Tell me about South Lakes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Please elaborate. You know some HHS kids go to very good schoolS, right? I suspect I know your true reason and it doesn’t have to do with academics.
— HHS parent again

Curious, do you know what schools seniors at HHS are going to next year? Is that data published anywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go to Herndon High, but my kids have friends in South Lakes. Everyone really likes the school. I even know a few families who pupil placed there to get out of Oakton. They found SL to offer more balance and they really liked the IB program. They also liked that there is some diversity and the kids aren’t growing up in a rich kid bubble like in Oakton.

Oakton isn't a rich kid bubble. It's about 14-15% FARMS this year. There's really only one high school in FCPS that is a "rich kid bubble."

South Lakes's demographics aren't too different from the FCPS high school demographics overall. A bit more Hispanic and White and less Asian.

Over the course of a decade or so, Herndon's demographics changed more than any other HS in FCPS. It's now majority Hispanic and majority low-income, and it's trending towards more poverty (the current 9th grade class has a substantially higher FARMS rate than the current 12th grade class, according to the latest VDOE fall membership reports).

A common perception now is that South Lakes is stable and Herndon is not - that it's on its way to becoming a super-majority low-income Hispanic school. The top achievers at Herndon have done well for years, even better than at some wealthier high schools. But it's not clear if that will continue. On the one hand, you have a lot of higher income folks looking at Chantilly and Oakton instead, and on the other you have all the folks who now bypass Herndon and move to Ashburn. Plus, there are a large number of students who now pupil place out of Herndon every year to South Lakes. People wonder whether there will be enough of a critical mass at Herndon to offer as many sessions of advanced classes as are offered at other schools (which matters when students have scheduling conflicts).

It leaves the Herndon schools in a somewhat precarious place. It's understandable why people defend HHS; they don't want to see it decline. FCPS could change the trajectory there if they built a new high school in western Fairfax, moved part of the low-income areas in Herndon to the new school, and moved western Great Falls to Herndon. But there are people who will fight very, very hard to make sure that never happens.

+1. I think this post is accurate. I Also want to add that a significant number of Herndon/Reston families send their kids to private schools for middle and high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from SLHS back in the 90s when it was an AP school. Even back then it was a rough environment. Staying in mostly AP classes helped me avoid the riff raff. I would not send my child to a school like that now unless they really wanted IB and even then I would have hesitations.

Spoken like someone who grew up in the burbs and has zero idea what a rough school is actually like. SLHS and Herndon are not rough schools except in the minds of DCUM.

Yes, and all the kids here now are growing up in the “burbs.” It is scary to enter a high school like SLHS or HHS. Tons of fights, gang activity, etc. I don’t want my child at a school like that if possible. Thank God once you get to college or in the real work force you never have to deal with people like that again.

You can’t be serious. College and the (presumably white collar) workforce is not immune from this.

Seriously, just last week Jerry from accounting jumped Bill from HR in the cafeteria. Everyone knows the 4th floor bathroom on the north side is a no go zone- that's where all of the cool people smoke weed

No but Jerry could be on drugs (white collar and well off people do drugs). And he is white collar so he wouldn’t jump people…he might just steal/commit fraud/insert whatever white collar crime here. But it’s ok bc he will probably get away with it. I don’t know PP btw having my kids go to school with gangsters or future hedge fund managers/wall st types without scruples, I might pick the gangsters who probably won’t even bother them.

There are plenty of schools in the DMV with openings that can let your kid attend school with polite gangsters rather than the children of financiers. You should really go through with it and see how it goes

+1 I ❤️ u!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from SLHS back in the 90s when it was an AP school. Even back then it was a rough environment. Staying in mostly AP classes helped me avoid the riff raff. I would not send my child to a school like that now unless they really wanted IB and even then I would have hesitations.

Spoken like someone who grew up in the burbs and has zero idea what a rough school is actually like. SLHS and Herndon are not rough schools except in the minds of DCUM.

Yes, and all the kids here now are growing up in the “burbs.” It is scary to enter a high school like SLHS or HHS. Tons of fights, gang activity, etc. I don’t want my child at a school like that if possible. Thank God once you get to college or in the real work force you never have to deal with people like that again.

You can’t be serious. College and the (presumably white collar) workforce is not immune from this.

Seriously, just last week Jerry from accounting jumped Bill from HR in the cafeteria. Everyone knows the 4th floor bathroom on the north side is a no go zone- that's where all of the cool people smoke weed

No but Jerry could be on drugs (white collar and well off people do drugs). And he is white collar so he wouldn’t jump people…he might just steal/commit fraud/insert whatever white collar crime here. But it’s ok bc he will probably get away with it. I don’t know PP btw having my kids go to school with gangsters or future hedge fund managers/wall st types without scruples, I might pick the gangsters who probably won’t even bother them.

There are plenty of schools in the DMV with openings that can let your kid attend school with polite gangsters rather than the children of financiers. You should really go through with it and see how it goes

Why is there even an assumption that all Hispanics are gangsters? DCUM is so damn racist, it's painful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go to Herndon High, but my kids have friends in South Lakes. Everyone really likes the school. I even know a few families who pupil placed there to get out of Oakton. They found SL to offer more balance and they really liked the IB program. They also liked that there is some diversity and the kids aren’t growing up in a rich kid bubble like in Oakton.

Oakton isn't a rich kid bubble. It's about 14-15% FARMS this year. There's really only one high school in FCPS that is a "rich kid bubble."

South Lakes's demographics aren't too different from the FCPS high school demographics overall. A bit more Hispanic and White and less Asian.

Over the course of a decade or so, Herndon's demographics changed more than any other HS in FCPS. It's now majority Hispanic and majority low-income, and it's trending towards more poverty (the current 9th grade class has a substantially higher FARMS rate than the current 12th grade class, according to the latest VDOE fall membership reports).

A common perception now is that South Lakes is stable and Herndon is not - that it's on its way to becoming a super-majority low-income Hispanic school. The top achievers at Herndon have done well for years, even better than at some wealthier high schools. But it's not clear if that will continue. On the one hand, you have a lot of higher income folks looking at Chantilly and Oakton instead, and on the other you have all the folks who now bypass Herndon and move to Ashburn. Plus, there are a large number of students who now pupil place out of Herndon every year to South Lakes. People wonder whether there will be enough of a critical mass at Herndon to offer as many sessions of advanced classes as are offered at other schools (which matters when students have scheduling conflicts).

It leaves the Herndon schools in a somewhat precarious place. It's understandable why people defend HHS; they don't want to see it decline. FCPS could change the trajectory there if they built a new high school in western Fairfax, moved part of the low-income areas in Herndon to the new school, and moved western Great Falls to Herndon. But there are people who will fight very, very hard to make sure that never happens.

+1. I think this post is accurate. I Also want to add that a significant number of Herndon/Reston families send their kids to private schools for middle and high.

Where did you pull that out of? A lot who send their kids to parochials around here for grade school send them to HHS and in some cases HMS too. The horror!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

You seem to care an awful lot, to the point where you write a multi-paragraph screed when a simple factual error is pointed out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

You seem to care an awful lot, to the point where you write a multi-paragraph screed when a simple factual error is pointed out.

Well, some of us are sick and tired of the smear campaign that goes on against so many FCPS schools. We get it. You want to boost up appearances of your school so you don't fall behind the Joneses. Obviously not all of us live in AP pyramids, and we want to share our positive stories too. When people Google these kinds of things they should be able to read experiences of both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

You seem to care an awful lot, to the point where you write a multi-paragraph screed when a simple factual error is pointed out.

Well, some of us are sick and tired of the smear campaign that goes on against so many FCPS schools. We get it. You want to boost up appearances of your school so you don't fall behind the Joneses. Obviously not all of us live in AP pyramids, and we want to share our positive stories too. When people Google these kinds of things they should be able to read experiences of both sides.

+1 Don't let them bully you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

You seem to care an awful lot, to the point where you write a multi-paragraph screed when a simple factual error is pointed out.

Well, some of us are sick and tired of the smear campaign that goes on against so many FCPS schools. We get it. You want to boost up appearances of your school so you don't fall behind the Joneses. Obviously not all of us live in AP pyramids, and we want to share our positive stories too. When people Google these kinds of things they should be able to read experiences of both sides.

You seem really thin-skinned. Someone point out that different schools have different academic programs and you treat it like an insult. Bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South Lakes is a solid FCPS high school, with a good reputation. The AP school is likely Herndon. The Reston area has some nice mid century modern homes and it’s nice being convenient to the Town Center. So if you like the house, go for it. Mantua and Burke also have a fair number of mid century modern homes (zoned to Woodson and Lake Braddock respectively).

It offers the same classes and curriculum as all FCPS schools. The same opportunities exist there as any FCPS HS. They even hire from the same pool of teachers. The same kid will do as well there as they would at any FCPS school.

Some of the families who were moved to SL years ago after having been falsely promised SL would add more AP courses may beg to differ with you. It definitely does not offer the same classes and curriculum as most of the top schools in the county, including Oakton and Chantilly.

That was 15 or 16 years ago. Those parents no longer have kids at SLHS. I can understand that parents back then were concerned, they knew one system and were being forced to learn another at a school that had lower test scores. Parents today seem to have a different perspective.

We live in one of those neighborhoods. Not one of my neighbors has bemoaned the lack of AP classes at SLHS. A few did mention that parents had to work to improve the math offerings once they moved to SLHS because there were more kids who had completed Algebra and Geometry in MS. It took a bit but there are now additional classes that the kids can take. I don't know every parent in my neighborhood but I have not heard anyone who is salty over being at SLHS. Walking around the neighborhood around graduation time shows a few Herndon High School signs, kids who transferred for AP, a few for TJ, and a few for private schools. The majority of the signs are SLHS.

The only people I hear bemoaning IB are people on this site.

It’s not the same classes and curriculum whether you think it’s OK or not.

No, it is different because one is IB and one is AP. The classes are going to be different.

And I don't care.

I care that DS learns about history and math and science and English. I care that he learns a foreign language. And he can do that at an AP or an IB school. He can take IB tests to earn college credits. It is different then taking AP exams and that is fine. There are a good number of kids who don't take AP or IB exams and they go to college and do just fine. AP or IB is not the end all be all. Colleges understand that there are differences in the programs.

I know kids from SLHS that are at UVA and VT and GMU and SLAC and Big ten Schools (and not just Maryland). There are a lot of great results out of SLHS. That is what I care about. And that is what my neighbors seem to care about. And our kids are at or going to SLHS. My son is in ES so we have time to move if we think that it is important to be at an AP high school. We have the money to be able to move. We love our neighborhood and the schools and are fine with DS attending SLHS. If other people move because of the high school then fine. It means that we will end up with more kids whose parents want to be there and that is better for the school.

Enjoy your AP high school, where ever that is.

You seem to care an awful lot, to the point where you write a multi-paragraph screed when a simple factual error is pointed out.

Well, some of us are sick and tired of the smear campaign that goes on against so many FCPS schools. We get it. You want to boost up appearances of your school so you don't fall behind the Joneses. Obviously not all of us live in AP pyramids, and we want to share our positive stories too. When people Google these kinds of things they should be able to read experiences of both sides.

You seem really thin-skinned. Someone point out that different schools have different academic programs and you treat it like an insult. Bizarre.

+1 hits a nerve bc they know deep down SLHS sucks.