Testimonials
“The Westminster experience has affected who I am today for it has helped me to become the best version of myself. It has also given me the love of theater and lots of confidence for public speaking. Through the years, I have had many memories with many cherished friends and these memories will stay with me in the future.”
“From my nine years here at Westminster, I have been taught to be an independent learner. My teachers, from a young age, encouraged me to trust myself and to make mistakes. Westminster has not only provided me with independent skills and confidence, but also great memories.”
“Westminster School has been a beloved second home to me—a happy place to learn and grow where there’s always something exciting to look forward to. In the cozy and comfortable setting of these halls, I have learned and tried interesting things such as drama, ballroom dancing, and sports that I may not have otherwise tried. The school has given me confidence and helped me build character, personality and strong work ethic that will always be a part of me.”
“President John Adams said that there are two types of education: one teaches you how to earn a living and the other teaches you how to live. At Westminster School, we were lucky to experience both. Over the years, Westminster taught us skills that will help us succeed as we continue our educations. But more importantly, Westminster also taught us the value of hard work and self-discipline, of kindness and courtesy, of music and art, and theater and sports, and yes, even dancing.”
A loving environment which feels like a second home to our family. My children enjoy going to school each day and look forward to the many special events and field trips that compliment their studies. They are receiving the best education and are being taught my caring, loving, and talented teachers. We have never once regretted the decision to send our children to Westminster School; a true treasure in Annandale.
Westminster creates a wonderful environment for our child to learn and grow. The small class sizes provide teachers the opportunity to quickly head off any academic challenges a child might be having. The school’s culture is one of respect and order… Our daughter loves it there and has really matured into a lovely young lady.
Five years ago, Mr. Glover said the following simple, but powerful sentence, to us and similar prospective parents at that year’s open house: “Westminster school prepares your children for life”. Time and time again, we have seen his powerful words being operationalized in our child’s Westminster School life. It is very hard to list the numerous ways we have silently observed the operationalization of his powerful words, but we have listed some of them: the CBRB books and the life lessons that the kids dig out from them; the sound writing skills that build a firm foundation and prepare them, not just for high school, but most importantly for college and life work beyond that ; the curriculum, which makes them think concepts of applicability of math and science, but goes beyond that and enriches their life and quickens their insight and foresight about life and governance through history; the art curricula, which opens up their internal as well as external eyes to the amazing art world and provides them with a compass of how to navigate through it; the values of being courteous, respect for others irrespective of their socio-economic background , and hard work that weaves through and touches their daily life; the focus on encouraging and guiding students to think for themselves in each class, to dig and find kernels of knowledge in each facet of each subject which paves the way to produce leaders, and not just followers; the yearly plays that they do which grooms them for something much higher , the attainment with ease and grace the art of public speaking; above everything else, the great teachers, especially the 3rd and 4th grade teachers, who care deeply for the progress of our child as a full human being and not only in their subject area. It has been priceless for us to discover in the past five years, in our child’s life, how Mr. Glover’s words of five years ago, were not an empty promise, but rather he knew and meant what he was saying.
“My daughter loves Camp Griffin — and I do too! I love that Camp Griffin not only provides her with a variety of fun activities to choose from but also creates engaging and meaningful learning experiences throughout each program activity. Win-win in keeping the body and mind busy during the summer season!”
I love Camp Griffin because my children develop their sports abilities: they run, swim, jump, hike, and climb. They develop their artistic abilities: they sing, dance, act, paint, draw, and loom. They unplug from technology and reconnect with nature and friends. At Camp Griffin my children try new things in a non-competitive environment and are given diverse opportunities to succeed.
My children (twin girls) love camp at Westminster! They get to play with their friends without the rigors of class schedules, and we all love the camp staff. My children return to the 3-week theater camp year after year – it is a unique opportunity to work on all aspects of a performance from set to costumes, stage presence and song and dance choreography.
Westminster is as good a school as I could ever have hoped and dreamed to find for my children. Its academics are advanced and its teachers are enthusiastic, caring, and well-versed in their subject matter. The policies may be stricter than at other schools I have encountered, but they are extremely fair and my children are thriving in such a developmentally and academically stimulating environment. The challenging classroom structure is balanced by the many body and soul activities. At Westminster, the children have athletics every day and it places a great value on the performing and visual arts as well. I am confident each day I drop my children off for school that Westminster is helping them grow not only intellectually, but ultimately preparing them take their place as citizens of the world. If you are the type of parent who appreciates firm, but compassionate guidance and who wants your child to learn that the point of doing anything is not necessarily the outcome, but rather the work that has gone into it the process of striving to attain a goal, the journey itself as it were – then Westminster is the place for your family.
Excellent teachers and staff. The school is challenging but my kids are safe, respected, and happy. With anything, there are things that you have to get used to but overall you will find an amazing group of teachers with a true desire to see our children be the best they can be.
I am the parent of two very different young men. Westminster School meets the different needs of the boys beautifully. The school sets high expectations of the students in all areas. It is always exciting to see my boys rise to meet these expectations. My older son needs constant challenge and the school provides it. He is confident and thinks he is ready to conquer the world. He is learning important foundations of the value of strong writing, organization, and responsibility. My younger son has confidence issues and is shy – never wanting to be in the limelight or singled-out for anything. The school has worked wonders to bring him out of his shell. In addition, he is learning valuable skills in getting organized. He has struggled with this and his teachers have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help him hone this important skill. The school is not for everyone, but if you are looking for rigorous academics, and an environment where personal responsibility, kindness, respect, and being able to THINK are valued, I STRONGLY encourage you to take a look at the school. It is great value for the tuition
Just finished up Greek Day in the fourth grade today. What a great and fun way to help the kids remember details of Greek history, not just memorize! One of the great supplements to the “book” education at Westminster is the creative experiences the teachers put together for their students that inspire and excite the imagination. Today they participated in chariot racing, discus and javelin throwing, ate Greek food, dressed as a character from Greek history, and painted Greek pottery. This follows Egyptian Day last year and Native American Day in second grade. History days join interactive field trips, physical challenges like Inner Quest, and a class play each year to become comfortable speaking in public. Westminster turns out well-rounded, thoughtful citizens and is truly a gem. My kids love going to school every day!
Westminster School holds high standards of conduct and academic excellence. It believes in allowing each child to rise to the challenge of meeting and exceeding expectations. It has a team of strong leadership to include the headmaster and wonderful, wonderful dedicated teachers and administration. We have a 1st grader and a pre-k (4) student attending the Griffin Academy of Westminster, and our experience has been beyond what we hoped for with both of them. They are each challenged academically and they each have art, music, French, and theater performances that involve every child. What I love the most is their excitement and joy in going to school and in learning! I know it will get harder as we progress through the grades, but nothing easy is worth doing. With added focus on manners, civility, camaraderie, and trying their best, this school outshines so many other private schools in my opinion. It has so many graduates working for the school as teachers and such longstanding traditions of value, we couldn’t be happier with our decision. We look forward to our years ahead and our future Westminster graduates!
My son has attended Westminster for K and 1st. We are extraordinarily pleased at the level of engagement the teachers have with my son and with us. The curriculum is excellent – advanced compared to the public school programs we examined, with a broad spectrum of study beyond math, science and language arts. My son loves art, music and French classes several times a week, and we particularly appreciate physical education classes daily. Field trips are a wonderful complement to the program. The lower school teachers achieve a smooth and efficient harmony, integrating the curriculum across ALL classes so the message is reinforced in many different ways. My favorite aspect is the annual play presented by each class where EACH student has a substantive role, including solo lines, chorus and sometimes solo singing, and choreographed dancing. You can see the confidence growing in every student – they clamor for opportunities to speak in front of the school and the head of school offers a variety throughout the year. I look forward to my daughters starting K next year and getting this great educational start – a love of learning in a respectful, tolerant and demanding environment.
Excellent teachers and staff. The school is challenging but my kids are safe, respected, and happy. With anything, there are things that you have to get used to but overall you will find an amazing group of teachers with a true desire to see our children be the best they can be.
After carefully looking at elementary schools in the entire metropolitan area, our three children attended Westminster, and received an excellent***** education! The Head of Westminster has a clear mission to maintain high standards. The teachers are rigorous, kind and caring. When our three children entered in 2nd grade and K, there was an outpouring of welcome and warmth from the students, parents, faculty and administration. Westminster is the very BEST!
I am a parent of Westminster graduates, as well as a proud grandparent of two current Westminster students. The wonderful academic pursuits at Westminster include sequential history, French beginning in kindergarten, Latin in 7th and 8th, public speaking in plays, performing in music programs, Physical Education daily, and multiple field trips. More important to the development of young people is the attitude of respect which permeates the entire school. Respect is shown to each student, and this is then echoed in the students’ behavior toward each other, toward the teachers, toward the administration, and toward their academic assignments. The high expectations for each student result in self-respect and high performance by all. Respect for ROUTINE which is so important throughout life is one of key components of life at Westminster – beginning with how students line up to change classes or go to PE. Children respond positively when they know how they are expected to act, and they are surrounded by others who are also acting appropriately. They are encouraged to do their best, and they do ! Learning becomes a JOY in these circumstances !!!
The emphasis on good citizenship, character and philanthropy that Westminster strives to instill in your students is beneficial to all of us since these are our future leaders . . . Thank you for encouraging your students to help those less fortunate. . .
Westminster School had such a great impact on me. I could write pages and pages about how my experience at Westminster has shaped me into the person I am today, but above all I value the outstanding education I received, the great study habits I learned, the proper etiquette in important formal situation, and the excellent writing skills I acquired. You really helped bring me out of my shell and give me self-confidence in the 7th and 8th grade plays, and I am very grateful for that because I am no longer afraid to speak in front of large groups, like I did this summer at Virginia Girls State. You have also sparked my interest in the liberal arts, and I feel that if I had attended any other school I would not have developed such a passion. Westminster school did not just prepare me for success in high school; the lessons I learned there will serve me well for the rest of my life.
Westminster School was a life changer for my daughter. Now, a successful, self-supporting recent college grad, she still sings the praises of the school, its staff, and headmaster. Not only did it provide her with a top-notch, well-rounded education, it equipped her with the life skills necessary to succeed in today’s challenging world. To this day, she still maintains a close friendship with several of her Westminster classmates. The personal attention to each student’s needs by staff and teachers is extraordinary. The Westminster experience provides students with a strong educational foundation, self-confidence and the discipline necessary for exceptional achievement in their high school and subsequent college years.
My son was accepted at each of the three schools to which we had applied for Kindergarten. We chose Westminster over the others not only because of all the advertised claims such as a classical education and a nurturing environment (which are true), but because the feel of the place is genuine. Walk down the halls during the day and the students make direct eye contact and greet visitors appropriately. Teachers are skilled and passionate and devoted to the success of every child. The Administration is very direct and clear in terms of academic and behavioral expectations for the students, and an atmosphere of clarity, passion, skill, and nurture is where I most want my children to be. My son graduated from Westminster last month, and is off to a wonderful high school which selected him from a large pool in part because of his Westminster background. My daughter is a current student and is thriving. I highly recommend this school to any parent looking for quality, attention to detail, and the highest academic and personal standards.
Westminster School gives you exactly what they promise: a traditional education at a bargain price. The extras are impressive also: small class size, great facilities, motivated students and truly impressive diversity. The curriculum is challenging but teachers are universally ready to give personal attention to students. It is a school with a mission to provide a unique educational experience. The administration is serious about the curriculum, which is well thought out and established. Our son thrived in the atmosphere. We all have great memories of the plays and other events in which everyone participates. Great School!
I attended Westminster School for eight years and I can say it gave me the most wonderful education that I could have had. The administration gave me confidence and were always there to provide academic and emotional support. I have some of my best memories from there and am still friends with many people that were in my class. I was extremely well prepared for a very competitive private high school and a college that is ranked in the top 20 in the nation. I have a BA, MA and a JD and have used my Westminster training throughout my career. In addition to academics, Westminster nurtured athletic and artistic talents. I am so grateful that my parents sent me there and I cannot imagine sending my children anywhere else.
Of the all the education I have received up through my master’s degree, the classical education I received at Westminster has left the deepest, longest-lasting impression on me. Though I am an engineer by profession, I think that learning subjects such as Latin, literature, and history so early on has been critical to making me a well-rounded person and significantly contributed to my becoming a thinking, contributing member of society.
Two of my children graduated from Westminster and we have never regretted sending them to this school. Yes, the academics are challenging and there is homework every night but the students rise to the challenge. My children learned self respect and self discipline. To this day, they can still finish the column in “Jeopardy” on Greek and Roman Gods! Their knowledge of French and Latin carried through to high school and college. They were very prepared for high school. The arts, athletic and theater programs are second to none. It’s an excellent investment with lifelong outcomes.
I am an alumnus who went to WS for 5 years. Thought I’d jot down some memories… Clean hallways; teachers smiling from doorways between classes; helping to edit the yearbook; wearing a toga and trying baklava for the first time on Greek Day; grass stains after capture-the-flag; frog dissection (yep, I did this!); feeling mature and proud in my “blazer and tie” for assemblies; introduction to Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice!); standing ovation for opening night of my 8th grade play; feeling amazed to be learning two foreign languages and actually *getting* them; extra help with algebra after school; crazy Halloween parades; being moved to tears reading “Romeo and Juliet” out loud with my 7th grade… & note to parents: I placed well, well above my peers in high school French thanks to Westminster. Was conversing en francais with juniors and seniors, while other kids in my year were in French 101!
Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to discover Westminster School through my work with an area non-profit. It was love at first sight! No, the school is not for everyone. The curriculum is rigorous and the expectations are high. The children are challenged. They are expected to behave as young ladies and gentlemen. They are given the foundation needed to succeed in life. I often tell my boys, “If it is easy, why bother?” There is so much one can learn from struggle and even (GASP) failure. I can say that the teachers and administration care deeply for the children and want them to succeed. They have the best interests of our children at heart . I wouldn’t send my boys anywhere else. I wish I could take advantage of the preschool, but logistics prevent it. It’s a 70 mile round-trip commute to school and it’s worth every mile!
Westminster School is a very special place where each student is cherished and guided. The teachers are dedicated to developing the whole student by providing rigorous academic instruction, nurturing the spirit of the child through great attention to the arts, and shaping the character of the individual through consistent and fairly administered standards. My daughter is about to finish her first year here, and when I was searching for a kindergarten, it was important to me that my daughter attend school in a diverse setting with children of varying cultures. Westminster certainly provides that. Most importantly, I wanted more for my child than just a superior education, although Westminster definitely delivers that. I wanted a place where the teachers were going to recognize the precious individuality of my child, celebrating her strengths and achievements, lovingly helping her when she made mistakes, always challenging her to be her best self. Westminster is that place, and I am so grateful that I found this school where her mind, heart, and soul can be fulfilled.
Witnessing a group of enchanting Kindergartners gradually become earnest young students, and finally junior high adolescents involved in sports, drama, music, art and volunteering, brings joy and satisfaction, and belief in the Westminster program. As a teacher in this community, who has enjoyed several such cycles, and as the parent of Westminster graduates, I feel incredibly fortunate to have played a role in a school that continually grows and improves in its mission. In a culture which embraces mediocrity for the sake of comfort, Westminster does ruffle some feathers in its quest for excellence through effort, its insistence on good manners and respect, and its expectation of accountability and responsibility. However, very often the students who struggled the most, who required the most guidance and mentoring, are the dearest, the most loving, the most appreciative when they return, as alumni, to visit us. What an uplifting experience!
I have been fortunate enough to have been a teacher at Westminster School for nearly ten years. Westminster School not only dedicates itself to shaping the minds of children, it also nurtures families and staff. The daily atmosphere at Westminster School is loving, caring, and respectful. Teachers are responsible for working with administrators and parents centered around one objective, each and every child. No detail about the social, emotional, and/or academic progress of a child is overlooked. Westminster teachers, administrators, and parents are a team. Over the years, I have witnessed a team that stands by each other through ups and downs, to ensure that EVERY child becomes a contributing member of society. The program at Westminster has been refined and perfected for nearly 50 years! We are a true family.
I have worked at Westminster for 18 years. During this time I have had the pleasure to watch children develop from young children to young adults ready to conquer the world with confidence, excellent study skills and academic preparation and poise. Westminster has challenging standards and there must be a commitment from the students and parents to make it to graduation, but the rewards are worth the effort. Graduates leave the school well prepared for the world beyond the halls of Westminster. I take pride in knowing that these children are cared for by teachers who have made this school a part of their lives. The majority of the teaching staff has been at the school for a least five years and a third of the staff has served the school for a decade or longer providing continuity in the program. The administration is supportive to both teachers and families.
Westminster School is simply the best school of its kind in our area. I wanted to send my children to a place that was about more than academics. Yes, the curriculum is advanced – but, more importantly, my children learned good values. They learned to be polite, respectful, have self-discipline, work hard – even in the face of adversity. Westminster nurtures the whole child – and finds a way to bring out each child’s individual gifts. This school is like no other. I am so grateful for all that the teachers and administrators have done for my children – the school simply helped them to become better people.
