I think if your kids go to a non center neighborhood school, it is hard to understand how ugly the center school vibe can get.

We really love. Wakefield Forest

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love our school, Virginia Run. It has a really friendly neighborhood school feel even though several different neighborhoods are zoned for the school. Have had 4 excellent teachers and 1 decent one.

(Must every thread turn into an AAP debate, guys?)

+1 On both points. We've been really happy at Virginia Run, as well. We are planning to move soon and will be sad to leave this school.

Agree that the AAP debate needs to be moved to its own thread.

The OP asked whether we love our FCPS elementary schools. For many of us, that answer is directly related to whether the elementary school is an AAP center or not, and if so, what the climate is like between AAP and Gen Ed kids. It's quite often very, very bad. This affects whether or not we "love" our elementary school, and is directly pertinent to the OP's question.

PP here. Discussing the climate between AAP and Gen Ed kids is one thing, but debating whether someone's child is "dumb" or not because he/she did not qualify for AAP is not relevant to the OP's question. This should be moved to the AAP forum, assuming the poster is not a troll (and I wouldn't bet on that).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love our school, Virginia Run. It has a really friendly neighborhood school feel even though several different neighborhoods are zoned for the school. Have had 4 excellent teachers and 1 decent one.

(Must every thread turn into an AAP debate, guys?)

+1 On both points. We've been really happy at Virginia Run, as well. We are planning to move soon and will be sad to leave this school.

Agree that the AAP debate needs to be moved to its own thread.

The OP asked whether we love our FCPS elementary schools. For many of us, that answer is directly related to whether the elementary school is an AAP center or not, and if so, what the climate is like between AAP and Gen Ed kids. It's quite often very, very bad. This affects whether or not we "love" our elementary school, and is directly pertinent to the OP's question.

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Anonymous wrote:Small school. Kids are very aware if they are the smart kids in AAP or they're not. Awful. The whole FCPS model of centers, of separating kids in 3rd grade is awful. My fault I didn't know enough when we moved to FCPS. Would not have moved here.

Which school?

Maybe your fault for not having a smart kid?

FCPS teacher here - very few aap kids are actually smarter. It's a mixed bag of "has pushy parents," works really hard (but is in no way brilliant), and developed early or was redshirted. Here and there a true genius - but it's rare.

How do we know you are the real FCPS teacher here?
It's more likely you're a sour grape parent whose dumb kids couldn't get in AAP.

Please tell me this was a troll. I have 2 kids in AAP, and one who is not. I am appalled that an adult would say this, calling another person's child dumb?

So a kid cannot be dumb? If yes, what's the problem of telling the truth on an anonymous forum? Stop being a hypocrite!

The only dumb person I see is you. You do realize that not being in AAP doesn't mean a child is "dumb," don't you? Just as being in AAP doesn't mean a child is a genius. By any stretch of the imagination. Moron.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small school. Kids are very aware if they are the smart kids in AAP or they're not. Awful. The whole FCPS model of centers, of separating kids in 3rd grade is awful. My fault I didn't know enough when we moved to FCPS. Would not have moved here.

Which school?

Maybe your fault for not having a smart kid?

FCPS teacher here - very few aap kids are actually smarter. It's a mixed bag of "has pushy parents," works really hard (but is in no way brilliant), and developed early or was redshirted. Here and there a true genius - but it's rare.

How do we know you are the real FCPS teacher here?
It's more likely you're a sour grape parent whose dumb kids couldn't get in AAP.

Please tell me this was a troll. I have 2 kids in AAP, and one who is not. I am appalled that an adult would say this, calling another person's child dumb?

Oh, the PP's attitude is par for the course. Nothing new here.

Anonymous wrote:Small school. Kids are very aware if they are the smart kids in AAP or they're not. Awful. The whole FCPS model of centers, of separating kids in 3rd grade is awful. My fault I didn't know enough when we moved to FCPS. Would not have moved here.

Exactly the same experience, though ours is a large school. Horrible. We would also never have moved here had we known. Centers are truly the worst.

My kids are at Colvin Run (gen ed) and love it. We started at the school too late to consider AAP, but it doesn't really matter. My kids are well-adjusted, did well on the SOLs, and really enjoy the curriculum. Our Kinder LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, it.

Anonymous wrote:Not our school but I've met over 10 parents who rave about Spring Hill. Not in our budget unfortunately.

I'm sure it's a fine school (we lived in the Hamlet, where everyone is nice); however, my son attended K there several years ago, and we did not love his teachers. My son was well-behaved and quiet, but did not fit whatever mold kindergarten was looking for - and they let us know it. My son is an outstanding rising 7th grader now, but I still can't get over how his K teachers treated him! I know, I know...

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Anonymous wrote:Our experience at Olde Creek has been meh. Not awesome, not bad just mediocre at best.

The OP wrote, "If so, which school and what do you love about it?". Why are people posting the opposite?

because we have opinions.

Sure, but the OP specifically asked for schools people like and explanations why the are liked.

Yes, but a one sentence post about why you like a school doesn't really give anyone an idea of how good a school is. It's just someone's opinion without any evidence to back it up. And also people aren't posting about the entire package of the school. Just their own child's experience.

So elaborate upon why a school is liked. I think the OP is expecting that from one child's experience. The OP didn't ask for negative experiences, so don't pipe in with them.

My kids were at Dogwood K-2. Excellent staff, low student-teacher ratio, AAP teacher was really attentive also. Teachers are really dedicated. Administration terrific. Now we are at Sunrise Valley. We have been equally pleased. Nice amount of challenge in a much smaller school. Lots of classes offered before school. I have one in AAP, and one in gen Ed with an IEP and advanced math FWIW. Positive Special Ed experiences at both schools.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Our experience at Olde Creek has been meh. Not awesome, not bad just mediocre at best.

The OP wrote, "If so, which school and what do you love about it?". Why are people posting the opposite?

because we have opinions.

Sure, but the OP specifically asked for schools people like and explanations why the are liked.

Yes, but a one sentence post about why you like a school doesn't really give anyone an idea of how good a school is. It's just someone's opinion without any evidence to back it up. And also people aren't posting about the entire package of the school. Just their own child's experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our experience at Olde Creek has been meh. Not awesome, not bad just mediocre at best.

The OP wrote, "If so, which school and what do you love about it?". Why are people posting the opposite?

because we have opinions.

Sure, but the OP specifically asked for schools people like and explanations why the are liked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our experience at Olde Creek has been meh. Not awesome, not bad just mediocre at best.

The OP wrote, "If so, which school and what do you love about it?". Why are people posting the opposite?

because we have opinions.

Anonymous wrote:Our experience at Olde Creek has been meh. Not awesome, not bad just mediocre at best.

The OP wrote, "If so, which school and what do you love about it?". Why are people posting the opposite?