Writing Samples for Middle School

[Anonymous]

Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Can you elaborate? I have not seen any discussion or meeting regarding this "cracking down".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Sorry, but I find it really hard to believe that AEI would care. They have really wrong last year's kids as well as this year's incoming 6th graders. When they promised to keep the cohort but renege on giving a proper "enriched" program, they show little thought in their actions. They left it up to the parents to contact the middle schools to work things out. They left it up to the principal with so little advance notice to roll out a program where they did not properly provide trained staffing or appropriate curriculum. So I find it hard to believe that anything is coming, especially since I have yet to see it discussed at any meetings. If anything, seeing the direction of the different middle schools and how they are enrolling almost everyone into the same classes this year tells me that there is no interest by AIE to provide the enriched program they promised.

[Anonymous]

DC says word came down get a 5 on PARCC or no 7th grade magnet lite class for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Can you elaborate? I have not seen any discussion or meeting regarding this "cracking down".

She said this to teachers on two separate occasions this spring after she was asked about opportunities for expansion and additional training. I don’t recall her exact words, but the gist was that schools were not supposed to do it this year, they will not be allowed to do it next year, and her office will monitor to ensure this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Can you elaborate? I have not seen any discussion or meeting regarding this "cracking down".

She said this to teachers on two separate occasions this spring after she was asked about opportunities for expansion and additional training. I don’t recall her exact words, but the gist was that schools were not supposed to do it this year, they will not be allowed to do it next year, and her office will monitor to ensure this.

So what does it mean for the students from last year who are in 7th grade this year, and the incoming 6th grader. FWIW, before the started enrolling everyone in one class, I am told that the 6th grade AIM classes were exactly the same as the 6th grade IM last year. So separating them, slapping a random name on the class and giving the AIM students a couple of extra worksheets, doesn't really count I don't think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Can you elaborate? I have not seen any discussion or meeting regarding this "cracking down".

She said this to teachers on two separate occasions this spring after she was asked about opportunities for expansion and additional training. I don’t recall her exact words, but the gist was that schools were not supposed to do it this year, they will not be allowed to do it next year, and her office will monitor to ensure this.

So what does it mean for the students from last year who are in 7th grade this year, and the incoming 6th grader. FWIW, before the started enrolling everyone in one class, I am told that the 6th grade AIM classes were exactly the same as the 6th grade IM last year. So separating them, slapping a random name on the class and giving the AIM students a couple of extra worksheets, doesn't really count I don't think.

This is school specific. Our DCC MS did not offer either class to the entire grade nor did it duplicate the regular 6th grade IM. The principal said no to parents that requested their kids be enrolled that were not selected by the AEI/central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

MCPS is cracking down on this. They probably want the sample to winnow down to a legit cohort.

Where did you hear they are cracking down? We have heard multiple MS going towards this direction so I can only imagine that it will trend towards.

Directly from Kurshanna and she seemed dead serious about it.

They could be cracking down but unfortunately it has yet to translate to anything specific change to our middle school. If middle school teachers are not given the resources and the training. It was a mistake to just let the principals determine what needs to be done, as there is no incentive to do so. To placate the parents, just enroll everyone in the same magnet-lite class and call it a day!

It’s coming. Some schools made bad promises to their parents that they will have to take back. AEI is not playing.

Can you elaborate? I have not seen any discussion or meeting regarding this "cracking down".

She said this to teachers on two separate occasions this spring after she was asked about opportunities for expansion and additional training. I don’t recall her exact words, but the gist was that schools were not supposed to do it this year, they will not be allowed to do it next year, and her office will monitor to ensure this.

So what does it mean for the students from last year who are in 7th grade this year, and the incoming 6th grader. FWIW, before the started enrolling everyone in one class, I am told that the 6th grade AIM classes were exactly the same as the 6th grade IM last year. So separating them, slapping a random name on the class and giving the AIM students a couple of extra worksheets, doesn't really count I don't think.

This is school specific. Our DCC MS did not offer either class to the entire grade nor did it duplicate the regular 6th grade IM. The principal said no to parents that requested their kids be enrolled that were not selected by the AEI/central office.

Good for that principal.

Too bad certain principals in Bethesda and Potomac lacked the backbone to say no. I can imagine the howls of outrage when the 7th grade schedules are passed out on 9/3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

We are at a non-W MS and my kid was asked to choose a writing sample that they sent to the MS for incoming 6th graders. I was wondering about this also because ALL kids are in Advanced English 6.

But, MCPS is a sh$tshow, so who knows what the point of the exercise is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it normal for Middle Schools to request writing samples for incoming 6th graders? DD was asked to submit something, and given that our school puts all the kids in the same enriched classes for 6th grades, I am not sure I understand the point of this exercise.

We are at a non-W MS and my kid was asked to choose a writing sample that they sent to the MS for incoming 6th graders. I was wondering about this also because ALL kids are in Advanced English 6.

But, MCPS is a sh$tshow, so who knows what the point of the exercise is.

Advanced English isn’t the Enriched course.