Education Guide

By Natalie Kaar

Alexandria Country Day School
2400 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA 22301
703-548-4804 (Rebecca Teti)

Alexandria Country Day School is a coeducational, independent day school serving 235 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8-1. Located in a quiet, residential neighborhood near Old Town Alexandria, the school was founded in 1983 by a group of visionary educators and parents dedicated to quality education and determined to establish an environment where kids could develop their full potential.

Today, ACDS is known for its combination of small classes, engaged and experienced teachers, and academically-challenging curriculum, which is enhanced by an active and supportive parent community. Its students are known for getting accepted into and excelling at the area’s most competitive high schools.

ACDS is currently expanding. With construction scheduled to be completed in March 2010, its newly expanded campus will include a new regulation-size gym, dining hall and performing arts center.

To learn more, visit soon while classes are in session, and watch ACDS grow.

 

BeanTree Learning
5003 Westone Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20151
703-961-8222 (Pam Seifert)
43629 Greenway Corporate Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147
571-223-3110 (Sharon Parkinson)

BeanTree Learning is a privately owned and operated Creative Campus for Children that has been serving area families since 2005. Revered for providing a comprehensive curriculum utilizing interactive, experiential activities through play, each of its two locations, in Ashburn and Chantilly, provide age-appropriate education and care for infants through preschoolers, as well as outstanding academic programs for school-age children. Programs include infant care; full- and part-time toddler care; preschool and pre-kindergarten; full-and half-day kindergarten; as well as before- and after-school programs; and holiday and summer camps for children ages 5 through 12.

BeanTree’s small classes for students of preschool age and older are 30 minutes long and include specialty programs taught daily by nurturing, degreed educators in art, technology, Spanish and music. What’s more, a wide range of extracurricular activities are offered as well, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop dance and tae kwon do, led by outside experts.

For more information, schedule a personal tour, available during open hours.

 

Brooksfield School
1830 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101
703-356-5437 ext. 2 (Sarah Krawchuk)

McLean’s Brooksfield School is a coeducational Montessori day school for children in pre-kindergarten through third grade. Having first opened its doors in 1987 to just five students, today the renowned school has an enrollment of over 90 students and a continuous wait list.

Dedicated to providing a loving, stimulating and creative environment with a focus on the arts, the school strives to nurture the social, physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development of its students. Every day at Brooksfield features a range of opportunities for children to grow into their potential and express themselves in a natural, spontaneous fashion.

There is an Outdoor Adventure Program for the upper school that embraces learning from nature, featuring activities like camping, canoeing, hiking and snow tubing. Brooksfield also offers an extended school day option, various extracurricular activities (art, drama, soccer, chess club, yoga, etc.) and summer camp.

To learn more about Brooksfield, attend an open house: Nov. 18 (10 a.m.) or Jan. 13, 2010 (10 a.m.).

 

Commonwealth Academy
1321 Leslie Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301
703-548-6912 (Josh Gwilliam)

Commonwealth Academy is an award-winning day school for average to superior students with learning differences or ADHD. Founded in 1997, the school was born from the deep commitment and love of parents for their children. At the beginning, only a handful of students attended. Today, the school offers its coed college preparatory program to 95 children in grades six through 12 and, as of next fall, will serve grades four and five as well.

A full range of academic classes are offered at Commonwealth, including honors courses, graphic and performing arts, social activities, clubs, athletics and community service. While the curriculum is challenging, it’s embedded with technology and other compensatory strategies to help students confidently succeed, including class sizes of 10 or fewer students.

To become better acquainted with Commonwealth, attend an open house: Nov. 1 (1 to 4 p.m.), Nov. 19 (9 to 10 a.m.), Dec. 11 (9 to 10 a.m.) or Jan. 31, 2010 (1 to 4 p.m.).

 

Hargrave Military Academy
200 Military Drive, Chatham, VA 24531
1-800-432-2480

Hargrave Military Academy of Chatham is a college preparatory school affiliated with the Baptist church focused on better academics, sense of responsibility and leadership for boys in grades seven through 12. A whopping 99 percent of Hargrave’s graduates have been accepted into a college of their choice over the past decade, with 83 percent of the school’s graduates remaining in college throughout their freshman year.

In addition to Hargrave’s challenging classes, boys who attend the school, mostly as boarders, are able to partake in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including 18 team sports as well as a U.S.A. Swimming Club Team. Hargrave also sponsors Boy Scouts of America Troop 68, a roughly 60-boy group that is very active in terms of travel destinations, merit badge activities and other events.

For more information, attend an upcoming open house (all at noon): Nov. 7, Dec. 5, Jan. 30, 2010, Mar. 6, 2010, Apr. 10, 2010, May 1, 2010 or Jun. 5, 2010.

 

Minnieland Private Day School
Over 20 area locations

Minnieland Private Day School, one of Virginia’s premier providers of early childhood education programs, has emphasized a quality childcare program for children to learn and grow in a safe, clean and friendly environment since 1972. With programs designed for boys and girls aged 3 weeks all of the way up to 12 years old, the nurturing and loving atmosphere at each of Minnieland’s over 20 area locations is structured to meet each child’s unique individual needs.

Minnieland offers curricula for each age group, to include educational preschool programs for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds, a Preschool Readiness Enrichment Program (PREP), Junior Kindergarten (JK) and a Montessori program. Minnieland also provides a program for older, school-aged children, which encompasses an enriching before- and after-school program as well as summer and winter camps.

For a list of the Minnieland locations throughout Northern Virginia along with contact information for the individual directors at each school, visit www.minnieland.com.

 

Pinecrest School
7209 Quiet Cove, Annandale, VA 22003
703-354-3446 (Barb Mink)

Annandale’s Pinecrest School, serving children age 3 through grade six, has been nurturing curiosity, confidence and a love of learning since 1957. Committed to providing a positive environment for student development, the coed, independent day school offers rigorous academics with an emphasis on individual learning. Factors such as Pinecrest’s low student-to-teacher ratios also help ensure students’ success.

The school’s regular daily schedule is 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with extended care offered until 6 p.m. Preschool, also offered five days per week, is provided from 9 a.m. to noon, along with a Lunch Bunch option from noon to 1:30 p.m. The school also offers a number of enrichment activities, including Summer Pavilion, a nine-week program for rising students in kindergarten through grade six.

For more information, attend an open house: Nov. 11 (noon to 2 p.m.); Dec. 5 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.); Jan. 9, 2010 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.); or Feb. 7, 2010 (1 to 4 p.m.).

 

St. Margaret’s School
412 Water Lane, Tappahannock, VA 22560
804-443-3357 (Admissions)

Founded in 1921, St. Margaret’s School (SMS) of Tappahannock, where 80 percent of both students (girls, grades eight through 12) and faculty live on campus, is one of six church schools in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. With one teacher for every six to eight students in its challenging college preparatory classes, each student is given an incredible amount of individualized attention. SMS also helps students prepare for the future by providing a wide range of after-school activities and outside-of-the-classroom learning programs.

One program allows juniors to study outside of the core subjects and travel domestically and abroad, offering a chance to get a jump-start on their college applications. Likewise, another allows seniors to shadow a professional in a field of interest or intern in a specific industry. SMS also offers international exchanges with Queen Margaret College in Wellington, New Zealand.

To learn more, schedule a weekend (Oct. 11, Dec. 5 or Jan. 9, 2010) visit or an overnight (Feb. 7-8, 2010, March 28-29, 2010).

 

The Langley School
1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101
703-848-2782 (Admissions)

Founded in 1942, The Langley School nurtures the unique qualities of each child through an engaging program of rigorous academics, fine arts, athletics and community service. Serving 486 coed students in preschool through eighth grade with a student-to-teacher ratio of 7-1, the McLean school reaches across multiple disciplines to discover, amplify and embrace the talents of every child, every day.

In addition to its traditional day school programs, Langley also offers several optional before- and after-school programs, including an extended-day program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and special lunch program for junior kindergarten students, enrichment programs each trimester and vacation camp days. Bus service and need-based financial aid are offered as well. As far as what’s new at Langley, last year, the school opened a new arts center featuring a multi-purpose auditorium and artificial turf field.

To learn more, attend the Langley open house on Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.

 

Westminster School
3819 Gallows Road, Annandale, VA 22003
703-256-3620 ext. 17 (Nancy Schuler)

As a day school serving 267 boys and girls in kindergarten through grade eight, to offering preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds as well next fall, Annandale’s Westminster School provides a Classical Education for the 21st century. Its challenging curriculum includes accelerated math, science, English and reading programs as well as an emphasis on classical studies and the arts, with both French and Latin offered.

Believing that school is a place where the best hopes of humankind may be made manifest, everyone at Westminster is united in a common effort to impart shared values: a disciplined, informed mind; a strong character; civility; confidence in creativity and joy in the possibilities of life. In addition to regular coursework, personal presentation, kindness, courtesy and self-discipline are stressed.

For those who need it, after-school care and bus service are available.

To get better acquainted, attend an open house: Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m. or Jan. 10, 2010 at 2 p.m.

 

“Saving for Tomorrow Today”
According to the College Board’s 2006 report “Trends in College Pricing,” should the pricing trends experienced over the last 30 years continue, average tuition and fee costs at four-year public institutions could nearly double by the time today’s infants enter college. Fortunately, for families looking to get a head-start on saving to ensure a bright future for their kids, there is the Virginia College Savings Plan (VCSP).

VCSP has four unique programs: Virginia Prepaid Education Program (locks in future college rates for newborns to ninth graders), Virginia Education Savings Trust (allows families to choose their annual investment mix from 16 different portfolios), College America (allows families to save through a choice of 22 mutual funds) and College Wealth (allows families to save through deposit accounts or certificates of deposit with 529 savings plan tax advantages at partnering banks). While each different program is designed to match different saving styles, investment strategies and timelines, they all may be used at universities, colleges and technical schools throughout the U.S. and, in some cases, around the world.

For additional information on the Virginia College Savings Plan, call 1-888-567-0540 or visit www.virginia529.com.

 

Alexandria Country Day School
2400 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA 22301; 703-548-4804 (Rebecca Teti); www.acdsnet.org

Ages/Grade Levels: K – grade 8
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 235
Student-Teacher Ratio: 8 to 1
Accreditation: Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 12, Dec. 2 and Jan. 13
Application Deadlines: Jan. 31
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $19,830 (K – grade 3); $21,430 (grades 4 -8)
Athletic Programs: Varsity and junior varsity soccer, cross country and basketball, as well as softball, swimming and tennis in the spring

 

BeanTree Learning
5003 West1 Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20151; 703-961-8222 (Pam Seifert)
43629 Greenway Corporate Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147; 571-223-3110 (Sharon Parkinson)
www.beantreelearning.com

Ages/Grade Levels: Infants – age 12
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: N/A
Student-Teacher Ratio: Varies by classroom, but ratio meets or exceeds state standards
Accreditation: Currently seeking accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Personal tours available by appointment (Mon – Fri)
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): N/A
Athletic Programs: Only through physical education classes

 

Brooksfield School
1830 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101; 703-356-5437 ext. 2 (Sarah Krawchuk); www.brooksfieldschool.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Pre K – grade 3
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 90
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10 to 1
Accreditation: N/A
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 18 and Jan. 13
Application Deadlines: Feb. 1
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $10,630 to $19,593
Athletic Programs: N/A

 

Commonwealth Academy
1321 Leslie Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301; 703-548-6912 (Josh Gwilliam); www.commonwealthacademy.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Grades 6 – 12 (grades 4 – 5 to be added fall 2010)
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 95
Student-Teacher Ratio: 5 to 1
Accreditation: Virginia Association of Independent Schools; also licensed by the Department of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia, to serve students with specific learning disabilities and ADHD
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 1, Nov. 19, Dec. 11 and Jan. 31
Application Deadlines: In general, March 1 for the following school year, but on a rolling basis when spaces are available in certain grades
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $28,336
Athletic Programs: Competitive basketball and soccer

 

Hargrave Military Academy
200 Military Drive, Chatham, VA 24531; 1-800-432-2480; www.hargrave.edu

Ages/Grade Levels: Grades 7 – 12, plus one post-graduate college-prep year
Coed: No (all male)
Religious Affiliation: Baptist
2009/2010 Enrollment: N/A (2008/2009: 380)
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11 to 1
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools–Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: Yes
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 7, Dec.. 5, Jan. 30, Mar. 6, Apr. 10, May 1, June 5
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions for grades 7 – 11; seniors no longer accepted after start of the school year
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $29,500 (basic U.S. Resident tuition)
Athletic Programs: 18 sports teams (post-grad basketball and football; varsity baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, rifle team, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis and wrestling; jv baseball, basketball, football, soccer and tennis) and a U.S.A. Swimming Club program

 

Minnieland Private Day School
4300 Prince William Parkway, Woodbridge, VA 22192; 703-680-2548; www.minnieland.com

Ages/Grade Levels: Ages 3 weeks – 12 years
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: N/A
Student-Teacher Ratio: 4 to 1 (infants); 5 to 1 (toddlers); 8 to 1 (2-year-olds); 10 to 1 (3 years and up)
Accreditation: National Early Childhood Program Accreditation
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Call for various dates
Application Deadlines: N/A
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): N/A
Athletic Programs: Optional programs in gymnastics, ballet, dance and karate

 

Pinecrest School
7209 Quiet Cove, Annandale, VA 22003; 703-354-3446 (Barb Mink); www.pinecrestschool.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Age 3 – grade 6
Coed:Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: N/A
Student-Teacher Ratio: 9 to 1 (K); no more than 15 to 1 (grades 1 – 6)
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 11, Dec. 5, Jan. 9, Feb. 7
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $5,800 (preschool); $12,500 (K – grade 6)
Athletic Programs: After-school enrichment activities include athletics

 

St. Margaret’s School
P.O. Box 158, Tappahannock, VA 22560; 804-443-3357; www.sms.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Grades 8 – 12
Coed: No (all female)
Religious Affiliation: Episcopal
2009/2010 Enrollment: 150
Student-Teacher Ratio: 6 to 1
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: Yes
Upcoming Open House Dates: Dec. 5, Jan. 9, Feb. 7 (overnight), Mar. 28 (overnight)
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions, early applications encouraged
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $40,000 boarding tuition
Athletic Programs: Basketball, crew, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, swimming, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball

 

The Langley School
1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101; 703-848-2782 (Admissions); www.langleyschool.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Preschool – grade 8
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 486
Student-Teacher Ratio: 7 to 1
Accreditation: Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 19
Application Deadlines: Jan. 14
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $12,950 to $25,950
Athletic Programs: For students in grades 5 – 8: interscholastic after-school team sports including soccer, basketball, softball, baseball and lacrosse; also offered: cross country meet in the fall, track and field meet in the spring

 

Wakefield School
4439 Old Tavern Road, The Plains, VA 20198; 540-253-7600 (Admissions); www.wakefieldschool.org

Ages/Grade Levels: Preschool – grade 8
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 461
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10 to 1 (Pre K); 12 to 1 (K); 18 to 1 (grades 1 – 12)
Accreditation: Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 11, Jan. 10 and Feb. 12
Application Deadlines: Jan. 29; rolling admission thereafter
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $9,600 to $19,500
Athletic Programs: Lacrosse, soccer, tennis, volleyball, swimming, cross country and basketball

 

Westminster School
3819 Gallows Road, Annandale, VA 22003; 703-256-3620 ext. 17 (Nancy Schuler); www.westminsterschool.com

Ages/Grade Levels: K – grade 8 (preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds to be offered as well next fall)
Coed: Yes
Religious Affiliation: No
2009/2010 Enrollment: 267
Student-Teacher Ratio: Between 15 and 18 to 1
Accreditation: Virginia Association of Independent Schools, National Association of Independent Schools
Boarding: No
Upcoming Open House Dates: Nov. 13 and Jan. 10
Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions, but applying before mid-Feb. recommended
Annual Tuition (2009/2010): $17,200
Athletic Programs: Soccer, basketball, softball, track and cross country plus daily physical education

 

(November 2009)