What is the point of AAP? I am getting to the conclusion the only real benefit is to have my child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

You got bused to another school for GT?

I was in GT and had pull outs. Math was differentiated in upper elementary. In middle school, there were the kids who took all honors. I like that model better. It lets kids be kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd was in AAP at Haycock and Longfellow and is in college now. Honestly, if I could go back, I wouldn’t have done it. They were pushed ahead for what? So they could take the same exact classes in high school as the kids who weren’t in AAP (with the exception of some math classes)? So they can feel smarter/superior/more capable than the general public and struggle with the idea that some things are still difficult, even when your ES teachers always told you that you guys were smarter than the gen ed kids? (Two actually did this on a regular basis) It all seemed great at the time to be getting something others were not, and she was honestly very bright and scored extremely high on everything...but the outcome was no different than it would have been in a regular classroom.

This 100%!!!!!! My daughter tells me she wishes we had never put her in AAP. It was too much pressure to be "smarter" and turned her into a perfectionist (she may have been anyway, but she links it all back to AAP). Her whole identity is being smart and it shatters her confidence when she cannot get things. That whole study about praising kids who work hard, not telling kids they are smart totally played out with her.

If I had it to do over again, I would not have put her in AAP and I probably would have moved out of FCPS so the craziness was not even around. She eventually transferred to private for high school, which was a much better experience.

Your kid not getting in may be a gift.

This is interesting. We are not at a center but DD has reacted the same way. Never told her what AAP was or that she was in it but they find out. She knows she’s in the “advanced class” and has “to do better on SOLs.” It’s such a bad narrative FCPS teachers are feeding these kids. I can’t imagine the pressure at a center school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

Eh, to each her own I guess. The FUTURA program is transitioning to one that will be provided at your base school. The schools piloting the in-school model (under normal times) are working well. Our ES also has all of the extra activities you mentioned above. Lots of STEM-based extracurriculars, chess club, invention expos, etc. We don't have to worry about "getting in" to a center school (whatever that is). Our "base" school has all of that already. We're very happy with the schools in Loudoun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

+1 Gifted programs were this way when I was growing up. We worked on logic puzzles and brain teasers. We did project-based STEM assignments. They weren't called STEM back then, but we'd do fun engineering experiments. They stretched our critical thinking. The objective wasn't to put you a year ahead in math or english. There was time for that in middle and high school. I like this model so much better than what FCPS is doing now. AAP sounds like a stressful caste system that only serves to give certain parents bragging rights. I don't think it is really helping the children at all. Why not just do differentiated learning within a classroom through middle school? I promise, the children will still have plenty of time to take advanced classes and get into good colleges.

[Anonymous]

Let’s look at results. Of the top 10 schools in VA, eight are in FCPS and only one is in LCPS. Given HHIs in Loudoun, LCPS under-performs.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/rankings

[Anonymous]

Burn.

Not to mention LC is far from anything decent to do or see. No thanks!

[Anonymous]

All the high schools in LCPS sound generic - Stone Bridge, Rock Ridge, Brian Woods, Independence, etc.. Could just as easily be Stone Woods, Rock Bridge, Briar Run, and Indigestion, and no one would know the difference.

[Anonymous]

Let’s make AAP at least 20% black students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

+1 Gifted programs were this way when I was growing up. We worked on logic puzzles and brain teasers. We did project-based STEM assignments. They weren't called STEM back then, but we'd do fun engineering experiments. They stretched our critical thinking. The objective wasn't to put you a year ahead in math or english. There was time for that in middle and high school. I like this model so much better than what FCPS is doing now. AAP sounds like a stressful caste system that only serves to give certain parents bragging rights. I don't think it is really helping the children at all. Why not just do differentiated learning within a classroom through middle school? I promise, the children will still have plenty of time to take advanced classes and get into good colleges.

Is that your experience or just what you've learned from (selectively) reading this thread? Reread this thread and read all the posts instead of just some of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

+1 Gifted programs were this way when I was growing up. We worked on logic puzzles and brain teasers. We did project-based STEM assignments. They weren't called STEM back then, but we'd do fun engineering experiments. They stretched our critical thinking. The objective wasn't to put you a year ahead in math or english. There was time for that in middle and high school. I like this model so much better than what FCPS is doing now. AAP sounds like a stressful caste system that only serves to give certain parents bragging rights. I don't think it is really helping the children at all. Why not just do differentiated learning within a classroom through middle school? I promise, the children will still have plenty of time to take advanced classes and get into good colleges.

Is that your experience or just what you've learned from (selectively) reading this thread? Reread this thread and read all the posts instead of just some of them.

Abolish private purchase of wisc scores for AAP or abolish AAP and improve all schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

That's how the GT program we had when I was a kid was set up. It's a common way to do the program, all over the country. If the programming is good, it can be a good program. And missing one day a week of ES isn't a big hardship. Kids miss class all the time anyway with various pullouts.

The full-time classroom approach of AAP is different. I'm not sure it's better but I don't think it's worse, if the programming/curriculum is good.

+1 Gifted programs were this way when I was growing up. We worked on logic puzzles and brain teasers. We did project-based STEM assignments. They weren't called STEM back then, but we'd do fun engineering experiments. They stretched our critical thinking. The objective wasn't to put you a year ahead in math or english. There was time for that in middle and high school. I like this model so much better than what FCPS is doing now. AAP sounds like a stressful caste system that only serves to give certain parents bragging rights. I don't think it is really helping the children at all. Why not just do differentiated learning within a classroom through middle school? I promise, the children will still have plenty of time to take advanced classes and get into good colleges.

Is that your experience or just what you've learned from (selectively) reading this thread? Reread this thread and read all the posts instead of just some of them.

Dp here. I think AAP humbled my kids. They always were smart without trying. Now they are average/above average amongst AAP students. They are challenged by their peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our AAP center doesn’t have any of these things

Mine doesn't either. The school also would never have any special days or activities for AAP only. If gen ed could handle it, they would do it for everyone. If gen ed can't handle it, then no one would get it.

OMG! The arrogance! I had an AAP and a Gen Ed kid. The Gen Ed kid could "handle" all kinds of special days and activities and I would say would have responded well to the AAP techniques, but they were withheld for the "special" AAP class. The Gen Ed kids are not holding your precious hothouse flower back. That's an excuse the school is feeding you.

At our school, it is true that some kids, who do happen to be gen ed, are the reason there's no homework, very few projects, no fun special activities. Because they don't do any of it.

The reason there's no homework is because homework has not proven to be beneficial for kids in elementary school. The lack of projects is because your school's teachers are lazy. No special activities is because your PTA sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, I'm so glad to be in LCPS. How do you put up with all of this AAP BS? It sounds stressful and dysfunctional.

People chill out as their kids get older. LCPS has always seemed kind of basic and cookie-cutter, so I'm happy to have the additional differentiation and options offered in FCPS.

LCPS has a real gifted program, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. They also have Academics of Loudoun. Plus, AP courses in the higher grades.

I'll happily take that over all of the crap you people put up with.

The SEARCH and FUTURA programs in LCPS is similar to what the gifted and talented programs in FCPS elementary schools used to look like 25-30 years ago. More enrichment, project-based pull-out time for gifted children. It was great! Not sure why FCPS abandoned that for AAP.

I have friends in loudon in the futura program and it doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. My friend’s child gets bused to another school one day per week and has to make up work that was missed. Sounds really disruptive to me.

My two kids are at an AAP center where all their classes are full of AAP kids. They have an excellent peer group. Our center school also has strong academic programs like science Olympiad, math counts, National lit, chess club, theater, etc. our old base schools had none of that.

This just provides that FCPS is all about equity for everyone except average children, who get screwed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s look at results. Of the top 10 schools in VA, eight are in FCPS and only one is in LCPS. Given HHIs in Loudoun, LCPS under-performs.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/rankings

Not really. FCPS has twice as many HS as Loudoun, and all of the schools ranked high on the list are from the most affluent areas in all of Virginia.

Kinda silly anyway, because the discussion was about elementary school gifted programs.