MCPS Local Magnet Middle School

[Anonymous]

In an effort to increase elementary school CES seats, MCPS recently opened several local CES programs at schools like Rachel Carson ES, Matsunaga ES etc. The thinking was that these schools traditionally sent a high number of students to regional CES programs anyway.

Can MCPS open similar local magnet middle school programs within the schools that traditionally used to send a high number of students to regional schools? I know that with good intentions, MCPS started two enriched classes last year. But it seems like the actual curriculum of these classes is far from the regional magnet curriculum. It also does not include the rest of the magnet courses.

Just a thought. I hope someone from MCPS reads these posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an effort to increase elementary school CES seats, MCPS recently opened several local CES programs at schools like Rachel Carson ES, Matsunaga ES etc. The thinking was that these schools traditionally sent a high number of students to regional CES programs anyway.

Can MCPS open similar local magnet middle school programs within the schools that traditionally used to send a high number of students to regional schools? I know that with good intentions, MCPS started two enriched classes last year. But it seems like the actual curriculum of these classes is far from the regional magnet curriculum. It also does not include the rest of the magnet courses.

Just a thought. I hope someone from MCPS reads these posts.

Just for your information - my kid in the MS magnet humanities program has the following magnet classes: World Studies, English, Media. The rest of my kid's classes are regular home-school classes: Science, PE/Health, Spanish, Math.

So my MS humanities magnet kid has 3 magnet classes, all in humanities, compared to the 2 enriched home-school MS classes, of which 1 is humanities and 1 is math.

[Anonymous]

Rather than re-creating "magnet" programs in middle schools, why not offer true honors classes for the MS core courses (Social Studies, English, Math, Science). Most advanced children would be served by these, and they can stay in neighborhood schools. MCPS can keep the regional magnets open for the kids who are true outliers.

[Anonymous]

I think the key here is still keep a test-in requirement to prevent watering down the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

My thinking is that middle school seems young to channel kids into either a math or language specialty, especially since many of the magnet kids are excelling in both. I would be happy to see all the middle school magnets gone in exchange for true home school enrichment. I don’t have the data, but most middle schools should be big enough to have a cohort of at least 15 particularly bright children to take 2-4 enriched classes. The selection for those classes should be done by central, like the magnet school selection, so that pushy parents don’t get their kids into the classes by bullying the principal. It would basically create a true honors class in the middle schools, which was the original idea of honors but has been washed down because so many kids are now taking honors classes that the curriculum can’t really fly at the speed of those kids who are ready to GO.

[Anonymous]

So my MS humanities magnet kid has 3 magnet classes, all in humanities, compared to the 2 enriched home-school MS classes, of which 1 is humanities and 1 is math.

Yikes. My kid was offered a spot at Eastern and I never thought about the possibility that the more enriched math class that's available at the home middle school wouldn't be offered to Eastern kids. Will the enriched math class be offered next year to Eastern kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My thinking is that middle school seems young to channel kids into either a math or language specialty, especially since many of the magnet kids are excelling in both. I would be happy to see all the middle school magnets gone in exchange for true home school enrichment. I don’t have the data, but most middle schools should be big enough to have a cohort of at least 15 particularly bright children to take 2-4 enriched classes. The selection for those classes should be done by central, like the magnet school selection, so that pushy parents don’t get their kids into the classes by bullying the principal. It would basically create a true honors class in the middle schools, which was the original idea of honors but has been washed down because so many kids are now taking honors classes that the curriculum can’t really fly at the speed of those kids who are ready to GO.

It doesn't, really. There are Humanities MS students who do SMACS or Global Ecology in high school, and there are also Math/Sci MS students who do humanities or IB in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thinking is that middle school seems young to channel kids into either a math or language specialty, especially since many of the magnet kids are excelling in both. I would be happy to see all the middle school magnets gone in exchange for true home school enrichment. I don’t have the data, but most middle schools should be big enough to have a cohort of at least 15 particularly bright children to take 2-4 enriched classes. The selection for those classes should be done by central, like the magnet school selection, so that pushy parents don’t get their kids into the classes by bullying the principal. It would basically create a true honors class in the middle schools, which was the original idea of honors but has been washed down because so many kids are now taking honors classes that the curriculum can’t really fly at the speed of those kids who are ready to GO.

It doesn't, really. There are Humanities MS students who do SMACS or Global Ecology in high school, and there are also Math/Sci MS students who do humanities or IB in high school.

But in the meantime, many have to pick enrichment for three years in just one area when they are actually capable of (and desire) both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rather than re-creating "magnet" programs in middle schools, why not offer true honors classes for the MS core courses (Social Studies, English, Math, Science). Most advanced children would be served by these, and they can stay in neighborhood schools. MCPS can keep the regional magnets open for the kids who are true outliers.

This seems like a no-brainer. As much as magnet programs that focus on STEM or humanities appeal to some kids, keeping it more general ala carte as it were is probably a good idea too.

I also think communities impacted by this should advocate for these changes strongly.

[Anonymous]

Just wonder, how do the gifted programs look like in other states?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thinking is that middle school seems young to channel kids into either a math or language specialty, especially since many of the magnet kids are excelling in both. I would be happy to see all the middle school magnets gone in exchange for true home school enrichment. I don’t have the data, but most middle schools should be big enough to have a cohort of at least 15 particularly bright children to take 2-4 enriched classes. The selection for those classes should be done by central, like the magnet school selection, so that pushy parents don’t get their kids into the classes by bullying the principal. It would basically create a true honors class in the middle schools, which was the original idea of honors but has been washed down because so many kids are now taking honors classes that the curriculum can’t really fly at the speed of those kids who are ready to GO.

It doesn't, really. There are Humanities MS students who do SMACS or Global Ecology in high school, and there are also Math/Sci MS students who do humanities or IB in high school.

But in the meantime, many have to pick enrichment for three years in just one area when they are actually capable of (and desire) both.

Yes, life is full of difficult choices. This surely isn't the first, and it won't be the last.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thinking is that middle school seems young to channel kids into either a math or language specialty, especially since many of the magnet kids are excelling in both. I would be happy to see all the middle school magnets gone in exchange for true home school enrichment. I don’t have the data, but most middle schools should be big enough to have a cohort of at least 15 particularly bright children to take 2-4 enriched classes. The selection for those classes should be done by central, like the magnet school selection, so that pushy parents don’t get their kids into the classes by bullying the principal. It would basically create a true honors class in the middle schools, which was the original idea of honors but has been washed down because so many kids are now taking honors classes that the curriculum can’t really fly at the speed of those kids who are ready to GO.

It doesn't, really. There are Humanities MS students who do SMACS or Global Ecology in high school, and there are also Math/Sci MS students who do humanities or IB in high school.

But in the meantime, many have to pick enrichment for three years in just one area when they are actually capable of (and desire) both.

Yes, life is full of difficult choices. This surely isn't the first, and it won't be the last.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rather than re-creating "magnet" programs in middle schools, why not offer true honors classes for the MS core courses (Social Studies, English, Math, Science). Most advanced children would be served by these, and they can stay in neighborhood schools. MCPS can keep the regional magnets open for the kids who are true outliers.

This seems like a no-brainer. As much as magnet programs that focus on STEM or humanities appeal to some kids, keeping it more general ala carte as it were is probably a good idea too.

I also think communities impacted by this should advocate for these changes strongly.

People advocated to have true magnet like enriched classes. But MCPS offered mediocre substitute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an effort to increase elementary school CES seats, MCPS recently opened several local CES programs at schools like Rachel Carson ES, Matsunaga ES etc. The thinking was that these schools traditionally sent a high number of students to regional CES programs anyway.

Can MCPS open similar local magnet middle school programs within the schools that traditionally used to send a high number of students to regional schools? I know that with good intentions, MCPS started two enriched classes last year. But it seems like the actual curriculum of these classes is far from the regional magnet curriculum. It also does not include the rest of the magnet courses.

Just a thought. I hope someone from MCPS reads these posts.

Isn't this what the county is already doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rather than re-creating "magnet" programs in middle schools, why not offer true honors classes for the MS core courses (Social Studies, English, Math, Science). Most advanced children would be served by these, and they can stay in neighborhood schools. MCPS can keep the regional magnets open for the kids who are true outliers.

This seems like a no-brainer. As much as magnet programs that focus on STEM or humanities appeal to some kids, keeping it more general ala carte as it were is probably a good idea too.

I also think communities impacted by this should advocate for these changes strongly.

People advocated to have true magnet like enriched classes. But MCPS offered mediocre substitute.

Do you feel this way because of the teacher, the curriculum, or the cohort?