Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

That's fair, but if you're a region 5 parent with a high achieving child, are you sending them to an IB program where only 17% of students are passing the IB math exam?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

MCCPTA resolutions always go out over our school's PTA listserv with a request for any feedback, and important ones (like the one regarding slowing down the regional program rollout and gathering feedback) get discussed during PTA meetings to inform the delegates' vote.

But even if not all delegates do that, the resolutions still get voted on by the delegates themselves-- literally hundreds of people debating and voting on every position MCCPTA takes. That is a far cry from one or a few people taking a position and claiming they speak for a whole coalition (and implicitly a whole demographic group.)

It’s rarely discussed at our meetings and any opinions that are different are dismissed. They always vote in favor regardless of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

That's fair, but if you're a region 5 parent with a high achieving child, are you sending them to an IB program where only 17% of students are passing the IB math exam?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

That's fair, but if you're a region 5 parent with a high achieving child, are you sending them to an IB program where only 17% of students are passing the IB math exam?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

No, MCCPTA has two delegates from each school in the county eligible to vote on key matters, such as the regional programs. That's real representation. MCCPTA sent out a draft resolution on slowing the implementation of regional programs to help ensure quality, and all schools had the ability to discuss the issues. Delegates voted on this. If your delegates didn't present the issue, then I would suggest that you volunteer to do the hard work of community organizing, instead of mouthing off on an anonymous website.

+1

And, in addition to the 2 delegates/school, every PTA President can vote. So that is three votes per school and a genuine process for debating and making decisions on whether to take action.

A few votes is not representative of the school population.

As I wrote earlier, DP, get to work and organize your school's community to help ensure that people are well-informed. Don't just sit around and complain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

MCCPTA resolutions always go out over our school's PTA listserv with a request for any feedback, and important ones (like the one regarding slowing down the regional program rollout and gathering feedback) get discussed during PTA meetings to inform the delegates' vote.

But even if not all delegates do that, the resolutions still get voted on by the delegates themselves-- literally hundreds of people debating and voting on every position MCCPTA takes. That is a far cry from one or a few people taking a position and claiming they speak for a whole coalition (and implicitly a whole demographic group.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

You'd have to take a look at a Watkins Mills course catalog - what are the electives offered? Watkin's Mill currently has ~1580 students. Will people choose to go to Watkin's Mill if they have a choice elsewhere to go? If Watkins Mill's population drops, they will have less class options. This regional system will have eastside losers; low-income school losers, and as always, westside, higher-income school that are the winners in this regional system.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

No, MCCPTA has two delegates from each school in the county eligible to vote on key matters, such as the regional programs. That's real representation. MCCPTA sent out a draft resolution on slowing the implementation of regional programs to help ensure quality, and all schools had the ability to discuss the issues. Delegates voted on this. If your delegates didn't present the issue, then I would suggest that you volunteer to do the hard work of community organizing, instead of mouthing off on an anonymous website.

+1

And, in addition to the 2 delegates/school, every PTA President can vote. So that is three votes per school and a genuine process for debating and making decisions on whether to take action.

A few votes is not representative of the school population.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They tried putting high profile programs in low income schools. How are those IB programs going at Watkins Mill and Kennedy?

I thought the Watkins Mill IB program was considered pretty successful? I know the one at Kennedy is not good and is generally avoided but that doesn't make all of them bad

Not sure I'd consider Watkins Mill successful.... https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DHXL5Z54F2FC/$file/MCPS%20IB%20Program%20Statistics.pdf

And yes, it's still a new program. But MCPS also hasn't done any analysis to determine what is working and what isn't.

Doesn't look that bad to me given nearly all the students receive farms

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

No, MCCPTA has two delegates from each school in the county eligible to vote on key matters, such as the regional programs. That's real representation. MCCPTA sent out a draft resolution on slowing the implementation of regional programs to help ensure quality, and all schools had the ability to discuss the issues. Delegates voted on this. If your delegates didn't present the issue, then I would suggest that you volunteer to do the hard work of community organizing, instead of mouthing off on an anonymous website.

+1

And, in addition to the 2 delegates/school, every PTA President can vote. So that is three votes per school and a genuine process for debating and making decisions on whether to take action.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The NAACP wrote a letter supporting it.

You mean Byron Jones wrote a letter supporting it.

That’s no different that MCCPTA. How many PTA members sign onto their letters? I’ve been a member in four different school PTA and the level of engagement from the delegate in conveying information between the county level and school has been minimal to nonexistent.

No, MCCPTA has two delegates from each school in the county eligible to vote on key matters, such as the regional programs. That's real representation. MCCPTA sent out a draft resolution on slowing the implementation of regional programs to help ensure quality, and all schools had the ability to discuss the issues. Delegates voted on this. If your delegates didn't present the issue, then I would suggest that you volunteer to do the hard work of community organizing, instead of mouthing off on an anonymous website.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, I've gotten the impression that Bethesda Mag is now just another mouthpiece for MCPS. I miss Caitlynn Peetz.

It's more incompetence than a conspiracy. Bethesda Mag is not doing well financially so they hire interns and fresh college grads, who lack little real journalism experience. Yes, Peetz was great, I think she moved on to the Banner?

Peetz went to Education Week? Banner is someone else, though I understand she is highly esteemed too.