Reply to Any feedback on Loiderman, Argyle or Parkland Magnet Programs?

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Reply to "Any feedback on Loiderman, Argyle or Parkland Magnet Programs?"

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[quote=Anonymous]We live in-bounds for the MSMC. Here's what I know:

-DCUM claims they're not real magnets because they are lottery-based, rather than merit-based admission. There, that's been covered, now we can move on.
-All three schools have an 8-period block schedule (4 long classes per day). This means the students have the 5 core classes and 3 electives, rather than just 2 electives. It also lends to a more balanced workload, imo.
-Loiederman is girl-heavy and has a good vibe not just for artsy/theatre kids, but also kids who are a little quirky or have trouble fitting in.
-Loiederman is the arts magnet, but the focus is really on performing arts. If your child loves drawing but is not interested in singing/theatre, they might be disappointed. 
-Parkland has a STEM focus, but it also has a decent variety of art classes. One of DD's friends was so sure she wanted Loiederman, but after going to all three open houses, she realized she could still get the art classes she liked (all visual) at Parkland and have more options for other subjects.
-Argyle has a reputation for being a bit of a dumping ground, possibly because the focus is vague and narrow at the same time. In-boundary students who are placed late often end up there because it's the only one with space. However, another of DD's friends is adamant about being a video game designer and loves it.
-Parkland and Loiederman have the stronger school spirit and seem to have more students who are specifically chose the school for its magnet focus. Argyle has some like that too, but it's just not as obvious. Every kid I know at Loiederman loves art.
-Loiederman is also pretty LGBTQ-friendly. That isn't to say the others aren't, I just know that Loiederman has a big culture of it.
-somewhat random, but because a handful of ESes feed into three different middle schools,  there might be only 25 6th graders from any given ES. That means that there are likely few friendship cliques already established, so a student from an out-of-boundary school is not facing a group of kids who have all been together their whole lives. Most kids are new to each other.

I'm least familiar with Argyle because it is the furthest away from our home ES (Viers Mill), but friends and neighbors with kids at Parkland and Loiederman all seem happy with their choice. The complaints about school I hear from them, from my kids, and have myself are not unique to MSMC, but are general middle school problems that you'd find anywhere.

DCUM likes to dump on MSMC and generally any school with many ESL and/or FARMs students. My kids are not in those two categories, but I am glad they attend schools that have a chunk of that population. They are learning how to socially maneuver around people who have different backgrounds and perspectives, and their friendship circles are diverse.

Anyway, that's my MSMC spiel for the 2024 selection season. Good luck! If you're out of boundary, you can always give it a try and go back to the home school if it's not a good fit.[/quote]

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