The Griffin Academy of Westminster School, Annandale

Welcome to Westminster School! I hope that you are getting a feeling for our school’s unique mission and the difference it can make in your child’s life. Since 1962, Westminster has been working in partnership with parents to deliver not just an effective, high-quality academic curriculum, but an entire program for nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of each individual child. Few investments have greater potential than your child’s education. His/her depth of knowledge and understanding of the world, quality of academic skills, attitude toward life’s opportunities and setbacks, good character, and self-confidence will all be critically shaped by your child’s educational experience, especially during the formative elementary and middle-school years. At Westminster School, we understand how to engage and motivate students based on their natural curiosity and enjoyment during each phase of their development. Our students are taught how to think critically and creatively, how to harness their energies and direct them to purpose, and how to respect themselves and others. In short, we give them the tools they need to succeed in school and in life. For over 50 years, we have helped parents raise knowledgeable, creative, kind, and confident children by applying the classical method to their educational lives and beyond. Learning, striving, and having fun are not mutually exclusive, and these life-enhancing experiences are interwoven throughout our students’ days. With small class sizes and a dedicated staff, we ensure that each student receives the loving attention and high expectations parents want for their child, and which are necessary if he/she is to become the best possible version of him/herself. Nothing makes us prouder than to see a student realize his/her potential and thrive not only within our school community, but in the communities beyond Westminster School walls. I invite you to visit Westminster School and see for yourself how we implement this unique program. I look forward to meeting and welcoming you in person. Mission Westminster School is dedicated to providing a superior elementary and middle-school education whose fundamental goals for each child are a disciplined and well-informed mind, strength of character, dedication to learning, generosity of spirit, and joy in the possibilities of life. The Westminster program is founded on a traditional curriculum, rigorous academic standards, and an atmosphere that promotes respect, integrity, kindness, and a sense of excellence. Westminster's academic program provides thorough training in basic subjects within a broad humanities curriculum. The Classical tradition, great books, and exposure to the arts are emphasized and integrated throughout an accelerated, thoroughly rounded program. Westminster is a school for all children who are likely to respond to the challenge of formalized instruction in a disciplined learning environment. It is neither intended for nor equipped to serve children who are learning disabled or those with serious emotional or behavioral problems. Westminster’s student body reflects the diversity of the greater Washington area, with children from many ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Enrollment remains between 280 and 300 boys and girls each year, with class size limited to 18 students (or fewer in the lowest grades).