Falls Church High School

Falls Church High School is a treasure! This school has educated all of my children over the past 9 years and did a fabulous job! The band program is probably the best in FCPS with the most dedicated director you will find anywhere. The athletics program provides participation opportunities for any student who wants to be involved. The principal is passionate about student achievement and strives that every student is personally known by someone at the school. The teachers send electronic progress reports to parents every two weeks and they offer a multitude of opportunities for students to receive extra time and attention if they need help with the content. The teachers care not only about their subject matter, but also about the kids. They strive for active and engaging learning experiences that are not strictly boring lectures. This is a GREAT school that is sometimes overlooked due to a long past reputation that is not accurate. The building needs renovation, but inside the teachers, staff, AND students are the BEST! I support this school wholeheartedly! At this school, students get a small-school experience in a very big school system.
—Submitted by a parent

Falls Church teachers are very commited to every student - I don't know if it is no-nonsense, but they are very dedicated to every student. You do not have to be AP to get a great experience. That is what is so wonderful - the staff take care of every student at every level. Ask any parent or any student - this school is fantastic, under-rated, and a great place to thrive.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids really need a strong no-nonsense culture at the school they attend. My kids will not do well in an culture/environment that is full of distractions and kids that are not committed to learning. I understand this school has a strong AP program, but what about the kids that are not AP? I am a little concerned about my kids attending this school.

Falls Church is a wonderful high school. We have one son in college who received an excellent education that has prepared him for college and life. We have two more sons at FCHS now who could not be happier. They are in Honors and AP classes with their friends and play on 4 sports teams. Because FCHS is a small school, our kids get to play the sport of their choice; kids at other high schools can't always do that! Any negative buzz about FCHS is false, spread by people who may not want their kids to go to an academically rigorous school with a diverse population. Spend 30 minutes here and you know the students, teachers, and administration are the best you can find. (Yes, the building needs renovation, but we are working on that!)
—Submitted by a parent

Falls Church is an awesome school with great administrators, teachers and students. We are working on updating the building conditions but the children there are doing well despite of needing renovations.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a very small school in a very large and often uncaring school system. It is like a breath of fresh air compared with other high schools we have been exposed to. The student body is very diverse, yet there are no fights and little drug use. Students find opportunities to excel that might not happen at other bigger schools. I think of one girl we knew whose parents did not speak much English. She was an AP scholar, a top musician, and a 3 sport athlete. She received a full academic scholarship to college. In another Fairfax County school, she would have been just another kid. But Falls Church has teachers, administrators, and a principal who push kids like her to excel and the opportunities are there for the taking. The new principal is a strict, loving mother who wants the best for all "her kids." She is the best thing to happen to this school in years.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a teacher at this school and I love it! The teachers are constantly working together in teams, striving to develop lesson plans that assist the learning of all students. I've been at some schools where the teachers leave faster than the students at the end of the day-- not here. Any day of the week you can find dozens of teachers staying late, working with students. The students themselves help make this school to be as wonderful as it is-- their willingness to help each other, their appreciation for help from staff and peers, and their appreciation for diversity is incredible.
—Submitted by a teacher

Falls Church is a great environment with quality teachers and a good attitude.
—Submitted by a student