House Hunting: Fairfax or Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As for the lack of a GT program, I wouldn't worry a bit. The Arlington schools are known for their individualized teaching, much more than expected for a public school system. I never got the sense it's a place that requires a GT program to educate/challenge/enrich the top students -- it's built right into the curriculum.

A GT program is not only about the curriculum, but also about the peer group. That's the difference between a school system that has a full-time Center-based program and a school system that has heterogeneous classes.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered the city of Falls Church?

[Anonymous]

I grew up attending Arlington schools and I don't get what all the fretting is about regarding lack of a GT program....

In elementary schools, we were grouped according to ability either within our class or sometimes sent to different teachers for different classes (especially in 5th and 6th grades).

In middle school (then 7th and 8th) there were GT and/or intensified classes for math, English, etc. And in high school there was GT and then AP classes.

At every juncture, there were opportunities for kids to learn at their pace, whether within the class together in different groupings, or by attending classes with different teachers for different subjects. And I have to believe that 20+ years later they would be even more accommodating....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up attending Arlington schools and I don't get what all the fretting is about regarding lack of a GT program....

There is no fretting, especially if your child is not 2 or 3 grade levels higher than most, if not all, the students in the rest of the class.

[Anonymous]

Arlington Public schools only offer Preschool if you make a combined HHI of less than 70k/yr. Even then--it is not a guarantee---waitlists.

we did not qualify and my son actually still attends his preschool in DC...younger sibling will start at a local private Arlington preschool this Fall.

[Anonymous]

Hi there-

I recently went through a similar experience in searching for a new house. We currently live in a condo in Arlington and after DS came, realized we needed more space. While we really wanted to stay in arlington, we couldn't find anything we loved at our price point. We ended up finding a wonderful neighborhood that's in Falls Church but the schools are McLean schools. For the same money, we are able to build a new house but can still walk to the WFC metro as well as Lazy Sundae ice cream, a starbucks, restaurants and several parks. While we will miss the great urban like setting, we realized that after having a baby, we definitely spend a lot of time in the car. The other bonus is that we are still 3 blocks from Arlington so in my mind, we're still really close.

One major issue for me was the lack of guaranteed before and after school care. My DH pointed out that this is a short term problem since most people get off the list after a year. So, if we need to rearrange our schedules or hire help for that time period, we'll do so. Given our location, the commute won't be much longer and we'll save the 10 minutes it currently takes to get from our condo to the garage.

Best of luck in your search and I hope you find your dream house!

[Anonymous]

I know this has already been mentioned, but keep in mind that Fairfax County is huge and while some of the schools - particularly in the McLean area are fabulous, some are among the worst in the state in terms of test scores. So definitely look at the actual schools your child would be attending and don't just go on the overall neighborhood or total district reputation. We moved from the Huntington area - which is super affordable as Metro accessibility goes - to N. Arlington for just that reason before DS started K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this has already been mentioned, but keep in mind that Fairfax County is huge and while some of the schools - particularly in the McLean area are fabulous, some are among the worst in the state in terms of test scores. So definitely look at the actual schools your child would be attending and don't just go on the overall neighborhood or total district reputation. We moved from the Huntington area - which is super affordable as Metro accessibility goes - to N. Arlington for just that reason before DS started K.

It really depends upon the child. A student in the FCPS GT program will likely score pass advanced the SOLs, so test scores really don't matter in that case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi there-

I recently went through a similar experience in searching for a new house. We currently live in a condo in Arlington and after DS came, realized we needed more space. While we really wanted to stay in arlington, we couldn't find anything we loved at our price point. We ended up finding a wonderful neighborhood that's in Falls Church but the schools are McLean schools. For the same money, we are able to build a new house but can still walk to the WFC metro as well as Lazy Sundae ice cream, a starbucks, restaurants and several parks. While we will miss the great urban like setting, we realized that after having a baby, we definitely spend a lot of time in the car. The other bonus is that we are still 3 blocks from Arlington so in my mind, we're still really close.

One major issue for me was the lack of guaranteed before and after school care. My DH pointed out that this is a short term problem since most people get off the list after a year. So, if we need to rearrange our schedules or hire help for that time period, we'll do so. Given our location, the commute won't be much longer and we'll save the 10 minutes it currently takes to get from our condo to the garage.

Best of luck in your search and I hope you find your dream house!

What are the "McLean schools"? I thought Haycock ES and Longfellow MS were in Falls Church, not McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi there-

I recently went through a similar experience in searching for a new house. We currently live in a condo in Arlington and after DS came, realized we needed more space. While we really wanted to stay in arlington, we couldn't find anything we loved at our price point. We ended up finding a wonderful neighborhood that's in Falls Church but the schools are McLean schools. For the same money, we are able to build a new house but can still walk to the WFC metro as well as Lazy Sundae ice cream, a starbucks, restaurants and several parks. While we will miss the great urban like setting, we realized that after having a baby, we definitely spend a lot of time in the car. The other bonus is that we are still 3 blocks from Arlington so in my mind, we're still really close.

One major issue for me was the lack of guaranteed before and after school care. My DH pointed out that this is a short term problem since most people get off the list after a year. So, if we need to rearrange our schedules or hire help for that time period, we'll do so. Given our location, the commute won't be much longer and we'll save the 10 minutes it currently takes to get from our condo to the garage.

Best of luck in your search and I hope you find your dream house!

Hi OP, I am looking at moving into that area for work (got a job in dc and need a shorter commute.) Would you mind posting maybe a zip code?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi there-

I recently went through a similar experience in searching for a new house. We currently live in a condo in Arlington and after DS came, realized we needed more space. While we really wanted to stay in arlington, we couldn't find anything we loved at our price point. We ended up finding a wonderful neighborhood that's in Falls Church but the schools are McLean schools. For the same money, we are able to build a new house but can still walk to the WFC metro as well as Lazy Sundae ice cream, a starbucks, restaurants and several parks. While we will miss the great urban like setting, we realized that after having a baby, we definitely spend a lot of time in the car. The other bonus is that we are still 3 blocks from Arlington so in my mind, we're still really close.

One major issue for me was the lack of guaranteed before and after school care. My DH pointed out that this is a short term problem since most people get off the list after a year. So, if we need to rearrange our schedules or hire help for that time period, we'll do so. Given our location, the commute won't be much longer and we'll save the 10 minutes it currently takes to get from our condo to the garage.

Best of luck in your search and I hope you find your dream house!

Hi OP, I am looking at moving into that area for work (got a job in dc and need a shorter commute.) Would you mind posting maybe a zip code?

Thank you!

I mean PP, not OP

[Anonymous]

You can also consider South Arlington if you're priced out of Arlington. I recently chose to buy in So. Arlington rather than FFX County because my commute into DC is so, so, much better. There are a number of cute, affordable (by Arlington standards) neighborhoods along the Columbia Pike corridor in the 22204 zip code. My neighborhood in 22204 is mainly composed of professional families w/ young kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi there-

I recently went through a similar experience in searching for a new house. We currently live in a condo in Arlington and after DS came, realized we needed more space. While we really wanted to stay in arlington, we couldn't find anything we loved at our price point. We ended up finding a wonderful neighborhood that's in Falls Church but the schools are McLean schools. For the same money, we are able to build a new house but can still walk to the WFC metro as well as Lazy Sundae ice cream, a starbucks, restaurants and several parks. While we will miss the great urban like setting, we realized that after having a baby, we definitely spend a lot of time in the car. The other bonus is that we are still 3 blocks from Arlington so in my mind, we're still really close.

One major issue for me was the lack of guaranteed before and after school care. My DH pointed out that this is a short term problem since most people get off the list after a year. So, if we need to rearrange our schedules or hire help for that time period, we'll do so. Given our location, the commute won't be much longer and we'll save the 10 minutes it currently takes to get from our condo to the garage.

Best of luck in your search and I hope you find your dream house!

What are the "McLean schools"? I thought Haycock ES and Longfellow MS were in Falls Church, not McLean.

I believe the those schools feed in the McLean High School. They are all Fairfax County schools, not Falls Church City schools.

[Anonymous]

I meant consider So. Arl. if you're priced out of NORTH Arlington (otherwise my post makes no sense!)

[Anonymous]

If you have the money definitely consider Falls Church City schools - super small district, but the commute is really pretty easy (I have a hybrid so I take 66 into my office near the Air and Space museum in DC and it takes about 30-40 minutes door to door each morning - leaving around 8 or 8:15 - less time to get home.) We are walkable to the West Falls Church metro too which is a nice alternative, although with the hybrid, metroing would be a longer (albeit cheaper) commute.

Lots of Falls Church addresses that are in Fairfax County schools which are good. If you see a "Falls Church, VA" address that DOESN'T have a zip of 22043 or 22046, then it's in Fairfax. The lines are VERY strangely drawn for Falls Church City, so if that's important to you, look really carefully.