Who was more involved preparing your kid's AAP file?

[Anonymous]

We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

It is, unless the AART personally calls you and asks you to fill it out.

[Anonymous]

I Was emailed a 3 page questionnaire to fill out. It took me about 30 minutes. Didn't even think about asking my husband for help. She was (and did) going to get in on her own merit, not based on what I wrote.

People are nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

It is, unless the AART personally calls you and asks you to fill it out.

bitter much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

You're way too sane for this area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I Was emailed a 3 page questionnaire to fill out. It took me about 30 minutes. Didn't even think about asking my husband for help. She was (and did) going to get in on her own merit, not based on what I wrote.

People are nuts.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

There will be other applications along the way, sure, some of them would be optional-- academic summer camps, college applications, scholarships, etc.
You'd feel helicopterish and pushy doing those too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn't fill out anything for either kid. Seems kind of helicopterish and pushy.

It is, unless the AART personally calls you and asks you to fill it out.

bitter much?

Nope. You?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

I totally agree with this. It's not a silly exercise at all to write about your kid. We write letters of recommendation for other people, why not take the time to write about our kid?
It takes effort to articulate thoughts beyond "my kid's in-pool test scores will speak for themselves." I actually like what FCPS did this year in setting the deadline for AAP referrals before the test scores might arrive. It would actually be good if they made both the referral form and the questionnaire a requirement. Every kid IS special in different ways. It is silly that some parents can't be bothered with writing an assessment of their kids. The exercise is for you, as a parent to be able to articulate HOW your kid IS special. The sooner you know that, the better you are going to be able to support your child's educational needs, be it in AAP or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

I totally agree with this. It's not a silly exercise at all to write about your kid. We write letters of recommendation for other people, why not take the time to write about our kid?
It takes effort to articulate thoughts beyond "my kid's in-pool test scores will speak for themselves." I actually like what FCPS did this year in setting the deadline for AAP referrals before the test scores might arrive. It would actually be good if they made both the referral form and the questionnaire a requirement. Every kid IS special in different ways. It is silly that some parents can't be bothered with writing an assessment of their kids. The exercise is for you, as a parent to be able to articulate HOW your kid IS special. The sooner you know that, the better you are going to be able to support your child's educational needs, be it in AAP or not.

I trusted the FCPS professionals to identify whether the AAP class would be a good fit for my children. They have teacher input and test scores and that's enough IMO. Letting the parents put together files on their children is so odd. I can't imagine the "deciders" give the parents' input much weight. It feels like they just have this as an optional busy-work activity to make the parents feel like they are part of the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

I totally agree with this. It's not a silly exercise at all to write about your kid. We write letters of recommendation for other people, why not take the time to write about our kid?
It takes effort to articulate thoughts beyond "my kid's in-pool test scores will speak for themselves." I actually like what FCPS did this year in setting the deadline for AAP referrals before the test scores might arrive. It would actually be good if they made both the referral form and the questionnaire a requirement. Every kid IS special in different ways. It is silly that some parents can't be bothered with writing an assessment of their kids. The exercise is for you, as a parent to be able to articulate HOW your kid IS special. The sooner you know that, the better you are going to be able to support your child's educational needs, be it in AAP or not.

I trusted the FCPS professionals to identify whether the AAP class would be a good fit for my children. They have teacher input and test scores and that's enough IMO. Letting the parents put together files on their children is so odd. I can't imagine the "deciders" give the parents' input much weight. It feels like they just have this as an optional busy-work activity to make the parents feel like they are part of the process.

Interesting perspective. Wonder why the AART at our school shows a power point presentation before the deadline that includes "good" and "bad" work samples, which are actual redacted work samples? Guess you know more, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

I totally agree with this. It's not a silly exercise at all to write about your kid. We write letters of recommendation for other people, why not take the time to write about our kid?
It takes effort to articulate thoughts beyond "my kid's in-pool test scores will speak for themselves." I actually like what FCPS did this year in setting the deadline for AAP referrals before the test scores might arrive. It would actually be good if they made both the referral form and the questionnaire a requirement. Every kid IS special in different ways. It is silly that some parents can't be bothered with writing an assessment of their kids. The exercise is for you, as a parent to be able to articulate HOW your kid IS special. The sooner you know that, the better you are going to be able to support your child's educational needs, be it in AAP or not.

I trusted the FCPS professionals to identify whether the AAP class would be a good fit for my children. They have teacher input and test scores and that's enough IMO. Letting the parents put together files on their children is so odd. I can't imagine the "deciders" give the parents' input much weight. It feels like they just have this as an optional busy-work activity to make the parents feel like they are part of the process.

Interesting perspective. Wonder why the AART at our school shows a power point presentation before the deadline that includes "good" and "bad" work samples, which are actual redacted work samples? Guess you know more, though.

Not PP, but maybe your AART does this so she's not badgered by a million pushy parents asking what they should put in their kids file. I imagine doing a presentation once saves her a lot of time. This doesn't mean the admissions committee is going to spend any more time with the file or let a kid in because his parents have put together a nice file. a kid either has the stuff or doesn't. basically FCPS lets parents be involved so they complain less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In all but very rare instances, I think this is a silly exercise for parents who want to think their kid is more special than he/she is. The majority of kids would be fine if left at their own local schools.

In our house, dad put the file together. I loved reading what he wrote about our son. We get so focused on day to day stuff that we forget sometimes to sit back and just appreciate who our kids are becoming. I think everyone should force themselves to think about their kids and write down little vingettes about them every once in a while. It is nice to take time to think about your kid and put down your thoughts on paper. My son is certainly no shoo-in for the program and even if he gets in I am not sure we'll send him to a Center. My son was in pool (but barely) and I just wanted to let the process play out. My husband said he wanted to provide his input via the questionnaire. I am really glad he did - we both learned more about our kid through the exercise.

I totally agree with this. It's not a silly exercise at all to write about your kid. We write letters of recommendation for other people, why not take the time to write about our kid?
It takes effort to articulate thoughts beyond "my kid's in-pool test scores will speak for themselves." I actually like what FCPS did this year in setting the deadline for AAP referrals before the test scores might arrive. It would actually be good if they made both the referral form and the questionnaire a requirement. Every kid IS special in different ways. It is silly that some parents can't be bothered with writing an assessment of their kids. The exercise is for you, as a parent to be able to articulate HOW your kid IS special. The sooner you know that, the better you are going to be able to support your child's educational needs, be it in AAP or not.

I trusted the FCPS professionals to identify whether the AAP class would be a good fit for my children. They have teacher input and test scores and that's enough IMO. Letting the parents put together files on their children is so odd. I can't imagine the "deciders" give the parents' input much weight. It feels like they just have this as an optional busy-work activity to make the parents feel like they are part of the process.

Interesting perspective. Wonder why the AART at our school shows a power point presentation before the deadline that includes "good" and "bad" work samples, which are actual redacted work samples? Guess you know more, though.

Not PP, but maybe your AART does this so she's not badgered by a million pushy parents asking what they should put in their kids file. I imagine doing a presentation once saves her a lot of time. This doesn't mean the admissions committee is going to spend any more time with the file or let a kid in because his parents have put together a nice file. a kid either has the stuff or doesn't. basically FCPS lets parents be involved so they complain less.

Neigh, neigh...right from the horse's moth. Oh wait, you're not in the selection committee, right? Obviously the work samples aren't going to have a tremendous amount of weight, however, I think they are perused and perhaps may be useful.

[Anonymous]

We didn't fill anything out for either kid, either. It didn't really even dawn on me to do that.