Apply by March 1 for Fairfax County Arts and Sciences Magnet Schools

Families considering enrolling their kids into one of the county’s two elementary arts and sciences magnet schools for the 2012-2013 school year have from now until March 1 to apply.

Students are chosen by computerized random lottery and parents are notified by late March or early April of acceptance to the magnet program.

Bailey’s Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, 6111 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church, Va. 22041, will hold an information night for families interested in the elementary magnet school program at Bailey’s on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at the school; the snow date is Feb. 16.

Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, 2401 Colts Neck Road, Reston, Va. 20191, will hold an information night for families interested in the elementary magnet school program at Hunters Woods on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at the school; the snow date is Feb. 15.

The application and lottery process is competitive. The chart below shows the number of students who apply and are accepted:

School Year

Name of School

Number of Applications

Number of Students Selected By Lottery

2011 - 2012

Bailey’s

246

74

2011 - 2012

Hunters Woods

497

47

2010 - 2011

Bailey’s

265

120

2010 - 2011

Hunters Woods

515

76

2009 - 2010

Bailey’s

181

71

2009 - 2010

Hunters Woods

341

85

Three-Year Average

Bailey’s

231

88

Three-Year Average

Hunters Woods

451

69

The number of "out-of-boundary" students enrolled in each school must be at least 200 each year. The number of applications vary, according to grade level, with kindergarten having by far the greatest number, according to FCPS. Historically, the number of applications decrease as the grade levels increase.

Students who live within the schools’ boundaries do not need to apply through the magnet lottery process. Check your school boundaries here: http://boundary.fcps.edu/boundary/

Eligibility

Students entering kindergarten through 4th grade are eligible to apply at Baileys; students entering kindergarten through 6th grade are eligible to apply at Hunters Woods. Students entering kindergarten should have attended preschool during the 2011-12 school year. Children currently enrolled in private school or who are home-schooled may also apply. Anyone applying must live within Fairfax County.

Students must also work at or above grade level in language arts and math, and must demonstrate positive interpersonal and school behaviors, according to FCPS.  

Children who live outside the boundaries are bused to the school by the county but due to shifting priorities in the school system budgets, bus service cannot be guaranteed year in and year out, according to FCPS.

Applications must be postmarked by March 1, and submitted to: Magnet Program at Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax Ridge, 3877 Fairfax Ridge Road, Mail Stop #9, Fairfax, VA 22030

For more information, contact Debbie Jones at dljones1@fcps.edu or phone 571-423-4652 or (703) 575-6800.