New Navy AAP center

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 classes from 2 schools - that would mean they are still accepting quite a few kids into level IV this year.
What's the point in having a center for 2 schools, one of which is already LLIV?

It all boils down to capacity issues. The closing of Hunters Woods as an AAP center has wreaked havoc on the Oakton Pyramid AAP programs. They are trying to decentralize it entirely, not on philosophical grounds, but rather because there is no one school that has the capacity for a full-blown AAP center.

Is Hunters Woods going to close as an AAP center? Where is that info online? Kids will be going there this coming school year for AAP.

The school is overcrowded and several School Board members have stated they intend to try to alleviate the overcrowding there by closing/moving the AAP Center in the future. Perhaps this might occur in fall 2014 or 2015.

[Anonymous]

I am the poster that wrote about the "closing of Hunters Woods." I'm sorry I didn't clarify. It is not closing this year, but likely will pretty soon.

First off, all kids who were in HW AAP as of last year are grandfathered in, so no change.

If you have a rising 3rd grader starting at HW this year (base school Waples Mill), things are up in the air. First, as of June 2013, Ms. Cope, the HW Principal, could not guarantee that there would be at least 2 classes per grade for this group of kids. She also floated the idea of a combined 3rd/4th grade class if there were too many students for one but too few for two classes. However, she hoped that there would be enough students for two third grade classes. I imagine this issue is now resolved, but I don't know what the solution was. I do know, anecdotally, that several of the "good" third grade teachers (meaning well-liked by parents and students) are moving to other grades, since there will only be one or two AAP classes instead of the previous 5 AAP classes for third grade.

Second, there is no guarantee that these students will be grandfathered in for 4th grade, should the AAP center for Waples Mill change to Mosby Woods in 2014-15 (as desired by the School Board and school administration). And, if they are grandfathered, questions remain. For example, what teachers will remain to teach in a program that is slated to end the following year (5 teachers, down to 1-2 teachers, down to no teachers the following year)? And what about transportation? As fewer and fewer students from the Waples Mill area ride the bus each day to HW (as the older grades graduate and no younger grades replace them), will they combine bus routes? How long will the bus ride be? All three bus routes currently serving the Waples Mill base area are between 55 and 65 minutes long already.

I have faith in the HW faculty and administration to give the best school experience to our children as possible. But the key here is "as possible." Rising 3rd grade AAP students going to HW (base school Waples Mill) have been dealt a bad hand. Once the school year starts, I hope we can all work together to make lemons into lemonade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster that wrote about the "closing of Hunters Woods." I'm sorry I didn't clarify. It is not closing this year, but likely will pretty soon.

First off, all kids who were in HW AAP as of last year are grandfathered in, so no change.

If you have a rising 3rd grader starting at HW this year (base school Waples Mill), things are up in the air. First, as of June 2013, Ms. Cope, the HW Principal, could not guarantee that there would be at least 2 classes per grade for this group of kids. She also floated the idea of a combined 3rd/4th grade class if there were too many students for one but too few for two classes. However, she hoped that there would be enough students for two third grade classes. I imagine this issue is now resolved, but I don't know what the solution was. I do know, anecdotally, that several of the "good" third grade teachers (meaning well-liked by parents and students) are moving to other grades, since there will only be one or two AAP classes instead of the previous 5 AAP classes for third grade.

Second, there is no guarantee that these students will be grandfathered in for 4th grade, should the AAP center for Waples Mill change to Mosby Woods in 2014-15 (as desired by the School Board and school administration). And, if they are grandfathered, questions remain. For example, what teachers will remain to teach in a program that is slated to end the following year (5 teachers, down to 1-2 teachers, down to no teachers the following year)? And what about transportation? As fewer and fewer students from the Waples Mill area ride the bus each day to HW (as the older grades graduate and no younger grades replace them), will they combine bus routes? How long will the bus ride be? All three bus routes currently serving the Waples Mill base area are between 55 and 65 minutes long already.

I have faith in the HW faculty and administration to give the best school experience to our children as possible. But the key here is "as possible." Rising 3rd grade AAP students going to HW (base school Waples Mill) have been dealt a bad hand. Once the school year starts, I hope we can all work together to make lemons into lemonade.

Thanks for clarifying. I had asked if hw was closing.

[Anonymous]

Is there some reason why Navy, Crossfield, and Waples Mill aren't getting redistricted if some schools are too crowded and others are underenrolled?

[Anonymous]

The SB didn't want to do that. Instead this year Crossfield is underenrolled (I think by 100 kids) and Navy is overcrowded, after the Crossfield kids were sent there for the center. That's what the SB decided to do.

[Anonymous]

I understand they want a center for that area if they are keeping the center model, but you'd think they would then also go ahead and redistrict the schools so they'd be more even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SB didn't want to do that. Instead this year Crossfield is underenrolled (I think by 100 kids) and Navy is overcrowded, after the Crossfield kids were sent there for the center. That's what the SB decided to do.

I honestly think that FCPS thought kids would stay at Crossfield for LLIV since they were losing the extra magnet benefits of Hunters Woods. And what they really want is LLIV in every school. BUT with 3 classes of AAP at Navy, I am guessing that a very low percentage stayed at Crossfield--like one of the past two years where only 4 kids stayed. Thus Navy is crowded. If Navy gains THREE more kindergarten students, they may have to add trailers THIS YEAR (when another kinder class would be added--and it has happened in the past where a teacher was added in October due to increased enrollment). Nice.

[Anonymous]

So, any first impression on the new center at Navy? I'm just curious.

I have a 3rd grader at HW (base is Waples Mill). 3rd there has 2 classes of 21 each. All Waples kids, except for 7 or 8 HW kids in the entire 3rd grade AAP. Ridiculous that they didn't just keep us at Waples. Pleased with my child's teacher, though, which is all that matters in the end.

I still wish none of our kids had to deal with this change. It was all very short-sighted and reactionary. I suspect something will backfire. I just hope it doesn't affect our kids next year.

[Anonymous]

HW parent here, who drops off DC. I have noticed a nice drop in congestion around the school. I don't know if its just the first week or the changes mentioned in this thread (I know there are bus services but I do think several out of boundary parents dropped off). I'm thrilled about the lack of congestion. Hope it stays that way.

I can't believe Navy would have to add trailers that soon. Poor planning! But parents got their beloved AAP.