Langley School

[Anonymous]

I came across this thread and while it is an older one I thought I would share that I would wait on Langley until the current construction project is completely finished before applying. I also think that 5th grade, maybe 4th grade, and up are good, the lower grades are average at best.

There were also almost 20 new hires for this year, including the head of school, head of middle school and numerous teachers. The director of admissions quit over the summer. The head of lower school has only been there since 2019. For a school with an enrollment around 500 that is a lot of movement, as a comparison our local public school had around 8 new hires this year with an enrollment around 700.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The rising 6th grade is small compared to other grades. I believe the school is doing rolling applications. No guarantee they will be doing in person learning so I’d weigh coming in as a new student who may nit meet their new classmates in person.

You are confused, application isn’t rolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rising 6th grade is small compared to other grades. I believe the school is doing rolling applications. No guarantee they will be doing in person learning so I’d weigh coming in as a new student who may nit meet their new classmates in person.

You are confused, application isn’t rolling.

NP- it’s not rolling, but if spots are available, Langley welcomes late applications. I know a couple families who applied outside the normal admissions window and got accepted mid-year.

[Anonymous]

If Glen Youngkin is an example if the type of people who send their kids to Langley then I’d suggest a hard pass. Guy is a right wing extremist who doesn’t believe in rights for women or people of color.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Glen Youngkin is an example if the type of people who send their kids to Langley then I’d suggest a hard pass. Guy is a right wing extremist who doesn’t believe in rights for women or people of color.

Youngkin has not had kids there in years. I am not a fan of his politically (idk him personally) but here have been two heads of schools in the time since he's been there.You will be hard pressed to find a private school in area without a graduate or parent with strong politial ideology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Glen Youngkin is an example if the type of people who send their kids to Langley then I’d suggest a hard pass. Guy is a right wing extremist who doesn’t believe in rights for women or people of color.

Youngkin has not had kids there in years. I am not a fan of his politically (idk him personally) but here have been two heads of schools in the time since he's been there.You will be hard pressed to find a private school in area without a graduate or parent with strong politial ideology.

PS Kathleen Murphy had kids there at the same time as Youngkin and when she ran for Congress in 2014.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Glen Youngkin is an example if the type of people who send their kids to Langley then I’d suggest a hard pass. Guy is a right wing extremist who doesn’t believe in rights for women or people of color.

I seriously suspect you are just looking for excuses to smear this lovely school. So, McAuliffe sent his kids to Potomac. So what? Do we now choose schools by looking at which politician sent their kids to which schools? You guys are the reason this country is so divided. Writing all of this as an immigrant who is leaning left politically. Schools do not discriminate between the families who apply to their school, so anyone can apply and send their kids to any private school depending on family-school is a match.

Please, choose schools by visiting them and researching the school in terms of the education they provide, not by which celebrity or politician sent their kids there. Doing otherwise is a disservice to your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came across this thread and while it is an older one I thought I would share that I would wait on Langley until the current construction project is completely finished before applying. I also think that 5th grade, maybe 4th grade, and up are good, the lower grades are average at best.

There were also almost 20 new hires for this year, including the head of school, head of middle school and numerous teachers. The director of admissions quit over the summer. The head of lower school has only been there since 2019. For a school with an enrollment around 500 that is a lot of movement, as a comparison our local public school had around 8 new hires this year with an enrollment around 700.

Longtime Langley family here. While no school is perfect and I’ve certainly had my issues with some facets at Langley, much of this needs context. Dr. Scully our head of school who recently left, did so while giving nearly two years of notice and completing her contract. She returned to NCS where she had been a middle school head and is now head of school. Mrs. Laurent our former Lower school head of many years, left as a result of the death of her husband and wanting to live closer to her sons in California. Our middle school head Nola-rae Cronan who was only there for two years also moved west when her husband moved positions. That one was disappointing and unexpected I’ll admit. Finally, our admissions head was a Scully hire and she announced her departure well before the end of the school year. Her Langley student graduated last year as well. It’s a lot of turnover on paper but the culture and community at Langley among parents, faculty and staff is strong. The school effectively managed Covid and was a pioneer in getting students back on campus in Sept 2000 with weekly testing. The new crossroads building looks to be incredible. It’s a great school and community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came across this thread and while it is an older one I thought I would share that I would wait on Langley until the current construction project is completely finished before applying. I also think that 5th grade, maybe 4th grade, and up are good, the lower grades are average at best.

There were also almost 20 new hires for this year, including the head of school, head of middle school and numerous teachers. The director of admissions quit over the summer. The head of lower school has only been there since 2019. For a school with an enrollment around 500 that is a lot of movement, as a comparison our local public school had around 8 new hires this year with an enrollment around 700.

Longtime Langley family here. While no school is perfect and I’ve certainly had my issues with some facets at Langley, much of this needs context. Dr. Scully our head of school who recently left, did so while giving nearly two years of notice and completing her contract. She returned to NCS where she had been a middle school head and is now head of school. Mrs. Laurent our former Lower school head of many years, left as a result of the death of her husband and wanting to live closer to her sons in California. Our middle school head Nola-rae Cronan who was only there for two years also moved west when her husband moved positions. That one was disappointing and unexpected I’ll admit. Finally, our admissions head was a Scully hire and she announced her departure well before the end of the school year. Her Langley student graduated last year as well. It’s a lot of turnover on paper but the culture and community at Langley among parents, faculty and staff is strong. The school effectively managed Covid and was a pioneer in getting students back on campus in Sept 2000 with weekly testing. The new crossroads building looks to be incredible. It’s a great school and community.

Thanks for this context.

[Anonymous]

As a potential applicant to private preschools, with Langley being one of them, I am wondering if there are parents who send their child to Langley with the goal of switching to FCPS AAP program. Do they switch in 3rd grade, or 2nd/1st grade? I read that FCPS tests their 1st grade students in fall, and in 2nd grade, so it makes more sense to switch in 1st grade then? Or do we stay till the end of second grade and then make a switch by applying to AAP program using outside testing and Langley teacher recommendation?

I would appreciate any input. Thank you very much.

[Anonymous]

I think it will be very hard to get into AAP from private given the apparent change in acceptance requirements. It was already harder to get in from private (FCPS gave more weight to the teacher assessment when it was completed by FCPS teachers) and now with the heavier emphasis on that piece, I'd stay in public if AAP is your goal. BTW, AAP isn't the end-all, be-all. I switched my child from AAP to private in fifth grade and haven't looked back (he's now in 8th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a potential applicant to private preschools, with Langley being one of them, I am wondering if there are parents who send their child to Langley with the goal of switching to FCPS AAP program. Do they switch in 3rd grade, or 2nd/1st grade? I read that FCPS tests their 1st grade students in fall, and in 2nd grade, so it makes more sense to switch in 1st grade then? Or do we stay till the end of second grade and then make a switch by applying to AAP program using outside testing and Langley teacher recommendation?

I would appreciate any input. Thank you very much.

While I understand your thinking ahead, it is way too soon to know if your preschooler will even qualify for AAP. Find a preschool that isn’t too far from home and will be a good match for your child and then start Fcps for K and see what happens. You can always transfer to private in elementary if ps isn’t working for you.

[Anonymous]

We sort of considered switching back to public for AAP. Our child’s WISC was 134 so we felt comfortable that he would probably get in. Our child had done a year of public FCPS before Langley. But after about half a school year at Langley we dispensed with that. We felt like the smaller class sizes, community and quality of education outweighed the academics from AAP. I think the math at Langley is excellent and even though both of our kids are in private, they seem more grounded in a way than some AAP kids. Lots of AAP kids are moved to a LLIV center and in the process their parents explained why. On a few occasions I have been around FCPS AAP students and they let you know almost immediately that they are in AAP and that it is for smart kids. I can’t imagine this is a healthy mindset for them or the kids who don’t get it. And it’s obnoxious. Reminds me of people who talk about their time in Cambridge. So that has made me even more comfortable with keeping my kids in private.

[Anonymous]

We have been happy. Yes there has been a bit of turnover this year but as a PP explained, the big changes were not due to any discontent within Langley. I think COVID played a roll. Some teachers had to make decisions for their families and it impacted their jobs. Very similar to many other professions. We are very happy at Langley and I think they handled COVID very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a potential applicant to private preschools, with Langley being one of them, I am wondering if there are parents who send their child to Langley with the goal of switching to FCPS AAP program. Do they switch in 3rd grade, or 2nd/1st grade? I read that FCPS tests their 1st grade students in fall, and in 2nd grade, so it makes more sense to switch in 1st grade then? Or do we stay till the end of second grade and then make a switch by applying to AAP program using outside testing and Langley teacher recommendation?

I would appreciate any input. Thank you very much.

While I understand your thinking ahead, it is way too soon to know if your preschooler will even qualify for AAP. Find a preschool that isn’t too far from home and will be a good match for your child and then start Fcps for K and see what happens. You can always transfer to private in elementary if ps isn’t working for you.

I have a student at a private elementary school, in grade K. When is the time to switch to FCPS if we know he is a good candidate? Or should we apply to Langley and other private schools that might be better for him? He has a WPPSI score at 99th percentile, tested at age 5.5 years old.