Fairfax private schools for 2023-2024

[febegaj]

Have 3rd and 5th grade DDs currently at FCPS (AAP). We were ok with FCPS ES but we are planning for a private school for 2023-2024 school year. We live near GMU.
We have no idea about private schools here. Read the DCUM FAQ but still confused.
Think it is a good time to start looking at a few private schools in our area and see what they offer.
Any suggestions?
Thank you

[Anonymous]

Are you looking for secular or religious?

Curious why you don’t want to keep them in AAP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for secular or religious?

Curious why you don’t want to keep them in AAP?

AAP ends in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

A lot of people have been frustrated with AAP, including us, especially in writing and critical thinking instruction.

Most of the discussion on these boards focuses on DC and close-in suburbs, so there aren’t a lot of posts about rye smaller schools outside the beltway.

GMU is close to Flint Hill School. A lot of mixed opinions on this forum about it. My kids don’t go there, but the families I do know who do/have sing it’s praises generally.

Potomac is better regarded and farther away, but probably has a bus somewhere. It’s very hard to get into for 9th.

Basis international of McLean gets a lot of negative reaction here. They have had A LOT of turnover in administration in its short existence, but beyond that I know nothing about it. The BASIS curriculum seems well regarded.

If you’d be interested in a liberal arts college feel for HS, there is The New School of Northern Virginia (that’s how they describe themselves).

Pinnacle Academy is in Chantilly.

Other than those, there are Catholic HS like Paul VI or O’Connell and several small sectarian schools that I don’t know at all. E.g. Fairfax Christian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for secular or religious?

Curious why you don’t want to keep them in AAP?

AAP ends in 8th grade.

OP is moving them before 8th grade

[Anonymous]

febegaj wrote:Have 3rd and 5th grade DDs currently at FCPS (AAP). We were ok with FCPS ES but we are planning for a private school for 2023-2024 school year. We live near GMU.
We have no idea about private schools here. Read the DCUM FAQ but still confused.
Think it is a good time to start looking at a few private schools in our area and see what they offer.
Any suggestions?
Thank you

Flint Hill is probably closest to you. I would reach out to them/take a tour to see if they're a good fit. You do not want to be commuting too far to school especially in the upper grades when the kids are always doing something after school. You have a ton of options, though. Nysmith and Langley only go through 8th but could be great for your kids. I think Congressional is close to there, too. For high school, you have Potomac decently close if that's what you are looking for. SSSAS is in Alexandria but could work too, it really depends on your kid!
I haven't listed any religious/religious leaning schools but if you are Christian/ok with attending parochial I think there are lots of options as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for secular or religious?

Curious why you don’t want to keep them in AAP?

AAP ends in 8th grade.

OP is moving them before 8th grade

And she’s smart for doing so because she will have more options now than if she waits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have been frustrated with AAP, including us, especially in writing and critical thinking instruction.

Most of the discussion on these boards focuses on DC and close-in suburbs, so there aren’t a lot of posts about rye smaller schools outside the beltway.

GMU is close to Flint Hill School. A lot of mixed opinions on this forum about it. My kids don’t go there, but the families I do know who do/have sing it’s praises generally.

Potomac is better regarded and farther away, but probably has a bus somewhere. It’s very hard to get into for 9th.

Basis international of McLean gets a lot of negative reaction here. They have had A LOT of turnover in administration in its short existence, but beyond that I know nothing about it. The BASIS curriculum seems well regarded.

If you’d be interested in a liberal arts college feel for HS, there is The New School of Northern Virginia (that’s how they describe themselves).

Pinnacle Academy is in Chantilly.

Other than those, there are Catholic HS like Paul VI or O’Connell and several small sectarian schools that I don’t know at all. E.g. Fairfax Christian.

NP. A lot of people are satisfied by/happy with the writing instruction and especially the critical thinking instruction in AAP at our kids' school. We just don't post about. Since negative reviews and complaints are posted more often than positive reviews, it may give a skewed perspective.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that 6th grade is not an expansion year at Potomac. That isn't clear from looking at their website. We applied for a spot in 6th this year and were waitlisted despite our DC having all As, involved in a number of extracurriculars and positive recommendations. You may be luckier than us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for secular or religious?

Curious why you don’t want to keep them in AAP?

AAP ends in 8th grade.

OP is moving them before 8th grade

And she’s smart for doing so because she will have more options now than if she waits.

If OP is trying to move in a non-expansion year her options maybe very limited.

[Anonymous]

So you are only moving the 7th grader that year? Meaning you're okay with a secondary only school?

There aren't a lot of options within a reasonable distance from Burke (that's where I am too). My students who opt for private high schools over Robinson tend to go Catholic (Ireton or PVI) or super religious (Trinity, Immanuel). If you're looking for secular, you're going to commute.

[Anonymous]

We've been very happy at BASIS for several years. The administration is a little wobbly but they don't affect the kids. Great teachers. And we know people who take Braddock to the HOT lanes, which are free with 3 in the car.

[Anonymous]

I’m sure you are right. Nonetheless, it can’t hurt OP to get info and do some research. At our FCPS, AAP was very different from how it was in ES. We moved to private in MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've been very happy at BASIS for several years. The administration is a little wobbly but they don't affect the kids. Great teachers. And we know people who take Braddock to the HOT lanes, which are free with 3 in the car.

“A little wobbly” like as in “Prepare yourself to get seasick. Every day”. Also correct statement may be “doesn’t DIRECTLY” affect the kids; there are so many issues that arise in that environment that they can not possibly all be contained. Many teachers are great, especially those that don’t quit, including in the middle of the year. Save yourself the heartache. I wish I did.

[Anonymous]

If you’re interested in a catholic parochial school, there are several in the area. Holy Spirit is very popular, and you are also near Nativity and St Leo’s. There’s Gesher, which is a Jewish day school. Trinity is Christian and nearby (there are several schools in NoVA named Trinity, I’m referring to the one on Braddock Rd.). For secular schools, Pinecrest isn’t too far. They run a summer camp, which might be a nice way to check out the vibe of the school early.