tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post9165974949602638164..comments2023-09-16T04:58:07.261-04:00Comments on the Annandale Blog: Major changes proposed by FCPS for Advanced Academic Program centers Annandale Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07543558586252790593noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-17567790059335280742012-12-07T19:59:36.681-05:002012-12-07T19:59:36.681-05:00"It should also be pointed out that the numbe..."It should also be pointed out that the numbers 11 (for Poe) and 24 (for Holmes) are for rising 6th graders only, not all of grades 6-8. So you cannot compare the number 150 to 11."<br /><br />True. Critical mass is 100 students per grade level in middle school. So a high-quality Poe MS AAP Center should be 300 students in grades 6 - 8. The projected numbers for a fully implemented Center are nowhere close to that figure.<br /><br />"In addition, more students are getting into the program, so in subsequent years the projected numbers per grade will only increase."<br /><br />Yes, the percentage of AAP Center eligible students has increased to over 20% County-wide. This is one of the facts that has been illuminated due to this rushed proposal. A bloated Advanced Academics of over 20% is not "gifted" education, and the Fairfax County School Board needs to reassess what the County policy should be for such services.<br /><br />FCPS staff have still not posted their revised recommendations as of the Friday evening before a Monday School Board work session. Perhaps the revised recommendation will be posted the same day as the work session (?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-22737531784502036582012-12-06T15:30:40.956-05:002012-12-06T15:30:40.956-05:00But that is basically what currently exists - a ce...But that is basically what currently exists - a center at Glasgow that serves Holmes and Glasgow students - and what they are trying to fix. (Poe AAP students currently attend Frost). <br /><br />The idea is to put the Annandale students in the Annandale pyramid so that the kids can make a better transition to high school, among other reasons. Those that have to go out of boundary for AAP services are not happy about it. However, combining the Poe and Holmes students for one center at Holmes is a viable option. <br /><br />It should also be pointed out that the numbers 11 (for Poe) and 24 (for Holmes) are for rising 6th graders only, not all of grades 6-8. So you cannot compare the number 150 to 11. By combining Poe and Holmes into one center you can now compare 35 to 50. For two sections per grade, I would think 40 students per grade is sufficient, so now it seems reasonable. The projected numbers also do not include any students that plan on invoking their AAP status for middle school, for instance rising 6th graders from Bailey's ES. In addition, more students are getting into the program, so in subsequent years the projected numbers per grade will only increase. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-19638503959023769682012-12-06T07:57:52.466-05:002012-12-06T07:57:52.466-05:00That makes a lot of sense to me. I think you have...That makes a lot of sense to me. I think you have a good idea. They can evaluate later to see if there is a need to expand the AAP otherwise just keep schools combined.CDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-73067031397038422272012-12-05T09:18:40.645-05:002012-12-05T09:18:40.645-05:00I completely agree. Neither Poe nor Holmes has en...I completely agree. Neither Poe nor Holmes has enough AAP students to have a viable center with their projected enrollment of 11 and 24 (per grade) AAP students.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-71559939777720611702012-12-04T19:03:05.633-05:002012-12-04T19:03:05.633-05:00I would love to know why Mason Crest was ever put ...I would love to know why Mason Crest was ever put in the Annandale High School pyramid. None of the students will ever go to Annandale. They feed into Falls Church H.S. and Stuart. Sending the kids to Braddock for an AAP center takes them away from kids that they will go to High School with. I would definitely choose to keep them at Mason Crest's in school AAP program over sending them to Braddock for this very reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-39254147728312514902012-12-04T18:33:38.997-05:002012-12-04T18:33:38.997-05:00I think having an MS AAP Center at Poe MS is a bad...I think having an MS AAP Center at Poe MS is a bad idea. FCPS staff project that Poe MS would have 11 students in the AAP Center! An AAP Center needs at least 2 classes per grade level to have a viable Center. Therefore, there would need to be at least 150 AAP Center eligible students in order to have a viable MS AAP Center. Perhaps it makes sense to combine Poe MS, Holmes MS, and Glasgow MS into a single AAP Center.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-11543800666825678012012-12-03T10:18:06.797-05:002012-12-03T10:18:06.797-05:00agreed -- as traffic gets worse (and it never gets...agreed -- as traffic gets worse (and it never gets better, does it?) it is more important to spread the AAP centers around geographically. No student should ever have to cross the Beltway to go to school, should be a core principle. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-40884464548792463582012-12-03T08:51:21.583-05:002012-12-03T08:51:21.583-05:00I like the idea of having one per cluster. I think...I like the idea of having one per cluster. I think we should go for it and not sit back and wait. Let the kids get started. I know some parents decided not to send their kids to AAP because it would be too much to send kids all around. This could make it easier. CDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-24417654661629883272012-12-02T16:31:29.941-05:002012-12-02T16:31:29.941-05:00I drive a school bus. This year I drive out of bo...I drive a school bus. This year I drive out of boundary middle school kids to an AAP center; they are on the bus 45 minutes each way, 1 hr 30 minutes a day! That's ridiculous. That maks one more big noisy bus spewing diesel fumes in the neighborhoods. Their base middle school is excellent, and not far. Surely having a center in each pyramid is a better use of resources, and time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246743662284890173.post-81430927856974490562012-12-02T11:35:51.555-05:002012-12-02T11:35:51.555-05:00Thanks for the update. I wasn't able to attend...Thanks for the update. I wasn't able to attend this meeting but am hoping to make it to Sandy's meeting on the 17th. Jill Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14971771490896500225noreply@blogger.com