I thought the benefit of IB was an international standard. How is RM able to water it down? They have a very high diploma rate.

I have a child in the program. We were happy with it. I would say I did not see elitist attitudes among my daughter's friends, but I do know that cohorts coming from magnet middle schools come with this history. The year is still young, but some of the changes we see this year are troubling. The most immediate for us is the reorganization of language classes and combined classes with different levels. Now to be fair, last-year's language classes were also nothing to write home about relative to our middle school instruction. I know some kids also faced problems with reorgization of math. In general, kids are somewhat demoralized. There is a sense that the administration does not care about the program. It has not been very responsive to concerns, with poor communication (a lot of generalities, very few specific responses to concerns). In our case, I might consider bringing my child back to our excellent home school if things go south, as the watered down program and school tensions may not be worth a very long commute and lost hours each day any longer.

Anonymous wrote:

And this is upsetting because?

...it slows down the instruction not to mention lowered program standards.

Do you know this from personal/professional experience, or are you just assuming that's what happens when they let in the hoi polloi?

And this is upsetting because?

...it slows down the instruction not to mention lowered program standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

In what ways, specifically, is it no longer the same program?

NP, I heard a lot of IB classes are mix of magnet and non-magnet kids. More magnet classes are open to non magnet kids.

In some cases that is the only way the classes can exist..if enough IB kids are not signing up. The core classes are IB only. It is the electives that are open to other kids when seats are available. SMAC works the same way. Non-magnet kids are still subject to the same IB grading standards.

And this is not new..can't say when it started but before my kids were at RM 7 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

In what ways, specifically, is it no longer the same program?

NP, I heard a lot of IB classes are mix of magnet and non-magnet kids. More magnet classes are open to non magnet kids.

And this is upsetting because?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

In what ways, specifically, is it no longer the same program?

NP, I heard a lot of IB classes are mix of magnet and non-magnet kids. More magnet classes are open to non magnet kids.

In some cases that is the only way the classes can exist..if enough IB kids are not signing up. The core classes are IB only. It is the electives that are open to other kids when seats are available. SMAC works the same way. Non-magnet kids are still subject to the same IB grading standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

In what ways, specifically, is it no longer the same program?

NP, I heard a lot of IB classes are mix of magnet and non-magnet kids. More magnet classes are open to non magnet kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

In what ways, specifically, is it no longer the same program?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Not just a staff change, it's how IB program is ran. Not the same program IMHO.

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Aside from this staffing change, what else has the principal changed in the program?

Bethesda parents are not raising a stink about this? I don't like the new Principal because he is ruining a great program and he hates the magnet program. Maybe RMIB should move somewhere else

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new Principal is perpetuating low standards. Even when non-magnet students at RMIB are given a chance to be in the RMIB magnet program in 11th and 12th grade - very few take up the offer.

To remove Jennifer Hoover as the RMIB Coordinator and make her an MYP coordinator (10th and 11th) and bring in another person as a magnet coordinator (11th and 12th) is a recipe for disaster. He is breaking a magnet cohort especially since IB is so very hard and these kids need the cohort. But, whatever. My youngest will not go to RMIB, even though 2 of his siblings have gone through the program, because doing the MYP diploma in 10th grade is not another thing I want him to do for IB in HS.

I am surprised all the Bethesda parents are not protesting.

Is this why RMIB coordinator has changed?
What was the conflict between the coordinator and principal?
Thinking of having child apply, does anyone have more information?

Hoover and the new principal didn't get along. The new guy didn't like IB's "school within a school" model and wants to integrate (or mainstream) IB program. If you know anything about IB, that's very core of what makes it so special. Very talented kids driven very, very hard. The new coordinator (Ms. Shay) is a very nice teacher but, obviously, new to the job. Hoover was more than a coordinator to IB kids. Kids lean on her during difficult times. Too bad for the program.

Anonymous wrote:The new Principal is perpetuating low standards. Even when non-magnet students at RMIB are given a chance to be in the RMIB magnet program in 11th and 12th grade - very few take up the offer.

To remove Jennifer Hoover as the RMIB Coordinator and make her an MYP coordinator (10th and 11th) and bring in another person as a magnet coordinator (11th and 12th) is a recipe for disaster. He is breaking a magnet cohort especially since IB is so very hard and these kids need the cohort. But, whatever. My youngest will not go to RMIB, even though 2 of his siblings have gone through the program, because doing the MYP diploma in 10th grade is not another thing I want him to do for IB in HS.

I am surprised all the Bethesda parents are not protesting.

Is this why RMIB coordinator has changed?
What was the conflict between the coordinator and principal?
Thinking of having child apply, does anyone have more information?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't know... you sound like a "my kid can't get in so no one should" parent... envy and jealousy are not good for your health.

I think it's a valid point. IB should be available to all MCPS students, which it currently is not. And if IB were available to all MCPS students, what would be the reason for an additional test-in magnet program for IB?

MCPS can't afford to have IB in all schools without increasing the budget significantly..

Why not? MCPS has AP classes in all schools.

Because all of the teachers must be sent to training (among other costs) and that adds up quickly.

This thread is 80% people talking out of their ass, just like every other misinformed RM IB thread on this board.