One compelling reason centers need to go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't answer my questions.
What resources?
How would general education students benefit from having advanced students down the hall rather than in another buildong?

Oh - here's a few more:

How much would redrawing boundaries to adjust for moving students back to their neighborhoods cost?
Do parents advocating for this change realize it might require moving their children to different schools?

I'm not the PP, but I think most Level IV programs are run where the high performing GE students can push into the classes. Bringing back the Level IV students would provide a peer group for the high performing GE students. The curriculm would be more of a continuum, less of a divide between GE and AAP, and more like how high schools are run.

Moving the Level IV students out of the centers would also add balance to the centers. Many schools have issues with the AAP vs. GE divide. Whether actual or perceived, GE students feel like they are less smart than AAP. My GE kid told me he used to think he was smart until he found out he wasn't in AAP. We have to actively work on his academic self-esteem. Since five classes in his grade are AAP and only two are GE, it can be difficult to get him to understand he is still smart.

YES to the PP above. I also have a GE child who has five AAP classes in her grade and only two GE. You could be talking about her. The dynamics at these centers are horrendous for the GE kids, who feel that since they're in the only remaining GE classes, they must be "dumb". Nothing could be further from the truth, but try telling a child this when all they see are their peers in multiple AAP classes. If we had known just how bad sending our GE child to a center was going to be, we would have moved long ago. We would be thrilled to send her to a "normal" school, without all of this foolish AAP divisiveness.

These 2 PPs pretty clearly are the same person or go to the same school. 7 classes, 5 of which are AAP is 200 kids, 140 of whom are AAP. Except for the 6th grade (or 5th and 6th?) at GBW (which was realigned), is there another FCPS ES with those demographics? Because the situation described is not the norm.

Hunters Woods in 6th grade?



There is no other Center elementary school with such disproportionate numbers, according to FCPS Dashboard.

Isn't this the case for Colvin Run and Haycock 6th grade classes? It's the Vienna, McLean, Great Falls parts of Fairfax that need to eliminate centers and move toward Local Level IV.

Yes, this is absolutely the case for those schools and areas. Huge numbers of AAP kids and AAP classes.

Not the case recently for Colvin Run.

Ok: Colvin Run 35 AAP kids, hunter woods had 20,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't answer my questions.
What resources?
How would general education students benefit from having advanced students down the hall rather than in another buildong?

Oh - here's a few more:

How much would redrawing boundaries to adjust for moving students back to their neighborhoods cost?
Do parents advocating for this change realize it might require moving their children to different schools?

I'm not the PP, but I think most Level IV programs are run where the high performing GE students can push into the classes. Bringing back the Level IV students would provide a peer group for the high performing GE students. The curriculm would be more of a continuum, less of a divide between GE and AAP, and more like how high schools are run.

Moving the Level IV students out of the centers would also add balance to the centers. Many schools have issues with the AAP vs. GE divide. Whether actual or perceived, GE students feel like they are less smart than AAP. My GE kid told me he used to think he was smart until he found out he wasn't in AAP. We have to actively work on his academic self-esteem. Since five classes in his grade are AAP and only two are GE, it can be difficult to get him to understand he is still smart.

YES to the PP above. I also have a GE child who has five AAP classes in her grade and only two GE. You could be talking about her. The dynamics at these centers are horrendous for the GE kids, who feel that since they're in the only remaining GE classes, they must be "dumb". Nothing could be further from the truth, but try telling a child this when all they see are their peers in multiple AAP classes. If we had known just how bad sending our GE child to a center was going to be, we would have moved long ago. We would be thrilled to send her to a "normal" school, without all of this foolish AAP divisiveness.

These 2 PPs pretty clearly are the same person or go to the same school. 7 classes, 5 of which are AAP is 200 kids, 140 of whom are AAP. Except for the 6th grade (or 5th and 6th?) at GBW (which was realigned), is there another FCPS ES with those demographics? Because the situation described is not the norm.

Hunters Woods in 6th grade?



There is no other Center elementary school with such disproportionate numbers, according to FCPS Dashboard.

Isn't this the case for Colvin Run and Haycock 6th grade classes? It's the Vienna, McLean, Great Falls parts of Fairfax that need to eliminate centers and move toward Local Level IV.

Yes, this is absolutely the case for those schools and areas. Huge numbers of AAP kids and AAP classes.

Not the case recently for Colvin Run.

The current 6th grade at Colvin Run has four AAP classes and only two GE. This grade is a joke and FCPS should be ashamed of themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't answer my questions.
What resources?
How would general education students benefit from having advanced students down the hall rather than in another buildong?

Oh - here's a few more:

How much would redrawing boundaries to adjust for moving students back to their neighborhoods cost?
Do parents advocating for this change realize it might require moving their children to different schools?

I'm not the PP, but I think most Level IV programs are run where the high performing GE students can push into the classes. Bringing back the Level IV students would provide a peer group for the high performing GE students. The curriculm would be more of a continuum, less of a divide between GE and AAP, and more like how high schools are run.

Moving the Level IV students out of the centers would also add balance to the centers. Many schools have issues with the AAP vs. GE divide. Whether actual or perceived, GE students feel like they are less smart than AAP. My GE kid told me he used to think he was smart until he found out he wasn't in AAP. We have to actively work on his academic self-esteem. Since five classes in his grade are AAP and only two are GE, it can be difficult to get him to understand he is still smart.

YES to the PP above. I also have a GE child who has five AAP classes in her grade and only two GE. You could be talking about her. The dynamics at these centers are horrendous for the GE kids, who feel that since they're in the only remaining GE classes, they must be "dumb". Nothing could be further from the truth, but try telling a child this when all they see are their peers in multiple AAP classes. If we had known just how bad sending our GE child to a center was going to be, we would have moved long ago. We would be thrilled to send her to a "normal" school, without all of this foolish AAP divisiveness.

These 2 PPs pretty clearly are the same person or go to the same school. 7 classes, 5 of which are AAP is 200 kids, 140 of whom are AAP. Except for the 6th grade (or 5th and 6th?) at GBW (which was realigned), is there another FCPS ES with those demographics? Because the situation described is not the norm.

Hunters Woods in 6th grade?



There is no other Center elementary school with such disproportionate numbers, according to FCPS Dashboard.

Isn't this the case for Colvin Run and Haycock 6th grade classes? It's the Vienna, McLean, Great Falls parts of Fairfax that need to eliminate centers and move toward Local Level IV.

Yes, this is absolutely the case for those schools and areas. Huge numbers of AAP kids and AAP classes.

Not the case recently for Colvin Run.

The current 6th grade at Colvin Run has four AAP classes and only two GE. This grade is a joke and FCPS should be ashamed of themselves.

But NOT the case for grades 3, 4, and 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't answer my questions.
What resources?
How would general education students benefit from having advanced students down the hall rather than in another buildong?

Oh - here's a few more:

How much would redrawing boundaries to adjust for moving students back to their neighborhoods cost?
Do parents advocating for this change realize it might require moving their children to different schools?

I'm not the PP, but I think most Level IV programs are run where the high performing GE students can push into the classes. Bringing back the Level IV students would provide a peer group for the high performing GE students. The curriculm would be more of a continuum, less of a divide between GE and AAP, and more like how high schools are run.

Moving the Level IV students out of the centers would also add balance to the centers. Many schools have issues with the AAP vs. GE divide. Whether actual or perceived, GE students feel like they are less smart than AAP. My GE kid told me he used to think he was smart until he found out he wasn't in AAP. We have to actively work on his academic self-esteem. Since five classes in his grade are AAP and only two are GE, it can be difficult to get him to understand he is still smart.

YES to the PP above. I also have a GE child who has five AAP classes in her grade and only two GE. You could be talking about her. The dynamics at these centers are horrendous for the GE kids, who feel that since they're in the only remaining GE classes, they must be "dumb". Nothing could be further from the truth, but try telling a child this when all they see are their peers in multiple AAP classes. If we had known just how bad sending our GE child to a center was going to be, we would have moved long ago. We would be thrilled to send her to a "normal" school, without all of this foolish AAP divisiveness.

These 2 PPs pretty clearly are the same person or go to the same school. 7 classes, 5 of which are AAP is 200 kids, 140 of whom are AAP. Except for the 6th grade (or 5th and 6th?) at GBW (which was realigned), is there another FCPS ES with those demographics? Because the situation described is not the norm.

Hunters Woods in 6th grade?



There is no other Center elementary school with such disproportionate numbers, according to FCPS Dashboard.

Isn't this the case for Colvin Run and Haycock 6th grade classes? It's the Vienna, McLean, Great Falls parts of Fairfax that need to eliminate centers and move toward Local Level IV.

Yes, this is absolutely the case for those schools and areas. Huge numbers of AAP kids and AAP classes.

Not the case recently for Colvin Run.

The current 6th grade at Colvin Run has four AAP classes and only two GE. This grade is a joke and FCPS should be ashamed of themselves.

But NOT the case for grades 3, 4, and 5.

So everyone acknowledged the problem, a solution was found, and now you are just waiting for the last grandfathered class to leave? And buy next fall, the issue will be solved? Can anyone name an ES Center with a 5:2 or 4:2 ratio that has not been boundary adjusted? If not, you are being alarmist and only telling half the story. Yes, the ration is 5:2, which is bad. But also-- FCPS acknowledged it was bad and took appropriate steps to ensure that the problem was solved. I get that you wanted the 5th and 6th graders sent to the "new" Center-- but as a mom of a child who moved to a different part of the County in 5th, it's incredibly disruptive. Expecting a kid to go to one Center in 3rd, another in 5th, MS in 7th and HS in 9th is too much.

[Anonymous]

You are looking at colvin run, and the sixth grade, to anomalies. The 6th grade class this year is the class where there were anonymously high results on the cogAT in certain populations. That culminated in the county reporting that some kids had seen the exact test form in "enrichment" classes. FCPS adjusted the test going forward. However, 22% for FCPS was admitted to AAP that year, instead of the usual 13-15%.

The second anomaly is that when they closed Louise Archer to non-3rd grade new AAP students, that added 10-20 kids into the 5th grade class at Colvin run.

[Anonymous]

The Colvin Run poster is one of the most prolific anti AAP posters and her message is always the same. It is really getting tiring. I would be upset if my kid was at Colvin Run in 6th grade, but would understand that the class was an anomaly both because Colvin Run has since changed and also because Colvin Run is one of the wealthiest schools in Fairfax and a center school feeding to Langley. I just don't understand why she paints the AAP program with such a broad brush. There are so many schools in FCPS with very few eligible AAP kids and very few gifted services available. She needs to get out of her Langley bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run poster is one of the most prolific anti AAP posters and her message is always the same. It is really getting tiring. I would be upset if my kid was at Colvin Run in 6th grade, but would understand that the class was an anomaly both because Colvin Run has since changed and also because Colvin Run is one of the wealthiest schools in Fairfax and a center school feeding to Langley. I just don't understand why she paints the AAP program with such a broad brush. There are so many schools in FCPS with very few eligible AAP kids and very few gifted services available. She needs to get out of her Langley bubble.

Isn't she the same poster who makes such a big deal over Cooper being "AAP-free"? It is strange that she'd move to the part of the county with the highest concentration of AAP kids and then complain about it incessantly.

[Anonymous]

Many, many posters hate AAP. It's not a small group!! We just may not post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many, many posters hate AAP. It's not a small group!! We just may not post.

-yawn-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't answer my questions.
What resources?
How would general education students benefit from having advanced students down the hall rather than in another buildong?

Oh - here's a few more:

How much would redrawing boundaries to adjust for moving students back to their neighborhoods cost?
Do parents advocating for this change realize it might require moving their children to different schools?

I'm not the PP, but I think most Level IV programs are run where the high performing GE students can push into the classes. Bringing back the Level IV students would provide a peer group for the high performing GE students. The curriculm would be more of a continuum, less of a divide between GE and AAP, and more like how high schools are run.

Moving the Level IV students out of the centers would also add balance to the centers. Many schools have issues with the AAP vs. GE divide. Whether actual or perceived, GE students feel like they are less smart than AAP. My GE kid told me he used to think he was smart until he found out he wasn't in AAP. We have to actively work on his academic self-esteem. Since five classes in his grade are AAP and only two are GE, it can be difficult to get him to understand he is still smart.

YES to the PP above. I also have a GE child who has five AAP classes in her grade and only two GE. You could be talking about her. The dynamics at these centers are horrendous for the GE kids, who feel that since they're in the only remaining GE classes, they must be "dumb". Nothing could be further from the truth, but try telling a child this when all they see are their peers in multiple AAP classes. If we had known just how bad sending our GE child to a center was going to be, we would have moved long ago. We would be thrilled to send her to a "normal" school, without all of this foolish AAP divisiveness.

These 2 PPs pretty clearly are the same person or go to the same school. 7 classes, 5 of which are AAP is 200 kids, 140 of whom are AAP. Except for the 6th grade (or 5th and 6th?) at GBW (which was realigned), is there another FCPS ES with those demographics? Because the situation described is not the norm.

Hunters Woods in 6th grade?



There is no other Center elementary school with such disproportionate numbers, according to FCPS Dashboard.

Isn't this the case for Colvin Run and Haycock 6th grade classes? It's the Vienna, McLean, Great Falls parts of Fairfax that need to eliminate centers and move toward Local Level IV.

Yes, this is absolutely the case for those schools and areas. Huge numbers of AAP kids and AAP classes.

Not the case recently for Colvin Run.

The current 6th grade at Colvin Run has four AAP classes and only two GE. This grade is a joke and FCPS should be ashamed of themselves.

But NOT the case for grades 3, 4, and 5.

So everyone acknowledged the problem, a solution was found, and now you are just waiting for the last grandfathered class to leave? And buy next fall, the issue will be solved? Can anyone name an ES Center with a 5:2 or 4:2 ratio that has not been boundary adjusted? If not, you are being alarmist and only telling half the story. Yes, the ration is 5:2, which is bad. But also-- FCPS acknowledged it was bad and took appropriate steps to ensure that the problem was solved. I get that you wanted the 5th and 6th graders sent to the "new" Center-- but as a mom of a child who moved to a different part of the County in 5th, it's incredibly disruptive. Expecting a kid to go to one Center in 3rd, another in 5th, MS in 7th and HS in 9th is too much.

I'm not sure what you're talking about, to be honest. What "new center"? Also, no one "expects" these kids to go anywhere. If they were expected to stay at their base school in the first place, we wouldn't have had these issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many, many posters hate AAP. It's not a small group!! We just may not post.

+1
It's amazing to me that certain posters feel only ONE person feels this way. It's such a lazy way of dismissing what people have to say. Just claim it's the same poster, and no one else could possibly have the same experiences or opinions! Classic deflecting when unable to come up with a real response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run poster is one of the most prolific anti AAP posters and her message is always the same. It is really getting tiring. I would be upset if my kid was at Colvin Run in 6th grade, but would understand that the class was an anomaly both because Colvin Run has since changed and also because Colvin Run is one of the wealthiest schools in Fairfax and a center school feeding to Langley. I just don't understand why she paints the AAP program with such a broad brush. There are so many schools in FCPS with very few eligible AAP kids and very few gifted services available. She needs to get out of her Langley bubble.

Isn't she the same poster who makes such a big deal over Cooper being "AAP-free"? It is strange that she'd move to the part of the county with the highest concentration of AAP kids and then complain about it incessantly.

Uh... hello? There isn't just one person who has kids at Colvin Run and/or Cooper and feels this way. Perhaps the two of you need to get out of your narrow-minded bubbles and realize that AAP has done more damage than good in certain parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Colvin Run poster is one of the most prolific anti AAP posters and her message is always the same. It is really getting tiring. I would be upset if my kid was at Colvin Run in 6th grade, but would understand that the class was an anomaly both because Colvin Run has since changed and also because Colvin Run is one of the wealthiest schools in Fairfax and a center school feeding to Langley. I just don't understand why she paints the AAP program with such a broad brush. There are so many schools in FCPS with very few eligible AAP kids and very few gifted services available. She needs to get out of her Langley bubble.

Isn't she the same poster who makes such a big deal over Cooper being "AAP-free"? It is strange that she'd move to the part of the county with the highest concentration of AAP kids and then complain about it incessantly.

Uh... hello? There isn't just one person who has kids at Colvin Run and/or Cooper and feels this way. Perhaps the two of you need to get out of your narrow-minded bubbles and realize that AAP has done more damage than good in certain parts of the county.

+1

Out of 28 Center schools, 3 grades out of over 100 are disproportionally AAP, but they cannot be forgotten.

[Anonymous]

Please stop this nonsense conversation of hating AAP. Lot of people who like AAP are not in this forum. I want to make sure it is heard and lot of people like AAP and it is a great program. It has its own issues but what fairfax county has is one of the best in the nation. Of course you can change it to make it better. AAP won't go anywhere and it will be there for a long time. You can talk about how to make it better. Don't waste time in trying to say AAP is bad etc. People who complain are only parents of kids who didn't get in and wanted AAP for their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many, many posters hate AAP. It's not a small group!! We just may not post.

Sure. Meanwhile, a few post the same tired rant over and over. It's obvious by the writing style.

Stop blaming the AAP center programs. All they are is centralizing of classroom groups of a certain tested potential ability, not some magical wonderland where kids relax in gossamer nests as they're spoon-fed the mysteries of the universe by Nobel laureates.

Don't be so afraid of seeming un-PC if you look at how gen ed is taught to the lowest possible levels of ability. Maybe your base school is excellent and full of well-off students. Many base schools are not. Staff can't do much when half the class is going to fail without heroic efforts, and make your school look bad. Half the class never does homework, a quarter have severe behavior and mental issues that disrupt the classroom, a number have very serious disabilities, and a number are struggling because they haven't learned English yet and their parents are working four jobs trying to make ends meet and don't speak English or understand the school system here. If your child can sit quietly and get by, he's not really challenged in this environment, and may well be miserable. My kids were. I don't blame you for resenting those who were able to get out, but don't make the AAP program the scapegoat. Focus on what's really the problem.