Wolftrap / Louise Archer or Colvin Run (AAP?)- mainstreaming AAP at level IV

[Anonymous]

I heard over 50% of Wolftrap's students qualified for AAP last year and most of them stayed. 100% of their 3rd graders passed the Science SOL. Louise Archer is a great school, but Wolftrap's AAP program is not overly watered down. They both do a great job with their AAP programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently Wolftrap used to create a separate Level IV class and that class would stay together for all subjects -- math, social studies, science, language arts etc. They would be together for the whole day. This year, for the first time, they did away with the separate class and all children eceive the AAP curriculum for science and social studies and the classes are all mixed up and all three classes include some level IV kids and non level IV kids and then the whole grade switches classes for math and language arts so for those two subjects only, the Level IV kids are all together in the same class. I think that is what OP means by "mainstreaming" -- no more separate class for Local Level IV.

OP here, thank you PP- yes, that is what I meant. I have a friend whose child went to AAP at Floris and had separate classes, like Wolftrap used to do. I've also read that Oakton ES used to do this as well and has moved over to what Wolftrap is now doing. Are there any parents that have experience with the new way WT approaches AAP? For the little feedback I have been able to receive (new here), it was not positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently Wolftrap used to create a separate Level IV class and that class would stay together for all subjects -- math, social studies, science, language arts etc. They would be together for the whole day. This year, for the first time, they did away with the separate class and all children eceive the AAP curriculum for science and social studies and the classes are all mixed up and all three classes include some level IV kids and non level IV kids and then the whole grade switches classes for math and language arts so for those two subjects only, the Level IV kids are all together in the same class. I think that is what OP means by "mainstreaming" -- no more separate class for Local Level IV.

OP here, thank you PP- yes, that is what I meant. I have a friend whose child went to AAP at Floris and had separate classes, like Wolftrap used to do. I've also read that Oakton ES used to do this as well and has moved over to what Wolftrap is now doing. Are there any parents that have experience with the new way WT approaches AAP? For the little feedback I have been able to receive (new here), it was not positive.

I'm somewhat familiar from having friends at Wolftrap. No matter how you feel about this more inclusive model, I think folks should get used to it as this seems to be the way FCPS is going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently Wolftrap used to create a separate Level IV class and that class would stay together for all subjects -- math, social studies, science, language arts etc. They would be together for the whole day. This year, for the first time, they did away with the separate class and all children eceive the AAP curriculum for science and social studies and the classes are all mixed up and all three classes include some level IV kids and non level IV kids and then the whole grade switches classes for math and language arts so for those two subjects only, the Level IV kids are all together in the same class. I think that is what OP means by "mainstreaming" -- no more separate class for Local Level IV.

OP here, thank you PP- yes, that is what I meant. I have a friend whose child went to AAP at Floris and had separate classes, like Wolftrap used to do. I've also read that Oakton ES used to do this as well and has moved over to what Wolftrap is now doing. Are there any parents that have experience with the new way WT approaches AAP? For the little feedback I have been able to receive (new here), it was not positive.

I'm somewhat familiar from having friends at Wolftrap. No matter how you feel about this more inclusive model, I think folks should get used to it as this seems to be the way FCPS is going.

Yes, in certain areas of the county.

[Anonymous]

I have a son in LLIV at Crossfield doing it the old way. I would welcome a shift to the new model. This may stem from the fact that currently, there is only 1 class per grade of LLIV. So, these same children are together for everything (except band and chorus). I suppose that in a school where there were multiple classes per grade of LLIV, at least the classes could vary from year to year. I find it to be very socially stifling. My DS does have good friends, but there have been some major social/exclusionary issues over the years, more so than I see in a regular school setting, where classes vary from year to year. I feel that social development is so important during the elementary years, and let's face it, we will all have to get along in the real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...
I'm somewhat familiar from having friends at Wolftrap. No matter how you feel about this more inclusive model, I think folks should get used to it as this seems to be the way FCPS is going.

Yes, in certain areas of the county.

So what you have is standard FCPS curriculum and AAP curriculum. AAP should be the instructional services standard and revert back to GT for 5% or less.

[Anonymous]

This is partly the reason for the shift. Many schools were having issues with AAP kids being exclusionary to others and maybe vice versa. LLIV schools were also having difficulty maintaining classrooms with only AAP students. The other reason is that schools such as Oakton and Wolftrap have a high population of LLIV and LLIII children who are capable of doing at least some of the AAP level work and few children who are below grade level. I think its great that some schools are trying to make the social studies and science curriculum more enriching for everyone. Also FCPS has been encouraging more and more teachers to get their AAP certifications even if they aren't teaching an AAP class all day so hopefully these teachers will have more resources for the general ed students who might not have made the cutoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suppose that in a school where there were multiple classes per grade of LLIV, at least the classes could vary from year to year. I find it to be very socially stifling.

That is why we left our base school (with Local Level IV) for the Center. Our base school has one Center Eligible student in the only 3rd grade Local Level IV class. Our Center school has two 3rd grade AAP Center classes.

[Anonymous]

wolftrap. With Local AAP, you get to stay with your friends and your community. Centers are a necessary evil, for when needed services are not available at your local school. But a 3rd grader has no business being bussed around with kids outside their neighborhood. That's why the elementary schools are local. So if you're lucky enough to live in a place that has an excellent school, and when that school has a great LIV program, it baffles my mind that you would consider droppping out and having your kid bussed to a "center".

That school turns a large number of AAP ready kids, the community is extremely involved, they have all sorts of grants from business partnerships and a community of really smart kids and their family. Yes, they are tinkering with the program a bit -- at some point, when most kids work at advanced levels, you'll have to be creative about teaching. I would not hesitate on this one.

In contrast, Louise Archer is over crowded and something has got to give there.

Full disclosure -- not a Wolftrap parent, nor a LA one. But I toured those schools, and we have neighbors in both. They are both great schools -- but local for this age group should really always trump a center -- especially when local is such a great school!

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP and don't know why parents would consider bussing their kids when they have a great option locally, however I wanted to point out that Louise Archer should be less crowded next year for 3rd grade since Westbriar, Freedom Hill and Stenwood will all be attending the Westbriar Center or their LLIV programs instead of Louise Archer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if you're lucky enough to live in a place that has an excellent school, and when that school has a great LIV program, it baffles my mind that you would consider droppping out and having your kid bussed to a "center".

+1000 !!!!

It would be helpful if FCPS provided information on the # of center eligible students at each school's local level IV program so parents could be better informed of options. More parents opting for local level IV when there is critical mass at the local school would reduce overcrowding at centers and reduce transportation costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard over 50% of Wolftrap's students qualified for AAP last year and most of them stayed. 100% of their 3rd graders passed the Science SOL. Louise Archer is a great school, but Wolftrap's AAP program is not overly watered down. They both do a great job with their AAP programs.

Over 50% qualified for aap? No way. provide some data.

[Anonymous]

It was just listed on a recent thread about the 50%. I do know that Wolftrap and some of the other schools changed their program partly because they have more than one class size of AAP students.

[Anonymous]

Not sure I'd want to send my kid to Louise Archer even if it was great academically if it meant dealing with a PTA that lists the amount each family paid. Is this common for PTAs to list how much people contribute? Tacky.

http://www.louisearcherpta.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=365&Itemid=149

[Anonymous]

My DD goes to LA and I never knew that page was on the website--I guess if they were trying to shame me into giving more that they should have made it more prominent.