Reply to Chevy Chase CES Parents -- How's it going?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the regional CES programs could still be beneficial at lower performing schools. This particular one just doesn't seem to make sense anymore and it really doesn't justify the cost of those teachers.
There's no way CCES needs a local program. They have terrific teachers who are not part of the program and that school has a great number of high performing kids. If anything I think getting rid of the CES from there would be beneficial to the school. There has always been tension and resentment between the local kids and the CES kids.[/quote]

I don’t know if this tension/resentment narrative between the kids is actually fair or true. My sense is there are some parents of local kids who are high performing and capable but maybe not quite at the cut off level of MAPs the CES used to use. These families don’t even have access to ELC as of now and so they are frustrated seeing the magnet kids get curriculum their kids could likely handle and benefit from. I’d be annoyed and frustrated in that situation too. But I really don’t think there’s any issues at all between the kids. They mix at recess and in band, etc.

I disagree that they should get rid of the program. Then no one gets the accelerated and enriched programming? We can debate how they should determine eligibility and clearly not many are fans of this lottery. But actual gifted children do learn differently and their needs aren’t just automatically met by virtue of attending a neighborhood school in Bethesda or CC. [/quote]

At CCES, the kids don’t mix at all. They don’t have recess together, instrumental music, math, or specials (at least in 4th grade). There is definitely a tension and you are right—not offering ELC means that kids who qualified but didn’t get a spot are not getting nearly the equivalent education that they would in the CES program. It’s really too bad that CCES doesn’t offer ELC to kids outside of CES. [/quote]

I have a 5th grader. I think scheduling is different for 4th graders, but the 5th graders absolutely do mix at recess and instrumental music. And I agree wholeheartedly that ELC should be offered at every school. [/quote]

Before the CCES CES program was expanded in the fall 2018 to three classes (from two) because of the inclusion of the ES's in the Walter Johnson cluster, the CES kids had at least specials and instrumental music with the home school kids.  The principal at the open house the previous spring was asked whether it would continue, and she was non-committal because of the scheduling challenges with three CES classes per grade (4th grade only that first year).  Turned out it was not possible, and our kid had no interaction with students outside of the CES program other than lunch/recess and band.  Maybe it's changed since then, but sounds like it hasn't.  I forget the specific numbers, but it was three CES classes and four or five home school classes per grade.  No question that having a significant portion of the student body there for only two years and effectively separated from the rest of the school negatively affected the school "community."  Hard to see that issue not existing in any of the regional CES programs, however.

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