The students participate in group activities and individual activities through exploration centers and teacher direction. The daily schedule is flexible, though comforting and fun daily routines are observed.

Enrichment classes include art, Fit kids, French, music and movement, and science.

Field trips (approximately one trip per month) are scheduled throughout the year. Westminster School buses will be used to transport the children.

Westminster School was established in 1962. It is a fully accredited member of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and is a member of Independent Education (IE) an association of independent schools of greater Washington. The Griffin Academy of Westminster School has been in operation since the fall of 2010.

For the morning snack, on a rotating basis, parents provide a peanut-free snack for the class (approximately twice a month). Lunch is brought from home. A pizza lunch is offered each month.The afternoon snack is peanut-free and is provided by the school.

Tuition and Fee Schedule 2019/2020

Candidates for the three-year-old class must be three by October 31. Candidates for the four-year-old class must be four by October 31. Children may enroll in the Junior-Kindergarten class if they are turning five by December 31. (Younger four-year-olds may be moved to the Junior Kindergarten class if the teachers deem it appropriate for a particular child.)

Extended care is available for an additional fee. Before-School-Care is available from 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. After-School-Care for the three-year-olds is available from 12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. or 12:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. After-School-Care for the four-year-olds is available from 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

The Griffin Academy provides an exceptionally high-quality, nurturing learning environment for preschool-aged children. This developmentally tailored program is delivered by a well-qualified, loving staff, who are dedicated to providing the best possible all-around experience for the children in their care.

A well-designed program is in place for 3, 4, and older 4-year-olds, which includes both academic and social development. Woven throughout the daily routine, The Griffin Academy encourages children to exercise kindness and good manners, to respect one another, and to work and play together harmoniously.

The academic program for the three-year-old classes introduces children to letters and their sounds, numbers, science through nature, social studies through community, music, art, French, drama and free-play. The children experience indoor and outdoor play, structured and non-structured time, quiet and active times during the day.

The academic program for the four-year-old classes helps to prepare the children for kindergarten. Older four-year-olds (those who are five by December 31) are placed in the junior kindergarten class, which is more academic than that for the younger fours. Both classes are exposed to a phonics-based pre-reading/reading program which prepares them for the joys of reading. Part of the daily routine includes story-time, during which the children are exposed to classic children’s literature and nursery rhymes.