Lake Braddock vs West Springfield (McLean, Fairfax: house, school districts, live)

[PatoVa]

Ok..I am confused and would love some help. I am looking to move into the West Springfield school district/area. I found a house that is very close to Sangster elementary...While this elem school is considered under the Lake Braddock School Pyramid, when I pull the address up (of a house we may but an offer in on) it says that the middle and high is Irving and West Springfield. How can this be?? The elementary is one under the Lake Braddock school district? Is this from redistricting?

What are your thoughts on this and on these school districts? I really appreciate your input!

Thanks

[PatoVa]

I guess I should say that the house is on Park Hunt Court in Springfield

[sweetpotater58]

It is likely due to redistricting, what is the problem with West Springfield or Irving, both are good schools which have a GT programs. Lake Braddock gets some higher marks in some things, but overall, having known students who came out of both schools, neither is a bad school. Sangster is one of the best elementary schools around. So, in a nut shell, you will not go wrong where your child ends up attending middle and high school.

[car54]

It's probably a split feeder.

Or it might be due to transportation reasons.

My retirement gig is driving a FCPS bus, and I can think of some cases where drivers from one pyramid do runs for elementary schools of another pyramid.

[sweetpotater58]

One more note, I have lived in Fairfax County for over 30 years, so my remarks about the school districts is not from hearsay. The county has one of the finest school systems in the nation, and Lake Braddock and West Springfield would both prove this statement correct.

[JEB77]

Yep, there are plenty of split feeders, and the fact that a particular elementary school is assigned to the Lake Braddock "cluster" for administrative purposes doesn't mean that all of the students at that elementary school will go on to attend Lake Braddock Secondary, as opposed to Irving and West Springfield.

It's the same elsewhere in the county. For example, Westbriar Elementary is part of the Marshall "cluster," but some of the students attend Madison High. Similarly, Wolftrap Elementary is part of the Madison "cluster," but some of the students attend Marshall. And so on.

Both Lake Braddock and West Springfield are fine schools. SAT scores have been higher at Lake Braddock in recent years (about 50 points for Class of 2008), but some prefer West Springfield due to its smaller size. Also, there recently have been a lot of complaints that West Springfield hasn't been slated by FCPS for renovation even though parts of the building are in lousy condition.

[PatoVa]

I agree that both Lake and West are rated well and either would be fine..I guess I was just wondering how to following the pyramid if it may not be 100% accurate.

I am looking in Orange Hunt Square-Anyone know anything about this area?

[PatoVa]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Yep, there are plenty of split feeders, and the fact that a particular elementary school is assigned to the Lake Braddock "cluster" for administrative purposes doesn't mean that all of the students at that elementary school will go on to attend Lake Braddock Secondary, as opposed to Irving and West Springfield.

It's the same elsewhere in the county. For example, Westbriar Elementary is part of the Marshall "cluster," but some of the students attend Madison High. Similarly, Wolftrap Elementary is part of the Madison "cluster," but some of the students attend Marshall. And so on.

Both Lake Braddock and West Springfield are fine schools. SAT scores have been higher at Lake Braddock in recent years (about 50 points for Class of 2008), but some prefer West Springfield due to its smaller size. Also, there recently have been a lot of complaints that West Springfield hasn't been slated by FCPS for renovation even though parts of the building are in lousy condition.

Since my son will be in 2nd grade..I sure hope that by the time he is in high school (2016) they have it renovated...

[JEB77]

For any particular address, you can find out the current school assignments by typing the address into the following web site:

Fairfax County Public Schools Boundary Information

What several other posters and I have been noting is that the fact that a particular elementary school is part of a high school "cluster" does not really mean that all the students at that elementary school will attend this high school. To be sure, you need to check the address on the FCPS web site or look at the boundary map.

There are some true "pyramids" - for example, I think everyone at Chesterbrook Elementary in McLean, which is part of the McLean "cluster," goes on to attend Longfellow Middle and then McLean High (unless they are attending TJ). Or, everyone at Oak View Elementary in Fairfax, which is part of the Woodston "cluster," goes on to attend Frost Middle and then Woodson High. But, there are many other situations involving "split feeder" schools, and the fact that Sangster may be part of the Lake Braddock "pyramid" doesn't mean that all Sangster students will go on to attend Lake Braddock Secondary.

Sorry if it's confusing - but it will be unless and until the School Board does a massive redistricting that eliminates all the "split feeders." To date, it has taken a very inconsistent position as to whether split feeders should be eliminated or tolerated.

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by PatoVa

Since my son will be in 2nd grade..I sure hope that by the time he is in high school (2016) they have it renovated...

I wouldn't assume that. There is a long renovation queue, and Woodson, Edison, Marshall, TJ and Langley are all expected to be renovated before other high schools, including West Springfield, are renovated. However, there are plenty of other situations where parents have preferred to send their kids to schools with a mediocre physical plant, rather than a newly renovated school with an inferior reputation.