Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought theater was staying at Northwood?

You're right, it is. It's listed under Northwood as as "interest" based program, and Einstein has visual arts and music.

I'm an Einstein parent. Whitman, BCC, and Blair all have stronger MUSIC programs than Einstein. I'd give Whitman the music program and put Humanities magnet at Einstein.

My other unpopular opinion is that the vast majority of Einstein parents could care less about IB. Give it to BCC and let us have more AP classes.

Yeah, I have been scratching my head that these threads have been going on and on about the performing arts students at Einstein when as far as instrumental music is concerned, there are definitely many other schools with noticeably stronger programs, kids in county and state ensembles, and larger participation school-wide. I also think this poster is spot on that not many care about IB and even fewer would care if they had more AP course options.

There are schools with much stronger music programs, but those parents are spending many thousands on private lessons, private orchestras, other music groups, and expensive instruments. I don't think all parents understand what to do, as many of the ES and MS teachers don't talk about it or guide you, nor do the HS teachers, except if they are involved in that stuff. Some of the kids are very talented, but they aren't having the right support, and Einstein doesn't have enough classes and variety to take students to the next level. There are a few kids in MCYO, PVYO, and outside Jazz groups, but it's not talked about at school. Those top kids aren't good because of the schools they are at; they are good because of the outside lessons and groups.

I don't think anyone cares that much about IB either, except that it's the only advanced classes outside of a few AP. If they switched them out or some classes for AP, it would make it a much stronger school. It would be nice if they had both to fit all students' needs, as IB is better for humanities, AP is better for STEM. It shouldn't be all or nothing. I don't even know what an IB Magnet would do. Having more AP and STEM classes would draw more arts kids to Einstein, who now leave due to academics.

That is exactly what Einstein used to have, for years: both AP and IB science classes. But they had trouble getting enough interested students, and they couldn't fill both classes. So the AP classes were dropped in favor of IB, as they're an IB school and they must offer the IB classes in every area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

Slow your roll, Northwood has Theater and Dance which is really what Einstein's VAPA boosters really want. Blair and Whitman have better music programs than Einstein (I don't know anything about BCC, but, I'm guessing that their program is probably better as well). IB requirements also make it difficult to do music all 4 years. I'd stick music at Whitman or Blair since they are AP schools and have strong music programs in place.

The arts are not going away at Northwood, but its the so called "magnet." Northwood students can go to Einstein, and some do. If you are in music, you are discouraged from taking IB classes. Whitman and Blair have stronger music as Whitman has a lot of private orchestra students and Blair has a really good orchestra teacher who heavily focuses on that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

It's weird for you to say this when my previous post clearly indicates my concern is that kids/families will want to go to Whitman, not that they won't.

Every MCPS school has academically advanced kids, of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. But the availability of advanced coursework in any given school is dependent on "interest" - or more specifically the cohort of academically advanced kids that are interested in taking the course. This is why Whitman's course bulletin lists 9 different AP social studies courses and Einstein has 5. The academically advanced cohort at Einstein is smaller than the one at Whitman (or BCC). Now, you take 50 kids from Einstein and put them in the humanities magnet, another 50 get into the languages program, another 50 go to BCC for IB. What do you think happens to the academically advanced kids that get left behind, either because they can't fit in a 1 hour each way commute or because they struck out in the lottery? They lose more humanities options at Einstein. If you don't put the humanities magnet at Whitman, nothing bad happens to them. Few Whitman students will go to BCC or Northwood, because they have so much advanced humanities courses at their home school. What would be the point of traveling all that way? Plus their cohort is large enough anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

Would you send your kids to Whitman from the DCC? The more financially comfortable families can afford the W schools but choose the DCC for a variety of other reasons. The only advantage is the class offerings but you can get that now at Wheaton or Blair, both much closer. The commute isn't just the commute to/from school, but kids go early for things, stay late for clubs, activities and sports so I know for us, we can easily be doing 4 trips back and forth to school per child, many days. That's not realistic with a 20-40 minute commute with traffic each way.

And, Whitman has the academics, but it has its own set of issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

I guess, but then why reserve a special disproportionate share of seats for students who have Whitman has their home school? Do the 8th-graders in that cluster really need that leg up?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought theater was staying at Northwood?

You're right, it is. It's listed under Northwood as as "interest" based program, and Einstein has visual arts and music.

I'm an Einstein parent. Whitman, BCC, and Blair all have stronger MUSIC programs than Einstein. I'd give Whitman the music program and put Humanities magnet at Einstein.

My other unpopular opinion is that the vast majority of Einstein parents could care less about IB. Give it to BCC and let us have more AP classes.

Yeah, I have been scratching my head that these threads have been going on and on about the performing arts students at Einstein when as far as instrumental music is concerned, there are definitely many other schools with noticeably stronger programs, kids in county and state ensembles, and larger participation school-wide. I also think this poster is spot on that not many care about IB and even fewer would care if they had more AP course options.

There are schools with much stronger music programs, but those parents are spending many thousands on private lessons, private orchestras, other music groups, and expensive instruments. I don't think all parents understand what to do, as many of the ES and MS teachers don't talk about it or guide you, nor do the HS teachers, except if they are involved in that stuff. Some of the kids are very talented, but they aren't having the right support, and Einstein doesn't have enough classes and variety to take students to the next level. There are a few kids in MCYO, PVYO, and outside Jazz groups, but it's not talked about at school. Those top kids aren't good because of the schools they are at; they are good because of the outside lessons and groups.

I don't think anyone cares that much about IB either, except that it's the only advanced classes outside of a few AP. If they switched them out or some classes for AP, it would make it a much stronger school. It would be nice if they had both to fit all students' needs, as IB is better for humanities, AP is better for STEM. It shouldn't be all or nothing. I don't even know what an IB Magnet would do. Having more AP and STEM classes would draw more arts kids to Einstein, who now leave due to academics.

Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder which central office staffer thought to themselves "Whitman just doesn't have enough academically advanced kids with lots of resources, we need to bring more into Whitman from East county schools!"

They probably think some families who can’t afford Whitman but want a top rated top resourced school would like a chance to apply in. It’s bizarre to me that people wouldn’t want at least the option for access to a school that is known to be the best. Fine if you don’t want to take advantage of the option and I get the downsides of the commute. But it’s weird that you would think just because you wouldn’t want to send your kid there that nobody would.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

This is very unnecessarily hostile. Einstein parents should not be ashamed for advocating for their school.

But it is true that this proposed configuration leaves Northwood with scraps compared to the other four Region 1 schools, with dance being the only criteria-based program. That seems especially non-sensical to me considering NW will have a brand-new building that, I believe under all 4 boundary scenarios, will have spare capacity.

But one potential solution to this would be to move the Humanities criteria program from Whitman to Northwood. A lot of Region 1 parents, including Einstein parents, have expressed support for that in other threads.

- Parent of kid not yet in HS, with address that will probably moved from Einstein to Northwood

I will not tone police myself. You knew your “fix” for Einstein was to directly steal from Northwood. If your child was so performing arts gifted, they could apply to Northwood. But you have unfounded prejudice against Northwood because of the original bad planning of the DCC. It’s history repeating itself.

No one was stealing anything. Einstein has an arts program that intermixes all the kids and many do all four and to remove that would hurt Einstein. They were protecting what was there. No one cares about the other two programs and they will probably fail due to lack of interest. The non-artsy smart kids will probably apply out either cosa, private or parents move as Einstein doesn't have enough advanced classes and going to MC is only really realistic senior year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought theater was staying at Northwood?

You're right, it is. It's listed under Northwood as as "interest" based program, and Einstein has visual arts and music.

I'm an Einstein parent. Whitman, BCC, and Blair all have stronger MUSIC programs than Einstein. I'd give Whitman the music program and put Humanities magnet at Einstein.

My other unpopular opinion is that the vast majority of Einstein parents could care less about IB. Give it to BCC and let us have more AP classes.

Yeah, I have been scratching my head that these threads have been going on and on about the performing arts students at Einstein when as far as instrumental music is concerned, there are definitely many other schools with noticeably stronger programs, kids in county and state ensembles, and larger participation school wide. I also think this poster is spot on that not many care about IB and even fewer would care if they had more AP course options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

This is very unnecessarily hostile. Einstein parents should not be ashamed for advocating for their school.

But it is true that this proposed configuration leaves Northwood with scraps compared to the other four Region 1 schools, with dance being the only criteria-based program. That seems especially non-sensical to me considering NW will have a brand-new building that, I believe under all 4 boundary scenarios, will have spare capacity.

But one potential solution to this would be to move the Humanities criteria program from Whitman to Northwood. A lot of Region 1 parents, including Einstein parents, have expressed support for that in other threads.

- Parent of kid not yet in HS, with address that will probably moved from Einstein to Northwood

I will not tone police myself. You knew your “fix” for Einstein was to directly steal from Northwood. If your child was so performing arts gifted, they could apply to Northwood. But you have unfounded prejudice against Northwood because of the original bad planning of the DCC. It’s history repeating itself.

DP - zoned for Einstein - this take is bizarrely paranoid. It’s delusional.

Also, Whitman is not our enemy. I say this as someone whose kids would attend only over my dead body, so I have zero interest in them going there, but they are not the enemy. Taylor and the BOE are the ones we need to focus on, not other parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

This is very unnecessarily hostile. Einstein parents should not be ashamed for advocating for their school.

But it is true that this proposed configuration leaves Northwood with scraps compared to the other four Region 1 schools, with dance being the only criteria-based program. That seems especially non-sensical to me considering NW will have a brand-new building that, I believe under all 4 boundary scenarios, will have spare capacity.

But one potential solution to this would be to move the Humanities criteria program from Whitman to Northwood. A lot of Region 1 parents, including Einstein parents, have expressed support for that in other threads.

- Parent of kid not yet in HS, with address that will probably moved from Einstein to Northwood

I will not tone police myself. You knew your “fix” for Einstein was to directly steal from Northwood. If your child was so performing arts gifted, they could apply to Northwood. But you have unfounded prejudice against Northwood because of the original bad planning of the DCC. It’s history repeating itself.

what is this about? can anyone give the background?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

This is very unnecessarily hostile. Einstein parents should not be ashamed for advocating for their school.

But it is true that this proposed configuration leaves Northwood with scraps compared to the other four Region 1 schools, with dance being the only criteria-based program. That seems especially non-sensical to me considering NW will have a brand-new building that, I believe under all 4 boundary scenarios, will have spare capacity.

But one potential solution to this would be to move the Humanities criteria program from Whitman to Northwood. A lot of Region 1 parents, including Einstein parents, have expressed support for that in other threads.

- Parent of kid not yet in HS, with address that will probably moved from Einstein to Northwood

I will not tone police myself. You knew your “fix” for Einstein was to directly steal from Northwood. If your child was so performing arts gifted, they could apply to Northwood. But you have unfounded prejudice against Northwood because of the original bad planning of the DCC. It’s history repeating itself.

DP sounds like you want DCC parents to fight amongst ourselves. I wonder why ...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

As far as I know the Einstein community did not ask to move the biomedical program to Einstein.

I think MCPS's process is aimed at making loud parents happy and not at doing what is best for kids. It's an abominable process.

Also it is a common tactic to make less privileged groups fight amongst themselves while the wealthy groups sit pretty. Not sure if you are doing that intentionally or unintentionally but I recommend you redirect your ire to the schools that already have more advanced coursework than any DCC school does now and are now getting more.

No one care about the biomedical program. It’s a basic program without advanced classes.

Even if that's true, why was it moved from Northwood to Einstein in between the August and October presentations, along with the theater & music portion of the performing arts programs? I'm not against Einstein having some of those programs, but that's a LOT to take from one school without giving them anything in return from any other Region 1 school.

Don't take it out on Einstein parents. Demand the humanities program for Northwood. Putting it at Whitman is pure idiocy.

the regional programs mean that each school has a criteria-based magnet. which criteria-based magnet should go to Whitman?

Make their LASJ, or one track of it, criteria-based. Done.

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

Slow your roll, Northwood has Theater and Dance which is really what Einstein's VAPA boosters really want. Blair and Whitman have better music programs than Einstein (I don't know anything about BCC, but, I'm guessing that their program is probably better as well). IB requirements also make it difficult to do music all 4 years. I'd stick music at Whitman or Blair since they are AP schools and have strong music programs in place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/10/22/mcps-programming-changes/

congratulations, Einstein parents. You got what you wanted and simultaneously destroyed Northwood’s future. You now have 3 criteria based programs including your precious performing arts while Northwood has 1 program. You even got Northwood’s STEM program.

You should be ashamed of yourselves and MCPS is such a cowardly disgrace.

If you think Northwood won’t rise up now, you have it wrong. You woke up this community.

This is very unnecessarily hostile. Einstein parents should not be ashamed for advocating for their school.

But it is true that this proposed configuration leaves Northwood with scraps compared to the other four Region 1 schools, with dance being the only criteria-based program. That seems especially non-sensical to me considering NW will have a brand-new building that, I believe under all 4 boundary scenarios, will have spare capacity.

But one potential solution to this would be to move the Humanities criteria program from Whitman to Northwood. A lot of Region 1 parents, including Einstein parents, have expressed support for that in other threads.

- Parent of kid not yet in HS, with address that will probably moved from Einstein to Northwood

I will not tone police myself. You knew your “fix” for Einstein was to directly steal from Northwood. If your child was so performing arts gifted, they could apply to Northwood. But you have unfounded prejudice against Northwood because of the original bad planning of the DCC. It’s history repeating itself.