Elementary schools in fcps to avoid and why

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wolftrap - management decisions are heavily influenced by the PTA. Good or bad depending on whether you’re on it. PTA members fill up all the volunteering slots for every activity before they send the signupgenius to others.

I have heard this too.

Several other elementary schools are like that in Vienna. Sometimes the PTA is so involved with the everyday operation of the school that they find out confidential information about other children. That's the part that bothered me.

This is how Vienna is from K-12. Cliqueish and not very welcoming, in these ways and others.

That is appalling! I attended some PTA meetings. The principal just sat there and let the PTA make all the decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haycock is toxic. Shrevewood is very down to earth and diverse. Lemon Road is incredibly welcoming to everyone.

No to Lemon Road. Was a total dumpsterfire when ours was there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

Agree with this. My rising 4th grader is on grade level and passed her SOLs and she's barely able to read and write. Have now added a math tutor to our reading tutor because she's just not going to learn the way FCPS teaches. And we're in a good ES with perfectly competent teachers. Not a fan of the curriculum and how they tell teachers what they have to teach every week.

Sounds like she shouldn’t be marked on grade level.

Grade 3 Teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haycock is toxic. Shrevewood is very down to earth and diverse. Lemon Road is incredibly welcoming to everyone.

No to Lemon Road. Was a total dumpsterfire when ours was there.

Lemon Road Gen Ed is great, but the LLIV parents (especially those from other schools) are nuts.

[Anonymous]

Kent Gardens - avoid. Not a cheerful environment. Disgruntled, disengaged and ineffective administration. Mismanaged school.

French immersion a draw for many families but this program is
lackluster and poorly managed. Parents use the immersion program as ticket out of their in boundary elementary schools and so their student will be in immersion one year then drop and get to stay.

Not sure what era/years you were at KG, but this is not true anymore. The admin has done an admirable job turning the culture of the school around.

As far as out of boundary, KG is so overcrowded that if you're out of boundary and drop out of immersion, you're out. No more vouchers either for siblings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Wasn't it enough that the gen ed parents complained enough about a teacher to get her to resign? In a classroom of less than 20 while the AAP classrooms had 30 kids? No school offers before and after tutoring. Your expectations are too high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Wasn't it enough that the gen ed parents complained enough about a teacher to get her to resign? In a classroom of less than 20 while the AAP classrooms had 30 kids? No school offers before and after tutoring. Your expectations are too high.

They have pull outs if your kid is struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

Agree with this. My rising 4th grader is on grade level and passed her SOLs and she's barely able to read and write. Have now added a math tutor to our reading tutor because she's just not going to learn the way FCPS teaches. And we're in a good ES with perfectly competent teachers. Not a fan of the curriculum and how they tell teachers what they have to teach every week.

Sounds like she shouldn’t be marked on grade level.

Grade 3 Teacher

Unfortunately at some schools they are. Grade inflation is out of control. Teachers don't want to hear parents complain or don't want to be blamed. So they "liberally" grade to appease parents. It's sad and disgusting and all in the name of optics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

Agree with this. My rising 4th grader is on grade level and passed her SOLs and she's barely able to read and write. Have now added a math tutor to our reading tutor because she's just not going to learn the way FCPS teaches. And we're in a good ES with perfectly competent teachers. Not a fan of the curriculum and how they tell teachers what they have to teach every week.

Sounds like she shouldn’t be marked on grade level.

Grade 3 Teacher

Unfortunately at some schools they are. Grade inflation is out of control. Teachers don't want to hear parents complain or don't want to be blamed. So they "liberally" grade to appease parents. It's sad and disgusting and all in the name of optics.

I think teachers do it to hide dyslexia too. My DC has all 4s in reading/writing through elementary and in 4th grade wasn’t anywhere near grade level. We kept questioning the high grades and they kept giving 4s. So it is not always the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wolftrap - management decisions are heavily influenced by the PTA. Good or bad depending on whether you’re on it. PTA members fill up all the volunteering slots for every activity before they send the signupgenius to others.

I have heard this too.

Several other elementary schools are like that in Vienna. Sometimes the PTA is so involved with the everyday operation of the school that they find out confidential information about other children. That's the part that bothered me.

This is how Vienna is from K-12. Cliqueish and not very welcoming, in these ways and others.

That is appalling! I attended some PTA meetings. The principal just sat there and let the PTA make all the decisions.

That.....is the point of the PTA meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wolftrap - management decisions are heavily influenced by the PTA. Good or bad depending on whether you’re on it. PTA members fill up all the volunteering slots for every activity before they send the signupgenius to others.

I have heard this too.

Several other elementary schools are like that in Vienna. Sometimes the PTA is so involved with the everyday operation of the school that they find out confidential information about other children. That's the part that bothered me.

This is how Vienna is from K-12. Cliqueish and not very welcoming, in these ways and others.

That is appalling! I attended some PTA meetings. The principal just sat there and let the PTA make all the decisions.

That.....is the point of the PTA meetings.

PTA making decisions about school improve,ents, kiss and ride procedures etc. This was not boxtops and bingo nights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

Agree with this. My rising 4th grader is on grade level and passed her SOLs and she's barely able to read and write. Have now added a math tutor to our reading tutor because she's just not going to learn the way FCPS teaches. And we're in a good ES with perfectly competent teachers. Not a fan of the curriculum and how they tell teachers what they have to teach every week.

Sounds like she shouldn’t be marked on grade level.

Grade 3 Teacher

Unfortunately at some schools they are. Grade inflation is out of control. Teachers don't want to hear parents complain or don't want to be blamed. So they "liberally" grade to appease parents. It's sad and disgusting and all in the name of optics.

I think teachers do it to hide dyslexia too. My DC has all 4s in reading/writing through elementary and in 4th grade wasn’t anywhere near grade level. We kept questioning the high grades and they kept giving 4s. So it is not always the parents.

That's not grade inflation, or teachers. It how elementary grades work. They are and always have been pretty useless. Teachers have to grade "taking into account" any IEP goals, for example. So a kid can be reading two years below grade level and still get a good grade in LA as long as they are meeting their IEP goals. It's incredibly confusing and renders the grading meaningless for a lot of kids, but in general elementary grades are not very useful for the majority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

This hasn't been my experience for my kids. They did fine without supplementation and eldest is doing well at a T20 university and younger ones seem on a similar strong track.

Good God, FCPS is NOT THE SAME as it used to be, particularly in the important foundational years of elementary school. Your college-aged student’s FCPS experience differs greatly from today’s students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Louise Archer. Woe to the parents and students of non-AAP students. Great for students in the AAP program.

Cliques abound between parents and students: AAP v. base.
Heartbreaking and sad to see the students forever separate out to AAP in third grade.

So to the parents of neighborhood-assigned students, I’m telling you now to get ready to supplement reading, handwriting, spelling, math facts and writing to name just a few off of the top of my head. Opt out of the SOLs.

The only time my DC got offers of extra help and tutoring before and after school was after he failed the online math SOL. VP called to discuss remediation and a re-take. Declined.

Unfortunately, needing to supplement all basic skills is universal to FCPS, including for kids in AAP.

Agree with this. My rising 4th grader is on grade level and passed her SOLs and she's barely able to read and write. Have now added a math tutor to our reading tutor because she's just not going to learn the way FCPS teaches. And we're in a good ES with perfectly competent teachers. Not a fan of the curriculum and how they tell teachers what they have to teach every week.

Sounds like she shouldn’t be marked on grade level.

Grade 3 Teacher

Unfortunately at some schools they are. Grade inflation is out of control. Teachers don't want to hear parents complain or don't want to be blamed. So they "liberally" grade to appease parents. It's sad and disgusting and all in the name of optics.

I think teachers do it to hide dyslexia too. My DC has all 4s in reading/writing through elementary and in 4th grade wasn’t anywhere near grade level. We kept questioning the high grades and they kept giving 4s. So it is not always the parents.

That's not grade inflation, or teachers. It how elementary grades work. They are and always have been pretty useless. Teachers have to grade "taking into account" any IEP goals, for example. So a kid can be reading two years below grade level and still get a good grade in LA as long as they are meeting their IEP goals. It's incredibly confusing and renders the grading meaningless for a lot of kids, but in general elementary grades are not very useful for the majority.

You get a separate report card for IEPs, at least we do. It tells us how DS is doing on hitting his goals. In his case, we are talking about speech therapy. I would be surprised if that was taken into account for actual report cards. Those are supposed to be on how the child is doing mastering grade level requirements. We have been happy enough to see 3 and an occasional 2 in DS weak area. Happy is the wrong term, but it didn’t look to us like his Teachers have been trying to hide the fact that his penmanship is awful, he forgets to capitalize things and use punctuation properly. I am thrilled that they are changing LA programs and that there might be more reinforcement of basic writing necessities at school.

[Anonymous]

That's not grade inflation, or teachers. It how elementary grades work. They are and always have been pretty useless. Teachers have to grade "taking into account" any IEP goals, for example. So a kid can be reading two years below grade level and still get a good grade in LA as long as they are meeting their IEP goals. It's incredibly confusing and renders the grading meaningless for a lot of kids, but in general elementary grades are not very useful for the majority.

this was before there was an IEP so it was being done to hide a suspected issue. I even had admins say "we don't think she needs testing because she is doing so well grade-wise."