South County High School

Posted: September 18, 2025

my child has been in the hospital for 2 months now and the school has offered no support! my child feels worthless, and has depression, severe anxiety, PTSD, bpd, autism, diabetes, Chlamydia, and is getting bullied everyday by students AND teachers! I would never recommend this school.

Posted: September 18, 2025

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Posted: June 24, 2025

South County High school is the worst High School in Fairfax Va. Racism and bullying is high and when the teachers see it happening they will do nothing, I wish I transfer schools to Hayfield High School during my freshman year. if your a student at this school stand up against racism and bully, do not fear anyone. If you let bullying goes on it's going to be repeat stand up for yourself because no more is going to do that for you.

Posted: June 24, 2025

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Posted: May 4, 2025

Every experience is unique, so please take each review and timing into consideration. Not to suggest the most recent 5-Star was wrong, but we believe that is the exception. Hiring the current principal was one of FCPS’s biggest mistakes, and he will eventually leave the school worse off than when he arrived. Many great teachers, administrators, club sponsors, and coaches have left in unprecedented numbers over the past 2-3 years. Engagement for Military families/students is at an all-time low. Staff, students and families are disengaged and unmotivated bc the principal is self-serving instead of an actionable leader who can see and manage the big-pictures of running a big school. Same goes for the inexperienced and bias DSA. Some staff cares, and we hope they stay. But enrollment is down and moral (students, staff & families) is at all-time low.
The good thing is that at some point there will be nowhere to go but up. If we demand better from our school board and FCPS administrators, then we may see change for the better. But until those decision makers put aside partisanship and do what’s best for the kids, this school will continue to decline.
Again - we have no doubt some people have great experiences. But if you do your research, talk to neighbors or former families, you will learn that you missed the SCHS party boat. That boat left port years ago, and you are now rowing with one oar.
We’re luckily out after this year, and we hope people in the school community and beyond gather to demand change.
Good Luck!

Posted: May 4, 2025

Posted: February 14, 2025

Both of my children are thriving at this school. The social environment is fantastic—there’s a place for everyone, and students easily find peers who share their interests. The wide range of AP courses is impressive, and teachers are always available to provide support when needed. The school is 100% secure, with no issues of violence, ensuring a safe learning environment. The principal is highly engaged with parents, providing weekly updates and sharing important information about upcoming events. We’re grateful to be part of such a well-rounded and supportive school community.

Posted: February 14, 2025

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Posted: August 30, 2024

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Posted: August 30, 2024

From the students to the parents! Awful. Went to a football game and to hear the parents scream at the other team calling them names (grown adults making fun of children)
My student can’t use the restroom for fear a being hit as it is used as a smoking lounge and the administration does nothing. We will be pulling our kids out and going to a different school or we will homeschool.
If you are moving to the area don’t! We listen to a friend about the school…we should have made a visit. Don’t go

Posted: December 16, 2023

This school provides all the opportunities for students education

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Posted: October 27, 2023

If you want to play sports then this is your school. But if you want an education then find another ..no support for military families. My kids are depressed and hate the school. Find a different one

Posted: October 27, 2023

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Posted: July 20, 2023

My child is thriving at South County High. The support from the teachers is excellent. We found most teachers to be highly responsive and very engaged in helping our child when he felt challenged or fell behind in a class assignment. The school community is outstanding and celebrate together during great times and provide loving support in challenging times.

Posted: July 20, 2023

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Posted: May 11, 2022

South County HS is excellent and my kids have thrived there. The teachers and staff go above and beyond to help students. The community with many military families, business owners and now some recent graduates are building SoCo stronger everyday. The school and facilities are newer than most in Fairfax County and are top of the line.

Posted: May 11, 2022

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Posted: December 16, 2020

Horrific experience with 9th grade - son spent months in hospital and school has been beyond terrible in providing any assistance to get him back on track. Took 3 months to schedule a 504 meeting. Principal never returned phone calls. Assistant Principal didn't show up for 504, IEP, or Homebound instruction meetings. After 2 months, we got approval for homebound, but FCPS now refuses to do anything other than Zoom, even though the county health department specifically recommends kids returning to in-person instruction.

Fairfax county is bad enough, but South County's lack of leadership has made a bad situation even worse.

Posted: December 16, 2020

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Posted: October 20, 2020

My family has spent 4 years at South County. Our first year was pretty good but when the new principal came in it went extremely down hill. I have spoken to teachers who agree. The DSA is male chauvinist pig. Administration allows bullying including allowing staff to bully students. There is little to no communication coming from the school. Admin and staff rarely reply to an email.

Posted: October 20, 2020

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Posted: September 2, 2020

New principal fixed the school and now things are good.

Posted: September 2, 2020

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Posted: June 25, 2019

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Posted: June 25, 2019

This school has been great for my family.

Posted: June 24, 2019

SCHS does not have the same block schedule that Robinson or Lake Braddock have. SCHS has a period where you go back to 2 predesignated classes. These classes are not supposed to introduce new material at this time. It is supposed to be for review or help. Many teachers ignore the no new material rule. The other high schools use this time for kids to choose a class where they need extra time to complete work or get help. If kids don’t need that they typically choose a class they enjoy for that time.

Posted: June 24, 2019

I’m my experience teachers aren’t supported by administration.

Posted: June 24, 2019

So many kids given a pass for bad behavior and when consequences are handed down they are not transparent thereby letting kids know that rules are enforced.

Posted: June 24, 2019

Athletics are supported as small fiefdoms. Departments throughout school do not work together well.

Posted: June 24, 2019

I’ve had a broad experience here and there are supportive/unsupportive teachers throughout. The counseling we had was spectacular.

Posted: June 24, 2019

It is almost condoned in certain circles.

Posted: June 24, 2019

SCHS falls short because it is so inconsistent, there is no accountability with regard to expectations of academic effort or behavior. I was a truly involved parent volunteer and I witnessed a culture of bad behavior, blind eye is easier, no leadership from the top. The teachers felt unsupported and the good teachers left for other area schools. I hope the new principal breathes a new life into the school.
It is an odd culture because it’s very diverse with a heavy military family presence with a fair percentage of red
neck baked in...

Posted: April 1, 2019

We are a military family that moved to VA in 2016. One of our kids attended Junior & Senior year and another is currently a sophomore. We have been very happy with the education they received at SCHS. Plenty of AP and Honors level courses to chose from. The Military Connections program has been very helpful in assisting with their transition to a new school. The band program is outstanding! Administration, PTSO and counseling staff have been very supportive. The PTSO and sports programs are very involved and I encourage all parents to get involved as much as they're able to. Plenty of volunteer opportunities! The school building is large and a bit of a maze to navigate but once you're familiar with it then it's no problem. The Military Connected Youth club and the Student Ambassadors can help new students navigate the building and find things around the school if needed. We had a parent give us a tour of the building the spring before we moved to VA and that was so helpful to my oldest child. There are a variety of sports, clubs and activities to get involved in at SCHS- something for everyone! Great community too!

Posted: April 1, 2019

My kids have had a fair amount of homework in most of their classes. Not overwhelming amount.

Posted: April 1, 2019

Most of my kids teachers have been excellent. They have each had 1 or 2 teachers that weren't great but most do a good job. The teachers communicate regularly through an online grade reporting system so that parents are aware of student progress.

Posted: April 1, 2019

Posted: April 1, 2019

Vice Principal Pflugrath has been very supportive of the military students and families!! New Principal seems very engaged and connected to the students and staff.

Posted: April 1, 2019

Thankfully neither of my kids has experienced any bullying at SCHS.

Posted: January 26, 2019

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Posted: January 26, 2019

My child started in Montgomery County Public Schools. I moved to Lorton for a new job position and my child started at the schools near Laurel Hill. My child has progressively done worse in school since moving to this county. Over the past two years since starting high school at South County he has become more isolated, depressed, low confidence, and progressively unmotivated. Most of the teachers he states he does not understand their teaching methods. The couldn't care less if you have a learning disability, anxiety, ADHD, etc. If you fail you appear to be labeled a failure with no encouragement or empowerment by the teachers and staff. If anything they make the child feel worthless as though they can never succeed. Which of course will eventually lead to an unmotivated time. Understand that teaching at public schools are not easy but there has to be better methods to ensure that children that may learn differently or have difficulties are not suffering in silence because no one cares. Definitely needs more structure in how parents are able to track students assignments, test dates, etc. The teachers are not consistent, some may list on blackboard, while others use google classroom. Just a broken system that sets children up for failure in my opinion. Wish we stayed at Montgomery County Public Schools.

Posted: January 26, 2019

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Posted: November 29, 2018

If you are a military kid relocating near the Fort Belvoir area, DO NOT enroll in this school. The amount of support provided by the school for the new student's hardships and burdens of moving is next to zero. The manner in which they handle the academics and preparation for college is mediocre at best. With about 2,100 students attending and counting, and the majority being civilian students, don't expect to feel connected with other military kids. South County High School boasts about having a grand military population enrolled. In reality, one can expect to almost never encounter another military kid during their time here. They claim to have approximately 200 military-connected students in this school, which comes out to about 10% of the kids. I strongly recommend against enrolling here if you are a military kid, especially if you are 10th grade or above. Moving during high school is difficult enough, and this school does the bare minimum to soften the impact of the new student's life in Virginia. They have a Military Connected Youth club, which hosts minimal activities and does not help the student adjust to the new environment. For every military kid that attends this school, the government grants them an undisclosed amount of money; which may or may not reveal at least a portion of their intentions regarding attracting military students. I, a newly enrolled military student, made the mistake of choosing to go here, and I feel that it would be a major wrongdoing on my part to not warn other kids who may end up in the same situation. If you are a military kid, go to Hayfield Secondary School. There, they truly care about the well-being of military students, based on several high school military students new to the area attending Hayfield. And the number of military kids that attend there is significant, unlike the embarrassing 10% at SoCo. Please, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for the high school experience you deserve as a child of a soldier who dedicates his/her life protecting our country.

Posted: November 29, 2018

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Posted: November 29, 2018

Several teachers here do not have the patience needed to support students with learning differences. It becomes evident that they are irritated after a few attempts of explaining material not understood by students.

Posted: November 29, 2018

There is toxic behavior in every corner of the building, and apparently goes unnoticed by faculty as absolutely nothing is done to prevent it.

Posted: July 6, 2018

Are there any recent reviews for this school? The latest one is from 2014, so I am curious to how it is now...

Posted: December 21, 2014

Dedicated teachers, friendly student body and overall congenial atmosphere in which students and faculty work together to achieve excellence. There is a lot of school spirit here and opportunity for students to excel academically, athletically, and in a variety of extracurricular activities. With a number of military families in the area, the school knows how to make students feel welcome. In a county with such high stakes testing and enormous stress put on students to get into good colleges, this school does a great job of helping students find balance. There is a sense of community here that is hard to find in such large suburban communities these days.

Posted: June 1, 2014

This is the worst school ever a lot of people do not like this school. There system is stupid they are very strict when it come to "study hall" which they call "focus" over there. Like what kind of name is that? Focus is just an extra teaching period not even a study hall period! The teachers use it as an extra teaching not as a period where you can catch up oh homework or study for a class. This school is so stupid and has the most stupidest system ever. Fights happen a lot in this school, usually the fights always occur between two African American girls. These very dramatic girls fight for such stupid reasons. Just last yr when a fight occurred, half of the school began running to the locker pod and to watch the fight. While I was trying to get to class, the student who were running pushed and shoved me and my friend. Bullying is also a huge problem at this school. Some of the teachers are awfully rude and some of them like to get into your business. This school has been causing me server anxiety depression and I am not even allowed to transfer to another school even though I am very depressed.

Posted: May 30, 2014

My school is horrible. This is the worst school I have ever been to. They are horrible kids and the teachers are bad. You only succeed if you teach yourself or if you are smart. The teachers have no idea how to teach and they favor the smartest students. They aren't motivated to teach the kids who aren't that intelligent. There is no way I would ever recommend this school to anyone besides the naturally smart kids. This is literally the worst school in America. They focus more on sports and activities than they do academics. I'd rather be in military school than here, it's like a prison.

Posted: May 19, 2014

When the new middle school building opened in September 2012, South County Secondary divided into South County High School and South County Middle School to relieve crowding. My children do not yet attend the high school, but the middle school is off to a great start. I have had some small interactions with the high school, and my experience has been positive.

Posted: February 3, 2014

South County is awesome!!! Great teachers, wonderful students and the parents are involved. Glad we moved to the area.

Posted: February 2, 2014

South County is certainly not terrible, but it's not great either. As a parent, I am often frustrated by the school's lack of communication, particularly about grades. For example, the quarter ended last week, and we missed almost an entire week due to the weather, so I emailed all my 10th grader's teachers about his progress in the quarter, since there were only three days left after all the cancellations. I heard back from three out of seven teachers, and so my student was able to turn in a couple of missing assignments in those classes. As for the other four classes, the second quarter is now officially over, and I have absolutely no idea how my child did in any of those classes, and I won't until I get the grade reports in the mail in a few days. It's a constant struggle to do the detective work it takes to keep up on the grades in each class. Some teachers are outstanding, and others, well, not so much. My son would probably give this school a 4/5 because he is involved in a school activity that he loves and that gives him a good group of other kids to hang out with. We are moving after he graduates and will not make an effort to stay within South County's boundary.

Posted: November 19, 2013

After having a few children in the school system at all different academic levels I can say the school system works great if you have a straight A student but not for an average student or a child that needs extra support. If your child needs extra assistance they are like burden on the teachers who only want to deal with the straight A students who do not need any extra help.

Posted: November 3, 2013

This school has done very well considering its only a few years old. It has already made a list as a top 20 high school in Virginia. The school principal is doing a good job in purging mediocre teachers and getting great teachers from top counties.

Posted: October 22, 2013

in all honesty, South County is a bad school. As an un-bias student. It has the lowest subject scores in FCPS and the highest rate of bullying in FCPS. Some teachers are great, maybe 1 a year. But all of the other teachers are so un-motivating and so unenthusiastic about everything. This is a school where your health and willingness to learn does not matter. All that matters are grades. This is a school where if you do not do well on one test, you will fail the quarter and there is no after school help or remediation. Some of the brightest kids I know resort to cheating. Because of budget cuts, late busses are cut down to one day a week. Rather than the usual 4. This clearly inhibits learning as most class averages are around a C-, and even worse in AP Classes. I consider myself an un-bais student who gets good grades, but South County is the last place I ever want to be. With the awful people, the unreasonably hard tests and the expectation to succeed when teachers don't even care. Its ludicrous. This school should be shut down.

Posted: April 22, 2013

I love SoCo. A lot of the teachers do care that you should exceed in life, and many are inspirational. There are a lot of sports here, and many students get scholarships. There is so much school spirit and love here. But we do have are count for bullies, but they won't bother you unless you bother them. I can't wait for my next 2 years.

Posted: April 14, 2013

I went to this high school. It is a most mediocre schools high school. The staff is average. The student are not bright. And the only thing that is rewarded is desperation. The anti-intellectual atmosphere of the school generated by the anti-intellectual families that surround its campus ensure that South County remain inept. Compared to schools like Lake Braddock or McLean HIgh, South County does not add up. Pert of this, again, is the anti-intellectual environment of the areas surrounding South County. That the majority of Lorton parents do not work in academia or jobs where a Masters degree is required, most students are raised as if Virginia colleges were the best in the world. In reality, even UVA is still a large public college and is ranked the no.1 party school in the country.

Posted: September 18, 2012

I have had 4 graduates in 6 years at SCSS and have been VERY pleased with the teachers, community and academic options for my sons. The teachers care so much and one of my 2 were in the gifted side and 1 in special needs... they advocated for them on both sides of the academic spectrum.

Posted: April 11, 2012

SCSS is an awful school full of bullys. I feel sorry for my teachers. My classes were full of hateful students who could not keep their bullying in the hallways and would bring disputes loudly into the classroom. Obviously, administration is unresponsive to teacher's "referrals" of student's outrageous behaviors and it appears little is done to support teachers who are having trouble with what seems to be 'gangs' of unruly students who take over classrooms and make it impossible to teach. Those who want to learn, can't. Principals play favorites. I know for a fact that certain principals coddle and pacify students who they should be expelling for insubordination with cokes and free passes to leave the teacher's class if they became upset with him for in class reprimands or discipline. How do I know? These "bad' students laugh and joke about it. They even throw it back at the teacher when they return to class in front of everyone. Several of my favorite teachers resigned last year because of this schoolwide meanness. I feel sorry for the students and the teachers who are subjected to this outrageous and cruel school environment on a daily basis.

Posted: October 17, 2011

I hate this school! The teachers are rude and always watch you as if you are about to go crazy and if they see u trade papers with a friend to help them they act as if you are cheating which really you are showing them how to do something not saying 2 X 2 = 4. The gym teachers are only the sane ones there and only a few are good. If you ever want to survive in this school or even have a Chance oh wait you will not!If you know whats right THAN DON'T GO TO THIS SCHOOL!

Posted: April 27, 2011

The fact is Fairfax county schools are some of the best in the nation. South County is one of the best schools in Fairfax County ranking in the top half of the county in test scores with those scores trending up. In all my years of attending I have seen no issue with the school covering up anything that makes them look bad and I have seen very little teachers being disrespectful. The only problem I have with the school is the students. Just to put it out there for parents complaining maybe its not the teachers who are the problem maybe it's your student. Students are given every opportunity to succeed and some don't take it. The majority of complaints I hear come from students who are the problem. I will guarantee you that I have spent more time with the teachers of this school than any parent and I find it disgusting that they are being attacked in many reviews.

Posted: March 14, 2011

i go to this school now ,hate it i want to move so bad and this is only my second year there .