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I went to look at our options for next year b/c I wanted to apply for Martin Middle again if she doesn't make it off the waitlist to join her sister in Charter School.....well, Martin's no longer an option for us (we're in Morrisville) and it doesn't appear to be for much of the NW Cary area near where I live.
I read that the magnet system is going unchanged, so I assume Martin is remaining a Magnet school. What a bummer--for us. Hopefully it's to someone else's benefit! http://wwwgis2.wcpss.net/prod/assign...LookupMain.php
It was an option for us in central Cary and no longer is here either. Thes5, those other schools aren't magnets like Martin is. They did partially change the acceptance process for magnets: they got rid of the 10% random lottery. Critics call Wake magnet plan unfair - Wake County - NewsObserver.com
Being in NW Cary, wouldn't you have the option of Davis Drive, Mills Park, E. Cary or W. Cary?
Yep, I have E or W Cary as options. Davis theoretically is, but it's already overfull and it's not my "close" option. Even though it's the school closest to me geographically.
And I'd much rather send my kid to Martin for its curriculum. And the whole point of the magnet system is to draw kids away from crowded, high-performing schools.
We have never considered magnet since we are happy with our current schools. What separates magnet curriculum from non-magnet? I have been told by a HS principal that it is the addition of certain electives. Are there any other significant differences?
It depends on the school. It's NOT merely the addition of electives, esp. at the elementary level. It's an entire specialized curriculum. Not every kid will excel at/enjoy every magnet theme. My kids attended an independent IB school in Florida, and I loved the curriculum, esp. the diploma programme in high school. If you're really interested to know more, you could attend the fair: WCPSS:2011 Magnet Schools Fair Set for Nov. 5 or read more on the website. It also doesn't hurt that at the magnet, you have parent who've made some sacrifices to get their kids there so they're pretty active/involved (which, IMO, is the core of a good school).
My youngest is in a charter school this year, and after attending private (independent, not religious), WCPSS, and now charter, I can not praise the charter enough. I know they're all different and not equally good, but I've been completely blown away by the charter school. I would not put my daughter into any of our middle school choices now that Martin's off the table and Davis is so crowded we'll never get in....so I'm just going to hope that a spot opens at the charter for her. My eldest is at Panther Creek and really loves it, and the special programs team there is amazing.
I'm not sure I'd say the curriculum at Martin is 'specialized'. My dds core subjects seem very standard to me. IMHO they do a lot less writing than she did in elementary school and overall the workload is much less than what my older dd had in her middle school.
However, the electives are pretty neat. If she had gone to Daniels she would have two elective periods plus PE. At Martin there are three elective periods and PE electives are included in the selections. I think this is unfortunate because kids need PE, but my own dd is very active and is taking dance this quarter so she gets her exercise.
Anne, I'm sorry this isn't on the list for you, but I have to say...overall I'm pretty 'whelmed' by Martin. The team concept works well, but the staff are ordinary human beings. Some great, some not so great.
Im not surprised that fewer areas are being given Martin as a choice. Neighborhood enrollment at Broughton came back up so far that it was deMagnetized. I would not be surprised if Martin has also had an improvement in neighborhood enrollment as well.
Yep, I have E or W Cary as options. Davis theoretically is, but it's already overfull and it's not my "close" option. Even though it's the school closest to me geographically.
And I'd much rather send my kid to Martin for its curriculum. And the whole point of the magnet system is to draw kids away from crowded, high-performing schools.
How can you tell what your "close" option is? Is it the first school that's listed? If so, what happens if the first school is a YR school, but you don't want YR? Basically MYR ended a few years ago when you could opt out and go to the traditional school they chose as your alternate, so I would think that they wouldn't force you to go to a YR even if it's your "close" option.
I'm asking as much for myself as to help you figure out your dilemma. For my address, Carpenter and Morrisville ES are the first two listed in my options. Then come Green Hope, Davis Drive and Cedar Fork. So if someone didn't want YR, they'd have to hope to get into the 3rd, 4th or 5th "closest" options.
And to build off of that (because maybe someone here knows the answer), I'm trying to plan out a couple of years and don't know what to do. My girls are currently at Morrisville ES. I'd like to keep them there next year so my oldest can finish out elementary school at one place (she'll be in 5th grade next year). At that point, my desire would be to switch her to Davis Drive MS (which I think is our "close" option) and switch my youngest to Green Hope ES or Davis Drive ES (Green Hope being the closest traditional school).
Does choice open up again between school levels, or am I essentially signing her up for E Cary MS because I want her to finish out at Morrisville rather than transferring her to a new school in 5th grade?
Thoughts? Am I overthinking this? Should I just switch them next year to Green Hope ES, "guarantee" the Davis Drive MS feeder pattern, and face the fallout of moving a 10 year old girl away from her friends the last year of elementary school?
How can you tell what your "close" option is? Is it the first school that's listed? If so, what happens if the first school is a YR school, but you don't want YR? Basically MYR ended a few years ago when you could opt out and go to the traditional school they chose as your alternate, so I would think that they wouldn't force you to go to a YR even if it's your "close" option.
I'm asking as much for myself as to help you figure out your dilemma. For my address, Carpenter and Morrisville ES are the first two listed in my options. Then come Green Hope, Davis Drive and Cedar Fork. So if someone didn't want YR, they'd have to hope to get into the 3rd, 4th or 5th "closest" options.
And to build off of that (because maybe someone here knows the answer), I'm trying to plan out a couple of years and don't know what to do. My girls are currently at Morrisville ES. I'd like to keep them there next year so my oldest can finish out elementary school at one place (she'll be in 5th grade next year). At that point, my desire would be to switch her to Davis Drive MS (which I think is our "close" option) and switch my youngest to Green Hope ES or Davis Drive ES (Green Hope being the closest traditional school).
Does choice open up again between school levels, or am I essentially signing her up for E Cary MS because I want her to finish out at Morrisville rather than transferring her to a new school in 5th grade?
Thoughts? Am I overthinking this? Should I just switch them next year to Green Hope ES, "guarantee" the Davis Drive MS feeder pattern, and face the fallout of moving a 10 year old girl away from her friends the last year of elementary school?
OK, I can't promise that I have this right. BUT...from what I understand, if you are happy with what you have, you do nothing at all. However, that will put you in the feeder pattern for Morrisville ES. You can enter into the choice process when your oldest is going into 6th, but I don't know what your odds are of getting into Davis Middle. The thing is....they can't force year round in the old system, but now with the "choice" system I wonder if they can--in other words, you don't get into your choice so you get the one where they do have space, regardless of calendar. I'm not sure.
I believe that if you enter into the choice process, you are going to be the top of the heap to get into the schools in the order of your choices--that is, they listed them in order of proximity to you and that's the order in which you'll be considered. Your situation is interesting since you have 2 YR schools first. I would email them a question--I did, and they called me back right away (that's never happened before!).
I will say that Davis Drive Middle is so crowded and so desirable among other nearby options that it might be tough to get in there out of MES or CES. Green Hope might be the way to go, if you can get in--a lot of Carpenter parents are going to be fleeing there b/c they board put them back to E. Cary from Carpenter after 1 year at Davis Drive. I have a feeling Green Hope is going to be crowded again soon just for the its feeder pattern.
Of course, moving them also means moving the high school. I'd try for DDMS but I have one already at Panther Creek and we love it there. I don't think I want to send one to Green Hope HS and one to PCHS!
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