The Choice Process in the Northeast Consortium (NEC) for Students Entering Grade 9 in Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

What do the Northeast Consortium high schools have in common? Comprehensive high school curriculum Academic rigor Honors & Advanced Placement (AP) courses Special Education & ESOL programs Students from at least five middle schools Student activities, clubs, athletics Partnerships with colleges, universities and businesses Signature programs

What is a Signature Program? Instructional program developedInstructional program developed around a central theme: around a central theme: –Rigorous course work –Variety of course offerings in the thematic area Appeals to students’ interestsAppeals to students’ interests Offers students opportunities for:Offers students opportunities for: –Interdisciplinary projects –Capstone experiences –College courses

September  Evening Options information meetings held at two high schools:  September 19 at Northwood HS  September 26 at Springbrook HS  NEC special education meeting held at Options meeting on Monday, September 26 at Springbrook HS at 6pm  Grade 8 students participate in college/career exploration activities inschool October –NEC High School Open Houses – 7:00 pm VISIT ALL 3!  James Hubert Blake HSWednesday, October 5  Paint Branch HS Thursday, October 13  Springbrook HSWednesday, October 19  Preprinted Choice form mailed to NEC students’ homes (mid October) Choice Process Timeline for

November - Choice Process – Round 1  Evening enrollment for parents of NEC non-MCPS students held at Spring Mill Field Office on Tuesday, November 1, 2011, from 5:00-8:00 pm  Evening enrollment for parents of NEC non-MCPS students held at Spring Mill Field Office on Tuesday, November 1, 2011, from 5:00-8:00 pm RSVP: Please call to find out what documents to bring. RSVP: Please call to find out what documents to bring.   Completed Choice forms due to NEC middle schools by Monday, November 7 January  Parents/students notified by mail of high school assignment.

NEC Choice Process Sample Choice Form NEC parents/students will complete a preprinted Choice form: Rank the three high schools in order of preference. On the form, indicate if you would like the child to attend the same NEC school that an older sibling will attend in Return the completed Choice form to your middle school counselor by Monday, November 7, 2011.* Choice forms will be processed through a computerized lottery system to determine high school assignments. * * NEC students on transfer out of area can return the Choice form to the DCCAPS office. Choice Form Information

James Hubert Blake HS Fine Arts and Humanities Signature

9 Which Signature courses and course sequences are unique to Blake? Humanities Film and American Culture Comparative Religion History and Government We the People: U.S. Law & Global Issues Ancient History Medieval History New for Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School Visual and Media Arts 4 Distinct Advanced Television Production Courses –TV News, features, mixed media and journalism 28 national awards as an outstanding High School Media Arts Program in Metro DC Fashion Design and Production – 3 courses 4 Distinct AP Studio Art Courses – 2-D, 3-D, Photography and Digital Arts Humanities Mythology

10 Which Signature courses/academies are unique to Blake? Theater 4 year Acting Sequence Musical Theatre State Design “Text Alive!” Program with Shakespeare Theatre More awards than any school in the state at the National HSTheatre Festival Onsite Black Box Theater and Amphitheater Music Musical Technology & Theory Adv.Percussion Ensemble Philharmonic Orchestra Recording Studios Professional-in-Residence program, recently Maynard Ferguson, Gordon Goodwin Marching Band Marine Corps Marathon Star Performers Dance 3 levels of Tap, Jazz, Modern & Ballet Participates in learning programs with Broadway choreographers from NYC Select Dance Company Two expansive dance studios

11 Special Academy initiatives at Blake! The Freshman Academy Program HS 101 Summer Academy Academic Teaming Dedicated 9 th Grade Counselors AP United States History Tutor-Mentor Program CORE Study Skills Business and Marketing Pathway Entrepreneurship, International Business School Store and Capstone Experience Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Pathway Multi-media Development and Gaming Design-Three Course Sequence Web tools and Digital Media-Three Course Sequence Capstone Experience Initiatives-Infusion of Signature Theme in Academics NSL Government and Statistics (exit poll with stat class analyzing data) Environmental Science (combining biodiversity, local history, and satellite technology Physics (analyze properties of stage lighting and creation of musical instruments) Summer Academic and Arts Academy, C-SPAN Students and Leaders Program

12 An Academic High School of Achievement AP Exams Performance - 80% Passing with a 3,4 or 5 6 National AP Scholars, 44 AP Scholars with Distinction, 37 AP Scholars with Honors and 141 AP Scholars. $12.5 Million in Scholarships Won by Class of ‘11; 35% of senior class! Newsweek Top 1% of High Schools in the Nation 23 students from the class of 2012 have received a 2000 on their SATs! “It’s Academic” team advancing to the semifinals in 9 of 10 years! Athletic Powerhouse: Basketball, Poms, Gymnastics, Baseball regional champions in the past 6 years. Girls Lacrosse regional champions 06,07 and 09, Division champions 7 years straight! World Class Instruction and Leadership 3 Washington Post Agnes Myer Award-winning Teachers for MCPS 25 National Board Certified Teachers have taught at Blake. Most in MCPS! Mae I. Graham Award for Outstanding Media Program in Maryland Maryland Assistant Principals of the Year – Joseph Duboyce & Chris Berry Nationally Recognized Signature Programs Blake participates in learning/performance programs with Olney Theater, Wolf Trap, and more! Blake Beat ranked by Time Magazine & Weekly Reader News as a top 5 high school paper in the nation; Best in the Nation in 2006 & 2009! Business Academy - MCPS Competition Champions Largest/most decorated/most traveled marching band in the NEC What else makes Blake students and staff proud?

Paint Branch High School Academy of Science and Media

14 Academy of Science and Media A whole school program emphasizing research and experimentation, inquiry and critical thinking in all courses and activities.

15 Science Academy of Health Professions  Medical Careers  Medical Terminology (with Montgomery College) Pharmacy  Foundations of Medicine and Health Sciences  Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professionals  Fundamentals of Pharmacy Which Signature courses / academies are unique to Paint Branch? Media Television (Video) Production Electronic Video Field Production Media, Management and Operations Radio Production Electronic Audio Field Production Radio Station Management and Operations Unique Course Sequence Physics – Grade 9 Grade 10  Double Period Biology  Double Period Chemistry (in separate semesters) Engineering Science Forensic Science Restaurant Management

16 What are the special Signature and Academy initiatives at Paint Branch?  Summer Academy  Academy of Engineering Technology  Academy of Finance Program  Japanese Foreign Language Program – one of 2 schools in the county  Artist–in-Residence Programs Animation, Poetry, and Music  Science and Media Exposition  Psychology Fair  Shake Fest  Math Honor Society  Science Honor Society  Foreign Language Honor Society  T3I™ - Transferable Skills  Technology, Information, Investigation, and Interpersonal Skills  Integrated into all courses through common tasks  Naval JROTC Program

17 What else makes Paint Branch students and staff proud? We have... Outstanding Teachers 2011 Educator of the Year – Maryland PTA – Ms. Dixon NAACP-MCPS Principal of the Year Maryland Teachers of the year in Science, Math and Art National Leader in AP Scores 147 AP Scholars Highest in Country for African American Students in AP World History – 2009 AND 2011 Panther Trust – MCT School Bank Award-winning Marching Band and Jazz Singers Gold Medalist – Columbia Scholastic Press Award BOTH yearbook and newspaper for the past 7 years Outstanding Educational Facility – New Paint Branch Building – Opening in June 2012 ! We are... Nationally Recognized $ 700,000 U.S. Department of Education SLC Grant “America’s Best High Schools” by Newsweek magazine CINE Golden Eagle Awards in Animation Academy of Finance Program Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and New American High School

Springbrook High School IB World and Information Technology Signature

Which Signature courses are unique to Springbrook? International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) IB Biology IB Chemistry IB Computer Science IB English IB Extended Essay IB French IB History IB ITGS IB Math IB Math Studies IB Pre Calculus IB Physics IB Spanish IB Music IB Theory of Knowledge IB Visual Arts Personal Project MYP Capstone project for grade 10 Based upon student’s interest May take any form Languages Arabic German Italian Justice, Law and Society Justice, Law and Society, Intro Law and the Administration of Justice Advanced Level, Contemporary issues in JLS Practical Experience in JLS Internship Microcomputer Technologies Network Engineering and Management Network Engineering and Management, Advanced Academy of Information Technology Network Engineering and Management, Internship National Academy of Info. Tech Internship National Academy of Info. Tech Research IB Middle Years Program English, Humanities, Science, Math, Foreign Language, Technology, P.E., the Arts

What sequence of signature courses are available at Springbrook that differ from the other schools in the NEC? Microcomputer Technologies Network Engineering and Management Network Engineering and Management, Advanced Network Engineering and Management, Internship National Academy of Info. Tech Internship National Academy of Info. Tech Research Design Technology Solutions AP Computer Programming 2 Computer Programming 3 Research Project in Computer Programming Academy of Information Technology International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (Grades 11-12) IB English 1, 2 IB History 1, 2 IB Physics 1,2 IB Chemistry IB Biology IB French/Spanish Arabic/German/Italian 1&2 IB Music 1, 2 IB Visual Art 1, 2 IB Theory of Knowledge Extended Essay Creativity, Action, & Service IB Middle Years Program Students study subjects from each of the eight subject groups through the five areas of interaction: approaches to learning, community and service, human ingenuity, environment, and health and social education.

What are some special initiatives at Springbrook? College Career Center Programs ASVAB Testing Career Lecture Series College Representative Meetings College and Scholarship Exploration International Baccalaureate Resources Service oriented international spring and summer trips IB Cultural Exchanges Approaches and Strategies Study Skills Seminars IB Mentoring Arts on the Block Jazz Camp AOIT Paid Internships Lockheed Martin FDA NASA NOAA. Service Projects

What else makes Springbrook students and staff proud? Local Recognition Named one of “30 Great High Schools” in metro area by the Washington Post National and metro-area award-winning “BotBall” and Math team Award-winning literary magazine, newspaper, and yearbook - newspaper published biweekly and online Boys Basketball State champions Nationally & Internationally Recognized Music program received prestigious Grammy Signature Gibson Award in March 2008 Pat Yongpradit wins 2010 Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Educator Award Only school in MD to participate in Baby Think It Over National Survey (in connection with Honors Health)

How are students assigned to a school? How are students assigned to a school? A computerized lottery assignment system is used to assign students to a high school. A variety of factors are considered when running the lottery.

What variables may impact school assignment? School capacity as determined by MCPS Ranking of school choices Number of students selecting their base high school Sibling link, if indicated on the Choice form Socioeconomic status (number of students who receive free or reduced meals) Gender

Base Area High School Selection A student’s base area high school is determined by the home address. Assignment to the base area school is guaranteed if it is selected as: FIRST choice on the Choice form OR Second choice on the Choice form AND the first choice is not available. To identify your base area school, visit:

If I have an older sibling at a high school, am I guaranteed assignment to that school? Every effort will be made to assign siblings who live in the same household to the same NEC school, if indicated on the Choice form. However, school assignments are made on a space available basis.

Will transportation be provided? All students who reside within the NEC attendance area, beyond walking distance of their assigned high school as determined by MCPS, are provided bus transportation to the three NEC high schools.

How do students who live inside the NEC but attend a DCC middle school participate in the Choice process? Students who live in the NEC participate in Round 1 of the NEC Choice process in November. Students who live in the NEC and attend a Downcounty Consortium (DCC) middle school may also participate in Round 2 of the DCC Choice process in February. They will receive a preprinted Choice form in the mail. Students who attend DCC middle schools are also eligible to apply to the Communication Arts Program (CAP) at Blair HS and the Leadership Training Institute (LTI) at Kennedy HS, Bioscience and Engineering (PLTW) at Wheaton HS in addition to other MCPS high school application programs.

NEC Choice Process After Round 1 February Choice Process – Round 2 (Deadline: Friday, February 17, 2012) – Choice Process – Round 2 (Deadline: Friday, February 17, 2012) Choice forms due from Grade 8 students who are new NEC residents Choice forms due from Grade 8 students on transfer into an NEC middle school who choose to participate in the process Written requests due from parents of students who did not get their first choice in Round 1 asking for original school choices to be resubmitted in Round 2. Note: Students who receive their first choice in Round 1 may NOT participate in Round 2.March – Round 2 high school assignment letters mailed to participants’ homes – Appeals letters due March 28April – Appeals reviewed (late April)

High School Change of Choice In February of each school year, high school students have the opportunity to request a change of NEC school assignment for the following school year. Change of Choice forms will be available in NEC high school counseling offices in early February. The completed form, signed by the parent, must be returned by the Friday, February 17, 2012, deadline in order to be considered. Change of Choice results are based on the number of seats available, socioeconomic status and gender.

What high school application programs are available to MCPS students? Global Ecology Program – Poolesville HS Coordinator: International Baccalaureate Program (IB) – Richard Montgomery HS Coordinator: Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet – Montgomery Blair HS Coordinator: Visual Art Center (VAC) – Albert Einstein HS VAC Office: Thomas Edison High School of Technology (Offers half-day professional career and technology education programs. Accepted students attend their assigned high school for the remaining half-day). Counseling Office: DCC Application Programs* Communication Arts Program (CAP) – Montgomery Blair High School* Coordinator: Leadership Training Institute (LTI) – John F. Kennedy High School* Coordinator: Bioscience and Engineering (PLTW) – Wheaton High School* Coordinator: *Programs available only to Grade 8 students who reside or attend middle school in the DCC

Parents and Students ~ Thank you for joining us this evening! NEC Signature Coordinators James H. Blake HS Peter Daddone Paint Branch HS Brian Eichenlaub, Springbrook HS Mark Griffiths, Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services (DCCAPS) DCCAPS Office: Website: Please complete your evaluation form and return it to the collection box. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you at the Open Houses!

If you are interested in hearing about Countywide Magnet or Application Only Programs, please report to the auditorium for a 6:00 presentation.