Random Hills

The teachers here are pretty good, especially the tenured ones. Unfortunately, the school's principal and assistant Principals keeps pushing good teachers out and bringing in underqualified ones. The number of good teachers that have left the past few years is startling. The community here is friendly and engaged. Overall, I give the teaching staff a 4/5, the community a 5/5, and the Principal and APs a 1/5.The Principal and Assistant Principals do not engage with the community at all, and are barely present at school events like concerts, plays, and programs. The place is still in ok shape due to great students, great parents, and pretty good teachers. However, the missing ingredient to a great environment is a School Administration that is friendly, engaged, and cares about learning and children. Sometimes there is bullying and the administration seems to ignore it or wipe it under the rug out of self-preservation. It often seems like they don't care about the students, the community, or even the teachers. Oakton, Va is a wonderful place and it's too bad that the School Administration seems to have it out for this community.

My child experienced neglect here. Came home starving every day, teacher was throwing out the food and not allowing enough time to eat. Child suffered severe anxiety from this school. Had issues coming home soaked in urine from not being toileted or diaper change. Issues with other children hurting my child and the school not reporting it and attempting to cover it up. Do not send your child here if they are nonverbal or unable to communicate what happened. Teacher refused to communicate with parents about whether basic needs were being met for my special needs child. IEP was not followed or developed at all. Teacher was openly gas-lighting parents about the severity of the child’s condition. They refused to give child resources that they had available at the school and were not at capacity, based on the teachers ‘belief’ that the child was ‘fine’. The child has 3 different diagnoses from a neurodevelopmental pediatrician and the school refused to accept it. The school attempted to blame the parents as if it was a behavioral issue ‘at home’. Teachers denied seeing any behavioral concerns, but there was physical evidence that it was occurring. Parents observed child at school and child was presenting maladaptive behaviors. Childs academic progress worsened here, and teacher attempted to present it as if the child got better and acted as if she cured my child’s conditions. 0/10 would not recommend.

Excellent teachers and excellent special education program. The school has gone through some leadership changes but the culture, community, and committed teacher corps is unchanged. We have loved sending our kids here.

This has been one of the worst elementary schools my daughter has attended to. Teachers are too hard of special needs kids, bullying, bad attitude, bad behavior, students judging other students weather their clothes are fancy. Like seriously? I am so disappointed. Everyone is so rude for absolute no reason. Never letting my daughter step a foot in this school. I would not recommend going. Teachers and the principal are just nice when parents are here. Don’t go here , its a MESS!

Worst school your child may enter, worst.

I am a recently graduated alumni. No words can do this school justice. It has provided me with all the tools I will need through out life (within reason :)

Our family is a proud member of the Gesher community for 8 years now. With 3 kids in Gesher at different age groups I feel very comfortable sharing they are all enjoying a very rich academic experience, by great teachers, that really give their everything for the kids to be happy and very well treated. The social environment is supportive, and the relationships and kindness between the older kids (7th and 8th graders) and the younger kids (pre-K and K) is heartwarming and beautiful. Judaism and tradition studies are amazing and given with a lot of fun. In a county where most schools are better than in the rest of the county, choosing to go private is a very difficult, but I feel our kids thrive in this school, and that is priceless.