Relocating to PWC / Fairfax area need Special Ed school advice (Centreville: rent, school district)

[ksblubaugh]

My family is relocating to the PWC/Fairfax area over the summer. Our kindergarten son was just diagnosed as high functioning autistic. The school district we are currently in (in NJ) is horrible and I really do not want a repeat experience in Virginia. I am looking for advice on schools people have had good experiences with and perhaps more importantly, schools to avoid. My husbands new job is in Manassas and while I don't want to get too far way from that area, I am flexible in terms of where we live.

I really appreciate any advice anyone has, we are very new to the special education world and the ASD diagnosis and it is all very overwhelming.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

[slaintejean]

I would rent in the Colin Powell ES zone in Centreville. It has an excellent autism program and that's an easy commute to Manassas.

[CleoShahateet]

Bristow would be an easy commute and Piney Branch Elementary school seems to have a good program in place. Piney Branch currently has two autism programs within the school as well as a morning and afternoon special needs preschool program. Also, there are students who receive special education services in general education setting.

There is now someone who is the Special Needs PTO Liaison and the job is to support and connect families of special needs children who attend Piney Branch, to work in collaboration with the PTO in understanding the uniqueness and needs of special needs students and their classrooms, and to raise disability awareness and acceptance within the Piney Branch community. The lady who is now filling this role is my neighbor and has a daughter who is in the autistic program for the majority of the time but then joins the Gen Ed. 1st grade class which happens to be my sons first grade class. If you call Piney Branch I'm sure you would be able to chat with her or I can put you in touch if you like. She is very nice and is a great resource for this area.

Although I don't have a child in the autistic program she was able to help us with other difficulties including IEP questions and concerns.

[CleoShahateet]

Just to add to my last post, also check out Glenkirk Elementary School (Gainesville). I know children there in the autistic program and heard great things. It was the school my children were supposed to go to until they built a new one less than 2 miles away in Bristow.