My family will be transferring to the Northern Virginia area over the upcoming summer and we're trying to decide what area has the best schools, or at least what schools to avoid. I'm looking for info on Elem. and Middle schools. I have a girl who'll be starting Kindergarten, plus a boy who will be starting Middle School in 6th Grade. He has an IEP for mild Asperger's and ADD issues, but is also Gifted. Any advice would be welcome.
Oak Hill Elementary (just south of Herndon) and Rachel Carson Middle School are both excellent schools. Oak Hill actually feeds into Franklin Middle (another great school), but Oak Hill and Carson have the GT Centers.(Oak Hill GT kids feed into Carson).
My son goes there and has Aspergers/ADHD and is in the center and the staff have been absolutely wonderful with him.
K.
My husband and I are military as well. Fairfax County schools are all excellent but many do not have a GT program. Springfield Estates Elementary School has an excellent gifted program and is just a hop, skip & jump from the middle school for your son for following year. If you found a house in that neighborhood (which is big, nice and as DC goes, in the average price range) your kids could walk to school! There are also before and after school care providers in immediate area if you're planning to work outside the home. Fairfax County Public Schools shows the boundary school you must attend depending on where you live. So recommend you check out the schools first, to help decide where you want to live.
That area is also near the interchange of 495 & 395 as well as close to the metro so where ever your military husband needs to go, his options for transportation are many.
Hi K. I happen to be a realtor in the No VA area. You can go to http://www.fcps.edu -- Even better, you can contact
Jay Mathews - Washington Post Education Reporter by email or read some of his most recent articles on Virginia's high schools. Finally, go to US News and World Report--go to best high schools search then go to Virginia. There you will find your answer (according to their ranking methodology. While I understand that your children are still in primary and middle, remember that primary and middle schools are the feeders into the highschool. So, if the highschool is good, more than likely your primary and middle schools will be as well. At the moment there is some restructuring on the boundaries so be sure to research that as well. Hope all this helps and good luck.
PS - Aside from all of the above, you should also identify a pediatrician or pediatric specialist. They may have the resources to provide you with the best advice regarding schools for your son. Realtors, you may already be aware, cannot legally steer you into any neighborhood. Cheers,
We too are military and here in NoVA. We heard great things about the Fairfax Co. schools, so we looked up their website. We settled on Waynewood and have been very happy so far. We have a 1st grader their now who also attended kindergarten there, and an upcoming kindergartener. The accompanying Middle School, starting in the 7th grade (I am pretty sure) is Carl Sandburg. I don't know too much about it. We have been really impressed with this school (Waynewood) Parents volunteer often and regularly and are welcome in the classroom. The neighborhood surround is out of the 1950's in that there are block parties in the summer and everyone is outside in the nice weather, with kids playing and parents walking their children to school. But all the school systems have their schools ratings and profiles accessible online. I have heard good things about Stratford Landing (which has a GT program) and Ft. Hunt in this area too. Happy hunting.
