Cherry Run Elementary School

Cherry Run is a disappointment - compared to the other elementary schools we've experienced in other school districts. I'm sure many of the teachers are good at what they do. However, that has not been our experience with the particular teachers my children have had. My children have regressed unfortunately, as evidenced by their test scores. And we feel they have been lost in the shuffle this year, perhaps because as working parents, we are unable to volunteer the large amount of time requested of other parents. Communication is lacking as well; every single contact is initiated by me as the parent - unless of course they are again asking for supplemental supplies or donations for projects. We hope to switch to another school soon.
--Submitted by a parent

I don't understand some of the negative comments I'm reading below. Cherry Run has been a fantastic experience for both of my kids. Both my kids have attended Cherry Run since Kindergarten (one is now in the 6th grade, one in the 4th grade). My daughter is in the AA program and loves the challenges it provides, my son was selected for AA but we had the option of not placing him in it at our choosing. Whether you choose the AA program or not, Cherry Run's faculty and staff are all great. We love living in the neighborhood and being able to walk to the school. The teachers and principal provide constant communication via letters and email to keep us informed. Overall, I think the quality of education is second to none.
--Submitted by a parent

Our daughter had a great experience at Cherry Run from grades 1-4, with teachers who nurtured her creativity and cultivated both a love of learning and a strong sense of self-esteem. Unfortunately, her experience changed dramatically in 5th Grade. She was in the AA (GT) program, and the cadre of teachers assigned to teach at this level approached their charge in a significantly different way, overloading the students with homework, seemingly devaluing creativity, and fostering competition by reading test scores aloud and publicly posting information about each student's performance. On a number of occasions, our daughter came home from school distraught and in tears. Her self-esteem plummeted, as did her overall interest in school and learning. This was apparently not atypical; other parents whose children had completed the 5th-grade curriculum shared similar stories, and many said they had voiced their concerns to the teachers, principal, and staff. Apparently, their efforts did little to break the pattern, because the same issues have been reported year after year. 6th Grade at CR is apparently better, but the scars from 5th Grade will take a long time to heal....
--Submitted by a parent

Having just moved to the area, we chose this location specifically for the schools and are very dissappointed. Teachers are nice, but that is about all I have seen so far. The office staff is nice, but really only friendly and available to those who contribute untold hours volunteering and are in and out all day, unlike the rest who work during the day. There are no doors in the rooms...it is all open and very distracting. You can hear every other class in the hallway. Everything seems to be very catered upon the most disadvantaged children...there is nothing else unless your child tests into the GT program and then goes to another school because CR is not a GT center.
--Submitted by a parent

It really says something when almost none of the parents in the neighborhood have anything good to say about the school. My son started Kindergarten in the fall, and I was told to expect nothing of the Kindergarten/first grade programs, but that things got a little better after that. Kindergarten was horrible. After six weeks spent on reviewing the colors and basic shapes, I could not believe this was a Fairfax County school. Coloring sheets abounded, and my child, who was already reading, was bored to tears by the painful alphabet review that went on and on. They seemed to do a reasonably good job of offering assistance to kids at the bottom of the spectrum, but kids who are on the higher end are just left to be bored until they can test into GT in third grade. Would not recommend this school for the early years, that's for sure!
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a first grader. This school feels very much like a private school. The community is small and so is the school. It is nicely diversified and we absolutely LOVE it here. Being a military family, we have seen others and this BY FAR is the BEST. The children seem to behave well and allow for great learning! Our son has problems with behavior, but Cherry Run and I are on top of it and trying to help him learn from his mistakes in a loving manner. The things my son comes home with learning is amazing to me as well. I do not remember learning this much at this age. I think it is great and my son LOVES this school. That makes me as a parent very happy.
--Submitted by a parent

This is my children's first year at Cherry Run. It has not lived up to the 'hype' we were given about how great this school is. We actually chose to live in this area for the school. While I would not say that the education my children are receiving is poor, I will say I am not overly impressed. The administration seems disinterested most of the time. Many of the teachers seem to be just 'marking time and are not overly concerned with caring for the students. Some of the problem could be that many of the brightest students have left for Sangster Elementary, but whatever the case, this school has been a disappointment.
--Submitted by a parent

We have just recently started at Cherry Run, and we have found that the front office staff is not friendly, not courteous and not accomodating - unless you are a very visible volunteer. Hearing great reviews about Fairfax county schools, I was anticipating great things about this school, however, we are disappointed. We do not see that they are up to the same level of excellence as several other schools we have attended. Their test scores show high results ,but I question if my children are receiving a quality education at Cherry Run.
--Submitted by a parent

I have two children atttending Cherry Run and one more that will be soon. This is by far the best school we have attended. They now have a full time gifted program starting in third grade. My son is in the program and I cannot say enough about the quality program they have established. The third grade gifted teacher is nothing short of amazing. I also love the first grade teacher my son has. The school is relatively small and you can get to know people easily. We moved here last year from Florida and are so happy with our choice. My husband is military and will be retirtin soon and we plan to stay in the area because of the school.
--Submitted by a parent

I have three children attending Cherry Run Elementary (Grades K, 3 & 4). We are a dual-military couple, so we take advantage of the before and after in-school child care. We love Cherry Run. The care and instruction are top-notch. There is a wealth of after-school activities to do. Two of our daughters attend dance sessions during the after school period. Our children also attend before-school Spanish classes, and are active in the local Scouting troops (Both Boy and Girl Scouts meet regularly at the school). Though Cherry Run has excellent school instruction, they also have a gifted and talented program in selected grades, and an after-school tutoring program. I truly believe that my children are in one of the best schools in the area. We've been very happy with Cherry Run.
--Submitted by a parent