Washington Episcopal School

The thing that sets WES apart from the rest is the wonderful staff. Not only is the school blessed with a wealth of resources, but the love from the staff simply echoes through the halls. We have a child in the nursery program and we could not have anticipated a more complete experience. You will be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable, caring and loving set of teachers. I truly appreciate the time and focus they put into the development of the whole child. The entire early childhood program is simply phenomenal. In fact my wife just read me the curriculum for transition and kindergarten and my only question was "can working fathers enroll"? Truth be told, there are many good schools in this area, but the atmosphere of true relationship you and your child will feel at WES is unrivaled.
--Submitted by a parent

We have two children at the school and are very happy with it. It is great at identifying strenghts on all fronts: academic, sports and arts. The class room is structured early on and gives the opportunity for students in nursery, transition and kindergarten to learn arts and science. Also feel the school thus far has been able to differentiate to different curriculum when needed. There is discipline but also a warm welcoming feeling in the school - a great balance for our family.
--Submitted by a parent

A very impressive school in many ways. It is rich in resources; the facility is terrific. But I think WES is not very adept at teaching three and four year olds. Most of the teachers are very warm. But the the day is extremely structured. Three and four year old kids are marched from one activity to another. The "WES Way" lacks flexibility. The climate exudes hierarchy and rules. Three and four year olds get sent home from school as punishment, and their field trips have been nixed for acting up. The school's understanding of child psychology is very old school--set high expectations, demand performance, and punish deviance. The lower school's administration doesn't communicate well with parents---unless there is a problem with your child. Then you will get a terse phone call. Some kids flourish in this type of environment, but others get utterly stressed out. The school has one part-time counselor, so if your child gets stressed out you are not going to get much help from the school. It is not a place that welcomes eccentricity, so any parent who has a young child who isn't pretty tough and very disciplined probably should think twice about applying.
--Submitted by a parent

Our famiy has been at WES for eleven years, with one daughter who has attended from nursery to 8th grade and another currently in 1st grade. We've been pleased with WES from the beginning and feel it is improving still. We're in the middle of the high school application / admissions process, and it's going very well for our daughter and her WES friends. The Middle School is not to be missed - with excellent teachers, a protected and encouraging environment for the students, and great opportunities in sports, leadership, arts and travel, Also - pay attention to what's included in tuition at WES as opposed to other independent schools. Yes, it's very expensive (as they all are), but you get a lot for your money. There are no additional fees for sports, afterschool programs (except for extended day until 6 pm), arts, and the great field trips and middle school travel experiences. Other schools in the area charge lots of money for after school clubs, sports and field trips...not at WES.
--Submitted by a parent

Because the teachers are great. They help the students enjoy learning. The faculty is wonderful and a pleasure to talk and work with.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been going to this school for 10 ten years and it has done nothing but good for me. The teachers are helpful and encouraging and the school environment makes any student feel welcome
--Submitted by a student

I went to this school for eight years and I loved it! It prepared me incredibly well for high school!
--Submitted by a parent

I have a daughter in pre-kindergarten (Transition) at WES. She began the year as a shy girl, without much confidence and since the beginning of the year has evolved (if not exploded) into a confident and very social little women. She is outperforming in her class and enjoys going to school. I could not be happier with this school.
--Submitted by a parent

We have had three children go through WES, all with great success. They have been well prepared to go on to academically challenging high schools. While at WES, they had supportive teachers and fabulous extracurricular opportunities. The 6th grade travels to Utah for a week, the 7th grade travels to Italy for ten days, and the 8th grade travels to France for two weeks -- and all these study trips are included in the tuition. WES is a wonderful school.
--Submitted by a parent

This school really was not helpful to me at all. The teachers did not correctly place students in advanced classes. It is a small school full of teachers who act non-proffesional. I was a student here, and I would recommend other good private schools or even some of the public schools in Montgomery county such as Hoover Ms, or Pyle MS.
--Submitted by a student