The 4th grade teacher has been amazing this year. Even with all the challenges of distance learning, she is engaging, holds the kids to a high standard academically, manages the kids well, makes the class fun, and knows how to effectively use technology. So happy she was our kid’s teacher this year.

Anonymous wrote:It's a great program.

The 4th grade teacher mentioned here is excellent. She really prepares kids to work hard and be disciplined and organized. My son didn't totally grasp onto that, but it did make an impression, and we liked her a lot.

We were the 2-class year and we had the other teacher (Mr. M.) I would think he might teach the class when the existing teacher retires since he's done it before. We loved him. He is so measured and pleasant and relates to the kids -- especially the boys who have trouble focusing -- so well. Can't say enough good things about him. But PBES has a lot of excellent teachers.

I hope it is Mr. M.! I have heard great things about him.

It is a great program, but be prepared for a huge work load. The 4th grade teacher is great, and the curriculum is strong. There is a large amount of writing / class work/ homework compared to what students did as 3rd graders or what the other non-CES 4th grade classes are doing. Even compared to other CES programs, 4th grade at PBES is known to be writing/work heavy. But as demanding as it is, our kid loved the program and the 4th grade teacher. Congratulations!

It's a great program.

The 4th grade teacher mentioned here is excellent. She really prepares kids to work hard and be disciplined and organized. My son didn't totally grasp onto that, but it did make an impression, and we liked her a lot.

We were the 2-class year and we had the other teacher (Mr. M.) I would think he might teach the class when the existing teacher retires since he's done it before. We loved him. He is so measured and pleasant and relates to the kids -- especially the boys who have trouble focusing -- so well. Can't say enough good things about him. But PBES has a lot of excellent teachers.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, i should clarify that my child was accepted through the lottery. Just bc it's the local program doesn't mean they don't use the same lottery & change in admission tests & criteria as everywhere else.

The lottery will have less of an impact at a local center because there are fewer students in the lottery for the number of available spaces. Even without the lottery, very few students at local sites are in a waitpool.

2020-2021 is Mrs. Snyder's 4th year teaching this class. Very committed and engaging teacher.

There is an open house on the 28th for all the admitted students where I am hoping that people who may not have met Mrs Snyder will get to.

Anonymous wrote:It is a fantastic program. We have had 1 kid go through the program and another just accepted into it. The 4th grade teacher is awesome. They also have an excellent 5th grade teacher, who is retiring at the end of this school year. No idea who the new 5th grade teacher is going to be. The lottery means that the class will have a mix of tbe top 15% of 3rd graders, instead of the top 5-10%

Oh no, Mr B is retiring? That’s really disappointing to hear. Can you share more about the 4th grade teacher?

It is a fantastic program. We have had 1 kid go through the program and another just accepted into it. The 4th grade teacher is awesome. They also have an excellent 5th grade teacher, who is retiring at the end of this school year. No idea who the new 5th grade teacher is going to be. The lottery means that the class will have a mix of tbe top 15% of 3rd graders, instead of the top 5-10%

ok well, regardless of whether it's the same or different then, what have people's experiences been?

NP here. I'm guessing that the PP was noting that because it's a local program, something like 10-12% of the 4th graders at the school are in the CES program (I think -- looks like 1 classroom out of 9?). It's been said that the standards for the lottery pool this year may have been that kids with an 85th percentile or above on MAP, plus As on reading/writing, and reading above grade level are placed in the lottery pool. So that might be ~15% of the population, and most of them would end up in the CES. That's probably not going to substantially change the feel from previous years. Compare that to the regional programs; the CES my kid is in has two classrooms (56 kids) drawn from 18 feeder elementary schools. In the past, that means only the top 3-5% of kids would be invited; this year, the lottery meant that the top 15% or so was in the lottery. That's a bigger change at the regional program than at the local program.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, i should clarify that my child was accepted through the lottery. Just bc it's the local program doesn't mean they don't use the same lottery & change in admission tests & criteria as everywhere else.

I agree. Trying to understand what PPs thinking was.

OP here, i should clarify that my child was accepted through the lottery. Just bc it's the local program doesn't mean they don't use the same lottery & change in admission tests & criteria as everywhere else.

Anonymous wrote:Pine Branch is a local CES so I don't think the lottery will have much of an impact on the selection or the program.

What makes you say that?

Pine Branch is a local CES so I don't think the lottery will have much of an impact on the selection or the program.

I recognize the PBES CES program is going to look different given the lottery, etc. But what do people think about their recent experiences with PBES CES?