Which MoCo cluster for gifted DD and DS?

[Anonymous]

Hello --

We are moving to MoCo after this school year and had originally applied to a private, independent school for both our DD and DS. The school only accepted DD and DH and I are reluctant to send them to separate schools. We are now looking into which MCPS cluster we should consider. Both have tested at the gifted level and we want to take advantage of state and/or county gifted programs so are opting to do public schooling instead of applying to another private. Neither DH nor I know anyone in MoCo to ask for advice regarding schools. We are flexible when it comes to where we would be looking for a house. Right now, we think it best to find the right school system first and then find housing afterward. DD will be entering 3rd grade and DS will be in 1st. Thank you for all your suggestions/advice!

[Anonymous]

Gifted programs exist in mcps starting in 4th grade but they are "centers" in elementary school which means that only a few schools have them in a region. You would apply in 3rd grade and if your child is accepted then they would be bused to the school if it's not your home school. There is no guaranteed entry and so you really should pick an area/neighborhood that you like with a good home school. There are additional magnet programs in middle and high school, and they are also programs you would have to apply for.

[Anonymous]

Why not start DD in the private and choose a nice MoCo school for DS and maybe eventually he can switch over to DDs school. The above info is correct. Your kids could get bussed to the gifted centers if they get in.

[Anonymous]

If you love the private school, you may consider sending DD now and re-apply DS when he hits 3rd grade, if 3rd grade is an admissions expansion year at the school. Not many privates around here add students in 1st grade unless there's attrition (and that would be only a few spots), but once you are in with your DD, they would probably give DS's application a bit of priority in an expansion year. 3rd or 4th is an expansion year at many schools. You may want to check with the AD at the school before the I g down DD's spot (if you really like the school). Sorry to veer off topic. I don't have great advice for you regarding which cluster to pick.

[Anonymous]

There are no programs for the gifted UNLESS you can happen into getting into a HGC in 4th grade.

If you tell anyone in MoCo schools that your first grader is gifted, they will just roll their eyes at you.

[Anonymous]

First, there is only one school system in Montgomery County -- Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

Second, there are lots and lots and lots of kids in MCPS who test as gifted.

Third, it's a big and diverse county, with a lot of expensive housing.

Therefore, I think it makes sense to first find a house you like and can afford, in a neighborhood you like, with transportation arrangements that work for you, and then ask for information about the schools there from real live people (not DCUM) who send their children to those schools.

[Anonymous]

Nearly 40% of second-graders test as gifted in MCPS and only the top 3-4% get into the HGCs in 4th grade.

FCPS has a broader gifted program called AAP that accepts something like 20% of the students.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, we have a lot of friends who live all over the county and have heard that some of the poorer schools tend to do more differentiation for advanced learners in elementary, possibly because the gap can be large between some kids whose parents didn't prep them for school and some of the more middle-class/upper-middle-class kids whose parents sent them to really good preschools, supplemented etc.

in the wealthier schools practically every kid went to a good preschool so while there is definitely still a very apparent gap between the most advanced kids and those kids who are more at grade level but it is sometimes not as large. some of those teachers tend to focus their classes much more on behavior i.e. no differentiation whatsoever except for reading groups and never want to talk about who is more advanced much less possibly gifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello --

We are moving to MoCo after this school year and had originally applied to a private, independent school for both our DD and DS. The school only accepted DD and DH and I are reluctant to send them to separate schools. We are now looking into which MCPS cluster we should consider. Both have tested at the gifted level and we want to take advantage of state and/or county gifted programs so are opting to do public schooling instead of applying to another private. Neither DH nor I know anyone in MoCo to ask for advice regarding schools. We are flexible when it comes to where we would be looking for a house. Right now, we think it best to find the right school system first and then find housing afterward. DD will be entering 3rd grade and DS will be in 1st. Thank you for all your suggestions/advice!

Many children test at the GT level. That doesn't mean, however, they can test into HGCs.

[Anonymous]

OP
As many people have stated lots of kids are tagged as "gifted" in MCPS- something like 40% on average and more in the better school districts. You know your own children and it is entirely possible that your children have tested as falling within the top 3-5% of children which is perhaps what you meant.
If your child gets into a Highly Gifted Center in 4th and 5th grade (they typically accommodate around 4% of the student body) or a middle school magnet (there are enough spots for roughly 3% of the MCPS school body) they will get an education that is enriched and accelerated which is what most gifted children need.
If they don't for some reason get into these programs they will be in a regular MCPS school.
If they are in a high performing school district, there is very little differentiation - some schools do "william and Mary", there is compacted 4/5/6 Math and so on. There are tons of children who read well above grade level so there would be peers for your children. However, these schools can usually coast on having students who would do well no matter what they do in the classroom because they've gone to good preschools and have a lot of parental support and involvement. It is not always clear to me whether the school itself is responsible for the student's success- the admin in some "W" schools can be apathetic in our experience.
If you end up in a school district which does not have great stats, there is likely to be more differentiation but it is not guaranteed. It really depends on the school and having a good principal. Oakland Terrace and Flora Singer are schools which do a fine job meeting the needs of all their students.
If your choice is between a "W" school and a school in the Eastern part of the county do your homework- ask about specific schools. Having a good principal really matters.

[Anonymous]

op, you've been given some good advice here about how the system works in MCPS. I have one child in private and one in MCPS. If you were set on a private, I worry that you would not be happy with MCPS -- and their are no guarantees anyway. I'd probably opt for Blair/Eastern or Poolesville -- two radically different areas but with great magnet programs that you are more likely to get in if you live close by. But in the meantime, your youngest would be bored for years as the HGCs don't start till 4th grade. I'd suggest you either suck it up for a year with public for your youngest child & then reapply, OR apply them both to K-8 schools, which seem to have more openings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op, you've been given some good advice here about how the system works in MCPS. I have one child in private and one in MCPS. If you were set on a private, I worry that you would not be happy with MCPS -- and their are no guarantees anyway. I'd probably opt for Blair/Eastern or Poolesville -- two radically different areas but with great magnet programs that you are more likely to get in if you live close by. But in the meantime, your youngest would be bored for years as the HGCs don't start till 4th grade. I'd suggest you either suck it up for a year with public for your youngest child & then reapply, OR apply them both to K-8 schools, which seem to have more openings.

How can you assume that her child would be "bored for years" without knowing the child's background? Who knows how gifted and talented is tested in other areas. Unless you're familiar with systems outside of MCPS (and I doubt you are), you shouldn't make assumptions.

Nor should you assume that OP's children will get into the MS and HS magnets. They are VERY selective, and only the top tier gets in.

Furthermore, I highly doubt OP's kids are any smarter than half the kids in MCPS.

Everyone's kid is gifted. . .

[Anonymous]

Where are you commuting to? There are many good schools and neighbor hoods in the county. As PP have described there are HGC that serve the very top of the spectrum...not just gifted but kids that are gifted enough that they have different needs. Your third grade could apply next January. I disagree with PP who seems to have determined that your first grader will be bored for years. While it is possible, it is also possible that he will be just fine with an appropriate reading and math levels.

You really need to break the county down a bit for advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op, you've been given some good advice here about how the system works in MCPS. I have one child in private and one in MCPS. If you were set on a private, I worry that you would not be happy with MCPS -- and their are no guarantees anyway. I'd probably opt for Blair/Eastern or Poolesville -- two radically different areas but with great magnet programs that you are more likely to get in if you live close by. But in the meantime, your youngest would be bored for years as the HGCs don't start till 4th grade. I'd suggest you either suck it up for a year with public for your youngest child & then reapply, OR apply them both to K-8 schools, which seem to have more openings.

I don't think it makes sense for somebody whose children will be in first grade and third grade next year to move to Poolesville in order to be conveniently located for the high school magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Why not look near you chosen private so you can reapply if you like?