Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Langley: good school but drug problem.

Seriously? You, again?

My kids have all gone to Langley. There is no "drug problem" there - any more than there is at any high school on this list, or in this country, for that matter.

We found Langley to be large enough for all our kids to find their various niches and people. None of them were particularly athletic, and yet all found groups of like-minded kids in theatre, academics, band, and other extracurriculars. Lots of interesting and nice kids, mostly fantastic teachers, and a fabulous academic experience. Highly recommend.

This is the first time I have ever posted about Langley. But EVERY PARENT, every single one that I have talked with says this. I have yet to talk with a single parent that does not say this. they all act relieved that their kids are out and have not been in the drug culture.

Yup, it's not just one poster who mentions the drug problems at Langley. There's been a serious drug problem there (hard drugs, not just weed) since I went to another FFX County high school in the 90s. Too much money + busy parents = kids using coke and pills.

Meh. DS starts HS at a GS 8 FCPS school next year (not Langley, BTW). He came home this week and told me that Larlo's brother said that he knew less than a week after starting high school who was selling drugs at the school and how to buy them. I told him, and I honestly believe, that that would be the case at any high school, public or private, in the metro DC area. And that the time was rapidly coming where we would have to trust that we had raised a good kid who would make smart decisions. Or that we would have to homeschool him. We both agreed that trusting him was by far a better call in our case.

If you think every highly regarded HS but your DC's, or that only HSs X and Y have a drug problem (or a drinking problem, or a teens having sex problem) you are fooling yourself. Teach your kids right and wrong. Make sure they know the consequences of bad decisions. Get to know their friends. You know, parent. Or consider home schooling.

High G's rating means Recreational drug use vs low G's rating is supporting the family business

[Anonymous]

There are always drugs, however the difference in some schools is that it's popular or not popular to do drugs. What are the popular kids doing? Where is the pressure the greatest? With the in crowd or the out crowd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are always drugs, however the difference in some schools is that it's popular or not popular to do drugs. What are the popular kids doing? Where is the pressure the greatest? With the in crowd or the out crowd?

Good point. So are there schools where it's the "in-crowd" that's driving the drug use? That strikes me as the most concerning scenario.

[Anonymous]

Culture's change over time.
If your kids is younger than 5th grade, by the time your kid gets to HS, the culture can change.

Also, your kid can change. They usually don't know if they are a band geek till freshmen year, ditto for drama. Kids who love sports at young ages frequently burn out before HS.

A horrible band director might fall over dead someday from having a heart pump blood for their 400 pound frame. A strong drama club could weaken on a retirement. sTuff changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much everyone. This is very helpful information.

Any feedback on the options that haven't been mentioned yet? Am most interested in hearing from those who have (or have recently had) students at these schools. How have you found the social environment?

Langley
Madison
Marshall
Oakton

rich kids. Also, discriminated against in U. Va. admissions.

Op, I was in your shoes 2 years ago and we ended up at Oakton. I wouldn't say it is a rich kids culture, more like middle class, which I like. Academically, it is very close to Madison, some indicators are much better(number of national merit finalists, SAT acres, college admission). It is an old school, but reconstruction will start in a year, so I think we are going to stick here for the younger kid too. If I had a choice, I would probably go to Langley, but unfortunately, we couldn't affort anything there. If your child is smart, he will do well here. A lot of resources for kids who wants to succeed. School is very into sports, my kid never did sports before HS, and now in a varsity team and competes on national level.

[Anonymous]

Oakton and Madison are very similar.

Robinson and Lake Braddock are very similar.

Find a neighborhood that you like. I recommend one that is friendly. Drive by after school or, if you work, after work and on a weekend and see who's out. Do they offer a friendly wave? Are kids playing outside?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are always drugs, however the difference in some schools is that it's popular or not popular to do drugs. What are the popular kids doing? Where is the pressure the greatest? With the in crowd or the out crowd?

Good point. So are there schools where it's the "in-crowd" that's driving the drug use? That strikes me as the most concerning scenario.

With the schools the size we have here, there is no "in crowd". There are many different crowds and within those some are more popular and some are not- just like in any situation in life. Plus, there is movement between them (some are in band and are in a sport, some are in government and orchestra....). There is plenty of peer pressure against it and otoh if a student wants to try it, it isn't exactly a secret of where to get it. None of the school's OP mentioned have a pervasive problem and none are completely clean either.

[Anonymous]

We are looking at schools on the next tier down. How does West Potomac, Hayfield, Falls Church, Annadale and Edison compare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This principal is not a Madison grad and former sports star, as the previous one was, so that is changing the atmosphere there for the better.


And, then, some people think that sports is a great thing for a school. It raises the morale of the kids and gives them activities for balance in their lives.


Sports are still very big at Madison. The problem under the prior principal was that he tolerated bullying and misbehavior by jocks and created an environment in which the kids who were not varsity athletes were made to feel like second-class students. It is much better now.

This worries me as we are looking in the Madison pyramid. Kids are not sporty and not in band. We are not super wealthy. Is it better to go to a lesser school and be on the upper end of it (i.e. like a Herndon school) or go to a Madison type of school where you probably won't be among the super stars. ??

DD is a freshman at Madison...so we only know it as it is for this year. I think the one take away from the school is kids tend to be really, really focused on their interests whether theater, SGA, Chorus, sports, band, art, or school work, etc. They do also have friends that span these activities primarily from friendships at Thoreau or the elementary schools they started in.

On the athletics side, another thing that is interesting is that for sports that don't have JV/Varsity and everyone is effectively varsity the kids are friendly between under classmen and upper classmen. Not sure how it works w/ football or soccer...? The sports where Madison did really, really well this year where not the "big" boys sports like football, lacrosse or basketball (baseball and football had very good seasons, but playoffs...meh) ...it is the girls sports like cross country, volleyball and softball that have gone well into the state tournaments. Part of the athletics focus for Madison is because so many of the kids come up thru the VYI leagues and there is a very well funding athletic booster club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This principal is not a Madison grad and former sports star, as the previous one was, so that is changing the atmosphere there for the better.


And, then, some people think that sports is a great thing for a school. It raises the morale of the kids and gives them activities for balance in their lives.


Sports are still very big at Madison. The problem under the prior principal was that he tolerated bullying and misbehavior by jocks and created an environment in which the kids who were not varsity athletes were made to feel like second-class students. It is much better now.

This worries me as we are looking in the Madison pyramid. Kids are not sporty and not in band. We are not super wealthy. Is it better to go to a lesser school and be on the upper end of it (i.e. like a Herndon school) or go to a Madison type of school where you probably won't be among the super stars. ??

DD is a freshman at Madison...so we only know it as it is for this year. I think the one take away from the school is kids tend to be really, really focused on their interests whether theater, SGA, Chorus, sports, band, art, or school work, etc. They do also have friends that span these activities primarily from friendships at Thoreau or the elementary schools they started in.

On the athletics side, another thing that is interesting is that for sports that don't have JV/Varsity and everyone is effectively varsity the kids are friendly between under classmen and upper classmen. Not sure how it works w/ football or soccer...? The sports where Madison did really, really well this year where not the "big" boys sports like football, lacrosse or basketball (baseball and football had very good seasons, but playoffs...meh) ...it is the girls sports like cross country, volleyball and softball that have gone well into the state tournaments. Part of the athletics focus for Madison is because so many of the kids come up thru the VYI leagues and there is a very well funding athletic booster club.

Your description of this school makes it sound very cliquish. Is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This principal is not a Madison grad and former sports star, as the previous one was, so that is changing the atmosphere there for the better.


And, then, some people think that sports is a great thing for a school. It raises the morale of the kids and gives them activities for balance in their lives.


Sports are still very big at Madison. The problem under the prior principal was that he tolerated bullying and misbehavior by jocks and created an environment in which the kids who were not varsity athletes were made to feel like second-class students. It is much better now.

This worries me as we are looking in the Madison pyramid. Kids are not sporty and not in band. We are not super wealthy. Is it better to go to a lesser school and be on the upper end of it (i.e. like a Herndon school) or go to a Madison type of school where you probably won't be among the super stars. ??

DD is a freshman at Madison...so we only know it as it is for this year. I think the one take away from the school is kids tend to be really, really focused on their interests whether theater, SGA, Chorus, sports, band, art, or school work, etc. They do also have friends that span these activities primarily from friendships at Thoreau or the elementary schools they started in.

On the athletics side, another thing that is interesting is that for sports that don't have JV/Varsity and everyone is effectively varsity the kids are friendly between under classmen and upper classmen. Not sure how it works w/ football or soccer...? The sports where Madison did really, really well this year where not the "big" boys sports like football, lacrosse or basketball (baseball and football had very good seasons, but playoffs...meh) ...it is the girls sports like cross country, volleyball and softball that have gone well into the state tournaments. Part of the athletics focus for Madison is because so many of the kids come up thru the VYI leagues and there is a very well funding athletic booster club.

Your description of this school makes it sound very cliquish. Is it?

X1000

[Anonymous]

And no one has brought this up, but TJ is pure hell. Almost all of the students suffer from anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This principal is not a Madison grad and former sports star, as the previous one was, so that is changing the atmosphere there for the better.


And, then, some people think that sports is a great thing for a school. It raises the morale of the kids and gives them activities for balance in their lives.


Sports are still very big at Madison. The problem under the prior principal was that he tolerated bullying and misbehavior by jocks and created an environment in which the kids who were not varsity athletes were made to feel like second-class students. It is much better now.

This worries me as we are looking in the Madison pyramid. Kids are not sporty and not in band. We are not super wealthy. Is it better to go to a lesser school and be on the upper end of it (i.e. like a Herndon school) or go to a Madison type of school where you probably won't be among the super stars. ??

DD is a freshman at Madison...so we only know it as it is for this year. I think the one take away from the school is kids tend to be really, really focused on their interests whether theater, SGA, Chorus, sports, band, art, or school work, etc. They do also have friends that span these activities primarily from friendships at Thoreau or the elementary schools they started in.

On the athletics side, another thing that is interesting is that for sports that don't have JV/Varsity and everyone is effectively varsity the kids are friendly between under classmen and upper classmen. Not sure how it works w/ football or soccer...? The sports where Madison did really, really well this year where not the "big" boys sports like football, lacrosse or basketball (baseball and football had very good seasons, but playoffs...meh) ...it is the girls sports like cross country, volleyball and softball that have gone well into the state tournaments. Part of the athletics focus for Madison is because so many of the kids come up thru the VYI leagues and there is a very well funding athletic booster club.

Your description of this school makes it sound very cliquish. Is it?

X1000

Why do you think this is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And no one has brought this up, but TJ is pure hell. Almost all of the students suffer from anxiety.

.

Do you have a child there?

My guess is no.

Op didn't ask about TJ so no need to bring your TJ bashing here.

I don't have a kid there but am so sick of all the gratuitous digs to those students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at schools on the next tier down. How does West Potomac, Hayfield, Falls Church, Annadale and Edison compare?

That's not really the next tier down, but instead the bottom tier.