Sangster Elementary

[Anonymous]

Any feedback on this school?

We're looking at houses in the area, but realized that they are zoned for Irving/West Potomac and it looks like most of Sangster goes to Lake Braddock Secondary. I hadn't realized that this school is a split feeder, but we like some houses we're in that section of Springfield. Not sure how what to expect of how the split feeder would impact our kids.

[Anonymous]

The high school is Irving to West SPRINGFIELD not Potomac.

Fantastic schools all the way through.

The neighborhoods that feed into WSHS and LB are very intertwined. The kids all know each other and overlap in activities like soccer, little league, scouts and theater.

If you can win the bid on a house in that neighborhood, don't hesitate. They are very desireable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The high school is Irving to West SPRINGFIELD not Potomac.

Fantastic schools all the way through.

The neighborhoods that feed into WSHS and LB are very intertwined. The kids all know each other and overlap in activities like soccer, little league, scouts and theater.

If you can win the bid on a house in that neighborhood, don't hesitate. They are very desireable.

Thanks! Sorry, yes, I meant West Springfield, not West Potomac.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, Sangster is known for being a pretty strong school. And you're good either way for HS either going to Lake Braddock or West Springfield.

[Anonymous]

it is a very good school. The split was hard on my kids. It’s even more pronounced with the AAP program. There are the kids within walking distance, and the OH and Hunt Valley AAP kids who go to Irving and the other Sangster kids and Cherry Run AAP kids go to LBSS. It’s not a deal breaker but it is a bummer to split after 6th grade. Also, some kids are way out on Henderson road which is extremely challenging for play dates. It’s a 20 minute winding drive. Overall, though, great neighborhood, great school, and the houses sell in a hot minute because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it is a very good school. The split was hard on my kids. It’s even more pronounced with the AAP program. There are the kids within walking distance, and the OH and Hunt Valley AAP kids who go to Irving and the other Sangster kids and Cherry Run AAP kids go to LBSS. It’s not a deal breaker but it is a bummer to split after 6th grade. Also, some kids are way out on Henderson road which is extremely challenging for play dates. It’s a 20 minute winding drive. Overall, though, great neighborhood, great school, and the houses sell in a hot minute because of it.

Thanks! Can you tell me about AAP? Coming from DCPS, don't really know what we need to sort out. Oldest will be incoming 5th grader (strong reader, but prob grade level for writing and math, albeit does very well on math, gets everything right, on homework, etc.)

[Anonymous]

I've heard it's a school where not being in AAP can be difficult - although that may be less true if you're coming in after the splitting of classes.

[Anonymous]

https://www.fcps.edu/registration/advanced-academics-identification-and-placement/students-new-fcps

That's the link for AAP for incoming students from outside FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard it's a school where not being in AAP can be difficult - although that may be less true if you're coming in after the splitting of classes.

Yes, the test scores are good but reviews on GreatSchools about the treatment of non-AAP kids is concerning. We opted for further west in the county instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard it's a school where not being in AAP can be difficult - although that may be less true if you're coming in after the splitting of classes.

Yes, the test scores are good but reviews on GreatSchools about the treatment of non-AAP kids is concerning. We opted for further west in the county instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard it's a school where not being in AAP can be difficult - although that may be less true if you're coming in after the splitting of classes.

Can you elaborate on what you mean? Why is it difficult to not be in AAP?

[Anonymous]

It's a center school - at third there's an influx of AAP kids from the feeder schools. If you're a Sangster base kid who *doesn't* get in to AAP it can feel like being excluded/left behind (again - based on accounts I've read here and elsewhere - I don't have personal experience of this).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a center school - at third there's an influx of AAP kids from the feeder schools. If you're a Sangster base kid who *doesn't* get in to AAP it can feel like being excluded/left behind (again - based on accounts I've read here and elsewhere - I don't have personal experience of this).

Thanks! So what if a kid qualifies for the part time AAP? Would they feel left out - is it level IV or bust? I feel fairly confident my kid would qualify AAP for ELA but perhaps not for math, writing - more of a very solid grade level student in those areas. Tested around 90th percentile for i-ready math recently, but what I read in the AAP forum makes it seem like that's for kids with greater than 99th percentile scores all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a center school - at third there's an influx of AAP kids from the feeder schools. If you're a Sangster base kid who *doesn't* get in to AAP it can feel like being excluded/left behind (again - based on accounts I've read here and elsewhere - I don't have personal experience of this).

DP to add as we look at Fairfax county in general, I think I have mixed feelings about the entire AAP concept. It feels pressure cookerish to potentially have so many kids feel left out though they're perfectly normal, especially at such a young age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a center school - at third there's an influx of AAP kids from the feeder schools. If you're a Sangster base kid who *doesn't* get in to AAP it can feel like being excluded/left behind (again - based on accounts I've read here and elsewhere - I don't have personal experience of this).

DP to add as we look at Fairfax county in general, I think I have mixed feelings about the entire AAP concept. It feels pressure cookerish to potentially have so many kids feel left out though they're perfectly normal, especially at such a young age.

Yeah, my DD isn't in AAP and some of her friends left in 4th grade to go to Sangster, "where the smart kids go to school," as my daughter says. There is definitely a have/have not element to it but honestly, by the time they hit high school no one cares. Kids in middle school can do honors which is very similar.