Not getting into AAP - and being okay with it
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Anonymous
| OP--resilience is far more important than being selected for AAP. Do not feel sorry for your daughter. She will be fine--and probably better off than the others--in the end. |
Anonymous
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OP here...thanks for the replies thus far. I'm not even truly convinced that DC needs a "different learning environment." DC will be successful in his/her current school. Do I think DC could do a bit more? Yes. DC is on grade level with math, and slightly above grade level in reading.
In addition, the brain drain really just pisses me off. All these great, high performing, wonderful children who are sent to the AAP center... I hate that DC will lose those friendships. |
Anonymous
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OP, I think you are handling this just fine. Your DC is in a good base school with an immersion program. Friendships don't have to end when a school changes -- you can maintain one or two good friendships outside of school, and that can be of great benefit to your DC once middle school comes around and he/she needs a good friend outside of the inevitable school drama.
Your DC can get a lot of benefit at his/her base school. DC can do advanced Math in 5th and 6th grade. DC will have the advantage of being one of the top students in class. There are plenty of so-so teachers at AP Centers and plenty of outstanding teachers in base schools. A great teacher will provide enrichment for all children, not just the AAP kids. Your child will have the benefit of learning in a diverse environment among kids with different strengths and weaknesses. No doors have closed for your DC. He/she can still reach full potential. DC is no more or less gifted than DC was before all these scores came out and you didn't get the label you were hoping for. Nothing has changed about your child. Just love DC and treasure this time - it passes so quickly! |
Anonymous
| But your DC will not lose friendships. Your DC will gain more and build stronger friendships. Plus everyone is reunited in high school. Middle school is two very short years. |
Anonymous
OP here... funny enough - we are in a pyramid for a secondary school. So, they'll all be back together for MS/HS. |
Anonymous
What does that mean? |
Anonymous
Wah wah.......Cry me a river....
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Anonymous
Even better! |
Anonymous
| OP, I was you years ago and I hated FCPS for the segregation. Still do and have difficulty recommending FCPS today due to the issue. My children were in a center school and not in the "gifted" classes. I too did not seek outside testing although I knew it was the way in. I have always been glad my kids were educated together (well different grades), but they had most of the same teachers and one child did not feel superior to the others. Fast forward ~ oldest has done exceptionally well and is now a medical doctor. I'm left to wonder if FCPS does any follow-up on outcomes. Wish all this segregation nonsense - in the early grades especially, would go away. Life was so much better as they transitioned to high school. High school was the best. AP classes were open to all. To me it felt like a hugh weight had been lifted. |
Anonymous
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AAP has got to be somewhat of a joke. I need to look more into it (my kids are very young now), but there really cannot be that many highly gifted children. 20% of children or something in FCPS go through AAP? They need to raise the standards.
In my strange case - my kids' zoned AAP elementary school is CLOSER to our house than their regular zoned elementary. We are in a very weird attendance zone. I would not send them to any program that takes them too far away from our neighborhood. I think every elementary school should be an AAP center. |
Anonymous
Virginia State colleges have quotas for schools. So your kids scores could get them in to UVA if they live in Stafford or some other non-Nova county, (or out of state) but the VA colleges are only going to take X kids from Y schools. I know kids from TJ who didn't get into UVA & Tech. their scores are the same (or higher) as kids from other schools, but UVA/Tech only wants X kids from each school. The top 10 kids at TJ are different from the top 10 kids from Patriot High (beautiful building, I know nothing about the school). Poster most likely is talking about sending kids overseas to college. Some "socialist" countries have free college. |
Anonymous
Yay, Norway! |
Anonymous
You keep mentioning this "brain drain." Your DC is still left; do you not think there are others still left that are at least as smart as your DC? Either you think DC will test well enough to get into AAP, in which case have him/her tested, or you don't think so, in which case he/she will remain at the base school among others in a similar boat. It's not like it's your smart DC alone with a bunch of morons at the base school. There are plenty of "normal" kids left who are plenty bright but don't have the scores to make AAP. |
Anonymous
| I sympathize. I have a DC in a similar situation to yours. We're stating with the non-AAP. It was a hard decision. |
Anonymous
| stating = staying |