Northern VA HS REC
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Anonymous
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I am looking for HS recs for application next year. I prefer Fairfax or close-in Loudoun County, but will look at MD.
MY DS is in FCPS, 7th grade, not GT, but taking two honors classes and getting all A's. We are in Langley pyramid, near Loudoun border, which means DC is up @ 5:45 to get his bus and this will be even earlier for HS. His teachers tell the classes they are prepping them for Langley, which means the HW load keeps increasing. He has a music lesson and one martial arts class after school; that is it for extras. Langley, by most accounts, is an unhealthy pressure-cooker and my DS is already beginning to get sick a lot and showing lots of signs of stress. I am thinking there must be a better way for himto spend his HS years. We are starting to look into privates for HS. We don't want a pressure cooker environment but academics need to be solid. DS is neither super artistic nor super athletic. He is (generally) a happy kid with a close-knit, small group of friends. We are secular-Jewish. |
Anonymous
| To escape the pressure cooker, I would recommend GW Communit School in Springfield or The New School in Fairfax. |
Anonymous
| We'll be looking into the Catholic HSs and Flint Hill. |
Anonymous
These are schools for at risk kids. Woodson has a high Jewish population. Robinson is also very good. |
Anonymous
I cant speak for GW, but you apparently don't know anything about the New School. It is not at all for at-risk kids, and they make it very clear that they will not admit or tolerate kids with repeated behavior or impulse control problems. The New School is a place where kids can escape out from under the thumb of the SOL's and really have a chance to learn and explore. The teachers are passionate about what they teach and really understand the kids and help them find passions of their own. They just had a open house yesterday, but I am sure they would be happy to tour you around if you give them a call. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks for the rec's. I actually toured New School several years ago when we first moved to the area. There was a lot I liked about it and I know of one other family who has left Langley to go there. When we lived in another state, my DD went to a public school based on the same philosophy. I have mixed feelings, but see there is another open house 1/27 and will probably attend. |
Anonymous
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What about LSG in Ashburn? It used to be called Ideal School.
At LSG, the typical pressures of middle and high school do not apply. Where students normally would be worrying about social interactions, staying awake in class, or being lost in the shuffle, our students are engaged in relevant conversations, answering complex and thought-provoking questions, and exploring their own interests with the help of attentive faculty. |
Anonymous
| Flint Hill. |
Anonymous
Great school, but more traditional than OP is seeking. |
Anonymous
| It didn't sound like OP was looking for a non-traditional school. The request was for a non-pressure cooker, but still high academics. Seems like Flint Hill would be a good match. |
Anonymous
| Does Flint Hill require athletics? |
Anonymous
| Second vote for LSG, but it's very small so you'll have to see if they have openings. |