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

[Anonymous]

At least this year, the 4th grade CES at CCES does not mix with the other grades at lunch and recess - the 5th grade CES does though. It’s a space/scheduling issue, not intended to keep the kids separate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no interaction at all between CES and non-CES students in 4th (don’t know about 5th). Not kn lunch, recess, or instrumental music. Everything is completely separate.

And non-CES students are on there for 3 years, so they don’t have a huge leg up on the sense of community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no interaction at all between CES and non-CES students in 4th (don’t know about 5th). Not kn lunch, recess, or instrumental music. Everything is completely separate.

And non-CES students are on there for 3 years, so they don’t have a huge leg up on the sense of community.

I guess they’ve changed the schedule the past couple of years. The home school kids have been going to school together since K, just at two different schools because of the Rosemary Hills split.

[Anonymous]

It is unfair for both CCES and NCC kids to have to attend two schools for K-5 as well as separate from RH friends. I think the parents have more issues with this set-up rather than the CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is unfair for both CCES and NCC kids to have to attend two schools for K-5 as well as separate from RH friends. I think the parents have more issues with this set-up rather than the CES.

This arrangement has been in place since the mid-70s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

There is no interaction at all between CES and non-CES students in 4th (don’t know about 5th). Not kn lunch, recess, or instrumental music. Everything is completely separate.

And non-CES students are on there for 3 years, so they don’t have a huge leg up on the sense of community.

I guess they’ve changed the schedule the past couple of years. The home school kids have been going to school together since K, just at two different schools because of the Rosemary Hills split.

RHES has 7-8 class per year, and half the kids go to NCC. Many kids at CCES who attended RHES never knew one another there. And lots of kids enter CCES without having gone to RHES. There is no reason that the CES families can't become a part of the community, but the school doesn't make it easy by not having the kids mix. The only place where they would see one another at school is in paid after-school enrichment activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is unfair for both CCES and NCC kids to have to attend two schools for K-5 as well as separate from RH friends. I think the parents have more issues with this set-up rather than the CES.

This arrangement has been in place since the mid-70s.

Yes, in place since the mid-70s when it was thought that having one black elementary and 4 white elementaries in the same cluster was more unfair than the school pairing that evened out racial and socioeconomic segregation.

I’m a Parent who graduated from Chevy Chase ES and BCC and who sent my own kids there. My alum friends and I would like current parents to stop whining about the school pairing. We all benefited from it. A Chevy Chase that is mostly white and wealthy is a toxic experience for kids. Stop looking at things as glass half full. An old friend goes to a new school and your kid goes to a different one. It’s an opportunity to make new friends AND keep the old ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CC is in an odd position because the feeder schools are all pretty good and I think most have ELC so there needs to be some persuasive reason to go there. I think it’s very disruptive socially to leave for 2 years so would not be inclined to do it unless they are very extroverted and make friends easily. I think it’s particularly hard for girls of that age to switch groups and then have to re-enter the neighborhood school in 2 years. When my kids went, it was very heavy on CC local kids for these reasons. I don’t think there were any KP kids, for instance.

But why KP? KP doesn’t implement ELC. I thought the parents at non ELC school were inclined to send their kids to CES. I’m one of them.