes, College Board scored, 30% of 45%
--Evidence-Based argument essay (1 long essay); suggested time: 90 minutes, College Board scored, 70% of 45%