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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can we all just agree that we hate having AAP Centers?[/quote]

I can certainly agree with this.  They create far too many issues, resentment, and divisiveness.  [/quote]

I can certainly disagree with this as my student does not have a peer group at the base school. (He was subjected to frequent bullying, among other things.)[/quote]so a child who just misses the cut off for eligibility in your school has to stay and get bullied? You bought your house around certain school boundaries. But your kid gets the option to leave. Hmmm[/quote]

It sucks that a child just misses the cut off, but exactly. Her child qualified for a special program.  Part of the reason he qualified for the program is a learning style that has statistically high likelihood of being 2e, which is a group of kids that has a very high likelihood of being bullied.  And her child stayed in boundary (the AAP boundary) as the school boundary is defined in the FCPS Boundary locator. Google it and plug your address in there. It will spit out 2 boundaries: one AAP, one not.  Both are real boundaries, depending on your child's program. And you don't ditch a program almost everyone agrees is needed at some level (whether that is top .5%, 1%, 2%, whatever) because a small number of kids are misidentified or just miss the cut off.  And there are frequent complaints from Gen Ed that FCPS overidentifies kids, and should be less willing to take that borderline kid.

Some posters with GE kids on this thread have made really good points that have changed the way I think about the Center school structure. I would note lunate centers, but I see where They can be unnecessary, or even counterproductive in some cases. But a few posters (or maybe even one vocal poster) is so mean and seem to have so little compassion for AAP kids, some of whose parents describe bullying, social isolation, a genuine academic inability to function in a Gen Ed setting and struggles with 2e. And also has so little of actual substance to say. That poster (because I'd like to think it's just one) hurts people raising valid issues by turning open minded AAP parents off. And yes, that person I would characterize as a troll.  Because they are not on this board to discuss a real issue in our schools. They only want to belittle others (kids!), presumably to make themselves feel better. [/quote]

Well said!

I have a kid who is in the profoundly gifted range and would have qualified for this program whatever the form.

He needed AAP, especially in elementary. AAP was amazing for him, and I credit tue teachers' understanding of kids like him during elementary school with getting him to the point where he doesn't necessarily "need" the program as much in middle school. AAP accomplished what it should with my kid.

As much as he needed AAP, and kids in his range need AAP, the kids who more than any other in my opinion who really, undeniably need the AAP centers are the twice exceptional kids.  They find their people in AAP, even if "people" just means more than one friend to eat with at lunch, hang out with at recess and sit next to in PE.

Those kids desparately need the center program. And having that peer group helps many of them to have the confidence to relax, pick up social cues, learn to relate to some really interesting and supportive kids, and hopefully transition to the point that they don't need AAP quite as badly by middle or high school.

Seeing the benefit for those kinds of kids make me a stong advocate for centers.  I have seen tue benefits to them and I have also seen in my own family how terrible and lonely life can be for the 2E kids who struggle through life never ever finding their people.

I imagine that is why some of the parents here are so passionate about their kid finding a peer group.[/quote]

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