Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in 6th grade. So it sounds like we would have to move to MD or VA for the math programs for public.

That's what we did i.e. left private school for public. Fortunately that didn't require us to move house, as we were already living in the 'burbs.

What we found, in addition to more flexibility with math level placement, was a lot more STEM related extracurriculars - mathcounts, technology students association, regional, state and national science fairs, first lego league, VEX robotics, geography bee, AMC math competition etc. I realize that privates can participate in these, but we didn't see that happening as much at the place our kids attended, maybe because of smaller school size.

+1. The private schools don't have the same sizable number of cohorts like the public STEM magnets. If you want a school that has a large enough number of math/science kids and want to have a good to great math, chess, robotics, etc team - also enough of these kids to be friends with and improve skills, the public magnets are your best option.

This is an old thread. Reinvigorating it so some folks familiar with GDS HS can comment on the differences between Algebra II core, honors and extended for kids coming out of Geometry in 8th.

Here's one option you may not have considered: Waldorf

Waldorf Grad Recipient of Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine
http://chicagowaldorf.org/bulletin/waldorf-grad-recipient-of-nobel-prize-in-physiology-medicine

Teaching Physics In A Waldorf School - Dr. Paolo Carini
I was attracted to Waldorf education when I discovered that the process of teaching science in Waldorf schools was much closer to the process of doing research than to the way science had been taught to me in high school.

When one faces new territory in science it is important to keep an open mind to what nature is trying to tell you. New concepts are created out of a process of observation of phenomena in order to discover and formulate the so-called physical laws. Concepts need to remain flexible. That is why at SFWHS we like to characterize rather than to define. . . .
http://www.sfwaldorf.org/node/972

I agree with the recent poster who noted the trend to slow things down just a bit. I am sure OP's child is very good at math, but before committing to a track I hope OP has confirmed the breadth and depth of the Algebra I class that was available to her DC. I have heard some Alg. I classes offered to some very accelerated students are not as comprehensive as what is taught in today's high schools (or private middle schools by the same high school teachers), and then the kids have to play catch up when they get to Algebra II. Indeed, our oldest whosed Alg. I class was very solid, turned out to not be as comprehensive as the one our second child took a couple of years later as the curriculum continued to get deeper. I also worry that the math sequence OP laid out has two years between Alg. I and Alg. II. I know at our private, there is a big push when kids take geometry to make them do a great deal of Alg. I review so that they can hit Alg. II running with only a very brief refresher. Lot's to consider. Good luck OP.

Anonymous wrote:But every year at least a class or two have accelerated in middle school, algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th while at GDS. If they haven't accelerated to that degree before coming to the GDS high school they can still be in the top sequence, with a mix of kids in two grades. And the kids that left early for MIT just did so in the past three years. I think if a kid is really ready for that sort of achievement, GDS will accomodate/encourage him/her. On the other hand, parents just pushing their kids to be accelerated when they aren't actually ready for it is something GDS and now even Monty County is pushing back on, finding kids have missed fundamentals when they weren't actually ready to absorb them. There are some really good teachers in the top tracks, and the math team is pretty active (and successful). Not sure about robotics or other STEM extracurriculars.

The policy change at the HS is recent, since those two kids left. The parents I know do not push their kids. However, I do know kids who would like to move ahead in the sequence by taking summer courses and/or self-studying. They are not allowed to. The policy is clearly stated in the Course of Study: "Currently, the only summer math course that we will recognize for advancement is Geometry." As I said, if you are already accelerated before you are at the HS, advanced courses are available. If not, Calculus is as far as you can go.

Yes, the math team is popular and successful.

Algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th was the math sequence for the top math students at my no name public middle school out in flyover country 30+ yrs ago.

I can't believe this is still considered "accelerated".

But every year at least a class or two have accelerated in middle school, algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th while at GDS. If they haven't accelerated to that degree before coming to the GDS high school they can still be in the top sequence, with a mix of kids in two grades. And the kids that left early for MIT just did so in the past three years. I think if a kid is really ready for that sort of achievement, GDS will accomodate/encourage him/her. On the other hand, parents just pushing their kids to be accelerated when they aren't actually ready for it is something GDS and now even Monty County is pushing back on, finding kids have missed fundamentals when they weren't actually ready to absorb them. There are some really good teachers in the top tracks, and the math team is pretty active (and successful). Not sure about robotics or other STEM extracurriculars.

Anonymous wrote:GDS has taken kids who are that accelerated or more and worked out an individualized program for them, however both recent kids in that category left after 11th grade to enter MIT. Your child now is going to get through linear algebra/MV calc after 11th if stays on this pace which is the highest class GDS offers normally.

Unless you are already accelerated before you get to GDS High School, the farthest you can get in math is Calculus. The Math Department has changed in recent years. It is now very rigid and will not allow kids to test out of courses to advance in the sequence, even if they take courses over the summer.

Well, that's very cool too! I stand corrected.

Anonymous wrote:If it's a possibility - TJ. Don't know of other area schools that have launched a satellite. That's really pretty cool.

St. Thomas More Cathedral school in Arlington will launch a satellite as part of a NASA program. I don't know anything about their math program though.
http://209.123.98.157/news/item/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=116&ModuleID=21&NEWSPID=1

If it's a possibility - TJ. Don't know of other area schools that have launched a satellite. That's really pretty cool.

Many private elementary schools have q dedicated science teacher, a lab, and stand-alone science classes. In many public elementary schools, science is taught by the classroom teacher, who may or may not be a scientist and may or may not have any specialized space or equipment. It may be that with a good science curriculum at a school, you don't need the clubs and extras.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in 6th grade. So it sounds like we would have to move to MD or VA for the math programs for public.

That's what we did i.e. left private school for public. Fortunately that didn't require us to move house, as we were already living in the 'burbs.

What we found, in addition to more flexibility with math level placement, was a lot more STEM related extracurriculars - mathcounts, technology students association, regional, state and national science fairs, first lego league, VEX robotics, geography bee, AMC math competition etc. I realize that privates can participate in these, but we didn't see that happening as much at the place our kids attended, maybe because of smaller school size.

This is something that we are discovering now at the private school our DD attends. I have been very surprised at how little engagement that our private has in STEM-related extras. We have been trying to figure out if this is b/c our DD is still in elementary school or if this is characteristic of privates thru subsequent grades.

However there are often many more kids who want to participate in those extras than slots. Sometimes 100's more kids, and only 10 slots. So ask about that before you switch, how many kids don't get into the clubs/teams and how teams/clubs are selected.

Many of the independents in MoCo have a consortium that can take a kid through multivariable calc. I agree with 11:11, however, that magnets /large publics offer more choices.