Open Session Reveals Potential 'Head Start' for Magnet Program Students

Renee Church pushed a stroller through Old Mill’s hallways as her daughter climbed her like a jungle gym.

Juggling her two young children and the attention of her 11-year-old son Connor, Church attended the Open Session at Old Mill High School Wednesday night for parents to learn about Anne Arundel County’s 16 magnet programs ranging from middle school to high school.

Church was just one of hundreds of parents in attendance looking to decide whether they would apply their child for various programs like Performing Visual Arts (PVA), International Baccalaureate (IB) and . A decision that’s a no-brainer according to Dr. Joseph Wieczorek, who greeted the parents to kick-off the night.

Wieczorek serves as the Teacher Specialist for Magnet Programs in Anne Arundel County Public Schools and said the programs offer students a chance to actually engage in their education and get a head start on a career.

“Students have the opportunity to be their own conductor and drive their own train,” he said. “I wish I had this when I was in school.”

Representatives of the various programs fielded questions from parents in three separate breakout sessions, and presented the benefits of pursuing one of the 13 magnet programs for high schools and the three programs for middle schools.

Ranging from opportunities to start early careers in carpentry with CAT or pursuing advanced language studies with IB, children are able to begin advanced educational programs as early as 6^th grade.

The Middle Years Program (MYP), the equivalent of IB for middle school students, is what specifically interested Church and her 11-year-old son Connor.

“I want [Connor] to be challenged. I like that they teach another language in middle school,” Church said.

Connor said he wants to study French and Mandarin.

His family lives in Shipley’s Choice so if he was accepted to the MYP, he’d move away from Severna Park Middle—his “home school”—to attend Old Mill Middle North, the MYP school for his area.

“I’m not going to be with my middle school friends anyway,” Connor said, referencing that he wouldn’t mind switching schools since many of his friends will spread out if they partake in the magnet programs.

Few in attendance were more energetic Wednesday night than Dr. Maureen McMahon, Assistant Superintendent for Advanced Studies and Programs. The Arundel alumnus has been in the education field for 25 years and reinforced the importance of engagement among students.

“When a family has a choice, they are invested, and achievement goes up,” McMahon said.

McMahon also spoke of the anticipated decision regarding the county’s first ever Performing Visual Arts High School.

While she couldn’t definitively give a location for the school, McMahon did say the anchor of the school would be in Annapolis and include at least 50 percent of the program’s population.

“The facilities and personnel needed for a PVA is extensive, so places like  Maryland Hall, Chesapeake Center for the Arts and Anne Arundel Community College—those partnerships will be really important,” McMahon said.

“In the next 30 to 45 days, we’ll know the full location for the PVA High School and programming will be identified,” she said.

Families have until Dec. 2 to apply for one of the 16 programs.

“We see a student body that’s very engaged and we see super success academically,” McMahon said.