Shouse Village

I was very impressed with the academics at the school. The teacher engagement was good. Our son needed help and the level of support we received was amazing. The school has programs to help kids achieve academic success and emotionally and mentally support. We are sad to move away and would recommend Westbriar!

I'm writing this in the hopes that it provides others with a more nuanced snapshot of one family's recent experience with the school, as most who fill out these forms are either extremely positive or extremely negative. As context, I had two children go through Wolftrap a few years apart, finishing recently. Overall, we had a positive experience and would recommend the school. Huge pluses for us included: *** the amazing levels of parent involvement; truly, the PTA is full of rockstar parents who spend enormous amounts of time and energy creating tons of fun events that really build community, and the teachers get SO MUCH community support*** the staff focus on always doing better; when the school learned that something like 97% of the students met or exceeded the state standards as determined by testing scores, they met to discuss how to get that last 3 percent there, tooThat said, no place is perfect and that was also our experience at Wolftrap. Our major concern with the school was that quiet, well-behaved kids slip through the cracks when they have issues. Both of my children are quiet and generally well-behaved, but both had issues crop up that totally flew under the radar of the staff. One child is extremely gifted in one core subject but they are peer-level in another core subject (which is ok! peer level is ok!)... this meant that my child was not in full-time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) but was also not being challenged in the core subject in which they are extremely gifted. The school eventually agreed to pull my child out for the top level of AAP (Level IV) for the core subject that they are extremely gifted in while keeping them in regular classes for other subjects, but had I not fought for it, I am 100% certain that my child would have slipped through the cracks and not been appropriately challenged. My other child is what the district calls "Twice Exceptional" (2E), which means that they are very smart but also have a disability (such as ADHD, autism, physical disability, etc). My child struggled with their ADHD and completing their work, but did not get the support that they needed because they were not disrupting the class, bullying others, etc. In the end, would another school have actually noticed these issues on their own? As a parent, I'm not really sure. The classrooms are full of a variety of kids and the reality is that if you don't advocate for them, they might not get what they need, wherever that is.

Colvin Run Elementary is truly one of the best schools in Virginia. The principal, Mr. Ken Junge, along with the dedicated teachers, staff, PTO, and the broader community, create an exceptional environment for students. Mr. Junge’s passion, vision, and relentless attention to detail shine through in everything he does, and he has fostered a culture of care, excellence, and commitment across the school. Parents are very active and engaged, which makes the PTO especially strong, offering excellent after-school programs and year-round activities that enrich the school experience and make it fun!

My son entered as a 7th grader and just finished 8th grade. None of his 8th grade classmates are returning for 9th. I’m so excited his time there is over. In short, the school is a scam. They spend money to advertise that they are a top school. My son came from a classic Christian school - it was very small and he was interested in sports so we transferred him. The academics at FCS were a year behind his other school. It was literally the books from his 5th and 6th grade class that were used in 7th grade. The academics are abysmal.The textbooks used for most of the classes are so poorly written and understood and the teachers only teach from the book. There is NO critical thinking. The students are bored out of their minds which leads to behavioral issues. The administration is by far the worst- no one has real academic experience. The children of the dean didn’t even go there. It’s a facade. Extracurriculars and liberal arts- horrible. Run.

Some of these categories - social-emotional support and family engagement - ERS is completely off the charts. The school community gets together regularly to help improve the property and all get to the experience the joy the kids have going on hikes at Wolf Trap. Group camping trips, hikes and other activities outside of the school setting further bring the kids and their families together.The area where I marked low on special education is because it is an outdoor-based preschool program. The kids are outside rain or shine, hot or cold. They learn about the nature around them and how to interact with and respect each other. The loving nature that the teacheres approach the students across a range of emotional spectrums is impressive. We love the teachers who share a passion for the kids of course, but also the outdoors. Our first child has attended since he was two and next year is his last year. We've looked to the school as our outside consultants to help us raise him and create an environment that fosters his growth at school and at home. Very grateful for ERS and highly recommend. We're planning for our 7 month old to begin fall of 2025.

As a parent with one daughter who’s already graduated from The Eastern Ridge School and another in her second year, I can honestly say this place has been amazing for our family. The school’s approach is all about letting kids explore, ask questions, and learn through hands-on experiences—most of it outdoors, which our girls have absolutely loved. It’s thoughtful, nurturing, and really focuses on helping each child grow in their own unique way. We feel so lucky to have found it.