Can anyone tell me about the Pennington School (In Manassas) (Woodbridge: houses, neighborhood)

[theBIGstep]

I'm trying to find out more information about this school in PWC. I checked out the website but would love to hear if your child attends or if you know of the schools programs. I see alot of reviews list the school as strict - are their alot of disciplinary issues or do they try to eliminate them...and I was wondering how their curriculum is and the location. Thanks any info is appreciated!

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by theBIGstep

I'm trying to find out more information about this school in PWC. I checked out the website but would love to hear if your child attends or if you know of the schools programs. I see alot of reviews list the school as strict - are their alot of disciplinary issues or do they try to eliminate them...and I was wondering how their curriculum is and the location. Thanks any info is appreciated!

I don't have a child there but I know a bit about the school. Everything is structured there and uniforms are worn by all the kids. I've gone in and spoken to kids in my old job as a favor for a friend. The school was named after PWCPD Officer Philip M. Pennington who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Thanksgiving Day 1990. Mike was a dear friend of mine.
The children were very well behaved everytime I've been there and this seems to be the norm. I hear nothing but good things from people who have/had kids attend this school.

[khuntrevor]

I heard the principal at Osbourn HS is retiring.

[jasmine06]

Just bumping the thread to get more opinions about Pennington School.

[PMcMScot]

My child started middle school at Pennington this year, so I can offer some info for gr. 6-8. We did K-5 at our neighborhood school, and wanted a similarly small school environment for middle school. Our PWC base middle school is huge and overcrowded and prone to drama (based on experience there with our older children). PWCS has specialty programs at many of their middle schools, and my child checked out a few specialty programs at open houses last year, finally deciding to apply only to Pennington. Admission is by application and lottery; deadline for applications is in February for the following school year.

My child is finishing up sixth grade and I can say it's been a happy, positive experience. The uniforms do make life easier, and there is a lot of choice w/in the uniform code; ie., navy blue or khaki shorts/skorts/pants; navy, khaki or plaid skirts; yellow, white or navy polos (long or short sleeves), blouses, sweaters, etc., and there are several approved vendors representing all price ranges.

The school does follow the PWCS curriculum, and offers site-based START and SIGNET (gifted programs) as well as the remedial and support classes that the rest of the county's middle schools offer. The middle schoolers pretty much have the second floor of the school for themselves (including lockers), and change classes and teachers for LA, Math, Social Studies and Science. All PWC middle schools require students to participate in chorus, band or orchestra, and Pennington offers classes and instruction in all three. Middle schoolers also take a language (Latin or Spanish, which replaces the wood shop and home ec requirement in the county's other middle schools), art and computer instruction in 12-week cycles. Oh..PE alternates with music classes on a 2x/week-3x/week odd-even rotation. There are no locker rooms at Pennington (a good thing, IMHO), so middle school kids wear their PE uniforms to school on PE days.

My child is thriving in the smaller middle school -- only 70 or so kids in sixth grade. It didn't take long for my child to click with a core group of friends, so we have lots of birthday parties and sleepovers on the weekends. The school is incredibly diverse, which is a plus for our family. Many of the kids seem to be academically inclined, but the school stresses that it is NOT a magnet school for gifted kids. Any family living in the western end of PWC is welcome to apply (Porter Traditional School in Woodbridge serves families inthe eastern PWC school boundaries).

If your child wants to do sports in middle school, Pennington may not be your best bet, as they don't offer much. I believe they have soccer teams that compete against private schools in the area, but that's about it. Oh...I think the cheerleading team competes, too, and there is a running club for girls. No basketball, baseball, softball or football. They do have lots of extracurricular activities of the non-athletic variety.

Check out the website at pennington.schools.pwcs.edu/

[tichel]

Thank you. That was very informative. So the lottery is it a long wait list? How long did you have to wait until your child was chosen? Thanks!

[PMcMScot]

Originally Posted by tichel

Thank you. That was very informative. So the lottery is it a long wait list? How long did you have to wait until your child was chosen? Thanks!

My child was admitted during the lottery. There is a waiting list for each grade, comprised of those who weren't admitted during the lottery. They'll fill openings from the waiting list through the end of September of a new school year.

[osnapitz]

i hated this school. Uniforms didnt make it easier. you cant be yourself with a uniform and you can wear make up or even chap stick. even your socks had to be a specific color, i mean come on no one even sees your socks. they always say the kids there do great but coming from an alumni, like, half that graduated are either pregnant or had a baby. and the guys are pot heads. only 5% of kids are good kids after they graduate from Pennington.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by osnapitz

i hated this school. Uniforms didnt make it easier. you cant be yourself with a uniform and you can wear make up or even chap stick. even your socks had to be a specific color, i mean come on no one even sees your socks. they always say the kids there do great but coming from an alumni, like, half that graduated are either pregnant or had a baby. and the guys are pot heads. only 5% of kids are good kids after they graduate from Pennington.

You have any accurate info to back up these claims? It might just be the company you keep. The school itself is a huge success and a popular school. What happens after the kids leave is not something the people at Pennington can control. They'd certainly like to see them all succeed but this is unlikely anywhere.

[pgtvatitans]

Originally Posted by osnapitz

i hated this school. Uniforms didnt make it easier. you cant be yourself with a uniform and you can wear make up or even chap stick. even your socks had to be a specific color, i mean come on no one even sees your socks. they always say the kids there do great but coming from an alumni, like, half that graduated are either pregnant or had a baby. and the guys are pot heads. only 5% of kids are good kids after they graduate from Pennington.

What does any of this have to do with classroom instruction and how good the school is?