Chevy Chase CES Parents -- How's it going?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the teachers and the education qualify is much higher than our home school, which is a top school already. Really night and day. The principal is terrible though, I can’t stand her politics. She should be fired.

My kid is in the upper 90s and has remarked that she doesn’t think her classmates are that smart, so she’s noticed the variance probably due to lottery’s. I’d say try it because if you kid doesn’t like it in a few weeks you can always pull them out.

Did you discuss with the teacher if the curriculum is different or less rigorous because of the lottery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It covers Whitman, WJ and BCC clusters….I’m guessing the ELC adoption rate in those clusters is somewhat higher than MCPS average. Just a guess. Also even without ELC, they are all pretty good schools—so if the peer group isn’t going to be markedly different and the social stuff and bus schedule are going to be a pain…my guess is a lot of the seats will end up going to the CCES neighborhood kids.

This is not going to be a popular opinion but I think the way this particular CES is heading I think it should be shut down or moved to a different part of the county. This makes no sense as a lottery because every single school in the catchment area is high performing. MCPS made sure of this a few years ago when they redistricted with Barnsley so that the wealthy schools were only competing with the wealthy schools.

With it being so random now and nearly everyone in these areas qualifying (was told it was more than 80 percent of kids in our elementary making the lottery cut off) they should be using those resources elsewhere.

I'm this PP and my child did get in randomly but after looking at who else got in DC was like why would I want to drive there to go to school with Johnny and Larla who are average students when. the top students are staying at my school with my friends? DC is an average student just like Johnny and Larla and with none of the top students going it did not make any sense. If DC had gotten in in previous years which probably wouldn't have happened we would have sent DC in a heartbeat.

Every year there's a parent who makes this post trying to convince others to drop out so more spots will open up.

+1

[Anonymous]

sounds like they should turn cc ces into local, and move the regional center somewhere else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:sounds like they should turn cc ces into local, and move the regional center somewhere else

It really just feels like they are moving toward getting rid of CES programs overall and just offering programs at the local school. They could expand ELC to all schools and get rid of CES -- if some schools don't have enough kids for an ELC class, they could create a regional program at one school to combine kids into a single ELC class from multiple schools.

[Anonymous]

I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I would agree with this if CCES gets ELC — but if not, they rely on the Center for real enrichment opportunities.

[Anonymous]

I keep reading on here how the kids selected via lottery aren’t as capable/smart as compared to the previous pool of kids. I also keep reading here how the CES curriculum is being dumbed down to match the less capable lottery kids. How much of this is true? Asking as my own kid is in the program and I have nothing to compare it with. I did ask the teacher if my kid is right fit for this program and I was assured that he is. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I don’t know if this tension/resentment narrative between the kids is actually fair or true. My sense is there are some parents of local kids who are high performing and capable but maybe not quite at the cut off level of MAPs the CES used to use. These families don’t even have access to ELC as of now and so they are frustrated seeing the magnet kids get curriculum their kids could likely handle and benefit from. I’d be annoyed and frustrated in that situation too. But I really don’t think there’s any issues at all between the kids. They mix at recess and in band, etc.

I disagree that they should get rid of the program. Then no one gets the accelerated and enriched programming? We can debate how they should determine eligibility and clearly not many are fans of this lottery. But actual gifted children do learn differently and their needs aren’t just automatically met by virtue of attending a neighborhood school in Bethesda or CC.

[Anonymous]

Actual gifted kids have a very low chance of getting into the program these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I don’t know if this tension/resentment narrative between the kids is actually fair or true. My sense is there are some parents of local kids who are high performing and capable but maybe not quite at the cut off level of MAPs the CES used to use. These families don’t even have access to ELC as of now and so they are frustrated seeing the magnet kids get curriculum their kids could likely handle and benefit from. I’d be annoyed and frustrated in that situation too. But I really don’t think there’s any issues at all between the kids. They mix at recess and in band, etc.

I disagree that they should get rid of the program. Then no one gets the accelerated and enriched programming? We can debate how they should determine eligibility and clearly not many are fans of this lottery. But actual gifted children do learn differently and their needs aren’t just automatically met by virtue of attending a neighborhood school in Bethesda or CC.

At CCES, the kids don’t mix at all. They don’t have recess together, instrumental music, math, or specials (at least in 4th grade). There is definitely a tension and you are right—not offering ELC means that kids who qualified but didn’t get a spot are not getting nearly the equivalent education that they would in the CES program. It’s really too bad that CCES doesn’t offer ELC to kids outside of CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I would agree with this if CCES gets ELC — but if not, they rely on the Center for real enrichment opportunities.

The problem with that is the top kids who would often benefit the most are no longer selected for these programs most of the time. I don't think the programs aren't worthwhile I just feel those who need it aren't getting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I would agree with this if CCES gets ELC — but if not, they rely on the Center for real enrichment opportunities.

Everyone should have access to ELC at their home school. It is really hard fair that MCPS in inequitable when they have the ability to expand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I would agree with this if CCES gets ELC — but if not, they rely on the Center for real enrichment opportunities.

Everyone should have access to ELC at their home school. It is really hard fair that MCPS in inequitable when they have the ability to expand it.

This seems like such a reasonable and sensible solution. But this is MCPS so we all know that they won’t do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I don’t know if this tension/resentment narrative between the kids is actually fair or true. My sense is there are some parents of local kids who are high performing and capable but maybe not quite at the cut off level of MAPs the CES used to use. These families don’t even have access to ELC as of now and so they are frustrated seeing the magnet kids get curriculum their kids could likely handle and benefit from. I’d be annoyed and frustrated in that situation too. But I really don’t think there’s any issues at all between the kids. They mix at recess and in band, etc.

I disagree that they should get rid of the program. Then no one gets the accelerated and enriched programming? We can debate how they should determine eligibility and clearly not many are fans of this lottery. But actual gifted children do learn differently and their needs aren’t just automatically met by virtue of attending a neighborhood school in Bethesda or CC.

At CCES, the kids don’t mix at all. They don’t have recess together, instrumental music, math, or specials (at least in 4th grade). There is definitely a tension and you are right—not offering ELC means that kids who qualified but didn’t get a spot are not getting nearly the equivalent education that they would in the CES program. It’s really too bad that CCES doesn’t offer ELC to kids outside of CES.

I have a 5th grader. I think scheduling is different for 4th graders, but the 5th graders absolutely do mix at recess and instrumental music. And I agree wholeheartedly that ELC should be offered at every school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.

I don’t know if this tension/resentment narrative between the kids is actually fair or true. My sense is there are some parents of local kids who are high performing and capable but maybe not quite at the cut off level of MAPs the CES used to use. These families don’t even have access to ELC as of now and so they are frustrated seeing the magnet kids get curriculum their kids could likely handle and benefit from. I’d be annoyed and frustrated in that situation too. But I really don’t think there’s any issues at all between the kids. They mix at recess and in band, etc.

I disagree that they should get rid of the program. Then no one gets the accelerated and enriched programming? We can debate how they should determine eligibility and clearly not many are fans of this lottery. But actual gifted children do learn differently and their needs aren’t just automatically met by virtue of attending a neighborhood school in Bethesda or CC.

At CCES, the kids don’t mix at all. They don’t have recess together, instrumental music, math, or specials (at least in 4th grade). There is definitely a tension and you are right—not offering ELC means that kids who qualified but didn’t get a spot are not getting nearly the equivalent education that they would in the CES program. It’s really too bad that CCES doesn’t offer ELC to kids outside of CES.

I have a 5th grader. I think scheduling is different for 4th graders, but the 5th graders absolutely do mix at recess and instrumental music. And I agree wholeheartedly that ELC should be offered at every school.

Before the CCES CES program was expanded in the fall 2018 to three classes (from two) because of the inclusion of the ES's in the Walter Johnson cluster, the CES kids had at least specials and instrumental music with the home school kids. The principal at the open house the previous spring was asked whether it would continue, and she was non-committal because of the scheduling challenges with three CES classes per grade (4th grade only that first year). Turned out it was not possible, and our kid had no interaction with students outside of the CES program other than lunch/recess and band. Maybe it's changed since then, but sounds like it hasn't. I forget the specific numbers, but it was three CES classes and four or five home school classes per grade. No question that having a significant portion of the student body there for only two years and effectively separated from the rest of the school negatively affected the school "community." Hard to see that issue not existing in any of the regional CES programs, however.