Top Private Elementary/Middle School (Chantilly, Fairfax: live in, bus, activities)

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Sage advice - subject to the observation that there may be a major redistricting in the next few years, so there may be regrets if the neighborhood school pyramid doesn't turn out to be the one that you thought you'd selected. Going private, where that's an option, avoids this risk.

Going private should be the backup plan to an unfavorable redistricting. It doesn't avoid the risk, but reduces risk.

In general, moving into an established area where no new communities are going up and thus lesser fluctuations or discrepancies in enrollment also reduce risk.

Safest bet is probably around the beltway area covering McLean/West Falls Church/inner Vienna which feed into Langley, McLean, and Madison High Schools.

There was a big uproar where north Vienna kids got redistricted to South Lakes HS instead of Madison. To me, it kind of makes sense to send some western Great Falls (FFX Cty) kids to South Lakes and Herndon instead of Langley HS since the former 2 are much closer. The area north of Leesburg Pike is generally Langley territory, but that's a wide swath.

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by barryhussein

My 1978 R.E. Lee High School Yearbook, page 87, has him listed as "Mr. Mel J. Riddle" U.N.C., A.B.; George Mason U., M.A. 6 years at Lee.

Maybe he changed his name, or you hit your head, when he threw you.

The yearbook staff probably got graded on how many ads it could sell to Spencer's Gifts and the other fine merchants in Springfield Mall, not its spelling.

In any event, here's the Alexandria City Public Schools press release that accompanied Riddile's departure from TC Williams:

ACPS: Principal Mel Riddile Will Move to NASSP in July

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by tankdude

There was a big uproar where north Vienna kids got redistricted to South Lakes HS instead of Madison. To me, it kind of makes sense to send some western Great Falls (FFX Cty) kids to South Lakes and Herndon instead of Langley HS since the former 2 are much closer. The area north of Leesburg Pike is generally Langley territory, but that's a wide swath.

Your view was shared by hundreds of parents and students from Westfield and Oakton who were redistricted into South Lakes, while Langley was completely excluded from the boundary study. Needless to say, they got nowhere with the School Board, which had its own agenda.

[barryhussein]

Falls Church News-Press
Here's the press release from him being named the 2005 Principal of the Year at J.E.B. Stuart.
We just call him "Roidhead"; so it doesn't matter.

[claremarie]

Oh come on, this is Fairfax County with it's $120,000/yr. household income averages, and so how many "poor single moms" can there really be?! You are stereotyping African-Americans in a very negative way.

There are a number of schools in the Mount Vernon area with both high percentages of black students and high percentages of poor students. You do the math. Very few families with two working adults are eligible for free lunches.

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Your view was shared by hundreds of parents and students from Westfield and Oakton who were redistricted into South Lakes, while Langley was completely excluded from the boundary study. Needless to say, they got nowhere with the School Board, which had its own agenda.

Even if you don't swear by US News or Newsweek rankings, I can't think of another county or area in this country where there are so many top ranked non magnet high schools on those lists within such a small boundary. It is kind of amazing for both FFX and Montgomery Cty.

[ck90211]

A few pages back Car54 ridiculed some claims of "kids got into TJ then turned it down". I agree, why pay the application/testing fee only to turn it down? Just to prove to yourself, friends or parents how smart you are (at 8th grade)? C'mon, TJ admission is a huge industry; it liters most Asian newspapers in VA (and even MD). So please don't sour-grape. TJ is really better for the truly gifted and hard working children who already excel in math/science, and want to be exposed to more of their kind (peers and teachers).

Having said it, I know my son (a 7th grader) doesn't stand a chance getting into TJ (my wife begs to differ). Not only is he Asian (2 strikes), but he is transferring from Beverly Hills (think of rich kids, CA sunshine and laid-back lifestyle) to NoVA (probably highest concentration of type A's in the US), thus lack all the work habits and qualifications (math classes, GPA,community services, leadership, etc.) needed. Heck, 1/3 of TJ freshmen had Geometry in 8th grade? Most Beverly Hills High Sophomores are still failing Algebra.

I know it's wrong to discount my son's ability (or luck) at 7th grade, but getting into an all-star high school doesn't guarantee success in college or life either. So I am putting him into George Mason High, because of very small class size (150 or so per grade). I want him to get to know most of his peers and their parents in depth (networking). I want him to learn a comprehensive sets of knowledge and skills without feeling pressured to compete on grades or against his peers (the very people who are going to help him succeed). I like his teachers to know him in depth too, and perhaps take interest in his development (from a boy to a young man) for future stages in life (college, work, life).

So parents, have faith in your kids even though they might not make it to TJ. Just equipped them with all the necessary skills in life (basic tools, networking/people skills), and they are equally likely to succeed.

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by ck90211

A few pages back Car54 ridiculed some claims of "kids got into TJ then turned it down". I agree, why pay the application/testing fee only to turn it down? Just to prove to yourself, friends or parents how smart you are (at 8th grade)? C'mon, TJ admission is a huge industry; it liters most Asian newspapers in VA (and even MD). So please don't sour-grape. TJ is really better for the truly gifted and hard working children who already excel in math/science, and want to be exposed to more of their kind (peers and teachers).

Having said it, I know my son (a 7th grader) doesn't stand a chance getting into TJ (my wife begs to differ). Not only is he Asian (2 strikes), but he is transferring from Beverly Hills (think of rich kids, CA sunshine and laid-back lifestyle) to NoVA (probably highest concentration of type A's in the US), thus lack all the work habits and qualifications (math classes, GPA,community services, leadership, etc.) needed. Heck, 1/3 of TJ freshmen had Geometry in 8th grade? Most Beverly Hills High Sophomores are still failing Algebra.

I know it's wrong to discount my son's ability (or luck) at 7th grade, but getting into an all-star high school doesn't guarantee success in college or life either. So I am putting him into George Mason High, because of very small class size (150 or so per grade). I want him to get to know most of his peers and their parents in depth (networking). I want him to learn a comprehensive sets of knowledge and skills without feeling pressured to compete on grades or against his peers (the very people who are going to help him succeed). I like his teachers to know him in depth too, and perhaps take interest in his development (from a boy to a young man) for future stages in life (college, work, life).

So parents, have faith in your kids even though they might not make it to TJ. Just equipped them with all the necessary skills in life (basic tools, networking/people skills), and they are equally likely to succeed.

Good luck to you and your family on your move. George Mason has a great reputation and has a smaller scale that no other NoVa public high school in similar proximity to DC or the Dulles corredor can offer. On the other hand, your son's being Asian would not count against him, were he to decide to apply to TJ. If he isn't taking Geometry by 8th grade and doesn't have a stellar academic record, however, it would be an uphill climb. Most successful applicants to TJ are fast-tracked into Algebra by 7th grade or take it in summer school between 7th and 8th grade.

With respect to Car54's comments, we can all agree that the vast majority of those admitted to TJ - following a rigorous testing and application process - will choose to attend. There are instances, however, where someone admitted to TJ will choose not to attend, or attend for a year and, on their own initiative, decide to return to a neighborhood school. Even if the number of such instances is exaggerated, they exist.

[Skapov]

Originally Posted by ck90211

A few pages back Car54 ridiculed some claims of "kids got into TJ then turned it down". I agree, why pay the application/testing fee only to turn it down? Just to prove to yourself, friends or parents how smart you are (at 8th grade)? C'mon, TJ admission is a huge industry; it liters most Asian newspapers in VA (and even MD). So please don't sour-grape. TJ is really better for the truly gifted and hard working children who already excel in math/science, and want to be exposed to more of their kind (peers and teachers).

Having said it, I know my son (a 7th grader) doesn't stand a chance getting into TJ (my wife begs to differ). Not only is he Asian (2 strikes), but he is transferring from Beverly Hills (think of rich kids, CA sunshine and laid-back lifestyle) to NoVA (probably highest concentration of type A's in the US), thus lack all the work habits and qualifications (math classes, GPA,community services, leadership, etc.) needed. Heck, 1/3 of TJ freshmen had Geometry in 8th grade? Most Beverly Hills High Sophomores are still failing Algebra.

I know it's wrong to discount my son's ability (or luck) at 7th grade, but getting into an all-star high school doesn't guarantee success in college or life either. So I am putting him into George Mason High, because of very small class size (150 or so per grade). I want him to get to know most of his peers and their parents in depth (networking). I want him to learn a comprehensive sets of knowledge and skills without feeling pressured to compete on grades or against his peers (the very people who are going to help him succeed). I like his teachers to know him in depth too, and perhaps take interest in his development (from a boy to a young man) for future stages in life (college, work, life).

So parents, have faith in your kids even though they might not make it to TJ. Just equipped them with all the necessary skills in life (basic tools, networking/people skills), and they are equally likely to succeed.

This is a good post, and you give great perspective to the parents who need to "chill out" a bit regarding hyper-competiveness about the schools.

Btw, being Asian is not 2 strikes against your son, as TJ is "race-neutral" and admit a disproportionate number of Asian students, many of whom are not U.S. citizens and whose parents do not even pay Fairfax County taxes.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Your view was shared by hundreds of parents and students from Westfield and Oakton who were redistricted into South Lakes, while Langley was completely excluded from the boundary study. Needless to say, they got nowhere with the School Board, which had its own agenda.

Don't they always? Too bad their agenda rarely has anything to do with what the parents/taxpayers want or what is best for the students.