Math Counts and Science Club in Middle School

[Anonymous]

Why doesn't MCPS offer Math Counts and Science Club at ALL middle schools and have it open to ALL students that want to learn. As for competitions have A team and B/C teams so it's not just the ones that learned privately in elementary school ( and/or parents) that are able to be in the extra curricular activity. Possibly have high school students getting SSL hours assist. Call me crazy but these should be encouraged, not limited.

[Anonymous]

What does your middle school offer?

[Anonymous]

I believe this is implicitly answered by a thread from a few weeks back . . . the majority of Math Counts clubs are run by parent volunteers. So where it is offered is probably dictated by where parents have chosen to pitch in. Have you offered to start a Math Counts club at your child's school and been told the school would not be supportive?

[Anonymous]

My DD school has both but the kids take a test the beginning of 6th grade and only the highest scores are able to attend. This middle school has the STEM magnet so there is more demand then spots. I agree, it's crazy that this is not open to all students. I don't understand why they test 800 kids to attend the Stem program but only allow about 30 of the 125 that attend the magnet program to take these extra curricular activities that match both their interest and strength.

[Anonymous]

Well, one Takoma teacher cannot handle 125 students and effectively prepare them for competition.
If you will volunteer, and couple more parents who are good in Math, then I am sure they would not limit enrollment.

[Anonymous]

I did MathCounts back in the '80s, and only 5 students from my GT class were invited to participate. We could only field a team of 4, so it was just the 4 of us plus one alternate. As I recall, it was the math teacher's best judgment as to which of us would do best in the competition, although he may have given us some quiz questions to see who could think most creatively.
I think I still have my competition Tshirt somewhere and I'll admit it would give me some thrill to have my daughter participate (and, given that there were almost NO girls competing back then, maybe we'd be the first mother-daughter MathCounts mathletes!)
How does it work now?

[Anonymous]

Mathcounts is a great program - it's horrible that they limit the program at TPMS. MCPS sends so much on ESOL and special Ed, it's horrible that they do not offer this to all students interested in math.

[Anonymous]

Spends not sends