Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: thanks for the responses! So Prince William/Gainesville area sounds ok, are the schools and people there more relaxed? I equate good school to mean low crime, helpful administration, and happy kids - less interested in the “great schools” rank and want to avoid the competitiveness that I am noticing from people concerned about their schools tests scores and home home prices.

PWCS, as a whole, do not have a great reputation. I have a couple of DS’s teachers who moved there to be closer to home and were horrified by the low academic standards and discipline problems. So yes, I guess it’s “relaxed”. Not sure it’s what most people want for their kid though.

...good to know my experience was not isolated. I just felt the Gainesville school principles were more engaged in stopping bullying and social issues like that. I really dont seem the harm in academic competitive environments. I just assumed most parents would want a better education for their kids -vs- a better house.

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend Robinson, Lake Braddock, or West Springfield high school/pyramids in Fairfax County

They are all in the Burke/West Springfield area which is one of the few normal down to earth places left in this competitive hellhole of Northern Virginia

This is generally what people who live in Robinson, LB or WS post on DCUM. Nothing against those schools, but those school districts aren't noticeably different from Centreville, Fairfax, Chantilly, or really just about any school in Fairfax County that's not the highest rated (Langley, McLean, etc.) or lowest rated (Mt. Vernon, Lee, etc.). I mean, if you want good schools that aren't too competitive, it makes sense to look at the "middle class" of schools. At that point, a school ranked #8 isn't that different from one that's ranked #15 or whatever. There's nothing about people living in Burke or Springfield that's any more "down to earth" than people living in Fairfax, Reston, or Centreville. And that's not a criticism, just the reality when you have a place with over a million residents who move every 5-10 years.

I call troll. It's like asking to nominate where you live as underachievers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend Robinson, Lake Braddock, or West Springfield high school/pyramids in Fairfax County

They are all in the Burke/West Springfield area which is one of the few normal down to earth places left in this competitive hellhole of Northern Virginia

I agree, which is why we live in this area as well.
Plenty of nice families, high academic standards without all the crazy competitiveness; some kids in travel sports, but lots of kids in rec sport, or no sports; close to parks

Can I just x1000 this. It's the last island of normal in a sea of crazy. Yes, sports might be a thing, but the schools are all big enough for a kid to find their own home. There's no dominant culture. It's just kids.

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend Robinson, Lake Braddock, or West Springfield high school/pyramids in Fairfax County

They are all in the Burke/West Springfield area which is one of the few normal down to earth places left in this competitive hellhole of Northern Virginia

I agree, which is why we live in this area as well.
Plenty of nice families, high academic standards without all the crazy competitiveness; some kids in travel sports, but lots of kids in rec sport, or no sports; close to parks

I would recommend Robinson, Lake Braddock, or West Springfield high school/pyramids in Fairfax County

They are all in the Burke/West Springfield area which is one of the few normal down to earth places left in this competitive hellhole of Northern Virginia

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP is asking in a PC way how to avoid certain ethnic groups known for competitive stereotypes...

Probably

You don't want anything in Loudoun, and you don't want the big schools in western Prince William County like Battlefield or Patriot, either. They are all competitive, with respect to academics, sports, or both, and the PW schools are huge.

You either need to go further out to, for example, Winchester (John Handley HS) or Front Royal (Warren County HS), or reassess your priorities. Because most of what you've gotten here are people touting a bunch of schools that they normally would describe as high-achieving, top-notch, etc., merely because of the way you've framed your question.

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is a smart question to ask. We moved to a "highly" rated school when our children were toddlers. They are now in 3rd and 4th grade and the competitive feel of their school is overwhelming. We quickly realized we made a mistake, wasn't the right environment for us. However, our children love their school so we are not going to move.

x100000

I would do parochial school. That way there's not as much academic competition but you don't end up in a crummy situation either.

Agree with PP. Woodgrove and Tuscarora can be cutthroat like Eastern Loudoun schools like Stone Bridge or Rock Ridge so Valley or Loudoun County should be good choices0

Go for Western Loudoun County and stay away from Prince William and Faifax. I would not recommend ANY city in Eastern Loudoun, especially Ashburn or Sterling.

Maybe OP is asking in a PC way how to avoid certain ethnic groups known for competitive stereotypes...