Need Information About Centreville & Chantilly (Fairfax: elementary school, income, costs)

[michgc]

Just go to fcps.edu and choose 'schools/centers' and then do a search by special program and select 'full day kindergarten' and you will get the results. (I tried to link but it didn't work.)

[hilsmom]

Originally Posted by michgc

Just go to fcps.edu and choose 'schools/centers' and then do a search by special program and select 'full day kindergarten' and you will get the results. (I tried to link but it didn't work.)

yes, I know I can do this. It is just a pain in the rear to have to go back and forth amongst 4 or 5 websites to figure out if a house for rent is in a neighborhood that feeds into the schools I want.

[choff5]

Originally Posted by hilsmom

yes, I know I can do this. It is just a pain in the rear to have to go back and forth amongst 4 or 5 websites to figure out if a house for rent is in a neighborhood that feeds into the schools I want.

In the Chantilly HS pyramid, Brookfield, Greenbriar East, Lees Corner and Poplar Tree all have full time kindergarten.

[Eastcoaster34]

Originally Posted by hilsmom

yes, I know I can do this. It is just a pain in the rear to have to go back and forth amongst 4 or 5 websites to figure out if a house for rent is in a neighborhood that feeds into the schools I want.

I know this is my fustration as well. However, I found a way around it. I just printed out the boundary maps for the elementary schools.

[Eastcoaster34]

Originally Posted by choff5

I live in the Chantilly area and one older neighborhood you may want to check is Greenbriar. It has a Fairfax address but is right along Stringfellow Road which is the post office divide for Chantilly and Fairfax. You would definitely find a single family home there in that price range. They are older homes, most from late '60's to early/mid '70's, a mixture of ramblers (not seen a lot around here) as well as Cape Cod and Colonial styles. One thing, none of them have basements due to the high rock level, plus, cheaper to build back then. For being old, Greenbriar is fairly well kept up, no HOA, but a good civic association that does Easter egg hunts, Santa and free concerts in the park in the summer, plus a free monthly neighborhood newsletter. There is a lot of diversity within the community. Shopping is very nearby with a shopping center right there in walking distance and Fair Lakes shopping just behind it. It may not be for everyone as the homes are older, but people have done a lot of remodeling over the years. The lots are not huge, but for a neighborhood, they are definitely good size and the older homes tended to have bigger rooms too. Right across Stringfellow from Greenbriar is the Poplar Tree neighborhood, a newer (late '70's through '80's) of two story Colonials, most, but not all with basements. They do have a HOA but have a pool with it (IF you are on their HOA, which some parts of the area are not). Good luck with your search!

Thanks!

I saw a couple of homes on the MLS that were for sale in Greenbriar that I like. Both Greenbriar East and West look like great schools. I'm currently researching schools on the Fairfax County Public School website as well. I don't mind the older established neighborhoods. I currently live in a newer community with outrageous HOA fees. I'm looking to downsized from my house and I just want something simple now. Old is fine with me as long as it's not an extreme makeover.

By the way, what other communities will you recommend in Chantilly, Centreville, and Chantilly?

[hilsmom]

Originally Posted by Eastcoaster34

I know this is my fustration as well. However, I found a way around it. I just printed out the boundary maps for the elementary schools.

Good call

[Eastcoaster34]

Originally Posted by sierra331

Hi, I have lived in Centreville for the past ten years and have enjoyed it most of the time. There has been a large influx of Koreans in the past few years, but no real problems as far as I know. Centreville used to be predominantly white, so to locals it's been a big change, not always well received. This is not to say that there have been any overt issues with it - just things like certain shopping centers changing over to Asian language, a huge Korean church recently built on Route 29 near Virginia Run, stuff like that. Just something to be aware of.

If you are not concerned with a long commute into DC, I would look into the Gainesville area. It has a lot of new construction, mainly single family homes, lots of new stores and schools, seems to be an up and coming area. Many Centreville folks actually moved out that way a few years ago. Lots of young families with small kids too.

By the way, just FYI - Jillabean referred to "Mananas" a few times - this is actually what stpickrell referred to as "Manassas." They are the same place and the name is indeed Manassas, not Mananas. Just in case you are doing research....

Good luck to you!

Thanks

I'm in a multicultural family. So, the diversity or the influx of Koreans wouldn't bother me at all. Diversity makes for a better world in my book. As long as people are nice and respectful, they're cool with me. I'm pretty much an easy going person and I want my children to be expose to other cultures.

By the way, isn't Gainesville in Prince William County? I prefer to live in Fairfax.

[sierra331]

Hi, I looked this up for you but there are over 100 schools in Fairfax County that have full day kindergarten. Here's the link: Fairfax County Public Schools - Schools and Centers Directory. Good luck!

[jillabean]

Originally Posted by hilsmom

actually, I am interested in Centreville and Chantilly as a rental option if we have to stay here for another year or two. In answering this post, could someone tell me which Elementary schools in neighborhoods you are recommending have full-time kindergarten? I am finding that a lot of the neighborhoods I am interested in for cost and location purposes still have half-day kindergarten, which just is NOT going to work for me (I'm stuck in a half-day kinder district right now and am a bit bitter about it)

Just so you know, they have something called "SACC" at all the Fairfax county schools. It costs money, but is often cheaper than other child care options. If you have half day kindergarten, you can enroll your child in SACC for the other half of the day to make a full day of school (they play, do activities, art, projects, etc in SACC). Fees are based on income level. School Age Child Care Program (SACC)*- Fairfax County, Virginia

[Lebowsky]

I don't think crime is a problem at all in Centreville/Chantilly, of course people have different levels of tolerance... but I have never felt unsafe in Centreville, I even take walks late in the night and the only "spooky thing" is the silence in the streets...