Any good private schools in the Fairfax area? (Annandale, Chantilly: homes, catholic schools)

[Nancy in Nokomis]

I am just starting to look around at private schools in the Fairfax (town not county) area - the cheaper ones.

Not very impressed with the public school system - even though our elementary school is highly rated. Dont like the fact that there are 28 kids in my sons Kindergarten class and they dont seem to be learning much.

Wonder if scrimping and saving for private school is worth it.

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

I am just starting to look around at private schools in the Fairfax (town not county) area - the cheaper ones.

Not very impressed with the public school system - even though our elementary school is highly rated. Dont like the fact that there are 28 kids in my sons Kindergarten class and they dont seem to be learning much.

Wonder if scrimping and saving for private school is worth it.

If you're going to put your kid in a private school by "scrimping and saving," you're better off living in an area that has a lower cost of living.

I don't think there are any "cheaper" ones in this area, but I've heard good things about the Nysmith school in Chantilly, but I think that school requires an entrance exam, not just the ability to pay the bill.

[claremarie]

The cheapest private schools are the Catholic parish schools, which do charge higher fees to non-parishioners. If you're not Catholic, a parish school might not meet your needs, and some of the schools will have class sizes larger than your current public school.
If you have any interest in private schools, you need to start inquiring now, as this is admissions season.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

Dont like the fact that there are 28 kids in my sons Kindergarten class .

Write or call your school board member and county supervisor. That number is only going up.

[mlv311]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

Write or call your school board member and county supervisor. That number is only going up.

I agree with the PP that a starting point would be to address the class size issue with the school board. That seems awfully high to me.

There are several private school options, but they are not "cheap." One thing I've noticed this year is how many Catholic schools are charging the same tuition rate for parishioners and non-parishioners (must be a sign of hard times). Private Schools in Northern Virginia- Private School Directory

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

I am just starting to look around at private schools in the Fairfax (town not county) area - the cheaper ones.

Not very impressed with the public school system - even though our elementary school is highly rated. Dont like the fact that there are 28 kids in my sons Kindergarten class and they dont seem to be learning much.

Wonder if scrimping and saving for private school is worth it.

How do you define "not learning much" for a kindergartener? Don't you get assessment reports and does he get homework? I assume he's in full day kindergarten, whereas in the areas such as Vienna and McLean, there's only part time kindergarten because emphasis now is on the lower income areas.

In kindergarten, kids are developing motor skills, social skills, thinking skills, etc....not as tangible as being able to solve an algebraic equation or being able to break down a chemical reaction or coding in a computer language or even write a book report.

FFX Cty usually reduces the real class size tally by having a teaching assistant in the class which then would reduce that number to 14 kids/teacher in your case.

I have a neighbor whose daughter is GT at Longfellow and she says there are 33 kids in her math class. That'll separate the wheat from the chaff. Longfellow still sends the most kids to TJ.

The ratio might be higher at your kid's school, because as you said, it's highly rated. Same goes for Longfellow and other good schools in this area.

If the school is good and/or offers programs that interest people, it shouldn't have a low attendance ratio for the most part.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

There is a teaching assistant in his prublic school class

- the problem is he seems to be learning what he learned in preschool. He comes home and says he is bored and that he learned what they were teaching already - he is a good kid - he sits down and does his own math problems on his own - school is not even teaching what he does on his own! I think he might be advanced but they dont test for that until 2nd grade - meanwhile he is teaching himself - sad.

One school that looked promising to me and was "cheap" in my book - was Holy Spirit in Annandale - there class size max. is 19 and I think they are charging the same for non Catholics (I was raised Catholic but have been attending a different church)

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

There is a teaching assistant in his prublic school class

- the problem is he seems to be learning what he learned in preschool. He comes home and says he is bored and that he learned what they were teaching already - he is a good kid - he sits down and does his own math problems on his own - school is not even teaching what he does on his own! I think he might be advanced but they dont test for that until 2nd grade - meanwhile he is teaching himself - sad.

One school that looked promising to me and was "cheap" in my book - was Holy Spirit in Annandale - there class size max. is 19 and I think they are charging the same for non Catholics (I was raised Catholic but have been attending a different church)

Did you have a parent-teacher conference early during the school year to voice your concerns, not as much about class size, but about your son not being challenged?

[SweetAsRain]

Ever consider homeschooling, Fairfax Mom?

I wouldn't do it, but its just a thought...

[SweetAsRain]

Originally Posted by busymommy3

Ever consider homeschooling, Fairfax Mom?

I wouldn't do it, but its just a thought...

I wouldn't do it only because its not for me!