Thoughts on Baileys ES in Falls Church?
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Anonymous
| We are looking into elementary (starting in K) now. We may apply for the lottery (out of boundary) for Baileys b/c we still live close by, or also consider a private school. I'm concerned about getting in, and then even getting in the Spanish immersion program, and the overall size (1200 students, 11 kindergarten classes). Does anyone have thoughts/experience? |
Anonymous
Just don't confuse it with Falls Church City Schools. |
Anonymous
Or Lyon Village. |
Anonymous
|
Bailey's is a large school in one of the lowest-income areas of Fairfax County.
One major concern with the immersion program is that the school only goes up to 5th grade. Your child would need to return to their base school for 6th grade or go on to Glasgow for middle school. |
Anonymous
To put a finer point on it, students who live in one of the lowest-income areas of Fairfax County (the Culmone section of Falls Church) are assigned to Bailey's. Much of the attendance area consists of part of one of the wealthier areas of Fairfax County (Lake Barcroft) and a solid upper-middle income area (Ravenwood Park), although not as many of Bailey's current students come from those areas as from Culmore. |
Anonymous
| Not the OP, but curious as well - anyone have a kid that is a part of the magnet program there? |
Anonymous
| get some actual info from parents at the school (do they have references you can call?), I know a family with several kids at the school and they are very, very, happy...parents are a doctor and lawyer and they chose to send their kids to Bailey's |
Anonymous
| I know a Bailey's family and they are very happy as well. They drive what I consider to be a long way to take their kids there, too, so it must be worth it. |
Anonymous
| You can always attend a PTA meeting, take a tour of the school to get a feel for it while there are kids there, etc. I'm sure if you sit down with the Principal and then tour the school you'll get a good feel for it. It doesn't hurt to apply then make the decision after you've gotten all your info. We've been at Bailey's for a few years and are really impressed with the school. The school is large but the way the classes and teams are structured it makes it feel smaller. My kids have learned a ton, are fluent in Spanish now (no one else speaks it at all in the house and they didn't know any going in) and are enjoying their elementary school years. But definitely tour the school and see if you can connect with some of the PTA folks - they will give you the low down or can connect you to other parents who will also be willing to share their experiences. Best of luck! |
Anonymous
| I participated in the Open House a few weeks ago and am impressed with the programs they have there. Obviously, it's a crap shoot whether I get in, and then another crap shoot whether we get the immersion program. I am fine with the diversity of incomes there, in fact I find it appealing. I do have concerns with the size of the school. Thanks for the feedback about that. |
Anonymous
Thanks. I'm the PP who asked for feedback from parents with kids at the school. I've been leaning toward applying and then if she is accepted, then do the tour, ask more questions, etc. We're happy out our local school. It's not one of the best in the county, but it has been improving a lot every year and has a great principal. I definitely would not be bummed if we had to stay there. But I feel like we explore all of our options. My biggest concern right now is that it only goes through 5th grade. Then we'd have to bring her back to her base school with a bunch of kids who've been together for 5 years and she'll be an outsider. |
Anonymous
| We have a friend who teaches in the immersion program there and whose kids also attend -- it's a great program. Immersion programs are wonderful. |