Feedback about the newly split Roberto Clemente and Martin Luther King middle school magnet programs

[Anonymous]

Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Anybody? Or did you have to sign some kind of non disclosure agreement?

[Anonymous]

The way they moved the humanities magnet to MLK (kids already at Clemente finished at Clemente and new 6th graders started out at MLK) means that no magnet students attended both schools. The only parents who can compare the two schools are the ones who have a child attend one of the magnet programs at Clemente and another child attend the magnet program at MLK since the move. That’s probably a pretty small pool of people.

I have a 6th grader at MLK, so we only have 7 weeks of experience...but so far it has been positive and my dc has enjoyed being there. The school is very diverse in terms of race, SES, ethnicities. The school makes no distinction between magnet and non-magnet students. There was no special orientation for magnet kids and the magnet program wasn’t even mentioned at the program for parents of incoming 6th graders. MLK is an IB Middle Years school, so all students who go there take a foreign language every year and complete either Spanish or French 1A and 1B in 6th grade instead of doing 1A over the entire course of 6th grade like they do at some home schools. All 8th graders will have to do the IB community service project in 8th grade.

My dc likes all but one teacher and loves English class. DC is happy that the work isn’t ridiculously easy, but hasn’t found it very challenging so far. The homework has been easily manageable, but dc is not in any extracurricular activities this quarter. DC actually likes the bus ride because some friendships have been formed on the bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Anybody? Or did you have to sign some kind of non disclosure agreement?

It's not really newly-split. This is already the second year.

My kid is at Clemente magnet, and it's been a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Yes, is now named Roberto Luther King program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Has MLK said anything about the 8th grade humanities New York City field trip next year?

This year's Clemente 8th grade humanities New York City field trip costs $1243 plus more money for transportation, food, and tips. And you can't not go. And the so-called scholarships consist of the magnet program coordinator hitting the other parents up for cash. Seriously problematic.

The 8th grade math/sci Boston field trip has its own issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Has MLK said anything about the 8th grade humanities New York City field trip next year?

This year's Clemente 8th grade humanities New York City field trip costs $1243 plus more money for transportation, food, and tips. And you can't not go. And the so-called scholarships consist of the magnet program coordinator hitting the other parents up for cash. Seriously problematic.

The 8th grade math/sci Boston field trip has its own issues.

Are they going for 2 weeks? That is an insane amount of money for food, hotel where there will probably be 4 kids to a room and activities. Hard NO. I would not send my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Has MLK said anything about the 8th grade humanities New York City field trip next year?

This year's Clemente 8th grade humanities New York City field trip costs $1243 plus more money for transportation, food, and tips. And you can't not go. And the so-called scholarships consist of the magnet program coordinator hitting the other parents up for cash. Seriously problematic.

The 8th grade math/sci Boston field trip has its own issues.

Are they going for 2 weeks? That is an insane amount of money for food, hotel where there will probably be 4 kids to a room and activities. Hard NO. I would not send my child.

Leaving Monday, coming back Friday. And you can't not send your child, because the whole rest of the year's curriculum is based on what they do on the field trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any CURRENT parents of the newly split upcounty middle school programs please comment on how it’s going so far? How are the staff? The workload? The student body dynamics and school environment (both magnet and non-magnet population)? Would you recommend the programs to others? Better than you expected or worse?

Has MLK said anything about the 8th grade humanities New York City field trip next year?

This year's Clemente 8th grade humanities New York City field trip costs $1243 plus more money for transportation, food, and tips. And you can't not go. And the so-called scholarships consist of the magnet program coordinator hitting the other parents up for cash. Seriously problematic.

The 8th grade math/sci Boston field trip has its own issues.

Are they going for 2 weeks? That is an insane amount of money for food, hotel where there will probably be 4 kids to a room and activities. Hard NO. I would not send my child.

I don’t understand parents who want their child in these programs and then don’t want to actually follow the program. It’s just just balking at the N.Y. Trip. It’s not wanting their child to do group projects. And not wanting their child to spend hours outside of school researching. Or taking their child out of school for a week or longer for a family vacation. Why take a seat that could have gone to a child from a fully committed family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don’t understand parents who want their child in these programs and then don’t want to actually follow the program. It’s just just balking at the N.Y. Trip. It’s not wanting their child to do group projects. And not wanting their child to spend hours outside of school researching. Or taking their child out of school for a week or longer for a family vacation. Why take a seat that could have gone to a child from a fully committed family?

Why does "full commitment" have to involve a $1,300 field trip?

[Anonymous]

They should have some student fundraising for that amount of cost...not just hitting up parents.

[Anonymous]

Seriously... Why complain now?

Wonder if these people pay attention before they decided to send their child to the program. We knew it will be a trip in the 8th grade and cost a lot of money. They told us at the informational meeting. This is not a surprise. Plan ahead.

[Anonymous]

The Clemente program has a newsletter/blog that is updated periodically. The latest post is about the 7th grade trip to the Green Bank telescope (3 day trip). http://magnet.robertoclemente.org/

My kid is really enjoying the program as a 6th grader and the teachers and faculty have been awesome. The principal has a comp sci background and does a great job communicating with the magnet kids. Very happy to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... Why complain now?

Wonder if these people pay attention before they decided to send their child to the program. We knew it will be a trip in the 8th grade and cost a lot of money. They told us at the informational meeting. This is not a surprise. Plan ahead.

Please explain why the program has to have a required trip in 8th grade that costs a lot of money. If the choices are

1. magnet program, including mandatory 8th grade field trip that costs a lot of money
2. no magnet program

then I want

3. magnet program, but no mandatory 8th grade field trip that costs a lot of money

[Anonymous]

There is no magnet program without the field trip. That’s what makes it an interdisciplinary magnet program. If you just want harder individual courses for Larla, stay at your home school with those new classes that they’ve developed.

The field trip is an amazing experience. You have three years to save for it. It will change your child in an extremely positive way.