Help!!! Move to better elementary school or try to get into AAP such as young scholars...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In fact, I know people throughout Fairfax County who love their neighborhood "6" schools too!!!

+1

[Anonymous]

Original poster, I am sorry you're encountering the kind of insults and snarkiness that is prevalent on DC Urban Moms.

You said you're not familiar with the schools and I noticed also that your original question mentioned "AAP such as Young Scholars." The Young Scholars program is not the same thing as the Advanced Academics Program so don't confuse them.

Rather than rely on anything you see here, I strongly recommend you first research both AAP and Young Scholars at the FCPS web site, then go to your child's school armed with a lot of written questions and talk with your school's counselor or designated contact person dealing with AAP questions. If you are concerned about whether your child is being challenged or will be challenged in future grades, you need to talk with the teachers for those grades.

Generally speaking, you can't just move your child to another school, unless you move to a new home in the new school's area as well; an exception is if your child is AAP eligible and you choose to send your child to a school with an AAP center. If your base school already is an AAP center school, your child would be in the center there, if eligible. There surely are some exceptions but this is the general way it works. Again -- talk to the school for the rules and details.

I would not go by what any "school rating" web site says. Go by what you learn first-hand at your school. Don't assume that some outside company's rating has much basis in what goes on in your school day to day. It's based on standardized testing scores (which are influenced by many things and often don't related to an individual kid's experience of a school) and other factors that often tell you little or nothing about realities inside a school. (Example -- Our base school has comparatively low test scores overall, and other issues I won't go into, but all my friends with kids there love it and the kids do too, and they feel the kids are getting a good education.)

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your reply above. Yes, you are right. I need to research more about AAP and Young Scholars. We bought our home 10 years ago and we don't need to worry about school at that time. Now, my daughter is close to pre-kindergarden age. I started seriously considering school system.
Our difficulty is we don't have friends' kids in the same school or will be in the same school. We are so confused about schools systems here since we are immigrants. Our first way is to do research on internet. I didn't mean I will totally rely on it. That's why I need your feebacks too. I don't understand why some people gave the 'harsh' words. However, I am just trying to get information from all the aspects available to me now.

[Anonymous]

+1

OP are you just trying to stir up a kerfluffle for fun? I have to wonder how bright your children are if they are genetically related to you. A "7" means that the overall pass rate on SOLs for your school is higher than 70% of the schools in Va. Does this cause you concern? If so, I suggest you try a private school. Seriously.... you must be looking to stir things up.

Are you a mom? I don't understand why you could say something like this if you are a mom. I posted my question here to get help not 'insultation'. Yes, we are not famaliar with the school systems here just because we came from another country and we are just trying to get some help from 'other wonderful mom'. Too bad, my husband and I both get master degree from accredited schools here, so stop wondering about my child's 'Brightness'. I would suggest you to be nice when you does your replies in the future. You can just ignore my questions if you think it doesn't make sense instead of offering no help but 'Bad comments'. Will that kind of behavior be a good example for your child/children?

[Anonymous]

OP, I would suggest you schedule a meeting with the school and ask for a tour and if you can observe a class in action. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Original poster, I am sorry you're encountering the kind of insults and snarkiness that is prevalent on DC Urban Moms.

You said you're not familiar with the schools and I noticed also that your original question mentioned "AAP such as Young Scholars." The Young Scholars program is not the same thing as the Advanced Academics Program so don't confuse them.

Rather than rely on anything you see here, I strongly recommend you first research both AAP and Young Scholars at the FCPS web site, then go to your child's school armed with a lot of written questions and talk with your school's counselor or designated contact person dealing with AAP questions. If you are concerned about whether your child is being challenged or will be challenged in future grades, you need to talk with the teachers for those grades.

Generally speaking, you can't just move your child to another school, unless you move to a new home in the new school's area as well; an exception is if your child is AAP eligible and you choose to send your child to a school with an AAP center. If your base school already is an AAP center school, your child would be in the center there, if eligible. There surely are some exceptions but this is the general way it works. Again -- talk to the school for the rules and details.

I would not go by what any "school rating" web site says. Go by what you learn first-hand at your school. Don't assume that some outside company's rating has much basis in what goes on in your school day to day. It's based on standardized testing scores (which are influenced by many things and often don't related to an individual kid's experience of a school) and other factors that often tell you little or nothing about realities inside a school. (Example -- Our base school has comparatively low test scores overall, and other issues I won't go into, but all my friends with kids there love it and the kids do too, and they feel the kids are getting a good education.)

Thanks for this information! I am new to the area like OP. It seems more difficult these days to decipher the good information vs the mere complaints of others. Could you please tell me what FARMs rates are? I've been told to look at them, but I have no idea what they are talking about! Also, I'm assuming Advanced Academic Programs is just in Fairfax County Public Schools? What grade does that start in? Is it the same in Arlington County or Fall Church?