My sense is that if the TPES administration could choose they would stop calling themselves a magnet.

I don't think they should really call themselves a magnet since it's a general admission school for all children in boundary. In DC I think this is called school-wide enrichment.

And its' fine really because I don't really think gifted and talented screening is that meaningful for students below third grade.

That does make sense -- thanks for the explanation.

I live in Takoma Park but don't have school aged kids yet. However, they will attend TPES when it's time. This is how the magnet was explained to me by someone very much in the know "the magnet was originally created to bring more higher performing kids into the school but as the demographics of Takoma Park changed this became unnecessary. Now they still offer some slots for kids whose needs cannot be met at their home school but all children attending TPES have access to the 'magnet resources' if they need it."

While TPES is a wonderful school and I'll be thrilled to send my children there I believe most people don't believe the magnet is worth it if it means a long commute for you unless your child absolutely has no peers performing at his or her own level at your neighborhood school. Make sense?

I'm the parent of a kindergartener at a MCPS school and I just do not understand the TPES magnet program. I'm not planning to apply for my kid for a variety of reasons (not the least of which is that my home school hasn't mentioned TPES at all, so presumably my kid is fine where she is), but I still wish I understand exactly what the point of the TPES magnet is.

According to their website and the presentation posted there, "TPES is a magnet school that serves all students in the school". They have ~185 students in each of 1st and 2nd grade in TPES as a whole (~370 total students), and 229 students are in the magnet program. Of the 229 students in the magnet, ~15/grade (30 total) are out-of-boundary kids. So ~60% of the students zoned for TPES are in the magnet, and 15 students from the rest of MCPS are accepted each year.

They still follow curriculum 2.0, but offer acceleration to "all students who warrant it". And "TPES does not have a separate program for magnet students. All services are for all students at our school."

What does all this actually mean? Are they somehow providing a better, more enriched education to 60% of their students, which isn't offered at other MCPS elementary schools? If so, why aren't other school doing the same? How is what they offer so different from the other schools such that it's worth it to send a child there as a magnet out-of-bound student? Does having a cohort of 15 highly able students distributed throughout the classrooms matter that much?

Can anybody explain what the purpose of the TPES magnet program is?

So where do they go if not Takoma es? Also on their website it states the program is enrichment for all the magnet is not a special program.

Anonymous wrote:The school is 88% in boundary. If you live in boundary for takoma do you have to apply to get in too or go automatically? If so it sounds to me like it's not a true magnet, they are offering enriched/advanced curriculum to all and pulling in gifted/bright kids from other areas to bring the average of the class up. Or otherwise takoma is like like lake woebegon....

It's application and test based. Not all in-bounds students are in the magnet.

The school is 88% in boundary. If you live in boundary for takoma do you have to apply to get in too or go automatically? If so it sounds to me like it's not a true magnet, they are offering enriched/advanced curriculum to all and pulling in gifted/bright kids from other areas to bring the average of the class up. Or otherwise takoma is like like lake woebegon....

I went but wasn't allowed in because I had my toddler. They did say no children when advertising for the meeting, but I assumed that they were referring to the school-aged children who would be applying for entrance. I asked for the paperwork and it was the same exact thing available on their website, so I learned nothing new.
I know I made a mistake with my assumption that bringing my toddler was okay, but the office staff was extremely rude to me, and my husband and I decided to no longer apply our child in the program for a few different reasons. They said it was against school policy to have infants and toddlers in the building. I asked if they were allowed at any school events, and they said that daycare was provided for things such as PTA meetings. We didn't feel good after our interactions there this morning, and so I'm glad we went and can cross it off our list. More space for you! It is too far for us, and not worth dealing with rude staff.

Meant to attend the meeting this morning, but was unable due to unforeseen circumstances. Those who went - what did you find out in terms of curriculum/differences between what the students learn vs. regular 2.0 curriculum? How great benefit vs. home school? What kind of students are a good fit for the program? Anything else? If anyone received handouts they would be willing to share, I would be appreciative!

bump. anyone else with past experience in this program, and thoughts on how it has worked with students ahead of the curriculum?

I heard that takoma es has 220 kindergarteners this year! Will they really still add out of bounds kids in 1st grade?

We're a few years out of the program at TPES. For us, home school was a disaster in terms of meeting child's needs. No peer group and no administration willingness to deal with child's needs.

TPES had a stronger peer group overall, not just from kids who came into school out of boundary through the program.

Thankfully, we live in a nearby neighborhood, so commute was simple.

Worth it for us. Not sure it would be worth it for a child whose needs are being met and/or who would have a long bus ride to attend the school.

We are thinking of applying our kindergartner for the magnet at Takoma park elementary 1-2 grade program. I have looked through the power point on their website, and plan on attending the parent info meeting coming up. The question I have is that if there is such a small ratio of out-of-area kids brought there and mixed with in-boundary kids, what really makes it different than a regular classroom where kids are also grouped according to their skill? I know its a magnet for certain areas, not a HGC, but it just doesn't make much sense. I'm justing trying to think if the extra time driving there, application process, and removing my kid from their current social setting is worth any possible improvement.
Any comments with experience there or knowledge about their program would be appreciated. Thanks!