Tell me what you know about Chantilly HS, Centreville HS, Wakefield HS, and Lake Braddock SS

[Anonymous]

Do you know anything about these schools? Do your kids go to one of these or do you live in an area zoned for one of these schools? We're moving, and I'm having a tough time picking an area to move to. We're looking at these particular high schools because they are within our reach financially. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Oops. The title should say Westfield HS, not Wakefield HS.

[Anonymous]

Given a choice, I'd go with Chantilly or Lake Braddock.

[Anonymous]

I am assuming that you looked at the test scores for each of schools online.

I went to Chantilly HS way back when. I am sure that the Chantilly has changed over the years; however, when I went to Chantilly it had a vocational trade wing. There were classes for the auto repair, daycare, cosmotology, etc. It was the track for those that were not inclined to go on to college for whatever reason. I was in the GT program and my peers and I were fairly focused on going to college. Chantilly was also quite large back then. I think that I graduated with about 700, but that was before the county re-districted and add other high schools. Personally, I think that the class size is too large, but not sure you are going to find a smaller class size in any of the FCPS high schools.

I also live in a house now zoned for Westfield HS. We do not have any children in high school yet. From what I hear, it too is quite large. Neighbors have complained about kids not being able to participate in activites - like there being tryouts for the yearbook. Again, think this is a symptom of all FCPS high schools.

Lake Braddock makes me hesistate because I believe that 7th & 8th graders also go there. Not sure if I would want to send my middle schooler off to a high school right out of 6th grade. Just me though....

Sorry I can help you more....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you know anything about these schools? Do your kids go to one of these or do you live in an area zoned for one of these schools? We're moving, and I'm having a tough time picking an area to move to. We're looking at these particular high schools because they are within our reach financially. Thanks.

Of the four, I'd probably pick Chantilly. You won't go terribly wrong with any of the four, however, the only folks who dislike them are school snobs of the "only Langley/McLean please variety." But if you send your kid to TJ you'll get cocktail bragging for DECADES!

[Anonymous]

We feed into LB SS, but have several years before our kids are in HS. LB is 7-12 and is huge. I have heard from parents with older kids that it's difficult to participate in things unless you're a super star because there is so much competition due to size. However, LB is a great school and always ranks highly.

[Anonymous]

That's going to be an issue at any of these high schools. Lake Braddock is a large secondary school, but there are more high school students at Westfield and Chantilly than at Lake Braddock. Centreville is a bit smaller than the other three schools.