Having ushered an older sibling through Laurel Ridge and on to Robinson I can confirm that the AAP kids have a more challenging and interesting elementary school curriculum. Ours is just finishing up AAP at White Oaks with the excellent 6th grade teaching team in new classrooms. We originally expected to transfer to middle school honors at Robinson but our kid wants to continue AAP at Lake Braddock and stay on for high school as a world language/AP transfer. We're not as plugged into school life as we were at Laurel Ridge, which is just blocks away and filled with neighbors. But that's hardly the fault of White Oaks. All in all, I'd say the decision has worked out.

For the parents who keep their DC in LR, do you think it is a difference between Lv 4 in WO and Lv 3 in LR? Especially math, would the Lv 3 cover same area as Lv 4?

I would stay at Laurel Ridge. The good teachers at at White Oaks started retiring or moving on a few years ago. There are only a few left. The new teachers have been mean, snarky, and poor at controlling classrooms. A gen ed teacher is even teaching AAP math in a defensive, snarky, you are supposed to be the smart kids way. If you complain, the admin assures you the teacher is being “mentored”.

Op:
More views for you...we have been there 3 years now.

Teacher 1 was nice and DD loved her but she had zero class control/management skills. It was not clear what Admin was doing to help work with her to build this. It was her 1st year there.

Teacher 2 was wildly strict. Seemed to actually kind of dislike the kids. She was also pretty new.

Teacher 3 has been a dream. If I could clone her and have her each year I would be in heaven. She has been there several years I think.

So basically there have been some issues with hiring and training good new teachers to meet the headcount needs at WO but you could luck out and get good ones - or perhaps the new ones will be “broken in” more by next year compared to the growing pains of the last few years.

Aside from teachers - Overall the construction seemed to have REALLY taxed the school feel. That is done now and already this year things are feeling better and more cohesive and school spirit-y.

I'm the PP who went to and stayed at White Oaks and is reasonably happy. Here's a few more details about our DC and our experience that might help:

1. DC is very creative and high energy and launches a lot of self-driven projects. Prior to AAP DC tended to pull kids into projects, do other kids' work for them, distract them. Not any big behavioral issues (really wants to please teachers, usually gets good citizenry scores) but some challenges in the early years. These have largely gone away in AAP.

2. Not too much homework in White Oaks AAP at all. Most days less than 10-15 minutes of hw besides reading for pleasure. There's often some math (usually just a worksheet, not time-consuming, but nothing terribly interesting. There's usually 1 or 2 challenge problems that encourage more thinking). Once in awhile social studies readings and making associated projects/writing /notebooks. One practice I have liked is that many teachers set a maximum on time kids should spend on their homework (45 minutes) and that kids should self-monitor,stop and write a note if they meet the maximum time. The teachers periodically review with the kids how they are making choices about their hw, what they have noticed about those choices. For DC, there's been less than a handful of times that met the 45 min mark ---except when working on a project where it's more driven by the scope of what DC wants to do. I think the hw load might depend on how quick/focused kids are in-school; DC often finishes work in class.

3. There are regular projects that DC enjoys and really push thinking--researching, coming up with imaginative displays and examples. These are fairly common in social studies, language arts and sometimes science. I could see some kids turning them into perfunctory busywork, but I think a creative kid who likes these kinds of things has room to push themselves.

4. The level of class discussion when I've been there for language arts/social studies is quite impressive--a lot of thinking, connecting ideas. Even during recess/open time, the kids invent interesting games and projects.

5. DC's Happiness with school pre-AAP used to be very uneven--some days excited, others really digging in heels against it . This might be age-related, but now while still loves days off and weekends doesn't ever complain about school.

Cons:
-I was really hoping for more science, but so far haven't found it to be that more emphasized/stronger than at base school.
-I do feel that it's harder to connect to the community when you're in AAP--there are events and we go when we can, I volunteer when my work allows and do know a few other AAP parents, but it's not the same as a neighborhood school. I do find I'm forming stronger relationships with a small cohort of my DCs friends parents though.
-I wish math wasn't so worksheet/practice-based. There's occasional interesting problems, but it's mainly just the same thing only a little faster.
-The bus ride eats up DC's day (although it has also eliminated the need for aftercare for us). But DC likes the bus ride--time with friends from other classes and grades--I just find it hard sometimes with scheduling other activities/practices.

How many kids are eligible for Lv 4? U can talk to those parents and check what’s their choice. If many of them stay in base school, your DC should have enough peers (Lv 4 + Lv 3) in same level. Otherwise you may want to go to Center school who are all Lv 4 kids in same class.

But all the kids are different, you have to make a decision for your DC best interest.

How are the third grade teachers at LR? Are they into project based learning and go above and beyond basic curriculum? If you think your child will be challenged enough, has good friends and plan on Robinson, I would stay at LR for the community.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's strange is that both posters are reporting the same facts, but have dramatically differing views on the school. We are on the fence about sending our kid to WO, so any more information about the school would really be appreciated.

I think the deadline to make your choice is May 2? You haven’t response to the AP center yet?

OP could have accepted the center, but still be on the fence.

I am the PP. And yes, we are completely on the fence. We can change our minds pretty much anytime, fwiw. I still would appreciate parents chiming in with their experiences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's strange is that both posters are reporting the same facts, but have dramatically differing views on the school. We are on the fence about sending our kid to WO, so any more information about the school would really be appreciated.

I think the deadline to make your choice is May 2? You haven’t response to the AP center yet?

OP could have accepted the center, but still be on the fence.

Anonymous wrote:What's strange is that both posters are reporting the same facts, but have dramatically differing views on the school. We are on the fence about sending our kid to WO, so any more information about the school would really be appreciated.

I think the deadline to make your choice is May 2? You haven’t response to the AP center yet?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's strange is that both posters are reporting the same facts, but have dramatically differing views on the school. We are on the fence about sending our kid to WO, so any more information about the school would really be appreciated.

I don’t really see dramatically different views from these two posts. They both said the teacher didn’t follow the AAP curriculum and wasn’t effective.

NP. One poster said that after the bad teacher left, the students were moved and it was fine and the other poster said the students were moved and it was terrible. Very different views but also an unusual year that is unlikely to happen again.