DC wants to withdraw from magnet program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing that this is TPMS. TPMS and in general MCPS does a really bad with managing middle school behaviors. The behaviors at many schools, not just TPMS, can get very out of control. Its a combination of the age when kids are trying to act cool or tough for other kids and have low impulse control with very little oversight from teachers and admin. It doesn't help that there is not much outdoor time or breaks so PE and lunch tend to be lord of the flies. If your child is coming from a small elementary with mostly nerdy or quieter kids and then going into a huge schools with lots of kids acting out can be really hard.

Your home middle school is not going to be as well run and nurturing as your small elementary school was but it could be much better depending on the group of kids. It is far easier for admins/teachers to deal with a few kids acting out than deal with a large number acting act so it stays calmer. It may also help your DC if he or she has a larger set of friends in the home school.

I agree that high school is different. There are different problem but the pooping all over the bathroom, shrieking and cursing in the locker room and other gross middle school behaviors get replaced by other things that tend to stay more confined to different groups.

When my DC was in the TPMS Magnet, by the time the first quarter was over, she realized that lunch much better and more fun in her Science Teacher's classroom. There were many of her classmates with her there and she made a bunch of friends. I definitely say give it time. You are going to be hard pressed to find better MS teachers than they have in the TPMS magnet and if that can springboard to the Blair Magnet, it only gets better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry your child has been having troubles at her magnet school. Since she likes the classes, you might want to talk with the school counselor before you withdraw. The counselor might have some ideas on ways your child can find friends and integrate into the school.

I think it's great that you're being proactive on this and not letting it fester. I hope things get better soon for your daughter and that she finds happiness at whatever school she decides on.

Agree with this advice.
There are always a couple of students who leave typically at the end of 6th grade but if your child is miserable and knows she will be happier in her home school no need to wait. I wonder if it is worth having her spend a day shadowing in her home middle school if that can be arranged.
Please make sure the magnet coordinator and the Principal are aware of the situation for the sake of the other children in the school.
Also don’t let this experience dissuade her from considering a high school Magnet program. If she is accepted into one she can request to shadow a student for a few hours so she gets a sense of how stimulating, safe and well run the school is.
Good luck to your child

I am the PP. if this is Eastern MS please please report this to the principal even if you leave. Also know that for some reason the behavioral problems you observe at Eastern are largely absent at Blair high school so don’t rule out a Magnet HS without shadowing first

That is a straight up lie.

I think it is partly true.Many of the non-magnet students who were behavior issues at Eastern chose to go to Kennedy rather than Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry your child has been having troubles at her magnet school. Since she likes the classes, you might want to talk with the school counselor before you withdraw. The counselor might have some ideas on ways your child can find friends and integrate into the school.

I think it's great that you're being proactive on this and not letting it fester. I hope things get better soon for your daughter and that she finds happiness at whatever school she decides on.

Agree with this advice.
There are always a couple of students who leave typically at the end of 6th grade but if your child is miserable and knows she will be happier in her home school no need to wait. I wonder if it is worth having her spend a day shadowing in her home middle school if that can be arranged.
Please make sure the magnet coordinator and the Principal are aware of the situation for the sake of the other children in the school.
Also don’t let this experience dissuade her from considering a high school Magnet program. If she is accepted into one she can request to shadow a student for a few hours so she gets a sense of how stimulating, safe and well run the school is.
Good luck to your child

I am the PP. if this is Eastern MS please please report this to the principal even if you leave. Also know that for some reason the behavioral problems you observe at Eastern are largely absent at Blair high school so don’t rule out a Magnet HS without shadowing first

That is a straight up lie.

I think it is partly true.Many of the non-magnet students who were behavior issues at Eastern chose to go to Kennedy rather than Blair.

Lots of poor kids at eastern and lots of poor kids at Blair. Nobody chooses Kennedy

[Anonymous]

Who was most motivated to apply to the magnet program - DC or parents? If parents, let DC go back to home school. They don't have the internal motivation to stick it out and figure out how to make it work. If they stay, they'll be miserable trying to satisfy parent wishes. If DC was the one who really wanted to apply, then have them stay at least through the semester, preferably until the end of the year. A lot of the challenge is simply middle school transition. But if they are highly motivated by the coursework and peers, they will figure out how to fit in and make friends.

-middle school magnet teacher (who has seen both types of kids)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing that this is TPMS. TPMS and in general MCPS does a really bad with managing middle school behaviors. The behaviors at many schools, not just TPMS, can get very out of control. Its a combination of the age when kids are trying to act cool or tough for other kids and have low impulse control with very little oversight from teachers and admin. It doesn't help that there is not much outdoor time or breaks so PE and lunch tend to be lord of the flies. If your child is coming from a small elementary with mostly nerdy or quieter kids and then going into a huge schools with lots of kids acting out can be really hard.

Your home middle school is not going to be as well run and nurturing as your small elementary school was but it could be much better depending on the group of kids. It is far easier for admins/teachers to deal with a few kids acting out than deal with a large number acting act so it stays calmer. It may also help your DC if he or she has a larger set of friends in the home school.

I agree that high school is different. There are different problem but the pooping all over the bathroom, shrieking and cursing in the locker room and other gross middle school behaviors get replaced by other things that tend to stay more confined to different groups.

NP

What is up with the gross bathroom stuff?? DD comes home and is horrified by the bathroom issues. Why is it so terrible? I get that they’re teens and tweens, but it seems over the top.

I thought she was being a little over dramatic but another mom told me that the boys room is truly the most disgusting place ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry your child has been having troubles at her magnet school. Since she likes the classes, you might want to talk with the school counselor before you withdraw. The counselor might have some ideas on ways your child can find friends and integrate into the school.

I think it's great that you're being proactive on this and not letting it fester. I hope things get better soon for your daughter and that she finds happiness at whatever school she decides on.

Agree with this advice.
There are always a couple of students who leave typically at the end of 6th grade but if your child is miserable and knows she will be happier in her home school no need to wait. I wonder if it is worth having her spend a day shadowing in her home middle school if that can be arranged.
Please make sure the magnet coordinator and the Principal are aware of the situation for the sake of the other children in the school.
Also don’t let this experience dissuade her from considering a high school Magnet program. If she is accepted into one she can request to shadow a student for a few hours so she gets a sense of how stimulating, safe and well run the school is.
Good luck to your child

I am the PP. if this is Eastern MS please please report this to the principal even if you leave. Also know that for some reason the behavioral problems you observe at Eastern are largely absent at Blair high school so don’t rule out a Magnet HS without shadowing first

That is a straight up lie.

My child went to the Eastern magnet and was bullied and disliked the school environment. Child is now at Blair CAP and Blair has been great. I agree with the previous poster- none of the same behavioral problems, overall environment is much better.

So since your child wasn’t bullied in one school, no one was?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who was most motivated to apply to the magnet program - DC or parents? If parents, let DC go back to home school. They don't have the internal motivation to stick it out and figure out how to make it work. If they stay, they'll be miserable trying to satisfy parent wishes. If DC was the one who really wanted to apply, then have them stay at least through the semester, preferably until the end of the year. A lot of the challenge is simply middle school transition. But if they are highly motivated by the coursework and peers, they will figure out how to fit in and make friends.

-middle school magnet teacher (who has seen both types of kids)

It’s all parent led? The introverts will be introverts anywhere so they don’t care. It is the kids with friends and social systems that have the toughest time. Even harder if they go back to home high school.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there's an applicant anymore.

[Anonymous]

If your child wants to leave, sooner is better. Especially if the main issue is social. You’ll want your son to make friends before going to Outdoor Ed at the new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry your child has been having troubles at her magnet school. Since she likes the classes, you might want to talk with the school counselor before you withdraw. The counselor might have some ideas on ways your child can find friends and integrate into the school.

I think it's great that you're being proactive on this and not letting it fester. I hope things get better soon for your daughter and that she finds happiness at whatever school she decides on.

Agree with this advice.
There are always a couple of students who leave typically at the end of 6th grade but if your child is miserable and knows she will be happier in her home school no need to wait. I wonder if it is worth having her spend a day shadowing in her home middle school if that can be arranged.
Please make sure the magnet coordinator and the Principal are aware of the situation for the sake of the other children in the school.
Also don’t let this experience dissuade her from considering a high school Magnet program. If she is accepted into one she can request to shadow a student for a few hours so she gets a sense of how stimulating, safe and well run the school is.
Good luck to your child

I am the PP. if this is Eastern MS please please report this to the principal even if you leave. Also know that for some reason the behavioral problems you observe at Eastern are largely absent at Blair high school so don’t rule out a Magnet HS without shadowing first

That is a straight up lie.

My child went to the Eastern magnet and was bullied and disliked the school environment. Child is now at Blair CAP and Blair has been great. I agree with the previous poster- none of the same behavioral problems, overall environment is much better.

So since your child wasn’t bullied in one school, no one was?

You missed the point. But whatever.

[Anonymous]

OP your ho.e MS probably has magnet derived versions of math and humanities. These classes are for a high testing cohort. You may want to ask home school about coming into those and whether sooner (likely imho) or later is more workable. Last year there was a bit of shifting right at the start of the year.

[Anonymous]

OP's child may be in one of the non-test in magnets like Parkland, Loiderman or Argyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing that this is TPMS. TPMS and in general MCPS does a really bad with managing middle school behaviors. The behaviors at many schools, not just TPMS, can get very out of control. Its a combination of the age when kids are trying to act cool or tough for other kids and have low impulse control with very little oversight from teachers and admin. It doesn't help that there is not much outdoor time or breaks so PE and lunch tend to be lord of the flies. If your child is coming from a small elementary with mostly nerdy or quieter kids and then going into a huge schools with lots of kids acting out can be really hard.

Your home middle school is not going to be as well run and nurturing as your small elementary school was but it could be much better depending on the group of kids. It is far easier for admins/teachers to deal with a few kids acting out than deal with a large number acting act so it stays calmer. It may also help your DC if he or she has a larger set of friends in the home school.

I agree that high school is different. There are different problem but the pooping all over the bathroom, shrieking and cursing in the locker room and other gross middle school behaviors get replaced by other things that tend to stay more confined to different groups.

NP

What is up with the gross bathroom stuff?? DD comes home and is horrified by the bathroom issues. Why is it so terrible? I get that they’re teens and tweens, but it seems over the top.

I thought she was being a little over dramatic but another mom told me that the boys room is truly the most disgusting place ever.

Eh, when I was in high school, I didn't use the bathroom the entire day because there were always cigarette ashes all over the toilets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing that this is TPMS. TPMS and in general MCPS does a really bad with managing middle school behaviors. The behaviors at many schools, not just TPMS, can get very out of control. Its a combination of the age when kids are trying to act cool or tough for other kids and have low impulse control with very little oversight from teachers and admin. It doesn't help that there is not much outdoor time or breaks so PE and lunch tend to be lord of the flies. If your child is coming from a small elementary with mostly nerdy or quieter kids and then going into a huge schools with lots of kids acting out can be really hard.

Your home middle school is not going to be as well run and nurturing as your small elementary school was but it could be much better depending on the group of kids. It is far easier for admins/teachers to deal with a few kids acting out than deal with a large number acting act so it stays calmer. It may also help your DC if he or she has a larger set of friends in the home school.

I agree that high school is different. There are different problem but the pooping all over the bathroom, shrieking and cursing in the locker room and other gross middle school behaviors get replaced by other things that tend to stay more confined to different groups.

When my DC was in the TPMS Magnet, by the time the first quarter was over, she realized that lunch much better and more fun in her Science Teacher's classroom. There were many of her classmates with her there and she made a bunch of friends. I definitely say give it time. You are going to be hard pressed to find better MS teachers than they have in the TPMS magnet and if that can springboard to the Blair Magnet, it only gets better.

This is a parent talking. Not the kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was most motivated to apply to the magnet program - DC or parents? If parents, let DC go back to home school. They don't have the internal motivation to stick it out and figure out how to make it work. If they stay, they'll be miserable trying to satisfy parent wishes. If DC was the one who really wanted to apply, then have them stay at least through the semester, preferably until the end of the year. A lot of the challenge is simply middle school transition. But if they are highly motivated by the coursework and peers, they will figure out how to fit in and make friends.

-middle school magnet teacher (who has seen both types of kids)

It’s all parent led? The introverts will be introverts anywhere so they don’t care. It is the kids with friends and social systems that have the toughest time. Even harder if they go back to home high school.

I agree. Magnet middle schools are all pushed by parents. It's pretty sad they are willing to bus them across the county and be miserable, so they can brag and hope it gets them in a magnet high school