About The School

• Admissions
• Mission Statement and Philosophy
• Our Educational Approach
• School Facility
• Meet the Headmaster
• School Community
• Educational Curriculum
• Kindergarten Overview
• Drama
• Music & Orchestra
• Physical Education & Athletics
• Academic Achievements
• Accomplishments
• After-School Care Program
• Summer Program
• Bus Service
• Development
• Alumni Resources
• Parent Resources

More Information

Admissions

• Open House Schedule and Admissions Calendar
• Tuition and Financial Aid
• Application for Admission
• Tuition and Fee Schedule 2008/2009
• Kindergarten and 1st Grade Recommendation Form
• Grades 2-8 General Recommendation Form
• Grades 6-8 Math Recommendation Form
• Grades 6-8 English Recommendation Form

Our Educational Approach

• Parents Give Westminster School in Virginia Top Grades!

Educational Curriculum

• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• History/Classical Studies
• Languages
• Art
• Enrichment
• Geography

Summer Program

• Summer Course and Camp Brochure 2008
• Summer Course and Camp Registration Form 2008

Bus Service

• School Bus Fees 2008/2009

Parent Resources

• School Supply List for 2008-2009

Essays about Private Schools in Virginia

• Why Should You Pay to send your child to a Private K-8 School in Virginia?
• Does It Really Matter Where My Child Attends Elementary School?

Language Arts

Fundamental to the entire program of Westminster School is a belief in the life-transforming power of great books.  The Language Arts Program is designed to introduce children to that experience and to enhance their response to the greatest degree possible.  The phonics-based program in grades K-2 promotes the love of reading and ensures reading mastery at an early age.  An integrated program of reading comprehension and literature appreciation, vocabulary building, spelling, grammar, and penmanship, as well as expository and creative writing, is taught in all grades.  Teachers in all disciplines work to promote writing across the curriculum, and attention is given to oral and written English skills in all subjects.

At the heart of the Language Arts program is the extensive use of high-quality classic and contemporary literary works.  Reading and discussing such works furthers language arts development, encourages high literary standards and appreciation of good literature, broadens the student’s perspective on the world, and inspires creative thinking throughout life.  In addition to classroom studies of classic works of literature, all grades also participate in the Junior Great Books program, which promotes critical thought and discussion of high-quality literature.

In Westminster’s advanced program, students in 2^nd grade are ready for “chapter books” and read several during the school year. In grades 3 – 6, students read four books with their class and an additional four books chosen individually from a classroom collection.  In grades 7 and 8, students read a combination of sophisticated prose works, poems, and plays. Below are samples of grade-level reading selections:

2^nd Grade:        Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
                        Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

3^rd Grade:         A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
                        Pippi in the South Seas by Astrid Lindgren

 4^th Grade:         Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
                        Number the Stars  by Lois Lowry

 5^th Grade:         Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
                        A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

 6^th Grade:         The Pearl by John Steinbeck
                        Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

 7^th Grade:         Two complete plays by William Shakespeare
                        Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 8^th Grade:         Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
                        My Antonia by Willa Cather

Contact Us

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FAQs

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