<p>We live in Anne Arundel County - my husband and I commute to Alexandria - the logistics of a N. Md private school/Alexandria drive every day makes me cringe - I am frustrated by this - I really believed in the public school system - I was a product of a high school with a 90% Mexican-American population (I grew up in Texas) in a state not known for excellent public schools. Every year my HS had Natl Merit Scholars, kids going to Yale, Stanford, UC, Univ of Mich, UT etc etc. In fact the target HS my son was to attend was an inner city school with the same kind of stats as my old HS - for wahtever its worth Jenna and Barb Bush are alumns. We get here - to a relatively well-off state and school district and the school does not have air-conditioning - can't afford the insurance for swim team - and seems to be struggling with fielding the core AP/gifted track programs. The message I am getting from the teachers and counselors is focused more on retainment than on excellence. </p>
<p>I really don't like the exclusiveness of private schools. I also feel hypocritical in selecting a faith based school when in my best of moods I am agnostic. I am also not comfortable with the level of parental involvement required, I like my kids, just not other peoples. - I am a very cranky person - </p>
<p>There are no magnet schools here and the high schools do not offer open enrollment - I already checked - </p>
<p>My son is on the gifted and tormented track, which evolves into into AP his senior year.</p>
<p>After reading the last couple of posts, I agree that a GED is prolly not gonna work - the vocational school has two promising programs - one is a food services program - chef school - and the other is Cisco certification - I know that some kids are taking courses at the CC - I will look into what his options are in that arena.</p>
<p>I know that things can change and that he is only 14 - I like to know what are options are so that we have plenty of time to assess.</p>
<p>Cranky Mom</p>