Reply to Einstein vs. Northwood, and how does school choice in the DCC work?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, I'm sorry that I misread your previous statement about 9th grade classes.  My worry for a student taking Algebra 1 and Foreign Language 1 in 9th grade in MCPS would be that your student may be in classes with a lot of students who are academic strugglers, troublemakers, or very new to the English language.  This might be non-PC of me to say.  My DC started a new language in 9th grade and was really disappointed.  It's not like Foreign Language 1 in any private school I know of.  The strong MCPS students already took Foreign Language 1 in 6th or 7th grade.  The weaker students wait to take it in 9th.  Some older students are retaking Foreign Language 1 for the 2nd or 3rd time in order to pass.  I am not making this up.  The exception would be Japanese 1, which will have motivated 9th graders who haven't studied it before.

It will likely be a similar situation in Algebra 1, which is not available as an honors class.  The worst math students in the entire high school are going to be in Algebra 1.  Likely, some are retaking it in order to pass.

I have known students who were behind in math, with other academic strengths.  I have known students who were behind in foreign language (often with learning disabilities), who had other academic strengths.  I would worry about a former private school student who has to take the lower level offerings in both.

Have you considered Duke Ellington in DC (costs less than a private) or DeMatha in Hyattsville?  At both schools, there should be a strong work ethic demanded of academically average students while providing an excellent music education.

I'd love to see the Einstein band gain your son, but I would want to make sure that he is going to get the academic atmosphere that you are looking for.[/quote]

I think it's odd that, without knowing anything about my kid other than that his parent thinks he's fantastic and he plays an instrument you assume that other kids on his level are terrible, but he's not and should be rescued from them.  [/quote]

OP, this person is a bit to obsessed with AP and honors but in MCPS many regular classes are now called honors so that doesn't mean much.  The concern is many regular and above kids take algebra now in 7th or 8th so the kids taking it in 9th are going to be kids who are struggling a bit.  Both schools you are looking at are very diverse.  Privates have a different math than MCPS.  MCPS has choices for kids starting in 6th so even a few kids take Algebra in 6th.   Most of the kids are great kids, but you will get a huge mix if he waits for Algebra in 9th an in MCPS its usually the kids who are weaker, struggling or other needs who start Algebra in 9th (even though for us it was very common to start Algebra in 9th in MCPS but things have changed).  In your private, that's a normal schedule of math for kids.

Many kids who play instruments are very bright and this poster doesn't realize not all privates offer choices in math or offer Algebra before 9th (it was one of our hesitations of going private as MCPS is a nightmare right now).

MCPS now pushes kids who are academically on target to start a foreign language in either 6th or 7th depending on the program/schedule they have to offer.

Your child will do great at Einstein, but the just know that many kids, even "average" kids will be further ahead in math.  The band kids and group have a great reputation.[/quote]

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