Anyone turning down Eastern Magnet Offer?

[Anonymous]

Eastern MS Magnet open house is tomorrow night. Decisions are due Friday. DD is still on the fence. Anyone deciding not to enroll? What made you ultimately decide not to?

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this is helpful for you, but here goes... child applied to TPMS only and not Eastern. Mainly because we didn't think it made sense to commute >1 hour to a school that had sucky math when child could get sucky math at the home MS.

One friend of ours did send her child to Eastern a couple years ago, but ended up leaving before the end of 6th grade. This student had differing opinions from some of the teachers there, and thus was treated poorly/hostile manner because of differing views. I found this to be ironic given that Eastern is supposed to be about Humanities/Communications. There were also concerns about the more "mature" content of some books required for reading. At risk of being flamed, I'd summarize it as if your family was a Hillary supporter (as many MC folks are), then you'll probably fit in with the values, but if you supported any other options, good luck to you and don't be surprised if you are silenced.

A different family friend of ours sent her child to Eastern and LOVES it. But child came from an average elementary school where not much was rigorous, so the Eastern curriculum helped her child blossom, particularly in self-confidence and poise in public presentations.

So it depends where you're coming from. For us, it wasn't worth it to apply. We're still debating whether the commute is worth it for TPMS.

Best wishes in your decision making!

[Anonymous]

My child opted for Takoma Park over Eastern for science focus (child's preference). A great fit in this case.

My child has friends (and has made others) at Eastern and most seem to love it.

Visit and then decide. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Went to the open house tonight and was very impressed with the program and the teachers. Our child was very energized and excited by the presentation. We'll have to decide if this is a good fit for our family.

[Anonymous]

We went to open the open house yesterday. Core subjects presentations and teachers were very impressive. But the Science/Math part was truly depressive. Kindergarten-level science at best.
Unlike Eastern, TPMS at the very least paid more attention to their non-core subjects. Declining Eastern offer and going to Takoma.
My son is interested in science, and is strong all around. Tested-in into both programs with rooms to spare (he's in HGC now). Certain parts, like TV media production were very attractive to him. But for us TPMS seem to be a better fit. For someone who strongly dislikes math, Eastern would be a fantastic program, would strongly recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to open the open house yesterday. Core subjects presentations and teachers were very impressive. But the Science/Math part was truly depressive. Kindergarten-level science at best.
Unlike Eastern, TPMS at the very least paid more attention to their non-core subjects. Declining Eastern offer and going to Takoma.
My son is interested in science, and is strong all around. Tested-in into both programs with rooms to spare (he's in HGC now). Certain parts, like TV media production were very attractive to him. But for us TPMS seem to be a better fit. For someone who strongly dislikes math, Eastern would be a fantastic program, would strongly recommend.

How about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to open the open house yesterday. Core subjects presentations and teachers were very impressive. But the Science/Math part was truly depressive. Kindergarten-level science at best.
Unlike Eastern, TPMS at the very least paid more attention to their non-core subjects. Declining Eastern offer and going to Takoma.
My son is interested in science, and is strong all around. Tested-in into both programs with rooms to spare (he's in HGC now). Certain parts, like TV media production were very attractive to him. But for us TPMS seem to be a better fit. For someone who strongly dislikes math, Eastern would be a fantastic program, would strongly recommend.

How about that.

Standard MCPS curriculum so probably not kindergarten level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to open the open house yesterday. Core subjects presentations and teachers were very impressive. But the Science/Math part was truly depressive. Kindergarten-level science at best.
Unlike Eastern, TPMS at the very least paid more attention to their non-core subjects. Declining Eastern offer and going to Takoma.
My son is interested in science, and is strong all around. Tested-in into both programs with rooms to spare (he's in HGC now). Certain parts, like TV media production were very attractive to him. But for us TPMS seem to be a better fit. For someone who strongly dislikes math, Eastern would be a fantastic program, would strongly recommend.

Parent of one EMS magnet and one TPMS magnet student. Eng and world Studies at TPMS are not comparable in any way to EMS magnet. World Studies is pretty much awful - teachers are cranky and curriculum is oriented to the new fact-free "document based-question" analysis required that matches testing kids are expected to do in HS. English varies by teacher, but even the good ones are in no way comparable to EMS magnet.

OTOH, EMS math is the same as TPMS non-magnet math, with the same advanced opportunities - you can take Algebra in 7th grade at EMS, which is what the vast majority of TPMS magnet students take, although the TPMS magnet Algebra is more rigorous.

Agree that EMS science is terrible, but it is the same crappy science curriculum in all MCPS schools, with the added benefit if some truly bad teachers.

Overall, I would say that the TPMS principal is way better than EMS and TPMS home/magnet is much better integrated socially.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand how an analysis based on a document can be "fact-free".

[Anonymous]

It's not kindergarten-level, it's for sure standard curriculum, but it just felt like that. In particular when you compare to TPMS. Science at local W MS seemed to be way better a few years back.
And the way it was presented: Science/Math/Music in a single 15 min session. Strongly suggests to me that there is not much emphasis and opportunities in these subjects within the program;
Eng and World Studies are clearly way stronger and more exciting at Eastern, and they should be. It is their core strength. Comparing non-core subjects at Eastern and Takoma, it seemed to me that they are better at TPMS. English/World Studies/World lang at TPMS seem to be stronger than Math/Science at Eastern. And comparatively more opportunities for enrichment at Takoma as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not kindergarten-level, it's for sure standard curriculum, but it just felt like that. In particular when you compare to TPMS. Science at local W MS seemed to be way better a few years back.
And the way it was presented: Science/Math/Music in a single 15 min session. Strongly suggests to me that there is not much emphasis and opportunities in these subjects within the program;
Eng and World Studies are clearly way stronger and more exciting at Eastern, and they should be. It is their core strength. Comparing non-core subjects at Eastern and Takoma, it seemed to me that they are better at TPMS. English/World Studies/World lang at TPMS seem to be stronger than Math/Science at Eastern. And comparatively more opportunities for enrichment at Takoma as well.

Science, math and music are not part of the humanities program at Eastern just as English and Social Studies are not part of the math and science program at Takoma Park.
My kid who is zoned for a W school got into both Eastern and Takoma Park, went to Eastern and finished the SMAC program in HS. Math and Science were lacking at Eastern but not so far behind what he would have been exposed to at our W school except there were more science oriented extra curricular activities at our home middle school. Math and Science were fine at Eastern. He had one bad, one average and one great science teacher and two decent and one good Math teacher at Eastern. So a little bit worse than what he might have experienced at our home middle school in Math and Science but the humanities program more than made up for this.
If you go to Takoma Park just know that the English and World Studies is not going to be close to what your child would receive at Eastern.
In the end you are choosing between a great humanities program (with Math and Science at or slightly below the level at a W school) and a great Math and Science program (with average English and World Studies program). Do you want an apple or an orange?

[Anonymous]

I have a 7th grader at EMS. He loved his science teacher this year. She is his favorite teacher. He had a terrible one in 6th grade though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to open the open house yesterday. Core subjects presentations and teachers were very impressive. But the Science/Math part was truly depressive. Kindergarten-level science at best.
Unlike Eastern, TPMS at the very least paid more attention to their non-core subjects. Declining Eastern offer and going to Takoma.
My son is interested in science, and is strong all around. Tested-in into both programs with rooms to spare (he's in HGC now). Certain parts, like TV media production were very attractive to him. But for us TPMS seem to be a better fit. For someone who strongly dislikes math, Eastern would be a fantastic program, would strongly recommend.

How about that.

I know, right?

[Anonymous]

OK, don't take Kindergarten-level science at best. statement literally.
It refers specifically to (1) Science/Math presentation at 2017 open house, and (2) it's level (not the science program level in grades 6-8 presently or several years ago, just this presentation) compared to TPMS presentation and to other core subject presentation at EMS. It was very sub-par. Nothing more. And please, don't be offended. It was just my perception.

[Anonymous]

They really didn't give the teachers enough time to talk about their subjects. I wouldn't base my decision solely on the presentation.