Anonymous
Post 05/17/2011 19:27     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:PP - Could you share some more about your experiences at Willow Springs? At the presentation, the general themes they kept repeating was for parents to teach multiplication tables over the summer and to help with organizational skills.

My DD is one of those highly intelligent kids, but does not do well with organization or rote memorization tasks. So I was getting the feeling that WS is more for gifted kids without "issues" - the kind that can plow through mounds of homework easily. That is not my daughter. She loves learning, reads all the time, is highly curious, learns very easily -- but she pages of arithmetic, worksheets, etc. frustrate her to no end.

At the presentation, they emphasized how much more work it would be, but didn't give any tangible examples of the quality of the work.

I hate to take a chance on switching to the Center, with all the social changes that entails, unless I have more information to go on. I talked with the principal about my concerns, but she seemed very superficial in her responses and unwilling to give me anything but a canned response.


I am not the poster that you are referring to, but my child is just finishing his 3rd grade year at Willow Springs. I agree that I thought the school felt kind of cold at the orientation last year, and it made us think very hard about what we should do. Ultimately, we put him in the program and we have had nothing but a positive experience. The teachers are excellent and the school, although not all touchy feely, has some very awesome activities. I would highly recommend it and know that we made the right decision.

BTW..Multiplication facts are VERY important, but my child struggled with it all year and has still done well. My child also has about 20 minutes to 40 minutes of homework a night. It depends on how distracted he happens to be that night. I can also assure you that the kids in his class are not perfect and there are enough 'issues' to go around.
Anonymous
Post 05/17/2011 19:19     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:I'm curious which Center school presentations you all found impressive. I was at Willow Springs and I thought the presentations were not very informative, welcoming, or encouraging.


My DC is at Willow Springs and I agree that the presentation wasn't all that great, but I can tell you that we absolutely LOVE the school and LOVE the AAP Program. Our child has done very well and the 'tag team' approach to teaching that they have has been wonderful for him. He loves both of the teachers, and we have found them very easy to work with.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2011 07:24     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:I thought the AAP presentation was very good. But I was surprised that not many of my DC's friends were there. Is anyone else facing this issue?


I know kids that are in the program (and doing well) that got in on appeal. They didn't attend their orientation.
I know kids that were accepted into the program, but chose not to enter the program. Some didn't attend their orientation, and some attended but in the end stayed in regular classes.

I told dd that even though she met up with her friends at orientation, that didn't mean that she'd see them next year.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2011 22:12     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
I thought the AAP presentation was very good. But I was surprised that not many of my DC's friends were there. Is anyone else facing this issue?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2011 16:40     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Any feedback on Keene Mill AAP Center presentation? We didn't attend (we're staying in local level IV program for the time being).
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2011 10:49     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
I was very impressed with the Mosby Woods Center presentation this morning. They had a string quartet playing when we walked in (students can take strings starting in 3rd grade). The principal spoke; some of the AAP teachers spoke; the counselor spoke; and a few parents of current AAP kids spoke as did a few of the students. Everyone was extremely nice, not boastful about the school - but realistic. (One of the parents said the Center was right for one of her students, but she didn't send her other because she didn't feel it was right for him, and the principal mentioned that the Center is not for everyone.) Our kids did a project somewhere else during the presentation. Then we all went on a quick student-led tour of the school.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2011 09:19     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:I'm curious which Center school presentations you all found impressive. I was at Willow Springs and I thought the presentations were not very informative, welcoming, or encouraging.


I found our Center's presentation was quite well done. (Canterbury Woods)
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2011 08:58     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:PP - Could you share some more about your experiences at Willow Springs? At the presentation, the general themes they kept repeating was for parents to teach multiplication tables over the summer and to help with organizational skills.

My DD is one of those highly intelligent kids, but does not do well with organization or rote memorization tasks. So I was getting the feeling that WS is more for gifted kids without "issues" - the kind that can plow through mounds of homework easily. That is not my daughter. She loves learning, reads all the time, is highly curious, learns very easily -- but she pages of arithmetic, worksheets, etc. frustrate her to no end.

At the presentation, they emphasized how much more work it would be, but didn't give any tangible examples of the quality of the work.

I hate to take a chance on switching to the Center, with all the social changes that entails, unless I have more information to go on. I talked with the principal about my concerns, but she seemed very superficial in her responses and unwilling to give me anything but a canned response.


I'm the PP with the older child at WS. Sounds like the same presentation we had several yars ago. Mulitiplication tables need to be learned, but a lot of the kids didn't have them memorized when school started. Mine didn't. Honestly, the homework load was a non-issue. As in suprisingly little. My DC is one of those quirky kids - and the best thing about WS was that there was a peer group - no longer the odd one out. I'm underwhelmed with the school admininstration, but the teachers seem to be good and challenging in the classroom. There were weekly vocabularly tests, unit tests and a handful of projects in 3rd grade if I remember correctly. Nothing, imo, overly burndensome. My kid plays several sports, including travel and school work never interfered. DC is doing well academically and it was the right choice for us, despite the somewhat sterile school environment.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 14:50     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
I thought White Oaks did a great job with their presentation. I am really excited about the program.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 14:39     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
PP - Could you share some more about your experiences at Willow Springs? At the presentation, the general themes they kept repeating was for parents to teach multiplication tables over the summer and to help with organizational skills.

My DD is one of those highly intelligent kids, but does not do well with organization or rote memorization tasks. So I was getting the feeling that WS is more for gifted kids without "issues" - the kind that can plow through mounds of homework easily. That is not my daughter. She loves learning, reads all the time, is highly curious, learns very easily -- but she pages of arithmetic, worksheets, etc. frustrate her to no end.

At the presentation, they emphasized how much more work it would be, but didn't give any tangible examples of the quality of the work.

I hate to take a chance on switching to the Center, with all the social changes that entails, unless I have more information to go on. I talked with the principal about my concerns, but she seemed very superficial in her responses and unwilling to give me anything but a canned response.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 12:25     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:I'm curious which Center school presentations you all found impressive. I was at Willow Springs and I thought the presentations were not very informative, welcoming, or encouraging.


I have an older DC at Willow Springs. I agree that the presentations are poor. The school is not that welcoming in general. That said, my child has thrived in the AAP environment which I attribute to the peer group - it just wasn't there at the base school. You need to make your decision based on your child's needs. Good luck.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 11:58     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:PP -- Just writing to clarify what happens in a middle school Center school. My DD is in 7th grade at Frost and enrolled in the Center. She has the option of taking all Center classes (ss, science, English) or taking honors or regular. She is in the Center. Other non-eligible kids can take honors classes, but can NOT opt to take Center classes. Everyone in her classes are level IV.

Math is different. All kids -- Center eligible or not -- must test in to take algebra in 7th grade. So there are some Center eligible taking 7 Honors as well as some non-eligible taking algebra.


ok - thanks - so to confirm/summarize:

at gt center middle schools - there are (a) center classes, (b) open-honor classes and both (a) and (b) have math grade 7 honors algebra test-in, and (c) general ed classses

at non-gt center middle schools, there are only (b) and (c) above


next question:

is the open honors policy mean that middle school center classes are on the way out, or that center classes in middle school gt centers are here to stay, but the honors-level is being openned up for all kids per their choice?
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 11:39     Subject: Re:Really liked the AAP center Orientation
PP -- Just writing to clarify what happens in a middle school Center school. My DD is in 7th grade at Frost and enrolled in the Center. She has the option of taking all Center classes (ss, science, English) or taking honors or regular. She is in the Center. Other non-eligible kids can take honors classes, but can NOT opt to take Center classes. Everyone in her classes are level IV.

Math is different. All kids -- Center eligible or not -- must test in to take algebra in 7th grade. So there are some Center eligible taking 7 Honors as well as some non-eligible taking algebra.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 11:29     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anyone can choose to take honors classes in the four core subject (English, Math, Soc.Studies, Sci) at any middle school. There is no testing required, nor do you need to have gone to a gt center.

The only exception to this is Algebra in 7th grade. In order to take algebra I believe you have to pass the IOWA math test with a 91% or better. They give this to ALL 6th graders taking compacted math, not just the ones at a GT center.

Once the kids are in middle school, they can be in classes with anyone who chooses to take the same classes they do - there is no differentiation between "center" kids and non center kids.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2011 11:20     Subject: Really liked the AAP center Orientation
Anonymous wrote:Based on the website, your child can go to the designated GT center middle school or they can go to their base middle school and take honors classes there.

In middle school, anyone can take honors classes. But, kids must test into Honors Alegebra.


it's still a bit unclear to me - so in middle schools - even those with a gt center - there are no "gt classes" just honors-only classes, even for the gt kids, and other non-gt kids can test into them?