Anonymous wrote:Which FCPS schools have only 400 kids? I thought 800ish was the norm?

From the recently adopted 2016-20 CIP:

Armstrong 470
Vienna 433
Columbia 471
Graham Rd 504
Lemon Rd 508
Franklin Sherman 406
Sleepy Hollow 465
Beech Tree 391
Bush Hill 472
Mount Eagle 401
Garfielld 371
Bucknell 284
Kings Glen 440
West Springfield 484
Little Run 341
Olde Creek 433

Thant doesn't take into account the additional schools between 500-599. There are a lot of smaller schools in FCPS, and there doesn't seem to be any consistency in philosophy over time about the size of the schools that FCPS is creating (through programmatic changes) or building. Although two new elementary schools they've opened recently have capacities between 650-700 students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

Also - I wanted to add some additional comments. While the population of GBW would be decreased with a possible center opening at Poplar Tree, have you thought about other impacts? For example, volunteer base will go down at GBW. From what I understand they already had difficulty finding people for the PTA positions. Some teachers will have to leave GBW as they will have a surplus of teachers. If they make the switch next year, some kids will have attended three different elementary schools in the past three years. I know I wouldn't want that happening to my child.

There are elementary schools in FCPS with 400 children total. I think GBW should do fine with a reduction in their numbers.

Absolutely. At Colin Powell, we almost didn't have a PTA this year due to lack of parents to volunteer. We have 1000+ students. It has nothing to do with numbers.

I wish AAP kids were required to stay at CP. Many leave, as PP mentioned, for the "prestige" factor of GBW.M

Which FCPS schools have only 400 kids? I thought 800ish was the norm?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

Also - I wanted to add some additional comments. While the population of GBW would be decreased with a possible center opening at Poplar Tree, have you thought about other impacts? For example, volunteer base will go down at GBW. From what I understand they already had difficulty finding people for the PTA positions. Some teachers will have to leave GBW as they will have a surplus of teachers. If they make the switch next year, some kids will have attended three different elementary schools in the past three years. I know I wouldn't want that happening to my child.

There are elementary schools in FCPS with 400 children total. I think GBW should do fine with a reduction in their numbers.

I wouldn't mind the volunteer base going down. We went to GBE before, and they managed just fine. Switching schools does seem like a bit of a bummer, but I would probably rather do that than deal with such overcrowding. Also, Poplar Tree kids would go back to a school they know, and Colin Powell kids could go back to CP for the local level IV classes.

Anonymous wrote:I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

Also - I wanted to add some additional comments. While the population of GBW would be decreased with a possible center opening at Poplar Tree, have you thought about other impacts? For example, volunteer base will go down at GBW. From what I understand they already had difficulty finding people for the PTA positions. Some teachers will have to leave GBW as they will have a surplus of teachers. If they make the switch next year, some kids will have attended three different elementary schools in the past three years. I know I wouldn't want that happening to my child.

Anonymous wrote:I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

The Local Level IV program was just introduced this school year at Poplar Tree. I don't know about you, but I prefer an established program than one that is just getting started. Also, there is a huge difference in the way both schools are run. Another person responded that there is a large Asian population at PT and that those people went to GBW for the prestige. I can assure you, it is not because of the prestige that people chose GBW over PT. And it was not just Asians that made that decision.

Poplar Tree boundary is full of Asians who want the prestige of the "AAP center".

Anonymous wrote:I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

This is true. 150 kids went to GBW and 10 stayed back at Poplar Tree (across all grades).

I am thrilled about the new center at Poplar Tree. I have a student from GBE who is now going to GBW for 3rd grade AAP. The school is packed! Now I'm just crossing my fingers that they require the Poplar Tree (and Colin Powell? or Brookfield?) AAP 3rd graders to go to Poplar Tree next year so that my DD will benefit, rather than just future GBW AAP students. I heard that over 30 Poplar Tree kids who are AAP eligible chose to go to GBW rather than stay for the Local Level IV program. Nuts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we received the email from FCPS to fill out the survey about GBW over crowing.

How are we supposed to response. We don't even know what FCPS is doing to get AAP teacher to Poplar Tree.

Why FCPS not thinking about Boundry Changes or moving non AAP kids to Poplar Tree or moving AAP kids to Collin Powell where local AAP has been there for few years now.

If they want to implement this they should do it one year at a time so they have enough time to get staff and facility ready.

Any thoughts?

AAP parent here. You cannot be seriously asking this question.
Why on earth would FCPS move non AAP kids to Poplar Tree so your snowflake can attend GBW? GBW is their base school.

Parents like you are the reason why so many Gen Ed parents are against the idea of AAP centers.

Thank you, PP. You are 100% correct.

Anonymous wrote:we received the email from FCPS to fill out the survey about GBW over crowing.

How are we supposed to response. We don't even know what FCPS is doing to get AAP teacher to Poplar Tree.

Why FCPS not thinking about Boundry Changes or moving non AAP kids to Poplar Tree or moving AAP kids to Collin Powell where local AAP has been there for few years now.

If they want to implement this they should do it one year at a time so they have enough time to get staff and facility ready.

Any thoughts?

AAP parent here. You cannot be seriously asking this question.
Why on earth would FCPS move non AAP kids to Poplar Tree so your snowflake can attend GBW? GBW is their base school.

Parents like you are the reason why so many Gen Ed parents are against the idea of AAP centers.

Anonymous wrote:we received the email from FCPS to fill out the survey about GBW over crowing.

How are we supposed to response. We don't even know what FCPS is doing to get AAP teacher to Poplar Tree.

Why FCPS not thinking about Boundry Changes or moving non AAP kids to Poplar Tree or moving AAP kids to Collin Powell where local AAP has been there for few years now.

If they want to implement this they should do it one year at a time so they have enough time to get staff and facility ready.

Any thoughts?

Is that over crowing, like too many parents bragging or too many kids in the school? Couldn't resist

Colin Powell is not discussed in this survey.
Looks like Poplar Tree sent in lot of AAP students to GBW. Poplar Tree is running under capacity. so better choice for AAP center.
Colin powell is already in full capacity.

we received the email from FCPS to fill out the survey about GBW over crowing.

How are we supposed to response. We don't even know what FCPS is doing to get AAP teacher to Poplar Tree.

Why FCPS not thinking about Boundry Changes or moving non AAP kids to Poplar Tree or moving AAP kids to Collin Powell where local AAP has been there for few years now.

If they want to implement this they should do it one year at a time so they have enough time to get staff and facility ready.

Any thoughts?