Reston or Fairfax Older parents Younger Child (Arlington, McLean: apartments, condominiums)

[zonedirector]

I work in DC (attorney) maybe will be working in Reston. Have a younger 9 year old girl, older children out of house. Considering a 3 br condo in Reston maybe elsewhere in Fairfax.

Daughter gets vision services and is below-average achiever in school.

Priorities in addition to standard safety, etc. include place with friends for child , plus my wife and I are in 50's.

Thoughts on which high-rise?

Thanks.

[Denton56]

Most of the Reston elementary schools are not very good. Be very careful if you are going to send your child to a public school.

Most parents of young children, regardless of the parent's ages, do not live in high rise apartments, but I have heard that there are some Asian families who have chosen the high rise buildings near Tysons Corner because of the schools.

[claremarie]

If you want your child to have friends living near by, don't go for the high-rise.
There are plenty of nice townhouses with minimal maintenance and tons of families with kids -- in Reston, Vienna, McLean and Arlington.

[zonedirector]

Thanks, I did not want to send my daughter to a school with nothing but the "over-acheivers." Plus, if my daughter goes to private school, she loses her vision services. Plus, there are NO private schools that take in children that are low-vision (other than 1 catholic elementary school in Philadelphia). They will take children with all types of emotional and etc. problems.

[claremarie]

Is your daughter currently attending school in Fairfax County? Or are you relocating from another area?

[zonedirector]

We are currrently relocating from Bowie

[Margery]

You might try Loudoun County, in Sterling (or Potomac Falls, as the newcomers call it). Potowmack and Lowes Island elementary are excellent schools, and all schools have special needs programs. I would agree that a high rise would not be the best situation for her to find friends but there are some townhouse communities which are also condominiums so the outside maintenance would be taken care of. Sterling is a very short drive from Reston so commuting would be easy.

[normie]

Lowes Island would be a great choice. It's an easy drive to Reston (a straight shot down Fairfax County Parkway, takes about 10 minutes). Lots of kids in the neighborhood, lots of great places to play, good schools, almost no crime.