Where to Go from Longfellow?

[Anonymous]

Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

Marshall does not recruit at Longfellow or any other middle school. Since McLean students have the option of people placing at Marshall, Marshall reps have been asked to explain the IB program to Longfellow students. Unlike AP, the IB is not a program that is universally understood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

Marshall does not recruit at Longfellow or any other middle school. Since McLean students have the option of people placing at Marshall, Marshall reps have been asked to explain the IB program to Longfellow students. Unlike AP, the IB is not a program that is universally understood.

But many Marshall students have the option to go to McLean for AP and from what I understand from a friend whose child is at Kilmer no one from McLean comes to Kilmer to speak with them. I don't agree that parents necessarily know more about AP than IB. You don't like the word "recruit," but it still seems like Marshall tries to attract students who live in the McLean boundaries, yet McLean does not make a reciprocal effort. We have been very happy at Longfellow, but I want to make sure this is not a sign that McLean has lazy administrators. Of course, I can speak to neighbors with kids at McLean, but am seeking other input here (I think some people get offended easily if you don't opt for the assigned public schools).

[Anonymous]

McLean has the standard FCPS high school curriculum (AP), which is probably why there is no need to "recruit." Marshall has both IB and the Academy, so they have offerings that might not be familiar to Longfellow parents whose kids feed into McLean or Langley. McLean is not open to transfers from other FCPS schools as far as I know, due to its current enrollment levels. Maybe that is why they are not actively seeking out pupil placements for AP (which it seems wouldn't be necessary prior to 11th grade, or 10th at the earliest).

All FCPS high schools have a "curriculum night" for rising freshman. The Longfellow newsletters that I received when my kids were there advertised the curriculum night for Langley, Marshall and McLean, since some kids from Longfellow feed into all three of these schools.

OP - you do sound like you are looking for a reason to justify your feeling that your DC who was rejected from TJ is somehow "too good" for McLean. If you are more impressed with Marshall because of the school's recruitment efforts, by all means send your DC there. They have a new building, too! I didn't notice any difference in the quality of the administration when my kids made the switch from Longfellow to McLean.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are plenty of students at McLean that did not go to TJ and are very happy. Of course there are always some unhappy ones in any HS, but by and large McLean HS is an excellent HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the standard FCPS high school curriculum (AP), which is probably why there is no need to "recruit." Marshall has both IB and the Academy, so they have offerings that might not be familiar to Longfellow parents whose kids feed into McLean or Langley. McLean is not open to transfers from other FCPS schools as far as I know, due to its current enrollment levels. Maybe that is why they are not actively seeking out pupil placements for AP (which it seems wouldn't be necessary prior to 11th grade, or 10th at the earliest).

All FCPS high schools have a "curriculum night" for rising freshman. The Longfellow newsletters that I received when my kids were there advertised the curriculum night for Langley, Marshall and McLean, since some kids from Longfellow feed into all three of these schools.

OP - you do sound like you are looking for a reason to justify your feeling that your DC who was rejected from TJ is somehow "too good" for McLean. If you are more impressed with Marshall because of the school's recruitment efforts, by all means send your DC there. They have a new building, too! I didn't notice any difference in the quality of the administration when my kids made the switch from Longfellow to McLean.

OK, but DC was not rejected from TJ yet (7th grade currently) and no one automatically goes from Longfellow to Marshall unless they transfer from McLean or Langley for IB.

Sorry if I implied that I am down on McLean. I actually am happy to hear you and others are pleased with the school. I was just curious why Marshall tries harder to appeal to rising freshmen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

Marshall does not recruit at Longfellow or any other middle school. Since McLean students have the option of people placing at Marshall, Marshall reps have been asked to explain the IB program to Longfellow students. Unlike AP, the IB is not a program that is universally understood.

But many Marshall students have the option to go to McLean for AP and from what I understand from a friend whose child is at Kilmer no one from McLean comes to Kilmer to speak with them. I don't agree that parents necessarily know more about AP than IB. You don't like the word "recruit," but it still seems like Marshall tries to attract students who live in the McLean boundaries, yet McLean does not make a reciprocal effort. We have been very happy at Longfellow, but I want to make sure this is not a sign that McLean has lazy administrators. Of course, I can speak to neighbors with kids at McLean, but am seeking other input here (I think some people get offended easily if you don't opt for the assigned public schools).

You're overthinking this and assuming motive where there is none.
IB is a program. AP isn't. That's why Marshall explains the IB program. It's a lot more to understand and commit to than taking AP classes.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?
[/quote]

Marshall does not recruit at Longfellow or any other middle school. Since McLean students have the option of people placing at Marshall, Marshall reps have been asked to explain the IB program to Longfellow students. Unlike AP, the IB is not a program that is universally understood.

[/quote]

But many Marshall students have the option to go to McLean for AP and from what I understand from a friend whose child is at Kilmer no one from McLean comes to Kilmer to speak with them. I don't agree that parents necessarily know more about AP than IB. You don't like the word "recruit," but it still seems like Marshall tries to attract students who live in the McLean boundaries, yet McLean does not make a reciprocal effort. We have been very happy at Longfellow, but I want to make sure this is not a sign that McLean has lazy administrators. Of course, I can speak to neighbors with kids at McLean, but am seeking other input here (I think some people get offended easily if you don't opt for the assigned public schools).



[/quote]
You're overthinking this and assuming motive where there is none.
IB is a program. AP isn't. That's why Marshall explains the IB program. It's a lot more to understand and commit to than taking AP classes. [/quote]

No, I am not assuming "motive." I am asking why the McLean administrators aren't motivated enough to make an effort to reach out to students eligible to pupil place there when Marshall makes trips to Longfellow to pitch their school. Again, no one at Longfellow has Marshall as their base school, so the Marshall representatives are making the extra effort.

You make IB sound so complicated that it needs an extra explanation, but my understanding is that you don't need to commit to the full program to transfer to Marshall. All you'd have to do is take two pre-IB courses in 9th and 10th grade and two IB courses in 11th and 12th grade.

My guess is that DC will want to stick with McLean if she doesn't get into TJ next year, but I do admire that Marshall seems to try harder to interest students in their school. Maybe that is also how Marshall got to offer Chinese classes, while McLean just has the same foreign languages as your typical high school in 1985!

[Anonymous]

As a teacher at an IB school, the program is hugely more in depth than AP, and it makes sense to explain it to kids. AP is just a higher level class, but IB is a philosophy/culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher at an IB school, the program is hugely more in depth than AP, and it makes sense to explain it to kids. AP is just a higher level class, but IB is a philosophy/culture.

Ugh, I worded that poorly. I don't believe the courses are more in depth necessarily, just that the IB program is more complex than signing up for AP courses. (And I say this as someone who prefers AP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

I think you are off base on your assumptions about intent. Marshall comes to Longfellow becasue some of Longfellow's student matriculate to Marshall based on their residency. Same for Langely and same for McLean. I am not aware of zoned Kilmer students who are zoned for McLean. I would assume that Kilmer gets Langley, Marshall and Madison as those are the zoned high schools for the Kilmer student base. Why would McLean go when there are already two AP high schools attending and they have no zoned students? One school is not "trying harder" that another.

McLean is a much smaller school than Longfellow (by graduating class size) becasue so many students from Longfellow are from other HS pyramids and so many zoned students attend TJ. It is a welcome relief and a great school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

I think you are off base on your assumptions about intent. Marshall comes to Longfellow becasue some of Longfellow's student matriculate to Marshall based on their residency. Same for Langely and same for McLean. I am not aware of zoned Kilmer students who are zoned for McLean. I would assume that Kilmer gets Langley, Marshall and Madison as those are the zoned high schools for the Kilmer student base. Why would McLean go when there are already two AP high schools attending and they have no zoned students? One school is not "trying harder" that another.

McLean is a much smaller school than Longfellow (by graduating class size) becasue so many students from Longfellow are from other HS pyramids and so many zoned students attend TJ. It is a welcome relief and a great school.

No Longfellow students matriculate to Marshall unless they pupil place there for IB. They'd otherwise go to McLean, Langley or TJ. But Marshall comes to Longfellow anyway.

[Anonymous]

This is from a year ago by the McLean HS at the LMS Presentation about AP vs IB that McLean HS is at full capacity. McLean HS canoot accept any students district for Marshall who wish for AP matriculation. These students will have to apply to Langley or other HS that offers AP.

And for high schools like McLean and Langley, they don't need to "recruit" any students! Both schools have more students then they can handle and frankly, families are paying top dollars to live within these two district specifically for the school choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Longfellow students who don't go to TJ happy at McLean? We noticed that Marshall "recruits" for IB at Longfellow, but apparently McLean does not bother to "recruit" for AP at Kilmer. It makes me wonder why Marshall tries harder to interest students in their school. Are the McLean administrators lazy or do they just think the school already has enough students?

I think you are off base on your assumptions about intent. Marshall comes to Longfellow becasue some of Longfellow's student matriculate to Marshall based on their residency. Same for Langely and same for McLean. I am not aware of zoned Kilmer students who are zoned for McLean. I would assume that Kilmer gets Langley, Marshall and Madison as those are the zoned high schools for the Kilmer student base. Why would McLean go when there are already two AP high schools attending and they have no zoned students? One school is not "trying harder" that another.

McLean is a much smaller school than Longfellow (by graduating class size) becasue so many students from Longfellow are from other HS pyramids and so many zoned students attend TJ. It is a welcome relief and a great school.

No Longfellow students matriculate to Marshall unless they pupil place there for IB. They'd otherwise go to McLean, Langley or TJ. But Marshall comes to Longfellow anyway.

Then this is very recent change as there were matriculating Marshall students at Longfellow when my DC (now a junior) attended Longfellow. So, perhaps itis out of habit. One of them, we knew lived on the other side of Route 7 beyond Wolftrap near Blueberry Hill. The others were AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is from a year ago by the McLean HS at the LMS Presentation about AP vs IB that McLean HS is at full capacity. McLean HS canoot accept any students district for Marshall who wish for AP matriculation. These students will have to apply to Langley or other HS that offers AP.

And for high schools like McLean and Langley, they don't need to "recruit" any students! Both schools have more students then they can handle and frankly, families are paying top dollars to live within these two district specifically for the school choices.

There you have it OP. McLean does not go to Kilmer because it is closed to transfers from Marshall- they would have to go to Langely or Madison or Falls Church.