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Magnet Program FAQ
What program is available at Roberto Clemente Middle School?
Roberto Clemente Middle School offers a Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science Program.
What makes the program different from a GT program at other middle schools in Montgomery County?
Our magnet program offers interdisciplinary instruction aimed at highly able students. The standard MCPS curriculum is enhanced and enriched to cover subject areas in greater depth and to introduce advanced topics at a developmentally appropriate time. Special emphasis is placed on long-term projects that require students to think critically about a given subject matter.
How many students can attend the magnet program?
Our magnet program can serve up to fifty students per grade level who would not normally attend Clemente Middle School. Students who live in the Clemente feeder area do not count against the cap of fifty students per program per grade.
Who is eligible to be selected to the magnet program at Clemente?
All grade 5 students will be centrally surfaced for eligibility. Communication to the parents will be mailed in early October. The magnet program serves students within nine high school clusters: Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Magruder, Northwest, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, and Watkins Mill. Students who live in the boundaries of these high schools are eligible. Students living outside of these high school clusters, but within Montgomery County, are eligible to be selected at Takoma Park and Eastern Middle Schools.
The elementary schools below are the schools in which the students will be selected from:
| Brown Station | Candlewood | Carson | Cashell | Cedar Grove |
| Clarksburg | Clearspring | Clopper Mill | Daly | Damascus |
| Darnestown | Diamond | Fields Road | Flower Hill | Fox Chapel |
| Jones Lane | Gaithersburg | Germantown | Goshen | Great Seneca Creek |
| Marshall | Lake Seneca | Laytonsville | Little Bennett | Mill Creek Towne |
| Poolesville | Matsunaga | McAuliffe | McNair | Monocacy |
| Sequoyah | Resnik | Ride | Rockwell | Rosemont |
| Washington Grove | South Lake | Stedwick | Strawberry Knoll | Summit Hall |
| Woodfield | Waters Landing | Watkins Mill | Whetstone | Washington Grove |
| William B. Gibbs | Wilson Wims | |||
How are students selected for the program?
A team of educators including instructional specialists and gifted education specialists meet and evaluate. A variety of materials including grades, test scores, and student work will be evaluated. Students who have demonstrated a high level of performance on most or all of the criteria will be selected for the magnet program.
When is testing?
Testing will be in November at your child's elementary school.
Do I need to reserve a spot for testing?
There is no need to reserve a testing spot for the testing date. However, if your child needs to test on the make-up/special needs date for any reason, arrangements need to be made through your child's elementary school.
If my child has an IEP or 504 Plan, how can he get the appropriate accommodations for the screening tests?
Special needs testing can be arranged. To arrange for testing, please contact your child's elementary school.
What do we do if my child is sick on the test date or we are out of town at that time?
Students who miss the testing date can make up the test. Please contact your child's elementary school.
My child told me he did not do well on one test. Can a student re-take the test?
Under no circumstances are students allowed to re-take any test. For this reason, students who are not feeling well on the testing date are strongly encouraged to test on the make-up day.
