AAP "Centers" vs Schools with Local Level IV

[Anonymous]

Different base and center, but we opted for center due to instruction and our kid's needs. Mainly feel it was the right choice as our base school's Level IV has ballooned and doesn't seem that different from normal instruction (not the same depth or pace as at the center--I know because a close friend stayed at the base school). That said, we miss the neighborhood school feel and it's been harder to maintain friendships with kids in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the fcps school profile numbers, if a large amount stay then it's good

Where can you find this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the fcps school profile numbers, if a large amount stay then it's good

Or inertia / scared of impact to change to Larla or Larlo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, tell us your base school and we can give you a lot more information.

Base school Shrevewood, which has local Level IV services
Center School Lemon Road

I'm inclined to keep my child at Shrevewood for the reasons the PP cited. Was just curious as to the distinction.

RUN, don't walk, to Lemon Road. Their new principal is amazing!

100% agree, but I hear great things about the new 3rd grade AAP teacher at Shrevewood. If she stays, then I'd keep my kid there. But Shrevewood has a crazy high turnover rate and is overcrowded. Also, FYI, the AAP classes are now the largest in every grade level at Shrevewood. So if that matters to you then keep an open mind at the LR orientation.

Just curious - who is the 3rd grade AAP teacher? Are you talking about teacher turnover? I've noticed a lot of teachers get re-assigned to new grades, but only a handful leave. I think most schools are experiencing overcrowding these days, unfortunately.

Teacher turnover rate is much more than a handful. AAP classes are very large this year, a departure from the past. Really consider Lemon Road.

Shrevewood parent here. I understand our school (as well as others) are experiencing overcrowding as the entire NOVA region is booming. Someone else referenced possible redistricting, which could be good as I know there are several students at the school who live as far away as Gallows Rd. We are within a 1/2 mile, so I think we would remain. There are other considerations for our child's overall well being; he loves Shrevewood, has friends, and is in the SACC program which we would have to get on a waitlist for at Lemon Road. My initial question was in trying to understand the distinction between the local level IV vs. center. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, tell us your base school and we can give you a lot more information.

Base school Shrevewood, which has local Level IV services
Center School Lemon Road

I'm inclined to keep my child at Shrevewood for the reasons the PP cited. Was just curious as to the distinction.

RUN, don't walk, to Lemon Road. Their new principal is amazing!

100% agree, but I hear great things about the new 3rd grade AAP teacher at Shrevewood. If she stays, then I'd keep my kid there. But Shrevewood has a crazy high turnover rate and is overcrowded. Also, FYI, the AAP classes are now the largest in every grade level at Shrevewood. So if that matters to you then keep an open mind at the LR orientation.

Just curious - who is the 3rd grade AAP teacher? Are you talking about teacher turnover? I've noticed a lot of teachers get re-assigned to new grades, but only a handful leave. I think most schools are experiencing overcrowding these days, unfortunately.

Teacher turnover rate is much more than a handful. AAP classes are very large this year, a departure from the past. Really consider Lemon Road.

Shrevewood parent here. I understand our school (as well as others) are experiencing overcrowding as the entire NOVA region is booming. Someone else referenced possible redistricting, which could be good as I know there are several students at the school who live as far away as Gallows Rd. We are within a 1/2 mile, so I think we would remain. There are other considerations for our child's overall well being; he loves Shrevewood, has friends, and is in the SACC program which we would have to get on a waitlist for at Lemon Road. My initial question was in trying to understand the distinction between the local level IV vs. center. Thanks.

10:01 - earlier Shrevewood poster here. If your son gets into AAP, you will be invited to attend the AAP sessions at both Lemon Road and Shrevewood. Go to both - you will also likely know other parents. As for SACC, your son can stay in SACC at Shrevewood even if he attends Lemon Road. They bus the afternoon SACC kids over to Shrevewood before the Shrevewood kids get there. If you do a search, you will see that the Shrevewood/Lemon Road AAP decision was discussed in detail last year.

[Anonymous]

Mosby Woods (Center) vs. Daniels Run (Local Level) - any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I think this is going to be a tough challange for parents. We have been to Westbriar (center) and Stenwood (home). Despite the fact that Westbriar's program is consistently ranked in top 50 in the state, we found Stenwood better. We are awaiting the AAP results. We have already registered our interest to stay at Stenwood.

[Anonymous]

I think this is the right move, especially for middle school. It is absurd to have AAP centers in middle school in most areas of the county. If a middle school doesn't have enough students to fill one class, then the county should pay to transport students to another school. Otherwise, it is a waste of money to transport to a center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the fcps school profile numbers, if a large amount stay then it's good

Where can you find this?

go to each school profile page, look at the demographics tab, look at the Advanced Academics - Level IV % and look at the mobility rate. If the AAP level is low and the mobility is high then it's not a strong level iv

ideal should be at least 20% in AAP (higher is better)
mobility should be below 10%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the fcps school profile numbers, if a large amount stay then it's good

Where can you find this?

go to each school profile page, look at the demographics tab, look at the Advanced Academics - Level IV % and look at the mobility rate. If the AAP level is low and the mobility is high then it's not a strong level iv

ideal should be at least 20% in AAP (higher is better)
mobility should be below 10%

You really need to look more into it than that. A lot of lack of mobility are parents thinking their kids would fall apart in a center school. You also have the parents (like Wolftrap- since that came up) who bought houses a while back and now their area appreciated a lot. So they treat their school like a country club- they live in crappy old 70s homes but take over the PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mosby Woods (Center) vs. Daniels Run (Local Level) - any thoughts?

Most eligible students opted for the Center last year. Don’t know all the reasons why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mosby Woods (Center) vs. Daniels Run (Local Level) - any thoughts?

Most eligible students opted for the Center last year. Don’t know all the reasons why.

It's interesting that Providence and Daniels Run were exact opposites with this. For Daniels Run, only 5 stayed for LLIV and 15? went to Mosby. For Providence, 17 stayed for LLIV and only a few went to Mosby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the fcps school profile numbers, if a large amount stay then it's good

Where can you find this?

go to each school profile page, look at the demographics tab, look at the Advanced Academics - Level IV % and look at the mobility rate. If the AAP level is low and the mobility is high then it's not a strong level iv

ideal should be at least 20% in AAP (higher is better)
mobility should be below 10%

You really need to look more into it than that. A lot of lack of mobility are parents thinking their kids would fall apart in a center school. You also have the parents (like Wolftrap- since that came up) who bought houses a while back and now their area appreciated a lot. So they treat their school like a country club- they live in crappy old 70s homes but take over the PTA.

Fall apart? Hahahaha no, it means the local iv sucks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mosby Woods (Center) vs. Daniels Run (Local Level) - any thoughts?

Most eligible students opted for the Center last year. Don’t know all the reasons why.

It's interesting that Providence and Daniels Run were exact opposites with this. For Daniels Run, only 5 stayed for LLIV and 15? went to Mosby. For Providence, 17 stayed for LLIV and only a few went to Mosby.

It is interesting and I'm curious as to what was at play here. They started their local programs concurrently, so its not like one had a chance to prove itself before the other.

I wonder if Providence "sold" their program better or if people are generally happier at Providence as a whole (culture, environment, etc) and just didn't want to leave. Just anecdotally, a couple of parents I've spoken with who left DR for MW had older children that had had the Center experience and loved it and they didn't think DR's local program would compare.

[Anonymous]

You all need to evaluate how over stuffed your center schools are.