Blair CAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are CAP students like? On the paper? Theatre kids? Any with STEM interests?

My kid graduated from CAP. Loved science too and for college doing science major.

what's the girl: boy ratio?

Maybes you should ask girl:boy:non binary ratio! It’s all in flux these days.

I was at the Open House last night, and judging purely from the kids who came on a week night to "present" the program, I'd say 70:10:20, give or take.

The Open House was extremely well presented, and both the students and the teachers made a strong case for CAP. I appreciated that they laid out the thinking behind some of the decisions they had made around different curriculum decisions, including not adopting APUSH for next year's 9th graders and moving away from recommending AP Physics in 9th. They didn't foreclose the option, but they did explain why they would advise kids to ease the transition from middle to high school.

I have a kid in CAP and he likes it. His favorite class is math, though! He didn't do AP Physics as a freshman because I think that's crazy. Does a sport 6/7 days and the workload is manageable. Good teachers in the program (I don't love his science and math teachers, but he's okay with them, so whatever). Blair as a whole is a well-run school so if you are looking for enriched humanities instruction (learn to read/write/analyze/think) then I think CAP would be a good choice. Because it's MCPS they will always get math and science and I think once they're juniors if they really love math they can take the science/math magnet classes with those kiddos. Definitely recommend the program just from our experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are CAP students like? On the paper? Theatre kids? Any with STEM interests?

My kid graduated from CAP. Loved science too and for college doing science major.

what's the girl: boy ratio?

Maybes you should ask girl:boy:non binary ratio! It’s all in flux these days.

I was at the Open House last night, and judging purely from the kids who came on a week night to "present" the program, I'd say 70:10:20, give or take.

The Open House was extremely well presented, and both the students and the teachers made a strong case for CAP. I appreciated that they laid out the thinking behind some of the decisions they had made around different curriculum decisions, including not adopting APUSH for next year's 9th graders and moving away from recommending AP Physics in 9th. They didn't foreclose the option, but they did explain why they would advise kids to ease the transition from middle to high school.

I have a kid in CAP and he likes it. His favorite class is math, though! He didn't do AP Physics as a freshman because I think that's crazy. Does a sport 6/7 days and the workload is manageable. Good teachers in the program (I don't love his science and math teachers, but he's okay with them, so whatever). Blair as a whole is a well-run school so if you are looking for enriched humanities instruction (learn to read/write/analyze/think) then I think CAP would be a good choice. Because it's MCPS they will always get math and science and I think once they're juniors if they really love math they can take the science/math magnet classes with those kiddos. Definitely recommend the program just from our experience.

Thanks. This is helpful feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

The assumption is that a test-in magnet will be rigorous and challenging. I can see how they'd want to reassure kids and families that it's also a program that's welcoming and accessible to every student who is accepted—which is not something that can necessarily be taken for granted.

[Anonymous]

For those concerned about the gender balance, the instagram actually has some candids that reflect a much more balanced composition than was featured last night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

Was this last night? I was at last night's event and the only time folks mentioned PoC was when the actual CAP teens were talking about their participation in a club/initiative specifically for PoC in criteria-based programs. There was no mention of safe spaces or accommodations, at least in the group I was in.

I want the rigorous high school program to also emotionally safe, however. That's a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

Was this last night? I was at last night's event and the only time folks mentioned PoC was when the actual CAP teens were talking about their participation in a club/initiative specifically for PoC in criteria-based programs. There was no mention of safe spaces or accommodations, at least in the group I was in.

I want the rigorous high school program to also emotionally safe, however. That's a good thing.

Of course it is a good thing, why would it not be? As long as there is good education too which I would have liked to know a little more about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

Was this last night? I was at last night's event and the only time folks mentioned PoC was when the actual CAP teens were talking about their participation in a club/initiative specifically for PoC in criteria-based programs. There was no mention of safe spaces or accommodations, at least in the group I was in.

I want the rigorous high school program to also emotionally safe, however. That's a good thing.

Yes they talked about it in several sessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

The assumption is that a test-in magnet will be rigorous and challenging. I can see how they'd want to reassure kids and families that it's also a program that's welcoming and accessible to every student who is accepted—which is not something that can necessarily be taken for granted.

Very true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leaving because the workload is too much is different than a change in the program’s overall quality.

I hope you are right. We had done a CAP visit a few years back and thought there was much more focus on academics then. We just kept hearing about safe spaces, POC, and accommodations which is great but much less about what exactly in the approach to teaching and learning - except in one session. I just hope it is a style and not substance issue, because I really like the concept of a rigorous program that promotes critical thinking.

The assumption is that a test-in magnet will be rigorous and challenging. I can see how they'd want to reassure kids and families that it's also a program that's welcoming and accessible to every student who is accepted—which is not something that can necessarily be taken for granted.

Don't kid yourself that this is a test-in magnet

[Anonymous]

Why do you say that?

[Anonymous]

It IS test in. My kid rejected from CAP, but got into RMIB & Blair SMCS. Which was fine because wanted SMCS, but still….

[Anonymous]

But a lot of CAP admits don't get in anywhere else either.

[Anonymous]

i know many people thought the years that have gotten into RMIB, CAP and Stem at Blair.

[Anonymous]

*through the years