Oakton Elementary School

Louise Archer has been an amazing school for our family. Following their start at a Montessori school, our kids tested into the AAP program for their third grade. Despite the fact that we live only a few blocks from the school, our base school was Flint Hill. All of them joined Louise Archer as it is a magnet AAP school.When the kids joined the school, we attended the school open house. We were inspired by the Principal's welcome and reading list for parents and we decided we wanted to support their mission. As parents, we got involved with a variety of school activities and programs including as coaches for the Odyssey of the Mind competitions, the Science Olympiad competitions, the Math competitions, chaperones for multiple school field trips and camps and we helped out with the many events at the school such as the field days, the music concerts and the sock hops. As a family we participated in the fun runs and 5ks. Consequently we got to know many of the teachers, administrative staff and Principal as well as other parents. The willingness of the school to encourage our participation not only connected us to the school and the community, it also strengthened the bond between the school and our kids as well as between us and our kids. Our overall impression of Louise Archer is that the school provides an educationally challenging, fostering, caring environment for kids to pursue their varied interests. The school provided support and advice for our kids' challenges. The breadth of the teachers' mastery in their subjects and their interests translated into a cacophony of educational stimuli that have enriched our child's lives. Two of our children went on to TJ and have now just started college, one is pre-med and the other in computer and data science and the third is close behind. Even though the kids have left the school we are in touch with the teachers and our youngest, who is now in high school, decided to become a mentor to kids in Louise Archer. In their spare time, both of our older college kids are now tutoring younger kids in Math and English. We believe that school is what you make of it and you should only expect to get the benefit of something commensurate with what you put in. For us we received so much more than we gave.

This is the worst school ever. Racism is real here, and the level of neglect is extremely high.

No good teacher specially teacher a are not kind

I was a student at Daniels Run last year, and I would not recommend sending your kids here. I was bullied by the other students after being there for less than a month. My Mother contacted the school about the bullying, but they barely stepped in. I was isolated most of my sixth grade year, as the teachers did nothing to stop the endless bullying. The teachers here act like they hate children, and the administrators aren't much better. I was punished multiple times for simply standing up for myself, and I was even given lunch detention for getting up at lunch to throw away my trash. This school also has a zero tolerance policy for fighting, which is good in theory, but when I face punched in the face, and I pushed the kid back, I was sent to the office. Don't throw away what should be an experience that shapes your who your kids will be by sending your them here.

Worst school your child may enter, worst.

St. Mark Catholic School has been an incredible blessing to my family. We initially found St. Mark because we were looking to get AWAY from a less-than-great situation in the Fairfax County Public School system, but the longer we have been at St. Mark, the more I feel our family is pulled TOWARD this wonderful school. When we started at St. Mark, my oldest son was worried he wouldn't have any friends and would be the outsider as a new student; his fears ended up being completely unfounded, and at the end of the first day, he came home saying he made great friends and had been welcomed with open arms by the students in his class. He couldn't get over how he already felt he was an integral part of the school community at St. Mark -- much more so than he'd ever felt at the FCPS school he attended previously. The teachers and school administration are incredibly kind and patient with the students, while upholding strict standards for respect and education. Teachers are responsive to parent communication, and have all made clear that they view the parents as significant partners in each child's education. The care, passion, and competence Mrs. Parker (principal) and Mrs. Parks (assistant principal) have for leading the school and the students is significant and noteworthy.St. Mark has been impressive in the level of attention paid to respect, setting --then helping students reach-- high academic standards, and ensuring students are well-rounded individuals who are focused not just on themselves but on the community around them. We were pleased to learn St. Mark had one of the highest (if not ~the~ highest) standardized testing scores in the Arlington Diocese, which we see clearly reflected in the level of instruction our two children have received in all academic classes. As a contrast with their previous FCPS school (in which there was no homework), both of my children have nightly homework that reinforces the instruction they receive each day. The workload is completely manageable, but teachers have been flexible in instances where family obligations have not allowed for homework on a given night. The Parent-Teacher-Parish Organization at St. Mark is very active, and offers many opportunities for engagement. I love the school uniform, and have seen a marked difference in my kids' behavior and attention as a result of the uniform.We are thrilled with St. Mark and cannot recommend the school highly enough.