Anonymous wrote:One other difference not mentioned above is that all the apex kids take AP World History as juniors. Having looked at the curriculum and with a kid taking it now, that class is probably the hardest of the AP social studies classes, as it spans so many years and cultures with disparate themes and a lot of things that most kids won’t have any prior exposure to. It’s worthwhile to take it since many kids otherwise won’t learn about things like the Byzantine empire an the Chinese dynasties etc etc.

Is the decision final that they are winding down apex? I haven’t seen anything about it on th school or parent listserve.

They seem to be keeping it quiet - we have an incoming 9th grader to WJ, who was planning to enter APEX. The removal of the program was mentioned but not really explained at the meeting. The administration obviously didn't want a lot of discussion surrounding it. They want to pass off the Capstone as being a replacement for APEX, which it definitely isn't.

APEX Requirements:

English:
APEX Reach English 9 (cohorted)
APEX Reach English 10 (cohorted)
AP Language and Composition
AP English Literature

Social Studies:
AP National, State and Local Government
AP US History
AP Modern World

Science:
APEX Biology (cohorted)

Other Requirements:
+ at least 4 other AP Courses (to total 9)
+ students choose an academic pathway, which requires a certain number of courses in that academic area (though one path is kind of general)


Requirements to earn the AP Capstone designation on the diploma:
AP Seminar, earning at least a 3 on the test
AP Reserch, earning at least a 3 (few students tend to choose this class because it involves doing a research project/paper/presentation that takes an entire year)
4 other AP courses, earning at least a 3
** One issue not mentioned is that the number of students who will likely choose to graduate with this mark on their diploma will be relatively few compared to APEX, even though the APEX requirements are more challenging overall. So, even if you were to consider AP Capstone to be a replacement program, it will be serving far fewer students than the 200+ APEX students in each graduating class. It's unlikely that there will ever be more than one or two sections of AP Research, based on my calls to other high schools (this is something most high schools in MCPS currently offer, including WJ). AP Research is currently taking place within an AP Seminar section (in the same room at the same time, with the same teacher) because there were not enough students to fill a section of the class. I've spoken to schools that offer two sections of Research, but I haven't found one that is running more than two classes of it (so, maybe 60 students max).

Anonymous wrote:Are they getting rid of all school-specific signature programs county-wide, and leaving only the regional?

No. We feed into Blair and the Communications Arts Program (CAP) will continue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

What school offers on level English 9? I thought it was Honors for all in all of MCPS

WJ is saying they will offer both next year. The distinction is not very meaningful when they both use the same curriculum.

One other difference not mentioned above is that all the apex kids take AP World History as juniors. Having looked at the curriculum and with a kid taking it now, that class is probably the hardest of the AP social studies classes, as it spans so many years and cultures with disparate themes and a lot of things that most kids won’t have any prior exposure to. It’s worthwhile to take it since many kids otherwise won’t learn about things like the Byzantine empire an the Chinese dynasties etc etc.

Is the decision final that they are winding down apex? I haven’t seen anything about it on th school or parent listserve.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

What school offers on level English 9? I thought it was Honors for all in all of MCPS

Anonymous wrote:Are they getting rid of all school-specific signature programs county-wide, and leaving only the regional?

No.

Are they getting rid of all school-specific signature programs county-wide, and leaving only the regional?

^^ And to be clear, you do not read all of the anchor texts. You read ONE of them. In MP1, most schools are going with All American Boys, which is a middle grade novel at best, and some are going with the Magic Fish, which is a simple graphic novel that can be read in a half hour. No schools appear to have chosen A Separate Peace, which is the only one of those books that is at grade level for 9th grade. And in MP4, some schools last year had people watch a Romeo and Juliet movie rather than read the play. So beware -- they may say that it is true honors, but you need to meet with them and hold them accountable. Rising 9th grade WJ families should be meeting to ensure that it is truly an honors curriculum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

APEX English 9 does not use its own curriculum and APEX doesn’t “require” 9 APs. Once students become upperclassmen there really is no APEX. The only difference for APEX students is English 9 and 10 like another poster said.

APEX English 9 dos use its own curriculum. This is the English 9 curriculum: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14XsG7HxnXcr5tO7u7HpE7I28XTur-dKuQmAkJ1T0z_I/edit?tab=t.0

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

APEX English 9 does not use its own curriculum and APEX doesn’t “require” 9 APs. Once students become upperclassmen there really is no APEX. The only difference for APEX students is English 9 and 10 like another poster said.

APEX English 9 absolutely uses its own curriculum. Most of the books read by APEX students in English are those read by Honors students at least one or two grades higher. My daughter (APEX) read Night and Lord of the Flies in 9th grade, and my son (Honors through grade 12) didn't read those books until 10th or 11th grade. APEX also reads two novels per quarter and Honors reads one. The students who take Honors 9th grade English will be required to read books designated only for that grade level - choosing higher level books would mean they'd repeat in grade 10 or grade 11. APEX students in grades 9 and 10 were exposed to higher levels of literature because APEX 9 and 10 coordinated with the department to avoid those conflicts.

This is also a downgrade because WJ already offers the AP Capstone diploma and has for a few years. Every person who chooses to take AP Seminar and AP Research (+ 4 other APs that earn a 3 or higher), automatically receives that designation on the diploma. It's nothing new for WJ and Capstone is not a program; it's simply a notation on the diploma indicating that they passed passed Seminar and Research with a score of 3 or higher, along with 4 other AP courses. APEX required a total of 9 AP classes in addition to the accelerated classes in 9 and 10, and students were required to choose an academic focus of interest within the AP coursework.

Just another example of taking away opportunities for advanced students in MCPS. WJ will lose a lot of students to RMs humanities program and Blair's STEM program because of it. Do parents have an recourse here?

Removing APEX denies an opportunity for accelerated students

RM and Blair will not be available to WJ next year once they pass 6 region plan. We will be stuck with Wheaton as STEM alternative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

APEX English 9 does not use its own curriculum and APEX doesn’t “require” 9 APs. Once students become upperclassmen there really is no APEX. The only difference for APEX students is English 9 and 10 like another poster said.

APEX English 9 absolutely uses its own curriculum. Most of the books read by APEX students in English are those read by Honors students at least one or two grades higher. My daughter (APEX) read Night and Lord of the Flies in 9th grade, and my son (Honors through grade 12) didn't read those books until 10th or 11th grade. APEX also reads two novels per quarter and Honors reads one. The students who take Honors 9th grade English will be required to read books designated only for that grade level - choosing higher level books would mean they'd repeat in grade 10 or grade 11. APEX students in grades 9 and 10 were exposed to higher levels of literature because APEX 9 and 10 coordinated with the department to avoid those conflicts.

This is also a downgrade because WJ already offers the AP Capstone diploma and has for a few years. Every person who chooses to take AP Seminar and AP Research (+ 4 other APs that earn a 3 or higher), automatically receives that designation on the diploma. It's nothing new for WJ and Capstone is not a program; it's simply a notation on the diploma indicating that they passed passed Seminar and Research with a score of 3 or higher, along with 4 other AP courses. APEX required a total of 9 AP classes in addition to the accelerated classes in 9 and 10, and students were required to choose an academic focus of interest within the AP coursework.

Just another example of taking away opportunities for advanced students in MCPS. WJ will lose a lot of students to RMs humanities program and Blair's STEM program because of it. Do parents have an recourse here?

Removing APEX denies an opportunity for accelerated students

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

APEX English 9 does not use its own curriculum and APEX doesn’t “require” 9 APs. Once students become upperclassmen there really is no APEX. The only difference for APEX students is English 9 and 10 like another poster said.

And bio

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher

APEX English 9 does not use its own curriculum and APEX doesn’t “require” 9 APs. Once students become upperclassmen there really is no APEX. The only difference for APEX students is English 9 and 10 like another poster said.

College board is making a ton of money from mcps.

Anonymous wrote:The problem for WJ is that honors and on-level English 9 use the same curriculum. It won’t be the same as APEX English 9, which used its own curriculum. This is a real downgrade.

Downgrade in other ways, too. AP Capstone requires AP Seminar and AP Research + 4 other APs at 3 or higher. Less rigor all around that APEX, which required 9 AP classes, 6 at 3 or higher