Armstrong Elementary School

My two sons attend Armstrong, both coming from DOD schools in Europe. We came into VA so far behind and everyone at Armstrong has worked with us to get my children caught up. I'm certain this was best choice. Both my boys are strong in Math and Science but one of my kids is a great musician/singer and they foster opportunities for him to perform whenever possible. There is a good deal expected from each student but the rewards are amazing!
—Submitted by a parent

I'm so glad my son gets to attend this school. Love the curriculum orientation towards the arts, it has make it more fun for my son to learn. He paints, cooks, create, sings... while learning math, science, reading... there is not other school I would like my son to attend. Yes, there is homework. You want your kids to succed, right?
—Submitted by a parent

As I read some of the negative comments I just shake my head. I have three children at Armstrong. It is a challenging school. School gets out at 3:35 and homework gets done by 4:45 at the latest. If you can't spend an hour with your child working with them on their education then this is not a school for you. But, if you want the next best thing to a private school education and you are a supportive parent who makes time for your kids, then Armstrong is it. Great teacher support, open door policies, strong leadership. Go spend some time in the classroom!
—Submitted by a parent

Because the staff cares about the kids and my girls are getting a fanatastic education is a great atmosphere.
—Submitted by Lori Z, a parent

I love this school! The office is wonderful and the first grade has been very gracious about concerns regarding homework etc. I love the creativity that is exhibited there.
—Submitted by a parent

I am dissapointed with this school. I thought it was better, but I was so wrong. They have their own clicks and i think that is so not professional. I think everyone should be treated equal, and i believe that's not the way it is at this school. They have favorites... Professionalism and the care and concern of the children should be their first priority and not favortism.
—Submitted by a parent

This school gives out an unbelievable amount of homework. You cannot get the extra help your child may need. On the surface, the school sounds great, with high scores, but the pressure on these kids is terrible. The school is also totally geared toward the left-brained math minded child and not the creative right-brained child. We are seriously considering private school or homeschool next year. Armstrong is great if your kid has a photographic memory and doesn't try to think outside the box. But for the truly brillant, creative child, it's suppressive and its teachers are too comfortable in their positions.
—Submitted by a parent

Armstrong is cozy, with only 400 students and scores high in the SOLs. This is a double-edge sword, however. If your child is struggling, they will help, but there is so much pressure on the parents, students and teachers to keep the school's high 90s score, that it becomes an extremely stressful school environment.
—Submitted by Kim, a parent

Our daughter has attended Armstrong since kindergarten and she's now in the 3rd grade. The staff and teachers are the best, helping every student achieve their best; we would never want her to attend any other school. Seeing how the SOL tests compared to other schools surprised us, and that made the school even more attractive. However, my wife and I have come to realize that in order to achieve these results, a lot of homework is given to students. ). The curriculum is demanding so just be prepared. If you strive to get your child to bed by 8:30pm as we do, there won t be much room for anything else. Gotta go now homework to do ;)
—Submitted by a parent

My son began attending Armstrong last year as a Kindergarden student. He loves the school and I love the attention that is given to each childs needs and their learning level. The teachers, principal and vice-principal, as well as everyone else that works at the school, are all wonderful people that are very involved with the kids. We love this school and we are so happy we found it!
—Submitted by T. Olson, a parent

In march 2004 we started looking for a new home. As any good parent of three would, I wouldn't seriously consider the house until I checked out the school. Once we visited this great website and saw the scores at Armstrong Elem, We made sure moved into a house within this school zone! Two of my children finished up this academic year at Armstrong and it is truly a wonderful school. They have great and caring teachers like Mrs. Deboer and Ms. Perkins! A Great office staff who are actually welcoming and nice, and they smile too! My kids are being challenged and they really like going to school! Wow! Keep up the excellence Armstrong! You're fabulous
—Submitted by a parent