Anonymous wrote:

FCPS needs to fix the GT/AAP centers. FCPS needs to have a backbone against parents. The real genius' should solely attend. Not students who almost make the 132...

Sure. Yeah right.

FCPS is going to create a true GT program teaching quantum mechanics and string theory to those "real genius" elementry school students in the secret underground bunker complex behind the CIA. Hell, I suspect that they have already done it. Somehow, your kid just got left behind. Sorry about that...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: They also call those parents, good parents. They are the opposite of parents that take no interest in their children's studies, do not prepare them, do no planning for the best outcome, are uninformed, etc. You can look to statistics for under achieving schools and clearly see a correlation between parental lack of involvement and poor academic performance. That said, both of my children were prepped by me for weeks prior to taking the standardized tests, scored well but not at the highest end. We worked nightly on reading, math, and studying for their tests in first and second grade (as we still do) and they were prepared and did well on their report cards (another pillar considered in admission). I also encouraged them to participate in class and speak their minds and not be shy (see categories of GBRS). Both my children were admitted to the program and are doing great. However, they are not at the genius level. I applaud those parents who instill in their children a sense of work ethic and the associate benefits that result from organization and preparation. Just to be clear, this is not all encompassing. My kids have always enjoyed several after school sports and have time for an hour of tv a day. I would rather have my child in the AAP program if he is borderline as the preparation and enrichment is far superior to the middle of the road work at the base school.

By the way, maligning a parent for wanting the best education for his child by implying they are driven by a need for "bragging rights" is an asinine generalization. Rather, those who advocate exclusion of children who meet the admission metrics, but are not at the genius level are the ones with superiority complexes. Please provide the GBRS scores and the standarized test scores to support your assertion that "I know several in our local center who are there not due to their score meeting the requirement but due to parental persuasion!". Please, admissions are made by a central board with no direct contact to "parental persuasion".

Are you saying you prepped your kids for weeks for the standardized test? I hope you saved up for therapy. You are a bad parent. As pad as the parent that yelled at me last night because they did not like the way I was coaching. Proper engagement is helping with the HW assingments. I bet your kids also have the nicest presentations at the science fair.

Too bad they do not let you take the COGAT for your kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents need to stay out of it (the testing) and let the school system and teachers do their job! Planning what route your child can take before they even enter Kindergarten?
That's not being an informed parent- it's called being an obsessive, controlling parent who needs to have the best for themselves- like bragging rights.
The problem is most children are NOT truly gifted. Too many children are in the centers- and they shouldn't be. I know several in our local center who are there not due to their score meeting the requirement but due to parental persuasion! Parents manipulate the teachers, talk the talk, plan away and prepare their child for the tests.
Children should be scoring all on their own merit and selected on their own merit- not because of anything the parent provide them and most certainly not because the parents wrote a great, flowery recommendation of their child.
FCPS needs to fix the GT/AAP centers. FCPS needs to have a backbone against parents. The real genius' should solely attend. Not students who almost make the 132...

They also call those parents, good parents. They are the opposite of parents that take no interest in their children's studies, do not prepare them, do no planning for the best outcome, are uninformed, etc. You can look to statistics for under achieving schools and clearly see a correlation between parental lack of involvement and poor academic performance. That said, both of my children were prepped by me for weeks prior to taking the standardized tests, scored well but not at the highest end. We worked nightly on reading, math, and studying for their tests in first and second grade (as we still do) and they were prepared and did well on their report cards (another pillar considered in admission). I also encouraged them to participate in class and speak their minds and not be shy (see categories of GBRS). Both my children were admitted to the program and are doing great. However, they are not at the genius level. I applaud those parents who instill in their children a sense of work ethic and the associate benefits that result from organization and preparation. Just to be clear, this is not all encompassing. My kids have always enjoyed several after school sports and have time for an hour of tv a day. I would rather have my child in the AAP program if he is borderline as the preparation and enrichment is far superior to the middle of the road work at the base school.

By the way, maligning a parent for wanting the best education for his child by implying they are driven by a need for "bragging rights" is an asinine generalization. Rather, those who advocate exclusion of children who meet the admission metrics, but are not at the genius level are the ones with superiority complexes. Please provide the GBRS scores and the standarized test scores to support your assertion that "I know several in our local center who are there not due to their score meeting the requirement but due to parental persuasion!". Please, admissions are made by a central board with no direct contact to "parental persuasion".

FCPS needs to fix the GT/AAP centers. FCPS needs to have a backbone against parents. The real genius' should solely attend. Not students who almost make the 132...

Anonymous wrote: They also call those parents, good parents. They are the opposite of parents that take no interest in their children's studies, do not prepare them, do no planning for the best outcome, are uninformed, etc. You can look to statistics for under achieving schools and clearly see a correlation between parental lack of involvement and poor academic performance. That said, both of my children were prepped by me for weeks prior to taking the standardized tests, scored well but not at the highest end. We worked nightly on reading, math, and studying for their tests in first and second grade (as we still do) and they were prepared and did well on their report cards (another pillar considered in admission). I also encouraged them to participate in class and speak their minds and not be shy (see categories of GBRS). Both my children were admitted to the program and are doing great. However, they are not at the genius level. I applaud those parents who instill in their children a sense of work ethic and the associate benefits that result from organization and preparation. Just to be clear, this is not all encompassing. My kids have always enjoyed several after school sports and have time for an hour of tv a day. I would rather have my child in the AAP program if he is borderline as the preparation and enrichment is far superior to the middle of the road work at the base school.

By the way, maligning a parent for wanting the best education for his child by implying they are driven by a need for "bragging rights" is an asinine generalization. Rather, those who advocate exclusion of children who meet the admission metrics, but are not at the genius level are the ones with superiority complexes. Please provide the GBRS scores and the standarized test scores to support your assertion that "I know several in our local center who are there not due to their score meeting the requirement but due to parental persuasion!". Please, admissions are made by a central board with no direct contact to "parental persuasion".

Anonymous wrote:Parents need to stay out of it (the testing) and let the school system and teachers do their job! Planning what route your child can take before they even enter Kindergarten?
That's not being an informed parent- it's called being an obsessive, controlling parent who needs to have the best for themselves- like bragging rights.
The problem is most children are NOT truly gifted. Too many children are in the centers- and they shouldn't be. I know several in our local center who are there not due to their score meeting the requirement but due to parental persuasion! Parents manipulate the teachers, talk the talk, plan away and prepare their child for the tests.
Children should be scoring all on their own merit and selected on their own merit- not because of anything the parent provide them and most certainly not because the parents wrote a great, flowery recommendation of their child.
FCPS needs to fix the GT/AAP centers. FCPS needs to have a backbone against parents. The real genius' should solely attend. Not students who almost make the 132...

Anonymous wrote:Why do you assume your children are smart enough for this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Where can you find out the breakout of demographics? We are Asian-American. DH and I are of different descent and only speak English in the house so our kids are not ESOL. I've been told me that some Asian kids are put into the ESOL category even if they do not attend ESOL classes because they speak a second language at home.