Local school AAP or AAP center?

[Anonymous]

It very much depends on the center and base school. If you're willing to name the schools you'll probably get some valuable feedback.

[Anonymous]

There are many kind of AAP in local school. Some school do cluster, putting 3-4 AAP students in every class; or they do an AAP class with level IV students and some level III students. No matter what kind of local AAP class, the problem is that the teacher has to organize different curriculum to different kids, and depend on the student body, the teacher is not devoting full attention to level IV curriculum.

The center school AAP class of course has all level IV kids and everyone is on the same curriculum.

[Anonymous]

It's a shame all the base schools don't provide a consistent, rigorous curriculum for AAP kids so those kids could have the education they need without the long bus rides and having to leave their neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a shame all the base schools don't provide a consistent, rigorous curriculum for AAP kids so those kids could have the education they need without the long bus rides and having to leave their neighborhoods.

Sounds like you just dislike center schools, since that's what they're for. Don't worry, every ES now has Local Level IV. You got what you asked for. Soon center schools will be gone entirely.

[Anonymous]

No, every ES school does not have LLIV yet. They're working on it, but some definitely do not. We're at one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are many kind of AAP in local school. Some school do cluster, putting 3-4 AAP students in every class; or they do an AAP class with level IV students and some level III students. No matter what kind of local AAP class, the problem is that the teacher has to organize different curriculum to different kids, and depend on the student body, the teacher is not devoting full attention to level IV curriculum.

The center school AAP class of course has all level IV kids and everyone is on the same curriculum.

This is also false. I teach at a LL4. My class is 70 percent Level 4 and the rest are Level 2/3. I absolutely teach the AAP curriculum full time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It very much depends on the center and base school. If you're willing to name the schools you'll probably get some valuable feedback.

This. OP, name the schools if you want real feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a shame all the base schools don't provide a consistent, rigorous curriculum for AAP kids so those kids could have the education they need without the long bus rides and having to leave their neighborhoods.

Sounds like you just dislike center schools, since that's what they're for. Don't worry, every ES now has Local Level IV. You got what you asked for. Soon center schools will be gone entirely.

I guess I didn't express myself clearly if that's what you think. We did choose to have our DS attend the center program, but since we have other kids at the base school (who may or may not qualify for LIV), it made for more complicated logistics for our family and a long bus ride for our son. For now, the academics at the center are clearly superior (base school would not have provided a full class of LIV kids), but it's made things harder for our family, and the bus stop for the center requires that DS cross a busy, dangerous highway. If I could, I would drive him, but I can't because of the younger kids who also need to be accompanied to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many kind of AAP in local school. Some school do cluster, putting 3-4 AAP students in every class; or they do an AAP class with level IV students and some level III students. No matter what kind of local AAP class, the problem is that the teacher has to organize different curriculum to different kids, and depend on the student body, the teacher is not devoting full attention to level IV curriculum.

The center school AAP class of course has all level IV kids and everyone is on the same curriculum.

This is also false. I teach at a LL4. My class is 70 percent Level 4 and the rest are Level 2/3. I absolutely teach the AAP curriculum full time.

+1 - our LLIV teaches the AAP curriculum full time.

Remember that there is often a very fine line between an 8 year old selected for Level IV (especially given parent referral process and the local school cutoffs) and those at Level III. Be careful about putting too much weight on the all Level IV class. Not saying it doesn't matter, just saying don't overemphasize.

[Anonymous]

Since I saw how preppable COGAT is with my own kid, I don't place all that much weight into an all level 4 classroom. We stayed local. Atmosphere at the school is excellent, size is good, kid is a walker. We love it.

Our specific center school was not friendly, teachers were not available for a conference. The center school principal emphasized that staying locally is best, making us feel like inferior intruders.

We study a fair amount with our child at home. Older one attends an Ivy, so we know what it takes to succeed.

If in middle school there appears a stark difference between center and local kids, we will address it at that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since I saw how preppable COGAT is with my own kid, I don't place all that much weight into an all level 4 classroom. We stayed local. Atmosphere at the school is excellent, size is good, kid is a walker. We love it.

Our specific center school was not friendly, teachers were not available for a conference. The center school principal emphasized that staying locally is best, making us feel like inferior intruders.

We study a fair amount with our child at home. Older one attends an Ivy, so we know what it takes to succeed.

If in middle school there appears a stark difference between center and local kids, we will address it at that time.

Wow what a big age gap.

[Anonymous]

Not atypical for immigrant families or for blended families.