Errors in the new MCPS program website

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

[Anonymous]

From the FAQs:
Are students required to apply to a regional program?
No. Most students will attend and thrive in their home high school. Regional programs are optional for students who want to go deeper in a particular field or theme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After looking at so many half-baked pathways on that site, I am beginning to see the strategy.

Classes, teachers, that is all secondary. The idea is to create many mini cohorts of students with similar interests and hope that they will lift each other up. That is why they are adding random magnets with no vision on how to execute them whatsoever. They expect that kids will figure it out.

So people trying to nitpick about specific classes, and why is physics going before calculus, and why is business class in the art magnet, are just wasting their time. The architects of this model don't believe that is important at this stage and expect that kids will figure it out over time and that programs will evolve accordingly.

It is ironic that this approach is what some equity advocates resent the most. Their belief is that their kids are capable but don't have access to right resources. If only they had access to some class with a fancy name, like MVC, the sky would be limit. This model is telling them - the only resource you are gonna get is other smart kids; observe them and learn from them.

It is actually not a bad concept. However, it will not help introvert kids, and parents with no resources, nor energy and time, to supplement weak curriculums through extra activities (AoPS, RSM, ...) will stay frustrated.

Do you have high school kids in advanced classes? AP physics is a calc based class and heavy math. Kids cannot easily figure it out and much of it isn’t offered at the lesser schools which is the bigger issue. Kids cannot travel to other schools with parents providing transportation. That alone is a huge divide. The limited offerings at some schools is a huge divide. The fact that principals have refused to provide classes listed in this slides at their schools in years past, will make these programs nonexistent. What it will come down to, like now is the principal. There is no reason Mcps cannot align the high school schedules and offer advanced classes virtually or have teachers do split days at two nearby schools, if necessary and pay them a transportation stipend and give them one less class to travel back and forth. So many creative options. Or, bus the kids between schools that do offer the classes. Smart kids not at the W schools, BCC, Blair or Wheaton will continue not to get their needs met, like now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the FAQs:
Are students required to apply to a regional program?
No. Most students will attend and thrive in their home high school. Regional programs are optional for students who want to go deeper in a particular field or theme.

Thrive…that’s subjective. They will attend and make do with what the school has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

Tell her to pick something or you pick and if she doesn’t like it she can always go back to her home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me or are these programs not even close to the same, even though they have similar names and descriptions?

Environmental Science & Leadership
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/regional-programs-and-themes/environmental-science--leadership/

Global Ecology and Leadership
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/regional-programs-and-themes/global-ecology/

It's like Poolesville gets to keep the good ecology program and everyone else gets the Dollar Store version.

Yup. This is what happens when you go with an "asset based" model-- schools with good programs get to keep theirs and schools with crappy programs get to keep theirs and then you just claim they're the same thing and say Equity Equity Equity as loud as you can and the people who aren't paying close enough attention laud you for your great and bold improvements to the system...

Basically, this is a lot of time and funding spent to get basically nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the FAQs:
Are students required to apply to a regional program?
No. Most students will attend and thrive in their home high school. Regional programs are optional for students who want to go deeper in a particular field or theme.

Another error- you can't even find the FAQs from the website linked in the email. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/regional-programs-and-themes/regional-model-overview/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

And unless the high school program is one that has been in place for a while, it's likely to be garbage in the first few years, as Taylor is building the plane as it flies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

That's what MCPS never analyzed: what appeals to students. These programs reflect state or county priorities, not priorities of students, parents, teachers, or principals.

That being said, students shouldn't feel pressured to apply to anything. Central office will probably try to get as many kids as possible to submit applications but don't feel like you have to commit to a program just because your child gets a spot.

The admissions numbers are going to be so small that kids may be one of only one or two students from their middle school attending a program. There's no guarantee that any of the programs will be better than what a student can get in their home school, since program curriculum will be written one year at a time for the first four years. There are a lot of unknowns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

And unless the high school program is one that has been in place for a while, it's likely to be garbage in the first few years, as Taylor is building the plane as it flies.

I think the current local programs in non-consortia schools will fare the best. Like the Whitman engineering program is going to be totally fine. With the Blair SMCS, I don't know. Same with Einstein VAC. It depends on how many staff leave for other schools. But yes at least they have an existing framework to work with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

And unless the high school program is one that has been in place for a while, it's likely to be garbage in the first few years, as Taylor is building the plane as it flies.

They are not giving schools additional resources and teachers and with the redistricting schools will be losing teachers and staff so there is no good way to make this work if they are adding classes. Who will teach them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

And unless the high school program is one that has been in place for a while, it's likely to be garbage in the first few years, as Taylor is building the plane as it flies.

I think the current local programs in non-consortia schools will fare the best. Like the Whitman engineering program is going to be totally fine. With the Blair SMCS, I don't know. Same with Einstein VAC. It depends on how many staff leave for other schools. But yes at least they have an existing framework to work with.

Agree. I think it will depend a lot on if the teachers are happy at the school and feel supported.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can someone clarify whether a student has to select one of these programs? Can they enroll in their home school and take a variety of classes including APs but not specialize in anything?

For example, I think my kid would like a humanities program but Whitman is a treacherous commute. Could he just do humanities and AP english classes at Einstein?

Of course students can stay in their home schools and not specialize in anything. The majority of students will be like that.

The fact that people are confused about this shows just how bad MCPS comms are.

Thanks, I'm the poster of that question and felt gaslit that the answer wasn't on the MCPS website- the ParentVue/Email we got yesterday made it seem like you had to pick a program!

It seems like MCPS is over-estimating the number of 8th-graders who have a specific academic/career plan and are ready to specialize.

My kid's middle school just announced a Parent Night to present and answer questions on this topic. It does say on the website that most kids will go to their home schools and not specialize, but my daughter is agonizing over all of the choices she has. Nothing looks super-appealing to her and she feels pressured to pick something just because the choice is being offered.

That's what MCPS never analyzed: what appeals to students. These programs reflect state or county priorities, not priorities of students, parents, teachers, or principals.

That being said, students shouldn't feel pressured to apply to anything. Central office will probably try to get as many kids as possible to submit applications but don't feel like you have to commit to a program just because your child gets a spot.

The admissions numbers are going to be so small that kids may be one of only one or two students from their middle school attending a program. There's no guarantee that any of the programs will be better than what a student can get in their home school, since program curriculum will be written one year at a time for the first four years. There are a lot of unknowns.


Kids should apply and if they don’t want it, just decline. Some will get better access to higher level classes not at their home school, as well as extra curricular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wanna have some fun? Look through the new regional program website for all the errors MCPS didn't catch before taking it live. My favorite is the front page on the button for regions where they left template text in so it says "This is a wider card with supporting text below as a natural lead-in to additional content. This card has even longer content than the first to show that equal height action."

"AP Enrollment in Music Theory junior year" is another good one.



https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/regional-programs-and-themes/program-themes/

Wow. The M.ad M.omm.ies of M.oC.o are really deranged. Imagine being so unbalanced that you would post something like this and expect people to guffaw knowingly.

You’re replying on Page 5 of the thread so…

Taylor and crew just got into work. They had a tough day yesterday getting berated at the Council. Attacking parents is how he relieves stress.

They were berated by the Council? Oh I've got to watch that.

So MCPS and Board President Grace Rivera-Oven had to defend their CIP to the Council. Watching now to see how hard the Council went in on them.

Ok. So the confrontational part seemed to start when Friedson challenged Taylor on whether he'd been transparent and engaged with the public about the relocation of the bus sites.

Taylor looked like he wanted to get up and punch Friedson. He was very spicy and feisty. Essie appeared flustered as she always does. What a horrible chief of staff pick.

If Friedson were to become County Exec, it'd be interesting to see how he and Taylor would work together....

[Anonymous]

Good teachers will come to Crown/Wooton.