Can't decide whether to stay in Einstein/downcounty zoning or move

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone here in the New Hampsh. Estates & OakView Elementary / Eastern Middle / Blair High School zone? If so, how has your experience been? DC is not school age yet, and we wonder what we'll do when the time comes.

Have you tried a search of the archives? I seem to remember some thread about NH Estates in the last year or so, and unfortunately, I don't think they had much good to say about the school.

I'm the poster with the NHE/Oakview/Eastern/Blair zoning. I have searched the archives, but pretty much everything I've read has been posted by parents who elected not to send their kids to NH estates. And while that, in and of itself, says something, and I appreciate parents sharing why they made that decision because that is the type of input I'm looking for, at the same time, I'm not prepared to give up on my local school based exclusively upon the views of parents who haven't actually had their child enrolled in the school. I would love to hear a parent say "I sent my child, and in the end we [kept our child in / removed our child from] the school because [whatever the reason]."

[Anonymous]

Did anyone else see this piece in the Post and think of this thread?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051602986.html

One of the students featured is going to U.Penn and was wait-listed at Columbia.

Downcounty kids can and do get into top schools. The fear-mongering is just that, fear-mongering.

[Anonymous]

First, that student went to Blair, not Einstein, and for all we know she was in one of the magnets. Second, I don't think one student in a gigantic high school getting into a prestigious school tells us anything. Finally, what does this have to do with the quality of the education or whether Einstein is safe.

[Anonymous]

And I saw this thread and thought of *this* story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121002346.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, that student went to Blair, not Einstein, and for all we know she was in one of the magnets. Second, I don't think one student in a gigantic high school getting into a prestigious school tells us anything. Finally, what does this have to do with the quality of the education or whether Einstein is safe.

The Downcounty Consortium means that a student whose home school is Einstein can choose a different high school, and the list includes Blair.

Who cares whether that student is a magnet student or not? (Or are you suggesting that only magnet students at Blair get into good colleges?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And I saw this thread and thought of *this* story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121002346.html

Yes, because children of affluent, educated DCUM parents are highly likely to find themselves in this situation, by virtue of attending Blair.

[Anonymous]

No, but we're talking SSIMS and Eastern too. And points to the fact that when there are issues of this magnitude in the building, meeting the needs of kids ready and willing to learn will be deemed a lesser priority. And it points to the range of readiness one will find in one-size-fits all, everyone-is-advanced classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but we're talking SSIMS and Eastern too. And points to the fact that when there are issues of this magnitude in the building, meeting the needs of kids ready and willing to learn will be deemed a lesser priority. And it points to the range of readiness one will find in one-size-fits all, everyone-is-advanced classes.

Then I guess you'd better stay in safe, white Bethesda.

Fearmongering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And I saw this thread and thought of *this* story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121002346.html

Do you think girls in Bethesda and Potomac don't get pregnant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, that student went to Blair, not Einstein, and for all we know she was in one of the magnets. Second, I don't think one student in a gigantic high school getting into a prestigious school tells us anything. Finally, what does this have to do with the quality of the education or whether Einstein is safe.

The Downcounty Consortium means that a student whose home school is Einstein can choose a different high school, and the list includes Blair.

Who cares whether that student is a magnet student or not? (Or are you suggesting that only magnet students at Blair get into good colleges?)

It is my understanding that if Blair isn't either (1) your home school or (2) you are accepted to one of the magnet programs that it is hard to get in. Doesn't matter that it is a "choice."

Not at all suggesting that only magnet students at Blair get into good colleges. But the magnet students have already been selected into a hard to get into program. They are very good students. Of course they will get into good colleges, and I am sure other students at Blair (which is huge) go to plenty of good colleges too.

BUT how is any of this relevant to Einstein and whether it is safe and provides the same educational opportunities as BCC, WJ, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I saw this thread and thought of *this* story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121002346.html

Yes, because children of affluent, educated DCUM parents are highly likely to find themselves in this situation, by virtue of attending Blair.

This is a sad article, but has nothing to do with the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but we're talking SSIMS and Eastern too. And points to the fact that when there are issues of this magnitude in the building, meeting the needs of kids ready and willing to learn will be deemed a lesser priority. And it points to the range of readiness one will find in one-size-fits all, everyone-is-advanced classes.

Then I guess you'd better stay in safe, white Bethesda.

Fearmongering.

Hey, don't you know that pregnancy is contagious? And becoming latina, well, you really don't want that to happen.
Yes, pretty please stay in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I saw this thread and thought of *this* story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121002346.html

Do you think girls in Bethesda and Potomac don't get pregnant?

Of course not, PP. They go to "boarding school" for 9 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not the pp here, and I don't have statistical evidence, but I do have anecdotal evidence. The issue is no so much how admissions officers compare an underdog applicant to a Whitman applicant. The issue is that the underdog applicant is likely to be one of only a few of her classmates applying to any given Ivy. My friend's daughter was one of over two dozen Whitman seniors applying to my alma mater. She was being compared to all of her classmates who had access to the same opportunities as she had. The competition was very steep. And the kids all knew the competition would be steep when it came time for college applications, thus making her enitre 4 years at Whitman one long, competitive process.

Thanks. I can see your point. Hubby and I just talked about this issue couple days ago and I haven't thought of the fact that all the kids will be competing for couple of spots (assuming they all apply to the same school). Our kids will start school in couple of yrs. and we actually decided to stay where we are and not worry about Bethesda's schools.

I had a similar experience to what is described here at a top high school in another state several years ago. It was very competitive/stressful and challenging to get into good schools. The fact is that colleges will only take a certain number of students from each high school- so I do think a strong student at a less competitive high school might have an advantage.

[Anonymous]

Do you think girls in Bethesda and Potomac don't get pregnant?

Of course not, PP. They go to "boarding school" for 9 months.

No, they don't - they get abortions. Because they weren't trying to get pregnant in the first place. The trying to get pregnant part of those girls' story was the saddest part to me. If Blair is an environment where some girls, no matter where they come from, don't think they can do any better than trying to get pregnant at 14 to keep their 9th grade boyfriend around forever so they can live happily ever after - wow.