Which Mclean elementary school is best for average and gifted siblings?

[Anonymous]

Chesterbrook can be a miserable experience for an "average" learner. We have a child in a lower grade who often comes home with stories about how "dumb" they are because they aren't in Level 4 classes (Chesterbrook levels core subjects 1,2,3,4 starting with math in first grade). She also tells us how much kids brag about being in those Level 4 classes. Gotta love the turbo parents whose lives are all wrapped up in their perfect children. BTW - I hope you are not telling your kids they are "average" and "gifted." The therapy bill for both your children will be astronomical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in AAP Springhill Elementary. 29 kids in class. Overcrowded. We are leaving.

OP here. This is what I am afraid of. We want smaller class sizes than our current school's class sizes of 26-28.

You need to look over the border in Arlington then. They have smaller class sizes. Jamestown school district in Arlington is right next to the Chesterbrook school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook can be a miserable experience for an "average" learner. We have a child in a lower grade who often comes home with stories about how "dumb" they are because they aren't in Level 4 classes (Chesterbrook levels core subjects 1,2,3,4 starting with math in first grade). She also tells us how much kids brag about being in those Level 4 classes. Gotta love the turbo parents whose lives are all wrapped up in their perfect children. BTW - I hope you are not telling your kids they are "average" and "gifted." The therapy bill for both your children will be astronomical.

Kids brag about everything. It can be academics,it can be athletics, it can be whatever. There are far more "average" learners at Chesterbrook than level 4 learners. Some kids will figure out the sore spot and keep picking it. You need to arm your children with an ability to rise above it in any school.

Social hierarchy is different with every cohort. I have two children two years apart. They went to the same school, had the same teachers, same administration, about 25% of the children had the same parents... And yet their experience in elementary school was night and day. One was over filled with mean girls and aggressive boys who all wanted to be top dog. As that class moved throught the school, it had a reputation and none of the aides wanted to be assigned to it. Two years later with my second son, it was completely different. It was a nice class, a naturally inclusive class, it also had a reputation as it moved up through the school- the class everyone wanted to be assigned. Which type of co-hort you get is the luck of the draw- most are somewhere in the middle. MS is worse, but HS is much much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in AAP Springhill Elementary. 29 kids in class. Overcrowded. We are leaving.

OP here. This is what I am afraid of. We want smaller class sizes than our current school's class sizes of 26-28.

You need to look over the border in Arlington then. They have smaller class sizes. Jamestown school district in Arlington is right next to the Chesterbrook school district.

Arlington is facing a huge capacity crush in a few years without seats for all the students. You are just trading one set if issues for another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in AAP Springhill Elementary. 29 kids in class. Overcrowded. We are leaving.

OP here. This is what I am afraid of. We want smaller class sizes than our current school's class sizes of 26-28.

You need to look over the border in Arlington then. They have smaller class sizes. Jamestown school district in Arlington is right next to the Chesterbrook school district.

Arlington is facing a huge capacity crush in a few years without seats for all the students. You are just trading one set if issues for another.

I don't see how that is different than the McLean schools which are already at or over capacity AND have larger class sizes. My children attended Chesterbrook and the smallest class was 25 and the largest was 34- usually it was 28-30. THe school has only grown since then, first filling in the pods for classrooms and now with 4 trailers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook can be a miserable experience for an "average" learner. We have a child in a lower grade who often comes home with stories about how "dumb" they are because they aren't in Level 4 classes (Chesterbrook levels core subjects 1,2,3,4 starting with math in first grade). She also tells us how much kids brag about being in those Level 4 classes. Gotta love the turbo parents whose lives are all wrapped up in their perfect children. BTW - I hope you are not telling your kids they are "average" and "gifted." The therapy bill for both your children will be astronomical.

+1000
We have a non-AAP child at a different school and it is indeed a miserable experience with AAP being such a huge focus. Like yours, our child will come home saying how "dumb" they are when nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very bright child, but the emphasis on AAP and the labeling has made kids who aren't in it feel grossly inferior. The posters who insist the kids should just get over it and "rise above" so obviously have kids in AAP and don't have a clue what they're talking about. If the situations were reversed, maybe then they'd have an inkling.

We are planning on moving out of the area ASAP - at least before our second child hits the 2nd/3rd grade AAP frenzy. Can't wait to find a nice, normal school environment for both kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in AAP Springhill Elementary. 29 kids in class. Overcrowded. We are leaving.

OP here. This is what I am afraid of. We want smaller class sizes than our current school's class sizes of 26-28.

You need to look over the border in Arlington then. They have smaller class sizes. Jamestown school district in Arlington is right next to the Chesterbrook school district.

Arlington is facing a huge capacity crush in a few years without seats for all the students. You are just trading one set if issues for another.

I don't see how that is different than the McLean schools which are already at or over capacity AND have larger class sizes. My children attended Chesterbrook and the smallest class was 25 and the largest was 34- usually it was 28-30. THe school has only grown since then, first filling in the pods for classrooms and now with 4 trailers.

Arlington is facing bigger issues. Easier for FCPS to add capacity to schools like Haycock, Longfellow and Langley (as it has) or reopen closed schools if necessary than for Arlington to even figure out where it can add seats.

http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/September-October-2012/Overcrowding/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc

[Anonymous]

ACPS and Lower McLean schools are over capacity though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in AAP Springhill Elementary. 29 kids in class. Overcrowded. We are leaving.

OP here. This is what I am afraid of. We want smaller class sizes than our current school's class sizes of 26-28.

You need to look over the border in Arlington then. They have smaller class sizes. Jamestown school district in Arlington is right next to the Chesterbrook school district.

Arlington is facing a huge capacity crush in a few years without seats for all the students. You are just trading one set if issues for another.

I don't see how that is different than the McLean schools which are already at or over capacity AND have larger class sizes. My children attended Chesterbrook and the smallest class was 25 and the largest was 34- usually it was 28-30. THe school has only grown since then, first filling in the pods for classrooms and now with 4 trailers.

Arlington is facing bigger issues. Easier for FCPS to add capacity to schools like Haycock, Longfellow and Langley (as it has) or reopen closed schools if necessary than for Arlington to even figure out where it can add seats.

http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/September-October-2012/Overcrowding/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc

If they increased the class sizes to Fairfax levels, there would not be as much of a problem. If smaller classes are the priority, Arlignton is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

Haycock is still crazy overcrowded even though they just did a renovation! My friend's child has 29 in her K class. She said the room feels very crowded and loud/chaotic. Kids still in trailers going forward. Losing resources due to budget cuts. Renovation has affected many programs. That may change but will take time. We're a year away from K but doesn't look hopeful for reduced crowding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook can be a miserable experience for an "average" learner. We have a child in a lower grade who often comes home with stories about how "dumb" they are because they aren't in Level 4 classes (Chesterbrook levels core subjects 1,2,3,4 starting with math in first grade). She also tells us how much kids brag about being in those Level 4 classes. Gotta love the turbo parents whose lives are all wrapped up in their perfect children. BTW - I hope you are not telling your kids they are "average" and "gifted." The therapy bill for both your children will be astronomical.

+1000
We have a non-AAP child at a different school and it is indeed a miserable experience with AAP being such a huge focus. Like yours, our child will come home saying how "dumb" they are when nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very bright child, but the emphasis on AAP and the labeling has made kids who aren't in it feel grossly inferior. The posters who insist the kids should just get over it and "rise above" so obviously have kids in AAP and don't have a clue what they're talking about. If the situations were reversed, maybe then they'd have an inkling.

We are planning on moving out of the area ASAP - at least before our second child hits the 2nd/3rd grade AAP frenzy. Can't wait to find a nice, normal school environment for both kids.

Chesterbrook is not a center AAP school and the majority of student are in general Ed. PLus, the way the administration does LLIV & III AAP is the most inclusive. The Gen Ed and AAP students are not segregated during the day. Everyone changes classrooms for the four core classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook can be a miserable experience for an "average" learner. We have a child in a lower grade who often comes home with stories about how "dumb" they are because they aren't in Level 4 classes (Chesterbrook levels core subjects 1,2,3,4 starting with math in first grade). She also tells us how much kids brag about being in those Level 4 classes. Gotta love the turbo parents whose lives are all wrapped up in their perfect children. BTW - I hope you are not telling your kids they are "average" and "gifted." The therapy bill for both your children will be astronomical.

+1000
We have a non-AAP child at a different school and it is indeed a miserable experience with AAP being such a huge focus. Like yours, our child will come home saying how "dumb" they are when nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very bright child, but the emphasis on AAP and the labeling has made kids who aren't in it feel grossly inferior. The posters who insist the kids should just get over it and "rise above" so obviously have kids in AAP and don't have a clue what they're talking about. If the situations were reversed, maybe then they'd have an inkling.

We are planning on moving out of the area ASAP - at least before our second child hits the 2nd/3rd grade AAP frenzy. Can't wait to find a nice, normal school environment for both kids.

Chesterbrook is not a center AAP school and the majority of student are in general Ed. PLus, the way the administration does LLIV & III AAP is the most inclusive. The Gen Ed and AAP students are not segregated during the day. Everyone changes classrooms for the four core classes.

This is how it should be everywhere. Kids are fluid learners. Some need advanced work in some classes, but not in all; and this changes all the time. And this goes for AAP kids as well.

[Anonymous]

Chesterbrook I think only switches for specials and homeroom. I haven't heard of them bringing up level 3 children into classrooms or mixing with general ed children for core classes at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chesterbrook I think only switches for specials and homeroom. I haven't heard of them bringing up level 3 children into classrooms or mixing with general ed children for core classes at all.

My DC was in AAP for science and math, gen Ed for social studies and pull out special Ed for language arts at Chesterbrook. Children who are level IV are in AAP for all four classes. Children who are level III are in the AAP core classes for which they qualify.

[Anonymous]

We are zoned for McKinley and plan to move out of Arlington. The planning in APS is terrible. Washington-Lee has 700 freshmen and is slated to have over 3000 students in a few years. They keep saying they will find more seats for all the students but then they ask parents to put up with overcrowding. We have had enough and would rather be in McLean or Falls Church.