On our way to Belvoir! Help!! (Arlington, Burke: townhouses, find a job, best school districts)

[Twinsane]

My husband has orders for Ft. Belvoir and it looks like we'll be moving in Dec. I am an info-holic so I have been saturating myself with knowledge (thank you Google!), but I still have a few questions only locals could probably help with:

Schools:
We will have a 7th grader & 2 kinders (twins!) - If we live on Belvoir, what are the schools like? Whitman MS & Mt. Vernon HS have poor ratings, are they deserved?

Areas/ Commutes:
If we choose to live off-post for better schools, what are the best areas/schools? I've seen lots of good things about Burke & Springfield, but not sure we could afford a big enough place for 3 kids with a housing allowance of $1900/ month. Also what would the commute be like for hubby to Belvoir from these areas?

Teaching Jobs:
I am an elementary teacher with 8 years experience. How hard will it be to find a teaching job, especially mid-year? Where are there the most openings?

Any other tips or advice to make this transition easier for our family will be greatly appreciated. We are moving from Arizona (where I've grown up,) so this will be very new for us!

Thank you!

[CAVA1990]

Whitman and Mount Vernon have poor ratings due mainly to the demographic mix of students. There are quite a few kids with limited language skills and from less advantaged backgrounds going there. Harvard would have poor ratings if it had to accept its students from such a pool. That, however, doesn't mean your child won't get a good education as the teachers, curriculum, facilities and other resources offered are pretty much the same as at any Fairfax County school. You also have the option of sending your kids to Sandburg MS and West Potomac HS. However, you'd have to drive them there which could be a problem if you're both working outside the home. I sent my kids through both routes and they did quite well (one went on to JMU and the other to GMU). Neither complained of not being well prepared for college and seemed to be on par with their college classmates who went to supposedly "better" schools around here.

If I were in your shoes I'd probably live on the base rather than having your husband have to commute.

[marie5v]

I haven't had the experience of having kids at those schools like CAVA, but I would probably do the longer commute and send my kids elsewhere. I used to work at a school in that area and I agree that the teachers are just as good and the curriculum is the same overall, but there was a heavy focus on dealing with struggling students and no one really paid attention to the middle and top students. Also, there's the question of whether or not your child will feel comfortable with the school's demographic. I didn't know that Sandburg and West Potomac where that much better - I actually thought Sandburg was pretty undesirable - but I really don't know much about Whitman and Mt. Vernon.

In any case, I do know the elementary schools in the area pretty well and have to say that I definitely would not send my child to any of the title I schools in the area. Yes, teachers are great. However, it's undone by the fact that the classes are loaded down with students who are way behind and whom the teachers are most accountable for. Also, some of them have pretty "rough" atmospheres. I saw a lot of bullying, for example, and some occasional gang issues (mostly related to older siblings - NOT actually in the school). However, there are a couple of elementary schools that are not title I, and you might look for some housing in one of those areas (you can go to fcps.edu and check out the different schools and boundaries). Demographics for each school are listed there.

Finally, getting a job - if you're a strong candidate in general you should be able to get one, but not mid-year. I believe there is an official policy that ends hiring sometime before mid-year. However, if you can't find anything you could make use of the time that year by looking for sub positions - like long-term subs - and getting to know the schools in the area. That's a very good way to get hired for the following year (it's how I got my job). Don't wait until after you move to start the official application process - it's time consuming. And if you find a job at an elementary school in the area, you are allowed to have your kids attend that school if you want.

[Carioca Da Gema]

I graduated from MVHS and attended Walt Whitman. I think the schools get a bad rap because they're in the poorest part of the county. But, when compared to other districts and similar schools throughout the area, state, country, I feel like the school scores quite favorably. Like others mentioned, the serve an economically disadvantaged population with a lot of ESL students. But your child will still be educated in FCPS, and therefore will have some of the best teachers around. Many of my friends went on to Ivy League schools or demanding private colleges throughout VA, so I would't worry about it much...I think your best bet is to start e-mailing the principals now/during the summer to get your name out there. You may have to start off as a sub if there are no vacancies in any of the local districts (living on base, I'd only want to work in FCPS, PWC, or ACPS/Arlington Co.) mid-year. But check periodically, last year I was in the same boat and they actually had a few vacancies mid-year. Good luck with the move, you'll love it here!

[slduvall]

Beware the waiting lists on posts. They can be 18 months or so, depending on which housing area. Do you want to uproot the kids? Wouldn't be bad if it was 6 month wait, you could move during the next school break. But you know your kids and how adaptable they will be.

BTW - welcome.

[jillabean]

Originally Posted by Carioca Da Gema

I graduated from MVHS and attended Walt Whitman. I think the schools get a bad rap because they're in the poorest part of the county. But, when compared to other districts and similar schools throughout the area, state, country, I feel like the school scores quite favorably. Like others mentioned, the serve an economically disadvantaged population with a lot of ESL students. But your child will still be educated in FCPS, and therefore will have some of the best teachers around. Many of my friends went on to Ivy League schools or demanding private colleges throughout VA, so I would't worry about it much...I think your best bet is to start e-mailing the principals now/during the summer to get your name out there. You may have to start off as a sub if there are no vacancies in any of the local districts (living on base, I'd only want to work in FCPS, PWC, or ACPS/Arlington Co.) mid-year. But check periodically, last year I was in the same boat and they actually had a few vacancies mid-year. Good luck with the move, you'll love it here!

I haven't gone to those schools, but I have to agree that schools like this being called "bad" has to be taken with a grain of salt (or a teaspoon). Compared to the other schools in the area, yeah, they don't get the highest test scores. But compared nationally, they are good schools and that are in one of the best school districts in the nation. So it's all relative.

I would check out the For military by owner website and search for a place close to the base. It would also be helpful to know where on the base he will be working to know which community is closest. I always recommend West Springfield (where I live now). Although $1900 is kind of low--there might be some townhouses in that range though.

[CAVA1990]

If it counts for anything I know some pretty wealthy and well-connected people, including some governors and U.S. Senators who've sent their kids to Mount Vernon and its feeder schools. They didn't feel the need to go private or live somewhere else with higher scoring schools even though they could easily have done so. Most people who actually live here understand the demographic factors. I don't recall any safety issues with my kids being around less advantaged classmates.

Bottom line is that schools would be low on my list of decision inputs. I'd be much more concerned with the quality of your living arrangements and the commute.

[Samoi137]

Your crednetial is from what state? Is there a reciprocity agreement with Virginia?

Contact local school districts well in advance of your move. Preferably by phone. Ask about substituting to start. I started subbing in Montgomery County in the middle of the year. No problem. Had to go to an orientation and get a police background check (s.o.p.). You may be able to sub at all grade levels, regardless of your credential. Whenever you sub, make yourself known to the principal, etc. that you're interested in long term assignments and, when one occurs, a permanet assignment. How far away you'd be willing to go on jobs is up to you. Just be prepared for phone calls every night or morning. I chose to accept assignments only at the elementary level, but if I'd wanted to sub at middle school, etc. I could ahve worked more often (as I did years ago in California).

[Twinsane]

Originally Posted by slduvall

Beware the waiting lists on posts. They can be 18 months or so, depending on which housing area. Do you want to uproot the kids? Wouldn't be bad if it was 6 month wait, you could move during the next school break. But you know your kids and how adaptable they will be.

BTW - welcome.

Thank you! Hubby called yesterday, and for us it would only be a 2-4 month wait. If we want to live on-base we should have housing available when we move there.

[Twinsane]

Originally Posted by Samoi137

Your crednetial is from what state? Is there a reciprocity agreement with Virginia?

Contact local school districts well in advance of your move. Preferably by phone. Ask about substituting to start. I started subbing in Montgomery County in the middle of the year. No problem. Had to go to an orientation and get a police background check (s.o.p.). You may be able to sub at all grade levels, regardless of your credential. Whenever you sub, make yourself known to the principal, etc. that you're interested in long term assignments and, when one occurs, a permanet assignment. How far away you'd be willing to go on jobs is up to you. Just be prepared for phone calls every night or morning. I chose to accept assignments only at the elementary level, but if I'd wanted to sub at middle school, etc. I could ahve worked more often (as I did years ago in California).

My credential is in Arizona and there is a reciprocity agreement with VA. How far is Montgomery County from Belvoir?