this school is just so fun! i really like the teachers there they have good teaching.read more

This review is for black people considering working at Luther Jackson or black parents considering…read moreLJ as a positive learning environment for their students. This story is about a black substitute teacher. It was 1:00 PM. That was the time just written in the logout book. The substitute teacher then gave his ID badge to a short elderly white woman admin. He left the office and proceeded to the front waiting area. While in the area, he noticed that the gym students were doing some type of test so they were not in their normal PE clothes. The teacher never spoke to nor interacted with anyone during this time. It had been about 5 minutes since the teacher had left the office. The same woman he had given his ID badge to cam up to him and said that he had to sit down by the front door or wait outside. He told her that he would do no such thing and that he worked for FCPS Fairfax County Public Schools and he knew that was not a requirement of its employees. He then said that the woman was racially harassing him and that he recognized her behaviour as such. The "lady" leaves and no more than 5 minutes later police officer comes over to the teacher and asks him to leave or wait outside. He can tell that the officer is only doing what was requested of him. The teacher again refuses to leave. No more than 5 minutes go by and again 2 assistant principals arrive to continue the harassment of the teacher. They tell him he is creating a disturbance. He disagrees. In the middle of their arguing the teachers ride called and he leaves mid-argument. He had a teacher request him for the next day. The students, "Respect and like you." was her rationale for asking him to sub her science class. But he knew that the racist white admins at Luther Jackson would, and did, prevent him from ever subbing at his alma matter again. Luther Jackson is a less than ideal environment for black children. They have no support from the culturally incompetent and racist white people that make the decisions there.

Eww, eww, EWWWW!! Keep your kids away from this place! It's quite diverse, socio-economically,…read morebut in an undesirable way. The teachers and administrators are miserable and horrible. None of the kids from this school end up doing much with their lives. In my U.S. History class at this school, I was informed that "some people treated their slaves well !"... !!! Despite that you may have heard that Fairfax County Public Schools are (relatively) very good, unless you can get your kid into McLean High School (and whatever middle school feeds into it), your best option is private school.

Better than elementary school. Some teachers were nice, but some were moody af. I attended Thoreau…read morewhen the school's buildings were old and dirty. There was drama with bullying and gossip around but not as bad like it used to. The counselors can be somewhat helpful to straighten that out. However, the student population was so small it was hard to make really good friends.

The Grand Slam Concession Stand (baseball concession stand) has the usual hit dogs, pizzas and hot…read morechocolates and even cup of noodle, but apparently, they have a supplier of home made empanadas complete with a homemade spicy mayonnaise. These empanadas routinely run out before the game ends because they are THAT good, the volunteers working the stand are some of the friendliest parent volunteers running a concession stand. This is borne out by the fact that there are alumni who sponsor different innings even though they have long moved out of the area. Impressive in so many ways. Most high school concession stands have joyless packaged foods that are the antithesis of homemade. It is a testament to Annandale High School's athletic boosters and specifically their baseball team volunteers to have added this delightful twist to the usual high school concession stand fare.

Stumble upon Annandale HS while going through the trails at a nearby park. The track was nice so we…read moredecided to do a few laps. There are also tennis courts and a basketball court and a playground. All the equipment seemed in good shape and they keep up with the maintenance.

Could hear all the commotion from my house. Decided to check it out since I wasn't working today…read more It was the first time I had ever set foot on the school grounds. The people were cheerful despite the look of the weather. Everyone that took part in the kids race looked happy and excited. Although I did not take part in the race this time, I am thinking about going it next year. The overall feeling of doing something heathly and fun, are two things not to ignore.

My son is a student here. The school offers traditional, comprehensive AP rigor for the ambitious…read moreand able, while also addresses the needs of students at all levels. All this, provided in a uniquely warm, family-like atmosphere that is rare in public high schools. As one of the smallest high schools in Fairfax County, the teacher-student ratio is excellent. Also, the international atmosphere of the school also stands out, providing an accurate reflection of Northern VA. He's been happy there. And with the emergence of the Mosaic district close-by, Falls Church high school is poised for an even greater future.

This program is a complete SCAM. Do not register or pay for your child to attend. If you need to…read morecancel, it is not a "fee." They stole close to $3,000 from us without a single service rendered. Save your time, money, and a severe headache by googling their reviews (multiple different names, NYLF Pathways, Envision, etc.). Speaking with their customer service department made it extremely clear that they do this often. Complete scam.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my deep…read moredisappointment and concern regarding my daughter's recent experience at the Envision by WorldStrides Engineering Conference held at Georgia Tech University. Given the program's reputation and the high cost--over $5,000 including airfare--our expectations were for a well-organized, enriching, and professional event. Unfortunately, what my daughter experienced was profoundly lacking in planning, structure, and value. Day One: Students were instructed to arrive early in the day. My daughter, along with a few others, arrived during the designated window and was transported to Georgia Tech, where they sat in a gym for six hours playing Uno. There was no structured activity or lunch provided. Though she had packed snacks, her suitcase was taken and stored in a location she was not allowed to access. Upon being allowed into their rooms, students found there was no hand soap provided. By day three, a college student staff member went to a store to purchase some for the group--completely unacceptable for a program of this scale and cost. Day Two and Beyond: Workshops were disorganized and lacked basic resources. Materials and handbooks that Envision promised would be provided did not arrive until day four. College-aged counselors repeatedly apologized to students for the poor quality of the programming and the missing supplies. The educational content presented was superficial at best--featuring tools like Canva more typical of a basic high school STEAM class than a college-level engineering experience. Shockingly, the speakers lacked relevant qualifications. One had never been an engineer, and the other shared that he had worked in the field for only one year before leaving because he found it boring. No professional engineers were present to guide or mentor the students. When students began work on their capstone projects, many of the necessary materials were missing or unavailable. Technical equipment like computers and projectors often failed, and students faced ongoing technical issues. Evenings were largely spent on social "get to know you" games for 3 hours rather than educational activities. Mid-week, approximately 600 additional students arrived, bringing the total to around 800. All of them were required to eat meals simultaneously in a facility clearly not equipped to handle that volume. During one lunch period, a fire drill occurred, and staff had no clear evacuation plan in place, creating unnecessary confusion and concern for safety. The so-called "free day" was equally disappointing. Promotional materials had advertised sightseeing around Atlanta. Instead, students were taken to view planes in a field for one hour and then spent five hours at a shopping mall. To make matters worse, staff members told my daughter that the original lead coordinator quit just days before the conference began, and the replacement quit midway through the week. Leadership instability of this kind explains, but does not excuse, the lack of professionalism and planning. Families make significant sacrifices for their children to attend programs like these. My daughter, like many others, was excited about the opportunity to learn and grow in her interest in engineering. Instead, she endured a chaotic and unfulfilling week. We ultimately chose to fly her home on day six--two days before the scheduled end of the program--because the experience had deteriorated so severely. We were not alone. Many parents had already withdrawn their children by days four and five. The bright spot was that the Envision liaison I spoke with Victor was helpful and quick to accommodate getting my daughter to the airport. While I understand that our payment is non-refundable, I am writing this to make my voice heard and to warn other families: Do not send your child to an Envision Conference. This program does not deliver what it promises and fails to meet even the most basic standards of organization and care.

Our child had a fantastic experience at Merritt Academy Summer Camp! The program is engaging, well…read moreorganized, and thoughtfully planned, with themed weeks that keep every day feeling fresh and exciting. We loved that the kids enjoy pool time, arts and crafts, gym and playground time, field trips, daily hot lunch, and snacks all included in a fun, structured environment. It's set up so children can attend all summer without getting bored, and our child looked forward to camp every day. We'll definitely be back!

Submitted application back in November. School promised to reach out to me in January for a child…read moreassessment. Didn't hear anything from them until March so I reached out to them. The answer was my child application was still incomplete. At that point, their admission process was pointless, and I was no longer interested sending my child there. However, they already withdrew my $75 back in November. Why would they take my money when application was incomplete, and they didn't perform child assessment yet. Long story short, they gave out absurd excuses and the whole process was just a mess. Big waste of time and money. Out of multiple schools I applied to, this school was by far the most disorganized, money-driven school. I highly doubt quality of education from this school. I'm glad my child will be attending other school.

If you want criticism that's fair and realistic, here are some common complaints students sometimes…read morehave about Oakton High School: Heavy academic pressure and competition School can feel overly focused on academics instead of student balance Some students say it's harder to stand out because the school is highly competitive Older parts of the building or inconsistent maintenance complaints Homework load can feel intense depending on teachers/classes

never again experience, teachers are rude don't help students at all ESPECIALLY the band teacher…read moreAND the orchestra teacher. no matter what teacher you get depends on your grade. did i mention the band and orchestra teacher? TRASH

They dont care about anyone st the dchool, they are unfair, the staff is mean, the kids are always…read moresmoking in the bathroom and they just want us out. Overall my child is much happier at thouro now. I am just very disappointed in kilmers actions and i hope they reflect on this review. Also they always would put indoor recces and lunches. They took away the basketball hoops for lunches so its not the same, hence why we transferd. Go Eagles

I like how much the kids get to socialize even in times of this pandemic. My child has made really…read moregood friends and there is limited drama. The counselors there are very involved and will help a student out with any problems. Kilmer is an overall amazing school to put your children in and I 100% recommend it.

South Lakes. What a…read moreplace. I really loved my time here except for that I hated it because high school is the worst place on earth. Anyway, it gets such a bad rep but who gives a shit. It's a great school with great teachers. There are so many different types of people and it's so diverse. I wouldn't have gone anywhere else!

South Lakes High School is a public high school for grades 9-12 located in Reston in Fairfax…read moreCounty, VA. They have a great piece of land which allows for ample parking on both sides of the school. The inside of the school was renovated pretty recently, so classrooms, common areas, gymnasiums, etc. are in great shape and have top of the line technology. It also happens to share some land with Langston Middle School which is convenient for the county. The teachers and staff are wonderful. I've had a chance to work with them frequently through my volunteer role with the Relay For Life of Reston. A really unique thing about this school is that they have a huge JROTC program. It allows for the students to get involved with activities outside of the classroom, get mentored, learn leadership/organization skills, become more motivated and have more discipline, and really prepare them for the real world/college. I can't talk highly enough about the JROTC program and the influence it has in these kids lives, especially when they may not be receiving a lot of support at home. I have gotten to know Sargaent Handy and Major Schuler over the years; they are such wonderful role models and I'm so grateful for their service. Shout out to Linda and Susan in the activities office, they're a huge help to us too!