Burke/West Springfield/Fairfax Elementary Schools - help (Orange, Raven: vs., kindergarten)

[ralphsbreeze]

Thanks for all of your input. I feel much better having a clearer understanding of what to expect. We are leaning toward Burke and West Springfield for now. Two more questions.

It seems that a majority of the houses I'm seeing online are listing Ravensworth or Kings Park as the schools. I've looked at their sites, etc., but would appreciate any additional insights into these two. Kings Park seems interesting since it's only K-3 but still such a large school (700+ students). Anyone familiar?

Also, any suggestions for finding a good, smaller preschool (a few hours, a few days a week)? I've heard I may be out of luck getting into one for the January session, so I may have to try to find some other kind of 1 or 2 day program instead.

[Yankeesfan]

When you find preschools that you're interested in, go ahead and put your name on their lists. Since this is a mobile area, people move during the school year, and so a school may have an opening when you're ready.

[mlv311]

Originally Posted by ralphsbreeze

Also, any suggestions for finding a good, smaller preschool (a few hours, a few days a week)? I've heard I may be out of luck getting into one for the January session, so I may have to try to find some other kind of 1 or 2 day program instead.

Every January, the Moms Club of Burke hosts a free preschool fair in the fire station and it is well represented by preschools in Burke and Springfield. If you contact the group, they may be willing to send you the spreadsheet they handed out at the fair, which has a grid with all the basic information on preschools (unfortunately I discarded my copy and I'm not a club member). Even though most people reserve a spot for the Fall in February, you may still want to get waitlisted in a place(s) of your choice. The younger your child is, the easier it will be to get a spot because people drop out for many reasons (child not ready for school, not potty trained, etc.).

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by ralphsbreeze

Thanks for all of your input. I feel much better having a clearer understanding of what to expect. We are leaning toward Burke and West Springfield for now. Two more questions.

It seems that a majority of the houses I'm seeing online are listing Ravensworth or Kings Park as the schools. I've looked at their sites, etc., but would appreciate any additional insights into these two. Kings Park seems interesting since it's only K-3 but still such a large school (700+ students). Anyone familiar?

Also, any suggestions for finding a good, smaller preschool (a few hours, a few days a week)? I've heard I may be out of luck getting into one for the January session, so I may have to try to find some other kind of 1 or 2 day program instead.

Kings Park elementry and Ravensworth are both very good schools. I don't think you can go too wrong with either one.

Kings Park is large, but they seem to have the teachers and the resources to handle all 700 kids. Many parents like that this school is geared for the younger child.

Ravensworth has a Spanish immersion program, which is popular with many parents.

Both schools are tucked away in safe neighborhoods, away from busy roads.

There are some wonderful preschools along Braddock Road (they are all really good). I would suggest paying them a visit and getting on their waiting lists. You might luck out. Welcome to the area!

[sweetpotater58]

If you move to the Burke Centre area of Burke you will have Fairview or Terre Centre schools as options. Over in some other sections referred to as Burke you have Laurel Ridge and Oakview, to the east with a Burke addy is Cherry Run and White Oaks. IN West Springfield-Orange Hunt, Hunt Valley, Keene Mill, Cardinal Forest, Rolling Valley and West Springfield.
All are good schools-but several are better than others regarding what they offer-Keene Mill and White Oaks have advance classes, and several others like Laurel Ridge and Orange Hunt have language immersion classes. I can personally say from my own children and those of friends that Orange Hunt, Laurel Ridge, Cardinal Forest and Keen Mill are very good schools.

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by springfieldva

Kings Park elementry and Ravensworth are both very good schools. I don't think you can go too wrong with either one.

Kings Park is large, but they seem to have the teachers and the resources to handle all 700 kids. Many parents like that this school is geared for the younger child.

Ravensworth has a Spanish immersion program, which is popular with many parents.

Both schools are tucked away in safe neighborhoods, away from busy roads.

There are some wonderful preschools along Braddock Road (they are all really good). I would suggest paying them a visit and getting on their waiting lists. You might luck out. Welcome to the area!

Another difference between Kings Park and Ravensworth -
Kings Park Elementary has full day Kindergarten. Ravensworth has part day, AM or PM, K.

[greeniebean]

Originally Posted by sweetpotater58

All are good schools-but several are better than others regarding what they offer-Keene Mill and White Oaks have advance classes, and several others like Laurel Ridge and Orange Hunt have language immersion classes. I can personally say from my own children and those of friends that Orange Hunt, Laurel Ridge, Cardinal Forest and Keen Mill are very good schools.

One note about the immersion programs that some schools offer. Each school sets up their own program admittance policies, but most allow out of area students to attend if their name was chosen in the lottery. My son is in the immersion program at Laural Ridge, and half of the program is comprised of in-area students and the other half from out of area. If you don't mind driving for morning drop-off, your child could still attend the program.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that don't assume you need to live within the school boundary to take advantage of these types of programs. White Oaks' GT program is the same way - they accept out of area students that qualify. Definitely choose your preferred neighborhood first and worry about schools second.

[Tee11]

Hi greeniebean-
Does that mean that the children attend only some days or half a day at the school that is not "your" school (according to boundaries) if they participate in the language immersion program of a particular school? ... and the rest of the day (s) at the school that is designated according to your home address?

... or are they completely at the school with the language immersion they were accepted into? ... and then, are they automatically accepted into the corresponding Middle School that has the "transition immersion", even if that's again outside the boundaries of your home?

Thanks!

[greeniebean]

Originally Posted by Tee11

Hi greeniebean-
Does that mean that the children attend only some days or half a day at the school that is not "your" school (according to boundaries) if they participate in the language immersion program of a particular school? ... and the rest of the day (s) at the school that is designated according to your home address?

... or are they completely at the school with the language immersion they were accepted into? ... and then, are they automatically accepted into the corresponding Middle School that has the "transition immersion", even if that's again outside the boundaries of your home?

Thanks!

Once the child is accepted into an immersion program outside of their boundary, that new school becomes their home base school. They'll stay in the program until graduation (end of 6th grade for Laurel Ridge). I don't know the details on middle school transition programs, but I'd assume that if a child has been in the ES immersion program they'd move to the middle school in the same school pyramid even if it was out of boundary.

The FCPS website has a basic overview of the program and contact information if you want to email someone about the middle school transition question.

FCPS*Instructional Services:*High School Instruction &*K-12 Curriculum Services

Sorry I can't offer more details. Laurel Ridge is our boundary school, and we were lucky to get a spot in the immersion program in 2nd grade (program starts in 1st, but they have kids withdraw and then choose names off the waiting list to fill the spots). It was never a question of my son going to Robinson when he was done at LR.

[Tee11]

Thanks greeniebean, that was very helpful!
Was it hard for your son to enter the program in second grade?
(I should have known that there are waiting lists for everything, I wonder if the other languages like German are also so popular?)

Thanks also to everyone else for their insights!