Reply to I fear for the future of Einstein.

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Reply to "I fear for the future of Einstein."

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You parents flipping out about MVC are nuts. I'm not delighted about eliminating the DCC but it is what it is. There will still be choice options for your child to go to a STEM magnet and [b] enhancing the science offerings at Einstein could well lead to MVC being offered in future years [/b] if there are class fulls of students on that track. That said, your kids must be young because you don't have to drive them to MC. By the time they are taking it, they can drive themselves.[/quote]

The regional model didn’t set a STEM program at Einstein, did it? Why Einstein will necessarily get higher level offering in the future? Previously STEM-strong kids in Einstein can choose Wheaton engineering or Blair SMCS, and now they can only choose Blair SMCS, so I can understand why that MVC parent was so irritated.

However, Blair SMCS will be less competitive in the future, so hopefully the STEM-strong kids in region 1 will have an easier leeway in the future.[/quote]

The latest proposal puts a biomedical program at Einstein https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DMJHXR4AA9BD/$file/Boundary%20Studies%20Program%20Analysis%20Update%20251016%20PPT%20REV.pdf

But who knows since they keep changing things reactively to respond to the people who scream the loudest[/quote]

It would be nice if they asked parents and students what they wanted.  I cannot imagine that will be that popular.  Enhance the arts and other electives, add stem-ap and leave the ib and humanities.  That will make it so there is a little bit for everyone. The biomedical is fine for a cna but not a future doctor or researcher.  [/quote]

It’s extremely frustrating. Their Performing Arts Pathways slide is very reminiscent of Einstein’s VAPA pathway—actually, not just reminiscent, it’s practically identical. So I don’t understand why Einstein can’t have the full Performing Arts Regional program if it’s clearly so heavily influenced by what we already have. Einstein should have the regional Visual Arts and Performing Arts programs—it’s only fair.[/quote]

[b]I really think it's because Einstein will not have enough seats to host a popular regional program like that. [/b]They're trying to solve for overcrowding there and also fill up the new seats at Northwood.[/quote]

Translation: “Einstein should be given s*** because that’s what they can handle.” The only reason MCPS gave Northwood that program is because of a new shiny building, that’s it. I seriously believe that they thought Einstein wouldn’t fight back, which is why they’re starting to change their tune.[/quote]

They have been fighting. Writing letters, going to the BOE and other meetings.  You think central office cares?   [/quote]

Yes? I mean, they added criteria-based music and biomedical science magnets for Einstein in this week's update. In addition to the criteria-based VAC.[/quote]

And also clarified that VAPA and IB will remain as local programs.[/quote]

They can always end a program due to "lack of interest" at any time[/quote]

That seems reasonable.[/quote]

In other words they are making several changes that will reduce the numbers of students interested in local programs at Einstein. These changes include:
- putting the IB magnet at BCC 
- putting the theater and dance magnet at Northwood
- Reducing enrollment at Einstein (reducing over is good, but it comes with unintended negative consequences that interact with the two items above).
 
Putting the music and biomedical programs.at Einstein is an interesting idea that [b]might[/b] mitigate these issues,[b] but for now it sounds like they will be new unfunded programs. So there is a lot of uncertainty there.[/b]

BCC and Whitman, on the other hand, only stand to gain from these proposals.[/quote]

But if they had put the IB and/or theatre and dance magnets at Einstein those would be just as new and as unfunded as the other regional magnets. (Einstein has never had criteria-based magnet programs other than VAC.)[/quote]

Isn't the IB staying so what does it matter if its a magnet or not?

The problem is that the music/theater and dance kids all intermix in the different disciplines, so it would be nice to have them all strong programs but they can be strong without the "magnet" label. [/quote]

They have caveated everything with "if there is interest". They are telling people Einstein will keep VAPA and IB. But Einstein's IB program is small (60-80 kids) so if 20-50 of them go to BCC, MCPS night say oh well not enough interest here sorry bye. And the 10-60 kids left at Einstein that want to do IB at any given time are out of luck. Maybe having the biomedical program can help to keep some of the IB classes but it seems quite uncertain that future Einstein students will be able to pursue the IB diploma at Einstein.[/quote]

But are you asking them to commit to maintaining a program even if there isn't enough interest in the future? Why would they do that?[/quote]

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