October 2004

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Downcounty Consortium

• Charting a Path to Your Future

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The Schools in the Downcounty Consortium (DCC)
Middle Schools Argyle Belt (reopening in fall
2005) Eastern Col. E. Brooke Lee Newport
Mill Parkland Sligo Silver Spring International
Takoma Park
High Schools Montgomery BlairAlbert
EinsteinJohn F. KennedyNorthwood (reopened in
fall 2004)Wheaton
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Base AreaElementary Schools

• Montgomery Blair High School Base Area
• East Silver Spring / Takoma Park / Piney Branch
  Elementary Schools
• Montgomery Knolls / Pine Crest Elementary Schools
• New Hampshire Estates / Oak View Elementary
  Schools
• Rolling Terrace Elementary School
• The eastern portion of the Sligo Creek Elementary
  School service area
• Albert Einstein High School Base Area
• Highland Elementary School
• Oakland Terrace Elementary School
• Rock View Elementary School
• Woodlin Elementary School

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Base AreaElementary Schools

• John F. Kennedy High School Base Area
• Bel Pre / Strathmore Elementary Schools
• Georgian Forest Elementary School
• Glenallan Elementary School
• Harmony Hills Elementary School
• Northwood High School Base Area
• Forest Knolls Elementary School
• Glen Haven Elementary School
• Highland View Elementary School
• Kemp Mill Elementary School
• The western portions of the Sligo Creek
  Elementary School service area
• Wheaton High School Base Area
• Brookhaven Elementary School
• Viers Mill Elementary School
• Weller Road Elementary School
• Wheaton Woods Elementary School

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Why was the DCC created?

• Increase student achievement by
• Making school more interesting
• Connecting students to each other and staff
• Teaming up of teachers
• Easing 9th grade transition
• Accessing work experiences
• Earning college-level credit

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What can students expect in 9th grade?

• A Ninth Grade Team which focuses on
• Easing the transition to high school
• Strengthening academic skills
• Creating smaller learning communities
• Helping students connect withpeers teachers
• Providing opportunities to explorecareer/college
  interests

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What is an academy?

• a focus on academic and career themes
• a sequence of related courses
• capstone experiences
• a smaller learning community

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What do the academies have in common?

• Comprehensive high school curriculum
• Academic rigor
• On level, honors and AP courses
• Support for Special Educationand ESOL students
• Technology
• An Academy Head

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What are the advantages of an academy?

• It meets Maryland graduation requirements
• It offers opportunities for collegeand career
  exploration
• It includes teams of teachers
• It has courses focused on students interests
• It builds in relevant experiences

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What will a students schedule look like?

• Ninth Grade Team
• Some academies start in Grade 9
• Students take Connections course
• Grade 10 12 Academy
• Most academies start in Grade 10
• Students participate in a Capstone Experience
• Internship
• College Credit Course
• Senior Project
• Students work with school counselors to tailor
  coursework to individual needs and interests

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A sneak preview of the academies
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Academies at Montgomery Blair

• Entrepreneurship
• Create and operate a business
• Human Service Professions
• Work to improve peoples lives
• International Studies
• Learn about other countries and cultures
• Media Literacy
• Use media to entertain, inform and persuade
• Science, Math Technology
• Solve, analyze troubleshoot

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Academies atAlbert Einstein

• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Earn an internationally recognized diploma
• Academy of Finance (NAF)
• Explore finance and business
• Academy of Visual and Performing Arts
• Perform and create

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Academies atJohn F. Kennedy

• Cambridge
• Earn an internationally recognized diploma
• MediaCom Multimedia Telecommunications
• Explore the use of technology and web design
• Sports Medicine and Management
• Learn about the business of sports and sports
  medicine

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Academies at Northwood

• Environmental Sciences
• Explore ecology and biodiversity
• Political Science Public Advocacy
• Learn to advocate and serve the community
• Humanities and Film
• Explore community and diversity throughfilm and
  humanities
• Gilder Lehrman Academyof American History
• Investigate and analyze American History

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Academies atWheaton

• Information Technology (NAF)
• Learn the electrifying ways computers work and
  communicate develop programs for business and
  entertainment
• Engineering (PLTW)
• Use state-of-the-art technology to solve
  real-world problems
• Biosciences and Medicine
• Investigate scientific solutions to improve
  quality of life through research and technology

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What do all DCC high schools have in common?

• Academy programs
• 9th grade teams
• Business/community partnerships
• Ties to college and universities
• Athletic and extracurricular activities

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Application Only Programs

• DCC Application Only Programs
• Montgomery Blair High School
• Communication Arts Program (CAP)
• John F. Kennedy High School
• Leadership Training Institute (LTI)

• County-wide Application Only Programs
• Montgomery Blair High School
• Math, Science, Computer Science Magnet
• Albert Einstein High School
• Visual Arts Center
• Richard Montgomery High School
• International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
• Poolesville High School
• Global Ecology Studies Program (GESP)

All Grade 8 students residing in the DCC, or
attending a DCC middle school on a transfer, are
eligible to apply for participation in the
application only programs. Students must
follow the application process/timeline for each
program.
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What is the Choice Process Timeline?

• Choice Form Choice forms will be sent home by
  mail by the last week of November.
• Choice Made -December 13
• School assignments February

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How do transfer students participate in Choice?

• Transfer students attending a DCC middleschool
  should apply for a transfer.
• Transfer students can participate in Round 2 of
  the Choice Process.
• Transfer students are permitted toapply to LTI
  and CAP.

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How do private school students participate in
Choice?

• Private school students need to contact the
  DCC office at 301-649-8081.
• Private School Meeting
• Nov. 30 at 7 pm
• DCC Office

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What are some frequently asked questions?
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• Are students guaranteed their base area school?
• No. Students are guaranteed their base school
  only if it is written as their first choice on
  the initial Choice form OR if it is their second
  choice on the initial Choice form AND their first
  choice is NOT available.

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• How are students assigned to a high school based
  on their choice form?
• All student assignments will be derived through
  a lottery process. Every effort will be made to
  assign students to their first choice.

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• If I have an older sibling at a high school, am
  I guaranteed that school?
• No. Every effort will be made to allow for
  siblings to attend the same school. However,it
  will be on a space available basis.
• How will students learn about the academies and
  the Choice Process?
• Sixth, seventh and eighth grade school
  counselors will provide information to students.

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• Will transportation be provided?
• Yes, transportation will be provided to every
  DCC high school. Students who live within two
  miles of the school assignment will be required
  to walk as per MCPS policy.

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• When will bus schedules for next school year
• be available to parents/students?
• Existing bus stops will remain the same for next
  year
• Current DCC bus schedules will be available for
  
• review late October on the website
• Sample bus schedules for 05-06 will be
  available for
• review by February 2005

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• How long are the bus rides?
• Average bus ride is 35 minutes
• Some of the bus rides are approximately 60
  minutes to areas at the outer perimeter of the
  Consortium area
• Bus travel time is expected to reduce each year
  as a new Grade 9 class is phased into each of the
  five DCC high schools

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• How will families receive the Choice form?
• Choice forms will be sent home by mail by the
  last week of November.
• How will families return the Choice form?
• Once the Choice form is signed by both the
  parent and student, the form must be returned to
  the middle school by December 13, 2004.

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• What happens if I do not return the Choice form?
• Middle school staff will work with parents
  and staff to collect all forms.
• What happens if I change my mind while I am in
  high school?
• Students have the opportunity to change high
  schools every year for the following year. This
  process is called Change of Choice.

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• What happens when students want to go to the
  Thomas Edison High School of Technology?
• Once students are assigned to a high school,
  interested students should talk to their school
  counselor about the half-day program at Edison.

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• How are school capacities addressed in the
  Choice Process?
• Capacities for each Grade 9 class will be
  determined prior to the Choice Process in
  January.
• At Blair, the capacity for next years grade 9
  class will be smaller than the one used for this
  years Grade 9 class.
• Each year, the staff in the MCPS Planning Office
  will review enrollment and enrollment trends
  based on information from the current year.
• The Choice Process is being phased in over four
  years. The phase-in implementation will mean
  phase-in enrollment relief at the high school
  level.

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What is the timeline?

• October
• Evening informational meetings at each of the
  eight middle schools
• Students participate in career development
  activities
• November
• Open Houses at each of the five DCC high schools
• Students participate in career development
  activities
• Choice forms sent home by mail to homes
• Private school parent meeting
• December
• Choice forms returned to middle school by the
  13th
• February
• High school assignments mailed home to 8th graders

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High School Open Houses

• Blair -Monday, November 15, 2004
• Einstein- Wednesday, November 10, 2004
• Kennedy- Monday, November 22, 2004
• Northwood- Monday, November 8, 2004
• Wheaton- November 17, 2004
• All meetings begin at 7 PM

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After this meeting, how can you learn more?

• Evening information meetings
• High School evening Open Houses
• Academy coordinators, DCC staff, MS counselors
• Newsletters
• Website
• Communications by way of MCPS TV flyers

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The Downcounty Consortium Web Site
www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/downcounty
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Northeast/DowncountyConsortia Office

• Thank you!
• Erick Lang, Director
• Jeannie Franklin, Acting Coordinator, Preferred
  Choice
• Instructional Specialists
• Barbara Armstrong
• Karen Danco
• Nancy Peckerar
• Natalie Tolstoi
• Spring Mill Field Office
• 301-649-8081