Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teaching concepts is much more important than the appearance of physical plant or equipment.

Don’t get sold by a robotics lab. Get sold by meeting the teachers.

+100, visit the schools. Check out the websites between DCPS vs MCPS. If a website isn’t updated with current information, that in itself is an indicator of many holes.

No, it isn't. The web sites are run by parents at most DC schools anyway.

You just proved my point, why are parents updating websites? Shouldn’t that be the role & responsibility of the media specialist or the school based staff?

How does that illustrate holes in the school curriculum? It doesn't.

Ha ha ha - media specialist. That is a good one.

OP, not sure if this is applicable here but what specific kind of engineer does your child want to be? Magruder HS has a really cool aviation engineering program.

See website here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/magruderhs/departments/teched/aviation.aspx

See December 2019 newsletter here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/magruderhs/departments/teched/December%20Aviation%20Newsletter.pdf

See program brochure here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/magruderhs/departments/teched/Aviation%20Brochure%20updated%202019-20(1).pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teaching concepts is much more important than the appearance of physical plant or equipment.

Don’t get sold by a robotics lab. Get sold by meeting the teachers.

+100, visit the schools. Check out the websites between DCPS vs MCPS. If a website isn’t updated with current information, that in itself is an indicator of many holes.

No, it isn't. The web sites are run by parents at most DC schools anyway.

You just proved my point, why are parents updating websites? Shouldn’t that be the role & responsibility of the media specialist or the school based staff?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teaching concepts is much more important than the appearance of physical plant or equipment.

Don’t get sold by a robotics lab. Get sold by meeting the teachers.

+100, visit the schools. Check out the websites between DCPS vs MCPS. If a website isn’t updated with current information, that in itself is an indicator of many holes.

No, it isn't. The web sites are run by parents at most DC schools anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is unfortunate that Wilson hasn't updated its website in years on some pages.

Maybe if dcps provided more appropriate funding they would do this. They do not have the resources to do this - not a priority.

I know.

I copied this for you OP from a different post:

It appears that the bountiful of offerings of all kind of wonderful career oriented
magnets that MCPS offers is is not a common knowledge. Perhaps because they are relatively
new, or perhaps that they are not widely advertised. It is possible that outside of MCPS
parents, people do not realize the many great options that are offered every year at
more schools. MD Public School forum on DCUM, it is a place where the magnet
topic is well known and well discussed usually by parents who are considering the
options and want to learn more form those who have chosen those paths.

Here is an example of one of High Schools that have application-only (no testing required)
magnet programs. Wheaton High:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/academies/magnet.aspx
Wheaton High School Application-only Programs

Engineering
The Engineering Application-Only Program provides a cohort of highly motivated students with a rigorous math, science, and engineering sequence of courses. Students will experience hands-on and project based activities that promote the development of critical thinking skills. Students will become familiar with and explore multiple fields of engineering including aerospace, mechanical, civil, and electrical. Through the use of the engineering design process, students will create their own inventions or innovations to solve real world problems.

Biomedical
The Biomedical Application-Only Program provides a cohort of highly motivated students with a rigorous math, science, and medicine sequence of courses. Through a hands-on and collaborative approach, students will explore prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease in order to design innovative solutions for 21st century health challenges. Through the use of data acquisition software, students will monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflex, voluntary action, and respiration.


And below are few more.. you can research more about them on MCPS site directly:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/high/

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/high/


Global Ecology House
Poolesville HS


Visual Art Center
Albert Einstein HS


International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
John F. Kennedy HS
Springbrook HS
Watkins Mill HS

Humanities House
Poolesville HS

Biomedical Program
Wheaton HS

Communication Arts Program (CAP)
Montgomery Blair HS

Engineering Program
Wheaton HS

Leadership Training Institute (LTI)
John F. Kennedy

Clarksburg: P-Tech
Gaithersburg: PLTW Bio Science
Magruder: Aviation
Rockville: IB Career-related
Seneca Valley: College and Career
Watkins Mill: IB Career-related
Wheaton HS/ Edison HS partnership

Thomas Edison High School of Technology
Career Programs:
Arts, Humanities, Media, & Communication
Biosciences, Health Sciences, & Medicine
Human & Consumer Services, Hospitality & Tourism
Information Technologies
Construction & Development
Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics

Bottom line is, there are a LOT of different magnet offerings that are housed in different
High Schools and MCPS is expanding the concept to new schools. The good thing about
them is that the catchment area for the magnet is always beyond the school boundaries,
be it the whole county, half of it or more less a quarter.

Anonymous wrote:Teaching concepts is much more important than the appearance of physical plant or equipment.

Don’t get sold by a robotics lab. Get sold by meeting the teachers.

+100, visit the schools. Check out the websites between DCPS vs MCPS. If a website isn’t updated with current information, that in itself is an indicator of many holes.

Teaching concepts is much more important than the appearance of physical plant or equipment.

Don’t get sold by a robotics lab. Get sold by meeting the teachers.

Anonymous wrote:It is unfortunate that Wilson hasn't updated its website in years on some pages.

Maybe if dcps provided more appropriate funding they would do this. They do not have the resources to do this - not a priority.

It is unfortunate that Wilson hasn't updated its website in years on some pages.

Wilson labs are amazing.

Visit the robotics lab at Wilson. You will be sold

Go go MCPS but make sure that you can get what you want without having to test into a high school magnet. Getting into the Blair magnet isn’t a sure thing for anyone, and you want to know if your by right options are going to work for your kid. Not all high schools will have what you want there either.

Any families have experience with Wilson HS for kid with strong interest in engineering? I see they have the academy but have been told it's just an interest organization tool, not really a set curriculum of courses. Also have been told that course bulletin doesn't reflect actual courses offered so not sure--is any kid who is interested able to take key courses in CS and engineering design/robotics? Any experience with quality of instruction? We are leaving our current charter at middle school b/c the math/science offerings just aren't strong, but trying to decide whether to go Deal/Wilson or MCPS. TIA!