The Downcounty Consortium includes five high schools and their feeder middle and elementary schools—Blair, Einstein, Kennedy, Northwood, and Wheaton. Each DCC high school offers distinctive academy programs designed to capture students’ interest, incorporate rigorous academic course work, explore possible career pathways, and bring real-world relevance to students’ education. More about the DCC

All Grade 8 students living within the boundaries of the Downcounty Consortium (DCC) can rank, in order of preference, the five high schools in the consortium.  Every effort will be made to assign students, based on the lottery factors, to their first choice.  However, it is possible, that students may be assigned to a subsequent choice and that space availability nor student preference for a school are not the sole factors in the process. 

Each fall, parents and Grade 8 students are invited to attend any of the Choice informational meetings, held at each high school, to learn about Choice and the academy program opportunities at the five high schools. Grade 8 students rank their choice each fall.

Fall 2025 Outreach Season  

Save the Dates

• DCC Virtual Options Fair- September 18, 2025 at 6 pm (available in Spanish)

• Special Application programs: The video will be available beginning September 20th on the special programs website.  Families will receive details through mail and a Connect Ed message directing them to the video.  The deadline to submit all on-line Special Applications is November 7, 2025.

  • • English Presentation (recording)

    • Presentación en español (grabación)

• Countywide Application Programs by HS Cluster

• Special Application FAQ  

  • Special Application Support Guide

DCC Open Houses 

• September 29, 2025- Open House* at Montgomery Blair HS 6:00 pm

• September 25. 2025- Open House* at Wheaton HS            6:30 pm

  • Includes Wheaton HS Biomedical & Engineering Program Information Meeting 

• October 9, 2025 Open House* at John F. Kennedy HS 6:00 pm

  • Includes Leadership Training Institute (LTI) Parent Information Meeting 

  • IB Programme Parent Information at 7 pm 

• October 15, 2025- Open House* at Albert Einstein HS 6:30 pm

  • Visual Arts Center* (VAC) at 6 pm 

• October 8, 2025 Open House* at Northwood HS        7:00 pm

  • MC2* Open House - 6:00 pm

• November 7, 2025- DCC Choice form Deadline 

  • https://bit.ly/choiceDCC (DCC Choice Form)

• Mid January  2026- Notification of results

The Northeast Consortium serves students in the "base areas" of Blake, Paint Branch, and Springbrook high schools. Each campus offers a comprehensive high school curriculum plus a distinctive 'Signature Program.' More about the NEC

Students who attend TPMS who reside in the Northeast Consortium (NEC) residency area must participate in the NEC lottery choice process during Round 1 and then may participate in the DCC lottery choice process during Round 2.

Fall 2025 Outreach Season 

Save the Dates

• NEC Virtual  Options Fair September 18, 2025  at 6pm 

• Special Application programs: The video will be available beginning September 20th on the special programs website.  Families will receive details through mail and a Connect Ed message directing them to the video. The deadline to submit all on-line Special Applications is November 7, 2025

  1. • English Presentation  (recording)

     • Presentación en español (grabación)

• Countywide Application Programs by HS Cluster 

• Special Application FAQ  

  • Special Application Support Guide

NEC Open Houses

• October 14, 2025- Open House at James Hubert Blake HS 6:30 pm

• October 21, 2025- Open House* at Paint Branch 6:30pm

• October 7, 2025- Open House* at Springbrook HS 6:30pm

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) at 6:00 pm

• November7, 2025 NEC Choice form Deadline

  • bit.ly/choiceNEC   (NEC Choice Form)

• Mid January  2026- Notification of results