Just got some more AP test scores in the mail yesterday - now 8 out of 9 with passing scores for my two kids together.  So again “BW Parent”, your sample size of “one” has been countered with “two” and is suspect. 

My wife reminded me of another sample point of excellence for BWHS. The number of awards in the recent science fair entries, BWHS was second to only Dominion’s Science Academy to the number of entries winning some recognition (1st, 2nd or 3rd) for all categories.

Are these padded too?  Wow what a wide conspiracy!

@BW parent,
Apparently the academic ignorance is hereditary as suggested by “Sick of Enabling Ashburn”... the ranking stated include the school’s SAT and AP scores.  Your daughters sample point of “1” does not condemn the entire institution… just the failing of you and your daughter. My son and my daughter have passed all by one AP in the 8 taken between them so far.  My son earned a nearly full ride scholarship to a great school and my daughter is excelling as well.  Do not conclude because your daughter had issues the entire school is suspect. There have been many millions of $$$ in scholarships earn in the past 5 years by BWHS grads.  I bet very few of them failed at the next level or else we would be hearing about it. The whiners would never let that opportunity go to bash the public schools.

Let’s all hope that the investigators from Atlanta don’t decide to head on up this direction.

And no Frank, the GOP doesn’t want to shut down public schools. What they want to do is reign in the unions that have caused the demise of what was once the world’s most respected educational system.

Because I can easily tell you that as the parent of several children that have been educated both in British schools abroad and here in LCPS it sickens me to see the quality of education here. I am constantly undermined in my efforts to ensure that my children do grade appropriate work by teachers who consistently assign high marks for what I know to be simply average work.

SOEA.  You should be proud of your kid for overcoming his “fine: upbringing from a condescending parent like you.  We can only hope he doesn’t turn out like you.

Some of you people don’t realize that your responses are only reinforcing the negative perception of you…

@BW Parent,
Sounds like bad genetics to me. Your kids inherited your stupidity and loser mentality. My kid was a valedictorian from BW. Perhaps your my kid will hire your daughter to be his maid someday.

In response to Proud Parent.  I too am a parent of a BWHS student who graduated 2 years ago.  I hate to disagree and am not saying it’s not a good school.  But my daughter who was a marginal student prior to attending Briar Woods had outstanding grades in HS (almost a 4.0).  However, even she admits, she was never really challenged.  She took 6 AP classes and got good grades, but only barely passed one of the tests.  The classes didn’t really challenge her.  She was strongly “encouraged” to take AP classes by the staff, but didn’t feel she had the aptitude.  They convinced her to take them noting that she would get a grade point boost by simply taking the test and they didn’t seem too interested in her actually passing them.  In fact, several of her friends were told the minimum requirement was to get her name right.  Her SAT scores were marginal, but certainly not consistent with her high GPA.  She got into a good VA college, but found that her high school work (including AP classes) did not prepare her well for the rigors of college.  She is doing better now that she is now attending NOVA.  You might conclude that she is the exception, but my older son attended another Loudoun Co school before we moved to the BW district and while he had lower grades in high school, excelled in college.  I think you really need to look past the numbers because sometime they do lie.

I would just like to thank William Wilkin for all of his hardwork and dedication to the Ashburn community. Bill Wilkin is a NVRPA-trained volunteer guide, attorney, former Foreign Service officer and reserve officer. Bill is now a history teacher at Loudoun County’s Stone Bridge High School. We are lucky to have you Bill.

School full of rich kids? Check
School flush with funds thanks to wealthy residents? Check
Educated parents who care about their child education? Check

These schools could be run by Ronald McDonald and they would still pump out college students.  Congratulate the teachers for doing their jobs well, and leave it at that.

I’m with BWHS former teacher: “we should be celebrating the success of some of the most talented teachers and brightest students…period!”

But are we?

There’s no doubting that if we compare the Newsweek rankings with socio-economic data for their respective communities, we will find a direct correlation. It’s no surprise that Freedom and Briar Woods are located in the fastest growing and most affluent areas of Loudoun (plus Stone Bridge’s neighborhood is nothing to sneeze at). This list presents a great Mythbusters scenario (and something we rarely do in education, basing our findings on science, that is): If LCPS allocates identical and fair shares of county resources to all dozen or so high schools, then why don’t they all perform equally? Staff quality, infrastructure, and curriculum are all under control of LCPS, so unless they are intentionally favoring some schools over others, then all schools should be performing at the same level—that is, unless there are other factors driving these three schools’ Newsweek successes. And those are not under the control of LCPS.

If that’s the case, then it is deceptive and obstructive for LCPS to be taking credit for something not its doing. Even if these rankings are truly worth “celebrating,” then it would be interesting to know the AP Exam scores for our students, given that the rankings depend so much on AP course enrollment. (By the way, what was decided on the legality of making families pay for the Exams?).

I’m not taking anything away from the INDIVIDUALS of the Stone Bridge school community in asking this, but, seriously, can anyone walking down the halls of that school and looking in the classrooms say that it is the 127th best school in the United States out of over 25,000?

So, I agree with BWHS former teacher in that we should celebrate our students’ successes, but we must ask ourselves what success is being “celebrated” here?

I am sick and tired of this BS rumor of grade padding at Briar Woods.  Petty jealousy of their achievements in such a short time (5 years) does nothing but make those who look to demean it look small. Achievement tests and SAT/ACT scores are not “PADDED”

Maybe BWHS has better teachers and the students have parents that push them harder.  Both of mine have achieved tremendously there.

Get over it.

The district has made sure to adjust boundary lines so that most “riff-raff” gets congregated into a couple schools. . Park View and Heritage for example.  We in Leesburg were hoping the new Tuscarora High would take in some of the iffy neighborhoods but no, the River Creek supporters wouldn’t have any of that, so low income minorities north of Market St. still get funnelled into Heritage even though Tuscarora is much closer.  If every school had a certain percentage of low income and/or minorities, scores in the county would even out considerably.

I would like to salute the principal of Briar Woods High School, Mr. Ed Starzenski.  For six years now Mr. Starzenski has led our school to terrific accolades and accomplishments.  His keen eye for recruiting talented teachers and his ablity to bring everyone together to work for the success of students is tremendous. You find the results in academics, sports, and fine arts.  It is great to work in one of the best high schools in America.

Frank, that’s pretty simplistic.

Many people home school not solely for reasons of faith, but because they’d rather their kids focused on mathematics, science (biology, chemistry, botany, etc, instead of the mishmosh now known as “earth science”), literature, history, government, as opposed to government inclusion of every successful activist group’s position on anything political.

Kids spend so much time learning to tests via examples of the government inclusions, that basic principles in disciplines are no longer taught much.

IOW, in government schooling, it’s just a different officially-mandated god (“environment”) and “guns” (political causes).

Mr. Steele appears to have a certain prejudice against technology.  Loudoun County students are fortunate to have access to excellent technology and excellent teachers who use that technology well to instruct them.  Students at all levels benefit tremendously from these resources.  Investment in interactive white boards is one component that provides our children a firm and competitive footing in information technology which is necessary for America to compete effectively in the international marketplace.

If we only had two Promethean Interactive White Boards in each classroom, then we’d be in the top 100!

I think the answer here is more money for Promethean.  Also, more money for the executive management team. 

The people who think it is attributable to the students coming from homes where they are raised by educated parents with above average incomes who take an interest in their children’s education must have never used a Promethean Interactive White Board or taken the time to understand the role of the Superintendent and executive management team in the education of a young mind.

It is clear that you would see the same results they were in charge of DCPS.  Ward 8 could change its name to “Little Harvard” with all the great minds that would be molded by the executive management team.

If it were up to the GOP, public schools would be shut down.  Who needs education these days?  Guns and God are all you need.

As a former BWHS teacher, I can tell you there is no grading padding. Of course the comment does not surprise me, though, since good teachers, supportive parents and hardworking students could have nothing to do with academic success. Why does virtually every comment about the schools have to be a slam against the school board, the admin, the teachers…we should be celebrating the success of some of the most talented teachers and brightest students…period!
Congratulations to all of the Loudoun schools named here. Though even the educators do not always agree with these rankings and the data they use to calculate them, they do speak to some of the data out there about what schools are doing right, how they are preparing students for college level classes, etc.

I heard a 4.0 at Briar Woods equates to about a 3.5 at other schools.  They are all about padding the #‘s.

The list isn’t normalized for socioeconomic or income levels, so get over it liberals.

That said, is anyone else surprised that about 75% of them are getting “advanced” diplomas (whatever that means) and that 1 in 8 have a 4.0? Seems these things don’t mean much anymore.

Is there any correlation between the Loudoun school that made the list and the socioeconomic and income levels of families living within the schools area?

Hatrick is an unbelievably talented and hardworking superintendent.  Just the construction alone in LCPS would be enough to drive somebody nuts.  He knows his staff, teachers, everyone, and takes time to really get to the heart of the issues.  If you’re slamming Hatrick, you’re probably a transplant to the area who doesn’t realize or appreciate the years and years of service he’s given to our schools and our young people in Loudoun.  Do your research before you criticize….oh, and give Hatrick a raise.  As far as I’m concerned, that guy doesn’t earn NEARLY enough to put up with what he does….including you critical parents who are misinformed.

Total BS because we have virtually have no poor here.

Add that into the mix and we will have a totally different story here.

Interesting a bunch of rich kids do well when non of them have to work and their parents buy them the death cars “”“"the high performance muscle cars blasting all thru Loudoun.  hmmmmm Hatrick take over a poor school system and turn those kids into something then you have done something. more bs in Loudoun.

Hatrick has nothing to do with this - it is the student, parents upbringing and teachers.  Now mind you he will take the credit but he has nothing to do with it and will expect a raise and a pat on the back

Hmmm, wonder how much Hatrick will ask for next cycle?