White Oaks Elementary School

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: August 28, 2023

Daughter attends there. Never had a problem with any type of learning issues. Teachers and staff are friendly and polite, with weekly updates from the teachers. PTA is very involved in the "going on's". Learning environment is inviting. School is also an AAP school for which I have no negative rules. Girls Scout troop meets at the school.

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

Posted: April 8, 2021

A fantastic school with welcoming teachers and a kind, concerned approach to children as individuals. Newly renovated for the 2020-21 school year. School administration is top-notch.

Posted: October 31, 2020

Our experience has been that there is not an overload of homework. In the upper grade levels there is some but always a manageable amount.

Posted: October 31, 2020

Every single teacher we have had has been incredible.

Posted: October 31, 2020

Posted: October 31, 2020

Posted: October 31, 2020

Yes! We have had students with different ability levels very well supported.

Posted: October 31, 2020

We had a couple of incidents and they were handled wonderfully.

Posted: October 31, 2020

We have had such a wonderful experience at this school so far! We've had 5 years. We've had one student in the AAP program, which has been top notch, and experiences in the regular classes as well. The teachers have been phenomenal and the staff is very patient and efficient. This is an excellent school.

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

Posted: September 25, 2020

My experience at this school was with the AAP program. This school used to be great, but since the administration change 7-8 years ago, almost all of the excellent AAP teachers left. It is definitely not worth sending your kids to this school anymore. The principal does not support AAP.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Enough to support learning but not interfere with family and social time.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Some more effective than others in keeping kids interested in learning, but overall most are good at it.

Posted: September 25, 2019

I do not know what the school does on this regard. However, I personally believe integrity, compassion and respect are things kids should learn from their parents, not from school.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Our experiences with both principal and vice-principal have been superve, very responsive, dedicated to kids and efficient.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Very good compared with a previous school in the same district; we switched last year.

Posted: August 22, 2018

Posted: August 22, 2018

Teacher did'nt teaches to student very well.

Posted: August 22, 2018

Posted: August 22, 2018

Posted: August 22, 2018

Posted: August 22, 2018

Teacher didn' teach to the student very well.I was so sad fir school life time

Posted: August 22, 2018

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Posted: June 20, 2017

Very disappointed in the teachers my kids learn nothing and bullying are everywhere and tere are a lot of drama the school doesn't want to hear it

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Completely disagree. As a parent of a child with high functioning autism, we were made to feel very unwelcome and we were shut down immediately when we tried to fight for our right to a free education in the Least Restrictive Environment at their school. We were told that they could not support our child at their school and that we had no choice but to put our son in a restrictive autism classroom in a neighboring school. Ultimately, after a lot of thought and sleepless nights, we gave up our fight primarily because we didn't want our child to end up attending White Oaks where they have made it very clear to us that they didn't want him because of his learning differences.

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Very disappointing. They are an advanced program school who will ship as many students as they can with learning disabilities, especially our children on the autism spectrum, to another school.

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: April 29, 2017

Outstanding school in outstanding neighborhood. Teachers work together as a team for the best interests of the students. Very individualized attention. Administrators an office staff focus on the students, as well and soon know students by name and recognize their parents as well.

Posted: March 30, 2016

My child is in the advanced program at this school. They claim that 'differentiation' is being in the advanced program. It is 'differentiated' from the regular classes. There is ZERO individual differentiation. In fact, there is zero focus on the individual. This school teaches precisely to achieve good test scores. There is no apparent focus on learning how to think or on creative thinking. The focus is on rote learning, worksheets, repetition, PERFECTIONISM and high test scores. For some, this may be enough. For our family it is soul destroying. We came from a charter school environment.that valued the individual and creative thinking. In this region it seems you have to pay huge amounts to get something similar. That is a pity.
A few quotes to get you thinking:
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” — John Maynard Keynes
“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without
creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” — Edward de Bono
“I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.”
John Cage

So, off we go to find a school where the teachers think and question and remain curious... and so, therefore, do the children.

Posted: March 30, 2016

My child is learning NOTHING. Nothing. Nothing. Repeating a year in the GT program. Shameful. And the school does not want to hear it.

Posted: March 30, 2016

The homework provided is dull, boring, elementary and a waste of time. How about some projects? Too few and far between.

Posted: March 30, 2016

Posted: October 12, 2015

The 9 is based on test scores, but look into it. They are one of the few advanced schools so they bring in students from other areas, the best test scorers, so of course they score high. The problem is if your child is not in the advanced program how much focus is on them? They also weaken other schools by taking their best performers. So why not just have an advanced program in each school?

Posted: April 16, 2015

This is a great school with caring teachers and a very responsive administration. The teachers go above and beyond to make learning fun for the children. My son has been at this school for 3 years, and we couldn't be happier. We can't wait for the brand new playground coming later this month.

Posted: January 28, 2015

Unless your child is in the Advanced Academic Placement Classes, you will be disappointed in this school. All the resources and emphasis is given to the AAP courses. If your child is in the regular placement classes, then whether or not they get a good, quality education will depend on the teacher. My son and daughter have had some really good and really bad teachers at White Oaks. Save yourself frustration and disappointment and go to another school.

Posted: January 27, 2015

I went to White Oaks elementary school for grades 1-6. Excellent school in a great school district. I would definitely send my child to this school.

Posted: November 25, 2014

white oaks is a great school. i have a girl in 3rd grade who loves the teachers for their way of teaching. i am grateful for that

Posted: May 11, 2014

The 6th grade gt or aap is a waste of time. The math teacher is the only jewel. One of the aap teachers is a tyrant and should not be teaching at all.

Posted: April 27, 2014

I have 2 sons in white oaks ES iT is really great school the principles did good job and all the teachers are helpfull when we ask them about anything it has good contact with the teacher by email White oaks did a lot of activities and the help all the student to enjoined I'm lucky because my son in this school I want to said thank you very much to all the sttafe who work there .

Posted: February 2, 2014

This school is excellent! My child's teacher is knowledgeable and kind. I feel like I always know what is being taught and how m child is performing. Her teacher has been easy to communicate with when we have concerns. I have also noticed a difference with the change in administration and the new principal does a fantastic job. Looking at the abundance of 4&5-star reviews I can't help but think that perhaps the two parents who gave 2-star reviews were the problem, not the teacher/principal. We have had such a positive experience in our 4 years at this school and we have had a great response from administration and the teacher when we did have a concern.

Posted: September 30, 2013

"My child's 3rd grade general education teacher is terrible" (comment from the parent below). Do something! Be proactive! White Oaks Elem has a new principal now! Send email or/make appointments with your child's teacher to talk about any concerns you have. I had similar experience. But don't wait till your child's teacher starts to tell something bad about her/him. Go to have lunch with your kid and go to volunteer at school so that you will know more about how your kid is doing at school. If you need your child s teacher helps your child, you need to do your homework first as well. That s what I have learned since my kid goes to elementary school. Unless your child is going to a private school, most likely you are not receiving the great customer services that you expect.

Posted: April 24, 2013

This is typical of Fairfax County Schools - first of all, if you are a military family - that's the death sentence for advanced academics. Fairfax County Schools do not like children in military families - mostly because they aren't swimming in money like most of the families in this county. Secondly, Virginia schools are notorious for pigeon-holing children on subjective "what the teacher thinks" criteria along with standardized tests. I think the school system would collapse in Virginia without standardized test scores for pigeon-holing. And to add insult to injury, there are eleventy-five levels of "intelligence." I see it as crowd control more so than challenging children. Fairfax county schools have no text books for the students are terrible at keeping the Blackboard updated. And the County uses a 1-4 "Effort" scale rather than the traditional A-F grading most of the nation uses. As for military families - wait until your child transfers out of Fairfax schools to another state's school system - translating "effort" into competencies can't get more subjective. Fairfax schools get high ratings on sites like this because they have mastered the art of confusion.

Posted: April 22, 2013

We arrived mid-year and are deeply disappointed in the education, or lack of, my child has received since starting at White Oaks. The front office people are friendly, but overworked. The principal is willing to see you on appointment, but is not visible otherwise. My child's 3rd grade general education teacher is terrible, I consider this a waste of an academic year since arriving in her class. She has no control of the children in the classroom, little to no communication with the parents, does not send graded homework home without complaining to the work, does not use the daily agenda per the school's requirements, and barely uses electronic Blackboard to post upcoming assignments & tests. My child has gone from an excellent student in another school district to a student of mediocrity in less than one school year. So much for the great school in Fairfax County...

Posted: March 9, 2013

After being in this school and having two children here for two years, I have a few comments. The outgoing leadership has suffered from image problems stemming from low visibility amongst the students and faculty as well as failing to demand effective and research-based instructional strategies from all teachers in all classrooms. There is about to be a change at this school. There are a lot of good people working in this building and there are even some who are great. If your child is in the AAP or gifted program, he or she will surely have a terrific experience. If your child needs a well written IEP and academic support in the classroom, the experience will be outstanding. If your child needs a strong, Fairfax County, elementary school education, I suggest you find a neighborhood school that doesn t host this AAP program because in this school AAP seems to be favored. There is a disproportionate number of gifted students in Fairfax County and they are being bussed into this and other elementary schools. Review the school s test scores and think about that. There are two separate academic programs here. How will your child adapt to this environment?