Takoma Park Elementary Magnet

[Anonymous]

If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

[Anonymous]

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that the magnet program is significantly less robust than it was even 5 years ago, and that most of the opportunities given to the magnet kids are now give to all kids in the school.

From observation, it appears that living in-zone for TPES gives one a huge advantage in getting into the program. The TPES kids in the magnet program are smart and driven, but they aren't all "gifted" in the classical sense of the word. They are well-coached and high achieving kids, like you will find anywhere with high parental education and involvement.

On the other hand, the 10-15 kids taken from other parts of the county appear to be more "gifted" in the sense that they require different types of engagement.

At any rate, I wouldn't sweat it either way. The real question is whether you want to do compacted math starting in 3rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

not sure of the numbers - But I believe there are only about 100 slots and about 700 (or more) applicants.

slim pickins'

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the comments thus far.

The big question I have is do ALL kids do the same program? Or is the school running a regular and test-in magnet program under one roof?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

not sure of the numbers - But I believe there are only about 100 slots and about 700 (or more) applicants.

slim pickins'

You know what's interesting is that I actually didn't realize the TPES magnet program was application-based. I had heard (assumed?) that kids would all be tested and the kids who qualified would be informed. I suppose I'll never know whether my kid would have made it in, but those statistics make me feel a little better about not having known it was an option. I have also heard a very small number of kids from other schools are accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

not sure of the numbers - But I believe there are only about 100 slots and about 700 (or more) applicants.

slim pickins'

You know what's interesting is that I actually didn't realize the TPES magnet program was application-based. I had heard (assumed?) that kids would all be tested and the kids who qualified would be informed. I suppose I'll never know whether my kid would have made it in, but those statistics make me feel a little better about not having known it was an option. I have also heard a very small number of kids from other schools are accepted.

Ok. So I take it you live in boundary, send your kid, and are satisfied and unaware of any "tracks?" Is that right? That's what we want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

not sure of the numbers - But I believe there are only about 100 slots and about 700 (or more) applicants.

slim pickins'

You know what's interesting is that I actually didn't realize the TPES magnet program was application-based. I had heard (assumed?) that kids would all be tested and the kids who qualified would be informed. I suppose I'll never know whether my kid would have made it in, but those statistics make me feel a little better about not having known it was an option. I have also heard a very small number of kids from other schools are accepted.

Ok. So I take it you live in boundary, send your kid, and are satisfied and unaware of any "tracks?" Is that right? That's what we want.

No. I am at a school in the DCC, not terribly far from TPES. But my kid falls into the "high achieving and hard working but not off the charts gifted" category, so maybe the parents whose kids were super gifted were told to apply. I guess I just feel guilty that I didn't realize the process wasn't somehow automatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you live in boundary for TPES, does your kid automatically get to attend and is their program any different than those who were accepted through application (i.e. are there separate classes)? Also, what happens after 2nd grade - is there a difference between kids who live in-boundary for PBES and those who tested in to the magnet program?

We are likely to move in-boundary mid-year, and though I'm pretty sure my kid would test in, I doubt we could actually go through the process since we missed it.

not sure of the numbers - But I believe there are only about 100 slots and about 700 (or more) applicants.

slim pickins'

You know what's interesting is that I actually didn't realize the TPES magnet program was application-based. I had heard (assumed?) that kids would all be tested and the kids who qualified would be informed. I suppose I'll never know whether my kid would have made it in, but those statistics make me feel a little better about not having known it was an option. I have also heard a very small number of kids from other schools are accepted.

Ahh I see. It's odd to me that the website(s) aren't more descriptive, but I suppose the school can tell me when it reopens tomorrow.

Ok. So I take it you live in boundary, send your kid, and are satisfied and unaware of any "tracks?" Is that right? That's what we want.

No. I am at a school in the DCC, not terribly far from TPES. But my kid falls into the "high achieving and hard working but not off the charts gifted" category, so maybe the parents whose kids were super gifted were told to apply. I guess I just feel guilty that I didn't realize the process wasn't somehow automatic.

[Anonymous]

There used to be an informational power point (or the like) on the TPES website. The highlights:

There isn't a special "magnet" track or class. All inbounds kindergartners are tested and some labeled magnet. Doesn't mean much for inbounds because "anyone who needs enrichment, regardless of whether they are labeled 'magnet' will get enrichment." That's core school philosophy.

But the label matters if you're out of bounds because that's how you get entered into a random drawing for one of the 16 OOB slots (per year). Then you're in, and you get enrichment where you need it.

So you could be inbounds and not magnet, but test into enriched math. Or OOB and magnet, but test into lower level math.

We applied for a coveted spot (and got in) because DC didn't have peer group at home school. DC is still in small, top groups at TPES, but at least not working solo on everything.

After TPES, the OOB kids have the option of returning to home school or continuing on to PBES.

[Anonymous]

We are several years out of TPES, but when we went through the program, there was no way to tell who was magnet and who was not. The specialized "extra" wasn't much. For earlier poster who mentioned the numbers, those are the numbers for the middle school, not the elementary program. My child is now in grade 6, but 5 years ago, about 25 out of boundary kids were accepted. Not sure about the others, but mine was definitely a child who could not get his needs met in his home school. Agree that the same isn't necessarily true for the in-bounds Takoma kids who get into magnet (based on knowledge of kids/families from our many years in the local schools).

In future years, the GT coordinator told me that she was regularly counseling families who were in a similar situation to ours to apply. After 2nd, kids flow into PBES or go to home school. Then, at grade 4, the highly accelerated kids often leave and go over to the HGC programs. Of all the kids who got into the HGC in my son's year, I know of only one local child who stayed at Piney Branch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are several years out of TPES, but when we went through the program, there was no way to tell who was magnet and who was not. The specialized "extra" wasn't much. For earlier poster who mentioned the numbers, those are the numbers for the middle school, not the elementary program. My child is now in grade 6, but 5 years ago, about 25 out of boundary kids were accepted. Not sure about the others, but mine was definitely a child who could not get his needs met in his home school. Agree that the same isn't necessarily true for the in-bounds Takoma kids who get into magnet (based on knowledge of kids/families from our many years in the local schools).

In future years, the GT coordinator told me that she was regularly counseling families who were in a similar situation to ours to apply. After 2nd, kids flow into PBES or go to home school. Then, at grade 4, the highly accelerated kids often leave and go over to the HGC programs. Of all the kids who got into the HGC in my son's year, I know of only one local child who stayed at Piney Branch.

This isn't the first time I've heard this, and that makes sense. But I do wonder how the county/TPES justify a county-wide magnet program that pulls so heavily from the home school. I'm sure folks zoned for Sligo or Rock Creek Forest would like the same consideration when it comes to the language immersion programs.

[Anonymous]

It sure is an odd program that labels itself a "magnet" yet only makes room for 10-15 out of boundary kids.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I've made contact with the school today and they were very helpful. It seems quite nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sure is an odd program that labels itself a "magnet" yet only makes room for 10-15 out of boundary kids.

My guess is that I was more of a real "magnet" program when it had more funding. Now they do what they can to offer the opportunity to a small group of OOB kids to attend a school that may be better than your homeschool. It's a nice place and the average kid is performing higher than at our homeschool, so there's more of an opportunity for peers. But that's probably true at any ES where inbounds tends to be well-educated families. We don't have that at our home school. If you did have that, I don't think it would make sense to have a long commute to TPES.