What’s the latest with proposed later middle school start time?

[Anonymous]

The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

Exactly how many buses are there for TJ? I wouldn't think it's in large enough number to make a dent. It might be a better idea to stop providing transportation to AAP centers for ES and MS. I'm not even sure that would be enough.

The only realistic option would be to shuffle around the order in which school starts, so that ES goes first, then Middle, then High, as Loudoun does. IMO, this is worse, as ES kids are stuck with an early morning start for 7 years, instead of MS for 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

AAP doesn't have anything to do with "failing schools" since there aren't any.

Also, getting rid of AAP would ultimately have more of a negative effect on the budget than the few thousand saved by a two or three fewer bus runs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

AAP doesn't have anything to do with "failing schools" since there aren't any.

Also, getting rid of AAP would ultimately have more of a negative effect on the budget than the few thousand saved by a two or three fewer bus runs.

PP did not propose getting rid of AAP altogether, she proposed getting rid of the Center schools. I agree. I think they should treat AAP Centers the same way they treat other choice schools. If kids don't get bussed to language immersion or the other choice schools (Bailey's, Hunter Woods, etc.), then they should not get bussed to AAP Centers if their base school offers an LLIV option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

This. One of the things that annoys me as a teacher. Even more so since every kid is doing the same LA curriculum regardless of AAP. So basically they are going to a different school for SS/Science.

AAP doesn't have anything to do with "failing schools" since there aren't any.

Also, getting rid of AAP would ultimately have more of a negative effect on the budget than the few thousand saved by a two or three fewer bus runs.

PP did not propose getting rid of AAP altogether, she proposed getting rid of the Center schools. I agree. I think they should treat AAP Centers the same way they treat other choice schools. If kids don't get bussed to language immersion or the other choice schools (Bailey's, Hunter Woods, etc.), then they should not get bussed to AAP Centers if their base school offers an LLIV option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

This. One of the things that annoys me as a teacher. Even more so since every kid is doing the same LA curriculum regardless of AAP. So basically they are going to a different school for SS/Science.

AAP doesn't have anything to do with "failing schools" since there aren't any.

Also, getting rid of AAP would ultimately have more of a negative effect on the budget than the few thousand saved by a two or three fewer bus runs.

PP did not propose getting rid of AAP altogether, she proposed getting rid of the Center schools. I agree. I think they should treat AAP Centers the same way they treat other choice schools. If kids don't get bussed to language immersion or the other choice schools (Bailey's, Hunter Woods, etc.), then they should not get bussed to AAP Centers if their base school offers an LLIV option.

Totally agree. I am an AAP teacher at a LL4. It drives me insane even more so since everyone is getting the same LA curriculum. So basically they are going to a center for SS/Science. Such a waste of resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

Yeah, how dare we try to nurture our best students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

This. One of the things that annoys me as a teacher. Even more so since every kid is doing the same LA curriculum regardless of AAP. So basically they are going to a different school for SS/Science.

AAP doesn't have anything to do with "failing schools" since there aren't any.

Also, getting rid of AAP would ultimately have more of a negative effect on the budget than the few thousand saved by a two or three fewer bus runs.

PP did not propose getting rid of AAP altogether, she proposed getting rid of the Center schools. I agree. I think they should treat AAP Centers the same way they treat other choice schools. If kids don't get bussed to language immersion or the other choice schools (Bailey's, Hunter Woods, etc.), then they should not get bussed to AAP Centers if their base school offers an LLIV option.

Totally agree. I am an AAP teacher at a LL4. It drives me insane even more so since everyone is getting the same LA curriculum. So basically they are going to a center for SS/Science. Such a waste of resources.

Also agree. We're relatively new to FCPS. In our old school district any type of transfer did not get transportation. I don't understand the consultants basically throwing their hands up and proposing only buying more buses and hiring more drivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

Yeah, how dare we try to nurture our best students.

Well, isn’t this ironic. You just revealed your true colors—‘best students’!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the AAP centers. DD had the choice of staying at her base or AAP center; I kept her at the base where she thrived. Only kids who are at failing schools need to receive enrichment outside of the classroom. There is no need to move kids from one elementary school in McLean to another. It’s completely absurd. If people think they need it that much make them responsible for their own transportation. Why should everyone else suffer?

This +++

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

Yeah, how dare we try to nurture our best students.

Well, isn’t this ironic. You just revealed your true colors—‘best students’!

What they meant to say was "most heavily prepped students"

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a school district that only provided busses based on need. Try that.

[Anonymous]

Well, hey, look at this...we're having the EXACT SAME DISCUSSION with the EXACT SAME TALKING POINTS that we had 7 or so years ago when the schedule was first changed to push high school to 8 o'clock.

The superintendent kicked it down the road knowing they wouldn't be hear to deal with it and now we're spinning in the same circles. What should have been happening the last seven years was a financial plan to start purchasing more busses and hiring more drivers. A plan should have been made to have AAP in all local schools by this point so that we could get rid of centers. A plan should have been made to review walking distances, have students opt IN to bussing so we can make accurate routes from the beginning, explore the use of vans for low capacity runs, combine middle and high schools that are nearby, etc, etc.

But nothing was done between then and now and we're back to the same BS. Originally, they tried to make high school last but that would have meant a 930 start and no one wanted that since it meant a 430 dismissal. They tried to shove middle school to the 930 time slot but same complaint. Especially with the massive after school program that exists at the middle and high school level, a 430 release time is insane.

The only solution to get middle school to 8 o'clock is to lower the number of kids who ride busses and then buy more buses based on those new numbers. How crowded are the public busses? Maybe we need to start exploring the use of public transportation being free for students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy: Do away with TJ and save all those bus trips for middle schools. It is absolutely ridiculous that FCPS provides buses in McLean for 5-10 kids to travel to and from Annandale every day. Bad for the environment, bad for everyone.

Yeah, how dare we try to nurture our best students.

Well, isn’t this ironic. You just revealed your true colors—‘best students’!

What they meant to say was "most heavily prepped students"

LOL, sour grapes revealed. Sure, let's kill TJ so your weak middle school student can get up an hour later.