Possible AAP changes at ES

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am from one of the original schools mentioned. I support he cluster model and think it is the way of the future. But, Shrevewood did not roll it out correctly. Maybe they should have started the change with one grade per year. The teachers have put in amazing work, the admin doesn't seem to understand what they are asking of the teachers. And they don't seem to care that they will be losing students AND teachers next year.
Long story short... my kid is headed to the center next year. I will miss the school, the teachers, and the community. But the move to the center school is right for my child now. Hopefully, in 10 years there is a clear "right way" to roll out the program and it will be the norm. I never thought I would send my kid to the center... but here I am.

Shrevewood rolled it out correctly. This is it; overworked teachers, unhappy parents, and underserved students. The best of all possible worlds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from one of the original schools mentioned. I support he cluster model and think it is the way of the future. But, Shrevewood did not roll it out correctly. Maybe they should have started the change with one grade per year. The teachers have put in amazing work, the admin doesn't seem to understand what they are asking of the teachers. And they don't seem to care that they will be losing students AND teachers next year.
Long story short... my kid is headed to the center next year. I will miss the school, the teachers, and the community. But the move to the center school is right for my child now. Hopefully, in 10 years there is a clear "right way" to roll out the program and it will be the norm. I never thought I would send my kid to the center... but here I am.

Shrevewood rolled it out correctly. This is it; overworked teachers, unhappy parents, and underserved students. The best of all possible worlds.

Unfortunately, yes. There is no way to make a cluster program as effective as a self contained program.

[Anonymous]

If I had to design an effective cluster program this is what I would do.

Class size: 40
Staff: 2 teachers and 1 assistant
Length of one class: 2 hours.

Let’s say there is a mixed ability class of 10-11 year olds. The teachers set up separate stations with differentiated lessons plans by ability. The kids themselves pick which assignment to do. If they misjudge then they can quickly self adjust with the teachers guidance. The 2 hours is to allow time for that course correct and the assistant is an extra adults bandwidth as required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am from one of the original schools mentioned. I support he cluster model and think it is the way of the future. But, Shrevewood did not roll it out correctly. Maybe they should have started the change with one grade per year. The teachers have put in amazing work, the admin doesn't seem to understand what they are asking of the teachers. And they don't seem to care that they will be losing students AND teachers next year.
Long story short... my kid is headed to the center next year. I will miss the school, the teachers, and the community. But the move to the center school is right for my child now. Hopefully, in 10 years there is a clear "right way" to roll out the program and it will be the norm. I never thought I would send my kid to the center... but here I am.

Cluster model won’t work at Shrevewood without over burdening the teachers and asking the level Iv kids to teach themselves. My child is in level iv and has complained of their peer group in the classroom. Whereas in years past (pandemic included), they felt challenged by the peer group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from one of the original schools mentioned. I support he cluster model and think it is the way of the future. But, Shrevewood did not roll it out correctly. Maybe they should have started the change with one grade per year. The teachers have put in amazing work, the admin doesn't seem to understand what they are asking of the teachers. And they don't seem to care that they will be losing students AND teachers next year.
Long story short... my kid is headed to the center next year. I will miss the school, the teachers, and the community. But the move to the center school is right for my child now. Hopefully, in 10 years there is a clear "right way" to roll out the program and it will be the norm. I never thought I would send my kid to the center... but here I am.

Cluster model won’t work at Shrevewood without over burdening the teachers and asking the level Iv kids to teach themselves. My child is in level iv and has complained of their peer group in the classroom. Whereas in years past (pandemic included), they felt challenged by the peer group.

Shrevewood parent here - my child's class has been great this year!

[Anonymous]

I want to add that I think a lot of people here posing as Shrevewood parents are not actually Shrevewood parents. They're parents from other schools considering using the cluster model that are on here trying to discourage parents for asking for it/schools from implementing it. You see this over and over on this board. Overwhelmingly, my son's friends' parents are pleased with how things have gone this year.

[Anonymous]

Shrevewood parents are blind. Cluster don’t work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am from one of the original schools mentioned. I support he cluster model and think it is the way of the future. But, Shrevewood did not roll it out correctly. Maybe they should have started the change with one grade per year. The teachers have put in amazing work, the admin doesn't seem to understand what they are asking of the teachers. And they don't seem to care that they will be losing students AND teachers next year.
Long story short... my kid is headed to the center next year. I will miss the school, the teachers, and the community. But the move to the center school is right for my child now. Hopefully, in 10 years there is a clear "right way" to roll out the program and it will be the norm. I never thought I would send my kid to the center... but here I am.

I’m sure your child will not be the only child from the school leaving for the center.

[Anonymous]

Thank you AAP and St. James families for making our school less crowded and class sizes smaller. This general ed mama is thrilled!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Received word of a meeting coming up highlighting some proposed changes to "class placement" for next year. Some of the bulleted items include:

1. Additional classroom for student receiving Level IV services (i.e. a 2nd AAP classroom)
2. Teachers 3-6th provide Level IV curriculum to ALL (yes, it was capitalized)
3. Specific differentiation to groups

the Why? Access and Opportunity to ALL students (again, capitalized)

Our school is local level IV and our child is already in AAP, so it shouldn't affect us. Just wondering if there are other ES's going the same route. I have heard from some parents that there are a multitude of kids designated as "Level III" but the AAP can't accommodate them all (the AART teacher has taken on the load), so maybe that's what's driving it?

It would be really great if they piloted an AAP for all where all kids were put into the highest AAP level in order to raise everyone up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Received word of a meeting coming up highlighting some proposed changes to "class placement" for next year. Some of the bulleted items include:

1. Additional classroom for student receiving Level IV services (i.e. a 2nd AAP classroom)
2. Teachers 3-6th provide Level IV curriculum to ALL (yes, it was capitalized)
3. Specific differentiation to groups

the Why? Access and Opportunity to ALL students (again, capitalized)

Our school is local level IV and our child is already in AAP, so it shouldn't affect us. Just wondering if there are other ES's going the same route. I have heard from some parents that there are a multitude of kids designated as "Level III" but the AAP can't accommodate them all (the AART teacher has taken on the load), so maybe that's what's driving it?

It would be really great if they piloted an AAP for all where all kids were put into the highest AAP level in order to raise everyone up.

That’s what Shrevewood is doing with the cluster. But it doesn’t work because of the peers. If half the class isn’t ready to do x, then guess what happens…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Received word of a meeting coming up highlighting some proposed changes to "class placement" for next year. Some of the bulleted items include:

1. Additional classroom for student receiving Level IV services (i.e. a 2nd AAP classroom)
2. Teachers 3-6th provide Level IV curriculum to ALL (yes, it was capitalized)
3. Specific differentiation to groups

the Why? Access and Opportunity to ALL students (again, capitalized)

Our school is local level IV and our child is already in AAP, so it shouldn't affect us. Just wondering if there are other ES's going the same route. I have heard from some parents that there are a multitude of kids designated as "Level III" but the AAP can't accommodate them all (the AART teacher has taken on the load), so maybe that's what's driving it?

It would be really great if they piloted an AAP for all where all kids were put into the highest AAP level in order to raise everyone up.

This would never work and would cause more kids to fail than to succeed. Could some gen ed kids do okay with the AAP curriculum? Sure, but definitely not all. Then instead of the 20% of top kids in AAP, you have 20% of bottom kids in remedial. Not a good look for the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Received word of a meeting coming up highlighting some proposed changes to "class placement" for next year. Some of the bulleted items include:

1. Additional classroom for student receiving Level IV services (i.e. a 2nd AAP classroom)
2. Teachers 3-6th provide Level IV curriculum to ALL (yes, it was capitalized)
3. Specific differentiation to groups

the Why? Access and Opportunity to ALL students (again, capitalized)

Our school is local level IV and our child is already in AAP, so it shouldn't affect us. Just wondering if there are other ES's going the same route. I have heard from some parents that there are a multitude of kids designated as "Level III" but the AAP can't accommodate them all (the AART teacher has taken on the load), so maybe that's what's driving it?

It would be really great if they piloted an AAP for all where all kids were put into the highest AAP level in order to raise everyone up.

That’s what Shrevewood is doing with the cluster. But it doesn’t work because of the peers. If half the class isn’t ready to do x, then guess what happens…

Exactly. The cluster model doesn't work. FCPS needs to work on an alternative, like grouping in gen ed.

[Anonymous]

The standard in AAP isn't all that high. People need to get over it. Every kid in FCPS can and should be able to succeed in an AAP classroom. The notion that AAP is special is ridiculous. Let's stop watering down our school curriculums and push every kid towards excellence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The standard in AAP isn't all that high. People need to get over it. Every kid in FCPS can and should be able to succeed in an AAP classroom. The notion that AAP is special is ridiculous. Let's stop watering down our school curriculums and push every kid towards excellence.

It's hard to see, when your kid has an easy time with school, but many many kids actually don't. They have a hard time with 3rd grade, with 4th, 5th, 6th grade. They have a hard time with 2nd grade and 1st grade.

Not every kid needs, wants, or should have the AAP curriculum. Get out of your bubble.