Haycock class changes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. DD going into 5th. They said that rescuers won’t specialize anymore and that apparently lots are planning to leave- this is terrible.

Our kids are the same grade. For the PP who asked, specialization starts at Haycock in 1st grade. My DC had separate math class since 1st grade. And it is a power house - the only public elementary competing with middle schools in math counts.

It's not considered best practice for kids in 1st or 2nd. They're too young for it.

Possibly why the new principal is not supporting it.

Funny that it's not best practice in 1st and 2nd grade, then they go full out segregation in 3rd grade (which IMHO is way too young). Such a strange system in FCPS. Glad we left.

So translation is your kid didn’t get into AAP?

[Anonymous]

Ever sine this principal came to Haycock, there has been less and less communication from the school. No more blogs, principal get together are now 3-4 times a year, unlike monthly previously. And when there is an email, he proves he cannot write. The real question is how he was selected in the first case and how we can make sure not another person like him is selected.

[Anonymous]

If the county taxes people at the same rate, therefore people pay the same into the educational system, why should Haycocks be different than other elementary schools? Why should this diffetentiation be offered there and not elsewhere? Why should the county go out of its way to retain these teachers at Haycock and not make them available in other schools?

Haycock is not accessible to families outside of the attendance zone, so why should all these resources go to it? The parents that want such special learning can elect private schools, like other parents who do not like public education do! I'm not about not letting people have their way, but why should Haycock be privileged?

[Anonymous]

Well, tax rates are the same, but property values are not. A big factor of the property value is the quality of the school (because people choose a neighborhood based on the school). However, since Fairfax is a unified school district, the taxes are evenly distributed. In other words, Haycock families are subsidizing the rest of the county.

Haycock doesn't get any special funding other than the AAP, and every eligible student in the county has an AAP opportunity, either through their local school or a center school.

Teacher specialization has no extra cost and any school can implement it.

[Anonymous]

You are incorrect! Haycock neighbors are not subsidizing the educational system in the rest of the county. The as you move away from that area, homes may be cheaper per area, but the are bigger and cost the same or more, so the tax dollars are the same. Moreso, in areas with less affluent demographics, the parents with more money send their kids to private schools, and double paying for their children's education.

Mire specialized teachers cost more, thus they are costing the county more. Don't be too full of yourself with your property vales! Chesterbrook, Kent Gardens and Franklin Sherman alone have higher lot/property values than Haycock. There are many other neighborhoods with average property values way higher than Haycock.

You want all to be equal, but you like being more equal than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, you’re talking about grouping the kids for math and word study/reading or are you talking about individual teachers teaching different subjects (A teaches math, B teaches reading...).

If it’s the former, that’s a huge loss for the kids. This principal is such a bad development for Haycock. Seems like a nice guy but totally inexperienced and really bad at written communication.

PP, the departmentalization issue that has come up refers to the latter. That teachers specialize in one area and then teach all the grade's classes in that one subject. For example, a fifth grade class might spend a large portion of the day with the homeroom teacher but then switch classes for math and social studies.

As for the former, THE PRINCIPAL HAS ALREADY DONE THIS!!!! Totally under the radar, without any announcements, after the teachers made completely contradictory statements: kids in certain grades have stopped being differentiated this year in Math. The advanced gen ed kids, who formerly were allowed to join AAP classes no longer are--or it has been made much more difficult in a way that is inconsistently applied--and instead we were informed a) that "mixed classrooms" are an educationally superior model and b) that advanced children would get "enrichment" (which I can tell you arrived in the form of a worksheet labeled "enrichment" about four times this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ever sine this principal came to Haycock, there has been less and less communication from the school. No more blogs, principal get together are now 3-4 times a year, unlike monthly previously. And when there is an email, he proves he cannot write. The real question is how he was selected in the first case and how we can make sure not another person like him is selected.

I don't think you are in a place to be critiquing someone else's writing.

[Anonymous]

Principals get a lot of latitude to run their school the way they personally see fit.

I don't know of any other school in FCPS where all the students change subjects based on their ability. I bet a ton of time is wasted transitioning each day. Every other FCPS has teachers differentiating in the classroom. It's public school-you get what you get.

It sounds like some Haycock parents have really unrealistic expectations. Not sure why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are incorrect! Haycock neighbors are not subsidizing the educational system in the rest of the county. The as you move away from that area, homes may be cheaper per area, but the are bigger and cost the same or more, so the tax dollars are the same. Moreso, in areas with less affluent demographics, the parents with more money send their kids to private schools, and double paying for their children's education.

Mire specialized teachers cost more, thus they are costing the county more. Don't be too full of yourself with your property vales! Chesterbrook, Kent Gardens and Franklin Sherman alone have higher lot/property values than Haycock. There are many other neighborhoods with average property values way higher than Haycock.

You want all to be equal, but you like being more equal than others.

You have no basic understanding of thread issues. Haycock does not have specialized teachers. The existing, regular elementary teachers decide as a team which if them will teach math, science ...

Haycock receives no extra money.

AAP receives no extra money, other than busing costs.

Please acquire basic knowledge before speaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, tax rates are the same, but property values are not. A big factor of the property value is the quality of the school (because people choose a neighborhood based on the school). However, since Fairfax is a unified school district, the taxes are evenly distributed. In other words, Haycock families are subsidizing the rest of the county.

Haycock doesn't get any special funding other than the AAP, and every eligible student in the county has an AAP opportunity, either through their local school or a center school.

Teacher specialization has no extra cost and any school can implement it.

[Anonymous]

Are you really saying no other ES has math or reading groups?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you really saying no other ES has math or reading groups?

My kids don't go to Haycock, but it sounds like kids were changing classrooms for different subjects starting in first grade? I think that is unusual.
The norm is reading groups and math centers within the classroom for that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Principals get a lot of latitude to run their school the way they personally see fit.

I don't know of any other school in FCPS where all the students change subjects based on their ability. I bet a ton of time is wasted transitioning each day. Every other FCPS has teachers differentiating in the classroom. It's public school-you get what you get.

It sounds like some Haycock parents have really unrealistic expectations. Not sure why.

Very true. Northern Virginia is well known for settling and taking what you get. No hyper competitive atmosphere at all. Please.

People are upset because apparently The system works and Haycock’s reputation speaks to that. Don’t knock it because you don’t have it. FCPS is one of the wealthiest counties in the country, we should expect more.

[Anonymous]

The kids change classrooms for math, reading etc. in first grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you really saying no other ES has math or reading groups?

My kids don't go to Haycock, but it sounds like kids were changing classrooms for different subjects starting in first grade? I think that is unusual.
The norm is reading groups and math centers within the classroom for that age.

Our school, Wolftrap, used to do this for reading and math in first and second grade. Now they just switch for remedial/enrichment time and the amount of enrichment has dropped significantly.