43333 Markham Pl, Ashburn, VA 20147

Hillside Elementary is an absolute failure of a school, and spending kindergarten through fifth grade there was genuinely miserable. The environment is openly hostile to students of color, with a staff that plays favorites and shamelessly protects the popular white kids while icing everyone else out. It’s an unsafe, toxic place where bullying goes completely unchecked. My first-grade teacher, Sherri Campbell, was horrific, and my third-grade teacher, Lesli Trigg, was equally hostile—she even pinched my arm hard for not having my papers stapled in the right order. When my father immediately emailed her about it, she accused me of lying, even though I had literally felt the pain and was sitting at my desk crying, and not a single adult bothered to check on me. Despite my parents constantly hauling themselves up to the school for meetings with administration, the adults just covered for each other and did nothing. By the time I was seven, I had severe anxiety and zero friends because of the relentless exclusion and racism from both students, teachers, and even the "room moms." If you're a student of color or need actual support, save yourself the trauma and go to Mill Run Elementary instead. This school singlehandedly destroyed my mental health.

Briar Woods is an incredible high school that gave me the classic, memorable high school experience with amazing friends and lifelong memories. The teachers and staff are genuinely passionate, kind, and accommodating, and the extensive AP course selection offers a great way to challenge yourself academically. While the coursework is definitely more rigorous than what you'll find at other schools, it's completely manageable—though you do have to navigate a fair amount of intense academic competition. This school definitely does a great job at preparing its students for college level coursework.On the cultural side, it’s a bit of a mixed bag: while the school does a great job celebrating diversity and letting students express their identity, the front office staff can be shockingly rude and hostile, particularly toward students of color. Even with those frustrating administrative hurdles, it's a vibrant, friendly environment overall and a fantastic place to spend your high school years. It's a great day to be a Falcon! - Class of 2026 Alum