Reviews

“I wanted to thank you for keeping our babies safe and happy all summer. You are simply the best and our family loves you and your camp staff.”

“Our five year old daughter has enjoyed two summers at Camp Griffin, and is already asking about the first day of camp next year!  Not only do the campers go on field trips weekly (and sometimes multiple times a week!), they go on educational field trips. Our daughter loves traveling into DC to visit art and history museums, Baltimore for science museums, farmers markets for the freshest and healthiest snacks, and of course, parks for extra physical activity and picnics with her friends. As a bonus, the campers go to the pool each Friday, which is not only a blast, but it has boosted our daughter’s confidence in the pool, she has improved her swimming skills, and she no longer requires floaties in the water.  Each week Camp Griffin teaches the children something new and exciting, and our daughter can’t wait to share with us all that she has learned at the end of each camp day. We love knowing that not only is our daughter having the time of her life, learning new skills, creating memories, and is safe with the wonderful teachers that she loves as her own family.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to you and your fabulous counselors and crew. Each day when he comes home, Zack tells us about the fun times he has had with his new friends at camp!

“Our three-year old had the most amazing experience this year at Westminster / Griffin Academy. From the administrators to the teachers, everyone was so welcoming to our son and our family. This place is such an awesome place in the heart of Annandale, and younger kids like ours got to experience the entirety of the school from joining the older kids in reading and drama to field trips every single month to places around the DC area.”

“. . . successfully created a warm, caring, and supportive community where students are able to comfortably learn and achieve their full potential. . . I leave knowing that my education has given me the tools and the confidence to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.”

“Our three-year old had the most amazing experience this year at Westminster / Griffin Academy. From the administrators to the teachers, everyone was so welcoming to our son and our family. This place is such an awesome place in the heart of Annandale, and younger kids like ours got to experience the entirety of the school from joining the older kids in reading and drama to field trips every single month to places around the DC area.”

“I graduated from Westminster and came back to teach here. The school’s values never left me — and they won’t leave my students.”

“I really love working here at Westminster School. It is a perfect match for me. I believe in the values of hard work, discipline, and manners. We teach the students to be responsible and carry themselves in a respectful and courteous way. We also teach them to care and be attentive to details. It is a wonderful school and we offer so much more than just an advanced curriculum. I can be myself and I have full support from my colleagues and supervisors. My personality involves a lot of fun, movement, and interaction with the students. Our diverse community
makes our classes very rich with different experiences and we emphasize sharing with each other.”

“Walking through those doors, I knew this place was different. There’s an aura here you simply don’t find elsewhere.”

“Westminster didn’t just teach our son — it shaped him. The faculty know each child by name, by strength, by dream.”

“Thank you and all the Griffin Academy and Westminster staff for your resilience during this time, we are very grateful!”

“. . . built up my confidence and taught me how to dream. But most importantly . . . showed me how to love and appreciate beautiful and excellent things.”

“We love the ongoing piano lessons with Ms. Kelli and we were extremely impressed with the creativity and ingenuity that the teachers showed last week with the distance learning classes. Mrs. Guerra’s STAR flash cards, the flower art class and Mrs. Bowab’s science class on ramps were all a terrific kick off. From circle time to French- you guys are just knocking it out of the park. [My child] looks forward to every session.”

“I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your herculean efforts of this past week and, I’m sure, the week(s) leading up to it. From my perspective, the combination of Google classroom and Zoom worked really well and I appreciate everything you did to prepare and teach under these extraordinary circumstances. I know you all put in so many more hours behind the scenes and I wish I could thank you in person, but when this all is over, I will certainly share my appreciation with each of you. I wish you a peaceful, if somewhat secluded, week of spring break; if anyone deserves it, it is this remarkable group. “

“Miss Donner and Mrs. Elder have already surpassed our expectations with online learning.  Their flexibility in switching over lessons plans to virtual learning (with very little time to prepare) is obvious and the plethora of resources they have shared with us has been invaluable.  Their obvious love for the students is apparent in each zoom session and each note in Google Classroom.  [My child] loves receiving “emails” from her teachers with returned work.

Both teachers have shown only concern for the children and parents and the quality of our experience, although I can’t imagine the hours which have gone into reorganizing their lessons, grappling with new technology and the pressure of essentially doubling their class size.

We also recognize that most schools are not including specials (if they are even offering online learning) and we have already experienced zoom classes with Mrs. Ahn and Madame Peev and have been so thrilled to continue these lessons.  We also know the support and planning of the administration helped to make all of this possible, again with an incredibly quick turnaround.

[My child] has been engaged in the classes, anxious to show off her work, and so happy to see the faces of her teachers and friends.  These circumstances are frustrating at best, but your staff has absolutely risen to the occasion and we could not be more grateful.

In the midst of all of this uncertainty, I wanted to make sure we shared how much we adore the Kindergarten staff and how much their efforts mean to us.”

“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.”

“The Griffin Academy is an absolute treasure – a welcoming, warm, and fun school with amazing teachers and staff. It is our second year at the school, and we could not be happier – our child looks forward to school each day, has made great friends, and is developing a love for learning.”

“The small class sizes really allow the teachers to focus on each child as an individual, and this, I believe, is what allowed our son to flourish. In the two years that we were a part of this wonderful academy, I can truly say that he was surrounded by a team of educators who were meant to be in the teaching profession. It was a blessing that The Griffin Academy came into our lives.”

“The Griffin Academy is an absolute treasure – a welcoming, warm, and fun school with amazing teachers and staff. It is our second year at the school, and we could not be happier – our child looks forward to school each day, has made great friends, and is developing a love for learning.”

“My daughter has the time of her life at Camp Griffin. We just spent our second summer there where she got to go on fun day trip adventures, participate in specialty camps on site and have a pool day every Friday with her camp friends. Camp Griffin provides a safe but fun activity-full day where my child comes home happy and tired, excited to wake up for the next day at camp. What more could a parent ask for?”

“It’s working so well!!! This is a game-changer for our week. Thank you all SO much for forging through all this uncertainty and figuring out a way to get the classes together. We are astounded and grateful.”

“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 dram, 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.”

“We absolutely love this school. The teachers are exceptional and truly made my kids’ experience enriching, yet fun and enjoyable!”

“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.”

“My girls love Camp Griffin! Camp Griffin has a huge variety of camps for all ages that change every week. They get to do all kinds of sports, activities, and field trips with their friends, teachers and coaches from Westminster. They also get an opportunity to make new friends. It is the perfect camp to keep the kids busy in the summer while still having fun!”

“I learned things about myself that I might never have known . . . Being a student at Westminster has opened up a world of possibilities. Having the confidence to pursue my dreams is invaluable.”

“I heart you and the rest of the teachers. You have risen to this challenge so beautifully and found ways to continually improve the experience. Thank you very much, [my son] has found the routine of school comforting in these unsettled times.”

“We absolutely love this school. The teachers are exceptional and truly made my kids’ experience enriching, yet fun and enjoyable!”

“The faculty and staff at Westminster School, more so than at any other school I have worked for, believe in educating and forming the entire person: mind, body, and spirit. The administrators and teachers work closely with each other and with the parents to raise our students to be kind, inclusive, thoughtful, and grateful. While I love being able to focus solely on teaching math in the Upper School, I also appreciate the team-centered approach. My fellow Upper School teachers are constantly discussing how best to solve problems and serve each individual student. My peers inspire me to plan my lessons creatively, to work collaboratively, and to hold high expectations of our students. I am grateful to have found Westminster School and it will forever hold a spot in my heart.”

“The small class sizes really allow the teachers to focus on each child as an individual, and this, I believe, is what allowed our son to flourish. In the two years that we were a part of this wonderful academy, I can truly say that he was surrounded by a team of educators who were meant to be in the teaching profession. It was a blessing that The Griffin Academy came into our lives.”