Which NoVa MS-HS for this kid?

[Anonymous]

Kid is finishing up elementary school in DC. We rent so planning on buying next spring and are looking outside our current neighborhood (ok MS, not good HS). A long time ago we lived in Maryland so had originally thought of looking at MCPS but they are redoing boundaries and changing programs and the whole thing is a bit of a mess, so now wondering if we should also consider NoVa but know literally nothing about it. I think we’d want to be inside the beltway but otherwise flexible, and trying to figure out what schools would even work well for our kid:

- Sensitive, kind, prefers a chill environment (I realize this is more or less a non-starter in MS and HS, but we picked DCPS for elementary for the smaller classes and cozy community schools)
- Grade level or slightly above
- Major interests are theatre, art, and music, creative writing
- We’re interested in her having IB options but also open to AP
- very susceptible to positive peer pressure (friends who model positive study habits and are serious about school), but also easily intimidated so not looking for an environment where everyone is aggressively competing against each other

What schools should we look into for her? (Should I also be posting in FCPS forum? Don’t want to be annoying/duplicative.) Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Robinson has IB. My dd has friends there and they are happy with it.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington your best option is Dorothy Hamm, in the zone that goes to Washington-Liberty for HS (which has the HS IB program). Hamm doesn't have much theatre, but there are local programs like Encore.

[Anonymous]

FCPS is in the middle of a big rezoning activity just like MCPS. Many families do not know where they will end up for ES, MS, or HS after.

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are a mess. I would not allow my kids to go there on safety grounds. There are good reasons for private SSSAS to have lots of Alexandria City students attending.

Inside the beltway, another option is Arlington County Public Schools (APS). I would suggest looking there first. North Arlington -- maybe search north of I-66 -- has good schools but housing is expensive. We cannot afford there, but it would be my first choice.

Students can apply to TJ from APS, because TJ is a VA Governor's School. APS also has its own STEM HS called Arlington Tech. The regular zoned HSs also are ok. I think one is IB and the other AP.

I also would look at Falls Church City (FCCPS). Falls Church City is in Arlington County, but has its own city government and its own schools. Their HS is called Meridian. It is primarily IB with only a few AP offerings. Be careful when house hunting, because the US Postal Service does not honor the city limits. Many areas called "Falls Church" are not in Falls Church City and instead are located in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

It really is. This is a very common confusion.

Falls Church City is a Class 2 city in Arlington County. It uses Arlington County Circuit Courts. Fairfax County learned this the hard way when they sued FCC about the FCC water system a few years back, initially filing in the wrong circuit court and then being forced to refile the suit with Arlington County Circuit Court.

From the map, it might look like FCC is in Fairfax County, but it is not.

Alexandria City is a local example of a Class 1 city. This means Alexandria City has its own Circuit Courts.

Falls Church City and Fairfax City both are Class 2 cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

It really is. This is a very common confusion.

Falls Church City is a Class 2 city in Arlington County. It uses Arlington County Circuit Courts. Fairfax County learned this the hard way when they sued FCC about the FCC water system a few years back, initially filing in the wrong circuit court and then being forced to refile the suit with Arlington County Circuit Court.

From the map, it might look like FCC is in Fairfax County, but it is not.

Alexandria City is a local example of a Class 1 city. This means Alexandria City has its own Circuit Courts.

Falls Church City and Fairfax City both are Class 2 cities.

No- you are wrong. Falls Church City is an independent city, it is not in Arlington County. It pays Arlington County to use its court system, rather than having its own. (Similarly it pays Fairfax County to utilize its CPS services, rather than having its own.)
OP- obviously this has nothing to do with what jurisdiction you want to look at- but if you are looking to be inside the beltway, you are really looking at either APS or FCCPS- and my vote would strongly be for the idyllic community of Falls Church City.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington you're probably most interested in being in-bounds for Dorothy Hamm MS and Washington-Liberty HS (where students have a choice of AP and IB Diploma programs). All the middle schools have theater and excellent theater facilities, but I think the Dorothy Hamm teacher is on leave this year. Nearby Swanson MS has a strong drama program, and I think Thomas Jefferson MS dos as well. All three feed into W-L.

All these Arlington schools are walkable which is nice. Most neighborhood kids can walk to ES, MS, and HS. Subway and busses are also close by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

It really is. This is a very common confusion.

Falls Church City is a Class 2 city in Arlington County. It uses Arlington County Circuit Courts. Fairfax County learned this the hard way when they sued FCC about the FCC water system a few years back, initially filing in the wrong circuit court and then being forced to refile the suit with Arlington County Circuit Court.

From the map, it might look like FCC is in Fairfax County, but it is not.

Alexandria City is a local example of a Class 1 city. This means Alexandria City has its own Circuit Courts.

Falls Church City and Fairfax City both are Class 2 cities.

No- you are wrong. Falls Church City is an independent city, it is not in Arlington County. It pays Arlington County to use its court system, rather than having its own. (Similarly it pays Fairfax County to utilize its CPS services, rather than having its own.)
OP- obviously this has nothing to do with what jurisdiction you want to look at- but if you are looking to be inside the beltway, you are really looking at either APS or FCCPS- and my vote would strongly be for the idyllic community of Falls Church City.

Nope. Lookup how Class 2 cities are structured in the VA Code. Any competent VA lawyer will confirm that FCC is a Class 2 city located in Arlington County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Arlington you're probably most interested in being in-bounds for Dorothy Hamm MS and Washington-Liberty HS (where students have a choice of AP and IB Diploma programs). All the middle schools have theater and excellent theater facilities, but I think the Dorothy Hamm teacher is on leave this year. Nearby Swanson MS has a strong drama program, and I think Thomas Jefferson MS dos as well. All three feed into W-L.

All these Arlington schools are walkable which is nice. Most neighborhood kids can walk to ES, MS, and HS. Subway and busses are also close by.

Kenmore is the best MS for theatre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

It really is. This is a very common confusion.

Falls Church City is a Class 2 city in Arlington County. It uses Arlington County Circuit Courts. Fairfax County learned this the hard way when they sued FCC about the FCC water system a few years back, initially filing in the wrong circuit court and then being forced to refile the suit with Arlington County Circuit Court.

From the map, it might look like FCC is in Fairfax County, but it is not.

Alexandria City is a local example of a Class 1 city. This means Alexandria City has its own Circuit Courts.

Falls Church City and Fairfax City both are Class 2 cities.

No- you are wrong. Falls Church City is an independent city, it is not in Arlington County. It pays Arlington County to use its court system, rather than having its own. (Similarly it pays Fairfax County to utilize its CPS services, rather than having its own.)
OP- obviously this has nothing to do with what jurisdiction you want to look at- but if you are looking to be inside the beltway, you are really looking at either APS or FCCPS- and my vote would strongly be for the idyllic community of Falls Church City.

Nope. Lookup how Class 2 cities are structured in the VA Code. Any competent VA lawyer will confirm that FCC is a Class 2 city located in Arlington County.

ok i'll bite, citation please

[Anonymous]

Marshall HS is in FCPS and inside the beltway with IB. People seem to like it. Falls church City schools are very insular and could work if your kid is totally mainstream and at grade level. If your kid is different in any way - socially or academically- FCC is not a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Arlington you're probably most interested in being in-bounds for Dorothy Hamm MS and Washington-Liberty HS (where students have a choice of AP and IB Diploma programs). All the middle schools have theater and excellent theater facilities, but I think the Dorothy Hamm teacher is on leave this year. Nearby Swanson MS has a strong drama program, and I think Thomas Jefferson MS dos as well. All three feed into W-L.

All these Arlington schools are walkable which is nice. Most neighborhood kids can walk to ES, MS, and HS. Subway and busses are also close by.

Kenmore is the best MS for theatre.

There will be less positive peer pressure there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church city is not inside Arlington County.

It really is. This is a very common confusion.

Falls Church City is a Class 2 city in Arlington County. It uses Arlington County Circuit Courts. Fairfax County learned this the hard way when they sued FCC about the FCC water system a few years back, initially filing in the wrong circuit court and then being forced to refile the suit with Arlington County Circuit Court.

From the map, it might look like FCC is in Fairfax County, but it is not.

Alexandria City is a local example of a Class 1 city. This means Alexandria City has its own Circuit Courts.

Falls Church City and Fairfax City both are Class 2 cities.

No- you are wrong. Falls Church City is an independent city, it is not in Arlington County. It pays Arlington County to use its court system, rather than having its own. (Similarly it pays Fairfax County to utilize its CPS services, rather than having its own.)
OP- obviously this has nothing to do with what jurisdiction you want to look at- but if you are looking to be inside the beltway, you are really looking at either APS or FCCPS- and my vote would strongly be for the idyllic community of Falls Church City.

Nope. Lookup how Class 2 cities are structured in the VA Code. Any competent VA lawyer will confirm that FCC is a Class 2 city located in Arlington County.

nope- here is the falls church city charter in the VA code. Not part of Arlington county in any way shape or form.
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/charters/falls-church/

[Anonymous]

"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title17.1/chapter5/section17.1-505/"