Westbriar Elementary School

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

I was very impressed with the academics at the school. The teacher engagement was good. Our son needed help and the level of support we received was amazing. The school has programs to help kids achieve academic success and emotionally and mentally support. We are sad to move away and would recommend Westbriar!

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: June 20, 2024

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

My child has been a part of Westbriar Elementary since their kindergarten days. Initially, we had wonderful experiences with the teachers. However, since the onset of Covid and some changes in administration, we've noticed a decline in the school's overall culture. My child often seeks help to address issues with their peers, but it seems like they're encouraged to find solutions on their own, and the school's support appears to be more about self-defense than genuine care for the children. Some teacher behaviors have been concerning, and I'm surprised to see certain individuals still working at the school without any apparent disciplinary actions.

We really miss Mr. Sims-Smith, our former VP, who had a positive impact on our experience. There have also been reports of racism involving some children, and it's disheartening to hear about this issue persisting. Some of the school patrols come across as bullies rather than supportive figures.

Since the pandemic, my once-outgoing child has developed severe anxiety, and we're slowly discovering the various ways in which the school environment may be contributing to it. Our simple request is for the school to prioritize the well-being of the children, address abusive behavior by teachers towards students, and consider hiring counselors who can provide genuine counseling support.

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: October 6, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

My kid is in the full time AAP program. He likes his school. All teachers that he had were very nice. When he was in the 3rd grade, he complained about another boy bothering him. I emailed his teacher and she treated seriously by having separate conversions with each kids and the parents. The problem was solved since then. I also observed that the two boys actually got along afterwards.

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: June 24, 2023

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

I like dis school. And i'm in this school

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: September 28, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Have three children that are currently at or have graduated from Westbriar. During our time at the school WES has had two principals and at least two "temps" during transitions.

Ms. Tam (Principal) and Asst Principal Simms-Smith have both been beyond responsive, attentive, solution oriented, and high-touch in every instance I have reached out to them. This goes not only for this year where everyone is having to continuously pivot, but also on other occasions. I have not had much direct contact yet with Asst Principal Butzer.

Ms. Tam has worked with me in a way that meets my children's needs and while not giving in to every whim of mine, allowing her to be an advocate for her staff as well. If I have asked for something that runs counter to her role as a people-manager, she has told me why she is unable to give in to my request. And has also offered alternatives. She has done so professionally, and with heart. I know she has nothing but the best interest of our children at heart. Of this, I have absolutely no doubt.

With three children, we’ve had a variety of teachers. However, I’ve found that with just enough parental involvement, which could be as minimal as serving as a classroom parent, I’ve had enough access to the teacher and school administrators to be advocate for my child as needed.

We love Westbriar and the community. The diverse student body is one of the biggest pluses and I highly recommend it!

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: May 14, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

I am not complaining about the managers, they are well-intentioned. However, my problems have not been resolved in any way. I can't comment on the teachers in general, but our child's teacher was extremely bad. An inexperienced teacher who makes discrimination and unnecessary punishment should not be a kindergarden teacher.

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: March 2, 2022

Posted: June 28, 2020

I rate this school ten from ten

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

Posted: December 12, 2019

As for diversity, they have a lot of new students from Korea, India, and Middle East. And a lot of ESL students.
It has been a year here and I have a feeling that teachers at this school seem to be overwhelmed by a lot of school work, which makes sense as the number of the student in one class is reaching almost 30 without any assistant teachers like other schools have.
Location is good, but during the pick-up time, it is too much crowded causing traffic in the neighborhood.

Posted: November 12, 2019

It has been great so far. Our daughter loves her teachers and her school. She has been developing since day one!

Posted: November 12, 2019

Posted: November 12, 2019

My daughter’s teacher Mrs. Meoni is such a wonderful teacher. Our daughter has been learning and developing herself.

Posted: November 12, 2019

Posted: November 12, 2019

The principle listens to your suggestions and concerns and takes them seriously to make things better.

Posted: November 12, 2019

Posted: November 12, 2019

Posted: June 14, 2019

My child did well, but in retrospect I wish I had learned to navigate the politics of this school with more savvy, to my child’s advantage. At the 6th grade promotion ceremony, the teachers showed a lot of favoritism in how they chose the awards recipients. Having spent a significant amount of time volunteering at the school, I knew most of the children in my child’s grade. The children who received the bulk of the awards weren’t outstanding in any particular way but were good at behaving, conforming, and engendering themselves to the teachers. It was a celebration of “who’s the teacher’s pet!?” Really disappointing for children who maybe “different” in the eyes of teachers and administration, or those who may challenge accepted norms, or have “big” personalities. If your child isn’t a conformist, this probably isn’t the right school for them. And, while the school is ethnically, racially and religiously very diverse, based on the awards recipients there seemed to be a concerted effort to exclude 1 particular ethnic group, which comprises a high-performing Group of students. It was pretty stark!!!

Posted: June 14, 2019

The “handout” approach to homework resulted in my child coming home with material that wasn’t covered in class. We relied on tutors, Khan Academy and my recollection of my own elementary school learnings to complete the homework. Parents need to be prepared to be involved in their child’s homework.

Posted: June 14, 2019

It’s been a hit or miss experience with teachers at this school. Of the 6 years my child attended this school, there were only a handful of teachers who stood out as engaged and legitimately interested in contributing to the growth and improvement of my child’s educational experience. 18 teachers and counselors are leaving at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. That’s a significant amt of turnover, and happens annually. Several teachers are too new and green to effectively handle the large classes and intellectually curious kids. Another group of teachers have been teaching too long, are visibly haggard and irritable, like my child’s 6th gr teacher. She would rarely review their homework, and would ask kids to just read or go on their computers during her teaching time. These worn out teachers should seek out new career options, rather than leave children with a less than memorable elementary school experience that can adversely affect their long term learning and aptitude. This year teachers and administration didn’t even bother organizing a class trip or class play for the graduating 6th graders, claiming the class size was too big. AAP classes get most of the attention. Parents of Non-AAP students need to advocate for their children in order to ensure they are receiving a similar quality education.

Posted: June 14, 2019

The neighborhoods that feed into this school are comprised of primarily upper middle class and wealthy white, middle eastern and Asian/SE Asian families. Fortunately, the student body is incredibly diverse with many diplomat families moving in and out of the area. Much of the values the children espouse come from their families and upbringing. Overall, the school is fortunate to have a majority of children from happy & healthy homes. The school administration promotes similar values, at least on the surface, but it’s hard to say whether the school can take credit for helping these children develop strong character. That said, while the school community is primarily comprised of diverse, “good” families, it’s a very cliquey culture with parents aligning into groups based on race/religion/ethnicity. This was disappointing and an unfortunate model that the children emulate.

Posted: June 14, 2019

Ms. Tam is barely visible to the kids day-to-day. She appears for events and in front of the parents when visibility is important. Her predecessor was much more hands-on, involved with the students and parents, and the school felt more like a community.

Posted: June 14, 2019

As previously mentioned, parents need to be proactive and advocate on behalf of their children, particularly if they don’t test into the AAP program. There’s a lot of emphasis put on SOL testing, preparing for these tests, and less on collaborative learning. My child who is intellectually curious, vocal and confident, would hesitate to ask for clarification from her teachers. Due to class size and intense focus on test scores, teachers spend little time in teaching through discourse, place a heavy reliance on homework, which parents need to be ready to help with. And be prepared to pay for outside prep classes, tutoring etc. They don’t spend enough time teaching concepts, so your left to home-school as a supplement.

Posted: June 14, 2019

My child dealt with consistent bullying since 2nd grade. I consistently brought this to teachers and administration’s attention. While it would get addressed, rather robotically and with a general indifference, some teachers/administration were better than others.

Posted: July 15, 2018

Each child is taught to be accountable for their own actions.

Posted: July 15, 2018

The principal is fair and always keeps the best interest of each student in her decision making. She runs the school with integrity and strong leadership principles.

Posted: July 15, 2018

Westbriar won an award this year and is the gold standard in inclusiveness for child with disabilities.

Posted: July 15, 2018

Posted: July 15, 2018

I would rate this school a 5 out of 5. The PTA is incredibly involved, the teachers care, and the administration is very supportive of the staff and students alike. The students perform well and are well-balanced children both socially and academically. The parents community is involved.

Posted: July 15, 2018

The teacher gives enough homework to reinforce the week's lesson plan, but is age and grade appropriate.

Posted: July 15, 2018

Every teacher my child has been assigned has had a genuine interest in teaching and has been effective in instruction. They are well-trained and have each had several years of experience.

Posted: March 13, 2018

Posted: March 13, 2018

Posted: March 13, 2018

Posted: March 13, 2018

not at all, just ask your kids

Posted: March 13, 2018

Posted: March 13, 2018

i was bullied for two horrible years at this school

Posted: March 13, 2018

louise archer is so much better, i loved it a lot more than westbriar

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Posted: April 15, 2017

Amazing school. My daughter is in the AAP program at Westbriar. The program is challenging and there is more homework than my daughter would like but I can tell she is learning and growing. The kids, teachers and other parents are all wonderful.

Posted: June 4, 2016

I moved here based on your ranking of this school. It is an awful school. The principal is an absolute disrespectful horrible person, instructing staff to call parents by their first names. Literally every single parent I spoke to has had awful experiences with both Pilson and individual teachers. I am actually moving a year after I got here, just to have peace of mind for my child, and am not the only moving to get to a decent school. .
Sorry but your website has no legitimacy in its rankings. You are doing no real research at all.
Im disgusted by and more so by Westbriar.
Dot take my word for it. Ask any random parent who isn't on the PTA.
Note: the good reviews are old. Pilson is new. She came after the reviews.

Posted: June 4, 2016

Awful. Terrible. Less than effective. Not all, I'm sure, to be fair. But my child's teacher, the guidance counselor I saw wearing a BELLY SHIRT, the one who yelled at and rolled her eyes at a parent in the kiss and ride , and others that I heard about from five other mothers. Unbelievable!
And Lisanpilson sits at the top. She encourages , even promotes, these behaviors.

Posted: June 4, 2016

THEY WONT GIVE JOMEWORK !!!! I've never seen such a scene in my life. My third grader is doing things she did in first grade at her prior FCPS school!

Posted: June 4, 2016

There are 32 kids in my child's class. Four kids were chosen by the teacher for some award. All of their mothers are on the pta and spend inordinate amounts of time at school.
My child's teacher is rude, disrespectful, and picked on my child when I responded to one of her nasty emails. This school is disgusting. The attitude starts at the top with Lisa Pilson.

Posted: May 14, 2015

I've had two children attend school here and both, sadly and to my surprise, have had negative experiences. While some teachers are excellent, there is great inconsistency across grades. With the new principal, The school recently became a "center" for AAP. While great for the school's wallet and reputation, I question whether it will benefit the community and the students it's supposed to serve. What was once a community school has now turned into a huge center (think Louise Archer version 2.0). I am very disappointed with the experiences we as a family have had here. The administration and teachers are non-responsive and there is a lack of transparency and communication from teachers to parents.

Posted: September 29, 2014

This school is the best, my three kids all love it and excel both academically and socially. the staff at westbriar is very nice and kids are encouraged to respect and care for one another. it is a safe , sanitary, and positive environment in a great neighborhood.

Posted: January 13, 2014

What a wonderful neighborhood school! I have had 3 children attend Westbriar, and I have loved just about every minute of it. Some years I have been actively involved and other years I have stayed on the sidelines. Either way, I know that my kids have been well cared for. It is evident in the way the teachers smile at the kids, encourage them when they struggle, praise them when they achieve, and correct them when they err. The principal is a pillar of strength as she should be in a growing community. Westbriar will always hold a special place in my heart even when my kids are grown and finding their places in the world.

Posted: December 17, 2013

This school is very concerned about testing not so concerned about children's social development. If you have a robot child this is where he or she needs to enroll. We all know that children are not robots.

Posted: February 6, 2013

This school has turned our life around. I spent a year researching Vienna schools for my eldest son, who has Aspergers and ADHD and is in 3rd grade this year. He is a twice exceptional learner, meaning he is highly gifted as well as having learning disabilities. We moved here before 2nd grade for this school and have not been disappointed. The special Ed services are amazing, as well as the overall curriculum in both general Ed and gifted. We came into the Fairfax system already with an IEP, so I cannot speak to the initial placement and eval services, but I will say that their attention to crafting high quality IEPs and following through is amazing. This is the first school where my son has had friends and is truly cared for by all teachers and the administration. The leadership is strong, emphasizing helping ALL children, regardless of ability. It is a very diverse school and community, with many countries represented due to diplomatic and State dept postings. We are so excited to send my younger son in two years, and we are confident he will be treated with the same respect that they have given our elder son.

Posted: August 18, 2012

I cannot stress enough that if your child has any need for special education services, do NOT enroll him/her in this school. They are soley focused on testing achievements, which of course is very important but this school is not ideal for a child that is not neurotypical. After attending this school for 9 months my child's spirit was broken. She struggles socially and after the cold treatment she received from the General Ed teacher she fell into a depressed state, which is outrageous for a 2nd grader. I reached out to the school psychologist for guidance as it was painfully obvious that my child was not herself, and was told she could not help me. Apparently her main focus was the initial testing of students and not counseling in any way. The Special Ed teacher was flippant to say the least. An IEP was put in place and they had many goals written out for her but no strategies in place to help her achieve them. It was bad enough that we moved out of the district before the school year ended. After the first day at her new school she was completely back to her old self. Unless your child is a robot, I would highly recommend you look elsewhere for his or her education.

Posted: June 27, 2012

My daughter has just completed Kindergarten at this school and unfortunately we are moving away from the area. We are VERY dissapointed to be leaving the Westbriar community. Our whole family have been welcomed with open arms into the school and my daughter has been very happy. The school s very diverse, which helps as we moved to The States from UK two years ago. There's lots of parental activity in the school and the teaching standard is excellent.