Best elementary schools in Fairfax county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/accreditation_ayp_reports/accreditation/index.shtml

Scroll down to School Accreditation Ratings.
Find your county, listed in alphabetical order.

Any school rated about 90 is considered very very good.

For example, Waynewood Elementary is rated 95. Bucknell is rated 86.

You can't rely on Great Schools and School Digger. You have to find factual data, not parent ratings.

Great Schools does have that info on the site, broken down by sub groups. You need to click on the "Test Scores and Stats" tab.

[Anonymous]

As a new transfer family with kids in 2 different West Springfield schools, we have nothing but positive things to say about those schools (Hunt Valley and Sangster).

Sangster is huge, but my child said it feels like a small school. I am extremely impressed with the professionalism, knowledge and interest of both of my child's main teachers. The curriculum is challenging but interesting and engaging. Sangster is my child's fourth school (4th grader) and my child has been excited and eager to go to school since day one. He feels like Sangster and its program is one of the best he has attended.

Hunt Valley is warm, welcoming and homey, just the way an elementary school should feel. The teacher and aide are engaged, caring and seem excited to teach the children. The vice principal is interested and welcoming to the students. My shy and introverted child is blossoming at this school. Curriculum seems appropriately balanced for kindergarten.

The parents I have encountered at both schools seem friendly and open. They are all eager to share glowing feedback about both schools and proud to welcome new families. Many of the families I encounter are also military, with extensive experience in other schools, and they feel these schools are at the top, for academics and community feel.

I have also heard similar glowing reviews from various friends (all transfers to VA) about West Springfield Elementary. An additional plus for WS is that the elementary school is smaller and more intimate. However, housing is very difficult, if not impossible to find in that elementary school zone compared to all the other schools I looked into (a sign IMO that the school is very good).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a new transfer family with kids in 2 different West Springfield schools, we have nothing but positive things to say about those schools (Hunt Valley and Sangster).

Sangster is huge, but my child said it feels like a small school. I am extremely impressed with the professionalism, knowledge and interest of both of my child's main teachers. The curriculum is challenging but interesting and engaging. Sangster is my child's fourth school (4th grader) and my child has been excited and eager to go to school since day one. He feels like Sangster and its program is one of the best he has attended.

Hunt Valley is warm, welcoming and homey, just the way an elementary school should feel. The teacher and aide are engaged, caring and seem excited to teach the children. The vice principal is interested and welcoming to the students. My shy and introverted child is blossoming at this school. Curriculum seems appropriately balanced for kindergarten.

The parents I have encountered at both schools seem friendly and open. They are all eager to share glowing feedback about both schools and proud to welcome new families. Many of the families I encounter are also military, with extensive experience in other schools, and they feel these schools are at the top, for academics and community feel.

I have also heard similar glowing reviews from various friends (all transfers to VA) about West Springfield Elementary. An additional plus for WS is that the elementary school is smaller and more intimate. However, housing is very difficult, if not impossible to find in that elementary school zone compared to all the other schools I looked into (a sign IMO that the school is very good).

We are looking to purchase a home feeding into one of these elementary schools. So happy to hear more positive reviews! What about Orange Hunt Elementary?

[Anonymous]

OP - I would look very hard at class sizes. We are at one of the "best" elementary schools and the class size is large. I personally think it is negatively impacting my child in many many ways (bigger class sizes = less ability to differentiate, less ability of teachers to focus on learning, harder to manage bad behaviors, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Re: question about Crestwood. It is a high poverty/high ESOL school. Although we all make our own evaluations of schools/neighborhoods, I personally, would not send my kids to Crestwood. Many of the Springfield schools are excellent. And Crestwood's teachers may be doing a great job, but the population of students is going to affect the over-all experience. 61% eligible for free meals, 62% hispanic, 12 %caucasion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: question about Crestwood. It is a high poverty/high ESOL school. Although we all make our own evaluations of schools/neighborhoods, I personally, would not send my kids to Crestwood. Many of the Springfield schools are excellent. And Crestwood's teachers may be doing a great job, but the population of students is going to affect the over-all experience. 61% eligible for free meals, 62% hispanic, 12 %caucasion.

This just makes me so sad that we have schools like this in the NoVA area. I don't know how to fix it, but it seems ridiculous to have these things concentrated in just a few schools when other nearby schools have such drastically different demographics.

[Anonymous]

It is sad, but it is also a factor of real estate. People pay a premium to live in school districts that do not have those same demographics. People who can afford to opt in to certain districts and won't even consider others. I have to admit that I made that conscious decision when I bought my overpriced home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is sad, but it is also a factor of real estate. People pay a premium to live in school districts that do not have those same demographics. People who can afford to opt in to certain districts and won't even consider others. I have to admit that I made that conscious decision when I bought my overpriced home.

Of course and don't get me wrong - we chose certain neighborhoods over others in our recent real estate purchase based in some part (although not entirely) on the school/neighborhood demographics.

It just seems that our "real estate patterns" have taken us back to segregated schools. It isn't just here, but it is pretty pronounced here. We are kidding ourselves if we believe that these schools are "equal."

[Anonymous]

Well, Crestwood is FCPS, so Crestwood MUST be "gold standard" -- right? B/c the WHOLE county is the same and every school is just gold! Or not.

Sorry, I'm sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

Wakefield Forest in Annandale is great.

[Anonymous]

my kid had 17 in her kindergarten in Halley.

those title one schools are mandated to have smaller class sizes

[Anonymous]

Title I schools are mandated to have smaller class sizes. HOWEVER, those smaller class sizes are largely compromised of students with additional learning needs, sometimes intense learning challenges. I taught in three different Title I schools in Northern Virginia and I will tell you that, although the teachers try their very best to give every child what he/she needs...The kids that need the most are going to get the most attention. If your child does not excel or fall behind, it is likely he/she will not get as much attention as you'd like due to the make up of the school/class. Just my observation from the three schools I was in...Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools are mandated to have smaller class sizes. HOWEVER, those smaller class sizes are largely compromised of students with additional learning needs, sometimes intense learning challenges.

Many of the Title I schools in FCPS also have Young Scholars classes, and these smaller, dedicated classes for students that are bright do a great job of meeting these students needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools are mandated to have smaller class sizes. HOWEVER, those smaller class sizes are largely compromised of students with additional learning needs, sometimes intense learning challenges.

Many of the Title I schools in FCPS also have Young Scholars classes, and these smaller, dedicated classes for students that are bright do a great job of meeting these students needs.

You mean all the bright kids are put into one classroom together, called a Young Scholars class, and the rest of the children are in other classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools are mandated to have smaller class sizes. HOWEVER, those smaller class sizes are largely compromised of students with additional learning needs, sometimes intense learning challenges.

Many of the Title I schools in FCPS also have Young Scholars classes, and these smaller, dedicated classes for students that are bright do a great job of meeting these students needs.

You mean all the bright kids are put into one classroom together, called a Young Scholars class, and the rest of the children are in other classes?

It depends on the school as implementation of Young Scholars is decided by the school principal. In most (but probably not all) schools, the Young Scholars students are in a dedicated class or classes.