Choosing Language immersion over AAP track -> TJ pipeline
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Anonymous
| Would choosing Language Immersion program over AAP hurt DC’s chances at TJ? |
Anonymous
| Why not do both? |
Anonymous
| We are at Fox Mill and know kids who were in JI and ended up at TJ. The LLIV program is new, so the kids we know were before LLIV. The LIV program is a cluster program, probably due to the size of the school and JI program, it would be hard to have a LLIV class. |
Anonymous
| My TJ student chose to stay in immersion vs AAP center placement. The immersion school offered Level 3 pull out enrichment (1x/wk) but no Level 4. They also offered advanced math so that he was able to test into Algebra 1 in 7th (though some TJ kids come with Algebra 1 in 8th). |
Anonymous
| If you can do both I would do it. Even if the LLIV is a cluster model. Having the immersion and still being advanced should only help when trying for TJ. What middle school would your child attend? Can you check the stats on acceptances from there? |
Anonymous
Hi, we’re at FM too and still clueless about how LLIV works. Can you say more about what cluster model is and what we’re trading off if we stay versus go to a Center? Thank you! |
Anonymous
How would immersion help getting into TJ? TJ isn't recruiting by language. |
Anonymous
We are in 6th grade so the LLIV program was not in place for us. We have been very happy with our choice to stay in Japanese. Our child receives LIII services, which happen pretty regularly. FMES starts a separate advanced math class in 5th grade even in JI. All the kids in advanced class are in the same group for 5th grade. It felt like this was a LLIV group because most of the kids in that homeroom were also in the LIII pull out. In 6th grade the advanced math kids are all in the same class but the kids change Teachers for every subject, it simulates MS, so the kids are grouped into similar ability groups for the other core subjects. FM claims it is offering the LIV curriculum in all it’s 3-6 grade classrooms and cluster together the kids that were committee selected so that there will be a LLIV reading group type thing. My friends with kids in 4 and 5th grade have been underwhelmed by the LLIV cluster. I believe that our kids class had at least 10 committee selected kids who did not go to the center. I know of 2 JI kids who left for the center, we noticed they were no longer in the school in 3rd and then 5th grade. And the kid who left for 5th grade was loudly announcing to everyone they were departing for the Center. My impression is that most of the JI kids stay at FM and some of the Gen Ed kids go to Oak Hill. We have neighbors who whose kids had great experiences at Oak Hill, I can think of 3 off the top of my head, and we have known a bunch of parents who said it was a bad choice and they would not make the same choice for their younger child. Their main complaint was the social element. There were few to no birthday party or play invites. The FM kids at Oak Hill hung out with each other and that was about it. I know of a few kids in the neighborhood who have loved Oak Hill but they also moved in during 3rd or 4th grade and went straight to Oak Hill so they did not have the social ties at FM, they moved from another part of FCPS. We are happy with our choice to stay in JI. We think that it is a different type of challenge. Our kid does math enrichment because the math has not been challenging at school but we have been happy with the LA and Social Studies. Science seems anemic but I think that is normal for ES Science. Our kid enjoys being with their neighborhood friends, loves the JI program, and has been overall pretty happy at FMES. |
Anonymous
| Thanks for this super helpful response! Really appreciate you taking the time. |
Anonymous
| If you really want to do the TJ path it is most helpful to make sure your kid is on an advanced math pace so they can try to do algebra in 7th. Being behind that pace at TJ is a tougher situation. |