Anonymous wrote:

"Gutting", "downgrading". Can someone please explain (without histrionics) how moving to 4 regional IB centers will "gut", "downgrade" RMIB?

I would really appreciate an answer that isn't based on fear. I would also appreciate an answer based on honesty - that is, if you think the county-wide IB adds cachet to RM and hence, increases your property values please come out and say so too.

The countywide application pool creates a far, far stronger group of students. Teachers teach to the level of the students. With a top group, discussions are richer, projects have higher expectations and teachers expect more. Its a circular feed.

The regional programs at Einstein, BCC or others area are meh. If you are in a failing school like Einstein then sure a program there can help get your kid out of the path of all the failing students but its not a good program. At BCC, its simply something to have on your school record, nothing more.

Anonymous wrote:

"Gutting", "downgrading". Can someone please explain (without histrionics) how moving to 4 regional IB centers will "gut", "downgrade" RMIB?

I would really appreciate an answer that isn't based on fear. I would also appreciate an answer based on honesty - that is, if you think the county-wide IB adds cachet to RM and hence, increases your property values please come out and say so too.

The countywide application pool creates a far, far stronger group of students. Teachers teach to the level of the students. With a top group, discussions are richer, projects have higher expectations and teachers expect more. Its a circular feed.

The regional programs at Einstein, BCC or others area are meh. If you are in a failing school like Einstein then sure a program there can help get your kid out of the path of all the failing students but its not a good program. At BCC, its simply something to have on your school record, nothing more.

"Gutting", "downgrading". Can someone please explain (without histrionics) how moving to 4 regional IB centers will "gut", "downgrade" RMIB?

I would really appreciate an answer that isn't based on fear. I would also appreciate an answer based on honesty - that is, if you think the county-wide IB adds cachet to RM and hence, increases your property values please come out and say so too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a STEM/STEAM magnet program rather than another IB program.

RMIB works because of the stringent admission criteria pulling from around the county. Why would they not put a STEM magnet in Watkins Mill and let those who choose that not do the IB part. This is terrible.

Anonymous wrote:I would prefer a STEM/STEAM magnet program rather than another IB program.

Anonymous wrote:

This fall/winter 2019-2020 8th grade students will receive instructions on how to apply to the 3 new regional programs in addition to the countywide program at RMIB for 2020-2021. Central office hasn't officially announced when RMIB will become a regional program, but at the earliest 2021-2022.


Here is the latest on this from a BOE memo: "For the foreseeable future, Richard Montgomery High School will remain a countywide application program. However, in the long-term, the possibility exists that all four IB application programs will be offered as regional sites for students in a specified geographic region."

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/...%20HS%2006-11-19-01-B%20BD.pdf

WTF is wrong with the BOE? First well we are going to gut your magnet program and make it no longer county wide and then we are not going to gut your magnet program in the foreseeable future but possibly might anyway.

The uncertainty is just as bad as the negative changes for neighborhoods. The BOE needs to stop injecting instability into the county.

This fall/winter 2019-2020 8th grade students will receive instructions on how to apply to the 3 new regional programs in addition to the countywide program at RMIB for 2020-2021. Central office hasn't officially announced when RMIB will become a regional program, but at the earliest 2021-2022.


Here is the latest on this from a BOE memo: "For the foreseeable future, Richard Montgomery High School will remain a countywide application program. However, in the long-term, the possibility exists that all four IB application programs will be offered as regional sites for students in a specified geographic region."

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/...%20HS%2006-11-19-01-B%20BD.pdf

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Anonymous wrote:MCPS is hoping that having magnet IB programs in these schools will bring in more non-farms families. Could work. I would have chosen a stem magnet program, but since these schools already had IB, I guess it makes sense to build on the initial investment.

It also will presumably limit the RM IB to a regional catchment area and not be county-wide. So some students who might have gone to RM IB will have the option to go to WM, Kennedy, or Springbrook instead. Right?

It won't be an option, as I understand it. Instead of RMIB being a county-wide program, there will now be 4 programs, with eligibility for the specific program depending on where you live in the county. I think this is a positive step. And DCUM should too, since DCUM has been yelling for years about the need to expand the number of seats.

So my kid who was going to apply to RMIB next year, will instead apply to WMIB.

And hey, if my kid gets in and chooses to go, my kid will be in an application IB program IN A W SCHOOL!

RMIB will still be countywide for application year 2019-2020.

So this will start for application year 2020-2021?

This fall/winter 2019-2020 8th grade students will receive instructions on how to apply to the 3 new regional programs in addition to the countywide program at RMIB for 2020-2021. Central office hasn't officially announced when RMIB will become a regional program, but at the earliest 2021-2022.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB program is intensive and the quality of RMIB is driven by super involved and informed, well-off parents who provide enrichment to their children so that they can excel in the IB path.
It is foolish to think that a regular student will excel at RMIB without all this support outside of the school day. IB is not a panacea for achievement gap. The biggest mistake is to put in in low performing schools thinking that students will excel in it. It is much better to provide AP classes in the school so that interested and able kids can take it. IB model is a sucky model for low performing schools like Watkins Mills.

RM was low class before they moved Ritchie Park ES there and had Fallsgrove, Rose Hill and half of King Farm going there. They literally put the IB program in to appease the upper middle class into staying there instead of private. It would also bump up the scores. My guess is the same will happen at those schools once the overpriced private boundary study is done. Move some upper class neighborhoods in there and dangle a magnet program before them.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the IB program at Rockville HS is the same as the programs at other schools? If you look at the MCPS website, the other IB programs are described as "IB diploma" programs, while RHS is just described as "IB program". Is there no diploma option at RHS?
Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:Here's the presentation from last week's BOE meeting, where they talked about new regional IB programs at Watkins Mill, Springbrook, and Kennedy:
https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BCTNFN56E29F/$file/Choice%20Update%20HS%20Prog%20Options%20190530%20PPT.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB program is intensive and the quality of RMIB is driven by super involved and informed, well-off parents who provide enrichment to their children so that they can excel in the IB path.
It is foolish to think that a regular student will excel at RMIB without all this support outside of the school day. IB is not a panacea for achievement gap. The biggest mistake is to put in in low performing schools thinking that students will excel in it. It is much better to provide AP classes in the school so that interested and able kids can take it. IB model is a sucky model for low performing schools like Watkins Mills.

RM was low class before they moved Ritchie Park ES there and had Fallsgrove, Rose Hill and half of King Farm going there. They literally put the IB program in to appease the upper middle class into staying there instead of private. It would also bump up the scores. My guess is the same will happen at those schools once the overpriced private boundary study is done. Move some upper class neighborhoods in there and dangle a magnet program before them.