Whole School Magnets?

[Anonymous]

This is silly. The only legitimate type of magnets are test in. All the current magnets are test in. They all set aside some number of seats for local students. They mix magnet and non-magnet kids for PE and other non-magnet type classes.

Don't forget that MCPS loves meaningless labels. Remember how 2.0 was described as "deeper" , a "much deeper" curriculum. No one in MCPS could ever define or explain what deeper meant in this context, it was just a label slapped onto a crappy product.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is silly. The only legitimate type of magnets are test in. All the current magnets are test in. They all set aside some number of seats for local students. They mix magnet and non-magnet kids for PE and other non-magnet type classes.

Don't forget that MCPS loves meaningless labels. Remember how 2.0 was described as "deeper" , a "much deeper" curriculum. No one in MCPS could ever define or explain what deeper meant in this context, it was just a label slapped onto a crappy product.

That's factually incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is silly. The only legitimate type of magnets are test in. All the current magnets are test in. They all set aside some number of seats for local students. They mix magnet and non-magnet kids for PE and other non-magnet type classes.

Don't forget that MCPS loves meaningless labels. Remember how 2.0 was described as "deeper" , a "much deeper" curriculum. No one in MCPS could ever define or explain what deeper meant in this context, it was just a label slapped onto a crappy product.

This is true only if you ignore the MCPS magnet programs that aren't test-in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP - Magnet mom with a high school freshman at Poolesville. Thank You. My DC is not in SMCs but this info his helpful. However- I would make one correction- the acceptance rate from John Poole is 25 percent not 40 percent per the website so fewer students must be local.

Well, they can claim whatever on the website.
Here is how it works.
In any given year there are max 60 spots for Humanities (2 blocks), max 60 spots for SMCS (2 blocks), max 90 spots for Ecology (3 blocks).
Only 50 spots for out of bound kids in each program. These 50 spots are always filled, the rest are filled unevenly from year to year.
It is true that sometimes less than 10 local kids are in Humanities and SMCS. It can be 6 and 7 or 4 and 5 etc. They put there only kids who can handle work.
Ecology program is always filled. I am not sure is it filled to the limit or not. But I know for a fact that 1/3 of Ecology program are LOCAL kids.
If you do not believe me call school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In addition to in-consortium students, there are ~80 students per grade level (~25%) that are from out-of-consortium. They get a place at the school by lottery (not an academic requirement). All students in the school are considered magnet students, and they all have access to all of the courses and programs offered at the school. Students are placed in academic courses according to their readiness - some students are in all of the highest academic classes (English, Math, Science, World Studies, Language), some students have a mix of the highest classes and regular classes, and some are in just regular classes.

Argyle, Parkland and Loederman are terrible examples. These are poorly performing schools that are not desirable to anyone. Their latest PARCC scores show that 70-80% of the kids fail ELA. This is no way competes with the quality of TPMS, Eastern or Blair and no one in their right mind who values academic excellence would choose this model.

A lottery is not a magnet. Saying that a school is a whole magnet when anyone in the school can get in if their grades are high enough and then lowering the standards because not enough kids meet a high standard to get in is not a magnet.

What is VERY concerning is that this is exactly the type of dishonest BS that MCPS pulls. Shut down the real magnets and then slap the name magnet on a bunch of schools without any gifted magnet education going on. The real idea here is to save money on busses and create better optics.

80 students per grade level across three grade levels and three schools and that's 720 families willing to provide their own transportation to the schools (no busing for out-of-area). You look at the school as a whole, and see a poorly performing school, but you are missing the fact that there are some very advanced students in these schools doing top academic work. I know that a fair amount of students come from Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown and even Clarksburg to go to Parkland and Argyle (have had kids/friends kids at both). They may not fit your elitist model of what a magnet should be, but part of what got the program high ratings from Metis was that the presence of additional high performing students allowed creation of more advanced courses, which benefits the home-school population and its advanced students. A school has a very different feel when only 30-40 students out of 300 in a grade are in "advanced" classes compared to 100-120 out of 300.

But go on dismissing this program. The families who have found this hidden gem are more than happy to not compete against you for a spot.

Can someone provide some examples of advanced math/science courses at these schools? (I'm just curious, I know nothing of these schools since I never read anything about them).

First - because they are an 8 period block schedule, students get an extra class over other middle schools. All students have English, Math, World Studies, Science, and PE (like all middle schools) and then 3 elective choices instead of two, which was typically a language, band/orchestra, and the focus electives. Each school has a focus area for one of the elective tracks - Parkland is Aerospace and Robotics and all students take two science classes each year, including one for high school credit in 8th grade. Argyle is Computer Science and Loiederman is Performing Arts - I don't know their exact courses, but I'm sure it's on their websites.

In addition to the doubled science classes, Parkland offered special electives including Astronomy, Research in Astronomy, Flight, Robotics 1, Robotics 2, and Introduction to Engineering Design (HS tech credit and 1st Project Lead the Way course). Due to high language demand, Parkland offers Spanish and French levels 1, 2, and 3, and Chinese 1A, 1B, and 2 all at the school (might have changed in the past few years). And while my kid was there, they had enough students to offer Algebra 2 at the middle school, instead of busing them to high school. Many kids entered high school with 8 credits - Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, French/Spanish 1, 2, 3, Honors Physics, and IED. And this was while we still had final exams and middle school students had to pass the exams to earn HS credit. This program was absolutely beyond the general middle school program, and arguably more rigorous than the middle school math/science program (and I've had a kid in that too.)

Interesting rundown and good info, though I'm guessing your kid is in 10th grade or above currently (pre 2.0 inaugural class). Not even TPMS has a full class of Alg 2 post 2.0, so other parents may want to take that w/ a grain of salt.

We had a friend at Argyle who liked the CS classes but thought some others were weak. I am in performing arts and am all about equal opportunity but find it hard to see how kids can really progress w/ no audition requirements. I say being someone who teaches all levels and gets that advanced kids can still advance w/ kids who are still finding their way, but no audition at all for a PA focus school is a bit of a red flag for me. I didn't experience these schools, and they all sound like they have some great curricula, but I'm not sure I would call them magnet -- maybe for the 20% non consortium, but what is drawing the other 80%? Are they at least motivated to be there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In addition to in-consortium students, there are ~80 students per grade level (~25%) that are from out-of-consortium. They get a place at the school by lottery (not an academic requirement). All students in the school are considered magnet students, and they all have access to all of the courses and programs offered at the school. Students are placed in academic courses according to their readiness - some students are in all of the highest academic classes (English, Math, Science, World Studies, Language), some students have a mix of the highest classes and regular classes, and some are in just regular classes.

Argyle, Parkland and Loederman are terrible examples. These are poorly performing schools that are not desirable to anyone. Their latest PARCC scores show that 70-80% of the kids fail ELA. This is no way competes with the quality of TPMS, Eastern or Blair and no one in their right mind who values academic excellence would choose this model.

A lottery is not a magnet. Saying that a school is a whole magnet when anyone in the school can get in if their grades are high enough and then lowering the standards because not enough kids meet a high standard to get in is not a magnet.

What is VERY concerning is that this is exactly the type of dishonest BS that MCPS pulls. Shut down the real magnets and then slap the name magnet on a bunch of schools without any gifted magnet education going on. The real idea here is to save money on busses and create better optics.

80 students per grade level across three grade levels and three schools and that's 720 families willing to provide their own transportation to the schools (no busing for out-of-area). You look at the school as a whole, and see a poorly performing school, but you are missing the fact that there are some very advanced students in these schools doing top academic work. I know that a fair amount of students come from Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown and even Clarksburg to go to Parkland and Argyle (have had kids/friends kids at both). They may not fit your elitist model of what a magnet should be, but part of what got the program high ratings from Metis was that the presence of additional high performing students allowed creation of more advanced courses, which benefits the home-school population and its advanced students. A school has a very different feel when only 30-40 students out of 300 in a grade are in "advanced" classes compared to 100-120 out of 300.

But go on dismissing this program. The families who have found this hidden gem are more than happy to not compete against you for a spot.

Can someone provide some examples of advanced math/science courses at these schools? (I'm just curious, I know nothing of these schools since I never read anything about them).

First - because they are an 8 period block schedule, students get an extra class over other middle schools. All students have English, Math, World Studies, Science, and PE (like all middle schools) and then 3 elective choices instead of two, which was typically a language, band/orchestra, and the focus electives. Each school has a focus area for one of the elective tracks - Parkland is Aerospace and Robotics and all students take two science classes each year, including one for high school credit in 8th grade. Argyle is Computer Science and Loiederman is Performing Arts - I don't know their exact courses, but I'm sure it's on their websites.

In addition to the doubled science classes, Parkland offered special electives including Astronomy, Research in Astronomy, Flight, Robotics 1, Robotics 2, and Introduction to Engineering Design (HS tech credit and 1st Project Lead the Way course). Due to high language demand, Parkland offers Spanish and French levels 1, 2, and 3, and Chinese 1A, 1B, and 2 all at the school (might have changed in the past few years). And while my kid was there, they had enough students to offer Algebra 2 at the middle school, instead of busing them to high school. Many kids entered high school with 8 credits - Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, French/Spanish 1, 2, 3, Honors Physics, and IED. And this was while we still had final exams and middle school students had to pass the exams to earn HS credit. This program was absolutely beyond the general middle school program, and arguably more rigorous than the middle school math/science program (and I've had a kid in that too.)

Interesting rundown and good info, though I'm guessing your kid is in 10th grade or above currently (pre 2.0 inaugural class). Not even TPMS has a full class of Alg 2 post 2.0, so other parents may want to take that w/ a grain of salt.

We had a friend at Argyle who liked the CS classes but thought some others were weak. I am in performing arts and am all about equal opportunity but find it hard to see how kids can really progress w/ no audition requirements. I say being someone who teaches all levels and gets that advanced kids can still advance w/ kids who are still finding their way, but no audition at all for a PA focus school is a bit of a red flag for me. I didn't experience these schools, and they all sound like they have some great curricula, but I'm not sure I would call them magnet -- maybe for the 20% non consortium, but what is drawing the other 80%? Are they at least motivated to be there?

Loiderman is awful. I went to my daughters dance recital there (I never wanted something to end so quickly) Loiderman is a "PA" school but guess there's no audition you're mixing in kids who have talent in their craft with students who don't , it's a hot mess. However, when she continue her career pathway at Einstein, she became a much stronger dancer. 2+ for making Einstein an art magnet.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure why there are such stupid posters on here. Reading is really not that hard. Poolesville is the only whole magnet school in the county. Here’s the link via MCPS: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/magnetbrochure10-11.pdf


Here’s another link for Q& A about students who may not be full magnet study: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/MagnetFAQs91313.pdf?n=2764

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure why there are such stupid posters on here. Reading is really not that hard. Poolesville is the only whole magnet school in the county. Here’s the link via MCPS: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/magnetbrochure10-11.pdf


Here’s another link for Q& A about students who may not be full magnet study: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/MagnetFAQs91313.pdf?n=2764

Again call it what you want but not all the kids are magnet. I’ll concede the school is so small that most of the kids are imported consortium kids but there is a plane Jane local school hidden in there

[Anonymous]

This is a terrible idea that would basically divert resources from education to bussing. It would have little to no net benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure why there are such stupid posters on here. Reading is really not that hard. Poolesville is the only whole magnet school in the county. Here’s the link via MCPS: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/magnetbrochure10-11.pdf


Here’s another link for Q& A about students who may not be full magnet study: https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/magnet/MagnetFAQs91313.pdf?n=2764

Again call it what you want but not all the kids are magnet. I’ll concede the school is so small that most of the kids are imported consortium kids but there is a plane Jane local school hidden in there

There is no consortium to import kids from. And roughly half of the students are zoned for Poolesville HS. And "all of the kids are from somewhere else" is not what "whole-school magnet" means anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a terrible idea that would basically divert resources from education to bussing. It would have little to no net benefit.

It’s true and Poole’s I’ll ismt really a whole school magnet. They just say that so the locals don’t feel left out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a terrible idea that would basically divert resources from education to bussing. It would have little to no net benefit.

It’s true and Pooleville isn't really a whole school magnet. They just say that so the locals don’t feel left out.

ISP is for all local students who did not get into magnet program.

Within the 3 magnet programs (Science/Math, Humanities, Global Ecology), Global Ecology has the largest number of seats reserved for local students. The reserved seats for local students in the three application based programs is the reason many non-farming families move into Poolesville. There are bright students (very few) in ISP too who actually benefit by being outside the magnet programs because they can take certain magnet classes. Again, these are very rare students, but such unicorns do exist in PHS and they benefit with the fluidity that is granted to the ISP students.

[Anonymous]

This was a stupid thread when it started in 2018 and is still just as dumb 2 years later.