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

Nurturing environment that expects every child to rise to excellence, but appreciates every child…read moreas unique. Emphasizes character, sports, & STEM learning. Great parent community. Students from many different backgrounds and countries. I feel that every adult in that building knows and loves every child in that building.

I have 4 kids two of which are attending Green Hedges. Also, I have attended both private and…read morepublic schools growing up. From my personal experience, this school's attention and love for the kids is as good as it gets. The experience and education these kids get is amazing. I feel so lucky every time I think about having such an amazing school for my kids to attend. Both of our kids just love the program and it has felt amazing to see how much they have grown from attending the school and interacting with the other kids. The staff is amazing and the families that we have met clearly have core values and a focus that we want our kids to be around.

Decent high school located in Fairfax, VA. Came here on a field trip to watch the play Matilda…read more Staff was great while we were there.

Visited a High School that had special memories so so many years ago. There was the Annual Arts and…read moreCraft Fair and like so many parking was tough at the school so we took a bus ride to and from. The school has been renovated since we last visited and the Craft Fair took advantage of every room they could diss[play their merchandise. Easy to get to and navigate around. Nice to see it again.

Our grandson was painfully shy around adults and other children even after 2 years of preschool…read more  His parents were afraid distance learning kindergarten would be a disaster for him.  They enrolled him in kindergarten at Dominion and what a difference in a year!  Now he helps add up the scores when we play UNO and writes them down.  He reads the road signs to us when we travel.  But what really amazed us was the kindergarten graduation, when he was able to stand up in front of the assembly and read.  It wasn't the reading--all of the children had a chance to show off what they had learned.  It was the fact that he could speak in front of strangers, and afterward it warmed my heart to see him running around the playground with a pack of little boys.  He has gained so much confidence and I know that my son and daughter-in-law are very happy with the care and education our grandson received at Dominion.

THIS is THE best kept secret in NOVA education. They've been quietly building a tremendous…read moreeducation platform. There are 2 separate campuses-- one on Vale Rd for the lower school and one in Isaac Newton Square in Reston for mid/hi school. (If you have kids in both they run a shuttle.) GREAT bang for your buck-- particularly in mid and high school!!! (And there is plenty of assistance money to go around.) This is a CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN education. (Google classical education model for the pedagogy explanation.) The MIDDLE and HIGH school should be considered by any family who wants their kid to be a problem solver with strong reasoning, logic, writing, data synthesizing, presentation, morality-based skills. It certainly teaches from a Christian world view but the method allows kids to learn why they think what they think and to question and understand. It is still pretty small-- but it is Up and Coming. Check out the web site for the list of schools their kids get into and without all the hours of homework and drudgery you see in the traditional model schools-- The Ivies, UVA, Tech, Bucknell, --the list goes on. WHY are these kids getting in when others do not? -- The Classical Education model coupled with the Harkness instructional model (think Socratic/Phillips Exeter.) Don't miss out on their information sessions and take the tour and put your kid there for the shadow day. Your student will notice the difference in the quality of education and caliber of instructors. The instructors really are key in making kids take responsibility and own their own work product, habits etc. Engage a high schooler in a conversation. They will knock off your socks: eye contact, ease of conversation, graceful self-assurance, interest in and ability to discuss the world. (And that all comes through in those college applications and interviews!) Moreover, they are compassionate, aware of others, fun loving, accepting of others and dedicated to integrating the values of their faith into their lives and work. It really is a great combination. The lower school provides a good education. Small classes, conservative Christian ethos, very involved parents (some a little over the top but all seem to care about every kid there and you don't see the competition between parents you see so many places). Principal and teachers know every single kid and family and truly are knit into the families. Seems to work really well for kids who don't mind a fairly traditional classroom environment and homework. Instead of American Idol, these kids learn the basics through study of the ancient world and church history from a staff who cares about and prays with and for them. It has a throwback feel to it that is nice in today's world of shoving kids into too much too soon. Are there problems? Of course! Helicopter parents? Welcome to NOVA! I do think the administration here does a better job than most of hand holding those parents and taking their issues in stride. Lots of volunteer opportunities? You betcha! But the ethos is changing to better accommodate dual working families. The community overall is very accepting and is genuinely caring and supportive. Pretty much everybody in the community takes their walk with The Lord very seriously and incorporates that true essence in their dealings with their kids, the school and other parents. Does my child go there? Yes- and is quick to point out how strongly he feels about the quality of education he receives. Why only 4 stars? Because they haven't completed their metamorphosis to the level of excellence that I know they can achieve. They have new, strong, capable leadership to get them there. Make no mistake, they have already achieved excellence well worth considering for your student.

I returned briefly to James Madison High School to request my official high school transcript in…read moreapplying for university, having spent some time after graduation doing other things. I entered Ms. Geary's office requesting that she send my official transcript due to my computer failing to send to her a corresponding form for the university. Immediately upon entry, I was greeted with an unfriendly face and repulsive attitude. Apart from having to pry her to do her job, she remained snarky, and made for an unpleasant conversation. For someone I remembered to be pleasant years ago, I was caught off guard.

This high school student population was so small I only had a few good friends left over from…read moremiddle school and couldn't find new ones. :/ The teachers were a lot nicer than elementary and middle school but some tend to have favoritism with the jocks and you can definitely tell. Also the counselors weren't helpful in selecting classes, recommendations, and college prep at all. The new principal sucks and the way he is renovating the school with the building designs looks really cheap.

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.

Unique education. My child is very happy at this school and the courses offered are excellent…read more Ignore the guy from 1989, as NSNVA is truly different now. Also the international trips are super cool.

Not sure what that guy from 1989 is saying, weird review. Anyway, the school has interesting…read moreclasses for grades 6-12.

I came to Kate for SAT/ACT prep, and when I first started, my ACT score was a 28. After 6 sessions…read morewith Kate, I took the ACT and I got a 35. Kate is amazing and helped me work through all my problems with test taking.I

I am currently a senior looking to apply to colleges. I was very scared going into the summer with…read moreSAT scores I was not happy with. I was able to meet with Ms. Dalby through a referral from my very kind college coach. I spent one month with Ms. Dalby preparing for my SAT and I could not be more grateful. Through our daily sessions, I learned the mistakes I was making and saw the improvements in the routine practice tests we were taking. We took a practice test every other day and then spent the next day going over the problems we missed or questions we did not understand. Ms. Dalby went through each question thoroughly and even went over our time if required. I was able to learn different strategies from Ms. Dalby as well as the other students in the class if they had another way. Ms. Dalby makes sure to prepare us through our in class sessions as well as through her printouts that offers helpful advice from everything grammar related to math must-know sheets. She also makes herself available to the students through phone and email if any questions arise outside of class. Through my summer session, I could tell she is deeply invested in truly helping the students achieve their best potential and is very accommodating to the students needs. I would highly recommend getting in touch with Inspiring Test Prep and attending if you are looking for a Test Prep service.

Daniels Run is a K-6 elementary school located in the city of Fairfax. They are a part of Fairfax…read moreCounty Public Schools. At this school they also have special education services. Some of these classrooms include Preschool Autism Classroom (PAC), Enhanced Autism Classroom (EAC), Early Childhood Class Based (ECCB).