Anonymous wrote:To be clear, Watkins Mill, Springbrook, and Kennedy all already have IB programs at their schools. What's new is that they would become regional centers, available to other students from nearby schools which don't have IB programs.

Not only do they have IB they have students who are doing extremely well, earning 5s and above on the IB exams and meeting the criteria for an IB diploma! It is not "foolish" to expect students at these schools, or in the areas served by the newly identified centers will flourish...

It's amazing, people will complain there there are not enough seats in a program, but then when MCPS expands access to the program, they scream the program is going to loose something. Currently over 1000 students apply for the 100 spots at RM, so it seems like a great move to open more spots, and even smarter to make those spots at areas in the county that would have longer have commutes to RM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So students from Churchill, Whitman and WJ could go to Kenndy if they dont make it at RM next year. Since the “cohort” method will be used for Blair, RM, and Poolsville magnet program, this new selection method will reduce the number of students from Wooton, Churchill, WJ and Whitman to be admitted into RM and Blair. Currently, more than 60% of magnet students in RM and Blair magnets are from the four HS catchment area. The cohort methode could reduce the number of students from the four hs to less than 20% for RM and less than 30% for blair. Will the students whose access to RM and Blair magnet is denied due to the “cohort” admission method go to the regional IB megnet? The new centers are further away from RM and blair for these students.

None of the announced changes affect Blair/Poolesville magnets.

The new regional IB magnets are part of the HS magnet admission overhaul. Yes, the same “cohort” policy and universal testing will be used for HS magnet admission this year.

Link?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM IB parent here. I don't understand those complaining that this will somehow downgrade the RM IB program. Most out-of-cluster RM IB kids are from Wootton/Whitman/WJ or BCC home schools. Most kids from those areas will likely continue to apply to RM as long as it remains county-wide, as the new programs are further away. Even if the RM program becomes regional, it seems likely students from these schools would continue to be able to apply to RM rather than being bused across county.

On the other hand, there are lots of kids who can't make RM IB work logistically because it is too far away, so they either do AP or IB at their home school if offered. Now, they will have the opportunity to go to regional magnet IB schools closer to them. Those IB programs will be stronger because they can pull from top students in a larger catchment area. Seems like a win-win to me.

I agree. But I'm confused why on the map they label RM as "RM Countywide and Regional IB." How can it be both countywide AND regional? Is its region its cluster?

BCC has its own IB. The only reason for BCC kids to go to RM is the peer group. I wonder if Kennedy IB magnet will provide the same peer group as arMIB.

Whitman and Churchill have no special acadamic program so regional IB magnet may still be attactive.

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.

I agree. It should not be this way, but in practice it is. Teachers are not trained enough in IB. Most IB programs in the US are dismally run. American colleges do not understand how poorly high schools run their IB programs and demand excellent scores that are hard for students to achieve. Please steer clear unless you have a very good understanding of what it entails and how you can support your child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catchment maps for the regional IB centers are on the last page:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BFNNSK5E7226/$file/Choice%20Update%20HS%20Programs%20190910.pdf

thanks for posting.

Kennedy and Springbrook - two HS that are super close to each other. From a location perspective, that makes no sense.

Those are the schools that have the extra capacity to house 200 out-of-area students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RM IB parent here. I don't understand those complaining that this will somehow downgrade the RM IB program. Most out-of-cluster RM IB kids are from Wootton/Whitman/WJ or BCC home schools. Most kids from those areas will likely continue to apply to RM as long as it remains county-wide, as the new programs are further away. Even if the RM program becomes regional, it seems likely students from these schools would continue to be able to apply to RM rather than being bused across county.

On the other hand, there are lots of kids who can't make RM IB work logistically because it is too far away, so they either do AP or IB at their home school if offered. Now, they will have the opportunity to go to regional magnet IB schools closer to them. Those IB programs will be stronger because they can pull from top students in a larger catchment area. Seems like a win-win to me.

I agree. But I'm confused why on the map they label RM as "RM Countywide and Regional IB." How can it be both countywide AND regional? Is its region its cluster?

DP. RMIB currently is countywide and regional in that it has a set aside 25 seats for in cluster students, just as all the other IB schools do. That's what "regional" means.. that local in cluster students would go there.

Based on the map, I agree with other PPs, students from Wootton and most of Churchill will continue to apply to RMIB because of proximity. They put the other three IB magnets too far to draw students from those two clusters.

But the southern part of WJ, and all of BCC and most of Whitman are fairly close to Kennedy IB. If these students are serious about going to IB magnet, then I would think they should apply to both RMIB and Kennedy IB to hedge their bets.

I do think that having the new IB magnets far away gives students from those far away from RM HS a chance to be in an IB magnet. It's a shame MCPS didn't open up more STEM based magnets as well. Maybe that will be next? Seems unfair to have three new IB magnet but not an additional STEM based magnet.

Anonymous wrote:RM IB parent here. I don't understand those complaining that this will somehow downgrade the RM IB program. Most out-of-cluster RM IB kids are from Wootton/Whitman/WJ or BCC home schools. Most kids from those areas will likely continue to apply to RM as long as it remains county-wide, as the new programs are further away. Even if the RM program becomes regional, it seems likely students from these schools would continue to be able to apply to RM rather than being bused across county.

On the other hand, there are lots of kids who can't make RM IB work logistically because it is too far away, so they either do AP or IB at their home school if offered. Now, they will have the opportunity to go to regional magnet IB schools closer to them. Those IB programs will be stronger because they can pull from top students in a larger catchment area. Seems like a win-win to me.

I agree. But I'm confused why on the map they label RM as "RM Countywide and Regional IB." How can it be both countywide AND regional? Is its region its cluster?

RM IB parent here. I don't understand those complaining that this will somehow downgrade the RM IB program. Most out-of-cluster RM IB kids are from Wootton/Whitman/WJ or BCC home schools. Most kids from those areas will likely continue to apply to RM as long as it remains county-wide, as the new programs are further away. Even if the RM program becomes regional, it seems likely students from these schools would continue to be able to apply to RM rather than being bused across county.

On the other hand, there are lots of kids who can't make RM IB work logistically because it is too far away, so they either do AP or IB at their home school if offered. Now, they will have the opportunity to go to regional magnet IB schools closer to them. Those IB programs will be stronger because they can pull from top students in a larger catchment area. Seems like a win-win to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So students from Churchill, Whitman and WJ could go to Kenndy if they dont make it at RM next year. Since the “cohort” method will be used for Blair, RM, and Poolsville magnet program, this new selection method will reduce the number of students from Wooton, Churchill, WJ and Whitman to be admitted into RM and Blair. Currently, more than 60% of magnet students in RM and Blair magnets are from the four HS catchment area. The cohort methode could reduce the number of students from the four hs to less than 20% for RM and less than 30% for blair. Will the students whose access to RM and Blair magnet is denied due to the “cohort” admission method go to the regional IB megnet? The new centers are further away from RM and blair for these students.

None of the announced changes affect Blair/Poolesville magnets.

The new regional IB magnets are part of the HS magnet admission overhaul. Yes, the same “cohort” policy and universal testing will be used for HS magnet admission this year.

Anonymous wrote:So students from Churchill, Whitman and WJ could go to Kenndy if they dont make it at RM next year. Since the “cohort” method will be used for Blair, RM, and Poolsville magnet program, this new selection method will reduce the number of students from Wooton, Churchill, WJ and Whitman to be admitted into RM and Blair. Currently, more than 60% of magnet students in RM and Blair magnets are from the four HS catchment area. The cohort methode could reduce the number of students from the four hs to less than 20% for RM and less than 30% for blair. Will the students whose access to RM and Blair magnet is denied due to the “cohort” admission method go to the regional IB megnet? The new centers are further away from RM and blair for these students.

None of the announced changes affect Blair/Poolesville magnets.

So students from Churchill, Whitman and WJ could go to Kenndy if they dont make it at RM next year. Since the “cohort” method will be used for Blair, RM, and Poolsville magnet program, this new selection method will reduce the number of students from Wooton, Churchill, WJ and Whitman to be admitted into RM and Blair. Currently, more than 60% of magnet students in RM and Blair magnets are from the four HS catchment area. The cohort methode could reduce the number of students from the four hs to less than 20% for RM and less than 30% for blair. Will the students whose access to RM and Blair magnet is denied due to the “cohort” admission method go to the regional IB megnet? The new centers are further away from RM and blair for these students.

Anonymous wrote:Catchment maps for the regional IB centers are on the last page:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BFNNSK5E7226/$file/Choice%20Update%20HS%20Programs%20190910.pdf

thanks for posting.

Kennedy and Springbrook - two HS that are super close to each other. From a location perspective, that makes no sense.

Catchment maps for the regional IB centers are on the last page:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BFNNSK5E7226/$file/Choice%20Update%20HS%20Programs%20190910.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, PPs have very little understanding of the underpinning philosophy of IB and low expectations of our students.

From the IB website: "International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes aim to do more than other curricula by developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.

We strive to develop students who will build a better world through intercultural understanding and respect."

Sounds like perfect goals for students at Watkins Mill (and everywhere!)

https://www.ibo.org/benefits/why-the-ib-is-different/

Sadly, in US, kids are not prepared for IB rigor. RMIB kids do well because, well, these kids are "special". Remember IB was originally developed to teach kids of diplomats who often are highly educated themselves.

RMIB is test-in program for the most part aside from few spots for local kids. The testing is very competitive and pulls the best kids from the whole MCPS.

Correction:

It pulls in the best kids from the county who applied, knew all the ways to apply, have parents doing most of the work, and have parents that can work the schedule to get them to/from the bus stops or school as needed. It is also kids who want that type of rigor, want to leave their friends, neighbors, and home school. It also removes kids that may need to babysit younger siblings or need to work a PT job to help out financially.

That is NOT the best kids from the whole county. It is the best kids who applied and decided to go. Big big difference

Thank you!

Anonymous wrote:2 Feds here who moved to MoCo from DC this past year. Two kids in HS. We are looking forward to the IB program at Einstein. Kids are psyched.

Let us know how it goes! Please report back.