AAP for Westgate ES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, why would the needs of your child trump that of the families who would like to stay at their base school? If they stay at the base school, it is because critical mass isn't as important to them as the convenience of staying at their base school. For many people, they have other priorities in their lives other than AAP.

The problem is that having both Local Level IV and a successful new center is not feasible with the small number of students. The school board has made the policy choice to have a center at Lemon Road and they have told us that our children will have a center with critical mass. Staff has now undermined (intentionally or not -- I'm not a conspiracy theorist) the school board's policy decision by instituting local level IV, which will most likely siphon off enough children so that the center won't have critical mass. Kids in level IV are given a choice between a center and local level IV if it's available, but they always have a center option. Our children will not have a true center option because the center will not meet the minimum standards that the school board has set (i.e. critical mass).

I guess they could move some more families over from Haycock to fill the space. . . .

I thought it was the school boards end all intention to have a local level IV in ALL elementary schools(eventually) thus ending AAP(as a name). Is that not what their end all be all goal is???

That is Pat Hynes' intention. No other member of the School Board has indicated that. In fact, it appears a majority of the School Board are supportive of keeping Centers. See the video from their February 11 work session:
http://www.fcps.edu/DIT/streaming/SchoolBoard..._of_AAP_Analysis.asx

[Anonymous]

FCPS defines critical mass for an AAP center as a minimum of 50 students per grade level. Lemon Road will not have critical mass.

The numbers provided were already inadequate for some grades... and now with LLIV at Shrevewood and Westgate and some current cluster 2 Haycock families choosing to return to base schools, pupil place back at Haycock (per Jack Dale's suggestion), and others choosing private school, the numbers will be even lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS defines critical mass for an AAP center as a minimum of 50 students per grade level. Lemon Road will not have critical mass.

The numbers provided were already inadequate for some grades... and now with LLIV at Shrevewood and Westgate and some current cluster 2 Haycock families choosing to return to base schools, pupil place back at Haycock (per Jack Dale's suggestion), and others choosing private school, the numbers will be even lower.

It will be interesting(and wrong!) If we see an influx in number newly excepted into the 3rd grade AAP in the cluster 2 pyramid....for the 2013-2014 school year.

[Anonymous]

The Lemon Road community seems happy to have a center...

Yes, because then their school expansion goes to AAP kids instead of kids from Phase II of the Freedom Hill boundary study. They were not welcoming to that idea...

[Anonymous]

Whoa!

[Anonymous]

The emails I've read from FCPS administration on this subject are outrageous both from a lack of thought and a lack of communication. I knew there was some dysfunction and lack of information given to the school board members, but I had no idea how bad it was. I only hope that the new superintendent is a little more forthcoming with school board staff and knowledgeable on subjects than the current administration.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone comment on how the LLIV program will be run at shrevewood and westgate? I heard from a friend that the plan was to "infuse" the AA eligible students within the gen Ed population and ask the teacher to differentiate learning, rather than having a separate class for AA eligible students. Does anyone know if this is correct. It would certainly be a big change from the current AA model and perhaps it is what the staff has planned for the rest of the county.

[Anonymous]

I have heard it will be possibly be that way at Westgate, but the Shrevewood principal stated it would be one, maybe two if numbers allow, separate classrooms. She has been working with the teachers for the last year or so and has been given the go ahead by Carol Horn to do LLIV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone comment on how the LLIV program will be run at shrevewood and westgate? I heard from a friend that the plan was to "infuse" the AA eligible students within the gen Ed population and ask the teacher to differentiate learning, rather than having a separate class for AA eligible students. Does anyone know if this is correct. It would certainly be a big change from the current AA model and perhaps it is what the staff has planned for the rest of the county.

What I have seen at other LLIV programs is that the local student who qualify for Level III are the students in the classes with the children who qualify for LIV. So a child who has a math aptitude but may not have the English skills needed for AAP Level IV, would take math with the LIV AAP student and have a Gen Ed English class or a child with a gift of writing would be in the AAP English class but would take the regular math class. IME, it works very well.


(sarcasm alert) However, I know that one of the many "benefits" of sending precious to an AAP Center is that then they don't have to "iinfuse" themselves with those lesser non-AAP children, so I can see why some parents would be miffed.

[Anonymous]

That is not the infusion model, however. The infusion model is when there is no change to class rosters, but everyone is taught at their level, mixing all levels in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

IME, people don't have that strict a definition for "infusion". It is used more generically.

[Anonymous]

At a meeting at Lemon Road ES this evening, the FCPS rep stated that he is committed to having 2 classes each of AAP 4th and 5th grades there next year, but could not make the same committment regarding rising 3rd graders because there is not a good way to predict how many will come to the LRES AAP center and how many will remain at Shrevewood and Westgate for Level 4 AAP.

So, OP, it sounds like you would have the choice of either one for your rising 3rd grader next year. Fom things that other parents have said on these boards, it does sound like local level AAPs are often a mix of Level 3 and Level 4 kids in the same class becuase there are not enough at smaller schools to have a whole classroom just for Level 4. Maybe not a big deal, but something to consider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At a meeting at Lemon Road ES this evening, the FCPS rep stated that he is committed to having 2 classes each of AAP 4th and 5th grades there next year, but could not make the same committment regarding rising 3rd graders because there is not a good way to predict how many will come to the LRES AAP center and how many will remain at Shrevewood and Westgate for Level 4 AAP.

So, OP, it sounds like you would have the choice of either one for your rising 3rd grader next year. Fom things that other parents have said on these boards, it does sound like local level AAPs are often a mix of Level 3 and Level 4 kids in the same class becuase there are not enough at smaller schools to have a whole classroom just for Level 4. Maybe not a big deal, but something to consider

NP here -- thank you for posting this information from tonight's meeting

[Anonymous]

I actually think it is a wonderful idea to change the boundary of Haycock's AAP program further...send more Cluster I AAP to Lemon Road...these lines mean nothing anyway...it should be based on geography. Haycock is overcrowded and Lemon Road has the space....solution.

[Anonymous]

Logical thought, PP, but highly unlikely.