How to improve AAP and General Ed Together

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

Evidence for that are the students struggling with the pace of the Gen Ed curriculum.

What students? Are you saying all Gen Ed kids struggle with Gen Ed curriculum? Because nothing could be further from the truth. There are some kids who do, of course, just as there are some kids within FCPS who are actually gifted and "need" a special program (perhaps a tiny fraction of those currently in AAP). The vast majority of Gen Ed kids are very good students who could absolutely be doing more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Most schools do not employ homerooms during elementary school.

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

That's nice. My kids have attended five FCPS elementary schools (three base without LLIV and two centers), and none employed homerooms. They also did not necessarily team teach or switch classes for subjects. FCPS is a large system, and the schools do vary quite a bit, and also change as principals and teachers come and go. We've gone to mostly the poorer elementaries in the county, on the low side in scores, and found the people a lot more low-key and pleasant, whether they're in the AAP center or gen ed. I'd felt a bit sad that we couldn't put our kids in the best elementaries, but considering how bitter, grim, entitled, and status-hungry you lot at the highest SES schools are, I'm glad not to be part of that. We parents hang out as our kids take part in activities, and no one discusses who's in what program. That's considered gauche and divisive. Maybe the biggest problem at some of these AAP centers is you, the parents. ALL of you.

I'm the PP and I'm not sure how you've come to any conclusion about what part of the county I live in or what the SES of my children's school is. I was simply stating that all of the elementary schools my kids have attended have had homerooms - and all are segregated by AAP or Gen Ed. My point is that these homerooms could certainly be mixed.

I believe "you lot" implies PP was speaking generally to posters at the overcrowded AAP centers which generate most of the complaints and cries for change. However, if you'd like to share your school, it might help others to respond directly. As PP explained, you don't necessarily need mixed home rooms to have a peaceful school. Adding to that, I suppose we are in a "middle" area of the county and also have neither home rooms nor divisiveness in our center.

I'm wondering what the argument for *NOT* mixing homerooms could possibly be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Integrating lunch and recess was just one idea. From looking at the comments, there doesn't seem to be any immediate reason not to integrate them. It's been done at schools with 1000 students showing that it can be done likely at any school, and most people think it would help facilitate friendships between AAP and general ed students.

So now, lets move onto idea #2. How to better standardize level 2 and level 3 instruction in FCPS. FCAG and the Advanced Academics Advisory Committee have some research on this which is worth reading before making suggestions.

http://www2.fcps.edu/is/aap/aapac.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/testimony.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/fcag.data.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/newsletters.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/nonfcagreports.shtml

Have you read it? What are your suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Integrating lunch and recess was just one idea. From looking at the comments, there doesn't seem to be any immediate reason not to integrate them. It's been done at schools with 1000 students showing that it can be done likely at any school, and most people think it would help facilitate friendships between AAP and general ed students.

So now, lets move onto idea #2. How to better standardize level 2 and level 3 instruction in FCPS. FCAG and the Advanced Academics Advisory Committee have some research on this which is worth reading before making suggestions.

http://www2.fcps.edu/is/aap/aapac.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/testimony.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/fcag.data.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/newsletters.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/nonfcagreports.shtml

OP is an FCAG crony who has no interest in improving Gen Ed. Just looking for ways to placate Gen Ed parents and the county and the taxpayers who are catching on to the AAP BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

Glad you can admit this thread is a farce.

The only farce are the nonsensical "solutions" that AAP parents throw out as a panacea for everything that's wrong with AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to hear that parent meetings are integrated, but from the outside, it sure doesn't sound like it, and not just in DCUM.

From the outside? Where besides DCUM? This why people throw around the word "crazies" - bc the AAP haters exaggerate and twist everything to sound so outrageous. So outrageous that 'outsiders' believe that there are separate parent meetings This is so far from reality for so much of FCPS.

Hey, I'm not an AAP hater, so stop getting so rankled. My friends with kids at our center talk as if they are in two different worlds. Atleast their kids are getting served appropriately. Things are out of kilter at our Title I. There are a lot of different kinds of needs that need to be served. Things fall through the cracks at every school. If you don't see them, it doesn't mean they don't exist.

What can I say? I'm glad you find FCPS with out any need for improvement? Is your response to OP really that there's nothing to be done, because there's no problem except on DCUM? I hope the truth is that you see that there is room for improvement. I suspect you believe the scale of the problem is small and not worth discussing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I realize this. And when I say my kids have always had homerooms, I'm not referring to a "ten minute morning meeting." When the class lists come out every August, the kids are put into a homeroom. If you're in Gen Ed, it's a Gen Ed homeroom, AAP is an AAP homeroom. These are the kids' main classrooms, though they switch throughout the day for the core subjects (or remain, depending on which teacher is teaching which subject). The point is, these homerooms are the actual classes that kids are assigned to, and they stay in for lunch or field trips or recess. They are fixed and there is NO mixing. Many of us are saying there's no reason a homeroom couldn't be mixed; kids switch anyway for core subjects, but they could be in mixed homerooms for all other purposes.

Can you give some examples of "other purposes" other than lunch, field trips and recess?

Class parties, class student representatives, class projects, assembly seating, library visits, etc. etc. I'm really not sure why this concept is so difficult to grasp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to hear that parent meetings are integrated, but from the outside, it sure doesn't sound like it, and not just in DCUM.

From the outside? Where besides DCUM? This why people throw around the word "crazies" - bc the AAP haters exaggerate and twist everything to sound so outrageous. So outrageous that 'outsiders' believe that there are separate parent meetings This is so far from reality for so much of FCPS.

Hey, I'm not an AAP hater, so stop getting so rankled. My friends with kids at our center talk as if they are in two different worlds. Atleast their kids are getting served appropriately. Things are out of kilter at our Title I. There are a lot of different kinds of needs that need to be served. Things fall through the cracks at every school. If you don't see them, it doesn't mean they don't exist.

What can I say? I'm glad you find FCPS with out any need for improvement? Is your response to OP really that there's nothing to be done, because there's no problem except on DCUM? I hope the truth is that you see that there is room for improvement. I suspect you believe the scale of the problem is small and not worth discussing.

+100
Small, and of course, not affecting her children so not worthy of discussion and reform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

Every fcps elememtary and middle school is either a base or a center.

So your kids do not attend fcps?

Then you are not aware of how this program works, and also not aware that this anti aap angst and fixation represents a very small part of the county and not the schools or provram as a whole.

Most places just do not fixate on AAP the way the dcum crowd does.

OMG, you must be joking. How would you know anything about AAP "angst" if your kids are in the program? It's those of us whose kids are NOT in the program who are pointing out what the reality actually is. And it is absolutely not limited to a "very small part of the county" or just DCUM.

I have three kids.

One who went through the center.

One who is an average bright kid with some struggles.

One who did not qualify for AAP level IV in 2nd, retested in an upper grade and qualified Level IV, and decided to stay at the base school with friends and receive level 3 pull outs. She will do the middle school LLIV program next year.

I look at it from the parent perspective of all three types of students represented here. I think AAP as currently structured is a very good program that does its best to provide enrichment and challenges for as many students as possible. I think the screening process, with minor exceptions, works exceptionally well. I think the teachers in both AAP and gen ed are strong, motivated, dedicated professionals wh work very hard to challenge all of their students and are not trying to either shortchange/call it in for the gen ed kids or run away from "those terrible" AAP kids.

I think there are zoning issues that can be fixed in those crazy for TJ areas and I think in all but the lowest performing pyramids every middle school should have an AAP level IV program, with middle school centers limited to poorly performing areas. I think the opposite should occur with elementary schools: mostly centers except for the TJ crazy areas. Those limited zones should have AAP level IV at every elementary.

As a parent of two kids not currently in AAP, I think that a lot of you are so ego damaged about your kids not being accepted into AAP that you are blind to the facts and quite frankly, having a long, drawn out, public virtual temper tantrum.

Most of the elementary schools in fcps are exceptional, as are most of the teachers, gen ed or AAP (well, except for the one stealing beer with her boyfriend student)

My youngest who is an averagely bright student by fcps has always struggled a bit at school. This year, most of his close friend group ended up at the center, which mad him a little sad.

Guess what? He is having the best school year ever. He is confident, understanding things, and not struggling or cyring. I asked him why he thinks this year is going so well for him.

His answer? "I don't know why but this year I feel like I am one of the smart kids. Last year all my friends were reading bigger bookds that I couldn't understand and always got their work done before me. I thought I was a dummie. But this year I am smarter."

My kid's ability did not change. His cohort did. And having those kids who work quickly and/or grade levels ahead move to the center was the best thing for my kid, and I suspect many others.

Before my youngest went through this transition I was an advocate for AAP because of the benefits for kids like my oldest. Now seeing the confidence in my youngest from having those other kids move off to the center, I am an even stronger advocate for AAP oevel IV because of the benefits for kids like my youngest who is now starting to build confidence in his abilities as a student.

I have no doubts that with this confidence along with the time to work at his pace and the chance to sometimes be a leader in the classroom will help to give him the skills that he needs to be successful in school and perhaps even catch up to many of his friends who went to center by the time he reaches middle or high school.

That "catching up" or even passing happens often. THAT shows that the way AAP is structured does indeed work. Meeting kids where they are at NOW and letting them work at a pace that works for them, so they can build a strong foundation to be ready for challenges in high school. Different paths. Different journeys. More or less the same destination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to hear that parent meetings are integrated, but from the outside, it sure doesn't sound like it, and not just in DCUM.

From the outside? Where besides DCUM? This why people throw around the word "crazies" - bc the AAP haters exaggerate and twist everything to sound so outrageous. So outrageous that 'outsiders' believe that there are separate parent meetings This is so far from reality for so much of FCPS.

Hey, I'm not an AAP hater, so stop getting so rankled. My friends with kids at our center talk as if they are in two different worlds. Atleast their kids are getting served appropriately. Things are out of kilter at our Title I. There are a lot of different kinds of needs that need to be served. Things fall through the cracks at every school. If you don't see them, it doesn't mean they don't exist.

What can I say? I'm glad you find FCPS with out any need for improvement? Is your response to OP really that there's nothing to be done, because there's no problem except on DCUM? I hope the truth is that you see that there is room for improvement. I suspect you believe the scale of the problem is small and not worth discussing.

+100
Small, and of course, not affecting her children so not worthy of discussion and reform.

Maybe some people are just wise to the fact that arguing on the internet won't accomplish anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to hear that parent meetings are integrated, but from the outside, it sure doesn't sound like it, and not just in DCUM.

From the outside? Where besides DCUM? This why people throw around the word "crazies" - bc the AAP haters exaggerate and twist everything to sound so outrageous. So outrageous that 'outsiders' believe that there are separate parent meetings This is so far from reality for so much of FCPS.

Hey, I'm not an AAP hater, so stop getting so rankled. My friends with kids at our center talk as if they are in two different worlds. Atleast their kids are getting served appropriately. Things are out of kilter at our Title I. There are a lot of different kinds of needs that need to be served. Things fall through the cracks at every school. If you don't see them, it doesn't mean they don't exist.

What can I say? I'm glad you find FCPS with out any need for improvement? Is your response to OP really that there's nothing to be done, because there's no problem except on DCUM? I hope the truth is that you see that there is room for improvement. I suspect you believe the scale of the problem is small and not worth discussing.

Sigh. I didn't say you were a hater - you are the 'outsider' that based on what you hear from the 'haters' believes that things are THAT segregated. They are not.

I have a couple of kids in AAP and things are not always rosy and perfect for them just because they are in AAP. Of course there is room for improvement. Of course things fall through the cracks - at every level. My issue is that I don't see any reasonable solutions that appease the haters - except to entirely eliminate AAP. I think AAP serves a need, like many other differentiated programs that FCPS offers. I don't have a problem discussing solutions, but it seems (after pages of pages of discussion) that nothing will satisfy APP haters until we all agree that all or most kids in this huge county can all handle the same curriculum. I don't think we'll ever get there.

I think the focus should be on improving Gen Ed and formalizing, standardizing levels 2 & 3 - because, really, it supposed to be about meeting kids where they are - but that is met with "as long as your precious level 4 isn't touched" I think FCPS already reaches as many students as it can identify for Level 4 - and if you as a parent don't agree, you can appeal. There isn't an access issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Most schools do not employ homerooms during elementary school.

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

That's nice. My kids have attended five FCPS elementary schools (three base without LLIV and two centers), and none employed homerooms. They also did not necessarily team teach or switch classes for subjects. FCPS is a large system, and the schools do vary quite a bit, and also change as principals and teachers come and go. We've gone to mostly the poorer elementaries in the county, on the low side in scores, and found the people a lot more low-key and pleasant, whether they're in the AAP center or gen ed. I'd felt a bit sad that we couldn't put our kids in the best elementaries, but considering how bitter, grim, entitled, and status-hungry you lot at the highest SES schools are, I'm glad not to be part of that. We parents hang out as our kids take part in activities, and no one discusses who's in what program. That's considered gauche and divisive. Maybe the biggest problem at some of these AAP centers is you, the parents. ALL of you.

Re: the bolded statement - what on earth does this mean? Were your kids not assigned to Mrs. Smith's class or Mr. Brown's class at the beginning of the year? Did they not look at the class lists to see which friends were in their class? That's called a HOMEROOM! Not sure why you're refusing to get this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

Every fcps elememtary and middle school is either a base or a center.

So your kids do not attend fcps?

Then you are not aware of how this program works, and also not aware that this anti aap angst and fixation represents a very small part of the county and not the schools or provram as a whole.

Most places just do not fixate on AAP the way the dcum crowd does.

OMG, you must be joking. How would you know anything about AAP "angst" if your kids are in the program? It's those of us whose kids are NOT in the program who are pointing out what the reality actually is. And it is absolutely not limited to a "very small part of the county" or just DCUM.

I have three kids.

One who went through the center.

One who is an average bright kid with some struggles.

One who did not qualify for AAP level IV in 2nd, retested in an upper grade and qualified Level IV, and decided to stay at the base school with friends and receive level 3 pull outs. She will do the middle school LLIV program next year.

I look at it from the parent perspective of all three types of students represented here. I think AAP as currently structured is a very good program that does its best to provide enrichment and challenges for as many students as possible. I think the screening process, with minor exceptions, works exceptionally well. I think the teachers in both AAP and gen ed are strong, motivated, dedicated professionals wh work very hard to challenge all of their students and are not trying to either shortchange/call it in for the gen ed kids or run away from "those terrible" AAP kids.

I think there are zoning issues that can be fixed in those crazy for TJ areas and I think in all but the lowest performing pyramids every middle school should have an AAP level IV program, with middle school centers limited to poorly performing areas. I think the opposite should occur with elementary schools: mostly centers except for the TJ crazy areas. Those limited zones should have AAP level IV at every elementary.

As a parent of two kids not currently in AAP, I think that a lot of you are so ego damaged about your kids not being accepted into AAP that you are blind to the facts and quite frankly, having a long, drawn out, public virtual temper tantrum.

Most of the elementary schools in fcps are exceptional, as are most of the teachers, gen ed or AAP (well, except for the one stealing beer with her boyfriend student)

My youngest who is an averagely bright student by fcps has always struggled a bit at school. This year, most of his close friend group ended up at the center, which mad him a little sad.

Guess what? He is having the best school year ever. He is confident, understanding things, and not struggling or cyring. I asked him why he thinks this year is going so well for him.

His answer? "I don't know why but this year I feel like I am one of the smart kids. Last year all my friends were reading bigger bookds that I couldn't understand and always got their work done before me. I thought I was a dummie. But this year I am smarter."

My kid's ability did not change. His cohort did. And having those kids who work quickly and/or grade levels ahead move to the center was the best thing for my kid, and I suspect many others.

Before my youngest went through this transition I was an advocate for AAP because of the benefits for kids like my oldest. Now seeing the confidence in my youngest from having those other kids move off to the center, I am an even stronger advocate for AAP oevel IV because of the benefits for kids like my youngest who is now starting to build confidence in his abilities as a student.

I have no doubts that with this confidence along with the time to work at his pace and the chance to sometimes be a leader in the classroom will help to give him the skills that he needs to be successful in school and perhaps even catch up to many of his friends who went to center by the time he reaches middle or high school.

That "catching up" or even passing happens often. THAT shows that the way AAP is structured does indeed work. Meeting kids where they are at NOW and letting them work at a pace that works for them, so they can build a strong foundation to be ready for challenges in high school. Different paths. Different journeys. More or less the same destination.

I don't have this experience but I believe What you say to be the case generally. I'm not advocating that my kids must be in AAP. The issue in our Title I school is what I'll call capping at L3. I'm not saying that these kids are necessarily L4 qualified, but they don't get the same enrichment. The AART deals a lot with parents trying to get kids out of the school (not a knock on them, but it is time consuming), so L3 has once a month pullouts. And there are a lot of people trying to address the needs of ESOL kids and kids are struggling. Comparatively speaking within the school, the kids who are done with their class work and homework have small problems. Teachers expect these kids to keep themselves busy. I don't think this happens as much at other L3 schools. Weekly pullouts? Not at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

Every fcps elememtary and middle school is either a base or a center.

So your kids do not attend fcps?

Then you are not aware of how this program works, and also not aware that this anti aap angst and fixation represents a very small part of the county and not the schools or provram as a whole.

Most places just do not fixate on AAP the way the dcum crowd does.

OMG, you must be joking. How would you know anything about AAP "angst" if your kids are in the program? It's those of us whose kids are NOT in the program who are pointing out what the reality actually is. And it is absolutely not limited to a "very small part of the county" or just DCUM.

I have three kids.

One who went through the center.

One who is an average bright kid with some struggles.

One who did not qualify for AAP level IV in 2nd, retested in an upper grade and qualified Level IV, and decided to stay at the base school with friends and receive level 3 pull outs. She will do the middle school LLIV program next year.

I look at it from the parent perspective of all three types of students represented here. I think AAP as currently structured is a very good program that does its best to provide enrichment and challenges for as many students as possible. I think the screening process, with minor exceptions, works exceptionally well. I think the teachers in both AAP and gen ed are strong, motivated, dedicated professionals wh work very hard to challenge all of their students and are not trying to either shortchange/call it in for the gen ed kids or run away from "those terrible" AAP kids.

I think there are zoning issues that can be fixed in those crazy for TJ areas and I think in all but the lowest performing pyramids every middle school should have an AAP level IV program, with middle school centers limited to poorly performing areas. I think the opposite should occur with elementary schools: mostly centers except for the TJ crazy areas. Those limited zones should have AAP level IV at every elementary.

As a parent of two kids not currently in AAP, I think that a lot of you are so ego damaged about your kids not being accepted into AAP that you are blind to the facts and quite frankly, having a long, drawn out, public virtual temper tantrum.

Most of the elementary schools in fcps are exceptional, as are most of the teachers, gen ed or AAP (well, except for the one stealing beer with her boyfriend student)

My youngest who is an averagely bright student by fcps has always struggled a bit at school. This year, most of his close friend group ended up at the center, which mad him a little sad.

Guess what? He is having the best school year ever. He is confident, understanding things, and not struggling or cyring. I asked him why he thinks this year is going so well for him.

His answer? "I don't know why but this year I feel like I am one of the smart kids. Last year all my friends were reading bigger bookds that I couldn't understand and always got their work done before me. I thought I was a dummie. But this year I am smarter."

My kid's ability did not change. His cohort did. And having those kids who work quickly and/or grade levels ahead move to the center was the best thing for my kid, and I suspect many others.

Before my youngest went through this transition I was an advocate for AAP because of the benefits for kids like my oldest. Now seeing the confidence in my youngest from having those other kids move off to the center, I am an even stronger advocate for AAP oevel IV because of the benefits for kids like my youngest who is now starting to build confidence in his abilities as a student.

I have no doubts that with this confidence along with the time to work at his pace and the chance to sometimes be a leader in the classroom will help to give him the skills that he needs to be successful in school and perhaps even catch up to many of his friends who went to center by the time he reaches middle or high school.

That "catching up" or even passing happens often. THAT shows that the way AAP is structured does indeed work. Meeting kids where they are at NOW and letting them work at a pace that works for them, so they can build a strong foundation to be ready for challenges in high school. Different paths. Different journeys. More or less the same destination.

Unfortunately, kids who attend the center as their base school don't get the benefit of seeing the AAP kids leave (out of sight, out of mind). At a center, the number of AAP kids dominate the Gen Ed kids, so that dynamic is on full view. Totally different from base schools where AAP kids leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Most schools do not employ homerooms during elementary school.

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

That's nice. My kids have attended five FCPS elementary schools (three base without LLIV and two centers), and none employed homerooms. They also did not necessarily team teach or switch classes for subjects. FCPS is a large system, and the schools do vary quite a bit, and also change as principals and teachers come and go. We've gone to mostly the poorer elementaries in the county, on the low side in scores, and found the people a lot more low-key and pleasant, whether they're in the AAP center or gen ed. I'd felt a bit sad that we couldn't put our kids in the best elementaries, but considering how bitter, grim, entitled, and status-hungry you lot at the highest SES schools are, I'm glad not to be part of that. We parents hang out as our kids take part in activities, and no one discusses who's in what program. That's considered gauche and divisive. Maybe the biggest problem at some of these AAP centers is you, the parents. ALL of you.

Re: the bolded statement - what on earth does this mean? Were your kids not assigned to Mrs. Smith's class or Mr. Brown's class at the beginning of the year? Did they not look at the class lists to see which friends were in their class? That's called a HOMEROOM! Not sure why you're refusing to get this.

In most elememtary kids homeroom is the same teacher who teaches the kids all of their subjects except for specials and perhaps math.

PP wants a separate mixed homeroom (not with their assigned teachers for the core subjects) so the kids can socialize. And she wants it during lunch so they are assigned to eat with those kids instead of the kids they have class with.

That "homeroom" is not the same as the ten minutes or so of morning meeting in Mrs. Smith's class every moring before Mrs. Smith moves the kids into reading time.