Our neighbors really like the school and have only favorable things to say about the new principal.

Former sub there - found the front office staff oddly cliquish, rude and unhelpful. Enjoyed the students. Parents, not so much. Overbearing complainers.

It’s insanely cliquish on the parent side. Good luck getting in with the right crew for teams, dance classes etc.

It’s a very close knit, friendly environment. I agree everyone does some form of supplementing or tutoring, so it’s hard to tell how much of any academic success is from this vs. what the school teaches. I do feel more people leave for Haycock than other McLean schools in 3rd grade, which made it feel less rigorous 3-6. I’ve been impressed by the new principal.

Of course all opinions are subjective but we are very happy with the school! We have 2 now in middle school and 2 still attending Sherman. Yes, the PTA is very active and would welcome you as a new family. Personally, we have been extremely pleased with the new principal and the kid friendly traditions being established. Our youngest also has an IEP and the support we have received is impressive. Best of luck!

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt McLean schools are great. I’m more curious if kids and families are happy there. Is there a good community? Parent involvement? Any of that info is appreciated

There’s a high level of parent involvement, so much so that field trips have to use a lottery system because so many parents want to chaperone.

If you're drawn to a competitive environment, this may be a good fit. About half of my child's class has a tutor or attends some form of academic enrichment outside of school. The school sets high academic expectations, and I've heard from teachers that these expectations exceed those at other schools in the area. The principal even told me that it's expected parents will step in with tutoring or outside support if their child is struggling. There’s an assumption that families have the means to provide this, and many do.

The same goes for extracurricular, participation in travel sports is very common.

Are we happy here? That’s a hard question. Sometimes I wish we lived in a more middle-class neighborhood where the pressure wasn’t quite so intense. But our children are happy and thriving, and we really love our home and community — so we’ve chosen to stay.

Anonymous wrote:I have no doubt McLean schools are great. I’m more curious if kids and families are happy there. Is there a good community? Parent involvement? Any of that info is appreciated

All the McLean ES have over the top parent involvement. Some are insanely over the top.

I have no doubt McLean schools are great. I’m more curious if kids and families are happy there. Is there a good community? Parent involvement? Any of that info is appreciated

Anonymous wrote:Part of the reason McLean schools have such good mean test scores is demographics. There is no truly low cost housing left for sale in McLean. There are some long time residents/families who bought before house prices soared, of course.

Another part is that many students (not all, but many) in that area get outside school supplements and reinforcement. Sometimes this is at home with a parent. Sometimes this is online (e.g., Beast Academy). Sometimes this is at a tutoring center (AoPS, Mathnasium, Kumon, or similar).

These factors confound any attempt to measure the actual effectiveness or appropriateness of the FCPS curriculum and instruction.

+1. FCPS is the benefactor of very bright, caring parents who are on the ball with academics. This makes up for a sub par curriculum and mediocre teachers.

Part of the reason McLean schools have such good mean test scores is demographics. There is no truly low cost housing left for sale in McLean. There are some long time residents/families who bought before house prices soared, of course.

Another part is that many students (not all, but many) in that area get outside school supplements and reinforcement. Sometimes this is at home with a parent. Sometimes this is online (e.g., Beast Academy). Sometimes this is at a tutoring center (AoPS, Mathnasium, Kumon, or similar).

These factors confound any attempt to measure the actual effectiveness or appropriateness of the FCPS curriculum and instruction.

I live on Calder road right next to Franklin Sherman ES. A lot of kids in that neighborhood attend private schools like Sidwell, Potomac, Flint Hill, etc... About half attend Franklin Sherman. It is a very good ES school, but again, anything in McLean is MUCH better than anywhere else.

Last school year brought significant boundary changes. Approximately 200 students joined us from Kent Gardens, while about 150 transferred to Chesterbrook and Churchill Road.

In January 2024, we welcomed a new principal. The school has grown slightly in size, and last year felt very much like a transition period. As a smaller elementary school, there’s typically a strong sense of community, where everyone knows everyone. But with so many recent changes, that dynamic has naturally shifted.

Same question here, we are also moving to the area and would love to know more about Sherman.

We're moving into this district and know very little about this school. I understand a lot of the zone goes to private schools and another subset goes to Haycock (or elsewhere) for AAP. For the families at this school, can you tell me about your experience? For it being so small, is a generally positive atmosphere amongst the community and in the school? Any insight & feedback is appreciated.