Does Franklin Middle School have AAP level IV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So do the kids in schools that feed Franklin and have their own AAP (Ex: Navy Elementary) mostly stay with Franklin for AAP or do they go to Carson? Not sure where the level IV kids would come from other than that I guess. Waples Mill doesn't have AAP so I assumed the only option was Carson. I guess his friend group will be split again when some choose Franklin vs Carson, and again when they all go to different high schools because FCPS can't come up with boundaries that make any sense.

Franklin has AAP students from Oak Hill, Lees Corner, Navy, Hunter's Woods, and a few from Waples Mill and Brookfield, some of whom may not have accessed LIV in elementary school but who chose to reactivate their services in middle school.

[Anonymous]

I had nothing but good things to say about Carson (my kid was a no drama, no TJ kid there in AAP). Neighbor kid stayed at Franklin for AAP and his only complaint was he couldn't take one of his desired electives bc there is only one AAP class for each core subject, so those periods have zero flexibility and that elective was only offered during one of those times. Carson has better elective choices than Franklin for the non band/orch/chorus student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had nothing but good things to say about Carson (my kid was a no drama, no TJ kid there in AAP). Neighbor kid stayed at Franklin for AAP and his only complaint was he couldn't take one of his desired electives bc there is only one AAP class for each core subject, so those periods have zero flexibility and that elective was only offered during one of those times. Carson has better elective choices than Franklin for the non band/orch/chorus student.

What electives does Carson have that Franklin does not have? Having kids go through both schools, I haven't noticed a difference in electives.

For AAP services, I definitely found Franklin to be superior to Carson. Of course, I don't have a large sample size, but based on the experience we had, we found Franklin's services to be more cohesive, rigorous, and supportive, with far more interesting projects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had nothing but good things to say about Carson (my kid was a no drama, no TJ kid there in AAP). Neighbor kid stayed at Franklin for AAP and his only complaint was he couldn't take one of his desired electives bc there is only one AAP class for each core subject, so those periods have zero flexibility and that elective was only offered during one of those times. Carson has better elective choices than Franklin for the non band/orch/chorus student.

What electives does Carson have that Franklin does not have? Having kids go through both schools, I haven't noticed a difference in electives.

For AAP services, I definitely found Franklin to be superior to Carson. Of course, I don't have a large sample size, but based on the experience we had, we found Franklin's services to be more cohesive, rigorous, and supportive, with far more interesting projects.

Franklin is a lot smaller and they have a full time AART teacher now. The staff is wonderful and if you care about TJ then your kid is actually more likely to make it from Franklin since each school gets 2.5% of the seats at TJ. Franklin has enough electives, can't think of what they would be missing and there are so many after school clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had nothing but good things to say about Carson (my kid was a no drama, no TJ kid there in AAP). Neighbor kid stayed at Franklin for AAP and his only complaint was he couldn't take one of his desired electives bc there is only one AAP class for each core subject, so those periods have zero flexibility and that elective was only offered during one of those times. Carson has better elective choices than Franklin for the non band/orch/chorus student.

What electives does Carson have that Franklin does not have? Having kids go through both schools, I haven't noticed a difference in electives.

For AAP services, I definitely found Franklin to be superior to Carson. Of course, I don't have a large sample size, but based on the experience we had, we found Franklin's services to be more cohesive, rigorous, and supportive, with far more interesting projects.

I don't know about the elective choices, but what I meant was that a particular elective was only offered, say Period 1 and 3, and the AAP English and History were Period 1 & 3 so they could NOT choose those electives.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

To separate from those that can’t do. ANYONE can take honors, including kids that have no business doing so. AAP kids have to qualify to get into the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

I think one of the first things “to go” will be AAP in middle school. Especially with a new equity council or whatever. Can’t have schools with both programs allowing some kids to choose their middle school while other don’t have that choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

Did your kids go to Franklin? If so, this was not our experience, at least in certain classes. The English and US History teachers used the same curriculum as the Honors classes, but they taught it very differently. My kids (AAP and Honors respectfully) read completely different stories and books in English, used different articles and primary sources in US History, and did wildly different projects in both classes. AAP may have been the same curriculum, because you can't really change the events in US History or the basics tenents of literacy, but the AAP teachers took it to a different level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

Did your kids go to Franklin? If so, this was not our experience, at least in certain classes. The English and US History teachers used the same curriculum as the Honors classes, but they taught it very differently. My kids (AAP and Honors respectfully) read completely different stories and books in English, used different articles and primary sources in US History, and did wildly different projects in both classes. AAP may have been the same curriculum, because you can't really change the events in US History or the basics tenents of literacy, but the AAP teachers took it to a different level.

Was AAP harder than Honors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain why we even need AAP in middle school? The Honors classes are the EXACT same curriculum. I have two kids a year apart - one was AAP and one took Honors classes. They learned the exact same things.

Did your kids go to Franklin? If so, this was not our experience, at least in certain classes. The English and US History teachers used the same curriculum as the Honors classes, but they taught it very differently. My kids (AAP and Honors respectfully) read completely different stories and books in English, used different articles and primary sources in US History, and did wildly different projects in both classes. AAP may have been the same curriculum, because you can't really change the events in US History or the basics tenents of literacy, but the AAP teachers took it to a different level.

Was AAP harder than Honors?

It seemed more challenging to me, especially because the AAP projects and assessments required significantly more independence, creativity of thought, and deeper analysis.