1581 Spring Gate Dr #5213
Mc Lean, VA 22102

To say that this school isn't safe is an understatement. There are fights all the time (often in the boys' bathrooms where the school administration, teachers and Fairfax County Police Department SRO don't "sweep" due to "privacy concerns") and constant physical assaults against students. A teacher was even assaulted this year. This school, and FCPS in general, are so focused on the rights of the offenders and giving them multiple opportunities to correct their behavior that they don't care about, and frankly forget, the victim. Do you want your kid attending a school where it is routine for students who present a physical threat to their classmates to be walked from class to class by a staff member? Why aren't these offenders removed from Kilmer to be educated in a different environment in FCPS? I believe in the value of public schools, but this isn't what I want for my kids - or anyone else's kids. Any private school has to be better than this if you can afford it.In terms of learning, it's hard to do that as a student if you are in an environment where you are unsafe, isn't it? Instead, you're focused on who is going to assault you next - whether in class, in the cafeteria, in the hall, and whether it's safe to use the bathroom.With regard to Special Education, if your student has a 504 plan, most of what's included won't be implemented.It appears that not much has changed - despite a new Principal - since another parent/guardian left a review in 2019. My recommendations are (1) move to a different school boundary, (2) transfer to a private school, and (3) if (1) or (2) aren't options, request a transfer within FCPS to a different middle school.

During my time at the school, as an African American student, I have faced immense racism from students and from staff as well. Ranging from stereotypes to even the N-Word. Being that the school is around 6% black, if you are a black student I would likely avoid this school at all costs, because the staff will disregard your grievances regardless of the severity. Unsurprisingly, this school has the reputation in northern virginia of being the “racist school,” and even had news coverage on the racist allegations regarding the football team. Furthermore, the IB program at this school is honestly pretty bad, and I would recommend you go to a school with AP instead.

My child has been attending Westgate since Kindergarten & is now an upper elementary student. He has been very happy at Westgate, has built a good social circle, likes his teachers & classes, & has had no complaints so far. We have had several opportunities to move him to other schools in the area that are supposedly "better", but we chose to keep him at Westgate because of the wonderful sense of community that we have experienced here. My only complaint is that the academic standards seem a bit lax in upper elementary (grades 4-6). Homework is inconsistent (some days they get some, other days they get nothing) & high-performing students don't seem to be challenged enough, even in the AAP program. We still prefer to keep our child in Westgate because he is happy & he is almost at the end of his elementary school journey, but my advice to Westgate would be to tighten its academic curriculum & becomes more serious about homework, assignments, etc. in the future, particularly for grades 4-6.