AAP homework expectations in 4th grade?

[Anonymous]

Current 4th grade AAP parent, most evenings it is 1 math worksheet and 20 minutes of reading. When they have a test in any subject, they will send a packet home to study (about 5 pages double sided).

It is very hard to get into AAP at Churchill compared to most FCPS schools since so many kids have high test scores. I am not sure how the summer process takes that into consideration.

Not what you asked, but my 2cents. I wish I had stayed in old more middle class neighborhood and sent my kid to private. This school is very competitive and from what I see about half the kids get outside tutoring (even AAP kids). If you have an issue, the expectation is that you will get outside help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current 4th grade AAP parent, most evenings it is 1 math worksheet and 20 minutes of reading. When they have a test in any subject, they will send a packet home to study (about 5 pages double sided).

It is very hard to get into AAP at Churchill compared to most FCPS schools since so many kids have high test scores. I am not sure how the summer process takes that into consideration.

Not what you asked, but my 2cents. I wish I had stayed in old more middle class neighborhood and sent my kid to private. This school is very competitive and from what I see about half the kids get outside tutoring (even AAP kids). If you have an issue, the expectation is that you will get outside help.

Officially, each kid is considered on their own merits regardless of what center they will attend. Unofficially everyone assumes they cap somewhat to keep school sizes reasonable, but that's definitely not the party line.

For coming in after the pool is over, it's in many ways a different process because it's all parent referral. Over the years people have assumed packets put together by non-FCPS schools are considered as lesser, but no one has a guarantee of this. It's just a guess.

As far as the outside help expectation, that is true of EVERY high SES or even mid SES school. The only place they have resources to help kids who are generally on grade level but with an issue is a title 1 school. We were at a Woodson pyramid center that isn't one of the ones talked about here ad nauseam and anyone with issues had a tutor.

[Anonymous]

We deferred LIV placement in ES in favor of language immersion. DS had some social studies homework in 4th grade and the occasional science homework. It didn’t take to long.

Enrichment is an individual choice. We were at a MC/UMC ES and very few kids attended enrichment. We knew of 3 kids who did math enrichment, one was our son. I know some parents looked for tutors because their kids felt overwhelmed with Advanced Math and some with kids who had learning issues. Overall, most kids were involved in sports, martial arts, dance and those types of activities. The school was not massivly competitive.

Some schools are simply more competitive, partly because parents buy into the competiton.

[Anonymous]

-3rd Grade AAP... 20 min of reading.
-4th Grade AAP... 20 min of reading and 20 min of ST math or Lexia on the laptop last year. (The had to bring the laptops home daily) ugh.
-5th Grade AAP... not required, teacher later suggested 30 min of reading. Laptops stay home this year.

We are in the West Po Pyramid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:-3rd Grade AAP... 20 min of reading.
-4th Grade AAP... 20 min of reading and 20 min of ST math or Lexia on the laptop last year. (The had to bring the laptops home daily) ugh.
-5th Grade AAP... not required, teacher later suggested 30 min of reading. Laptops stay home this year.

We are in the West Po Pyramid.

They will be happy if they finish Lexia. Sandburg uses it as busy work during advisory. The kids who are finished can do other school work

[Anonymous]

DD is in 3rd grade AAP at Colvin Run, next door to your Churchill, similar expectations. Homework is: reading comprehension assignment (20 min), 2-3 math homework worksheets, in addition to 20+min nightly reading. None of it can be done in advance, or modulated by your child's activity schedule. It is a must-do-nightly thing.

As other posters said... I wouldn't count on admission, regardless of what program you are coming from. Churchill parents, please chime in. I'd expect to get in at Churchill the test scores are all >99% (CoGAT, iReady, etc.) and that your kid's work samples are really top notch. We moved to FCPS when my DS was headed into 5th. I thought his >>99% scores would be enough. Nope. Ha. All of those sections in the application that they tell out of town parents are "optional" are NOT OPTIONAL. I honestly think they like to disqualify the out-of-towners. It's easy for them given the competition from kids (i.e. parents) already here. If you are serious, you need to be talking to Churchill's AART and collecting/ prompting really good work samples now. The test scores are a minimum, but the other portions are also a must. This forum is a great resource for filling out the parent referrals, work samples, etc., so you're one step ahead already. Consider this like a college application. The other parents at Churchill AAP certainly did.