Less competitive schools/Fairfax county

[Anonymous]

These threads have made me really happy with my choice NOT to go with Fairfax Co. We are an excellent school system without all of this sh*t. I grew up going to Fairfax Co schools--70s-80s and it used to be only truly gifted kids were put in gifted program---before parent supplementation, parent pushing, lawsuits, Kumon, etc.

[Anonymous]

PP, I think it's more prevalent on this board than in real life (at least in certain schools). Also, this is the crazy time of year for AAP and insecure parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, I think it's more prevalent on this board than in real life (at least in certain schools). Also, this is the crazy time of year for AAP and insecure parents.

Is it ever! We are a military family and my kids have been in schools all over the country, and I have never seen anything like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to a school that does not have a aap center or Lliv then. Vienna elementary fits the bill or Cunningham park. I think just about all the other Vienna schools have LLiV at least.

Unfortunately, I heard that Vienna Elementary is getting an AAP program.

Can you elaborate on your source for this info? I've heard nothing of this and my talks with certain members of the staff there suggest that Vienna El. does NOT want to be local level IV or center school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Who else is getting LLIV next year? Personally,
I think Fairfax County should do away with all these centers. I say this as a parent of 1 child in the pool, and 1 kid who I highly doubt will be in the pool when the time comes. How on earth can there it not be a major detriment to children who not eligible for LLIV, who are in a school that has 40-50% Center eligible children? The whole system creates this have vs. have-not feeling.

If this county would stop focusing so much energy on advanced academics and work on making class size reasonable, maybe parents would feel their kids in k-2
are getting differentiated education in the general setting that is meeting their child's needs.

It really depends on the principal.

Our elementary center school administration does a wonderful job incorporating all the kids, AAP and non AAP, as important members of our school community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Who else is getting LLIV next year? Personally,
I think Fairfax County should do away with all these centers. I say this as a parent of 1 child in the pool, and 1 kid who I highly doubt will be in the pool when the time comes. How on earth can there it not be a major detriment to children who not eligible for LLIV, who are in a school that has 40-50% Center eligible children? The whole system creates this have vs. have-not feeling.

If this county would stop focusing so much energy on advanced academics and work on making class size reasonable, maybe parents would feel their kids in k-2
are getting differentiated education in the general setting that is meeting their child's needs.

It really depends on the principal.

Our elementary center school administration does a wonderful job incorporating all the kids, AAP and non AAP, as important members of our school community.

I agree. Our center does not do a good job of integrating the two and it shows. Also, there is a lot of Gen Ed resentment because the parents somehow feel inferior. I wish the administration would do a better job of integrating the two (i.e. mixing the classes for PE or class plays or something). I think it would make for a better environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, I think it's more prevalent on this board than in real life (at least in certain schools). Also, this is the crazy time of year for AAP and insecure parents.

Is it ever! We are a military family and my kids have been in schools all over the country, and I have never seen anything like this.

I don't think there is anything like this elsewhere. We even have our own Fairfax CogAT now!

[Anonymous]

I think "integrating" has a lot to do with the size of the center. If it's equal General Ed to AAP classes, it's easy to mix up. But, if it's imbalanced, it's more challenging. Also, while some parents say they want to "mix" others want nothing to do it "their" kids mixing.

[Anonymous]

It really depends on the principal.

Our elementary center school administration does a wonderful job incorporating all the kids, AAP and non AAP, as important members of our school community.

I agree. Our center does not do a good job of integrating the two and it shows. Also, there is a lot of Gen Ed resentment because the parents somehow feel inferior. I wish the administration would do a better job of integrating the two (i.e. mixing the classes for PE or class plays or something). I think it would make for a better environment.

I posted the above bolded section.

Our school combines all the classes for specials (PE, art, music, strings). The core classes (math, language arts, science and history) are split between AAP and non AAP, and I believe the non-AAP classes use the same type of team teaching format as the AAP classes. Library, Spanish and lunch are done with the homeroom class, and recess is altogether.

Activities are open to all kids, and the school does not do special AAP only events, like the lock in/campout that one of our neighboring center schools does just for the AAP kids.

I really like the way they blend the kids. If you ask anyone in the administration, they will tell you flat out that the kids are not AAP or Gen Ed, but all equal students at the school. It makes for a more positive school environment. And as someone who transferred into the school, we feel welcomed and part of the entire school community, not just encroachers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It really depends on the principal.

Our elementary center school administration does a wonderful job incorporating all the kids, AAP and non AAP, as important members of our school community.

I agree. Our center does not do a good job of integrating the two and it shows. Also, there is a lot of Gen Ed resentment because the parents somehow feel inferior. I wish the administration would do a better job of integrating the two (i.e. mixing the classes for PE or class plays or something). I think it would make for a better environment.

I posted the above bolded section.

Our school combines all the classes for specials (PE, art, music, strings). The core classes (math, language arts, science and history) are split between AAP and non AAP, and I believe the non-AAP classes use the same type of team teaching format as the AAP classes. Library, Spanish and lunch are done with the homeroom class, and recess is altogether.

Activities are open to all kids, and the school does not do special AAP only events, like the lock in/campout that one of our neighboring center schools does just for the AAP kids.

I really like the way they blend the kids. If you ask anyone in the administration, they will tell you flat out that the kids are not AAP or Gen Ed, but all equal students at the school. It makes for a more positive school environment. And as someone who transferred into the school, we feel welcomed and part of the entire school community, not just encroachers

That sounds great! It should be a model for other centers.

[Anonymous]

I second the recommendation for Shrevewood Elementary. It's a great community, very welcoming. Our Principal is exceptional in that she treats everyone the same and was hesitant to bring Level IV to the school for fear of dividing the children. However, now that Haycock stuff boiled over, she wants to keep kids at Shrevewood and is considering Level IV. The PTA is awesome and also very welcoming. I would encourage you to take a look at Shrevewood, go in talk to our Principal and see for yourself, what a wonderful, caring, nurturing environment we have. I have two kids there and couldn't be happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads have made me really happy with my choice NOT to go with Fairfax Co. We are an excellent school system without all of this sh*t. I grew up going to Fairfax Co schools--70s-80s and it used to be only truly gifted kids were put in gifted program---before parent supplementation, parent pushing, lawsuits, Kumon, etc.

Arlington parent? My reservation with Arlington is how segregated APS has become. I think it's shameful how APS allowed Wakefield and other South Arlington schools to become the poor stepsisters to the North Arlington schools.

[Anonymous]

What about Freedom Hill in Vienna? Is it similar to Shrevewood?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Freedom Hill in Vienna? Is it similar to Shrevewood?

From what I can gather, they sound kind of similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounds right, PP. I suspect there will be some areas where LLIV would not be viable because the classes might be too small and the center model will work better. I suspect those may also be the areas where parents welcome a center in their school, so the center model works well.

+1

Just because it works well in one part of the County does not mean that it will work well everywhere.