Magnet spots are as highly coveted as they are limited. With changes like universal screening, competition is stiffer than ever.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.

Takoma Park schools are a great choice for kids interested in STEM education. It's one of the reasons we elected to buy in TKPK. Real estate is less expensive in the DC area than the area we moved from so cost wasn't a factor. Places like Bethesda or Potomac didn't appeal to us, but to each her own...

TPES (K - 2): Elementary magnet w/ small classes. math enrichment and dedicated STEM teacher
PBES (3-5): Local CES program w/ roughly 25% participation
TPMS (6-8): Middle school stem magnet with an in-boundary set-aside. Admission is otherwise impossible these days.
Blair: (9-12): SMCS & CAP magnets, although there's no set-aside TPMS, prepares kids for these options

Then there are a lot of students in the program who achieved the impossible.

It's true that roughly 75 out of roughly 12,000 students per grade get admitted to this program each year.

Actually there are two programs (the upcounty one, and the downcounty one). And more students are admitted than actually attend.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that not a lot of kids get into the MS math/sci magnet.

It's true there's another magnet on the other side of the county but aside from the TKPK set-aside, there are roughly 75 students who attend the TPMS magnet out of a grade of 12K.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.

Takoma Park schools are a great choice for kids interested in STEM education. It's one of the reasons we elected to buy in TKPK. Real estate is less expensive in the DC area than the area we moved from so cost wasn't a factor. Places like Bethesda or Potomac didn't appeal to us, but to each her own...

TPES (K - 2): Elementary magnet w/ small classes. math enrichment and dedicated STEM teacher
PBES (3-5): Local CES program w/ roughly 25% participation
TPMS (6-8): Middle school stem magnet with an in-boundary set-aside. Admission is otherwise impossible these days.
Blair: (9-12): SMCS & CAP magnets, although there's no set-aside TPMS, prepares kids for these options

Then there are a lot of students in the program who achieved the impossible.

It's true that roughly 75 out of roughly 12,000 students per grade get admitted to this program each year.

Actually there are two programs (the upcounty one, and the downcounty one). And more students are admitted than actually attend.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that not a lot of kids get into the MS math/sci magnet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Where can you afford to live? What is your budget? What is the point of talking about anything without knowing your budget?

OP here. Budget not an issue.

Then send your kid to private.

Thanks. We are looking at all the options. What’s your attitude about?

I didn't see any attitude in PP's post? If budget isn't an issue, go private. Mcps isnt known for it's STEM. Buy in Potomac or Bethesda so you can send them to McLean

MCPS is not known for its STEM? ????Are you that clueless?
MCPS leads STEM awards and competitions.

Yes, they're clueless, bitter or both. Blair’s small STEM magnet consistently wins more Intel Prizes and has more students in the U.S. Math Olympiad compared to any local public or private.

Who cares. OP has 4 other kids. Get into a school cluster that will best serve those kids. The 1 will place in somewhere and be find. Or be with a high level peer group in local school and again, be fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.

Takoma Park schools are a great choice for kids interested in STEM education. It's one of the reasons we elected to buy in TKPK. Real estate is less expensive in the DC area than the area we moved from so cost wasn't a factor. Places like Bethesda or Potomac didn't appeal to us, but to each her own...

TPES (K - 2): Elementary magnet w/ small classes. math enrichment and dedicated STEM teacher
PBES (3-5): Local CES program w/ roughly 25% participation
TPMS (6-8): Middle school stem magnet with an in-boundary set-aside. Admission is otherwise impossible these days.
Blair: (9-12): SMCS & CAP magnets, although there's no set-aside TPMS, prepares kids for these options

Then there are a lot of students in the program who achieved the impossible.

It's true that roughly 75 out of roughly 12,000 students per grade get admitted to this program each year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can you afford to live? What is your budget? What is the point of talking about anything without knowing your budget?

OP here. Budget not an issue.

Then send your kid to private.

Thanks. We are looking at all the options. What’s your attitude about?

I didn't see any attitude in PP's post? If budget isn't an issue, go private. Mcps isnt known for it's STEM. Buy in Potomac or Bethesda so you can send them to McLean

MCPS is not known for its STEM? ????Are you that clueless?
MCPS leads STEM awards and competitions.

Yes, they're clueless, bitter or both. Blair’s small STEM magnet consistently wins more Intel Prizes and has more students in the U.S. Math Olympiad compared to any local public or private.

I’m not inclined to believe anyone who says budget isn’t an issue for 5 children. At $35k a year at least that’s nearly $200k per year on tuition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can you afford to live? What is your budget? What is the point of talking about anything without knowing your budget?

OP here. Budget not an issue.

Then send your kid to private.

Thanks. We are looking at all the options. What’s your attitude about?

I didn't see any attitude in PP's post? If budget isn't an issue, go private. Mcps isnt known for it's STEM. Buy in Potomac or Bethesda so you can send them to McLean

MCPS is not known for its STEM? ????Are you that clueless?
MCPS leads STEM awards and competitions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:on the comment on the ruined regional CES.... keep in mind that is now not an option for some as there is a home school CES option now at many schools.

Also same for Middle school. MCPS took away the regional option because of local options and peer group. And believe me they are no where near the same. I know because I have had kids in both programs.

No, it's still there.

+1 PP's post is rife with confusion and disinformation.

There are still regional CES programs. I know because I have a child in one. However, in larger elementary schools (like Piney Branch) with many capable kids, MCPS has opened local CES programs. This has increased the number of kids served by the program, and is generally good news all around because it frees up more spots for kids from smaller elementary schools in the regional programs.

There is no cohort criteria for CES admission, unless your local elementary has a CES program of its own.

There IS a cohort criteria for middle school magnets, but the county has compensated by ostensibly increasing enrichment opportunities at home schools with a large number of capable students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.

Takoma Park schools are a great choice for kids interested in STEM education. It's one of the reasons we elected to buy in TKPK. Real estate is less expensive in the DC area than the area we moved from so cost wasn't a factor. Places like Bethesda or Potomac didn't appeal to us, but to each her own...

TPES (K - 2): Elementary magnet w/ small classes. math enrichment and dedicated STEM teacher
PBES (3-5): Local CES program w/ roughly 25% participation
TPMS (6-8): Middle school stem magnet with an in-boundary set-aside. Admission is otherwise impossible these days.
Blair: (9-12): SMCS & CAP magnets, although there's no set-aside TPMS, prepares kids for these options

Then there are a lot of students in the program who achieved the impossible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.

Takoma Park schools are a great choice for kids interested in STEM education. It's one of the reasons we elected to buy in TKPK. Real estate is less expensive in the DC area than the area we moved from so cost wasn't a factor. Places like Bethesda or Potomac didn't appeal to us, but to each her own...

TPES (K - 2): Elementary magnet w/ small classes. math enrichment and dedicated STEM teacher
PBES (3-5): Local CES program w/ roughly 25% participation
TPMS (6-8): Middle school stem magnet with an in-boundary set-aside. Admission is otherwise impossible these days.
Blair: (9-12): SMCS & CAP magnets, although there's no set-aside TPMS, prepares kids for these options

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can you afford to live? What is your budget? What is the point of talking about anything without knowing your budget?

OP here. Budget not an issue.

Then send your kid to private.

Thanks. We are looking at all the options. What’s your attitude about?

I didn't see any attitude in PP's post? If budget isn't an issue, go private. Mcps isnt known for it's STEM. Buy in Potomac or Bethesda so you can send them to McLean

Why the McLean School for science and math? I thought that McLean was for students who have learning differences.

Anonymous wrote:on the comment on the ruined regional CES.... keep in mind that is now not an option for some as there is a home school CES option now at many schools.

Also same for Middle school. MCPS took away the regional option because of local options and peer group. And believe me they are no where near the same. I know because I have had kids in both programs.

No, it's still there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can you afford to live? What is your budget? What is the point of talking about anything without knowing your budget?

OP here. Budget not an issue.

Then send your kid to private.

Thanks. We are looking at all the options. What’s your attitude about?

I didn't see any attitude in PP's post? If budget isn't an issue, go private. Mcps isnt known for it's STEM. Buy in Potomac or Bethesda so you can send them to McLean

Didn’t more Blair SMCS students win Intel scholarships just last week than any private or TJ which is 5x larger.

Anonymous wrote:I would go with Piney Branch ES, which has a local CES. Even though CES is mostly humanities-based. Also living in Takoma Park MS zone you'll have a better chance of getting a seat in the magnet program.

Not to mention TPES (k-2) has the only ES STEM magnet. Also the ES are focus schools with smaller class sizes and enriched math classes starting in 1st.