Briar Woods/Eagle Ridge

Am wondering, is anyone else as disappointed in the quality of teachers/principles at Eagle Ridge Middle and Briar Woods High School as I am?

Spanish teachers at B.W. rot; math department is bad. Everyone teaches to the test. There probably is an exception here or there, but for the most part I'm stunned by the extent of uninspiring and poor teaching.

Eagle Ridge - B. Buechler (sp.?) runs it like an elementary school. Kids can't let their hair down at lunch with friends. So strict. and the teaching here too is lame.

Kids get good grades, but don't know basics. I like learning, but I'd probably be bored to tears in these classes too.

I want to invest in our schools, but if they can't deliver better then I have to question giving more money to the schools to keep doing the same bad job.

I'd be interested in knowing if anyone else has taken off the rose-colored glasses and seen through the school system's happy talk.

It's just depressing.

 

The new principal at Eagle Ridge is a disaster. When she was installed, the teachers/staff left in droves.

I somewhat agree with your overall assessment. For a school system that boasts its supposed excellence, I'm not impressed with either the quantity or quality of the actual school work.
And now that SOL's are over, the kids spend a month doing nothing but hanging around and watching movies.

 

All public schools teach to some sort of SOL test. When funding, promotion and school ranks is tied to this, no one wins. Down fall of American public education and harsh reality of no child left behind.

 

Vacliff,

Well said. Good point about the good teachers leaving Eagle Ridge, I forgot to mention that.

I'm just wondering if enough people can be brought together on this b/c one person complaining to an administrator won't do a thing.

 

Fortunately, only my last child had to spend one year under the current regime at Eagle Ridge.

 

BWHS is a joke, way too many principles and VP's and the teachers are LAZY and disinteresed. My kids begged to stay home on Friday because they finished SOls early and were going to sit in their Trailer Classroom and watch Forest Gump! Totally amazed that this HS got ranked so high among US High Schools - really a sad commentary on the rest of the high schools. The BWHS adminstrators are a nasty bunch too, way more concerned about CYA than our kids.

 

BTW - Briar Woods isn't on this year's ranking. Stone Bridge is #178 though.

 

The true test to measure what our kids are learning is a national standardized test. I looked up the 2011 SAT scores for #19 George Mason High School in Great Falls (Thomas Jefferson is not comparable, obviously). Regardless of what you think of the quality of teaching our kids are learning what they need to.

George Mason High School: 1774 total 599 Reading, 592 Math, 583 Writing. BWHS 2011 SAT 1611 total 547 Reading, 532 Math, 532 Writing.

And no I am not a teacher nor do I work for LCPS. I'm a mother of a child at ERMS and BWHS. AWhen we moved here 4 years ago I researched Fairfax Co., Montgomery Co and Loudoun. This area has the whole package we were looking for taking into account for real estate, education and crime. Other districts and other Ashburn schools have far more problems with drugs, fights and issues. My son is happy, involved in clubs and sports and is sporting a phenomenal GPA. "You get what you give". I have no intention of selling my home, but this thread in print in going to nose dive home values if people believe opinions without data. Here's a link to an article dated May 10th, 2012. VA schools ranked 2nd in US by US News & World Report. That is a reflection of curriculum, including SOL's.

http://dcist.com/2012/05/virginia_high_school_ranks_as_secon.php

 

My son is a freshman this year at BWHS, and I've had a great correspondence with his Math teacher about his progress and problems. She's been very good about giving me information about any problems he has, and has offered help with math labs before school. He's also in the band program, and I've been very satisfied with the leadership and level of discipline shown by Mr. Minnick and all of the kids I've met. Not all the teachers are as proactive as these two, but this has helped us navigate the freshman year, and I'm looking forward to next year.

 

So we're a full 10% lower than a comprable Fairfax school on standardized tests. Is this good?

 

I can't speak to the teaching at Eagle Ridge as I have a rising 6th grader, but to date I have been nothing but impressed with the transition plan set up for my daughter. My daughter has special needs and requires a great deal of support in order to be successful in a general education setting. She will be in all regular/honors classes and Spectrum, no self-contained special education classes.

Mrs. Beichler has gone out of her way to have conversations with my daughter when she ran into her at the LCPS Administration Building. Mr. Dungan has had numerous meetings with me, my daughter's case manager and arranged private tours/meetings with teachers for my daughter in order for her to let us know what accommodations she will need next year. Transition is such an anxiety filled time for students (and their families) who have special needs and I still remember vividly how difficult the move from ECSE to Kindergarten was. So far, we have encountered nothing of the sort and I am optimistic that things will continue in the same vein.

As for lunches, I understand the reasoning behind the strictness. Open lunches and seating are great for the kid who has lots of friends. What about the kid who doesn't? Lunch is the worst time of the day if you don't have anyone to sit with because either you don't know anyone or no one wants you to sit with them. I remember how hard it was when I was in middle school and we had rotating schedules which meant eight different sets of people for lunch. Some days were easy but there was one day when there was no one to sit with and I ended up in the music room that day. I know my daughter would be that kid. She has friends this year but it's not friendships like her typical peers have with each other. Hopefully, she will have people who look out for her still next year but she can't depend upon that. She's not the only one out there and not all kids with social difficulties have special education needs. I personally appreciate the structure and there are plenty of other opportunities for kids to "let their hair down".

 

I've had two kids in Eagle Ridge, one with the previous (6-7 grades) and current principles(8th grade); one with the current principle (6th grader). I was extremely happy with the previous principle and very unhappy that she was leaving, but I know change happens as a part of life and kept an open mind. I know there were behavioral issues (drugs, bullying) while my older kid was in ERMS, and wasn't unhappy with the new policies because of this.

My younger son has become more self confident and self reliant in middle school, and I'm happy for that. I don't see that the change in leadership has been detrimental to either of my kids.

I know that when I was in high school, not all of my teachers were fully invested in my success, but I did pretty well for myself, nonetheless...

 

Good points by all. There is something to be said for trying to make it work regardless of the situation, but sometimes its difficult to find a good work-around or alternative, or keep your child motivated to do additional learning when there primary curriculum is so boring. But I've got to find some supplemental learning - or just move.

For those mentioning GPA, etc., I'd just say that my child has a great GPA. That's the problem. They get good grades and pass tests, but they can't think on their own, solve problems, write well or exhibit other academic skills. Something is missing.

 

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sort of an add-on to this.... I was shocked to find out that they never have homework! My child is in all honors and I think twice this whole year there's been homework. To me, that doesn't seem right. I guess most kids have lots of outside activities, we don't, but that's what I've been told about the no homework policy - kids have no time for homework because of all the sports and extracurricular activities. I think there should be some homework!

 

This is not an issue specific to either ERMS or BWHS. Schools across the board are not teaching our children critical thinking skills.

After reading some of these very negative posts about these two schools, I look forward to making my own judgments with a rising 6th grader, and a rising 9th grader who has been homeschooled for middle school. We moved to Ashburn specifically because we felt these two schools would be a better fit that Sterling Middle School and Park View HS.

 

I won't make comments as to the teaching that goes on at BWHS, as my husband teaches there, but if your child is coming home with no homework, then I would investigate a little bit further. My daughter is a junior at BWHS, and I can count on one hand the number of times she has not had any homework. She has both academic and one AP class, and has quite a bit of homework every night. The load is a little lighter this week with SOL's, but she still had about 3 hours worth of homework for the weekend. If they are not bringing work home, perhaps they are completing it in a study hall, or Flex period?

 

This may explain the problem with the system. We may have great teachers, but the method of teaching needs to catch up better options. Specially, level of standard has to be increased.

I am amazed how much more commitment, participation, and time is required from the athletes at high schools for the sports but not for math or other subjects.

Time wasted with lot of random events, activities in elementary school instead of taking advantage of teaching more solid foundation of math, and language arts or other subjects.

http://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U

 

This is good to hear! I should have said my experience has just been with ERMS. But no homework in middle school will not prepare them for high school!

 

Good point that students may be getting some of their homework done in study hall. So it can be deceiving to a parent. But, if you had a rigorous load I wouldn't think study hall would be enough time to finish everything.

 

What efforts have you made with individual teachers to learn more about what is being taught and why? Have you met with the principals or teachers to share your concerns? I'd get involved and try to find out how you can be part of a solution.