In September and October, information meetings and open houses are scheduled at Northeast Consortium (NEC) and Downcounty Consortium (DCC) high schools and at Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) middle schools. These meetings and open houses are held in preparation for the Choice process, a process by which students and parents rank order the schools of preference for the following school year.  Choice forms will be available in mid-October.

• The MSMC includes Argyle Magnet School for Digital Design and Development, A. Mario Loiederman Magnet School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and Parkland Magnet School for Aerospace Technology.
• The NEC high schools are James H. Blake, Paint Branch and Springbrook.
• The DCC high schools are Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton.

Specific dates, times and additional information are available online or call 301-592-2040.

Information Meetings for Application Programs

In October, evening information meetings are being held for parents of students who are currently in Grades 3, 5 and 8 who are interested in learning about MCPS application programs for entry in the 2017-2018 school year.

For parents of current Grade 3 students, meetings are being held in October to learn about the Elementary Center Programs for the Highly Gifted (located at Lucy V. Barnsley, Chevy Chase, Clearspring , Cold Spring, Dr. Charles R. Drew, Fox Chapel and Pine Crest/Oak View). Meeting dates and applications are available online or by calling 301-592-2040.

For parents and Grade 5 students, meetings are being held to learn about the following middle school application programs:

• Humanities and Communication Magnet Program at Eastern
• Mathematics, Science, Computer Science Magnet Program at Takoma Park
• The Upcounty Center Program for the Highly Gifted-Humanities and Communication Magnet Program, and
• The Mathematics, Science, Computer Science Magnet Program at Roberto Clemente

For parents and Grade 8 students, meetings are being held to learn about the following high school application programs (eligibility varies, please visit the web site for more information):

• Communication Arts Program (CAP) at Montgomery Blair
• Global Ecology, Humanities, and the Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet programs at Poolesville
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Magnet Program at Richard Montgomery
• Leadership Training Institute (LTI) at John F. Kennedy
• Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Biomedical and Engineering Magnet Programs at Wheaton
• Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair

Meeting, dates, times, eligibility and applications are available online or by calling 30l-592-2040.

Deadlines for Choice and Application Programs

The deadline to turn in all Choice forms and applications is Friday, November 4, 2016.