South Lakes High School

Posted: November 1, 2025

My sophomore is thriving!! The administration is top notch, the teachers are invested, the PTA goes above and beyond. Extra curriculars and sports are amazing and extremely competitive. This area attracts the best of the best, which has created a wonderful and supportive environment for my son. The theatre department is top notch and has received so many awards. I could just go on and on. We always feel welcomed at this school.

Posted: November 1, 2025

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Posted: October 17, 2025

This schools staff are disrespectful they invalidate kids with actual learning disabilities and mental health issues.

Posted: October 17, 2025

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Posted: May 31, 2025

Very poor to no communication at all. I had to transfer my child to a private school due to lack of encouragement and follow-up, a rude front desk, the worst football coaching, and no other sports. It was a disappointing experience.

Posted: May 31, 2025

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Posted: May 30, 2025

I have mixed feelings about SLHS. My daughter transferred there after her freshman year at another FCPS school that was worse in some aspects, and I was grateful that she was allowed to enroll at South Lakes. However, the communication between school administrators and myself has been poor, to say the least. The current principal, Carlos Seward, is eager and deserves credit for his approach, but the assistant principal that my daughter has had over her grade for the last three years has been poor (D grade). Despite trying several times to get the administration, including the former principal, to communicate with me about my daughter, and being mostly reassured that they would, they failed to do so several times. Oh they communicate with my daughter's mother but with me not so much. I was told you're not the custodial parent, and we have too many students to communicate with every parent. On the other hand, they do seem to have some good teachers there.

Posted: May 30, 2025

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Posted: December 20, 2023

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Posted: December 20, 2023

When first moving to the Herndon area we were highly discouraged by South Lakes, but it has gotten a lot better recently. The teachers work extremely hard to give their student a quality education and the diversity of the school really makes for a supportive community. If you've heard rumors about SLHS, know that there's nothing to fear as we had a similar experience before sending our kid - we didn't regret it one bit!

Posted: November 14, 2021

Overall, south Lakes High School has been a wonderful learning environment. The teaching staff and counselors are super supportive and engaging. My children have had wonderful opportunities to excel and help when needed. My son has been already been accepted at two of the colleges to which he has applied within two weeks of applying. There are also great opportunities to compete in sports and many different clubs. Overall, I believe SLHS is very underrated on this site and is a hidden gem.

Posted: November 14, 2021

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Posted: October 21, 2021

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Posted: October 21, 2021

Posted: October 21, 2021

Posted: October 21, 2021

This school lets student's determine if they want to be addressed by another gender name without notifying parents. I found out my child goes by one name (not their legal name) and pronoun in school and another name and pronoun at home. My child is living a double life: one at school and one at home. The only reason I found out was because I found some graded papers with the name my child goes by at school. I guess children under the age of 18 are well equipped to determine if they want to change genders without notifying their parents and the school fully supports this.

Posted: August 31, 2020

Posted: August 31, 2020

South Lakes students always lead from the front be it the sports teams, the scholastic teams, the highly renowned JROCT color guard that still to this day presents the colors at our events and at events around the country. Seahawks lead the way

Posted: August 31, 2020

Posted: August 31, 2020

The school is one of the best in the area for helping students with developmental challenges

Posted: August 31, 2020

The student police themselves very well no one feels ostracized at South Lakes

Posted: August 31, 2020

Great school, great education, great atmosphere, really just a misunderstood gem. I don't recall anyone not being helped when they needed it and all are welcomed and loved as a part of the Seahawk community.

Posted: August 31, 2020

Posted: April 1, 2020

Excellent High School for IB course and sports. My daughter was also accepted to almost every college she applied to (like UVA or higher level).

Posted: April 1, 2020

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Posted: January 20, 2020

Excellent High School experience for both of my children. One was an IB Diploma student, the other has a learning disability. They were both supported . Both children were accepted to almost every College they applied to.

Posted: January 20, 2020

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Posted: December 31, 2019

This is school is hostile for minorities and low income students. There are few teachers who target and harass specific type of students and the management defends these teachers.

Posted: December 31, 2019

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Posted: December 24, 2019

We have had a great experience with South Lakes, so far. The teaching staff is excellent. My son has been enjoying the STEM classes, great teachers, and overall curriculum. We are impressed with South Lakes and feel like it has prepared our son for college.

Posted: December 24, 2019

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Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

Posted: September 11, 2019

There are some teachers who hates minorities in this school . And the school administration is doing nothing if you complain against those teachers. If you are a parent of a minority student, make sure you check you them everyday about their school time.

Posted: July 1, 2019

Posted: July 1, 2019

There is room for improvement but it was good.

Posted: July 1, 2019

There is communication about homework in writing and online.

Posted: July 1, 2019

There are are more good teachers than bad who want to make sure that our kids can learn.

Posted: July 1, 2019

Posted: July 1, 2019

Main leadership could use revamp. Department leadership are more active.

Posted: July 1, 2019

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Very good, especially in special education. Some excellent teachers that could have been teaching at the university level.
The major problem with the information presented in GreatSchools.org is that it only counts AP and not IB. South Lakes is an International Baccalaureate school which is a much heavier academic level in my opinion. They offer the IB diploma and career programs. This should count at least as highly as the AP classes.
I will also say that South Lakes has a wonderful sense of community between the students. You don’t see the bad issues at some other high schools that (according to this web site) rate higher. One more thing, SLHS was doing a better job at getting kids into the top state universities than other ‘higher rated’ high schools in the area. Rating services are limited in the things they can quantify. Not counting IB is absolutely terrible.

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: February 28, 2017

I'm a parent. South Lakes has far too many teachers who are unqualified, unmotivated, and ideologically incompatible with student success. The 'Earth Geosystems' class, a global warming indoctrination class in disguise. If the student does not mindlessly regurgitate the political viewpoint 'people are bad, plants and animals are good, and we all must go green' then you get an 'F'. My child actually wrote a well researched paper about the short comings of solar and wind energy and the benefits of high efficiency modern central power plants and received an F. Avoid this class, and don't waste your time attending the school functions. The teacher's union and FCPS adminstrators don't care about your child or you, except for your outrageous taxes.

Posted: October 27, 2015

My daughter thrived at this school and was accepted to all 8 colleges she applied to (William Mary, UVA, etc)

Posted: October 27, 2015

Posted: October 27, 2015

Posted: October 27, 2015

Posted: November 19, 2014

People are just scared of the low income families that send their kids to this school, but SLHS has some of the nicest kids I have ever met. The IB program at SLHS is incredibly rigorous and challenges students to do their absolute best. I don't know how a 4 star rating is equal to a 6 out of ten? Maybe the HS that the founders of Great Schools had a pretty bad Math Program? 4/5=8/10. simple math people.

Posted: May 28, 2014

I'm currently a junior at South Lakes and I have to say it's filled with a lot of people that genuinely care about the students. I have had such great teachers and have a found a great community on the track team. The facility is awesome compared to some of the other FCPS high schools, we are pretty newly renovated and well upkept. The athletics coaches and the counselors are great too, but I have to say the one thing that takes away is the Principal. Mr. Butler, who left in 2012 was excellent: personally engaged with the students, and clearly cared about us and our education. Now I feel trapped and constantly mistrusted by the principal and some of the office staff, as if the students are animals that need to be corralled with random, arbitrary rules.

Posted: February 15, 2014

South Lake deserve one star for some of teachers that work hard, but unfortunately the Principal leadership is ashamedly poor, as same of the Vice Principal.

Posted: January 20, 2012

My daughter is a freshman at South Lakes and we have found this school to offer a wonderful blend of academic challenge, nuturing support and a strong community. Led by a fantastic principal, the teachers and staff do a great job of encouraging and mentoring the students. My daughter is on track to receive the IB Diploma and has found the classes to be rigorous, but manageable. We have been pleased with the sports and performing arts programs as well. My daughter -- and our family -- are looking forward to her next 3 1/2 years at South Lakes.