Fairfax Villa Elementary School

I cannot say enough good things about Laurel Ridge. My family went through a rough time, which greatly affected my children and their attendance. The faculty and staff, though, never gave up on my children, and my children are doing very well now.

Our family has had a wonderful experience with Oak View. The teachers are hands on and communicative and willing to answer questions about progress. We feel our children have received dedicated attention and are pushed in the right way to showcase their strengths.

So far so good, my kindergartener with speech and social delays has done a 180 since transitioning from their pre-k program to kindergarten. I couldn't be happier with the progress he has made.

My daugther just completed 6th grade at Daniel's Run Elementary. She was there for her entire Elementary School education and I can honestly say that Daniel's Run has gone downhill over the past 5 years since the new principal arrived.Earlier on it seemed like the school was more devoted to engaging the kids' curiosity and helping them grow into upstanding citizens. The new principal instead seems to be focused on SOL scores and does nothing to keep the school safe or follow the guidelines on bullying. My daughter has been bullied all of this year by 3 6th grade boys and the most the school would do is talk to the boys and ask them to stop. There was no punishment, the parents were not talked to as far as I am aware, and there was no interaction even when the ringleader beat up a 5th grade boy. Apparently, the goal is to be able to keep their attendence numbers up and by expelling these kids, that would lower their numbers. I am not the only one that has had issues with the principal. If a kid is having trouble learning at the school, he provides no assistance so many parents are pulling their kids out to move them to private schools, which is another way they are keeping their SOL scores up.

Its a bad school because my son had flee and that traumatized him

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.