Job in Woodbridge, VA wher to live????? (Manassas, Lake Ridge: townhouse, neighborhoods)

[gongamonga]

My husband is considering a job in Woodbridge. I have read on here and on Greatschools.net that the schools are not great In Woodbridge. We have two kids. One is going into 3rd grade, the other into eigth grade. Are there towns surrounding Woodbridge that have better schools? We are trying to keep his commute to a minimum. Our price range for houses is $250,000 to $325,000. Any help would be really appreciated!

[ChristineVA]

Well, your price range is a little low to consider Fairfax County, although, it might be doable in a townhouse.

The middle schools are the worst part of PWC. Your son has one year left of that. Other than that, if you've got good kids who are interested in school, they will do JUST FINE in the PWC school system. Look in areas of Lake Ridge (over by Springwoods or Westridge). You can also look at some of the new construction up the parkway or around Hoadly Road. I would avoid most of Manassas for the most part. The "good" middle schools are Benton, Saunders, and Lake Ridge Middle. Avoid Rippon, Godwin, Graham Park, Fred Lynn, and Woodbridge Middle schools. If you find you absolutely don't want to live in Woodbridge you can try going over to Gainesville area on the Western side of PWC. You could also try Stafford but I'm not sure their schools are any better and then you'd be giving your husband a commute which I am against. The whole great reason for working in an outlying suburb is to avoid the commute and take that benefit of it. I wouldn't go South.

[EMTnest]

Also if you are planning to stay in the area, your third grader will be entering middle school in a few years so plan accordingly. ChristineVA has listed the best and worst of the middle schools and I agree with her assessment 100%. Parts of Westridge/Springwoods used to be zoned for Woodbridge Middle School, don't know if that is still the case -- be careful and double check!!

[qwertman]

Wouldn't go to fairfax if you work in PW. In fairfax you get a older/smaller house for the same money and maybe in a not that great neighborhood. Live where you work if you can seems to make sense.

In PW Montclair and Lake Ridge are nice areas for raising kids and generally feed into good schools. Elsewhere is a mix. I think you could get a single family for that price.

You could try stafford or fredricksburg and get a little more house for the money. schools down there seem to have a better rep compared to PW around here but I don't really buy that. If you like a more rural feel that might be the way to go though.

[gongamonga]

Thanks for the help. Trying to figure out schools is overwhelming.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by gongamonga

Thanks for the help. Trying to figure out schools is overwhelming.

It is hard and you can definitely overthink it. Done that many times myself. It's really hard when you find what you think is a great neighborhood and you find that the pyramid of schools for it is not so great. This is going on a lot right now because much of the new construction in Woodbridge is along the Rt. 1 corridor. Probably the worst schools in the county are selected for these new neighborhoods. It's not the end of the world but, bottom line, KNOW YOUR CHILD. My kids are good but they are not stellar students--very average. They truly were falling through the cracks in the public school system (Woodbridge Sr. High). I ended doing private school and it was much better.

Having said that, my daughter has many friends who've attend the worst of the worst in PWC (Potomac HS and Gar-Field) and they have done VERY well and are going to great colleges with scholarships.

[jaywallace]

Hey!! I weent two Gar-Field Hiih Skwel, itz a grat skewl.