Blair Magnet moving to Kennedy or Springbrook

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they move the magnet and CAP, what do you think will be the specialization at Blair? All of the DCC schools have something. If Kennedy gets the STEM magnet, could the IB program at Kennedy move to Blair? Maybe Blair could be an IB program like RMIB and concentrate all of the immersion programs?

I would be fine with that. I’m a former Kennedy teacher and a past/probably furture Blair parent. Kennedy has a Navy JROTC program that my STEM oriented child is also interested in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only rumor I have heard is that they will move it to the new Woodward HS..make it all magnet..so they do not have to change any boundaries. Maybe I should start a new rumour thread?

The legit rumor that I heard was that they were preparing the new Seneca Valley to accommodate a new magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Right bus routes can never be changed. Sorry Kennedy!

Seriously, bus routes can be changed and optimized.

[Anonymous]

The shared middle/ hs busses based on the 9th period is a huge roadblock..plus the bussING for cap kids who do not live in the dcc and the need for extra lab And computer classrooms as someone mentioned. Labs need sinks. Computer rooms need extra wiring.it is not a matter of regular classroom space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think that there are a lot of arguments against it. The magnet improves Blair and the perception of Blair. MCPS knows it will attract from across the county. Moving it to another school is pretty risky. Risk damaging the reputation of the DCC school that has the best reputation of the bunch. Also is risky to assume that the same students would apply if the magnet were at a weaker school.

I don't believe that it will happen. I do think there is a chance that a new magnet could be formed at one of those schools, like the engineering magnet at Wheaton.

A new engineering program like Wheaton's at Kennedy isn't going to draw in high performing students, improve the diversity or alleviate the overcrowding at Blair. Blair has a good sized cohort of UMC students and could stand on its own. It may end up more on par with Einstein, Northwood and Wheaton but would that be so bad? The DCC would still have the county wide magnet it would just be at Kennedy not Blair. The students make the program prestigious not the building or the location. The students are the ones winning awards not the building. Why not let the Kennedy community have a turn to be the best in the bunch?

But then it is not Kennedy community that is the best in the bunch, amirite? It is the magnet kids who are being bused from all over downcounty. Kennedy would be better served if they created a program that will attract students from outside the cluster as well help the Kennedy students. Why make MCPS schools feel they are doing better based on the achievements of magnet students. Leave the magnet programs alone and do something for the rest of the students to genuinely help them. Why does MCPS want to play the smoke and mirrors game of fooling people into thinking that Kennedy students are high achievers when they are not?

[Anonymous]

The legit rumor that I heard was that they were preparing the new Seneca Valley to accommodate a new magnet program.

Its too bad that Poolesville is so remote that without the magnet it would be too small of a school. It would make so much sense to move the Poolesville magnet up to Seneca Valley and the Blair magnets to Kennedy or Springbrook. The poverty is clustering in the NE and NW areas. Placing the marquee programs in those schools to draw people back up would be a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Blair Magnet eductation foundation has been for formed by magnet parents and they pour in thousands of dollars into Blair HS to benefit the school, the teachers, the magnet students and the non-magnet students. This money is not federal, county or PTA money. Perhaps, by moving the program to Kennedy, MCPS thinks that the parents will create a foundation for Kennedy also and help them. Its all a game for MCPS. They do not care for magnet students. The program has become a coveted prize to hand over to schools and let all the non-magnet parents feel that their children will absorb knowledge by being in the proximity of magnet kids. What a joke. All politics and no substance.

[Anonymous]

MCPS is not going to put its signature magnet in jeopardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think that there are a lot of arguments against it. The magnet improves Blair and the perception of Blair. MCPS knows it will attract from across the county. Moving it to another school is pretty risky. Risk damaging the reputation of the DCC school that has the best reputation of the bunch. Also is risky to assume that the same students would apply if the magnet were at a weaker school.

I don't believe that it will happen. I do think there is a chance that a new magnet could be formed at one of those schools, like the engineering magnet at Wheaton.

A new engineering program like Wheaton's at Kennedy isn't going to draw in high performing students, improve the diversity or alleviate the overcrowding at Blair. Blair has a good sized cohort of UMC students and could stand on its own. It may end up more on par with Einstein, Northwood and Wheaton but would that be so bad? The DCC would still have the county wide magnet it would just be at Kennedy not Blair. The students make the program prestigious not the building or the location. The students are the ones winning awards not the building. Why not let the Kennedy community have a turn to be the best in the bunch?

Unlikely that those students would be willing to go to Kennedy. Program will lose its current status and selectivity. Pretty much suicide for the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair already has 4 academies for non magnet students, can't remember what they are.

It would be difficult to move Blair magnet because the magnet busses bus Eastern, tP and Blair kids all together. Eastern is just down the road from Blair and to 10 minutes away. Won't work

The academies are at other DCC high schools too. I mean a specialized test-in program. I don't think it will happen also, but if it does I would push for an IB language magnet at Blair.

[Anonymous]

Unlikely that those students would be willing to go to Kennedy. Program will lose its current status and selectivity. Pretty much suicide for the program.

I don't buy this. Maybe TP in boundary Blair SMAC parents won't send their kids but the OOB and other DCC parents will. For the few who will not, there are plenty of top applicants that will gladly take a spot. As long as the entire program moves, it keeps the county wide aspect and it doesn't become a watered down magnet it will have the same draw.

The parents that would be afraid to send their kid to Kennedy would have been afraid to send the kid to Blair. Outside the DCC, people aren't drawing the same distinctions that people inside the DCC draw about the areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Unlikely that those students would be willing to go to Kennedy. Program will lose its current status and selectivity. Pretty much suicide for the program.

I don't buy this. Maybe TP in boundary Blair SMAC parents won't send their kids but the OOB and other DCC parents will. For the few who will not, there are plenty of top applicants that will gladly take a spot. As long as the entire program moves, it keeps the county wide aspect and it doesn't become a watered down magnet it will have the same draw.

The parents that would be afraid to send their kid to Kennedy would have been afraid to send the kid to Blair. Outside the DCC, people aren't drawing the same distinctions that people inside the DCC draw about the areas.

NP here: No, I think the PP is correct. When the magnet opened in 1985, Takoma Park was approximately 60% white according to the census data. I was told by older residents that the magnet was opened to prevent further white flight and that families in the western part of the county felt comfortable sending their kids to a school that still had a significant white population. Let's be honest, if you look at the demographics at Kennedy now, basically all Hispanic and Black vs Blair now, which as white students (22%), I don't think families from the western part of the county will send their kids. DCC families, maybe!? If you said the program was moving to Einstein, I would say yes, but Kennedy doesn't have enough white students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair already has 4 academies for non magnet students, can't remember what they are.

It would be difficult to move Blair magnet because the magnet busses bus Eastern, tP and Blair kids all together. Eastern is just down the road from Blair and to 10 minutes away. Won't work

The academies are at other DCC high schools too. I mean a specialized test-in program. I don't think it will happen also, but if it does I would push for an IB language magnet at Blair.

Wouldn't that be CAP? Unless Cap does move with SMAC for the bussing and longer day needs. I am wondering how the new school community will feel about accommodating that longer day for sports practice. The non-magnet kids have to do study hall for 50 minutes waiting for practice to start. Also many clubs do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair Magnet eductation foundation has been for formed by magnet parents and they pour in thousands of dollars into Blair HS to benefit the school, the teachers, the magnet students and the non-magnet students. This money is not federal, county or PTA money. Perhaps, by moving the program to Kennedy, MCPS thinks that the parents will create a foundation for Kennedy also and help them. Its all a game for MCPS. They do not care for magnet students. The program has become a coveted prize to hand over to schools and let all the non-magnet parents feel that their children will absorb knowledge by being in the proximity of magnet kids. What a joke. All politics and no substance.

Kennedy has a foundation already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair already has 4 academies for non magnet students, can't remember what they are.

It would be difficult to move Blair magnet because the magnet busses bus Eastern, tP and Blair kids all together. Eastern is just down the road from Blair and to 10 minutes away. Won't work

The academies are at other DCC high schools too. I mean a specialized test-in program. I don't think it will happen also, but if it does I would push for an IB language magnet at Blair.

Wouldn't that be CAP? Unless Cap does move with SMAC for the bussing and longer day needs. I am wondering how the new school community will feel about accommodating that longer day for sports practice. The non-magnet kids have to do study hall for 50 minutes waiting for practice to start. Also many clubs do the same.

I was assuming CAP and the SMAC would both move.