Info needed on Fairfax County Schools: Cameron ES & Twain MS (Alexandria) (Annandale: house)

[Laura_J]

I am moving to the area and found a house I really like but am unsure about the schools....Cameron Elementary and Twain Middle Schools in Alexandria, Fairfax County Schools. Does anyone have experience with these particular schools? I have looked at all the test scores and know they're not the "top performers" of FCPS, however I don't think they look that bad either. I've also looked at the demographics and realize that they (especially Cameron) are diverse both demographically and socioeconomically, with a high number of ESOL students and free/reduced lunch students. Diversity does not bother me at all, my concern is more about the overall feel of the school and if the focus is mainly on helping the ESOL students, leaving students with other needs overlooked. I am particularly concerned about what kind of support is available to students with special needs as two of my children have Asperger's (7th grade & 4th grade) and need some assistance.

Any input would be appreciated...I am driving down from PA on Monday to visit the schools, but would love to hear from other parents. If I hate the schools I am not sure what I'll do...it's weird, the boundry line is literally in the back yard of the house I'm looking at, one street over the kids go to Clermont. It's been so much to think about.... Thanks!

[OrangeFish]

If you do not receive much feedback here on C-D, it may be worth your while to post your query on the VA Schools forum of the DC Urban Mom website. That subforum seems to have some decent posting/commenting activity.

ETA: And you can ignore my advice as I see you already posted there!

[marie5v]

I think no one is responding because you said you already know about the demographics of the school and that doesn't bother you, so there isn't much else to say. There are so many schools in nova that it's unlikely someone will have gone to those particular schools, and I'm not sure, but I think the demographic of this forum makes it even less likely.

[SovereignVA]

Small world.

I attended both Twain and Cameron. Cameron has a really good reputation in the neighborhood, but Twain was miserable. I don't know if that was because the school was awful, or because 8th grade is a generally miserable age. Twain is also the only feeder school for Edison HS.

Be sure to join us for our civic association meeting at the community center behind Cameron if you can. May 21st is our plant exchange, so come over and say hi, even if you're in Clermont Woods instead. We can get you all set up to start making your new place look like home.

[Laura_J]

Thanks for the info SoverignVA...will be moving there in July and the kids will be attending Cameron and Twain. I'm hoping that our experience with Twain differs from yours...I was actually very pleased with them when I visited the school.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by SovereignVA

Small world.

Twain is also the only feeder school for Edison HS.

That is going to change - FCPS reassigned students in the Edsall Park/Bren Mar areas of Springfield/Alexandria from Poe MS to Holmes MS starting in the fall of 2012, and those students were also reassigned to Edison HS from Annandale HS. Edison's enrollment had been declining, so this will increase the enrollment and maintain the school's ability to offer more courses, compete with larger schools in athletics, etc.