Local v Center? What are your considerations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need to choose between the center and the local school. I plan to make my decision after attending both orientations. However, the FCPS school profile information makes me lean toward the center. The number of full-time AAP students at my child’s local school is quite low (less than 5% of the total students), indicating that there are more principal placed students.

Which schools?

Daniels Run (Local) and Mosaic (center)

Yeah, most likely the number of principal placed they have to add to make a "LIV" class per grade will comprise 2/3 to 3/4 of the class. That's if they don't use the "cluster" model which will split up the LIV kids into different classrooms. Guess you can ask the staff about it. In my opinion, that's far different than the center classroom. Also, this year, I understand the third grade classes at Mosaic were on the small side (<20). They must have exceeded the max for one class, so next year, it could be one large third grade class.

[Anonymous]

The more kids that stay local the smaller the center class sizes will be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The more kids that stay local the smaller the center class sizes will be.

This isn't always true. Our school had a majority of kids leave, which meant two classes of less than 20 students each at the center school. 8 or so students fewer than the local program classes, which follow the cluster model.

[Anonymous]

No AAP period

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more kids that stay local the smaller the center class sizes will be.

This isn't always true. Our school had a majority of kids leave, which meant two classes of less than 20 students each at the center school. 8 or so students fewer than the local program classes, which follow the cluster model.

So if the kids had stayed local then what would have happened ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more kids that stay local the smaller the center class sizes will be.

This isn't always true. Our school had a majority of kids leave, which meant two classes of less than 20 students each at the center school. 8 or so students fewer than the local program classes, which follow the cluster model.

NP. While I don't know which school this is, it sounds like the kids who stayed back at the base ended up in much larger classes AND the "AAP" was dependent on whether the teacher could actually provide that kind of differentiation in the midst of a large class with varying needs. I wouldn't be comfortable that my child was getting his needs met (& thus would apply no matter whether DC was an "AAP" or "gen ed" kid). That teacher is going to have his/her hands full with trying to ensure all the kids pass the SOLs, etc.

Meanwhile at the center, the teacher has fewer kids and less differentiation. The only way that wouldn't be true is if the selection process was messed up, and some of the AAP kids weren't as capable as they should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOCAL
-Pros: close to home; smaller class size (<20); somewhat established friends/community; familiar with school admin, processes, some teachers
-Cons: likely set up as cluster model (even though could have one full class of level IV AAP kids, will be separated into 2-3 classes with others principal placed level III kids; level IV kids would combine for subject specific classes like math); kid may continue to have to help others catch up, rather than being challenged to advance

CENTER
-Pros: likely at least 2 classes with all level IV AAP kids; AAP certified teachers
-Cons: far from home; likely bigger class size (>20); different pyramid so if new friends are in different pyramids, likely will not be with them in middle/high school; unknown admin/processes/community

Have not yet gone to orientation at Center, but likely to choose Center. Kid has mentioned too many times of being bored and wants a challenge. Likely will stay in local school SACC so can continue to be part of local school community and keep in touch with friends not in Center. If we don't like the Center, we always have the option to transfer back to our local base school.

This is wildly generalized.

1. At my non-center school, almost half of our teachers (in the entire school) are AAP-endorsed. That's probably at least an equal, if not higher, percentage than many center schools have.

2. Some schools use cluster model, while others group AAP students in one class.

3. Class sizes in both center and non-center schools vary, so it isn't fair to speculate that center schools have larger classes while non-center schools have smaller classes.

4. Your generalization that AAP students at non-center schools have to help others catch up rather than being encouraged to advance is ridiculous. That might happen in one day in one school but that is certainly not something that is happening across the board.

[Anonymous]

Have your kid try the center. Our home school principal said a child can always come back to home school ANY TIME during the school year. But switching to center school only occurs once a year at the start of school year.

We switched to center and things my child liked are just unexpected. For example my child liked the longer lunch hour (40 vs. 20 min) and the school lunch at center are soft and moist instead of hard and dry in the home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have your kid try the center. Our home school principal said a child can always come back to home school ANY TIME during the school year. But switching to center school only occurs once a year at the start of school year.

We switched to center and things my child liked are just unexpected. For example my child liked the longer lunch hour (40 vs. 20 min) and the school lunch at center are soft and moist instead of hard and dry in the home school.

We save our moist lunches for the AAP kids to fuel their superior brains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Main reasons for choosing LLIV:

Other siblings in same school, Friend Group, After school care considerations, ease for no transition, less "competitive" - I use this term in the negative to try to point out the hyper status association with some centers...

Main reasons for choosing Center:
Higher peer qualifications (they will say same curriculum but its really all about who else is in the classroom), more established teachers, multiple classes allow teachers to plan together, variety year to year on class make-up, Avoiding "cluster" model, which continues commingling skill levels like 2nd grade.

If you're making this choice, your child is obviously smart and will do well in either situation. Given that - Center offers more educational opportunities, while LLIV will offer more logistical flexibility and comfort. There's no wrong decision (though you'll second guess yourself regardless).

I'd agree with all of the above. The others disputing it are largely based on anecdotal examples. There will be exceptions in any situation with a school system as large as Fairfax County, and only getting very specific with the schools and having firsthand knowledge will give you any better insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOCAL
-Pros: close to home; smaller class size (<20); somewhat established friends/community; familiar with school admin, processes, some teachers
-Cons: likely set up as cluster model (even though could have one full class of level IV AAP kids, will be separated into 2-3 classes with others principal placed level III kids; level IV kids would combine for subject specific classes like math); kid may continue to have to help others catch up, rather than being challenged to advance

CENTER
-Pros: likely at least 2 classes with all level IV AAP kids; AAP certified teachers
-Cons: far from home; likely bigger class size (>20); different pyramid so if new friends are in different pyramids, likely will not be with them in middle/high school; unknown admin/processes/community

Have not yet gone to orientation at Center, but likely to choose Center. Kid has mentioned too many times of being bored and wants a challenge. Likely will stay in local school SACC so can continue to be part of local school community and keep in touch with friends not in Center. If we don't like the Center, we always have the option to transfer back to our local base school.

This is wildly generalized.

1. At my non-center school, almost half of our teachers (in the entire school) are AAP-endorsed. That's probably at least an equal, if not higher, percentage than many center schools have.

2. Some schools use cluster model, while others group AAP students in one class.

3. Class sizes in both center and non-center schools vary, so it isn't fair to speculate that center schools have larger classes while non-center schools have smaller classes.

4. Your generalization that AAP students at non-center schools have to help others catch up rather than being encouraged to advance is ridiculous. That might happen in one day in one school but that is certainly not something that is happening across the board.

Talk about wild generalizations... Your entire response is a generalization and most of it is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOCAL
-Pros: close to home; smaller class size (<20); somewhat established friends/community; familiar with school admin, processes, some teachers
-Cons: likely set up as cluster model (even though could have one full class of level IV AAP kids, will be separated into 2-3 classes with others principal placed level III kids; level IV kids would combine for subject specific classes like math); kid may continue to have to help others catch up, rather than being challenged to advance

CENTER
-Pros: likely at least 2 classes with all level IV AAP kids; AAP certified teachers
-Cons: far from home; likely bigger class size (>20); different pyramid so if new friends are in different pyramids, likely will not be with them in middle/high school; unknown admin/processes/community

Have not yet gone to orientation at Center, but likely to choose Center. Kid has mentioned too many times of being bored and wants a challenge. Likely will stay in local school SACC so can continue to be part of local school community and keep in touch with friends not in Center. If we don't like the Center, we always have the option to transfer back to our local base school.

This is wildly generalized.

1. At my non-center school, almost half of our teachers (in the entire school) are AAP-endorsed. That's probably at least an equal, if not higher, percentage than many center schools have.

2. Some schools use cluster model, while others group AAP students in one class.

3. Class sizes in both center and non-center schools vary, so it isn't fair to speculate that center schools have larger classes while non-center schools have smaller classes.

4. Your generalization that AAP students at non-center schools have to help others catch up rather than being encouraged to advance is ridiculous. That might happen in one day in one school but that is certainly not something that is happening across the board.

Talk about wild generalizations... Your entire response is a generalization and most of it is wrong.

Point out one generalization in the response.

Point out fallacies in the response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have your kid try the center. Our home school principal said a child can always come back to home school ANY TIME during the school year. But switching to center school only occurs once a year at the start of school year.

We switched to center and things my child liked are just unexpected. For example my child liked the longer lunch hour (40 vs. 20 min) and the school lunch at center are soft and moist instead of hard and dry in the home school.

We save our moist lunches for the AAP kids to fuel their superior brains.

PP. You might think this is minor details, but I recognize excellence in everything. Even with same budget and same menu, workers on the ground can really make big difference. Good outcomes come from experience and attention to details. Even in reheating food, it turns out hard and dry because even a simple reheat has to be done with correct equipment, toaster oven or microwave or steamer.