Tell me about South Lakes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from SLHS back in the 90s when it was an AP school. Even back then it was a rough environment. Staying in mostly AP classes helped me avoid the riff raff. I would not send my child to a school like that now unless they really wanted IB and even then I would have hesitations.

Spoken like someone who grew up in the burbs and has zero idea what a rough school is actually like. SLHS and Herndon are not rough schools except in the minds of DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from SLHS back in the 90s when it was an AP school. Even back then it was a rough environment. Staying in mostly AP classes helped me avoid the riff raff. I would not send my child to a school like that now unless they really wanted IB and even then I would have hesitations.

Spoken like someone who grew up in the burbs and has zero idea what a rough school is actually like. SLHS and Herndon are not rough schools except in the minds of DCUM.

A school can be rough enough for some kids without being a complete war zone that they'd avoid it for their own children.

But schools can also change for the better or the worse over time. I've never gotten the impression that typical kids felt unsafe at South Lakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

My friends with kids at Herndon High School roll their eyes at the discussion of Herndon High School. They feel like their kids have received a great education and that most of their kids and their friends have gone on to colleges or careers that they were happy with. It sounds like the kids in the honors and AP track are able to do their thing without any real problems. It is a higher FARMs and ESL school then South Lakes but it has not been a place where my friends kids have had a bad experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from SLHS back in the 90s when it was an AP school. Even back then it was a rough environment. Staying in mostly AP classes helped me avoid the riff raff. I would not send my child to a school like that now unless they really wanted IB and even then I would have hesitations.

Spoken like someone who grew up in the burbs and has zero idea what a rough school is actually like. SLHS and Herndon are not rough schools except in the minds of DCUM.

Yes, and all the kids here now are growing up in the “burbs.” It is scary to enter a high school like SLHS or HHS. Tons of fights, gang activity, etc. I don’t want my child at a school like that if possible. Thank God once you get to college or in the real work force you never have to deal with people like that again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

It doesn’t matter about AP scores. What matters is the general population of the school who isn’t taking AP. They are very rough. More rough at Herndon and SL than other schools. That’s the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

It doesn’t matter about AP scores. What matters is the general population of the school who isn’t taking AP. They are very rough. More rough at Herndon and SL than other schools. That’s the point.

Langley or Bust (and pass the Grey Poupon)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Please elaborate. You know some HHS kids go to very good schoolS, right? I suspect I know your true reason and it doesn’t have to do with academics.
— HHS parent again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

Clearly, OP’s problem isn’t academics at HHS. Talk about judging a book by its cover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

It doesn’t matter about AP scores. What matters is the general population of the school who isn’t taking AP. They are very rough. More rough at Herndon and SL than other schools. That’s the point.

The point is that your perception of the schools is wrong. The kids who are attending Herndon High and South Lakes have not discussed fights and issues at the school. We live in Herndon. We know kids at the both schools. But you keep telling me that what I am hearing from the kids attending these schools is wrong regardless of what I am hearing and seeing.

South Lakes had the highest pass rate on IB tests, Herndon High falls into the middle of FCPS for AP test scores. But you blow that off. You don't want to see that the kids in the Honors and IB/AP programs are having a good experience, doing well academically, and going to good colleges. It is almost like you have to find a way to justify paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more for the house you bought to attend Chantilly or Oakton High School.

But you don't know these schools. You are fixated on a articular narrative and don't want to hear what other people are telling you.

Truthfully, I would not want my kid taking Gen Ed classes at South Lakes. I have friends whose kids were worried about Honors classes in HS and started with the Gen Ed classes. They all moved into Honors classes by the end of the first quarter. The kids were telling their parents that the classes were too easy, there were issues with kids being disrespectful or tardiness or a series of issues that prevented learning. The kids all seem to be happy in the Honors classes. They feel challenged and the behavior in the classroom is better.

None of the kids have mentioned fighting or other issues at the school. And the issues in the Gen Ed classes might very well be the same issues that exist at any high school in a Gen Ed classroom. But the Honors and AP/IB classes are challenging for kids and the kids are not discussing problems in their classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does every thread that mentions IB or even school with IB end ups being a IB vs. AP discussion? Like if someone asked about a random AP school, are people going to start fighting over IB vs. AP? Here is the truth---it doesn't matter. If you have a motivated kid--they will do well in either program. Parental wealth and SES will have more impact on your kid's educational and life trajectory vs. AP/IB. OP-I've heard South Lakes is a solid school, has a group of academically focused kids. DCUM (a couple of posters in particular) are very anti-IB. It's weird.

It was a SL poster who claimed IB was superior to AP. No one else had said anything about "IB vs AP" before that.

She said she thought IB prepared her better than AP did for some of her friends back in the day (which is more of an opinion than a claim) and yes people took offense to it. I think that's less controversial than the "IB doesn't attract the brightest" poster upthread. Like I said-I don't think one is superior to the other. I think it's a silly argument. There are pros/cons for each. I have one kid who would probably flourish in IB and loves the humanities. And another who would be better served in an AP school.

The SL graduate's claim that she was better prepared for college coursework by IB was conjecture. The statement that IB schools attract a disproportionately small number of the county's top students is backed up by facts.

There are very few schools with IB. It is not a magnet program that people can apply for. The fact that the schools with lower FARMs rates and ESL rates have a higher test scores and the like is a fact. Had FCPS placed IB at Chantilly or Langley or McLean you would be singing a different tune.

Kids at IB schools have many great opportunities, they are different then the kids at AP schools but there are still a large number of great outcomes. Comparing high SES schools to Lower SES schools is comparing apples to oranges. And I would not want to be gloating about test scores the way you are, essentially you are mocking kids who have fewer opportunities to succeed due to a lack of finances and/or parental background that influences educational outcomes. You sound like an elitist snob.

Reston isn't poor, for the most part. While there is some poverty, houses there are quite expensive. It just has a high school that's saddled with an academic program that on balance is a net negative when it comes to attracting families with higher-achieving kids.

Your hypothesis is silly because Chantilly, Oakton, Langley, and McLean families wouldn't roll over and allow FCPS to replace AP with IB. They tried that at Woodson years ago, and the parents successfully pushed back.

33% of SLHS receive Free and Reduced Meals. SLHS pulls from more then just Reston and there are a good number of families on the edge of poverty and a good percentage that are in need of help. There is a food pantry at the high school for the kids.

SLHS and HHS serve very rich, very poor and very middle of the road families. It’s a nice mix. There isn’t quite the bubble you see at some other schools where kids can pretend everyone makes big bucks or no one gets out. Both are solid schools. Kids make of them as they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

It doesn’t matter about AP scores. What matters is the general population of the school who isn’t taking AP. They are very rough. More rough at Herndon and SL than other schools. That’s the point.

The point is that your perception of the schools is wrong. The kids who are attending Herndon High and South Lakes have not discussed fights and issues at the school. We live in Herndon. We know kids at the both schools. But you keep telling me that what I am hearing from the kids attending these schools is wrong regardless of what I am hearing and seeing.

South Lakes had the highest pass rate on IB tests, Herndon High falls into the middle of FCPS for AP test scores. But you blow that off. You don't want to see that the kids in the Honors and IB/AP programs are having a good experience, doing well academically, and going to good colleges. It is almost like you have to find a way to justify paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more for the house you bought to attend Chantilly or Oakton High School.

But you don't know these schools. You are fixated on a articular narrative and don't want to hear what other people are telling you.

Truthfully, I would not want my kid taking Gen Ed classes at South Lakes. I have friends whose kids were worried about Honors classes in HS and started with the Gen Ed classes. They all moved into Honors classes by the end of the first quarter. The kids were telling their parents that the classes were too easy, there were issues with kids being disrespectful or tardiness or a series of issues that prevented learning. The kids all seem to be happy in the Honors classes. They feel challenged and the behavior in the classroom is better.

None of the kids have mentioned fighting or other issues at the school. And the issues in the Gen Ed classes might very well be the same issues that exist at any high school in a Gen Ed classroom. But the Honors and AP/IB classes are challenging for kids and the kids are not discussing problems in their classroom.

That’s exactly my point. You’ve essentially said what I said. There are more rough kids overall at SL and HHS. I want a school with a better gen Ed population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would want AP but would not want to end up at Herndon HS at all.

Why? —HHS parent

You can’t seriously be asking this question.

I am absolutely serious.

OP here and even I know about Herndon High School's reputation.

Herndon's AP scores were better than Oakton, West Springfield, and Lake Braddock. If anything, West Springfield and Lake Braddock have inflated reputations given that they have high White/Asian demographics yet perform below HHS's weight class. I'm honestly very surprised about Oakton though.

Herndon is behind McLean, Langley, Woodson, Chantilly, and Madison, but that's obviously expected given the demographics at those leading schools.

It doesn’t matter about AP scores. What matters is the general population of the school who isn’t taking AP. They are very rough. More rough at Herndon and SL than other schools. That’s the point.

The point is that your perception of the schools is wrong. The kids who are attending Herndon High and South Lakes have not discussed fights and issues at the school. We live in Herndon. We know kids at the both schools. But you keep telling me that what I am hearing from the kids attending these schools is wrong regardless of what I am hearing and seeing.

South Lakes had the highest pass rate on IB tests, Herndon High falls into the middle of FCPS for AP test scores. But you blow that off. You don't want to see that the kids in the Honors and IB/AP programs are having a good experience, doing well academically, and going to good colleges. It is almost like you have to find a way to justify paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more for the house you bought to attend Chantilly or Oakton High School.

But you don't know these schools. You are fixated on a articular narrative and don't want to hear what other people are telling you.

Truthfully, I would not want my kid taking Gen Ed classes at South Lakes. I have friends whose kids were worried about Honors classes in HS and started with the Gen Ed classes. They all moved into Honors classes by the end of the first quarter. The kids were telling their parents that the classes were too easy, there were issues with kids being disrespectful or tardiness or a series of issues that prevented learning. The kids all seem to be happy in the Honors classes. They feel challenged and the behavior in the classroom is better.

None of the kids have mentioned fighting or other issues at the school. And the issues in the Gen Ed classes might very well be the same issues that exist at any high school in a Gen Ed classroom. But the Honors and AP/IB classes are challenging for kids and the kids are not discussing problems in their classroom.

Thank goodness there are balanced people like you, PP. This is pretty consistent with our experience.