Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

Stop making CES kids out to be "weirdos" (your word) who don't fit in at their home schools. There are some kids who find a better social fit at the CES but there are others who were doing just fine socially at their home schools. FWIW, there are plenty of non-center CCES kids who are quirky or "sensitive and shy and awkward." And you won't believe this but some of them have actually found better friends at the CES so it should be a win-win for everyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

I can assure you that there are kids with special needs at the centers too and they are fighting like you for basic services JUST LIKE YOU. What attention and consideration do the center kids get that the regular kids don't get? I don't see any of that.

+1: DC had SN friends at the CES too.

Is there a way to change the title of the thread to CES at CCES, so that those of us who are curious about how the CES experience is going so far can have a place to share that?
Perhaps I should start a new thread...

Anonymous wrote:

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

I can assure you that there are kids with special needs at the centers too and they are fighting like you for basic services JUST LIKE YOU. What attention and consideration do the center kids get that the regular kids don't get? I don't see any of that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Center kid would also rather have lunch/recess with the kids she has in class and not be split between two different lunch/recess groups but it is what it is. The Center is not even half of only the 4th and 5th grades (there are 3 Center classes and 4 non-Center classes in each grade). So there’s no way it’s 60% of the school when you add in the 3rd graders.

Hi Center Parent! Thank you for responding. We local parents suspected that Center kids would also want to be among their own classmates during lunch and recess to help facilitate closer friendships much quicker in a new school miles away from home. At this age and middle school, friendships are a huge part of school and the kids should not be denied this right.

It only benefits ALL of the kids socially and emotionally for the lunch split to be RHPS kids and Center kids in different lunches. Kids are apparently trying to sneak into other lunches because they are so lonely and are desperate to see their friends. The Principal statted taking attendance to stop this and lectured them. Now the kids and parents want to start a petition but they are afraid of the Princpal who is highly reactive and refuses to budge even if the kids are hurting.

So to the PP before you, we are "strategizing and moving forward". Maybe we bypass the Principal. I still have two more kids to go through this school.
I have a deeply vested interest. Thanks for the tip! Already on it!

NP.
Can't speak for anyone else but DD likes "mixed" recess groups and getting to know the non-center kids. She wishes theyhad mixed up the classes during specials like they did in previous years. However, it is disappointing the whole grade can't have recess together at the same time. Like the other CES parent, I joined the PTA, cut a check to the foundation and I volunteer at the school. I'm surprised and sad about the anger and how you resent our kids and don't value them as part of the community. I have felt this at numerous events where local CCES parents stop talking to you and frown when they find out your child is in the center. And these were events were I was volunteering including this past Unity Day. I don't blame the school at all for this center, non-center divide. It's about parents like you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

Same poster as above. I also want to add that your child sounds lovely. Your account gripped my heart. I am glad she seems happier with her classmates in the CES and has found her people. I have heard that CES kids do grow very close and have reunions for years. You sound like a good Mom who totally gets her kid. Good luck to her and you.

Oh, thank you so much for saying that. I really appreciate it. I was so torn about sending her as I do think the way this is set up is really odd. It seems to me that it shouldn't be so hard t meet a range of needs at the home school. Sigh. I really help that the center isn't depriving other kids of resources and I really hope the school starts doing better by your kid.

PP again. Thanks, me too. I think it sounds like you made the right choice for your child. Moms should always follow their hearts and intuition. I wish I had sooner and am absolutely wracked with guilt and regret for listening to the school and hoping against hope I was wrong and that at all was fine. We know our kids better than anyone else,. You did that. Good job. I think she will do great at CCES. I am excited for her and I have no idea who she is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

What enrichment is my CES kid getting, exactly, that costs more money than being in a regular class? The three class of 28 are team taught by three teachers. That seems like it would cost the same amount as having those kids in non-CES classrooms. What am I missing?

It's not about money, it's about resources. Not the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

Same poster as above. I also want to add that your child sounds lovely. Your account gripped my heart. I am glad she seems happier with her classmates in the CES and has found her people. I have heard that CES kids do grow very close and have reunions for years. You sound like a good Mom who totally gets her kid. Good luck to her and you.

Oh, thank you so much for saying that. I really appreciate it. I was so torn about sending her as I do think the way this is set up is really odd. It seems to me that it shouldn't be so hard t meet a range of needs at the home school. Sigh. I really help that the center isn't depriving other kids of resources and I really hope the school starts doing better by your kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

What enrichment is my CES kid getting, exactly, that costs more money than being in a regular class? The three class of 28 are team taught by three teachers. That seems like it would cost the same amount as having those kids in non-CES classrooms. What am I missing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

Same poster as above. I also want to add that your child sounds lovely. Your account gripped my heart. I am glad she seems happier with her classmates in the CES and has found her people. I have heard that CES kids do grow very close and have reunions for years. You sound like a good Mom who totally gets her kid. Good luck to her and you.

Anonymous wrote:It seems to me that the angry Chevy Chase posters who complain about the CES are motivated by envy or resentment that their child didn't get in. As a CES parent, if it's any comfort, let me offer one observation: I *wish* my child had been well-positioned to stay at her home school. frankly it would be a lot more convenient (we have another child who's still there). But she has been, as a lot of CES kids are, really lonely there. She's sensitive, and shy, and awkward, and just hasn't ever been in the swim of things. Believe me, you don't envy her, and you wouldn't wish her experience on your kid. I'm relieved that she's much happier at CES so far, mostly because (socially) she seems like less of weirdo there. I actually hope that my other child won't have the need for the program -- I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools -- but for her, so far, it seems to be a godsend. Anyway, I just have the feeling that people are fetishizing the experience in some way and worrying that it reflects badly on their kids or them that they didn't get in. IT DOESN'T!!!

I am an upset CCES parent but I can assure you that I am not jealous of your kid's center placement. My child didn't even take the test to qualify because it was clear as day that there was a learning disability at play that was completely ignored. Kid didn't have a snowball's chance on hell of getting in to the Center.

So while your kids get enrichment, my kid still can't read and I am fighting for basic services in the exact same school where your kid gets enriched. The center keeps growing but there are not enough staff and resources for kids like mine.

Good for you guys but don't think all of the neighborhood parents are just jealous. They just want the same attention and consideration from MCPS and the administration that you guys already get on so many levels.

The split lunch just got people talking. A lot apparently.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I have a child who just started CES at CCES. My apologies to the CCES posters who are rightly indignant about being accused of being racist after having done far more to foster integration (through bussing to RH) than most MCPS parents have done.

However, I can understand why the PP who floated the race theory might have done so. As a new parent at the school this year, I was blown back on my heels with the one conversation I had with a neighborhood parent who lit into me with frustration about her 99% kid not having been admitted to the program, and the school "suffering" for the sake of kids like mine (she said that they kept losing the "best" teachers to CES and indicated that I was profiting from her loss).

Honestly the degree of hostility was really startling and confusing and I don't really understand why people think it's OK to treat other parents this way. If you have an issue with MCPS or the principal, please don't take it out on families whose only offense is taking a seat we were offered. To be honest, we were really unhappy at our home school too, due to all sorts of reasons similar to the ones that seem be bothering you now - goofed up lunch plans, limited resources/overcrowding, teaching quality, etc.

I immediately joined the CCES pta upon my daughter's enrollment. I attended the blacktop bash but found very few parents there who seemed interested in talking to a newcomer. I wasn't able to volunteer on Unity Day but don't recall seeing other calls for volunteers, or I'd have answered them. The number of community events / opportunities to meet / join / contribute to the school community seems lower so far than at our old school (read: nonexistent). I haven't seen any messages so far about PTA meetings despite having joined. so I'm really not sure how to contribute to the community / lessen hostility toward CES families. Thoughts?

First of all, welcome to CCES and thank you for joining the PTA. The parent you discussed could have been almost anyone. There are lots of very upset neighborhood parents this year. Last year they didn't seem to understand what had happened when they lost the 6th grade and several classes of new CES families showed up. This year, they get it, are awake and angry. CCES is now a different school that feels transient and cold. Which it sounds like you felt. Sorry for your experience.

The lunch/recess issues are boiling over. I heard several parents at games talking about it today. Unhappy kids make nhappy parents. The reason there are no community events is because the same dozen local parents are sick of doing all the work. Someone told me they almost cancelled the Fall Festival this year because no one would take it on. I heard a local parent say she was done with volunteering because it was unappreciated and she felt invisible. There used to be events even a couple of years ago. They are almost all gone.

The neighborhood parents see all of the teacher awards of excellence around the school. There are several and not one of them teaches a non CES class. The parent you describe wasn't exactly wrong and you probably judged her because you assume she is a 99%. The truth is on the walls of the school. There used to be a day of excellence and neighborhood parents would watch as CES kids took home all the honors.

It's a tough spot for everyone. My suggestion would be that if CES parents took some ownership of the school, it would lesson the hostility. So it is not enough to join the PTA but also actively participate.

PP here. Thanks for explaining all this, and I'll certainly try to do my part. I didn't know there was such a thing as a fall festival, as it's not been in any emails or calendars I've seen. I definitely didn't judge the parent I mentioned for anything other than her extreme rudeness. It's she who announced to me that her child was in the 99th percentile and in her view deserved a seat. I would never brag about my kid's test scores with a stranger, but to each her own.

What you say about the day of excellence sounds really awful - I'd be embarrassed by that and angry as well. It sounds like they should do separate events for the center--or just not do that sort of thing at all.

As for the good teachers being in the CES, that sucks, but at our home school, the good teachers kept getting chased away by our mediocre principal and/or reassigned by the county to more needy schools. Welcome to MCPS - if you were at a school without a CES you might have many of the same complaints. I'm also not totally sure why people think that overworked/underappreciated volunteers are the CES's fault. at our home school, the same handful of people do all the work and they feel invisible and exploited--and events almost get canceled, etc--but there isn't a CES to blame for the fact that everyone is stretched thin.

It seems to me that a lot of the problems you're describing at the school are surely also a result of the removal of 6th grade -- which is REALLY not the CES kids' fault. Having a school that exists for only 3 years is just going to lead to transient feeling, CES or no CES. With such a short span, people will be juggling kids in multiple schools, less likely to have two kids in same school for many consecutive years, less likely to be invested, etc.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to explain people's perspectives, and for your welcome, which i truly appreciate. and I'm just sorry to hear that this is the way things are. Unfortunately I feel like what's being described is likely to result in a vicious circle-- resentment toward newcomers leads to coldness toward them leads to their alienation and decision not to volunteer etc. Ugh.

Sorry to hear this - but this is par for the course at CCES, among parents whose kids did not get into CES. See how the poster you were responding to framed this: "The parent you describe wasn't exactly wrong and you probably judged her because you assume she is a 99%."

Also, there was *ONE* CES classroom (grade 4) that was added last year. But even last year, there were exaggerated complaints similar to those of the other poster about "several classes of new CES families" showing up. (If the extra classroom had not been added, the same parents would have been complaining about how much more difficult it is to get into CES since WJ cluster also started sending kids to CC CES instead of Barnsley.)

The 6th grade moved out of CCES when Silver Creek opened. That first year there was no change in the number of CES classrooms, just no 6th graders. The CCES community was consulted before the decision to build Silver Creek about moving the 6th graders out, but it was likely mostly discussions with families whose children are now too old to be directly affected. I will tell you that when my family was house hunting in 2014 it was already public information on the MCPS website that the 6th graders would be moving to Silver Creek in 2017 and no longer be at CCES and NCC. As a RHPS and NCC graduate myself, it was something I considered.

The second year of no 6th graders (last year) ONE CES class was added. One. The new teacher who joined the Center came from somewhere up-County. Not from CCES’s regular program. Now this year there is one more - because there are 3 rooms of 4th and 3 rooms of 5th. And the new 5th grade CES teacher came from CCES’s regular program. I can understand resentment about that, but also, lots of favorite teachers at our neighborhood school have moved to other schools for a variety of reasons. It happens. Rather than hate on people who really know nothing about the history and are not at all responsible for any of the relevant decisions, work on collaborating with the administration to build community in a way that feels good to the community. Maybe there should be more joint RHPS/CCES PTA events. Maybe there should be RHPS/CCES/NCC events. Center families have challenges to participating including living further away and having other children in other schools that are closer to home with their own PTAs and activities and events - and with kids that our kids will go to MS with and need to maintain connections too. It is a challenging situation for CCES, but hating on Center parents really solves none of the problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I have a child who just started CES at CCES. My apologies to the CCES posters who are rightly indignant about being accused of being racist after having done far more to foster integration (through bussing to RH) than most MCPS parents have done.

However, I can understand why the PP who floated the race theory might have done so. As a new parent at the school this year, I was blown back on my heels with the one conversation I had with a neighborhood parent who lit into me with frustration about her 99% kid not having been admitted to the program, and the school "suffering" for the sake of kids like mine (she said that they kept losing the "best" teachers to CES and indicated that I was profiting from her loss).

Honestly the degree of hostility was really startling and confusing and I don't really understand why people think it's OK to treat other parents this way. If you have an issue with MCPS or the principal, please don't take it out on families whose only offense is taking a seat we were offered. To be honest, we were really unhappy at our home school too, due to all sorts of reasons similar to the ones that seem be bothering you now - goofed up lunch plans, limited resources/overcrowding, teaching quality, etc.

I immediately joined the CCES pta upon my daughter's enrollment. I attended the blacktop bash but found very few parents there who seemed interested in talking to a newcomer. I wasn't able to volunteer on Unity Day but don't recall seeing other calls for volunteers, or I'd have answered them. The number of community events / opportunities to meet / join / contribute to the school community seems lower so far than at our old school (read: nonexistent). I haven't seen any messages so far about PTA meetings despite having joined. so I'm really not sure how to contribute to the community / lessen hostility toward CES families. Thoughts?

First of all, welcome to CCES and thank you for joining the PTA. The parent you discussed could have been almost anyone. There are lots of very upset neighborhood parents this year. Last year they didn't seem to understand what had happened when they lost the 6th grade and several classes of new CES families showed up. This year, they get it, are awake and angry. CCES is now a different school that feels transient and cold. Which it sounds like you felt. Sorry for your experience.

The lunch/recess issues are boiling over. I heard several parents at games talking about it today. Unhappy kids make nhappy parents. The reason there are no community events is because the same dozen local parents are sick of doing all the work. Someone told me they almost cancelled the Fall Festival this year because no one would take it on. I heard a local parent say she was done with volunteering because it was unappreciated and she felt invisible. There used to be events even a couple of years ago. They are almost all gone.

The neighborhood parents see all of the teacher awards of excellence around the school. There are several and not one of them teaches a non CES class. The parent you describe wasn't exactly wrong and you probably judged her because you assume she is a 99%. The truth is on the walls of the school. There used to be a day of excellence and neighborhood parents would watch as CES kids took home all the honors.

It's a tough spot for everyone. My suggestion would be that if CES parents took some ownership of the school, it would lesson the hostility. So it is not enough to join the PTA but also actively participate.

PP here. Thanks for explaining all this, and I'll certainly try to do my part. I didn't know there was such a thing as a fall festival, as it's not been in any emails or calendars I've seen. I definitely didn't judge the parent I mentioned for anything other than her extreme rudeness. It's she who announced to me that her child was in the 99th percentile and in her view deserved a seat. I would never brag about my kid's test scores with a stranger, but to each her own.

What you say about the day of excellence sounds really awful - I'd be embarrassed by that and angry as well. It sounds like they should do separate events for the center--or just not do that sort of thing at all.

As for the good teachers being in the CES, that sucks, but at our home school, the good teachers kept getting chased away by our mediocre principal and/or reassigned by the county to more needy schools. Welcome to MCPS - if you were at a school without a CES you might have many of the same complaints. I'm also not totally sure why people think that overworked/underappreciated volunteers are the CES's fault. at our home school, the same handful of people do all the work and they feel invisible and exploited--and events almost get canceled, etc--but there isn't a CES to blame for the fact that everyone is stretched thin.

It seems to me that a lot of the problems you're describing at the school are surely also a result of the removal of 6th grade -- which is REALLY not the CES kids' fault. Having a school that exists for only 3 years is just going to lead to transient feeling, CES or no CES. With such a short span, people will be juggling kids in multiple schools, less likely to have two kids in same school for many consecutive years, less likely to be invested, etc.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to explain people's perspectives, and for your welcome, which i truly appreciate. and I'm just sorry to hear that this is the way things are. Unfortunately I feel like what's being described is likely to result in a vicious circle-- resentment toward newcomers leads to coldness toward them leads to their alienation and decision not to volunteer etc. Ugh.

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I have a child who just started CES at CCES. My apologies to the CCES posters who are rightly indignant about being accused of being racist after having done far more to foster integration (through bussing to RH) than most MCPS parents have done.

However, I can understand why the PP who floated the race theory might have done so. As a new parent at the school this year, I was blown back on my heels with the one conversation I had with a neighborhood parent who lit into me with frustration about her 99% kid not having been admitted to the program, and the school "suffering" for the sake of kids like mine (she said that they kept losing the "best" teachers to CES and indicated that I was profiting from her loss).

Honestly the degree of hostility was really startling and confusing and I don't really understand why people think it's OK to treat other parents this way. If you have an issue with MCPS or the principal, please don't take it out on families whose only offense is taking a seat we were offered. To be honest, we were really unhappy at our home school too, due to all sorts of reasons similar to the ones that seem be bothering you now - goofed up lunch plans, limited resources/overcrowding, teaching quality, etc.

I immediately joined the CCES pta upon my daughter's enrollment. I attended the blacktop bash but found very few parents there who seemed interested in talking to a newcomer. I wasn't able to volunteer on Unity Day but don't recall seeing other calls for volunteers, or I'd have answered them. The number of community events / opportunities to meet / join / contribute to the school community seems lower so far than at our old school (read: nonexistent). I haven't seen any messages so far about PTA meetings despite having joined. so I'm really not sure how to contribute to the community / lessen hostility toward CES families. Thoughts?

First of all, welcome to CCES and thank you for joining the PTA. The parent you discussed could have been almost anyone. There are lots of very upset neighborhood parents this year. Last year they didn't seem to understand what had happened when they lost the 6th grade and several classes of new CES families showed up. This year, they get it, are awake and angry. CCES is now a different school that feels transient and cold. Which it sounds like you felt. Sorry for your experience.

The lunch/recess issues are boiling over. I heard several parents at games talking about it today. Unhappy kids make nhappy parents. The reason there are no community events is because the same dozen local parents are sick of doing all the work. Someone told me they almost cancelled the Fall Festival this year because no one would take it on. I heard a local parent say she was done with volunteering because it was unappreciated and she felt invisible. There used to be events even a couple of years ago. They are almost all gone.

The neighborhood parents see all of the teacher awards of excellence around the school. There are several and not one of them teaches a non CES class. The parent you describe wasn't exactly wrong and you probably judged her because you assume she is a 99%. The truth is on the walls of the school. There used to be a day of excellence and neighborhood parents would watch as CES kids took home all the honors.

It's a tough spot for everyone. My suggestion would be that if CES parents took some ownership of the school, it would lesson the hostility. So it is not enough to join the PTA but also actively participate.