Home Care In McLean, VA

BASIS Independent McLean has been named the best private high school and the best college prep private high school in Virginia by Niche.

Mark Hand, Patch Staff

MCLEAN, VA — BASIS Independent McLean has been named the best private high school and the best college prep private high school in Virginia for the second year in a row by Niche, a data analysis company.

The McLean school was also named the best private K-12 school in Virginia for the second consecutive year in Niche’s annual 2024 school ranking list. For 2024, BASIS Independent McLean was also ranked the No. 1 private high school in the Washington, D.C. area.

Nationally, the school was ranked No. 7 on Niche’s list of best college prep high schools in America, No. 10 on its ranking of best private K-12 schools in America and No. 29 on its list of best private high schools in the nation.

"We are very proud of our Niche rankings. Each year they get even better as we continually strive for excellence," Jason Shorbe, head of school at BASIS Independent McLean, said in a statement to Patch.

The consistent presence in the Niche rankings shows that BASIS Independent McLean has great teachers in all divisions — early learning, primary, middle and high school, Shorbe said.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I also like to point out that we are not a great school because of the recognition we receive, but rather, we receive that recognition because we are a great school," he added.

BASIS Independent McLean and its sister schools across the country are owned by Spring Education Group, a California company that oversees a network of about 220 schools.

The news about the McLean school's high rankings comes on the heels of the 10th anniversary of the network of BASIS Independent Schools.

"The recognition confirms what BASIS Independent students and families already know. We have exceptional schools, populated by subject expert teachers, and remarkable students who are inspired daily to raise their potential and achieve outstanding academic outcomes," said Toby Walker, vice president of BASIS Independent Schools.

Niche gave BASIS Independent McLean, home of the Red-Tailed Hawks, an overall grade of A+ and high grades in these categories:

The school, located at 8000 Jones Branch Drive in McLean, has a student-teacher ratio of 8 to 1, compared to a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1 in Fairfax County Public Schools.

"We believe that students can do more than what is typically expected of them and create a joyful learning culture where hard work is celebrated and intellectual pursuits result in extraordinary outcomes," BASIS Independent McLean told Niche. "At BIM, we will challenge each child to realize their full potential as they prepare to soar!"

MCLEAN, VA — McLean Citizen's Association joined other community groups on Tuesday in expressing its opposition to any legislation introduced in the Virginia General Assembly that would allow developers to build a casino in Fairfax County.

"The McLean Citizens Association has recently become aware of intentions to introduce legislation in the upcoming session of the Virginia Assembly that would amend the Code of Virginia, Title 58.1 Chapter 41 in a way that would allow a gaming casino to operate in Fairfax County," MCA president Linda Walsh said, in a letter to the county's delegation in Richmond.

Walsh noted that one of the sites being proposed as a possible location for a casino is in Tysons, a majority of which lies within her organization's general membership area.

"Since the bill has not yet been submitted in the Assembly, MCA is not able to comment on it in detail at this time," she said, in the letter. "However, many members of MCA are concerned about this initiative. Accordingly, the MCA Board has voted to express its opposition to legislation that would allow a gaming casino in Fairfax County."

Walsh told Patch on Tuesday that MCA decided to send the letter because the possibility of a casino being built in Fairfax County — and possibly Tysons — was of great concern for the McLean community.

"They seem to be concerned about having built Tysons to be an economic center," she said. "We've been very successful getting major headquarters there. It just doesn't seem that using that land, which is an economic center, fits with the overall plan for Fairfax County."

MCA joins the Reston Association, the Reston Citizens Association, and the Vienna Town Council, who have all expressed their opposition to the legislation expected to be introduced in the general assembly when the 2024 session begins on Wednesday. As of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 4,698 people signed an online petition at Change.org, voicing their opposition to a casino being built in Reston.

Patch first reported in September that developer Comstock Holding Companies was planning to build a casino at or near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station in Reston.

The idea of putting a casino near one of the seven Silver Line Metro Stations outside the Capital Beltway first came to light a year ago, when state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) and Del. Wren Williams (R-Stuart) introduced nearly identical bills that, if passed, would've given the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors the authority to put a casino referendum on a future ballot.

Marsden has told Patch multiple times over the last few months that he planned to introduce an expanded version of his 2023 bill that would include a concert venue and convention center anchored by a casino. His preference was for building the casino in Tysons rather than Reston Station.

"The Silver Line was created for high density development and business owners paid a tax to build the Dulles Access Road and the Silver Line," Marsden told Patch in November. "They paid to have that done and if we can put in a conference center in an entertainment district, anchored by a casino and some hotels, it creates a tremendous number of construction jobs, good union jobs, to work in those hotels."

So far, Marsden has not introduced his new bill. Lawmakers have until Jan. 19 to file their bills, before the start of crossover, when the two houses vote on the other's legislation.Related:

Read all of Patch's reporting on Comstock Companies' plan to build a casino on Metro's Silver Line in Fairfax County at Silver Line Casino.

MCLEAN, VA — It’s still early, but if you’re planning to put up a live Christmas tree this year, it’s a good idea to scope out what will be available from McLean area tree growers.

Here are a few places to start:

Choose-and-cut:

Seasonal lot:

Garden center:

Last year, the median price for trees purchased directly from a grower was about $93, according to PickYourOwnChristmasTree.org. About 26 million live trees were sold last year, compared to 27.4 million in 2018.

Last year, the median price for trees purchased directly from a grower was about $93, according to PickYourOwnChristmasTree.org. About 26 million live trees were sold last year, compared to 27.4 million in 2018.

A survey by the American Christmas Tree Association, an industry trade group, shows that of the 94 percent of Americans who plan to put up a Christmas tree this year, 23 percent will display a live tree.

Last year, live tree prices increased about 10 percent, largely due to inflation and drought, according to industry experts.

Years of extreme weather — drought conditions in some parts of the country and excess moisture in others — are expected to translate to slightly higher 2023 Christmas tree prices, according to a report from Country Folks Grower, a business-to-business publication serving fresh market and ornamental crops.

“A lot can happen in a half dozen years that can change the outlook for a Christmas tree crop from one season to the next,” the report said. “Farmers will be facing challenges in the 2023 Christmas tree season brought about by developments over the past several years.”

At any given moment, about 350 million Christmas trees are growing on tree farms across the country.

It typically takes a tree between six and eight years to grow to the desirable height for decorating. Large trees — those 7 feet and taller — may be in short supply because sales of smaller trees have been strong in recent years, the report said. Also, people may need to settle for a different species than they’re accustomed to buying.

MCLEAN, VA — As the Fairfax County Health Department continues to post restaurant inspection reports, we are looking at recent reports in the McLean area.

The health department's environmental health staff inspect more than 5,200 restaurants and other retail food service establishments in Fairfax County to ensure safe food handling practices are followed. This includes proper sanitation, food storage and preparation, and adequate kitchen facilities. Aside from restaurants, staff inspect child care centers, hospitals, school cafeterias, and temporary food service vendors at festivals.

This week's report focuses on McLean restaurants inspected between Nov. 6 and Dec. 21. Many restaurants were found with no violations.

The health department cautions residents that a single inspection should not be used to evaluate a restaurant. Rather, the health department suggests looking at multiple inspection reports for a better overview.

Click on each link to see the full report for the restaurant. Residents can also search for a specific restaurant or browse a map of inspected locations through the online database.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Cafe Tatti, 6627 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 21, 2023

Violations

Pikoteo, 6811 Elm St, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 19, 2023

Violations

Z-Burger, 1408 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 15, 2023

Violations

Red Tomato Pizzeria, 1327 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 14, 2023

Violations

Dal Grano, 1386 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 14, 2023

Violations

Pulcinella Italian Host, 1310 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 5, 2023

Violations

Madison Deli, 1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Dec. 5, 2023

Violations

Greenberry's Coffee & Tea, 6839 Redmond Dr, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Nov. 15, 2023

Violations

Amoo's Restaurant, 6271 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Nov. 14, 2023

Violations

Cafe China, 6271 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22101

Date inspected: Nov. 6, 2023

Violations

MCLEAN, VA — Where do you plan to ring in 2024? From extravagant galas to live music to cozy cocktail parties, there’s something for everyone in the McLean area this New Year’s Eve.

We've rounded up some event options around McLean and New Year's Eve television programming. We will update this guide up to New Year's Eve.

Here is a look at events happening in around McLean:

Here is a look at some additional events happening in the area:

In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is the dropping of the giant ball in New York City’s Times Square. Other U.S. cities have adopted iterations of the ball drop — the Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho, for example.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The end of one year and beginning of another is often celebrated with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to “days gone by,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com.

The history of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who would make promises to return borrowed objects and pay outstanding debts at the beginning of the new year, in mid-March when they planted their crops.

According to legend, if they kept their word, pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. If they broke the promise, they would fall out of God’s favor, according to a history of New Year’s resolutions compiled by North Hampton Community College New Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves.

The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are myriad reasons, but a big one is they’re made out of remorse — for gaining weight, for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude and a plan to meet the stress and discomfort of changing a habit or condition.