Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 12:34     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:I spoke with the guidance counselor at Franklin. She said there are about 22 kids that qualify as LIV in this year's 8th grade & she didn't know (????!!) the number of 7th graders (she's the guidance counselor for the AAP team-- how does she not have at least a general idea??). All 22 or so AAP kids are in stand alone classes together (with no non- AAP kids) for their core 3 subjects, then tracked with the rest of the class for their appropriate honors math, PE & specials. I was looking at options for 6th grade DC (base Franklin, Center Carson) and this concerned me, because it seems like the AAP kids are artificially segregated into the "special" class, and would have a hard time integrating with the rest of the school. The counselor said this is not a problem.


She's right. It is not a problem.

Also, there is not "a" counselor for the AAP students; the counselor who is assigned to the grade 8 group is not the same one that is assigned to the grade 7 group. That's why she didn't know. Cut her some slack.
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 09:04     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
I spoke with the guidance counselor at Franklin. She said there are about 22 kids that qualify as LIV in this year's 8th grade & she didn't know (????!!) the number of 7th graders (she's the guidance counselor for the AAP team-- how does she not have at least a general idea??). All 22 or so AAP kids are in stand alone classes together (with no non- AAP kids) for their core 3 subjects, then tracked with the rest of the class for their appropriate honors math, PE & specials. I was looking at options for 6th grade DC (base Franklin, Center Carson) and this concerned me, because it seems like the AAP kids are artificially segregated into the "special" class, and would have a hard time integrating with the rest of the school. The counselor said this is not a problem.
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 08:46     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
^^ the academic load in AAP, with a language class and an instrument (band/ strings).
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 08:44     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Franklin is not pulling in additional students into their AAP classes. There are 4 elementary schools that feed into Franklin. Plenty of students to fill the 4 core academic classes and the teachers on this dedicated team are all excellent. If anything, some eligible kids had to change to regular/honors or change math class mid-year due to a variety of circumstances.

If you are trying to decide between Franklin and Rachel Carson, most parents choose the center school because of its reputation. But, this creates problems with the school being over-crowded. The school cultures are very different. I have had kids in both AAP programs recently. You need to pick the school that is right for your kid. One of my kids liked Carson and the other one liked Franklin. As a parent, I preferred Franklin as the culture of the school and teachers is to focus on both academic and personal growth & responsibility. RC, on the other hand was more academically focused and independent-minded.

RC principal retiring this year. He was awesome. Curious to see whether a change in administration will change the school culture over the next few years.




RC is like TJ for middle schoolers (except you don't have to test to get in). There is competition in everything from academics to getting into after school clubs and with the school being over crowded, after school program administer leaving and Principal retiring it has been worse.


This sounds awful. What a horrible environment for kids to be in.


It's not. Don't hate on things you know nothing about. When you are in the school, it does not seem overly crowded. My very bright MS student is easily pulling high (97-100) As without doing an unreadonsble amount of homework. S/he is also involved with 2 "competitive entry" after school programs/ teams, which s/he loves, and one of which will involve done travel. S/he thinks students are very nice and I've been very impressed with the teachers and the way the staff dealt with implementing DC's 504. It's a great community that is accepting of smart, quirky kids. That said, I would certainly hope TJ academics would be a huge step up from Carson. The Carson academic load in 7th & now 8th is NBD.
Anonymous
Post 10/15/2015 22:30     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Franklin is not pulling in additional students into their AAP classes. There are 4 elementary schools that feed into Franklin. Plenty of students to fill the 4 core academic classes and the teachers on this dedicated team are all excellent. If anything, some eligible kids had to change to regular/honors or change math class mid-year due to a variety of circumstances.

If you are trying to decide between Franklin and Rachel Carson, most parents choose the center school because of its reputation. But, this creates problems with the school being over-crowded. The school cultures are very different. I have had kids in both AAP programs recently. You need to pick the school that is right for your kid. One of my kids liked Carson and the other one liked Franklin. As a parent, I preferred Franklin as the culture of the school and teachers is to focus on both academic and personal growth & responsibility. RC, on the other hand was more academically focused and independent-minded.

RC principal retiring this year. He was awesome. Curious to see whether a change in administration will change the school culture over the next few years.




RC is like TJ for middle schoolers (except you don't have to test to get in). There is competition in everything from academics to getting into after school clubs and with the school being over crowded, after school program administer leaving and Principal retiring it has been worse.


This sounds awful. What a horrible environment for kids to be in.
Anonymous
Post 10/15/2015 17:51     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:Franklin is not pulling in additional students into their AAP classes. There are 4 elementary schools that feed into Franklin. Plenty of students to fill the 4 core academic classes and the teachers on this dedicated team are all excellent. If anything, some eligible kids had to change to regular/honors or change math class mid-year due to a variety of circumstances.

If you are trying to decide between Franklin and Rachel Carson, most parents choose the center school because of its reputation. But, this creates problems with the school being over-crowded. The school cultures are very different. I have had kids in both AAP programs recently. You need to pick the school that is right for your kid. One of my kids liked Carson and the other one liked Franklin. As a parent, I preferred Franklin as the culture of the school and teachers is to focus on both academic and personal growth & responsibility. RC, on the other hand was more academically focused and independent-minded.

RC principal retiring this year. He was awesome. Curious to see whether a change in administration will change the school culture over the next few years.




RC is like TJ for middle schoolers (except you don't have to test to get in). There is competition in everything from academics to getting into after school clubs and with the school being over crowded, after school program administer leaving and Principal retiring it has been worse.
Anonymous
Post 10/15/2015 17:35     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
I agree with the post above. I have been impressed with the conversations that occur in the Franklin AAP classes. The kids learn the standards the state requires but the teachers also go far more in depth. They give the kids the opportunity to explore topics independently as well, so they expand their knowledge through guided research instead of just being told what they need to know. That seems to happen at least in the social studies, science, and language arts classes.


It is a good program.


Anonymous
Post 06/20/2015 09:26     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
I'm not a Franklin AAP parent, but have experience with Franklin in general.

I am extremely impressed with Franklin and the level of instruction and care students receive there. The teachers keep the bar high for all, and then they add supports to help all the kids reach that bar. I am also impressed by how current and real they make their lessons, often pulling in current events to support what they are teaching. For at least a few years, the Language Arts teachers in seventh grade have taught about Everest and have discussed recent events during their lessons. This Everest study is something kids won't forget. They even get to do numerous free choice projects during this study. It is wonderful.
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2015 22:55     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Franklin's AAP program is outstanding. I agree with the above poster who said that the teachers on the dedicated team are excellent and that they focus on both academics and personal growth. Franklin's teachers see each student as a whole child, and they work hard to personalize instruction to meet the needs of all the children. They all have experience with advanced students of all levels, including AAP and honors.

I also agree that both Carson and Franklin are outstanding schools.

Anonymous
Post 06/19/2015 13:43     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Have a kid and Carson and have been very impressed. It is certainly a huge academic challenge, but great for a bright kids to be with 300 plus peer a class. I also wouldn't say it's over crowded. DS has never been in a huge class or a trailer. He was also diagnosed w/ ADD this year, and the school is amazing with 2e kids-- they got him a 504 very quickly, and have stayed in touch and followed through.

Franklin is our base school, but most AAP kids I know choose Carson. I would choose Carson for a kid with strong STEM potential (not just for the classes, but also for extracurriculars), and certainly if TJ is a goal. But Franklin may be better for a child who needs a smaller environment or is not well suited to a higher stress academic environment.

They are both top notch schools, and I doubt there is a wrong choice. GL!
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2015 13:27     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have heard that since the AAP classes at Franklin are under-enrolled (compared to centers like Rachel Carson), they school may be pulling in non-AAP kids to increase class size. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, what criteria will they use to select those kids? TIA


Don't worry there are plenty of smart kids who take Honors classes that were not tagged at AAP. Honors and AAP in Middle School is very similar and more depends on the teacher than whether a child is in AAP or Honors.


This is not the case at our middle school (which is not Franklin MS).


IME, it was true at Longfellow (also not Franklin).
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2015 13:09     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have heard that since the AAP classes at Franklin are under-enrolled (compared to centers like Rachel Carson), they school may be pulling in non-AAP kids to increase class size. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, what criteria will they use to select those kids? TIA


Don't worry there are plenty of smart kids who take Honors classes that were not tagged at AAP. Honors and AAP in Middle School is very similar and more depends on the teacher than whether a child is in AAP or Honors.


This is not the case at our middle school (which is not Franklin MS).
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2015 12:42     Subject: Re:Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Franklin is not pulling in additional students into their AAP classes. There are 4 elementary schools that feed into Franklin. Plenty of students to fill the 4 core academic classes and the teachers on this dedicated team are all excellent. If anything, some eligible kids had to change to regular/honors or change math class mid-year due to a variety of circumstances.

If you are trying to decide between Franklin and Rachel Carson, most parents choose the center school because of its reputation. But, this creates problems with the school being over-crowded. The school cultures are very different. I have had kids in both AAP programs recently. You need to pick the school that is right for your kid. One of my kids liked Carson and the other one liked Franklin. As a parent, I preferred Franklin as the culture of the school and teachers is to focus on both academic and personal growth & responsibility. RC, on the other hand was more academically focused and independent-minded.

RC principal retiring this year. He was awesome. Curious to see whether a change in administration will change the school culture over the next few years.


Anonymous
Post 06/18/2015 17:52     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Anonymous wrote:Have heard that since the AAP classes at Franklin are under-enrolled (compared to centers like Rachel Carson), they school may be pulling in non-AAP kids to increase class size. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, what criteria will they use to select those kids? TIA


Don't worry there are plenty of smart kids who take Honors classes that were not tagged at AAP. Honors and AAP in Middle School is very similar and more depends on the teacher than whether a child is in AAP or Honors.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2015 17:42     Subject: Anyone here have kids in Franklin MS AAP?
Have heard that since the AAP classes at Franklin are under-enrolled (compared to centers like Rachel Carson), they school may be pulling in non-AAP kids to increase class size. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, what criteria will they use to select those kids? TIA