Which would you pick? Woodson, West Springfield or Lake Braddock?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:West Springfield would be the worst commute of the three to your workplaces. Also, the school is incredibly focused on the SOLs - maybe beneficial for weaker students, but stifling for stronger ones. The school has also completely embraced the constant retakes, no grades lower than 50 movement - not great preparation for college. The other two choices are better options.

This poster does not know what she is talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid Woodson and go with either West Springfield or Lake Braddock. Agree with PP that TJ-focused student could attend LB AAP classes. West Springfield has strong performing arts, as does LB.

Avoid Robinson if artsy kids like theatre as new theatre director is scaling back on some competitive theatre events (such as VHSL).

Robinson has always had such a strong theater program. Hopefully as 5he new teacher settles into her job she will continue the quality of your program.

Yes, WSHS does have a strong performing arts program.

[Anonymous]

My kids went to Lake Braddock about ten years ago. We loved it! They were only there for two years before we moved away. I’m not sure I would choose it now given all the problems.

[Anonymous]

While in performing arts West Springfield and Lake Braddock are pretty equal, the fine arts department at Lake Braddock is far superior. Our family has experience with both schools and both art departments. Visit both schools before you make your decision. No school is perfect, but you can find a school with strengths in the areas that matter to your children.

[Anonymous]

Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid Woodson and go with either West Springfield or Lake Braddock. Agree with PP that TJ-focused student could attend LB AAP classes. West Springfield has strong performing arts, as does LB.

Avoid Robinson if artsy kids like theatre as new theatre director is scaling back on some competitive theatre events (such as VHSL).

Robinson has always had such a strong theater program. Hopefully as 5he new teacher settles into her job she will continue the quality of your program.

Yes, WSHS does have a strong performing arts program.

I hope so, too, but the program is now weak for at least the next two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

I think this was spoken by someone who doesn’t understand big schools. There are pros and cons to big and small schools.

I went to a big HS, and one of the benefits is that there is someone there for everyone - nerds, goths, hippies, athletic, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While in performing arts West Springfield and Lake Braddock are pretty equal, the fine arts department at Lake Braddock is far superior. Our family has experience with both schools and both art departments. Visit both schools before you make your decision. No school is perfect, but you can find a school with strengths in the areas that matter to your children.

I would strongly disagree with this statement.

Lake Braddock has a fractured fine arts department with little collaboration between the programs, particularly with regards to the plays and musicals.

The schools are equivalent in terms of fine arts quality, with the program as WSHS much more collaborative than LB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

I think this was spoken by someone who doesn’t understand big schools. There are pros and cons to big and small schools.

I went to a big HS, and one of the benefits is that there is someone there for everyone - nerds, goths, hippies, athletic, etc.

But none of these schools is small.

Remember, a "small" high school in fairfax county is around 2200 students, and a "big" high school in fairfax county is a campus between 4000 to 5000 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

I think this was spoken by someone who doesn’t understand big schools. There are pros and cons to big and small schools.

I went to a big HS, and one of the benefits is that there is someone there for everyone - nerds, goths, hippies, athletic, etc.

I thought the classes were all about the same size and the difference between the HS and SS is the addition of the lower grades?

[Anonymous]

I work with all the high schools on that side of the county. The differences between the 3 listed at negligible. You can't go wrong with any of those and I'd add Robinson to the list.

[Anonymous]

I could be off on my numbers, but I believe LB and Robinson have around 700 kids per grade.

WSHS has around 500+ kids per grade.

So the class sizes are similar, but the student body is much larger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work with all the high schools on that side of the county. The differences between the 3 listed at negligible. You can't go wrong with any of those and I'd add Robinson to the list.

WSHS fine arts parent here.

I agree.

For me, the tipping towards WSHS is Irving.

A smaller, more intimate, less competition driven middle school experience cannot be beat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

I think this was spoken by someone who doesn’t understand big schools. There are pros and cons to big and small schools.

I went to a big HS, and one of the benefits is that there is someone there for everyone - nerds, goths, hippies, athletic, etc.

But none of these schools is small.

Remember, a "small" high school in fairfax county is around 2200 students, and a "big" high school in fairfax county is a campus between 4000 to 5000 kids.

This is somewhat misleading. A high school in FCPS with around 2200 students would be slightly smaller than average. The largest high school (Chantilly) has 2828 kids. The smallest high school (Lee) has 1716 kids.

In addition to 22 high schools, FCPS has three secondary schools (grades 7-12): Lake Braddock, Robinson, and Hayfield. Lake Braddock has 4225 kids, Robinson has 3785 kids, and Hayfield has 3020 kids. Each of those schools has fewer kids in grades 9-12 than Chantilly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the big warehouse schools like LB and Robinson--they're just too big. WSHS is the best bet of these.

I think this was spoken by someone who doesn’t understand big schools. There are pros and cons to big and small schools.

I went to a big HS, and one of the benefits is that there is someone there for everyone - nerds, goths, hippies, athletic, etc.

But none of these schools is small.

Remember, a "small" high school in fairfax county is around 2200 students, and a "big" high school in fairfax county is a campus between 4000 to 5000 kids.

This is somewhat misleading. A high school in FCPS with around 2200 students would be slightly smaller than average. The largest high school (Chantilly) has 2828 kids. The smallest high school (Lee) has 1716 kids.

In addition to 22 high schools, FCPS has three secondary schools (grades 7-12): Lake Braddock, Robinson, and Hayfield. Lake Braddock has 4225 kids, Robinson has 3785 kids, and Hayfield has 3020 kids. Each of those schools has fewer kids in grades 9-12 than Chantilly.

So everything I posted was correct.

Thank you for looking up the data.

Lake Braddock is around 700 kids per grade. WSHS is around 500.

So "small" is definitely in quotes. None of the "small" schools are that small, so the argument about not finding enough groups in small high schools does not apply to fcps. All of the small schools are big enough by anyone's standards.