Middle School Intensified vs Regular Subjects - Worth It?

[Anonymous]

As a parent of a high schooler & a middle schooler (not at HBW), carefully consider Intensified options.

For high school math, for example, you need to get an A in Algebra 2 (regular) if you want to go straight to precalculus (otherwise, there's an Alg 3 or something) where as you need a B in Algebra 2 Intensified. Additionally, intensified is what Arl has for "honors" & colleges do look at rigor so prepare your middle schooler accordingly (or strategically).

While at the middle school level teachers seemed to teach both intensified & regular, high school seems to have them be different. I'm not positive the 'regular' classes my child has taken in high school would adequately prepare him for college (we are aiming for schools in the 70%+ range, not Top 20 fwiw). After freshman year, my child switched to more intensified (or AP) courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

I have a kid at HB and this idea that all of them are well behaved at all times and fully plugged in academically and operating at some higher level consistently is really not true. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble there are classroom and behavior issues at this school like any other one. And yes, differentiation is still required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

I have a kid at HB and this idea that all of them are well behaved at all times and fully plugged in academically and operating at some higher level consistently is really not true. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble there are classroom and behavior issues at this school like any other one. And yes, differentiation is still required.

I mean, you can talk about stories or you can use data:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Suspension-Data-2019-20.pdf

HBW has 5x fewer suspensions.

Can someone track down dropout data for HBW? VDOE lumps them in with home high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

At the Swanson 6th grade academic planning evening held at Swanson, the counselor said the Advanced Academics kids (that is the new word for it) are encouraged/recommended/advised (I do not remember the word they used) to take intensified courses. I do think the kids still have to check the box on their course selection form. I remember there were words on the slide that said this. Swanson doesn't have their presentation posted on line anywhere I can find though.

How are the intensified classes there? Specifically Social Studies and English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

I have a kid at HB and this idea that all of them are well behaved at all times and fully plugged in academically and operating at some higher level consistently is really not true. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble there are classroom and behavior issues at this school like any other one. And yes, differentiation is still required.

I mean, you can talk about stories or you can use data:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Suspension-Data-2019-20.pdf

HBW has 5x fewer suspensions.

Can someone track down dropout data for HBW? VDOE lumps them in with home high school.

I don't see how you reached your conclusion. From your link, DHMS has 734 students with 9 suspensions, while HBW has 243 students with 2 suspensions. The percentages are nearly the same. In fact, running a Fisher's exact test gives a p-value of 1.0, indicating no statistically significant difference in suspension rates between the two schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

I have a kid at HB and this idea that all of them are well behaved at all times and fully plugged in academically and operating at some higher level consistently is really not true. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble there are classroom and behavior issues at this school like any other one. And yes, differentiation is still required.

I mean, you can talk about stories or you can use data:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Suspension-Data-2019-20.pdf

HBW has 5x fewer suspensions.

Can someone track down dropout data for HBW? VDOE lumps them in with home high school.

I don't see how you reached your conclusion. From your link, DHMS has 734 students with 9 suspensions, while HBW has 243 students with 2 suspensions. The percentages are nearly the same. In fact, running a Fisher's exact test gives a p-value of 1.0, indicating no statistically significant difference in suspension rates between the two schools.

I was looking at high schools.

Middle school suspension is lower consequence so given more freely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

Well now I know you’re full of it and making things up. The principal of HB is not a he.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

I can explain this. In middle school at HB, students take 8 classes instead of 7 at the neighborhood schools. This results in less instructional time in each class so the classes are “intensified” to cover all the material in less time. Same in the high school, though most HS students use the 8th period as a free period for HW, HS sports, etc. additionally there are just not enough students to offer that many sections of every class. In the HS especially, there are only intensified classes in math. The other classes have regular and then there are AP options, though fewer AP offerings than the neighborhood schools because of the lower population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

I can explain this. In middle school at HB, students take 8 classes instead of 7 at the neighborhood schools. This results in less instructional time in each class so the classes are “intensified” to cover all the material in less time. Same in the high school, though most HS students use the 8th period as a free period for HW, HS sports, etc. additionally there are just not enough students to offer that many sections of every class. In the HS especially, there are only intensified classes in math. The other classes have regular and then there are AP options, though fewer AP offerings than the neighborhood schools because of the lower population.

Absolutely. That’s exactly what she meant. Not compressed or accelerated, but intensified, which just happens to be the word APS uses for honors courses that go into greater depth (not accelerated, they cover the same material). What a coincidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you - I know the chances of getting in to HBW are pretty low. I am not holding my breath on that one.

For the Intensified classes, it sounds like parents who push their kids kids who are self-starters take them at neighborhood schools?

If you are slated for Kenmore, or select it for the arts and tech component, you absolutely want your kid in intensified....
It is essentially code for kids on a college track and has fewer behavioral issues with kids who do not want to be in school and have few resources for help from home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“At HBW, all classes are intensified,” - quote from the principal.

If this is actually a direct quote I would not be broadcasting it.

Obnoxious.

The school motto: Private school. Public dime.

I highly doubt the principal actually said that.

I can say that due to HBs schedule all classes meet for less time than the other schools so they have to move faster to r the same material. My kid has never been bored.

Obv the principal didn’t say the public dime quote :lol: :lol:

Of course not, I also doubt the principal directly said that all classes at HB are intensified. I would believe that the principal may have said something about the classes at HB feeling more like intensified classes because HB classes need to move faster due to HB's schedule providing less class time for each class, but no they are not actually "intensified."

We know he said “feeling more like intensified” and we know why he meant: there aren’t the checked out disruptive kids in their classes like in non-intensified neighborhood school classes.

I have a kid at HB and this idea that all of them are well behaved at all times and fully plugged in academically and operating at some higher level consistently is really not true. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble there are classroom and behavior issues at this school like any other one. And yes, differentiation is still required.

I mean, you can talk about stories or you can use data:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Suspension-Data-2019-20.pdf

HBW has 5x fewer suspensions.

Can someone track down dropout data for HBW? VDOE lumps them in with home high school.

Is this the example of the smarts to be found at HBW?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At the Swanson 6th grade academic planning evening held at Swanson, the counselor said the Advanced Academics kids (that is the new word for it) are encouraged/recommended/advised (I do not remember the word they used) to take intensified courses. I do think the kids still have to check the box on their course selection form. I remember there were words on the slide that said this. Swanson doesn't have their presentation posted on line anywhere I can find though.

How are the intensified classes there? Specifically Social Studies and English.

DD took all three offered classes in 7th and didn’t find them particularly difficult. She was able to do almost all of the homework during their study time (AT). English required reading an extra book, which they get lots of school time for.

[Anonymous]

I have a 6th grader so I haven’t fully experienced “intensified” classes, but we put our kid in all intensified classes along with pre-algebra. There are only so many ways to scramble schedules, so doing all intensified classes is a way to minimize exposure to problem behavior and get your kid placed in a homeroom where most of the other kids are also in all intensified classes. Since gifted services in APS are basically a joke, I looked at intensified classes as a way to screen my kid’s peer group somewhat. Intensified classes are open to all kids, but choosing them is a decent indicator that the parents are engaged with what is going on at school.

A friend whose son has some learning disabilities said that he used his homeroom time to goof off and watch YouTube on the school iPad and that it was common in his class. Friends whose older kids took all intensified classes said their kids used their homeroom time effectively and rarely brought homework home until 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 6th grader so I haven’t fully experienced “intensified” classes, but we put our kid in all intensified classes along with pre-algebra. There are only so many ways to scramble schedules, so doing all intensified classes is a way to minimize exposure to problem behavior and get your kid placed in a homeroom where most of the other kids are also in all intensified classes. Since gifted services in APS are basically a joke, I looked at intensified classes as a way to screen my kid’s peer group somewhat. Intensified classes are open to all kids, but choosing them is a decent indicator that the parents are engaged with what is going on at school.

A friend whose son has some learning disabilities said that he used his homeroom time to goof off and watch YouTube on the school iPad and that it was common in his class. Friends whose older kids took all intensified classes said their kids used their homeroom time effectively and rarely brought homework home until 7th grade.

A tale of two schools, make sure you get your student into the right one and take intensified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 6th grader so I haven’t fully experienced “intensified” classes, but we put our kid in all intensified classes along with pre-algebra. There are only so many ways to scramble schedules, so doing all intensified classes is a way to minimize exposure to problem behavior and get your kid placed in a homeroom where most of the other kids are also in all intensified classes. Since gifted services in APS are basically a joke, I looked at intensified classes as a way to screen my kid’s peer group somewhat. Intensified classes are open to all kids, but choosing them is a decent indicator that the parents are engaged with what is going on at school.

A friend whose son has some learning disabilities said that he used his homeroom time to goof off and watch YouTube on the school iPad and that it was common in his class. Friends whose older kids took all intensified classes said their kids used their homeroom time effectively and rarely brought homework home until 7th grade.

Ah, yes, those lazy slacker special ed kids vs your diligent gifted child. 🙄
(They sort homerooms this way at your school?)