Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 22:02     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:Wow Wow Wow. So if parents have money then kids must be gifted.... Never encountered such extreme ignorance.


No, that is not what was said. There is a correlation between income and education. Are there brilliant high school dropouts? Of course. But to dismiss higher performing students out of hand due to their parents' income/education isn't fair either.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 21:36     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Wow Wow Wow. So if parents have money then kids must be gifted.... Never encountered such extreme ignorance.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 21:26     Subject: attitude about appeals
I'm guessing this is Haycock. At our orientation last year, the principal seemed to be trying to play into all the negatives in the hopes that people would choose to stay at their base schools. It was really awkward and unprofessional.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 21:16     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps, but I think that's largely a demographic thing. Parents who can afford a roughly $2m house would theoretically be well educated and have gifted type children. Also, at the orientation I attended it was emphasized that AAP is for chdren who show the potential for giftedness, which also I think extends to the overall affluence and higher education that is prevalent in Vienna specifically.


Theoretically. Have met plenty of wealthy folks around here who are far from rocket scientists. There's not always a correlation.

And Vienna, specifically, as opposed to McLean? Potomac? Bethesda? Parts of DC? Loudoun? Not buying it?
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 20:57     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Perhaps, but I think that's largely a demographic thing. Parents who can afford a roughly $2m house would theoretically be well educated and have gifted type children. Also, at the orientation I attended it was emphasized that AAP is for chdren who show the potential for giftedness, which also I think extends to the overall affluence and higher education that is prevalent in Vienna specifically.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 20:44     Subject: attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just went to our AAP orientation today and it kind of surprised me that there was a little bit of a tone and a look the principal and AAP teachers made when asked about number of kids teachers etc. they talked about how it changes b/c of appeals. it wasn't a blatant eye roll, but it was obvious what they thought of appeals and how it increases the numbers.

I have a friend appealing so I am just curious, does the appeal label follow the kids? is it mostly accepted that the appeal kids belong there and that it is very possible kids that missed should be in app?

just curious, what the tone is at other schools.


If this was in Vienna, you completely read into it. There was no tone or look given. The principal simply said there were 90 eligible kids, most rising second graders and that as of now it is impossible to answer how many kids will be in each class, relative to class size.


Really hope this isn't the new center at Westbriar, as this would be three classes and already over projections -- also close to or greater than base population of rising second graders.



That comment was made at the orientation for Louise Archer.


It may have been LA, but it could easily have been describing Colvin Run too. AAP classes outnumber general ed. Very sad.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 19:22     Subject: attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just went to our AAP orientation today and it kind of surprised me that there was a little bit of a tone and a look the principal and AAP teachers made when asked about number of kids teachers etc. they talked about how it changes b/c of appeals. it wasn't a blatant eye roll, but it was obvious what they thought of appeals and how it increases the numbers.

I have a friend appealing so I am just curious, does the appeal label follow the kids? is it mostly accepted that the appeal kids belong there and that it is very possible kids that missed should be in app?

just curious, what the tone is at other schools.


If this was in Vienna, you completely read into it. There was no tone or look given. The principal simply said there were 90 eligible kids, most rising second graders and that as of now it is impossible to answer how many kids will be in each class, relative to class size.


Really hope this isn't the new center at Westbriar, as this would be three classes and already over projections -- also close to or greater than base population of rising second graders.



That comment was made at the orientation for Louise Archer.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 19:05     Subject: attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just went to our AAP orientation today and it kind of surprised me that there was a little bit of a tone and a look the principal and AAP teachers made when asked about number of kids teachers etc. they talked about how it changes b/c of appeals. it wasn't a blatant eye roll, but it was obvious what they thought of appeals and how it increases the numbers.

I have a friend appealing so I am just curious, does the appeal label follow the kids? is it mostly accepted that the appeal kids belong there and that it is very possible kids that missed should be in app?

just curious, what the tone is at other schools.


If this was in Vienna, you completely read into it. There was no tone or look given. The principal simply said there were 90 eligible kids, most rising second graders and that as of now it is impossible to answer how many kids will be in each class, relative to class size.


Really hope this isn't the new center at Westbriar, as this would be three classes and already over projections -- also close to or greater than base population of rising second graders.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 19:02     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:Appeals and what they may or may not represent is not the only issue for concern....how legitimate is a program where numerous siblings are found AAP eligible and they all happen to be children of teachers, parent volunteers or PTA representatives? Most are not in the "having to appeal" category....


This is largely parent generated and made possible by the shift from a "gifted" program to accelerated academics classes, which could as easily be administered at the local school in many communities if FCPS would get realistic and find a backbone.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 18:58     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:Appeals and what they may or may not represent is not the only issue for concern....how legitimate is a program where numerous siblings are found AAP eligible and they all happen to be children of teachers, parent volunteers or PTA representatives? Most are not in the "having to appeal" category....

The committee can't review any files from any schools where those committee members work. Also, our first and second grade classrooms have almost zero parent volunteers at all.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 18:56     Subject: Re:attitude about appeals
Appeals and what they may or may not represent is not the only issue for concern....how legitimate is a program where numerous siblings are found AAP eligible and they all happen to be children of teachers, parent volunteers or PTA representatives? Most are not in the "having to appeal" category....
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 18:00     Subject: attitude about appeals
The eye rolling and subtle demeaning of parents is not unusual.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 17:32     Subject: attitude about appeals
many personal observations
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 07:05     Subject: attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:Re: your orientation observation - very unprofessional on their part - which, unfortunately, doesn't surprise me.


So based on one anonymous person's observation of a tone change and facial expression, you've deemed that the school staff was unprofessional. I have some great property I'd love to sell you.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2014 06:30     Subject: attitude about appeals
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Re: your orientation observation - very unprofessional on their part - which, unfortunately, doesn't surprise me.


I don't think it's unprofessional. I think it's a sign of the growing frustration many teachers feel about the bloated AAP program. Let's face it, these teachers have more experience with how AAP works or doesn't work than your average first-time parent at an orientation. How far do they have to go in pretending that the often artificial stratification AAP creates in many schools?


+1000