Opinion on Belvedere Elementary AAP
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Anonymous
| I would appreciate feedback on the program from parents with current 3rd grade AAP student. TIA! |
Anonymous
| The teachers we've had have been great! I feel like it's a nice balance for my kids. They are learning a lot and at a fast pace. The school, teachers and PTA work well together to support all students not just aap kids. The school recently just became the only pyp school in ffx county. My kids are happy. |
Anonymous
+1 We moved DD to Belvedere from Bailey's when Bailey's was way overcrowded and had only one part-time AART. It was hard to give up Spanish Immersion, but we couldn't be happier with Belvedere. Under the same circumstances we'd do it again and I think we'd do it even now that Bailey's has two campuses and more AARTs. For our child, AAP is a much better fit than Spanish Immersion. |
Anonymous
| Not the OP but thank you, this is good to know. We are really struggling with immersion vs. AAP. Nothing but positives in the Bailey's SI program for us this far so it's a tough decision. |
Anonymous
While some people have had very good experiences at Belvedere, it depends on the teacher your child gets. Some teachers are great and others are not at all. DC had a fourth grade teacher who was totally over her head. There are also a couple of teachers who have a reputation of being "mean." If your child is happy at Bailey's SI, maybe try to talk to other parents with kids who are in or have been through 3-5 SI at Bailey's. |
Anonymous
Experience with teachers varies for every student at every school. My DC had some teachers at our base school that we heard great thing about who didn't live up to the hype - at least for us. Is your DC currently at Belvedere? I've heard only good thing about this year's 4th grade AAP team. As for reputation, I've heard of teachers (both AAP and base school) being "strict" or "firm", but not "mean". Can you provide examples? |
Anonymous
Not specific to AAP, but there are definitely some interesting things going on at Belvedere - http://www.fcps.edu/cco/pr/mediatips.shtml (scroll down to the middle) And this - http://annandaleva.blogspot.com/2015/04/belvedere-students-heading-to-odyssey.html And this from the PTA website: 5/6/15 •Belvedere Has Been Authorized As An IB PYP School! Our hard work has finally paid off! After several weeks of waiting, Belvedere received notice that we are an authorized IB PYP school! This makes us the first school in Fairfax School District to be authorized as an IB PYP school. Although we have only been implementing the program for a short time, the PYP has positively impacted our students in many ways. For example, implementing the PYP has allowed students to take a more active part in their education. They are involved in the process of discovery meaning and learning about big ideas that transcend facts. Students are more engaged and are making connections between different subject areas, topics and cultures. They are also learning how to use their knowledge to take action in meaningful ways. We are proud of the work that has been accomplished and are looking forward to our continued growth as a PYP school. If you're choosing between staying in SI or moving to the AAP center, it looks like you've got two good options. A nice problem to have. |
Anonymous
| FWIW, I recall a recent post by a poster who was thinking of leaving Belvedere because of the IB PYP. She felt it was a waste of time and was slowing down her child's academic progress. Make your own inquiries, but don't assume a program is good just because only a few schools have it. That's how FCPS originally tried to promote IB at the HS level and the results have been mixed at best. |
Anonymous
| As stated in the subject line, it's all a matter of opinion. |