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Door-to-door bus service is available to most parts of Fairfax County. Many of the remaining families participate in car pools whose organization is facilitated by the school.
Students enjoy the after-school Athletic Program; the many field trips and special assemblies; the aesthetic environment; the celebrations of curriculum, such as Egyptian Day, Science Week, and Sports Day; the drama presentations; and, most of all, the sense of close community and caring possible in a small school.
Westminster offers a superior academic program of exceptional depth and thoroughness in an environment which nourishes excellent personal qualities in each student. Its program is grounded in a well-considered philosophy for raising and educating children, providing a strong partnership for parents who want the best for their child and want their child to evolve into his/her best self. The advanced, integrated academics, rich extracurricular program, and traditional environment of respect, responsibility, courtesy, and kindness provide a significant alternative to other public and private schools. Westminster is an institution of integrity, and parents can be assured that what the school promises is what will be delivered.
Kindergarten – 2nd grade students get a strong start with a highly effective, phonics-based reading/writing program, a math program that stresses reasoning and a solid grounding in math facts, hands-on science, an introduction to history/social studies and geography, French, art, music, daily PE, library, and Junior Great Books. Children in grades 3 – 8 continue to develop this core curriculum, working 1 to 1 ½ years ahead of their peers in public school. In addition, daily history/classical studies classes trace the history, culture, art, and literature of Western Civilization, providing students an in-depth understanding of its development and an extraordinarily rich context within which to understand the foundations of American government and values.
Upper-school (7th/8th grades) students at Westminster are in high-school level courses in all subjects, e.g., biology in 7th grade, physical science in 8th grade. In addition to French, they add Latin to their language studies. All students complete Algebra I and highly motivated students have the option of completing Geometry.
Westminster’s emphasis on the arts provides exceptional opportunities for students in all grades to discover and nurture their creativity and talent. All students participate in the arts, including formal classes in art and music, with the option of orchestra training. Dance classes and performances, talent shows, and art and poetry contests are an important part of school life. Through the drama program, all students perform in a play each year. The repeated experience of preparation and public performance helps children develop self-expression, self-confidence, and poise.
Finally, no description of the Westminster curriculum and program can capture the unique atmosphere of warmth, optimism, and elevated purpose that permeates the school. Westminster students feel that they are part of a very special, loving community that expects the best from them and has their best interests at heart—and they are.
Why Is A Classical Education Relevant In The Digital Age?
American children are growing up in the digital age. Many of them spend hours a day looking at screens, including at many schools. On their own time, they dive into the superficial topics and trends of social media and gather information from unverified and often inappropriate online sites. They devote countless hours to video games. A recent, multiyear study by the American Psychological Association shows that high-school-aged teens spend more time texting and on social media (average, 4 hours a day) than reading (average, 19 minutes a day). In short, screens foster lazy minds, trained to receive the products of someone else’s thoughts, efforts, and imagination. As a result, parents, teachers, and psychologists are finding increasing problems among children, including moody behavior, shorter attention spans, decreased ability to focus on academics, and a lessening in empathy for others.
Classical education provides the antidote to every one of these alarming trends. Classical education is a systematic, age-appropriate approach to teaching children how to think, how to build values and develop strength of character, how to discover and improve on individual talents, and how to present themselves successfully in the greater world. Classical education’s building- block approach to learning, and its emphasis on the skills and tools of learning nurtures the child’s interest in learning, ability to concentrate and pay attention for extended periods of time, read for depth of understanding, and express his/her thoughts and opinions clearly and persuasively. Its spotlight on the great achievements of civilization engages the child emotionally and morally, as well as intellectually. Instead of receiving the flow of digitized information, the child’s mind is actively and imaginatively engaged in learning.
Language is the foundation of thought, and a classical education fosters a deep understanding of words and appreciation for literature, especially classic works that challenge and enrich the reader. There is a corresponding emphasis on articulate speech and writing, communication skills in high demand by employers in every field.
Ultimately, the goal of a classical education is to teach the student how to think critically and act creatively, how to tackle and solve unfamiliar problems, and how to meet challenges with optimism and set-backs with resilience. These are the very skills that
prepare children for a challenging and unpredictable future. These are the skills demanded in every field of endeavor, including the much-lauded STEM jobs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).
There is no magic bullet, quick fix, or online, digital course that produces a well-rounded, knowledgeable, capable, confident person of good character. But, there is a proven way, and Westminster School stands by its 56-year history of delivering a classical education in a nurturing, forward-looking environment. The academic program coupled with the emphasis on the arts at Westminster combine to create a unique educational experience for children in preschool-8th grade. The achievements of our graduates, both academic and personal, testify to the effective and lasting influence of a rich, carefully designed, and well-implemented classical education.