Moving - Near Vienna - schools, crime, Jewish community

[Denton56]

There are not many Jewish families in Vienna. Reston has more, but do not move there if you aren't planning on sending your children to private schools. The Reston schools are NOT good. Forgot Sangster, not good.

Have you looked in Mantua? It's a beautiful neighborhood, close to Vienna, and with a lot of Jewish families. It also has a good school pyramid, Mantua elementary, then Frost and Woodson. Those are all good schools.

[mpascal]

Certainly not looking to reopen the whole South Lakes HS debate that has appeared in other posts. Just want to say for what it's worth, my kids go to Sunrise Valley in Reston and it is an EXCELLENT school. Just always on the lookout for those broad generalizations that are made without anything to back it up. Both my kids have had excellent teachers, strong PTA, great administration and community. I am referring only to Sunrise Valley, which is based on my personal experience.

We are also members at Northern VA Hebrew congreation in Reston. I do not disagree that there are other places with a larger Jewish population, but my kids and wife have made many friends through NVHC from Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Great Falls, etc. so that they don't at all feel isolated from a Jewish community.

Just my viewpoint, for what it's worth.

[Denton56]

Of course you are going to defend the school that you send your children to, and I am glad that you are satisfied.

No parent would say "I send my kinds to a mediocre school with a Principal who is so far left, so weird, that she will not allow ANY competition of any kind, including spelling bees, Geography Bee, math competition, or even score keeping on the sports fields, therefore my kids miss out on a lot of opportunities that other county students have". While it is very rare for a parent to admit to putting their own child in a bad school, the above description came from a parent at Sunrise Valley. She feels her children get a mediocre (at best) education at Sunrise Valley. And she's far from the only one. I know more than one family that has pulled their children from the school and sent them to private schools. Yes, that happens at nearly all schools in FCPS. Many people in FC have the money to have choices in schools for their children. Those are the fortunate ones.

I'm glad that you like the school that you chose for your children, but that doesn't mean that others will agree with your personal opinion. I am sure that you will understand if we feel your opinion of your choices might be a bit biased.

[mpascal]

Of course my opinions are going to be biased and I clearly state that they are just that, my opinions. Anyone else,who actually has or has had children at the school, is welcome to disagree and their opinions are just as valid. That's what an open dialogue and message board is all about. I guess I just dislike when people make categorical statements, stated as fact, that are going to be their opinions as well.

[terrence81]

Actually wouldn't a parent who has sent their kid to that particularly school be an authority on whether or not a school is good or not? I'm sorry but Reston is a really nice town, I can't imagine that the schools are that bad particularly when compared to poorer neighborhoods.

[JEB77]

Sunrise Valley receives a 9 on the Greatschools site - right up there with schools such as Louise Archer, Westbriar and Wolftrap in Vienna, and Chesterbrook and Franklin Sherman in McLean. That doesn't seem "mediocre" to me. But I do recall hearing that the principal was tended to evoke strong feelings among parents, with some absolutely loving her and others harboring less than charitable sentiments.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by terrence81

Actually wouldn't a parent who has sent their kid to that particularly school be an authority on whether or not a school is good or not? I'm sorry but Reston is a really nice town, I can't imagine that the schools are that bad particularly when compared to poorer neighborhoods.

No, a parent with a child in school is not objective about that school because no parent wants to admit that they send their child to a bad school. Plus, every school says that they are wonderful, with the best teachers, even when all indicators are to the contrary. Parents who have no choice but to send their children to the neighborhood school want to believe them because they hate to think that their child is not in a good school. Parents from the worst schools in the county will vigorously defend those schools because their children are in those schools. You wouldn't be a very good parent if you sent your child to a crummy school, would you? So there's no such thing as a bad school for those who are in them.

Reston has some schools that are ok, not great, but ok. It has other schools that rank at the very bottom of FCPS, such as Dogwood elementary. The high school is pretty near the bottom too.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Sunrise Valley receives a 9 on the Greatschools site - right up there with schools such as Louise Archer, Westbriar and Wolftrap in Vienna, and Chesterbrook and Franklin Sherman in McLean. That doesn't seem "mediocre" to me. But I do recall hearing that the principal was tended to evoke strong feelings among parents, with some absolutely loving her and others harboring less than charitable sentiments.

I would agree that it is one of the better schools in Reston and likely to get better since more Vienna students have been forced to attend Sunrise Valley through the redistricting last year. It also has a GT center which always makes schools look better on paper. Those smart kids from out of boundary tend to drive up the scores.