Lower rated schools in Falls Church and Arlington

[Anonymous]

Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

This is bs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I consult greatschool all the time. Yes, we all know that greatschools is not the authority, so why repeat it again.
Still, wouldn't buy anywhere near a school rated lower than 7 and would be weary of 10. I don't know too many 10s and we are not rich enough to live in these neighborhoods that have schools rated 10.
One kids goes to school rated 8 in DC. I love the school and so does DS.
Our younger DC is entering one rated 9. I'm a little worried about that one because neighbor said the parents there are " too much".
We do live in DC right now, but are planning to move out in 5 years or so since DH works in Va and we'd like to shorten his commute. I'm looking at houses in Burke, W.Springfield, Oakton, Vienna, Fairfax, Annandale and Falls Church.
After looking at the house, I scroll down to the IB schools. Low rated schools and I'm done looking at the house. We put schools ahead of the house.
We are uncomfortable with diversity. Well, at least with the one where kids talk trash. I grew up talking trash and I don't want that for my children. Hasn't served me well at all.
Not afraid of the Spanish speaking children at all since our child speaks Spanish (his father is from SA, I'm from EE). We have actually found that many lower income children with whom we have come in contact are losing their Spanish kills or hiding them just to fit in.
Because of the schools, we are not ready to buy our forever home. We'd rather be ready to move for the best fit and will enjoy our forever home when kids are in college.

Op your kids are in preschool? Yes?
Waiting for them to be in college to buy a house is a terrible idea. South Arlington will have much more significantly gentrified ( it's already part way there) by that time. THe smart move is to buy into the area before it turns. The schools are good and safe. You can wait for it to be whiter and wealthier, but then you'll likely be priced out.
Keep your ear to the ground and try and buy into a block that isn't currently, but will be zoned Henry ( after the move). You might be able to score a deal before and extra 150k gets baked into the price.

Yeah, right, ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I consult greatschool all the time. Yes, we all know that greatschools is not the authority, so why repeat it again.
Still, wouldn't buy anywhere near a school rated lower than 7 and would be weary of 10. I don't know too many 10s and we are not rich enough to live in these neighborhoods that have schools rated 10.
One kids goes to school rated 8 in DC. I love the school and so does DS.
Our younger DC is entering one rated 9. I'm a little worried about that one because neighbor said the parents there are " too much".
We do live in DC right now, but are planning to move out in 5 years or so since DH works in Va and we'd like to shorten his commute. I'm looking at houses in Burke, W.Springfield, Oakton, Vienna, Fairfax, Annandale and Falls Church.
After looking at the house, I scroll down to the IB schools. Low rated schools and I'm done looking at the house. We put schools ahead of the house.
We are uncomfortable with diversity. Well, at least with the one where kids talk trash. I grew up talking trash and I don't want that for my children. Hasn't served me well at all.
Not afraid of the Spanish speaking children at all since our child speaks Spanish (his father is from SA, I'm from EE). We have actually found that many lower income children with whom we have come in contact are losing their Spanish kills or hiding them just to fit in.
Because of the schools, we are not ready to buy our forever home. We'd rather be ready to move for the best fit and will enjoy our forever home when kids are in college.

Op your kids are in preschool? Yes?
Waiting for them to be in college to buy a house is a terrible idea. South Arlington will have much more significantly gentrified ( it's already part way there) by that time. THe smart move is to buy into the area before it turns. The schools are good and safe. You can wait for it to be whiter and wealthier, but then you'll likely be priced out.
Keep your ear to the ground and try and buy into a block that isn't currently, but will be zoned Henry ( after the move). You might be able to score a deal before and extra 150k gets baked into the price.

Yeah, right, ok.

Not sure what you don't understand... Real estate? Economics? Basic math...

[Anonymous]

Nothing is really pushing south Arlington to gentrify, the street car may have helped...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing is really pushing south Arlington to gentrify, the street car may have helped...

Yet housing prices are going up up up. Do you even bother to have informed opinions or do you always just make stuff up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing is really pushing south Arlington to gentrify, the street car may have helped...

Yet housing prices are going up up up. Do you even bother to have informed opinions or do you always just make stuff up?

All prices are going up it's called inflation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from the poorly rated schools in Falls Church (Fairfax County). We bought our house before kids and aren't afraid of "diversity" so stayed. It hasn't been a great experience. A majority of the kids are behind academically, and as you get into middle school, there are physical fights etc. Many of our neighbors with kids have moved. We're planning on moving next spring. My opinion is based on experience, not great schools rating. There are a lot of issues faced by ESOL/low SES kids, and unfortunately it impacts other kids in the school when the ESOL/low SES kids are the majority. Also, buying for elementary and then moving is hard on kids, so I'd avoid doing that. Good luck with making your decision.

If you think higher SES schools don't have fights or bullying, you are in for a rude awakening.

I don't think that, but the physical fighting is more prevalent in lower SES schools. Bullying is all over and drugs are more prevalent in higher SES schools. Low academics and physical altercations are deal breakers for me. I think I'm more able to influence my kids on making good choices about saying no to drugs. I'm sure there are people who have good experiences in lower SES schools, but the combination of the low SES and high ESOL places a burden on the schools and teachers. I'm only telling the OP my opinion based on my experience. I think there are many posters who have no experience with lower SES/high ESOL schools who always chime in to say the PC "all schools are good if your child isn't poor." If the schools and peers don't matter, I'm not sure why people care if their kids go to Harvard vs. community college. I'm not a bigot, I'm fine with my kids having friends of different races and SES, I have just found that having a school with over 60 percent FARMS and high percentage of ESOL impacts the quality of the academics at the school.

Great post. We had a similar experience (in Annandale).

all those Koreans just freaked you out? Let me guess, too much violin practice?

get with the times its all ESOL Hispanics now. Annandale High is screwed too with redistriting took out most of the SFH neighborhoods

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing is really pushing south Arlington to gentrify, the street car may have helped...

Yeah, all the teardown activity and new development has ground to a halt.

The streetcar would have made things happen even faster, but they are still happening. People who are priced out of north Arlington, but want to be close-in for a better commute are choosing south Arlington. If they weren't, all the olds in my neighborhood wouldn't be freaking out about the pretentious cars and clothes and vacations that we newer residents drive/wear/take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing is really pushing south Arlington to gentrify, the street car may have helped...

Yet housing prices are going up up up. Do you even bother to have informed opinions or do you always just make stuff up?

All prices are going up it's called inflation

If inflation were the only thing affecting home prices the entire DC area would be experiencing the same percentage of value increase. Yet, my south Arlington home appraises higher than a home bought around the same time, for the same amount, out in Centerville. Why is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

This is bs

Yeah, according to DCUM my $330K HHI makes us upper class

Kids have been fine in south Arlington elem and middle schools, I'm sure they will do fine at Wakefield and much better odds of acceptance for UVA and W&M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

This is bs

Yeah, according to DCUM my $330K HHI makes us upper class

Kids have been fine in south Arlington elem and middle schools, I'm sure they will do fine at Wakefield and much better odds of acceptance for UVA and W&M

It's the hilarious punchline to all of the umc white people paying for "access" to the "good schools", their kids would have likely been happier and faired better from south Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

This is bs

Yeah, according to DCUM my $330K HHI makes us upper class

Kids have been fine in south Arlington elem and middle schools, I'm sure they will do fine at Wakefield and much better odds of acceptance for UVA and W&M

It's the hilarious punchline to all of the umc white people paying for "access" to the "good schools", their kids would have likely been happier and faired better from south Arlington.

this doesn't make sense i smell a troll

[Anonymous]

We have always bought with schools in mind first-- and have never regretted it. With 3 ESs (one base, 2 AAP), 2 MS (one base, one AAP), 2 HSs (one kid at base, one at TJ) we have never been below a GS 8. And our kids have gotten amazing educations (and for the 2 base schools we did not attend, neighborhood parents were very happy and housing appreciated). Better with AAP than any private we could reasonably commute to, as well. That said, we did a lot more legwork and research when we moved (once with small kids, once with one in ES and one heading into MS) than just looking at the GS score. But in general? High GS scores IME are spot on. Maybe low GS scores are not. No first hand experience. But I do wonder if folks saying that a GS 2 school is fantastic aren't trying to justify a bad decision to themselves, rather than being 100% honest about the downside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op,
This area is full of middle class, well educated, young parents, that are happily sending their kids to low rated schools. Their children are having positive experiences at school and then going on to good colleges.
They aren't afraid of children that look different than their own, and they aren't afraid of poverty. They know what happens at home is the number one factor for a child's success.
If you are insecure about any of those factors, move further out.

This is bs

Yeah, according to DCUM my $330K HHI makes us upper class

Kids have been fine in south Arlington elem and middle schools, I'm sure they will do fine at Wakefield and much better odds of acceptance for UVA and W&M

It's the hilarious punchline to all of the umc white people paying for "access" to the "good schools", their kids would have likely been happier and faired better from south Arlington.

this doesn't make sense i smell a troll

who do think is buying all the $800K houses?