Blair SMCS Program October 23 info session

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

Can you please tell the MAP score of your child? Some say it should be in 300s?

About 350

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

Can you please tell the MAP score of your child? Some say it should be in 300s?

About 350

Is this for real? How do you get a 350 in the 8th grade? Is the student in calculus or higher level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

No you can't. Unless you're just making things up. Cite your source.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

He said so during the presentation.

A Blair teacher committed that all the current SMCS program offerings would remain through the 4 years the current 8th graders are at Blair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

Can you please tell the MAP score of your child? Some say it should be in 300s?

About 350

Did anyone ask this question during the info session? The DCUM responses are often crazy and seem like other parents trying to scare away applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

Can you please tell the MAP score of your child? Some say it should be in 300s?

About 350

Did anyone ask this question during the info session? The DCUM responses are often crazy and seem like other parents trying to scare away applicants

PP with a SMCS junior here. That 350 post is just joking. That’s the full score of MAP test that technically unreachable. Anecdotally speaking,300 is a robust point to guarantee an offer at maybe 90%+ confidence level. 285 is roughly the median score. And essay matters if your MAP scores or competition record are not impressive.

[Anonymous]

DC got in two years ago with a 273. I thought that was closer to the median but maybe it has changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC got in two years ago with a 273. I thought that was closer to the median but maybe it has changed.

The numbers provided on this Board are all over the place and anonymous people have their own incentives to report information in certain ways. That's why it would have been good to attend the SMCS session and hear it directly from them. Or if MCPS actually managed communications appropriately and did a video of the session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

No you can't do that. What are you smoking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

No you can't. Unless you're just making things up. Cite your source.

Sources is personally knowing the NMSF kids at Blair

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

No you can't do that. What are you smoking?

Mom, what's a percentile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

He said so during the presentation.

A Blair teacher committed that all the current SMCS program offerings would remain through the 4 years the current 8th graders are at Blair?

No he didn’t. He said that they would be guaranteed to complete the program but that if the proposals go through they will almost certainly have to cut the electives offerings in 11th and 12th grade Freon what is offered currently

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the 4 schools?

I know three are Blair, Wootton, and Churchill. It was in some slides presented at one of the BOE meetings. I don’t know the fourth.

It’s not like Wootton and Churchill are the closest schools to Blair, suggesting proximity isn’t the main driver of who utilizes the program.

Ah someone posted the data above. The fourth is WJ.

Yet Whitman and BCC are further away and send relatively few kids to the program. BCC and Whitman have more NMSF than the above schools, so it's hard to argue that they're lacking in talent there.

The schools above send many of their MMSF to Blair which is why Blair is typically so well represented. Even saying Blair (which is the biggest high school in the county) is one of the biggest feeders to SMCS is disingenuous. Even with the leg up of anchored slots in the middle school magnets for Takoma Park that feed SMCS, Blair only sends a small group of kids every year (less than 10) per grade (Out of a freshman class of almost 1000) out of the 110 magnet admissions per grade. Hell the county most likely bumped it up from 100 to get the couple of local kids in. Truth is 261 kids from the 5 Ws take up 60% of the total slots and the other 12 High schools only manage 40% combined. That 60/40 split doesn't even take into account it isn't prioritized or pushed at BCC and Whitman where the need to hunt for peer group is minimal and money provides way more access to colleges than any course load in a public school will ever hope to.

Truth is that without that influx of talent into Blair it will fall precipitously in standing and test scores in the new reginal model

The special Blair curriculum does not exist to give kids good PSAT scores. Parents provide their kids test prep independently of school offerings, just as many parents put their kids in MAP test prep to get into Blair.

760 Math before they even enter 9th grade, and 730 verbal definitely isn't coming from listening to audiobooks in English class.

What evidence do you have that all these Blair students took the PSAT before 9th grade and got those scores?

You can impute PSAT scores from MAP scores from that cohort.

No you can't. Unless you're just making things up. Cite your source.

Sources is personally knowing the NMSF kids at Blair

Yes, you have to be one of the in-crowd already to get this privileged information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they can't at least post the slides from *this* year's presentation.

so the person upthread posted slides from last year's Blair presentation? Sigh.

No. The person upthread shared the link that was shared at the presentation. Definitely that link, i just checked.

Yes It is this year’s presentation. Bad news is that it is fairly useless in terms of content

What additional content do you want to know? There are parents on this forum who may be able to help, unless you’re wondering about stuff like potential changes due to the regional programs.

As a parent of a SMCS junior, I can't answer if all the upper-level electives are going to remain selectable for next year's new students. I bet Mr. O doesn't know either.

Can you please tell the MAP score of your child? Some say it should be in 300s?

About 350

Did anyone ask this question during the info session? The DCUM responses are often crazy and seem like other parents trying to scare away applicants

PP with a SMCS junior here. That 350 post is just joking. That’s the full score of MAP test that technically unreachable. Anecdotally speaking,300 is a robust point to guarantee an offer at maybe 90%+ confidence level. 285 is roughly the median score. And essay matters if your MAP scores or competition record are not impressive.

Complete and utter speculation.