What is Poplar Tree ES like?

[Anonymous]

Hoping to buy this summer (wish us luck) and initially were looking in the Poplar Tree ES area, but a friend said that the school has a huge bullying problem that the admins just kind of sweep under the rug. Friend of a friend said her daughter was bullied so bad that she is actually switching schools next year. Thinking about moving a little further west to South Riding. How are schools there? I wish we had bought sooner, we're priced out at this point. Our max budget is 1 million. Any school suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoping to buy this summer (wish us luck) and initially were looking in the Poplar Tree ES area, but a friend said that the school has a huge bullying problem that the admins just kind of sweep under the rug. Friend of a friend said her daughter was bullied so bad that she is actually switching schools next year. Thinking about moving a little further west to South Riding. How are schools there? I wish we had bought sooner, we're priced out at this point. Our max budget is 1 million. Any school suggestions?

South Riding is where the middle schools kids organized a fight club with parents’ knowledge. Hard pass.

[Anonymous]

OP, I live in Poplar Tree ES school district and I don't know your friends and sorry that they had bad experience, but could it be your friends that have a problem and not the school? Both my kids went to PT and we had a great experience. Wonderful teachers, great group of kids and truly involved parents. Add to it, a great neighborhood and school pyramid. You can't go wrong. For $1M you can get one of the older houses, but not the newer 'Preserves', which run above $1.2 range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I live in Poplar Tree ES school district and I don't know your friends and sorry that they had bad experience, but could it be your friends that have a problem and not the school? Both my kids went to PT and we had a great experience. Wonderful teachers, great group of kids and truly involved parents. Add to it, a great neighborhood and school pyramid. You can't go wrong. For $1M you can get one of the older houses, but not the newer 'Preserves', which run above $1.2 range.

Op here. Friend of friend mentioned 3-4 years ago the school was great, but more recently there's been a bullying problem. She said that there's lots of favoritism in the school as well. $1 million is our max since we're saving some money for renovations. I guess if we buy a new build $1.2 million would be the max.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I live in Poplar Tree ES school district and I don't know your friends and sorry that they had bad experience, but could it be your friends that have a problem and not the school? Both my kids went to PT and we had a great experience. Wonderful teachers, great group of kids and truly involved parents. Add to it, a great neighborhood and school pyramid. You can't go wrong. For $1M you can get one of the older houses, but not the newer 'Preserves', which run above $1.2 range.

Op here. Friend of friend mentioned 3-4 years ago the school was great, but more recently there's been a bullying problem. She said that there's lots of favoritism in the school as well. $1 million is our max since we're saving some money for renovations. I guess if we buy a new build $1.2 million would be the max.

Bullying seems to be routine these days. There has always been bullying, but it seems to be at another level. I taught school. Some of it depends on the chemistry of the class. Teachers need to be alert to it, but speaking from my experience with my own DD, it can go "undercover." DD had a great fourth grade teacher, but she was totally fooled by some of the "mean girls." The counselor was more astute and made sure DD was with a different group in fifth and sixth. It wasn't perfect (DD didn't have the best social skills) but it was much, much better.

While we need to stop the bullying, it is also helpful to work with your own child to know how to respond. It is certainly painful.

[Anonymous]

There is bullying at every school.

Poplar Tree ES has a good reputation. I wouldn't hesitate to buy there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I live in Poplar Tree ES school district and I don't know your friends and sorry that they had bad experience, but could it be your friends that have a problem and not the school? Both my kids went to PT and we had a great experience. Wonderful teachers, great group of kids and truly involved parents. Add to it, a great neighborhood and school pyramid. You can't go wrong. For $1M you can get one of the older houses, but not the newer 'Preserves', which run above $1.2 range.

Op here. Friend of friend mentioned 3-4 years ago the school was great, but more recently there's been a bullying problem. She said that there's lots of favoritism in the school as well. $1 million is our max since we're saving some money for renovations. I guess if we buy a new build $1.2 million would be the max.

Bullying seems to be routine these days. There has always been bullying, but it seems to be at another level. I taught school. Some of it depends on the chemistry of the class. Teachers need to be alert to it, but speaking from my experience with my own DD, it can go "undercover." DD had a great fourth grade teacher, but she was totally fooled by some of the "mean girls." The counselor was more astute and made sure DD was with a different group in fifth and sixth. It wasn't perfect (DD didn't have the best social skills) but it was much, much better.

While we need to stop the bullying, it is also helpful to work with your own child to know how to respond. It is certainly painful.

What do you mean by another level? Twins are in preschool right now where everyone is still a "friend".

[Anonymous]

My DC is a student at Poplar Tree currently. I think I'd agree that the tone of the school has shifted somewhat (as have probably most all schools post-COVID). The former VP was tough on behaviour and bullying, as far as I remember. She moved to a different ES and that's when I sensed a change. The now current VP is retiring at the end of the year and there will be someone else new in that position, so it will be interesting to see how it changes again (hopefully for the better). However, as another PP noted, the school has a good reputation, test scores are high, it's an AAP Center, and the community is tight. I would recommend it based on my child's experience.

You asked about South Riding, which is Loudoun County. If you are interested in pursuing AAP for your child, I would stay in Fairfax and look for a Center school.

[Anonymous]

It is in Kathy Smith's neighborhood so you can be sure your home value will be protected!

[Anonymous]

My friend's kid is there and they have been so, so happy. We really, really wish we hadn't been outbid on the house that just sold in Poplar Tree Heights. We really wanted to live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is in Kathy Smith's neighborhood so you can be sure your home value will be protected!

And Virginia Delegate Karrie Delaney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is in Kathy Smith's neighborhood so you can be sure your home value will be protected!

And Virginia Delegate Karrie Delaney.

Not connecting the dots. What happened?

[Anonymous]

kathy smith is a 70 year old women who won't be relevant 10 years from now. Karrie Delaney is 45. Nobody cares about these old people. Nor do they represent the demographics of the poplar tree neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is in Kathy Smith's neighborhood so you can be sure your home value will be protected!

And Virginia Delegate Karrie Delaney.

Not connecting the dots. What happened?

It's good. This is veering far from OP's initial question, but it doesn't hurt to have elected officials in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is in Kathy Smith's neighborhood so you can be sure your home value will be protected!

And Virginia Delegate Karrie Delaney.

Not connecting the dots. What happened?

It's good. This is veering far from OP's initial question, but it doesn't hurt to have elected officials in the neighborhood.

When Kathy Smith was on the School Board (she is now Sully Supervisor), she had a lower income neighborhood sent to Poplar Tree in order to get Full Day Kindergarten for her neighbors. At that time, K was only half day for many schools, but those with a cohort of poorer kids received Full Day K.
Then, a year or so later, the SB voted to have Full Day K in all schools. In a timely boundary adjustment, Kathy sent the poorer kids to another elementary school that was not in her neighborhood.