Oak View Elementary - how is it?

[Anonymous]

We are looking at this school for our son that would be starting 3rd grade next year and our daughter that will be starting Kindergarten in 2 years. How involved is the PTA? Are the teachers helpful to students? Are the people in the office helpful? What is the atmosphere of students like? Is there a lot of bullying? Any information outside of GreaterSchools would be very helpful. TIA.

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Hi OP- my child does not attend Oak View but I've heard nothing but good things about it. (My child attends a nearby school but has teammates at Oak View and I've met some other parents with kids there.)

I was told they do something where teachers and students can continue together through two(?) grades together if both parties think it's a good match. I forget the term that was used to describe it. So your student may be assigned a teacher for second grade and that teacher/groups of students stay together for third grade if the student/parent/teacher are in agreement. Sounded interesting and the parent spoke highly of this set-up.

Hopefully someone with kids actually attending Oak View will chime in.

[Anonymous]

It used to be called looping when you had a teacher for 2 grades.

[Anonymous]

It's a great school! Parents are very involved and the teachers are wonderful with the students. My daughter attended in 3rd grade and had a great year. She had a homeroom teacher and a math teacher and loved both of them.

[Anonymous]

bump!

I'm trying to decide if we should send my son here for K or look into St. Leo the Great. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

No personal experience, but I've heard very good things about Oak View. I'm not sure why you would consider paying for St. Leo's (unless you want a Catholic education).

[Anonymous]

I have two kids at OV and love it! The school boundaries are strange (some kids live in Clifton or across Braddock Road,) but they do an amazing job developing a sense of community. They just had a pep rally about positivity last week, and the principal and AP are immediately responsive to any concerns. There are lots of after school programs and fun events. Academically, we find it to be a really great school. They have local level AAP for grades 3-6 but the classes are flexible too. Even if your child doesn't qualify for full-time AAP, they can be in the advanced level in specific subjects. I'm picky about schools because I have an education background, and I feel like OVES really values all the children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at OV and love it! The school boundaries are strange (some kids live in Clifton or across Braddock Road,) but they do an amazing job developing a sense of community. They just had a pep rally about positivity last week, and the principal and AP are immediately responsive to any concerns. There are lots of after school programs and fun events. Academically, we find it to be a really great school. They have local level AAP for grades 3-6 but the classes are flexible too. Even if your child doesn't qualify for full-time AAP, they can be in the advanced level in specific subjects. I'm picky about schools because I have an education background, and I feel like OVES really values all the children.

That's a very valid point. We looked at homes that fed into Oakview, but thought the split feeder might be an issue. I think for AAP they have local level IV, and Willow Oaks and Frost are the centers. Strangely despite being right next to Robinson, a kid in the AAP program could spend 3-8 being bussed to a center.

But I think all of the Robinson feeders are wonky for AAP kids. The other schools send their kids to White Oaks and Lake Braddock.

I've heard good things about Oak View, but really every single elementary around these parts is strong. Find the house you like.

[Anonymous]

I have heard good things about Oak View and St. Leos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No personal experience, but I've heard very good things about Oak View. I'm not sure why you would consider paying for St. Leo's (unless you want a Catholic education).

Poster that bumped this thread. I would only consider St. Leos if it Oak View wasn't a great school, if it was overcrowded etc. I actually am a parishioner there but I'm not a proponent of Catholic school (didn't go to it myself)...it would just be another option if it was better since it is close. I'm also not concerned about the cost since it is actually cheaper than daycare by A LOT!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at OV and love it! The school boundaries are strange (some kids live in Clifton or across Braddock Road,) but they do an amazing job developing a sense of community. They just had a pep rally about positivity last week, and the principal and AP are immediately responsive to any concerns. There are lots of after school programs and fun events. Academically, we find it to be a really great school. They have local level AAP for grades 3-6 but the classes are flexible too. Even if your child doesn't qualify for full-time AAP, they can be in the advanced level in specific subjects. I'm picky about schools because I have an education background, and I feel like OVES really values all the children.

That's a very valid point. We looked at homes that fed into Oakview, but thought the split feeder might be an issue. I think for AAP they have local level IV, and Willow Oaks and Frost are the centers. Strangely despite being right next to Robinson, a kid in the AAP program could spend 3-8 being bussed to a center.

But I think all of the Robinson feeders are wonky for AAP kids. The other schools send their kids to White Oaks and Lake Braddock.

I've heard good things about Oak View, but really every single elementary around these parts is strong. Find the house you like.

We already bought the house months ago based on the fact that if we do go public we are zoned for Woodson. I'm not not very educated on the elementary schools here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at OV and love it! The school boundaries are strange (some kids live in Clifton or across Braddock Road,) but they do an amazing job developing a sense of community. They just had a pep rally about positivity last week, and the principal and AP are immediately responsive to any concerns. There are lots of after school programs and fun events. Academically, we find it to be a really great school. They have local level AAP for grades 3-6 but the classes are flexible too. Even if your child doesn't qualify for full-time AAP, they can be in the advanced level in specific subjects. I'm picky about schools because I have an education background, and I feel like OVES really values all the children.

That's a very valid point. We looked at homes that fed into Oakview, but thought the split feeder might be an issue. I think for AAP they have local level IV, and Willow Oaks and Frost are the centers. Strangely despite being right next to Robinson, a kid in the AAP program could spend 3-8 being bussed to a center.

But I think all of the Robinson feeders are wonky for AAP kids. The other schools send their kids to White Oaks and Lake Braddock.

I've heard good things about Oak View, but really every single elementary around these parts is strong. Find the house you like.

We already bought the house months ago based on the fact that if we do go public we are zoned for Woodson. I'm not not very educated on the elementary schools here.

Different PP. It's a fine school. I think 70 percent of the students go to Robinson and the rest to Woodson. One thing you ought to consider is that since it's a split feeder, you might end up in the Robinson zone. I know a section of fairfax station was re-zoned to Robinson recently. Robinson has much more capacity and is under-enrolled, I believe. Woodson and Frost is bursting at the seems.

Either way, Woodson would be your AP school, so if you wanted it, you could send your kids there for that if such a change occurred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids at OV and love it! The school boundaries are strange (some kids live in Clifton or across Braddock Road,) but they do an amazing job developing a sense of community. They just had a pep rally about positivity last week, and the principal and AP are immediately responsive to any concerns. There are lots of after school programs and fun events. Academically, we find it to be a really great school. They have local level AAP for grades 3-6 but the classes are flexible too. Even if your child doesn't qualify for full-time AAP, they can be in the advanced level in specific subjects. I'm picky about schools because I have an education background, and I feel like OVES really values all the children.

That's a very valid point. We looked at homes that fed into Oakview, but thought the split feeder might be an issue. I think for AAP they have local level IV, and Willow Oaks and Frost are the centers. Strangely despite being right next to Robinson, a kid in the AAP program could spend 3-8 being bussed to a center.

But I think all of the Robinson feeders are wonky for AAP kids. The other schools send their kids to White Oaks and Lake Braddock.

I've heard good things about Oak View, but really every single elementary around these parts is strong. Find the house you like.

We already bought the house months ago based on the fact that if we do go public we are zoned for Woodson. I'm not not very educated on the elementary schools here.

Different PP. It's a fine school. I think 70 percent of the students go to Robinson and the rest to Woodson. One thing you ought to consider is that since it's a split feeder, you might end up in the Robinson zone. I know a section of fairfax station was re-zoned to Robinson recently. Robinson has much more capacity and is under-enrolled, I believe. Woodson and Frost is bursting at the seems.

Either way, Woodson would be your AP school, so if you wanted it, you could send your kids there for that if such a change occurred.

We are still currently zoned for Frost/Woodson. I would hope it stays that way. We are very close to both but closer to Woodson (not that that matters).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a great school! Parents are very involved and the teachers are wonderful with the students. My daughter attended in 3rd grade and had a great year. She had a homeroom teacher and a math teacher and loved both of them.

It is a great school of mediocres.