Considering two neighborhoods. Fairhill in Merrifield/Mosaic area or Barrett in Arlington area?

[Anonymous]

Barrett seems to score low but the houses are quite nice nearby. Are the scores a red flag?

Mosaic is more convenient to my job but Fairhill is ranked slightly lower than our current school.

[Anonymous]

I have a lot of friends who have been very happy at Barrett. There is a significant population of lower-income/immigrant kids from nearby apartments, which will tend to lower the scores, but also a lot of affluent families from the surrounding Arlington Forest neighborhood. It seems to be a nicely balanced population and they do a lot of events for the school community.

[Anonymous]

Do you intend to stay through HS or are you just looking at elementaries for now?

[Anonymous]

Barrett has a great neighborhood! We have friends who like it and have also been happy at Kenmore for middle.

[Anonymous]

Fairhill and Jackson are certainly rated higher than Barrett and Kenmore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fairhill and Jackson are certainly rated higher than Barrett and Kenmore.

But WL is rated much higher than Falls Church High.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairhill and Jackson are certainly rated higher than Barrett and Kenmore.

But WL is rated much higher than Falls Church High.

Who really wants a 4,000 student school, though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a lot of friends who have been very happy at Barrett. There is a significant population of lower-income/immigrant kids from nearby apartments, which will tend to lower the scores, but also a lot of affluent families from the surrounding Arlington Forest neighborhood. It seems to be a nicely balanced population and they do a lot of events for the school community.

+1

Run a search in this forum on Barrett- it has been discussed many times and most people (myself included) have been very happy with it. We have had a good experience at Kenmore also. Currently slated for W-L although not clear how that will shake out. Location is great in the center of the county and it's a pretty neighborhood with mature trees, mostly quiet streets, and fantastic neighbors.

[Anonymous]

We live in the Jackson-Falls Church pyramid. Our kids aren't old enough yet to attend but have heard very good feedback about both schools from our neighbors. The Fairhill neighborhood also provides an opportunity for pupil placement to Marshall HS if DC has an interest in the IB program.

[Anonymous]

Don't roll the dice. Checkout stenwood zoned neighborhoods or North Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't roll the dice. Checkout stenwood zoned neighborhoods or North Arlington.

Barrett is in North Arlington. Or did you mean north of Lee Highway?

[Anonymous]

Is Barrett the school that is year round?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Barrett the school that is year round?

No. That's Barcroft.

[Anonymous]

Is Marshall going to continue to accept pupil placement applications for IB or will that practice end with the anticipated overcrowding issue?

[Anonymous]

Barrett's great. The comments above about the mix are spot on, and I wouldn't worry too much about the test score average (almost certainly a function of some kids getting up to speed on English). Teachers are great, admin communicative, etc.

Also, FWIW, not all Barrett students go on to Kenmore. Some go to Swanson. All go to Washington-Lee (for now, anyway).