Best feeder school for Langley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who looked closely in the area several years ago, and did a lot of research, here are my overall recommendations:

1. Spring Hill - Nice building in a good location across from the county's Spring Hill rec center. The AAP-eligible kids from the school tend to stay there, even though they could attend Churchill Road, which speaks well of the school. Can get crowded.

2. Great Falls - On the smaller side, friendly atmosphere, with the added plus of a Japanese immersion program for those interested.

3. Churchill Road - Best location if you want to be close to Cooper and Langley, and an AAP center, but a high percentage of those in the area send their kids to privates. Enrollment hasn't really recovered from Covid.

4. Colvin Run - Doesn't seem to have strong leadership, more tension between AAP and Gen Ed families than at most center schools. Got the impression some of the Great Falls parents really don't like their kids having to cross Route 7 to attend a school in Vienna.

5. Forestville - The school itself seemed fine, but the location was a negative - it's pretty far out towards Loudoun and closer to Herndon than Cooper/Langley. Very long commute if you stick around for MS/HS.

HTH.

How did you do your research? Colvin Run has a very strong administration and the principal is terrific. The only AAP/gen ed tension I heard about was on DCUM (and all of my kids were gen ed). There are no walkers that cross Route 7 (unless they want to) -- they are eligible for the bus. I have nothing but praise for Colvin Run!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Definitely consider your commenting/daily driving needs. There are some beautiful homes and neighborhoods zoned for Churchill Road, Spring Hill, and Great Falls that require Georgetown Pike. Expanding from a PP’s comment, traffic at the 495 entrance is usually terrible, and this can impact Georgetown Pike for quite a distance. Would definitely recommend checking out the area during times you anticipate being on the road to help give you a feel for what you’re dealing with.

The only time this has ever been an issue for me is during 5:00 pm rush hour. Morning and other times are not bad t all. FWIW, I usually avoid GTP altogether (taking Old Dominion in stead, and cutting across).

Traffic anywhere near Cooper or the 495/Georgetown Pike intersection is a total mess.

Girl, I have a kid at Cooper right now and I drive through the intersection every morning on my way to work, and many evenings to pick my kid up after drama rehearsals. 5:00 is the worst, but all other times are fine. You just have to know how which roads to take and when.

+1
It’s funny when people who clearly don’t have kids at these schools decide to chime in with constant misinformation.

I do live in the neighborhood near Cooper, and the traffic can get pretty bad. I agree it’s not bad at all times of the day, but it can be almost impossible to cross that intersection at 5pm. Not every day, but it’s enough that someone moving to the area should be aware of it.

Sure, rush hour can be bad, but the PPP was implying that it’s always bad, which is absurd. Any area near the beltway will start to back up around rush hour. It is what it is. And I also live in the neighborhood.

This is simply untrue. Some entrances to the Beltway get far more congested than others, and the 495/Georgetown Pike intersection is one of the worst.

It’s not so much that it is always super congested as that it is frequently congested at times when people might be trying to get to Churchill Road ES or Cooper MS. It can get congested well before 5 PM in the afternoon.

It’s a gigantic pain in the azz starting around 4 imo.

Sometimes it’s more like 3:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who looked closely in the area several years ago, and did a lot of research, here are my overall recommendations:

1. Spring Hill - Nice building in a good location across from the county's Spring Hill rec center. The AAP-eligible kids from the school tend to stay there, even though they could attend Churchill Road, which speaks well of the school. Can get crowded.

2. Great Falls - On the smaller side, friendly atmosphere, with the added plus of a Japanese immersion program for those interested.

3. Churchill Road - Best location if you want to be close to Cooper and Langley, and an AAP center, but a high percentage of those in the area send their kids to privates. Enrollment hasn't really recovered from Covid.

4. Colvin Run - Doesn't seem to have strong leadership, more tension between AAP and Gen Ed families than at most center schools. Got the impression some of the Great Falls parents really don't like their kids having to cross Route 7 to attend a school in Vienna.

5. Forestville - The school itself seemed fine, but the location was a negative - it's pretty far out towards Loudoun and closer to Herndon than Cooper/Langley. Very long commute if you stick around for MS/HS.

HTH.

How did you do your research? Colvin Run has a very strong administration and the principal is terrific. The only AAP/gen ed tension I heard about was on DCUM (and all of my kids were gen ed). There are no walkers that cross Route 7 (unless they want to) -- they are eligible for the bus. I have nothing but praise for Colvin Run!

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/dev/posts/list/318333.page

[Anonymous]

Both kids earned spots at the AAP center at Churchill Road. We declined both offers to stay at our base school (Kent Gardens). We also declined French immersion at KG (we don’t speak French). Many local elementary schools now offer full Level IV AAP. Reach out to the PTA and see if you can talk with a parent.

Two family friends earned spots but later pulled their kids out of Churchill due to the culture there. Lots of tiger mommies, exclusion, and unnecessary nastiness.

My kids did fine at KG. One is maintaining a 4.4 at McL and they other was just admitted to TJ / doing geometry in 8th.

Langley has a nicer building than McLean. But it’s less walkable and not better academically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Not in my experience. (I'm the PP) The kids in my neighborhood, including mine, started private at K and stayed that way. I have no idea if there are issues at Cooper, but everyone I do know who had kids there seemed very happy with it. YMMV of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Not in my experience. (I'm the PP) The kids in my neighborhood, including mine, started private at K and stayed that way. I have no idea if there are issues at Cooper, but everyone I do know who had kids there seemed very happy with it. YMMV of course.

Um, I think you meant to say you were a PP up-thread? I am the PP.

In any event:

- there was a really lengthy DCUMAD thread on Cooper which alleged there were problems there,

but if you find it, CHECK THE DATE. Things can change radically in just a few years.

It is a good neighborhood so I can’t imagine there are that many problems there (caveat: mine went to Longfellow, which is a great school). Another plus for Cooper: it is undergoing a much-needed renovation and will be essentially new when your kid starts in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Cooper MS doesn’t have any problems that all other middle schools also have. It’s been a great experience for my kids.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Not in my experience. (I'm the PP) The kids in my neighborhood, including mine, started private at K and stayed that way. I have no idea if there are issues at Cooper, but everyone I do know who had kids there seemed very happy with it. YMMV of course.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Not in my experience. (I'm the PP) The kids in my neighborhood, including mine, started private at K and stayed that way. I have no idea if there are issues at Cooper, but everyone I do know who had kids there seemed very happy with it. YMMV of course.

Um, I think you meant to say you were a PP up-thread? I am the PP.

In any event:

- there was a really lengthy DCUMAD thread on Cooper which alleged there were problems there,

but if you find it, CHECK THE DATE. Things can change radically in just a few years.

It is a good neighborhood so I can’t imagine there are that many problems there (caveat: mine went to Longfellow, which is a great school). Another plus for Cooper: it is undergoing a much-needed renovation and will be essentially new when your kid starts in the fall.

DP. There have also been lengthy threads about all the problems at Longfellow. It’s strange that you’re chiming in considering this is a thread about Langley feeder schools, not McLean. No one is discussing McLean on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood that is zoned for Churchill/Cooper/Langley that is walking distance to Cooper and Langley. Roughly 75% of the kids in the neighborhood go to private schools, not the ones they're zoned for. Just something to be aware of when you're looking at the homes in some of these areas, if this matters to you. Maybe try to pick a time when you can check out the bus drop offs or something.

The problems at Cooper Middle school are the reason people go private.

Not in my experience. (I'm the PP) The kids in my neighborhood, including mine, started private at K and stayed that way. I have no idea if there are issues at Cooper, but everyone I do know who had kids there seemed very happy with it. YMMV of course.

Um, I think you meant to say you were a PP up-thread? I am the PP.

In any event:

- there was a really lengthy DCUMAD thread on Cooper which alleged there were problems there,

but if you find it, CHECK THE DATE. Things can change radically in just a few years.

It is a good neighborhood so I can’t imagine there are that many problems there (caveat: mine went to Longfellow, which is a great school). Another plus for Cooper: it is undergoing a much-needed renovation and will be essentially new when your kid starts in the fall.

DP. There have also been lengthy threads about all the problems at Longfellow. It’s strange that you’re chiming in considering this is a thread about Langley feeder schools, not McLean. No one is discussing McLean on this thread.

Meh.

My kids were offered a spot at the Churchill center (which feeds into Cooper, which feeds into Langley).

If I were OP, I would avoid Churchill road. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both kids earned spots at the AAP center at Churchill Road. We declined both offers to stay at our base school (Kent Gardens). We also declined French immersion at KG (we don’t speak French). Many local elementary schools now offer full Level IV AAP. Reach out to the PTA and see if you can talk with a parent.

Two family friends earned spots but later pulled their kids out of Churchill due to the culture there. Lots of tiger mommies, exclusion, and unnecessary nastiness.

My kids did fine at KG. One is maintaining a 4.4 at McL and they other was just admitted to TJ / doing geometry in 8th.

Langley has a nicer building than McLean. But it’s less walkable and not better academically.

It's McLean mom, here to troll another thread that's not even about McLean. Very insecure. Langley has a huge amount of walkers and is an academically excellent school. Which is why the OP is asking about its feeder schools.

[Anonymous]

When will the cooper renovation be done? I heard they are making progress but it’s still going on?

[Anonymous]

Churchill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When will the cooper renovation be done? I heard they are making progress but it’s still going on?

It’s almost all done. The kids are all in class in the main building now.