Magnets, Regions, and the Future of MCPS Gifted Kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

I think they are just moving kids around to balance capacity instead of by drawing better boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

If your kid is such a high flyer take some math classes at MC or Maryland. Every school will have AP Calculus BC and probably local options to take the more rigorous math and science classes. And guess what, if your kid is crazy talented and at Northwood (a lower performing school) they could be #1 at Northwood! That actually means something in the college process and could get them into a better school. The idea that you cannot succeed outside the magnet is a fallacy. Further, at Blair, if you are an average magnet kid your profile actually doesn’t look so great when compared to the really high flyers in the program. Average Blair magnet kids are not getting into Ivy’s and some are not even getting into UMD for those precious engineering and computer science slots. The program is not overrated, it just does not need to be as consolidated and exclusive as currently constructed.

I can accept this. I just don't see how the proposed plan provides value to anybody. Why even bother with magnets. We have regular programs at all schools. They are neither consolidated nor exclusive. MCPS can simply add a couple of courses in low performing schools and achieve the same effect as this 30 magnets charade.

+1,000
Why do they want to bus 200 kids to Whitman to take AP social studies classes? That commute will be prohibitive for so many. Use those resources to build up courses at the home schools. Don't siphon off half the interested kids to a school that doesn't need them just to tell the ones left behind that "sorry, not enough interest!" when they ask for the same classes Whitman has just because they are rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What is the purpose of a magnet school?

The purpose of a magnet school is to attract white students to schools full of black students, in order to desegregate the school district, increase political power for gaining resources for that school and to game the "schoolwide" performance metrics to show "equity".

A "gifted program" is no the same as a "magnet school"

How very Nice White Parents.

What a blatant display of bigoted racism. Do you teach your kids those same values? People like you paved the road for Trump's election.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

If your kid is such a high flyer take some math classes at MC or Maryland. Every school will have AP Calculus BC and probably local options to take the more rigorous math and science classes. And guess what, if your kid is crazy talented and at Northwood (a lower performing school) they could be #1 at Northwood! That actually means something in the college process and could get them into a better school. The idea that you cannot succeed outside the magnet is a fallacy. Further, at Blair, if you are an average magnet kid your profile actually doesn’t look so great when compared to the really high flyers in the program. Average Blair magnet kids are not getting into Ivy’s and some are not even getting into UMD for those precious engineering and computer science slots. The program is not overrated, it just does not need to be as consolidated and exclusive as currently constructed.

I can accept this. I just don't see how the proposed plan provides value to anybody. Why even bother with magnets. We have regular programs at all schools. They are neither consolidated nor exclusive. MCPS can simply add a couple of courses in low performing schools and achieve the same effect as this 30 magnets charade.

+1,000
Why do they want to bus 200 kids to Whitman to take AP social studies classes? That commute will be prohibitive for so many. Use those resources to build up courses at the home schools. Don't siphon off half the interested kids to a school that doesn't need them just to tell the ones left behind that "sorry, not enough interest!" when they ask for the same classes Whitman has just because they are rich.

This. (And I’m not against making changes to the status quo, but that nails how poorly thought out this plan is.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

If your kid is such a high flyer take some math classes at MC or Maryland. Every school will have AP Calculus BC and probably local options to take the more rigorous math and science classes. And guess what, if your kid is crazy talented and at Northwood (a lower performing school) they could be #1 at Northwood! That actually means something in the college process and could get them into a better school. The idea that you cannot succeed outside the magnet is a fallacy. Further, at Blair, if you are an average magnet kid your profile actually doesn’t look so great when compared to the really high flyers in the program. Average Blair magnet kids are not getting into Ivy’s and some are not even getting into UMD for those precious engineering and computer science slots. The program is not overrated, it just does not need to be as consolidated and exclusive as currently constructed.

I can accept this. I just don't see how the proposed plan provides value to anybody. Why even bother with magnets. We have regular programs at all schools. They are neither consolidated nor exclusive. MCPS can simply add a couple of courses in low performing schools and achieve the same effect as this 30 magnets charade.

+1,000
Why do they want to bus 200 kids to Whitman to take AP social studies classes? That commute will be prohibitive for so many. Use those resources to build up courses at the home schools. Don't siphon off half the interested kids to a school that doesn't need them just to tell the ones left behind that "sorry, not enough interest!" when they ask for the same classes Whitman has just because they are rich.

This. (And I’m not against making changes to the status quo, but that nails how poorly thought out this plan is.)

Forget finding the next Einstein or Oppenheimer, MCPS would rather produce 100 Bank of America location managers than one Nobel Prize winner. Typical loser mentality from the clowns prioritizing equity over excellence.

[Anonymous]

Op, I agree with you but this is a losing battle. This is how you destroy good school systems. I am just glad we are done with MCPS. I feel sorry for magnet kids but moco is full of idiots right now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

If your kid is such a high flyer take some math classes at MC or Maryland. Every school will have AP Calculus BC and probably local options to take the more rigorous math and science classes. And guess what, if your kid is crazy talented and at Northwood (a lower performing school) they could be #1 at Northwood! That actually means something in the college process and could get them into a better school. The idea that you cannot succeed outside the magnet is a fallacy. Further, at Blair, if you are an average magnet kid your profile actually doesn’t look so great when compared to the really high flyers in the program. Average Blair magnet kids are not getting into Ivy’s and some are not even getting into UMD for those precious engineering and computer science slots. The program is not overrated, it just does not need to be as consolidated and exclusive as currently constructed.

Taking classes at Mc or Maryland is absurd for time, transportation and cost they should provide it to all, not just the rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, I agree with you but this is a losing battle. This is how you destroy good school systems. I am just glad we are done with MCPS. I feel sorry for magnet kids but moco is full of idiots right now

There are so few magnet kids that is it really a good use of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

If your kid is such a high flyer take some math classes at MC or Maryland. Every school will have AP Calculus BC and probably local options to take the more rigorous math and science classes. And guess what, if your kid is crazy talented and at Northwood (a lower performing school) they could be #1 at Northwood! That actually means something in the college process and could get them into a better school. The idea that you cannot succeed outside the magnet is a fallacy. Further, at Blair, if you are an average magnet kid your profile actually doesn’t look so great when compared to the really high flyers in the program. Average Blair magnet kids are not getting into Ivy’s and some are not even getting into UMD for those precious engineering and computer science slots. The program is not overrated, it just does not need to be as consolidated and exclusive as currently constructed.

I can accept this. I just don't see how the proposed plan provides value to anybody. Why even bother with magnets. We have regular programs at all schools. They are neither consolidated nor exclusive. MCPS can simply add a couple of courses in low performing schools and achieve the same effect as this 30 magnets charade.

+1,000
Why do they want to bus 200 kids to Whitman to take AP social studies classes? That commute will be prohibitive for so many. Use those resources to build up courses at the home schools. Don't siphon off half the interested kids to a school that doesn't need them just to tell the ones left behind that "sorry, not enough interest!" when they ask for the same classes Whitman has just because they are rich.

This. (And I’m not against making changes to the status quo, but that nails how poorly thought out this plan is.)

Forget finding the next Einstein or Oppenheimer, MCPS would rather produce 100 Bank of America location managers than one Nobel Prize winner. Typical loser mentality from the clowns prioritizing equity over excellence.

At Einstein, there are few advanced classes. He’d be disappointed in a school named after him that does not support stem.

Mcps will not provide transportation except the absolute minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, those programs (RM/Blair), while definitely rigorous, create a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and obnoxiousness for some of those students who participate (as well as their parents). No doubt many of the kids are lovely, but not sure I love some of the parents asking me if my kid was in Gen Pop.

Spread out the resources these program take so more kids can get access to them.

But this plan is not spreading resources. Have you seen in their presentation any resources being spread? No new teachers, no new investments, nothing. Just creating 30 new magnets out of thin air.

Calling programs magnets without any new staff or supplies is a joke.

[Anonymous]

Shhhhhh about having your smart kid excel at a lower ranking school vs being one of many at a magnet. There are also more leadership opportunities because of less competition. My gifted kid at a “bad” school is going to have an easier time getting into college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What is the purpose of a magnet school?

The purpose of a magnet school is to attract white students to schools full of black students, in order to desegregate the school district, increase political power for gaining resources for that school and to game the "schoolwide" performance metrics to show "equity".

A "gifted program" is no the same as a "magnet school"

How very Nice White Parents.

What a blatant display of bigoted racism. Do you teach your kids those same values? People like you paved the road for Trump's election.

Reference to a podcast which I suspect you missed.

[Anonymous]

RMIB and Blair SMACS are not the only magnets.

Poolesville HS - SMACS , Humanities and Global Ecology are also magnet programs. Less toxic environment than RMIB and Blair.

[Anonymous]

MCPS magnets are completely diluted. I would suggest to the Asian immigrant families to understand this and make sure that your kid is getting enriched and following a hand crafted, cherry picked curriculum that allows them to be resilient and successful in future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg stop already. Having a bright/smart kid doesnt mean they’re gifted. All our kids should have work appropriate for their academic level. The smart kids and the struggling kids. The poor kids and the wealthy kids. MCPS is trying.

These two magnets have 200 kids in them. Are you saying there are no 200 gifted kids per class in MCPS?

Don't forget Poolesville HS's programs.