Which FCPS elementary schools have great base school programs?

[Anonymous]

We are not sure either of our kids are gifted and we do we really want to switch schools once our kids start or have our kids in large AAP center schools where they feel like a minority. Which schools in FCPS do you recommend that have great base school programs?

[Anonymous]

What is your budget and what is/are your commute(s)?

[Anonymous]

Anywhere in FCPS is fine. We'd like to find a house for around $500,000-$700,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anywhere in FCPS is fine. We'd like to find a house for around $500,000-$700,000.

There are 139 elementary school in Fairfax County, need more guidance as to neighborhoods that would means shorter commute. IMO, a shorter commute beats quite a bit of the perceived differences in most of the schools. It increases family time, couple time, alone time, work/life balance is much easier.

[Anonymous]

Before I saw you're budget, I would have said Chesterbrook Elementary in McLean (great base and Local Level IV program), but not sure you'll get a house for under $700K in that area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anywhere in FCPS is fine. We'd like to find a house for around $500,000-$700,000.

Three non-exclusive recommendations would be Stenwood and Flint Hill in Vienna and Wakefield Forest in Annandale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anywhere in FCPS is fine. We'd like to find a house for around $500,000-$700,000.

Three non-exclusive recommendations would be Stenwood and Flint Hill in Vienna and Wakefield Forest in Annandale.

I think Flint Hill is out of our price range. What do you like about the other two?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what you mean by "great base school programs" since they all follow the same SOLs and pacing, but Hunt Valley, Orange Hunt and Sangster might be good choices in that price range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anywhere in FCPS is fine. We'd like to find a house for around $500,000-$700,000.

Three non-exclusive recommendations would be Stenwood and Flint Hill in Vienna and Wakefield Forest in Annandale.

I think Flint Hill is out of our price range. What do you like about the other two?

Well-regarded schools with LLIV services (but not designated AAP Centers) so you have program options; in good pyramids (Stenwood is Marshall; WF is Woodson); can find houses in your price range.

[Anonymous]

What kinds of things are important to you in a school? Size? After school opportunities? Special services? Immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure what you mean by "great base school programs" since they all follow the same SOLs and pacing, but Hunt Valley, Orange Hunt and Sangster might be good choices in that price range.

Sangster is also AAP, I can't follow if you want/don't want a level IV school. But it is a good school (exact same building as Silverbrook, right down the street, also a good school)
Orange Hunt has language immersion, which those kids end up ahead of the AAP kids come middle school (they can take both Hr. Algebra & language I as 7th graders, AAP kids can only take Hr. Algebra)

[Anonymous]

Wolftrap elementary is a great school. I have non AAP kids and I'm very happy about school programs and teachers.

[Anonymous]

Sangster (has a center but is also a great school in gen ed), Cherry Run, Hunt Valley, Orange Hunt, Silverbrook....lots of the schools in that area are really good choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wolftrap elementary is a great school. I have non AAP kids and I'm very happy about school programs and teachers.

It's not easy to find something under $700K in the Wolftrap district. Bump up the ceiling to $800K and it's a different picture.

[Anonymous]

Try the Camelot ES area. Houses were in that price range a few years ago, not sure how much they've gone up since then.