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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have one kid curently at BCC and had another kid go to Walter Johnson, 5 years ago. So I cannot offer a direct comparison with WW, but I can compare WJ with BCC. WJ is way more academic than BCC, and I'll wager that WW is too.

WJ's top AP classes are better attended, consistently, every year, which helps with course planning, whereas BCC has had very annoying problems with enrollment predictions for AP Chem and other higher-level classes, because numbers of interested students are not consistent every year. This has led to my kid registering for AP Chem, for example, only to be told at the last minute that the school only planned for one class, reserved for seniors and juniors and that they (sophomore) should take something else. This is irritating when you've just taken Honors Chem and want to continue, so as not to forget any content. You'd think BCC would poll the kids who take Honors level science classes and plan for them going into AP classes the following year... but the Principal who left last year was notoriously disorganized and not at all up to the task - many parents were fed up with him, me included :-) From the little I've seen of our current acting Principal, whom MCPS dragged out of retirement, he seems to be a lot better.

IB is great for kids who want to go into the Humanities, and it offers better writing opportunities. STEM APs go beyond what is offered in IB math and science classes, so kids who are more STEM-oriented might prefer to stick with APs. World languages are are also higher level at the AP level.

Other than that, BCC has a lot more socio-economic and ethnic diversity than WJ and WW. WW particularly is known to be "lily white".

In terms of violent incidents, honestly, they happen at all high schools. I hope discipline at BCC can be better addressed with the acting Principal. So far, so good. A far cry from last year and the year before...

[/quote]

Just so we're dealing in facts, Mr. Yates was not dragged out of retirement. He was never actually retired. He gave his notice, then was immediately tapped for Blair for a year, then B-CC. [/quote]

PP you replied to. Sorry! I thought he'd retired then returned. And despite my lasting resentment against the previous BCC Principal, I want to add that not every problem can be laid at his door. One of the violent perpetrators in previous years was a repeat offender, and perhaps he's not at BCC anymore, I don't know. I know some counselors are great (my kid had such a one last year), and others entirely unresponsive. My kid reports that most of the math department appears to be pretty solid, with some really excellent teachers: she loves her current AP Calc BC teacher. Interestingly, my older kid's Walter Johnson AP Calc BC teacher was really bad, but all his other teachers were great. At BCC, the really bad teacher my younger kid has had so far is the newly hired AP Physics C teacher - apparently that specific class is difficult to hire for, because the material is very advanced for high school and the physics people who can teach it generally don't want to be public school teachers :-)

Anyway. Lots of variability that is hard to plan for, OP. You also want to consider your commute, proximity to public transport, and what housing you can find and love in which neighborhood. We live in a SFH next to Bethesda Elementary school and love our neighborhood.[/quote]

Wasn't principal at Damascus HS? Then retired? Then went to Blair HS for a year after their principal retired? And for the current school year came to BCC HS?[/quote]

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