Reviews of Wakefield School (Kindergarten)

Paul Mayer

My daughter attended Wakefield from Grade 1 through 12. In general, she received a first rate education in a setting of small class sizes and caring teachers. The school's philosophy of a challenging liberal arts education means she had the opportunity to really challenge herself across the full spectrum of academic areas, including science, mathematics, literature, history, and classical languages. Outside of the classroom, her experience was enriched with competitive but fun athletics, foreign study trips, school publications, and strong friendships. The school gave her opportunities to shine in many ways, which helped her and her peers gain admission to a number of top ranked colleges. In college she continues to excel academically, building on the very strong foundation Wakefield provided, particularly in writing, science, and critical thinking. In a world where academic programs in high schools and colleges are increasingly narrowed to pre-professional interests, Wakefield offers a truly broad-based education that prepares students to think and learn for their lifetimes. We had a great experience.

Susan Lewis

My son is a graduate of Wakefield School and we have been associated with the school for over 10 years. The school's mission and philosophy of seeking challenges and making a difference is very much aligned with our family values. The faculty get to know your child and make sure the he/she is working to their fullest potential. My son went on to college and UVA and attributes much of his success in college to the work ethic that he was taught at Wakefield. Wakefield values personal integrity, courtesy and respect to others, hard work, and perseverance. The new Headmaster at Wakefield is terrific and has already put in place many exciting programs for the future. Wakefield was a wonderful school for our son and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in great academic preparation for college and character development that will last a lifetime.

Glynnis Dwelly

Our family highly recommends Wakefield School. Wakefield is dedicated and committed to providing its students with a quality education and helping them develop into quality individuals. Words like respect, honesty, kindness, responsibility, and decency are part of every day life at Wakefield from Pre-School through 12th grade. Wakefield encourages its students to seek the challenge and make a difference. The curriculum is definitely challenging but the faculty get to know the students individually and provide whatever structure and support are needed in order to ensure success. Students are encourage to be engaged in both their school and local community and to make a difference. We love the "service" aspect that is part of the fabric of Wakefield. We have been associated with Wakefield now for 10 years and we can honestly say that our son (currently in Middle School) has a firm foundation in education and in life. Our new Headmaster has brought many exciting new initiatives to campus that involve all divisions. As Middle School parents, we particularly love the anti-bullying campaigns the Middle Schoolers have put together. We are excited for all of the initiatives in Upper School that our son will get to experience thanks to the creative and innovative thinking of our new Headmaster, faculty and staff. Bottom line...Wakefield is a supportive, safe and caring environment for students to learn, grow, and find their passion.

Michael Oberschneider

The Wakefield School is a very special school. As a child psychologist, I am often asked by parents about school placements for their child or children, and I frequently recommend Wakefield. Their teachers, coaches and advisers are outstanding! From the rigorous liberal arts education to the creative and enriching extra-curricular activities, the school strives (and achieves) at preparing students for life. Unlike a lot of private schools that focus on grades or test scores alone or place an overemphasis on STEM, Wakefield focuses instead on providing a comprehensive education that addresses the whole child or student's needs -- character, intellect, hard work, self-discipline, independence, creativity, critical thinking skills, fundamental knowledge and curiosity. I can't say enough about this school; one of the best college-preparatory school's in Northern Virginia. Yes, "Virtus et Sapientia" Wakefield. Keep up the great job!!! Dr. Michael Oberschneider Licensed Clinical Psychologist Founder and Director Ashburn Psychological and Psychiatric Services

Yutong Jiang

Class of 2019 Enjoyed Wakefield so much!

Randy Bapst

One word describes Wakefield - Amazing! We have had our two boys there now for 11 years. Wakefield School has given them both a wonderful experience and education, it feels like family and is a place where they are provided with a great environment in which to learn and grow. The teachers really care at Wakefield and have jumped in when we needed them, one example is when one of our boys was lost in a math and he was sinking, three members of the faculty staff sat down with me and put together a plan that we all acted on, the end result was a complete turn around and a final grade of an "A"

Juanita Koilpillai

What a wonderful and challenging experience for my daughter. Transitioning to middle school from a Montessori school seemed to be no problem for her. She loves the support and structure she gets from the school.

South Best

We have 3 kids in Wakefield 1 in lower, 1 in middle and 1 in upper school. We have removed all 3 after just 1 month into the 2014 school year. They have a new headmaster and a new lower school head; neither have been the head of anything. The first week my lower school daughter came home three days in a row with scratches on her arm and someone had drawn on her with a pink marker, my daughter told us who did it, a new girl in her class. When we meet with the new headmaster David Colon He offered no help and in and email to us he stated “Wakefield does not have a policy on bulling and they will not put one in place” Even public schools have a policy. The lower school head Dr. Margo Isabel sent emails telling us we do not know what bulling is and what is happening is not bulling, well I would like to know what it is then! When we asked the teacher Miranda Lambourne she know nothing, and she told us that she never lets 2 girls go to the bathroom, why would a 7year old lie we asked other kids and sure enough she lets this happen all the time. So her word means nothing and she will lie straight faced. Had no problems with the middle school. Upper school is a different story my son has been bullied and picked on to the point a senior broke his glasses and when we had him checked at the ER he had a concussion, it seems the upper school gives a lot of scholarships to kids from far away so they can have a winning basketball team. The PE teacher Tee Summers is a short fat guy who must weight 400 pounds I have never seen a PE teacher that out of shape and is a racist, he is black and he shows who he favors. A teacher should never make fun of an injured student you error on the side of the child As for Brian Oliver the head of the upper school I have only 1 thing to say about him LIAR. When we had a school request there transcripts from Wakefield, Sarah McDonough told us she would get to it when she has a chance and she does not know when that will be, how slimy. Do your research and BEWARE of this school, they have just added 8 new people to there board for a total of 27 board members most of the kids there now are either kids of board members or teachers kids. So once again BEWARE.

K Cole

We've had our children at Wakefield since 2005. Our oldest was having a terrible experience at a public middle school. More than 30 kids in the classroom and being bullied frequently. Wakefield is a wonderful experience for both parents and kids. The small class sizes mean that the teachers can form good relationships with every student. The academics are second to none. Last year's graduating class had 20% apply to UVA. All were accepted and all now attend. Wakefield has a very positive reputation at UVA. My oldest will graduate from American University this spring. She has very well prepared for the rigors of college. In fact, she was almost able to graduate early with a degree in Political Science (concentration in Law and Government). Her last semester there will be part time simply because she was able to handle a full slate of classes every semester. When she arrived at AU she tested into a 300 level class in French courtesy of Madame McKee (a Parisian who teaches French at Wakefield). Our daughter has come a very long way since the days of being bullied in public school! Two more kids to go. I'm sure that they will be just as successful as the first. I highly recommend Wakefield as the best place to prepare your kids for college and beyond.

John Fairfield

While I served a full career in the USAF, my wife, as a professional educator, was able to teach in many schools across this great nation. She knew how to assess an educational institution. She found Wakefield and we moved our family to this area to take advantage of what they had to offer. We had the exceptional experience of raising our grand daughter. We left the Montessori system in Reston to enroll her in Wakefield in the first grade. I was able to chaperon her class activities for the next twelve years. I also had the opportunity to serve on the school Board of Trustees so I've seen the school for all perspectives. The academic foundation and the growth of character that our grand daughter experienced was remarkable. She was challenged, nurtured, encouraged and supported in a creative environment. Now a college sophomore, she, like her Wakefield classmates, receive accolades from their professors for their ability to think on their feet and constructively engage others with their critical reasoning skills. Wakefield taught her to respect others, to lead in tough situations, to be held accountable, to assess outcomes and most of all, to have fun. We can't thank the dedicated teachers and staff for providing so much more than an "education". Wakefield's motto of "seek the challenge, make a difference, live an extraordinary life" gave her a sense of identity and purpose that was priceless to our family.

Rachel Cole

I graduated from Wakefield in 2011, my little sister will graduate in 2016 and my little brother will graduate in 2018. While a student, I remember hating all these words they made the students learn, the honor pledge we signed on our tests and papers, and the never ending stream of papers it seemed I had to write. But then I graduated and went to college at Hobart and William Smith (then transferring to American University following a sports related injury my freshman fall). And while I was at college, both HWS and AU, I found I was pleasantly over prepared. If professors were short on time or office hours they would direct my classmates to myself for help on research and paper writing whether it was my introduction level anthropology TA or my advanced class on comparative politics professor. In addition to this, I tested into a 300 level french class entirely owed to the instruction of Madame Mckee (who I imagine will still be at Wakefield when my children attend). Wakefield even continued to help me with my college career by providing connections with parents of students and alumni who have opened doors to internships in the nation's capitol where I was the first or only candidate. And these are only a few of the opportunities that I've received thanks to my high school, something not many can boast in their undergraduate careers. The rebellious high school student in me wants to give only 1 star for all the work I was made to do, but the soon to be college graduate (May 2015 here I come!) wishes more than stars were available because of an endless list of reasons that still continue to have a positive impact on my academic and professional life.

Kristen Byers

We are, and always shall be, devoted fans of Wakefield. Our son and daughter began Wakefield in pre-kindergarten and graduated in 2010 and 2012, respectively. They learned to be curious thinkers and effective communicators, and their participation on sports teams and in extracurricular activities truly enriched their lives. Special trips off-campus included learning to sail in the Caribbean, assisting on a cheetah conservation ranch in Namibia, and exploring the old cities and towns of Spain. Though our children have different interests in college (engineering and public policy/pre-med), the broad array of classes at Wakefield prepared them to meet the challenges of college coursework at UVA and Princeton. The exceptional talent and effort of the teachers brought learning to life and kept our children actively engaged. Like all great journeys, their Wakefield education was greater than the sum of its parts.