More details to come later, but the new magnet school themes have been unveiled today for the Wake County schools in the magnet grant.
Of particular interest to a lot of parents will be an expansion of the Gifted and Talented/AG Basics program to now include Poe Elementary and Moore Square Middle as their current themes are revamped.
Poe would continue to offer Montessori for pre-K through third-grade until 2014-15 when they hope to start a new Montessori school elsewhere in Wake. Until then, GT/AG Basics would initially be offered only in grades 4 and 5.
Moore Square would become a GT/AG Basic and Museums Magnet school, in which it keep part of its current theme while getting all the new electives and homogeneous grouping of AG kids in core courses.
In terms of the three new magnet schools:
Green Elementary would become a leadership and world languages magnet, somewhat similar to Wiley's program while also having a leadership theme to tie into its magnet pathway feeder to Southeast Raleigh.
Carroll Middle, while offering languages as Green's feeder, would officially be a leadership and technology magnet.
Fox Road Elementary would become an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program magnet school. It would feed into East Millbrook Middle and Millbrook High.
Comments
From what I understand, they
Mon, 10/15/2012 - 08:52 — annettahoggardFrom what I understand, they used to test for AG in kindergarten, but found it to be such a waste because children change so much between K and third grade in regard to this kind of testing. They found it was better overall not to identify as AG or non-AG until children were a little older.
AG when?
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 18:12 — Dove314Why are any of the magnets designated as "AG" elementary schools when AG doesn't come in to play until halfway through ES? And the GT program is arguably the most wasteful and least effective for ED of all of the magnet programs.
How can magnets be "AG" when that doesn't start till 3rd?
Fri, 10/12/2012 - 20:19 — klanders65I have always wondered this and have asked repeatedly. The answers are always evasive and confusing. I have asked teachers from GT/AG magnets how these schools work since kids enter in K when they won't be tested for another 3 years. Teachers in these schools have been confused, and had never thought about it. They told me that the parents must be able to tell their kids are gifted and that is why they apply. I have also been told that GT (Gifted and Talented) is not the same as Academically Gifted (AG). You have to be tested for AG but not for GT.
I think gifted means the school system will gift you with exceptional resources... "the gifted children..."
So glad to see you posting
Fri, 10/12/2012 - 20:43 — jenmanSo glad to see you posting again! I agree about AG in elem. How can we really have an AG elem school when we don't test until the end of 3rd grade?
Same as they have AG after
Fri, 10/12/2012 - 21:03 — klanders65Same as they have AG after they test. What difference does it make?
The GT magnet could be
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 19:50 — jenmanThe GT magnet could be designed to take the place of the GT magnet seats that will be lost when Underwood moves to 80% base.
magnet, magnet, magnet
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 20:49 — snordoneWe will run this system for 15 elite magnets to the deficit of the rest of the system
Interesting that they will
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 16:09 — jenmanInteresting that they will have Fox Rd and Millbrook ES as IB schools. They are fairly close together.
Are they both reasonably close to IB MS and HS?
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 18:38 — nmoskalCould the thought be that both would feed into the same MS and then HS?
Yes, they will both feed
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 19:47 — jenmanYes, they will both feed into East Millbrook Middle and Millbrook High.
adding more IB at elementary
Fri, 10/12/2012 - 13:44 — JSBinNCadding more IB at elementary is good, interesting choice though I agree. it does cross into MEMS draw a bit.
It will put some pressure (hopefully!) on EMMS to start beefing up their middle years program - there was very little evidence of anything IB at EMMS when I visited last fall. The IB'ish things seemed to be offered around AIG kids only. EMMS seems much more focused on the Creative Arts piece... which is great... but for kids/families wanting IB continuity from elementary through HS - the MS piece was not up to par at all IMO.
Financials?
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 13:47 — mnordbergAny news on how exactly these are going to be paid for? Isn't this what got Tata in trouble, new programs and special programs without transparency to pay for them. Which pocket are we taking money out of to pay for these things?
I have that same question.
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 16:18 — jenmanI have that same question. Not that I'm saying we shouldn't make these schools magnets, but just pointing out the hypocrisy. What really bothers me is that not only was Hill questioning where the money was coming from to pay for the STEM and Global school programs, Leadership Academies and Hilburn Academy but he's questioning whether or not we can afford to maintain the Renaissance Schools. He acknowledged that we saw gains at those schools. Yet he questions how we can pay for those but has no problem committing us to pay for 3 new magnet schools. Even if we do get the grant, it is only good for 3 years and after that the money comes from WCPSS.
So improving the academic performance of low income and minority students might not be worth the price tag but offering magnets is. I hope Sutton fights to keep some of the programs that are in place at the Renaissance schools.
Not only magnets in general, but two more AG
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 18:35 — nmoskalTwo more AG and we know AG programs historically haven't generally provided services for the same subgroups that the Renaissance Schools do.
So, in a nutshell they don't question money for special programs that predominately serve White/Asian/NED students, but do question continuing to spend money for special programs that predominately serve Black/Hispanic/ED students even when those programs have shown academic gains for them. Maybe they can put something to that effect in the next CUBE award application.
I wouldn't hold my breath in hope if I were you. I'm guessing advocating for those programs might be deemed politically inexpedient.
Not in detail. The details
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 15:12 — KeungHui (author)Not in detail. The details of what will be included in the MSAP grant are still being finalized. If the grant doesn't win, Wake would likely do what it's done in similar siutaitons in the past and use local funds for a scaled-back implementation.
Mr. Hui - any discussion with regard to disparity in AIG ID?
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 13:37 — nmoskalWas there any discussion with regard to historical disparity in AIG identification by race and SES and what measures, if any, would be taken to address the issue in AG type magnet schools?
Otherwise, we just end up with "diverse" within-school segregated schools where the White & Asian/NED applicant kids are predominantly in the AG classes and the Black & Hispanic/ED base/proximity kids are predominantly in the non-AG classes.
How within school segregation gets tauted for diversity is one of life's great mysteries to me.
The issue didn't directly
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 15:13 — KeungHui (author)The issue didn't directly come up. But during the committee discussion, Kushner said they should try to make the new GT/AG Basics program at Poe as inclusive as the Montessori program has been.