Your thoughts on Haycock elementary please

[Anonymous]

I posted before about Douglas McArthur. I was shocked to find out that just because oour house is in that school district doesnt guarantee us a place there. SO , now I am wondering if we buy a place in Haycock district, is there a possibility that my kid cant go there becasue they dont have spot?! Alos, is the school as great as they advertise it to be? I am very nervous about the complaints about class sizes. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

School is roughly 300 kids over capacity. They've been planning a re-build since 2008, but Fairfax won't budget it. The classrooms are just packed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School is roughly 300 kids over capacity. They've been planning a re-build since 2008, but Fairfax won't budget it. The classrooms are just packed.

Haycock's renovation is scheduled to begin later this year.

It is very much over capacity, but the quality of instruction is truly amazing. We came to Haycock from a nearby school and the difference is like night and day. We wouldn't trade the experience our kids have had at Haycock for smaller class sizes elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted before about Douglas McArthur. I was shocked to find out that just because oour house is in that school district doesnt guarantee us a place there. SO , now I am wondering if we buy a place in Haycock district, is there a possibility that my kid cant go there becasue they dont have spot?! Alos, is the school as great as they advertise it to be? I am very nervous about the complaints about class sizes. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

If you live within the boundaries, your child is guaranteed a spot. This is true for all of Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

18:16 What school did you come from and what was wrong with it? I hear Haycock is amazing, but am not sure what that entails. Can you elaborate? All I hear about is extreme competition and differentiation which I'm not sure is such a plus.

[Anonymous]

Of course, there is no guarantee they won't redistrict. The renovation will not solve the overcrowding problem. I suspect FCPS is trying to do away with the AAP centers to save money and ease overcrowding st some of the centers.

[Anonymous]

20:50 here. I forgot to play that Haycock is a wonderful school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:18:16 What school did you come from and what was wrong with it? I hear Haycock is amazing, but am not sure what that entails. Can you elaborate? All I hear about is extreme competition and differentiation which I'm not sure is such a plus.

We were at Shrevewood. Wonderful families and a great new principal but too many teachers doing the bare minimum and not challenging the kids at all.

At Haycock we have had nothing but amazing teachers and plenty of challenge where needed. There are some über competitive parents, but it's just the parents, not the kids, so if you can look past them you wont be bothered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School is roughly 300 kids over capacity. They've been planning a re-build since 2008, but Fairfax won't budget it. The classrooms are just packed.

The school is not 300 kids over capacity when you include the modular classroom addition. Fairfax has already funded the planning for the Haycock renovation in the last bond referendum. The funding for the actual renovation should be included in the next bond referendum.

[Anonymous]

This song sums up the school...

[Anonymous]

We're new to Haycock but so far we're very impressed. We had some bad experiences in another school system so we can compare it. We feel lucky to have found this school.

[Anonymous]

For years now the entire 5th & 6th grade classes at Haycok spend the majority of their school days not in a school building but in trailers. At the end of the school year last year the principal projected total enrollment of near 950 students. School starts next Tuesday and as of today there's been no announcements to teacher assignments for the classes-- because they are waiting to the last minute to see which grade levels will be the most grossly overcrowded and then re-allocate teachers.

But the teachers are really great and they handle the severe overcrowding so well.

[Anonymous]

It's overcrowded because everyone wants their kid to go there for a good reason. It's like a high quality private school education and it's free. People call from all over the country to ask if a certain address is in the Haycock boundary. Yes, we've been waiting forever for a new building and my first grader probably won't ever see the new building. But the teachers and the degree of enrichment are stupendous. Very good teachers stay there a long time because it is such a good school. Parents are extremely involved with supporting the school. Special ed, general ed and AAP are all well above average for a Fairfax County school. New hires there are top caliber as opposed to some other schools in Fairfax County, where your kid could spend a year with someone who is not going to be rehired at the end of the year. The kids feel a real sense of community.

[Anonymous]

968 this year!

[Anonymous]

Haycock's overcrowding is obviously a badge of honor that demonstrates that the school is so great. If a facility built for about 500 students has 968 it must be really great.