Anonymous wrote:Why can't the board add new programs to attract the right type of students to underperforming schools? The magnet programs have done a fabulous job.

Are members of the board jealous of those us that live in good clusters? Are they doing this to punish us- seriously?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1 same for RM cluster MS, while neighboring Wootton and Churchill MS are under enrolled. The only reason the ESs aren't overcrowded is because of the new ES that opened last year. RMHS is more over enrolled than Wootton or Churchill.

It's great that BOE are looking at redrawing boundaries everywhere. It's loooong overdue.

What Richard Montgomery middle school are you referring to? Julius West MS is as underenrolled as any.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/03211.pdf

Anonymous wrote: The Bethesda magazine just published an article and the students seem to agree that part of the problem is due to resources:

“Northwood High junior Kaylah Tengeya said students at her school — with a minority-majority population and 75 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meal plans — are often at a disadvantage because teachers have fewer resources to help students.”

I think adding more teachers, more resources for the students, and even the parents, would be better than bussing the students around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The Bethesda magazine just published an article and the students seem to agree that part of the problem is due to resources:

“Northwood High junior Kaylah Tengeya said students at her school — with a minority-majority population and 75 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meal plans — are often at a disadvantage because teachers have fewer resources to help students.”

I think adding more teachers, more resources for the students, and even the parents, would be better than bussing the students around.

I agree to an extent, but I still think it’s worth looking at boundaries to balance crowding. Case in point above- RCES is overcrowded while neighboring ESs are underenrolled. Some simple adjustments in the boundaries could balance them out without making students commute much further.

Is anyone really suggesting Northwood students get bussed to the W schools? Heck I live in silver spring and I absolutely would not want that. There seems to be a lot of panic about “bussing” but I’m not sure how much of it is founded.

Anonymous wrote: The Bethesda magazine just published an article and the students seem to agree that part of the problem is due to resources:

“Northwood High junior Kaylah Tengeya said students at her school — with a minority-majority population and 75 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meal plans — are often at a disadvantage because teachers have fewer resources to help students.”

I think adding more teachers, more resources for the students, and even the parents, would be better than bussing the students around.

Anonymous wrote:

+1 same for RM cluster MS, while neighboring Wootton and Churchill MS are under enrolled. The only reason the ESs aren't overcrowded is because of the new ES that opened last year. RMHS is more over enrolled than Wootton or Churchill.

It's great that BOE are looking at redrawing boundaries everywhere. It's loooong overdue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the under-enrolled schools that I know of are in Potomac.

Yep, and North Potomac. My kid is districted to RCES, which of course is overcrowded. We're surrounded by under-enrolled, high-performing ES's (Dufief, Stone Mill, Travilah, etc.).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the board add new programs to attract the right type of students to underperforming schools? The magnet programs have done a fabulous job.

Are members of the board jealous of those us that live in good clusters? Are they doing this to punish us- seriously?

So you just ignore the masses, hoping they'll be covered up by students being bused into a magnet?

How does that solve anything, genius?

You punish yourself simply by being you.

Some underperforming schools are also underenrolled. If people voluntarily move from their high performing school to a low performing school because of a magnet program offering it does a few things. First, it solves a capacity issue. Secondly, it helps bring a better peer group into the schools. Third, it helps balance schools with out ripping communities apart. Forth- if structured correctly high performing students in a low performing school with have access to some of the programming benefits. Of course, it's easier just to call me names.

lol - Which parent in a W cluster is going to voluntarily move a child to an under-enrolled, underperforming school in Silver Spring, Gaithersburg or Germantown b/c of the addition of some magnet? Furthermore, there are test-in magnets and opt-in magnets. Opt-in magnets are normally for those already w/in the school cluster. (IB at Einstein, for example, for kids in the DCC) Finally, transportation issues are already a mess, with current magnet and consortia bus routes. Kids in magnets, for your information, are tracked. So there's little "mixing in" with the masses.

Now, "better peer group," based upon contextual clues translates into wealthy (and most likely white) children with educated parents. That's highly offensive. But feel free to correct me.

This "ripping apart of communities" means what? If you're pulling kids from "high-performing schools" to BUS them into under-enrolled, underperforming schools, is that not "ripping apart of communities?"

And what are these "programming benefits" in low-performing schools? They won't qualify for free and reduced meals or subsidized after-school activities.

For the record, I called you a genius.

-educator with over 20 years of experience

OP here .......

* Magnet students are extremely capable students from all different races/income levels. I didn't bring up race or income. Why did you?
* If people choose to send their children to a program/school outside the neighborhood why should I or anyone care? These folks are choosing the longer bus rides etc for the trade off of a great program.
* Strong local peers will have access to some of the same classes. For example, if you offer a magnet program and math isn't part of the "magnet" per se local students who can handle the class can enroll.

With regards to your last point about not having subsidized school activities/ free meals- that might not exist either if you "mix" the boundaries.

DP. No offense but you don't know what you are talking about.....

Anonymous wrote:

OP here .......

* Magnet students are extremely capable students from all different races/income levels. I didn't bring up race or income. Why did you?
* If people choose to send their children to a program/school outside the neighborhood why should I or anyone care? These folks are choosing the longer bus rides etc for the trade off of a great program.
* Strong local peers will have access to some of the same classes. For example, if you offer a magnet program and math isn't part of the "magnet" per se local students who can handle the class can enroll.

With regards to your last point about not having subsidized school activities/ free meals- that might not exist either if you "mix" the boundaries.

Anonymous wrote:Most of the under-enrolled schools that I know of are in Potomac.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the board add new programs to attract the right type of students to underperforming schools? The magnet programs have done a fabulous job.

Are members of the board jealous of those us that live in good clusters? Are they doing this to punish us- seriously?

So you just ignore the masses, hoping they'll be covered up by students being bused into a magnet?

How does that solve anything, genius?

You punish yourself simply by being you.

Some underperforming schools are also underenrolled. If people voluntarily move from their high performing school to a low performing school because of a magnet program offering it does a few things. First, it solves a capacity issue. Secondly, it helps bring a better peer group into the schools. Third, it helps balance schools with out ripping communities apart. Forth- if structured correctly high performing students in a low performing school with have access to some of the programming benefits. Of course, it's easier just to call me names.

lol - Which parent in a W cluster is going to voluntarily move a child to an under-enrolled, underperforming school in Silver Spring, Gaithersburg or Germantown b/c of the addition of some magnet? Furthermore, there are test-in magnets and opt-in magnets. Opt-in magnets are normally for those already w/in the school cluster. (IB at Einstein, for example, for kids in the DCC) Finally, transportation issues are already a mess, with current magnet and consortia bus routes. Kids in magnets, for your information, are tracked. So there's little "mixing in" with the masses.

Now, "better peer group," based upon contextual clues translates into wealthy (and most likely white) children with educated parents. That's highly offensive. But feel free to correct me.

This "ripping apart of communities" means what? If you're pulling kids from "high-performing schools" to BUS them into under-enrolled, underperforming schools, is that not "ripping apart of communities?"

And what are these "programming benefits" in low-performing schools? They won't qualify for free and reduced meals or subsidized after-school activities.

For the record, I called you a genius.

-educator with over 20 years of experience

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the board add new programs to attract the right type of students to underperforming schools? The magnet programs have done a fabulous job.

Are members of the board jealous of those us that live in good clusters? Are they doing this to punish us- seriously?

So you just ignore the masses, hoping they'll be covered up by students being bused into a magnet?

How does that solve anything, genius?

You punish yourself simply by being you.

Some underperforming schools are also underenrolled. If people voluntarily move from their high performing school to a low performing school because of a magnet program offering it does a few things. First, it solves a capacity issue. Secondly, it helps bring a better peer group into the schools. Third, it helps balance schools with out ripping communities apart. Forth- if structured correctly high performing students in a low performing school with have access to some of the programming benefits. Of course, it's easier just to call me names.