a good laptop for TJ

Ha ha ha! That was my post!

My DD will be at TJ in the fall. She needs a new backpack anyway, so I asked 2 people I personally knew with kids at TJ what they suggested. Specifically I was concerned about lockers and locker sizes. One said to get a backpack big enough for a laptop. The other person said she didn't need a laptop right away.

I wanted more opinions, but those are the only 2 people I personally know with kids currently at TJ, so I reached out to the only other group I know with a large number of kids at TJ, FCAG. The PP here was paraphrasing, because specifically I asked if she really needed a laptop her freshman year. I got several informative replies on the group as well as a few parents who emailed me directly with info. Everyone was very helpful. Several people explained in detail how the kids carried their books during the day, they don't have lockers, etc. It is very different from the way things work at our base HS and how her MS worked, so I was glad I posted.

I almost posted the same question here. The replies on this thread are indicative of why I didn't feel like I would get helpful responses.

It's a decent list to subscribe to, not great, but a useful place to find info. It's not anonymous like this so you get to avoid a lot of the snark.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, today people posted about a good laptop for TJ

TJ requires a special kind of laptop?!?

NP here but you we'll know that isn't what was asked.

No idea what was asked but the PP did not say "about a good laptop for high school" but for TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, today people posted about a good laptop for TJ

TJ requires a special kind of laptop?!?

NP here but you we'll know that isn't what was asked.

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, today people posted about a good laptop for TJ

TJ requires a special kind of laptop?!?

Anonymous wrote:It is the epicenter of evil

If your biggest problem in life is the existence of FCAG, you lead a pretty charmed life. Seriously, today people posted about a good laptop for TJ, SAT prep, and a need for an academic enrichment camp for a certain week. Not your cup of tea? Maybe. But hardly epicenter of evil is way OTT.

Anyway, I have a 2e kid, and some of parents there were very helpful in getting the right testing/ documentation/ accommodations. They also have a nice summer camp fair. Also, agree that the tone is civil and helpful, because you aren't anonymous. Certainly, nobody says that you need to have kids in AAP to signup. I used FCAG as a resource for things like summer camp before my DCs qualified. And would have kept using it if they hadn't.

It is the epicenter of evil

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've found FCAG to be really helpful to me when I was new to Fairfax County and didn't know about AAP. And I don't find the discussions to be ego-centric - for me they are mainly informative.

FCAG's Yahoo group is pretty much just a place to talk about TJ.

+1

I think the postings there about high school are all about TJ. No one posts there about high school programs (AP, IB, dual enrollment, academy courses) other than TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've found FCAG to be really helpful to me when I was new to Fairfax County and didn't know about AAP. And I don't find the discussions to be ego-centric - for me they are mainly informative.

+1. I've been an FCAG member for years and don't know what these other posters are referring to, truly. I think maybe they are not actual FCAG members but part of the growing backlash against AAP, which tends to paint the program in an elitist light. For my kids, it is a special-needs program that made it possible for them to attend public school, fit in socially, and feel at home academically. It is not an accomplishment or a gold star.

+2. I signed up for their yahoo group several years ago, and have always found it to be helpful and informative on all levels of AAP, as well as 2e issues, extracurriculars and camps, and college admissions They also have several events each year like a summer camp fair, AP/IB info sessions, and , I think, some sessions with school board members that you can attend without paying for a membership ( which I think costs like $10 a year). Certainly, there are some parents with a very high opinion of their DC, but the tone is generally more down to earth, and certainly less snarky, than a chuck of the DCUM a AAP (or VA public schools or college) boards

Anonymous wrote:I've found FCAG to be really helpful to me when I was new to Fairfax County and didn't know about AAP. And I don't find the discussions to be ego-centric - for me they are mainly informative.

+1. I've been an FCAG member for years and don't know what these other posters are referring to, truly. I think maybe they are not actual FCAG members but part of the growing backlash against AAP, which tends to paint the program in an elitist light. For my kids, it is a special-needs program that made it possible for them to attend public school, fit in socially, and feel at home academically. It is not an accomplishment or a gold star.

Anonymous wrote:I've found FCAG to be really helpful to me when I was new to Fairfax County and didn't know about AAP. And I don't find the discussions to be ego-centric - for me they are mainly informative.

FCAG's Yahoo group is pretty much just a place to talk about TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the comments so far. I am trying to learn more about high school options (not TJ, but Advanced Placement, IB Diploma, and academy courses). Would a FCAG membership be a good idea so I can learn more about these high school options?

Not worth it if those are your interests. There are a few members/posters whose kids ended up at IB schools, but the topics of primary interest are the ES/ MS AAP programs, TJ admissions, and enrichment programs. You can find more information about IB and Academy programs for free on the FCPS web site than you'll find in FCAG materials.

Not so. As a matter of fact, FCAG is having a panel discussion about IB vs. AP programs on December 10th at 7pm at Kilmer.

^^ Thanks for posting this

Point is you don't need a paying membership in FCAG to attend the program and it's unlikely much will be presented about AP and IB you can't already find on the FCPS web site.

Thank you.

I've found FCAG to be really helpful to me when I was new to Fairfax County and didn't know about AAP. And I don't find the discussions to be ego-centric - for me they are mainly informative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the comments so far. I am trying to learn more about high school options (not TJ, but Advanced Placement, IB Diploma, and academy courses). Would a FCAG membership be a good idea so I can learn more about these high school options?

Not worth it if those are your interests. There are a few members/posters whose kids ended up at IB schools, but the topics of primary interest are the ES/ MS AAP programs, TJ admissions, and enrichment programs. You can find more information about IB and Academy programs for free on the FCPS web site than you'll find in FCAG materials.

Not so. As a matter of fact, FCAG is having a panel discussion about IB vs. AP programs on December 10th at 7pm at Kilmer.

^^ Thanks for posting this

Point is you don't need a paying membership in FCAG to attend the program and it's unlikely much will be presented about AP and IB you can't already find on the FCPS web site.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the comments so far. I am trying to learn more about high school options (not TJ, but Advanced Placement, IB Diploma, and academy courses). Would a FCAG membership be a good idea so I can learn more about these high school options?

Not worth it if those are your interests. There are a few members/posters whose kids ended up at IB schools, but the topics of primary interest are the ES/ MS AAP programs, TJ admissions, and enrichment programs. You can find more information about IB and Academy programs for free on the FCPS web site than you'll find in FCAG materials.

Not so. As a matter of fact, FCAG is having a panel discussion about IB vs. AP programs on December 10th at 7pm at Kilmer.

^^ Thanks for posting this