I work there. It is solely a student numbers game and staffing issue. APS did not provide staffing for three teams, so there is one regular team and one larger team. Some teachers are split subjects to accommodate the enrollment. That’s it. Don’t read too much into it. This has happened in the past. We have too many students for two regular teams but not enough for three.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

So alg == academic track
Math 6 == general ed

Kids in APS aren’t doing A1 in 6th. They cut that years ago.

Anonymous wrote:It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

So alg == academic track
Math 6 == general ed

OP is new to the school and doesn’t know how the school divides kids, since it isn’t half and half.

The school was not clear.

PPs seem not to know either but still criticizes a parent for wanting to understand a new school.

OP trying to figure out what math her friends kids were placed in.

OP, your kid is in the loser group. Sorry.

This isn't Harry Potter, where the two groups compete against each other for some prize. These are just administrative groups.

Anonymous wrote:We have a rising 6th grader at Williamsburg.

At the orientation, we were told 6th grade class broken up into Grizzlies and Coyotes. But it was not an even split of 150-150.

We asked how the grade is broken down into the two groups, but the answer was vague.

Why is one group planned bigger than the other? What factors are considered?

Why does it matter?

The pearl clutching has begun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

Perhaps not hidden but definitely not explained at all since the vague WMS answer did not include any mention of math.

Does that mean all the pre-algebra kids are placed together as either a Grizzly or a Coyote?

Don't worry - your kid will get all his/her classes. It's the way they manage the teacher teams e.g, Ms X teaches Grizzly science and Ms Y teaches Coyote science.

They were probably vague because they don't want parents coming in demanding to move their kids from Coyotes to Grizzlies or vice versa.

+1

It really doesn’t matter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

Perhaps not hidden but definitely not explained at all since the vague WMS answer did not include any mention of math.

Does that mean all the pre-algebra kids are placed together as either a Grizzly or a Coyote?

Don't worry - your kid will get all his/her classes. It's the way they manage the teacher teams e.g, Ms X teaches Grizzly science and Ms Y teaches Coyote science.

They were probably vague because they don't want parents coming in demanding to move their kids from Coyotes to Grizzlies or vice versa.

Anonymous wrote:It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

Perhaps not hidden but definitely not explained at all since the vague WMS answer did not include any mention of math.

Does that mean all the pre-algebra kids are placed together as either a Grizzly or a Coyote?

When my kid was there, there were 3 teams. There were Cougars too, which seemed a funny name for 6th graders.

Maybe they only have enough kids for 2.25 teams now.

I assume the size difference has to do with staffing. Maybe the bigger team has some part time teachers.

It really comes down to how many kids are in different math classes (e.g. taking alg vs pre-alg vs math 6). You can't possibly get an even number.

It's not some hidden method.

We have a rising 6th grader at Williamsburg.

At the orientation, we were told 6th grade class broken up into Grizzlies and Coyotes. But it was not an even split of 150-150.

We asked how the grade is broken down into the two groups, but the answer was vague.

Why is one group planned bigger than the other? What factors are considered?