Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, how many of the schools names here are easy for non-parishioners to get into? We were waitlisted at our local school as parish members. I'm curious if that's common around NoVa or just Alexandria.

The difficulty getting in for a parishioner is generally inversely related to the rating of the districted public school. ( so for example it’s easier for a Catholic resident of Falls Church City to get into Saint James than an Alexandria resident to get into Saint Mary’s or Blessed Sacrament.) Post Covid, however, admissions for most of the NoVa parish schools have been tougher across the board.

Not OP but looking into these schools. Even though the diocesan curriculum is the “same”, it seems like each school has its own strengths and weaknesses and different community feel. Do families travel a little further because it seems like a better fit (15 minutes instead of 5 minutes)?

I would look at St. James, OLGC and St. Marks or St. Lukes

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, how many of the schools names here are easy for non-parishioners to get into? We were waitlisted at our local school as parish members. I'm curious if that's common around NoVa or just Alexandria.

From the grapevine, I’ve heard the parochial Alexandria schools are very hard to get into especially as non parishioners due to the exponentially growing population

Out of curiosity, how many of the schools names here are easy for non-parishioners to get into? We were waitlisted at our local school as parish members. I'm curious if that's common around NoVa or just Alexandria.

Not OP but I live in Mclean and this is interesting because there are definitely lifers in this area especially on the Potomac/Little Langley crowd and it’s annoying (where our DS/DD are at). Actually looking at St Luke’s and OLGC (we are Catholic) for a change of the country club clique like parents who all know each other

Anonymous wrote:This area is so transient. I think that really reduces the clique-ness that you’ll find at a place where families stay put and people have grown up together. There’s so many military families and other people who move in and out for work. I genuinely wouldn’t worry about that in NoVA parochial schools.

+1. This area is much more transient than most metro areas in the USA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

You really need to ask each prospective school. Some will agree and some will not. Local NoVA Catholic schools fit the average student and few handle exceptions well.

Sounds like public schools would be a better fit

This area is so transient. I think that really reduces the clique-ness that you’ll find at a place where families stay put and people have grown up together. There’s so many military families and other people who move in and out for work. I genuinely wouldn’t worry about that in NoVA parochial schools.

Anonymous wrote:We are applying for DD K next year 2025-2026 and are moving from out of state (we have 2 kids so far)
Looking at homes in the Mclean/Vienna/Falls Church area but could widen that search.
Are there any Catholic schools that you would recommend to say a family member or best friend?
We are looking for excellent academics and for a very warm/kind welcoming community especially since we are new to this area. I really do not want to be in a school where the moms are “cliquey” and “gossipy” and exclude other moms especially being new and not having a ton of connections same as with kids since our DD is new (and definitely on the more sensitive side)
Thank you!

Several of the bigger parish schools will tend to be less cliquey than the smaller ones. Not that the smaller ones are. The bigger ones - St. Agnes, St. Luke's, OLGC, etc. tend to have move kids move in and out of the school allowing for new friendships. Generally, the smaller ones like St. Anns do not have as much movement. Most schools also have orientation for new parents over the summer and at least for St. Agnes be assigned a host family that will introduce them to other St. Agnes families.

We are at St. Agnes and regularly have parents from overseas countries enroll their children in St. Agnes (this is true of Australian and Canadian military - some are not necessarily catholic either). They do this because catholic school curriculum is basically the same all over the world. They are at St. Agnes for 2-3 years and then are transferred elsewhere. This generates a less cliquey atmosphere because there is a smallish portion of kids moving in and out.

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

A number of schools have OG certified teachers. When we toured for K, it was specifically called at at St Thomas Moore (Arlington), St Agnes (Arlington), and St Luke (McLean). Can’t say how good the services are but they do exist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

St. Bernadette in Springfield has a partnership with Sliding Doors, so maybe their work with other K-8s too? I would reach out to SD and find out what other schools they work with to help get specific dyslexia information.

Here is St B’s info:

https://www.stbernschool.org/student-life/learning-resource-center

Sliding Doors was fantastic for our dyslexic child.

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

You really need to ask each prospective school. Some will agree and some will not. Local NoVA Catholic schools fit the average student and few handle exceptions well.

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

St. Bernadette in Springfield has a partnership with Sliding Doors, so maybe their work with other K-8s too? I would reach out to SD and find out what other schools they work with to help get specific dyslexia information.

Here is St B’s info:

https://www.stbernschool.org/student-life/learning-resource-center

Anonymous wrote:Which k-8 parish schools have the best learning supports for child with dyslexia? Looking for a school that can accommodate an outside SLP coming into tutor the child during the school day twice a week. Do any of these schools have teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham reading strategies?

Holy Spirit in Annandale has a dedicated resource center for kids who need extra supports. https://www.holyspiritflames.org/inspiring-minds/resource-program-expanded-services/