what is the difference between Madison HS, Oakton, and Reston high schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op I did this same search from out of state and there can be an LOT of local opinions. Given what you want, I agree with the rec of meridian high/ falls church city. There’s a pocket of townhomes that are more reasonable near the falls restaurant and a lot of kids who live at the Modera apartments near the new movie theater. Walking is safe and no problem and they have bazillion grocery stores within a mile. Good luck

LOL I looked at what was for sale right now for Meridian with 4 Bd, - one built in 1855, one in 1895 , both well over $1 M. ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP’s questions are inane and all over the lot so the folks who would normally be engaging in the “pick me” competition are sitting it out and hoping OP ends up at Marshall.

This!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want walkable without the chance of being murdered, then don't move anywhere within walking distance of Hunters Woods Plaza. That whole area and especially the paths between there and South Lakes HS have got to be the most dangerous part of western Fairfax.
Cue the part where people pile on and say how "safe" it still is compared with other places, like inner cities / Detroit / whatever.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/ms-13-member-sentenced-life-prison-murders-virginia-and-massachusetts

Holy crap! Reston sounds horrible after reading this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My youngest just graduated from South Lakes. All 3 of our children graduated from there. My 3 were very different, and were all served well. Oldest was super strong academically and did mostly IB/dual-enrollment. Middle had IEP and did a mix of classes. Youngest was very involved with theatre and chorus and also a strong student who did mostly IB/dual-enrollment. I would say that SLHS has a very strong arts program, both performing and visual arts. I say this from direct experience. We live about 2 miles from the high school. Reston trails are amazing. My kids took the bus to school until they could drive, but they would sometimes walk home if the weather was nice. As others have mentioned tons of kids walk to the shopping center near the school. There are mostly chain restaurants there., but we have an ice cream shop opening sometime this summer, and both Cafesano and reds table are great local spots. As far as your concerns for your daughter and mean girls, etc.., I would say that the very best thing for all three of my kids was finding something to be involved in. My oldest did robotics for a while as well as chorus., my middle did anime club for a while and chorus as well. My youngest was in theater and chorus. I know lots of people whose kids are involved in marching band and Orchestra. The same goes for sports. What I’ve seen across the board that no matter the activity, being involved in something during high school really helps create a more positive high school experience especially as it relates to making friends. My direct experience was with the arts, and our experience was positive across the board with regard to friendships. I’m not sure what your budget is, but a nice single-family home rental just went on the market this week in my neighborhood.

How did your kids like the IB? Did it seem fluffy, or actually good as a teaching tool, or too hard and time intensive? Where did they do dual enrollment at?

IB fluffy? Absolutely not. IB classes are extremely rigorous very writing intensive, but they really liked the classes for the most part. This prepared my college kids really well for the writing rigors of college. All 3 are excellent writers. Upper level math classes were intense, my oldest was the only one who went all the way with the IB math courses. None of my three kids are big math lovers, so this may have been the case even if they were at an AP school. The majority of the dual-enrollment classes were through NOVA , but are held at SLHS just like any other class. My daughter did take a dual-enrollment Geospatial analysis class that was through JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want walkable without the chance of being murdered, then don't move anywhere within walking distance of Hunters Woods Plaza. That whole area and especially the paths between there and South Lakes HS have got to be the most dangerous part of western Fairfax.
Cue the part where people pile on and say how "safe" it still is compared with other places, like inner cities / Detroit / whatever.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/ms-13-member-sentenced-life-prison-murders-virginia-and-massachusetts

Holy crap! Reston sounds horrible after reading this.

I’ve lived in Reston 25 years and have never seen (or been the victim of) gang violence. But I don’t hang around the Hunters Woods / Glade area.

[Anonymous]

Lake Anne is awful and rundown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My youngest just graduated from South Lakes. All 3 of our children graduated from there. My 3 were very different, and were all served well. Oldest was super strong academically and did mostly IB/dual-enrollment. Middle had IEP and did a mix of classes. Youngest was very involved with theatre and chorus and also a strong student who did mostly IB/dual-enrollment. I would say that SLHS has a very strong arts program, both performing and visual arts. I say this from direct experience. We live about 2 miles from the high school. Reston trails are amazing. My kids took the bus to school until they could drive, but they would sometimes walk home if the weather was nice. As others have mentioned tons of kids walk to the shopping center near the school. There are mostly chain restaurants there., but we have an ice cream shop opening sometime this summer, and both Cafesano and reds table are great local spots. As far as your concerns for your daughter and mean girls, etc.., I would say that the very best thing for all three of my kids was finding something to be involved in. My oldest did robotics for a while as well as chorus., my middle did anime club for a while and chorus as well. My youngest was in theater and chorus. I know lots of people whose kids are involved in marching band and Orchestra. The same goes for sports. What I’ve seen across the board that no matter the activity, being involved in something during high school really helps create a more positive high school experience especially as it relates to making friends. My direct experience was with the arts, and our experience was positive across the board with regard to friendships. I’m not sure what your budget is, but a nice single-family home rental just went on the market this week in my neighborhood.

How did your kids like the IB? Did it seem fluffy, or actually good as a teaching tool, or too hard and time intensive? Where did they do dual enrollment at?

IB fluffy? Absolutely not. IB classes are extremely rigorous very writing intensive, but they really liked the classes for the most part. This prepared my college kids really well for the writing rigors of college. All 3 are excellent writers. Upper level math classes were intense, my oldest was the only one who went all the way with the IB math courses. None of my three kids are big math lovers, so this may have been the case even if they were at an AP school. The majority of the dual-enrollment classes were through NOVA , but are held at SLHS just like any other class. My daughter did take a dual-enrollment Geospatial analysis class that was through JMU.

Is there writing in math too? I thought that was a big difference that steers people to AP and away from IB school. That IB makes math more theory and there are papers/essays for IB?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

Lake Anne has a "A Mighty Wind" quality to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

Lake Anne has a "A Mighty Wind" quality to it.

Either that or some run-down college dorms that Boomers took over when a small, progressive liberal arts school in New England folded 30 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

Lake Anne has a "A Mighty Wind" quality to it.

Either that or some run-down college dorms that Boomers took over when a small, progressive liberal arts school in New England folded 30 years ago.

Indeed. Bong filled with BenGay next to a book on socialism. I would be more worried that a medium sized earthquake would level the crumbly concrete buildings.

[Anonymous]

I would love to be walking distance to a used bookstore, personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

Teens don't buy houses.
But fwiw, when I met DH (in our 20s) he took me to Lake Anne on several dates, including one browsing the used book store. To each their own!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lake Anne is awful and rundown

That makes no sense. I was just there at the popular coffeehouse patio. The homes are wildly popular there at Lake Anne Plaza and sell quickly.

It’s for old folks, no matter how you try to sell it. Absolutely no one under 40 goes to Lake Anne. The shops are totally lame (used book store anyone?!) - and the cafes and restaurants are not good.

Teens don’t want to be at Lake Anne. They want the Reston Town Center with Starbucks and the Apple Store.

Teens don't buy houses.
But fwiw, when I met DH (in our 20s) he took me to Lake Anne on several dates, including one browsing the used book store. To each their own!

Lake Anne is a much more romantic spot over Reston Town Center. Always been a popular date spot for young adults in their 20s and 30s.