Shrevewood/Kilmer/Marshall triangle - what is the cause of disparity?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

We are considering a house that falls within the Shrevewood/Kilmer/Marshall school triangle. Our realtor told us that while Kilmer and Marshall are ranked high, Shrevewood is a bit less so (although not terrible). I'm just wondering what accounts for that disparity; does Shrevewood split off into a less desirable middle/high school pyramid as well?

[Anonymous]

Look it up. FCPS has boundary maps on its website.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Looked on website - it appears Shrevewood is one of several ES that feed into Kilmer/Marshall, so I guess all of the kids at Shrevewood would go there. Just wondering if anyone out there has any first hand experiences or knowledge of that school and why it might not be as good as the MS/HS. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

We are considering a house that falls within the Shrevewood/Kilmer/Marshall school triangle. Our realtor told us that while Kilmer and Marshall are ranked high, Shrevewood is a bit less so (although not terrible). I'm just wondering what accounts for that disparity; does Shrevewood split off into a less desirable middle/high school pyramid as well?

Shrevewood feeds exclusively to Kilmer/Marshall. It is ranked less highly than those schools because its boundaries include a bunch of low and moderate-income apartments off Lee Highway and Gallows Road near Merrifield. In addition, AAP kids at Shrevewood can attend the AAP center at Lemon Road ES, which pulls down Shrevewood's average scores.

In comparison, Kilmer's ratings get a boost from the AAP kids from Great Falls who go there (Cooper MS doesn't have AAP yet), and Marshall's ratings get a boost from students who pupil place for IB from surrounding AP schools like Langley, McLean, Madison and Falls Church.

PP mentioned the boundary map; here it is: http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/shrevewoodes.pdf

[Anonymous]

My kids at Marshall have plenty of friends who went to Shrevewood and they're indistinguishable in intelligence and achievement from any other other Marshall students. (Plus who's talking about where you went to elementary school in HS?) Shrevewood isn't one of the hothouse Vienna-area elementary schools, but so what, that likely means it's less overcrowded and the parents aren't as crazy. I say this as a Vienna mom whose kids went to a charming off the radar elementary that has since been turned into an AAP center to its detriment. I'd snatch up a house in the Shrevewood area if I were new to the area and could find an affordable house I like there. Your kids will do fine and be indistinguishable from the other students once they get to Kilmer. So much of this fear of being in a school that everybody isn't dying to get into is lemming-like parents who don't trust their own judgment to tell whether a school is good and don't trust their kids' intelligence. When we moved here, no one sought out our local elementary school and most parents were thrilled with its greatness being our little secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

We are considering a house that falls within the Shrevewood/Kilmer/Marshall school triangle. Our realtor told us that while Kilmer and Marshall are ranked high, Shrevewood is a bit less so (although not terrible). I'm just wondering what accounts for that disparity; does Shrevewood split off into a less desirable middle/high school pyramid as well?

Shrevewood feeds exclusively to Kilmer/Marshall. It is ranked less highly than those schools because its boundaries include a bunch of low and moderate-income apartments off Lee Highway and Gallows Road near Merrifield. In addition, AAP kids at Shrevewood can attend the AAP center at Lemon Road ES, which pulls down Shrevewood's average scores.

In comparison, Kilmer's ratings get a boost from the AAP kids from Great Falls who go there (Cooper MS doesn't have AAP yet), and Marshall's ratings get a boost from students who pupil place for IB from surrounding AP schools like Langley, McLean, Madison and Falls Church.

PP mentioned the boundary map; here it is: http://www.fcps.edu/images/boundarymaps/shrevewoodes.pdf

OP here: Now, this is helpful. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids at Marshall have plenty of friends who went to Shrevewood and they're indistinguishable in intelligence and achievement from any other other Marshall students. (Plus who's talking about where you went to elementary school in HS?) Shrevewood isn't one of the hothouse Vienna-area elementary schools, but so what, that likely means it's less overcrowded and the parents aren't as crazy. I say this as a Vienna mom whose kids went to a charming off the radar elementary that has since been turned into an AAP center to its detriment. I'd snatch up a house in the Shrevewood area if I were new to the area and could find an affordable house I like there. Your kids will do fine and be indistinguishable from the other students once they get to Kilmer. So much of this fear of being in a school that everybody isn't dying to get into is lemming-like parents who don't trust their own judgment to tell whether a school is good and don't trust their kids' intelligence. When we moved here, no one sought out our local elementary school and most parents were thrilled with its greatness being our little secret.

I think OP just wanted to understand the difference in ratings. Marshall parents can be among the most active on the DCUM real estate forum in recommending their school and warning people against other pyramids, so it's a bit odd to turn around and suggest others are "lemmings" for caring about such purportedly trivial matters.

In terms of future enrollment, FCPS has been projecting for several years that Shrevewood will be well above-capacity in a few years. If that happens, FCPS has said it may explore things like turning the old Dunn Loring ES back into an elementary school, reopening Pimmit Hills Alternative HS as an ES, etc.

[Anonymous]

We have kids at Shrevewood, and are very happy with it so far. It is definitely bursting at the seams - the last few classes have been quite large. That said, the administration is very hands on, and we've had some great teachers.

The classes are fairly diverse, due to the boundaries. Which we love, having grown up in a diverse area in NY.
And active PTA, but not overbearing, at least to me, a FT WOHM.

[Anonymous]

Overcrowding is definitely an issue in the area. Shrevewood had 526 kids in 2009, and now has almost 700. FCPS projects over 800 students by 2018 in a building designed for about 650.

The overcrowding at Kilmer MS is expected to be a problem as well, but FCPS can address it by moving most of the AAP kids now at Kilmer to Cooper and Thoreau.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids at Marshall have plenty of friends who went to Shrevewood and they're indistinguishable in intelligence and achievement from any other other Marshall students. (Plus who's talking about where you went to elementary school in HS?) Shrevewood isn't one of the hothouse Vienna-area elementary schools, but so what, that likely means it's less overcrowded and the parents aren't as crazy. I say this as a Vienna mom whose kids went to a charming off the radar elementary that has since been turned into an AAP center to its detriment. I'd snatch up a house in the Shrevewood area if I were new to the area and could find an affordable house I like there. Your kids will do fine and be indistinguishable from the other students once they get to Kilmer. So much of this fear of being in a school that everybody isn't dying to get into is lemming-like parents who don't trust their own judgment to tell whether a school is good and don't trust their kids' intelligence. When we moved here, no one sought out our local elementary school and most parents were thrilled with its greatness being our little secret.

I think OP just wanted to understand the difference in ratings. Marshall parents can be among the most active on the DCUM real estate forum in recommending their school and warning people against other pyramids, so it's a bit odd to turn around and suggest others are "lemmings" for caring about such purportedly trivial matters.

In terms of future enrollment, FCPS has been projecting for several years that Shrevewood will be well above-capacity in a few years. If that happens, FCPS has said it may explore things like turning the old Dunn Loring ES back into an elementary school, reopening Pimmit Hills Alternative HS as an ES, etc.

Hi - OP again.
I actually found the Marshall parent's post helpful. The house in question is relatively close to Shrevewood ES (within half a mile), so if the FCPS plans you reference were to happen, I would think we'd still be assigned there and that it might actually improve the school as some of the outlying neighborhoods would be reassigned (i.e. previously referenced Lee Hwy/Merrifield area). Would I be incorrect to assume this?

[Anonymous]

Shrevewood has a good reputation. I wouldn't worry about rankings too much. The pool near the school is very nice and I like that neighborhood along Holly Manor Drive which is quite family friendly. Most of the houses are in-between two towns - Falls Church and Vienna, so I'm not sure what sports groups most children play in. I have friends in that are that play for Vienna, but I think most kids play for Falls Church. Kilmer's reputation will probably drop once the Cooper kids move out, but it will be a good think since the school is terribly overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids at Marshall have plenty of friends who went to Shrevewood and they're indistinguishable in intelligence and achievement from any other other Marshall students. (Plus who's talking about where you went to elementary school in HS?) Shrevewood isn't one of the hothouse Vienna-area elementary schools, but so what, that likely means it's less overcrowded and the parents aren't as crazy. I say this as a Vienna mom whose kids went to a charming off the radar elementary that has since been turned into an AAP center to its detriment. I'd snatch up a house in the Shrevewood area if I were new to the area and could find an affordable house I like there. Your kids will do fine and be indistinguishable from the other students once they get to Kilmer. So much of this fear of being in a school that everybody isn't dying to get into is lemming-like parents who don't trust their own judgment to tell whether a school is good and don't trust their kids' intelligence. When we moved here, no one sought out our local elementary school and most parents were thrilled with its greatness being our little secret.

I think OP just wanted to understand the difference in ratings. Marshall parents can be among the most active on the DCUM real estate forum in recommending their school and warning people against other pyramids, so it's a bit odd to turn around and suggest others are "lemmings" for caring about such purportedly trivial matters.

In terms of future enrollment, FCPS has been projecting for several years that Shrevewood will be well above-capacity in a few years. If that happens, FCPS has said it may explore things like turning the old Dunn Loring ES back into an elementary school, reopening Pimmit Hills Alternative HS as an ES, etc.

Hi - OP again.
I actually found the Marshall parent's post helpful. The house in question is relatively close to Shrevewood ES (within half a mile), so if the FCPS plans you reference were to happen, I would think we'd still be assigned there and that it might actually improve the school as some of the outlying neighborhoods would be reassigned (i.e. previously referenced Lee Hwy/Merrifield area). Would I be incorrect to assume this?

I'd neither worry about it nor make assumptions. If you look at enough boundary maps, you'll find plenty of examples of students living very close to one school, and attending another.

So, for example, if FCPS reopens Pimmit Hills as an ES, you could end up with kids living close to Shrevewood near Route 7 moved to Lemon Road or Pimmit Hills,which would probably pull down Shrevewood's test scores/ratings. If they reopen Dunn Loring, it might "improve" Shrevewood for the reasons you mention. Either way, I'd take comfort knowing that, over the years, people generally have been happy with the school.

[Anonymous]

I have kids at Shrevewood.

Trailers are a fact of life for schools in this area and Shrevewood is no different. They have 5 trailers I believe, with one of them built in the last year. The playground unfortunately has enough space for more trailers. I guess this could be worse - the HS that I went to (in another state) now has no ballfield/rec area as it has doubled the building size via a bunch of trailers.

The school is as economically and racially diverse as you can get in the northern half of Fairfax County. Everyone is pretty much the same though, they want the best for their kids and expect them to do well in school.

Shrevewood recently (over the past 2-3 years?) changed from outplacing their AAP kids (starting in 3rd grade) to Haycock to having a Local Level IV (ie AAP classes) while also giving parents the option to outplace at the regional AAP center, which is now Lemon Road ES. [Excuse me for getting all the terminology maybe not 100% precise as FCPS AAP stuff confuses me a bit.]

If your kid is above grade level before the AAP years then they will get additional challenge via pull-out instructional time in group settings with other kids in their grade. Once they get to the AAP years then get stay at Shrevewood or go to LR (parent's choice). I think the current AAP class size is like 15-20 kids, so it does need to grow. It's pretty easy to tell by the 3rd grade which kids can read and do math above grade level.

I personally think ES rankings / quality is irrelevant for FCPS schools. All I really care about is personal safety for my kids and FCPS provides that by being in a rich county. They just need to learn how to read, write and maths at grade level or higher and kids will do that if they aren't LD/SN and have parent(s) who expect that of them. Good teachers are great but bad teachers pretty much don't affect the kids all that much as they will learn from you.

PTA is active but doesn't hit up the parents for as much money (fundraising) as they probably should.

The only downside to this area is the afterschool sports - there isn't a single league that caters to these kids so you'll find families going to McLean + Falls Church City + Vienna leagues. Gives you more choices, of course, but saddles you with more driving during rush hour.

[Anonymous]

Although stenwood is considered the one of the best non AAP close in, Westgate is almost done with the complete renovated with outdoor green space classrooms, larger capacity and updated classrooms.

I would check out Westgate, Lemon Road, Stenwood as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Hi - OP again.
I actually found the Marshall parent's post helpful. The house in question is relatively close to Shrevewood ES (within half a mile), so if the FCPS plans you reference were to happen, I would think we'd still be assigned there and that it might actually improve the school as some of the outlying neighborhoods would be reassigned (i.e. previously referenced Lee Hwy/Merrifield area). Would I be incorrect to assume this?

I would imagine that FCPS would be more likely to move entire neighborhoods around if needed in that area. I believe that Lemon Road still has capacity, and could take some of the kids who live near Route 7 along Idylwood and Pimmit if rezoned. If the Dunn Loring ES reopened, then those closer to Idylwood and Gallows would likely move. I would guess that neighborhoods close by, such as Falls Hill and Holly Manor, would likely stay zoned to Shrevewood. But I don't think distance is as important as keeping neighborhoods together. Houses directly behind Shrevewood are zoned for Timber Lane.