Since 1998, Westminster School has been a fully accredited member of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). Membership is open only to not-for-profit schools that meet the standards listed at the bottom of this article. Determination that the school meets the Standards for Membership is accomplished through ongoing self-review and reporting on the part of Westminster School and regular, rigorous examination by VAIS.

In Spring 2018, Westminster School underwent a major (10-year) review by VAIS. The school was asked to provide an overview of the school plus an in-depth report on the current status and strategic planning in several areas, including school programs, financial management, marketing and development, facilities, and technology. Reporting included the sharing of approximately 164 documents, including the master curriculum guide, crisis management plan, sample publications, minutes from meetings of the Board of Trustees, and the school’s five-year strategic plan, to name a few. After studying the school’s self-study report and all submitted documents, a Visiting Team comprising administrators from other VAIS member schools visited the Westminster School campus for three days, conducting a thorough review of daily school activities plus interviews with trustees, administrators, teachers, parents, and students. The Visiting Committee then voted on each Standard for Membership and submitted a report on the entire process to the VAIS Committee on Membership.

Westminster School is pleased to affirm that the Committee on Membership voted unanimously to continue Westminster’s status as a fully accredited member of VAIS. The school is also proud of the many commendations shared by the Visiting Committee in its Executive Summary report, including the following excerpts.

Outsiders considering the classical approach as an anachronism in the haze of a digitally-charged world will find that very haze dispelled . . . Over five decades, students have moved through the school as scholars, poets, thespians, artists, and musicians. The very walls of the School expose and celebrate not just the possibilities in a child’s imagination, but transmit an essential message that Westminster School is child-centered, richly folding in tenets of the Western experience. It is first and foremost in the daily habits; it is clear and purposeful in its results.

This clarity of purpose is understood seamlessly by the faculty, administration, and parents. This “Golden Triangle” finds at its center, the student, the child, the human being. It is as holistic as it is humane. The eye-to-eye contact in every greeting and the quiet work of picking up a piece of paper when no one is looking speak to the authenticity of Westminster’s mission. It is a formidable educational environment shaped and informed on proven practices over its five decades.

Worried about cuts to Fairfax County Public School budget?  Crowded classrooms?  Teachers straining to meet widely varying needs of students?  Lack of individual attention for your child?  Missing art, music, drama, and daily PE programs?  Check out Westminster School, whose well-rounded, rich program includes small classes, excellent academics, values and character building, daily PE and athletics, and a deep commitment to arts education for all students. 

Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) officials recently warned of yet more cuts to school programs due to a projected funding shortfall of $50 to $100 million (The Washington Post, 8/04/15).  In addition to past program cuts, the school board is considering adding yet more students to already crowded classrooms, cutting pre-school and full-day kindergarten programs, and “eliminating high school sports . . . axing activities such as yearbook and student newspapers, curtailing music and drama programs, and reducing middle school after-school activities.”  While not all of these proposals may come to pass, FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza has said, “the school system is going to have a hard time providing necessary services.”

Many parents who chose to live in Fairfax County due to the high reputation of its public schools have grown increasingly disappointed and worried about the quality of their child’s education and daily experience at school.  Who can blame them?  An elementary-grade teacher recently hired by Westminster School shared with us that, in her former position with FCPS, she had 31 students in her class and was expected to teach all academic subjects to students grouped for four different learning programs.  In other words, every day she had to create and deliver at least two different lesson plans for each subject she taught.  She is so grateful to now be at Westminster School, where she specializes in one subject (math) and teaches 12 students at a time.  At last, she feels able to do what she has always wanted to do  and been trained to do—not struggle to meet widely varying needs of too many students, but to really teach!

All parents want the best education for their children and many think that public schools can provide it, but they may not understand the scope of public school problems or realize what is possible for their child (see The 11 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make).   Daily headlines underscore the problems found in public schools:  limited, repetitive curricula that “teach to the test,” one-sided programs for the “gifted and talented,” funding shortfalls that deprive students of necessities and limit enrichment opportunities, overwhelmed teachers, discipline issues, frequent changes in educational approach, and the undermining effects of state and national political struggles.  In contrast, Westminster School has the independence and the means to give all of its students the diverse, in-depth, and challenging education that they need to become critical thinkers and to grow as individual learners. Small class sizes with specialized teachers mean more one-on-one attention and greater depth of learning, while a consistent, school-wide value system helps parents teach their children important values—such as kindness, respect, and responsibility—that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Westminster School recognizes the importance of the elementary and middle-school years, when children are shaped by their environment and experiences into the people that they are going to be.  Westminster’s carefully structured, rich program partners with parents to guide the child’s development in all areas, to help him/her become the best possible version of him/herself.  Maybe that’s what has attracted such a diverse community to Westminster, where students represent an impressive array of races, religions, and places of origin.

A relatively low tuition compared to other private schools, and a substantial financial aid program make a Westminster education possible for a wide range of families.  Contact Westminster School for more information, schedule a tour, or attend an open house.  In a region as prosperous as Fairfax County, you shouldn’t have to settle for less than the best, and neither should your child.

County Superintendant Voices Frustration

Why are so many Fairfax County public school parents checking out private school options?  Perhaps it is because private schools have more direct control over critical issues such as teacher salaries, electives, field trips, funds for physical education and arts classes, as well as keeping class sizes under control.  The latest news from Fairfax County Public Schools is disheartening to parents, students, and now even the Superintendent Karen K. Garza.

“We have grave concerns as to what will happen in the 2016-2017 (FY 2017) school year when we face a devastating shortfall of more than $100 million,” said Garza in a letter dated April 28, 2015 that was addressed to Fairfax County Public School parents and community members.

“Due to years of chronic underfunding coupled with a decade of significant enrollment growth and increasing student needs, we will not be able to sustain the current quality nor the full range of academic programming we currently offer to our students,” continued Garza.  “These cuts will likely affect all current academic programming including limiting elective choices, reducing career and technical programs, impacting advanced offerings, and again raising class sizes at all levels.”

Recent articles have cited Fairfax County teacher salaries as falling behind that of neighboring districts.  This is hurting the reputation of the school district as it has the reputation of being one of the best school systems in the country.   Garza agrees with this and comments, “We have fallen so far behind in teacher salaries that we are no longer competitive and are losing talented staff to neighboring school districts.”

With the continued budget cuts into the foreseeable future, many parents are now reconsidering private schools whereas they previously felt that public schools were meeting their children’s needs.  With experts weighing in on the benefits of small class size, individual attention, and the importance of an expert teacher, many parents are considering their options.

“At Westminster School, my child has already benefitted from individual attention.  With only 15 students in her class, her teachers realize when she needs help.  Not only that, they have established a relationship with her that contributes to her overall confidence in her abilities.  She loves coming to a school every day where P.E., art, music, theater, and recess are all valued aspects of her education,” says a current parent of a student in first grade.

This kind of testimony only reiterates some of the reasons why private school is a great choice for many.  Top-notch teachers, small classes, and classes other than academics are a priority for schools such as Westminster School.