Rethinking AAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell yourself that you'll give it a try until xmas. There will be adjustments the first few months. Stay the course until xmas. If you or your kid doesn't like it, you can switch back at the end of 2nd quarter.

I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised by everything including the parents and kids who are not AAP.

+1. It’s natural to have cold feet the week before you send a kid off to a new school. And their may be some bumps. But you chose a Center for a reason and new admin doesn’t mean bad. Take a deep breath. And I would say stick out a school year unless their is a really significant issue. At the end of the year, if it looks like a bad match, it can be undone.

Pro-tip, if they mix kids up for specials and it’s a problem, starting in 4th have your kid play a stringed instrument. Then they will track with mostly AAP for specials too.

Disgusting.

Oh FFS. I wrote this. It was a joke. It needed an /s or whatever.

My kid went to a poorer Center and it was fine. No cooties or anything. She did play a stringed instrument— because she really wanted too. The year she wasn’t strings tracked was no better or worse than the year she was. But, the way her school worked, iband and strings did track a lot of AAP kids for specials. . But inflicting a year of beginner viola screeching and forcing your kid to practice and recitals where they repeat one note off tune for 20 minutes on yourself to keep your kid from spending a half an hour a day with the poors in art class is nuts and I thought people would get that.

BTW— that kid is now starting her 7th year of viola and I love listening to her play. But there were several years where practice sounded like dying cat. She now attends high school with some poors. Still no cooties. She did however get lice FOUR TIMES her second grade year at her very affluent, no poors ES. And lice?? Much, much worse than cooties.

Your post was tone deaf, as are you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

Actually the school she is referring to has a high percentage of minority children, including in the AAP classes. Not all minorities are poor but glad you showed your bias while trying to call others out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

Actually the school she is referring to has a high percentage of minority children, including in the AAP classes. Not all minorities are poor but glad you showed your bias while trying to call others out

How do you know which school this is? And why don't you just say what it is and let people who have experience with it give reviews -- which would be the most useful to OP and everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

Actually the school she is referring to has a high percentage of minority children, including in the AAP classes. Not all minorities are poor but glad you showed your bias while trying to call others out

How do you know which school this is? And why don't you just say what it is and let people who have experience with it give reviews -- which would be the most useful to OP and everyone else.

People with experience with it will know what she's talking about. If you dont know then this post isnt for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

Actually the school she is referring to has a high percentage of minority children, including in the AAP classes. Not all minorities are poor but glad you showed your bias while trying to call others out

How do you know which school this is? And why don't you just say what it is and let people who have experience with it give reviews -- which would be the most useful to OP and everyone else.

NP. Curious about this, too. Also, I bet there are very few, if any, AAP centers where >20% of the AAP population is FRM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here -

I mean, right back at you, racist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

Actually the school she is referring to has a high percentage of minority children, including in the AAP classes. Not all minorities are poor but glad you showed your bias while trying to call others out

How do you know which school this is? And why don't you just say what it is and let people who have experience with it give reviews -- which would be the most useful to OP and everyone else.

NP. Curious about this, too. Also, I bet there are very few, if any, AAP centers where >20% of the AAP population is FRM.

The pp said that the AAP part has a substsntial minority population, not a substantial poor/FARMS population. Where did you come up with referring to AAP centers >20% FARMS?



That said, I believe OP is talking about Springfield Estates. I can tell you that it was a fabulous center under the past principal and would highly reccommend it. Not sure why you think the PTA is not strongly supported. Of course, there are a lot of changes with the new leadership and with the Franconia kids leaving for Bush Hill. I hate that the Franconia kids and parents are shifting because they were the most involved in the PTA...given that they were so close in proximity to SEES. But, it is a new day and the Lane, Hayfield, and Island Creek parents will have to step up their involvement if they want to kerp a high quality program and community. The base school teachers are amazing and should be an example to the test of the county. What they have been able to do with kids who are learning English and come from very modest means is impressive. Even though it is a school with two very different populations, they serve both sets very well.

OP, I totally get that this is new to you, but I have btdt and I think you will be glad you sent your child there. But, if it's not a good fit by xmas, then make a change. Understand that 3rd grade is an adjustment for most kids because they have homework and higher expectations. Push through. Expect some discomfort as your child adapts. There is nothing to fear!

[Anonymous]

...should be an example to the Rest of the county...(typo)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The posts on this thread disgust me. "No your AAP child won't interact with the poor, dirty general education population".

THIS is why FCPS needs to get rid of AAP. Because of racist, classist, disgusting people like you, OP.

And yes, I read your so-called apology. You're still racist and classist. Gross.

FCPS is run by racist. If you want to get away from racist, you need to get away from fairfax

I disagree. Leave if you don't like it. There are many looking to move here.

You are confused. Because people are moving here doesn’t make it not racist. And getting rid of the people who are aware of the racism is no solution, but getting rid of the racists and racist system is the solution.

[Anonymous]

Removing AAP won't change people's behavior.

AAP kids need to be separated from general education. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Removing AAP won't change people's behavior.

True. If you remove AAP, then people who buy in poorer pyramids but use AAP to escape will instead just buy homes in the wealthier areas. Wealth segregation and desire to avoid FARMS kids will be here with or without AAP.

Anonymous wrote:
AAP kids need to be separated from general education. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater

That's a crock of BS. There's such a huge overlap between the bottom half of AAP and the top kids in GE that it's hard to argue that most of the kids in AAP need to be separated from GE. Most of the kids in AAP are high achievers who will bloom wherever they're planted. Most of them are also only about a year above grade level, which honestly isn't that advanced and should easily be accommodated in GE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Removing AAP won't change people's behavior.

True. If you remove AAP, then people who buy in poorer pyramids but use AAP to escape will instead just buy homes in the wealthier areas. Wealth segregation and desire to avoid FARMS kids will be here with or without AAP.

Anonymous wrote:
AAP kids need to be separated from general education. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater

That's a crock of BS. There's such a huge overlap between the bottom half of AAP and the top kids in GE that it's hard to argue that most of the kids in AAP need to be separated from GE. Most of the kids in AAP are high achievers who will bloom wherever they're planted. Most of them are also only about a year above grade level, which honestly isn't that advanced and should easily be accommodated in GE.

I know most of the kids selected for AAP at my DS school do not move to the center and are happy with the Level III services they receive. The school has a language immersion program and no Local Level IV. I guess you could argue that the LI is something that sets them apart from the GE curriculum but the only difference is that a language is taught and math and science are taught in that language, otherwise the curriculum is the same. The parents are very happy with the services that the kids are getting. No one seems to be worried that their kids are not taking Algebra in 7th Grade. The kids are going on to AP and IB programs in High School and doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Removing AAP won't change people's behavior.

AAP kids need to be separated from general education. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater

Wrong. There is not that much difference. It is a mess and it needs to be reworked. Get rid of it. I would say to go back to the old way when it was only the truly highly gifted. (For example, a school that now has 2/3 of the kids in AAP had only two or three per grade selected for the GT program of twenty-five years ago. SES has not changed in the school.)

However, the old GT program relied only on IQ tests that are no longer valid because of test prep. So, get rid of the whole program.

I taught in a system that did not separate out the brightest. A good teacher can accommodate all levels in the primary grades and later, the teachers can track for math and language arts.

The idea with initially separating the gifted was that they could move fast and independently. But, now, with so many kids being "twice-exceptional" it is a whole different ball game. And, few of the kids are highly gifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Wrong. There is not that much difference. It is a mess and it needs to be reworked. Get rid of it. I would say to go back to the old way when it was only the truly highly gifted. (For example, a school that now has 2/3 of the kids in AAP had only two or three per grade selected for the GT program of twenty-five years ago. SES has not changed in the school.)

However, the old GT program relied only on IQ tests that are no longer valid because of test prep. So, get rid of the whole program.

I taught in a system that did not separate out the brightest. A good teacher can accommodate all levels in the primary grades and later, the teachers can track for math and language arts.

The idea with initially separating the gifted was that they could move fast and independently. But, now, with so many kids being "twice-exceptional" it is a whole different ball game. And, few of the kids are highly gifted.

DP. When you write stuff like this, I can't take any of your argument seriously. I'm glad you were never my DCs' teacher. Or mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Wrong. There is not that much difference. It is a mess and it needs to be reworked. Get rid of it. I would say to go back to the old way when it was only the truly highly gifted. (For example, a school that now has 2/3 of the kids in AAP had only two or three per grade selected for the GT program of twenty-five years ago. SES has not changed in the school.)

However, the old GT program relied only on IQ tests that are no longer valid because of test prep. So, get rid of the whole program.

I taught in a system that did not separate out the brightest. A good teacher can accommodate all levels in the primary grades and later, the teachers can track for math and language arts.

The idea with initially separating the gifted was that they could move fast and independently. But, now, with so many kids being "twice-exceptional" it is a whole different ball game. And, few of the kids are highly gifted.

DP. When you write stuff like this, I can't take any of your argument seriously. I'm glad you were never my DCs' teacher. Or mine.

Nothing wrong with being twice exceptional--but, if you think the class, as originally intended to be accelerated, is not affected by kids who need additional help, you are mistaken. Get rid of the program totally. There is no need to separate the kids out. Why do you think they need to be segregated from gen ed. There is always just a point or two difference between them. And, as I said, the scores are no longer valid. Any kid who needs prep for an IQ test should be eliminated.