Lots of people with big chips are their shoulders here.

I'm glad we didn't go private and saved our money for college.

If you see your kid is struggling with executive function or anything like that, get it fixed sooner rather than later. I see kids on the tail end - about to graduate or already in college - who have executive function deficits/adhd/something that makes doing school work hard and it isn't pretty at this stage.

Not getting admitted to magnets is not end of world. Your kid can still do well in school.

Persistance and grit really are the keys.

Do not assume that "good" schools are less likely to have drug and alcohol problems, and that busyness, including athletics, is the key to decreasing kids' use of them. It helps, but it's not sufficient. "Good schools" - and the affluence associated with them - brings another dimension to the drug and alcohol issue with teens. Parents more likely to have parties, possibly condoning or turning a blind eye.

Also, beware the average student. Accelerated high flyer? MCPS loves them. Academic or other difficulties? MCPS has programs to help, and in some schools they're really effective. Middle of the road - meaning passing but perhaps not meeting potential - fall under the radar. It's hard to get teachers/admin to help in those situations. They're focused on the two extremes.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t assume the “W” schools are the only pathways to success. My kids went through a smaller, not as wealthy MCPS cluster, and they had amazing teachers. They also had great opportunities they may not have had at a larger school. Like getting on a sports team, being the leader of a club. Harder to do when there’s a bigger population of students.

School is what you make of it also. Don’t disparage the school in front of your kids because they will learn to put it down as well. If they have homework in ES that’s too easy for their level, tell them the importance of completing an assigned task, don’t write the teacher to announce your kid won’t be wasting their time. Over time they will learn diligence and responsibility, and when they get older they will carry those values and succeed.

It also makes college admissions easier.

Don’t assume the “W” schools are the only pathways to success. My kids went through a smaller, not as wealthy MCPS cluster, and they had amazing teachers. They also had great opportunities they may not have had at a larger school. Like getting on a sports team, being the leader of a club. Harder to do when there’s a bigger population of students.

School is what you make of it also. Don’t disparage the school in front of your kids because they will learn to put it down as well. If they have homework in ES that’s too easy for their level, tell them the importance of completing an assigned task, don’t write the teacher to announce your kid won’t be wasting their time. Over time they will learn diligence and responsibility, and when they get older they will carry those values and succeed.

I wish we went private. Best advice K-5th, supplement at home with workbooks yourself if you can and 6-12 hire a math and english tutor (you can do it cheaply online).

Middle school is really the hardest. I wish I had better solutions to keep them engaged in/excited about reading/writing/learning in middle school. The classes are super boring and it's precisely the time when kids are starting to sort of lose the interests in their childhood enthusiasms for animals or knights or wizards or greek mythology or whatever. Some clubs are effective at creating space for that, or some extracurriculars or vacations...I don't have great answers, but this is the time to dial in, I think. It's also when social groups totally fall apart and reform -- it's almsot like watching one of those plate tectonics videos where the whole earth shifts and continents break apart and then move back together.

Once they get to sophomore or junior year in HS, they have a lot of space to follow different interests -- which can be good or bad, depending on the kid, but I think is mostly good.

THere are also tons of options for getting credits out of the way that are not at all advertised and you only hear on the grapevine (like using the Mont College virtual option for Health). I'm not advocating for those -- but do wish there was more transparency around what the options actually are. One of my kids hates art and kept postponing it, and then was able to take a DE class at Mont College that was much more aligned with his interests but still met the art credit. He learned this just from friends.

[Gee, this is something the MCPS Comms people could do -- prepare simple materials about different options -- rather than bombarding me with five different iterations of the same messages that convey nothing.]

Keep it simple. They are kids not mini-adults. Don’t overdo the activities or coursework.

Secondary math pathways are about to undergo very significant changes, so I wouldn't focus too much on what current parents' experiences have been with them.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DQYNJV603722/$file/Strengthening%20Math%20Policy%20Practice%20260205%20PPT.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad we didn't waste money on private school.

Just keep your ears open for possibilities of fast-tracking at the secondary level, other than the official tracks the schools present to parents. Such as Algebra 1 in 6th grade - you need to ask that your kid test in.

No you should not need to.

Well, that's the reality for most schools, so just passing along the info.

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad we didn't waste money on private school.

Just keep your ears open for possibilities of fast-tracking at the secondary level, other than the official tracks the schools present to parents. Such as Algebra 1 in 6th grade - you need to ask that your kid test in.

No you should not need to.

Advocate your kids' school have those two parties. kids enjoy them

Anonymous wrote:I'm so glad we didn't waste money on private school.

Just keep your ears open for possibilities of fast-tracking at the secondary level, other than the official tracks the schools present to parents. Such as Algebra 1 in 6th grade - you need to ask that your kid test in.

Depends on school. If you have a competent admin team in ES, they can facilitate THAT for students for when they get to middle school. Most don't gaf.

I'm so glad we didn't waste money on private school.

Just keep your ears open for possibilities of fast-tracking at the secondary level, other than the official tracks the schools present to parents. Such as Algebra 1 in 6th grade - you need to ask that your kid test in.

Your advice to younger families. Your experiences good or bad from your / your kid(s)' time in MCPS?