Best elementary schools in Fairfax

[Anonymous]

My kids have gone to four ES In ffx county. I would try to target an es in the Langley, McLean, oakton, Marshall, Madison, West Springfield, Woodson, or Robinson pyramids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, we left Falls Church City Schools for a bigger and nicer house in Fairfax (zoned for good schools). We didn’t realize how good we had it with FCC. There is low inventory, but check there.

I was going to say FCC too because they are better in most ways than any school in FFX. Of course the problem is are you willing to pay a million or two for a three bedroom cape cod.

[Anonymous]

The good news is you have many good schools to choose from! Both my kids went to Haycock (were not in AAP) and had a fantastic experience. But I would recommend any of the elementary schools feeding into McLean and Langley HS's. I have friends who have children attending several of these schools and they have all been happy. (Haycock, Kent Gardens, Chesterbrook, Churchill, Spring Hill) As far as the boundary adjustments, I would probably stay away from what they call "split feeder" schools or elementary schools where some of the kids go to one middle school and some go to another middle school. That is usually the low hanging fruit in terms of shifting kids in a boundary adjustment.

[Anonymous]

I’d buy a house you can afford, in a neighborhood you like, with a commute you can manage and send your kid to Catholic school. Stay away from the FCPS nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Don’t buy, just rent a house in a good school pyramid (elementary, middle, and high school). After the boundary changes you can decide where to set down roots (just make sure you are close to the schools).

[Anonymous]

To the original poster that asked the question, do you have any major work/commute considerations that would make one part of FFX county more convenient?

Would first narrow down using that, as there are pockets of great schools throughout the county, from the West Springfield area to lake braddock, Robinson, Langley pyramids.

Second obviously your budget? And then whether you care about other considerations like being walkable to things, parking, etc.

Just a few suggestions - Vienna area, Langley pyramid, west springfield....
And yes, boundaries are being looked at but if you are in a situation like us where your child starts school relatively soon...well, you have to.make the best decision with the information you have right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, we left Falls Church City Schools for a bigger and nicer house in Fairfax (zoned for good schools). We didn’t realize how good we had it with FCC. There is low inventory, but check there.

I was going to say FCC too because they are better in most ways than any school in FFX. Of course the problem is are you willing to pay a million or two for a three bedroom cape cod.

FCCPS is less bureaucratic and you know which schools your kids will attend, but Meridian is an IB high school. Some of us with experience with both IB and AP schools would avoid IB at all costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d buy a house you can afford, in a neighborhood you like, with a commute you can manage and send your kid to Catholic school. Stay away from the FCPS nonsense.

This is what we did our two of our children, but continued FCPS for our oldest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To identify the top elementary schools (in terms of test scores), look at the top rated high schools and work your way backward. Most schools are the top schools because of their demographics and parental involvement, which extends from elementary to high school. Alternatively, look at the middle schools that send the most kids to TJJHST and work your way backward.

Ignore the nonsense from posters complaining about the FCPS school boundary redistricting. The County is working to implement more cost efficient boundaries and many on the fringes aren’t happy about it. Buy a home within walking distance of its assigned elementary school and you’ve got nothing to worry about.

To identityn

Are you serious? She wants to go to a good school. Good schools are being targeted. Don’t listen to this poster, your kids’ education likely depends on you ignoring her.

Be careful too, there are a lot of school board supporters on DCUM. If you care about good schools, run, and don’t look back - we were in your shoes a few years ago. And people constantly bark in the other boundary thread that we should have done our homework.

Consider this your notice. Do your homework.

You people never stop. It’s always something. A kids educational trajectory has more to do with the parents than anything else. FCPS was more highly rated because of demographics. Now there are a lot less middle class people. If you can find a school with a cohort of peers who are academically oriented, your kids will be okay. Peers and parents have a lot more influence on my kids’ outcomes than the School Board.
There is no grand conspiracy; school boundaries change. You aren’t guaranteed a particular school when you buy a house.

Is it peers, or peers and parents? Two very different contradictory statements and have major implications for what school you go to.

Seems like you people need to get your story straight. 🙄

How is it contradictory? Both are important? The previous post is saying parents (SES and educational levels) and peers (which most FCPS schools have a cohort of academically minded students) are important. No one needs to “get their stories straight.” You just need to read better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To identify the top elementary schools (in terms of test scores), look at the top rated high schools and work your way backward. Most schools are the top schools because of their demographics and parental involvement, which extends from elementary to high school. Alternatively, look at the middle schools that send the most kids to TJJHST and work your way backward.

Ignore the nonsense from posters complaining about the FCPS school boundary redistricting. The County is working to implement more cost efficient boundaries and many on the fringes aren’t happy about it. Buy a home within walking distance of its assigned elementary school and you’ve got nothing to worry about.

To identityn

Are you serious? She wants to go to a good school. Good schools are being targeted. Don’t listen to this poster, your kids’ education likely depends on you ignoring her.

Be careful too, there are a lot of school board supporters on DCUM. If you care about good schools, run, and don’t look back - we were in your shoes a few years ago. And people constantly bark in the other boundary thread that we should have done our homework.

Consider this your notice. Do your homework.

You people never stop. It’s always something. A kids educational trajectory has more to do with the parents than anything else. FCPS was more highly rated because of demographics. Now there are a lot less middle class people. If you can find a school with a cohort of peers who are academically oriented, your kids will be okay. Peers and parents have a lot more influence on my kids’ outcomes than the School Board.
There is no grand conspiracy; school boundaries change. You aren’t guaranteed a particular school when you buy a house.

Is it peers, or peers and parents? Two very different contradictory statements and have major implications for what school you go to.

Seems like you people need to get your story straight. 🙄

How is it contradictory? Both are important? The previous post is saying parents (SES and educational levels) and peers (which most FCPS schools have a cohort of academically minded students) are important. No one needs to “get their stories straight.” You just need to read better.

Her conclusions don’t add up. She says peers are important, but then somehow tries to argue that which school you are at doesn’t matter. In other words her argument contradicts itself.

I get that you want to redistrict in the name of equity, but your justifications fail at every turn. You just need to become a critical thinker. Your agenda is going to destroy a once great school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d buy a house you can afford, in a neighborhood you like, with a commute you can manage and send your kid to Catholic school. Stay away from the FCPS nonsense.

This is what we did our two of our children, but continued FCPS for our oldest.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Pick the high school and middle school you want your kids to go to. Way more important. Then find the best elementary school in that pyramid. Most elementary schools will be good enough. Pay attention to which ones offer the aap program if you need it. I wouldn’t worry too much about elementary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pick the high school and middle school you want your kids to go to. Way more important. Then find the best elementary school in that pyramid. Most elementary schools will be good enough. Pay attention to which ones offer the aap program if you need it. I wouldn’t worry too much about elementary

The top HS pyramids have multiple strong elementary schools. Obsessing over the “best” ES in these pyramids is over-the-top nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the original poster that asked the question, do you have any major work/commute considerations that would make one part of FFX county more convenient?

Would first narrow down using that, as there are pockets of great schools throughout the county, from the West Springfield area to lake braddock, Robinson, Langley pyramids.

Second obviously your budget? And then whether you care about other considerations like being walkable to things, parking, etc.

Just a few suggestions - Vienna area, Langley pyramid, west springfield....
And yes, boundaries are being looked at but if you are in a situation like us where your child starts school relatively soon...well, you have to.make the best decision with the information you have right now.

West Springfield does not belong in the same sentence as Langley and Madison... Not saying it's a bad school but there is a precipitous drop from the true top (Langley, McLean, Oakton) and the rest of FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the original poster that asked the question, do you have any major work/commute considerations that would make one part of FFX county more convenient?

Would first narrow down using that, as there are pockets of great schools throughout the county, from the West Springfield area to lake braddock, Robinson, Langley pyramids.

Second obviously your budget? And then whether you care about other considerations like being walkable to things, parking, etc.

Just a few suggestions - Vienna area, Langley pyramid, west springfield....
And yes, boundaries are being looked at but if you are in a situation like us where your child starts school relatively soon...well, you have to.make the best decision with the information you have right now.

West Springfield does not belong in the same sentence as Langley and Madison... Not saying it's a bad school but there is a precipitous drop from the true top (Langley, McLean, Oakton) and the rest of FCPS.

That’s quite the hyperbole. People speak very highly of West Springfield.