Q: How do I know if The Nysmith School is right for my child?
A: The Nysmith School is for children who have a love of learning and a thirst for knowledge. If your child welcomes being challenged academically and does not need lots of repetition to master new material, he or she will love coming every day to Nysmith which is like no other school you will find anywhere else.
Q: How is Nysmith different from other schools?
A: Nysmith was created specifically to meet the needs of students who have developed an aptitude in one or more study areas and are looking to pursue their passion for knowledge. The teachers are equally passionate about the subjects they teach, and present a diversified curriculum to smaller classes of curious children in a unique and nurturing environment. We minimize in-class repetition, encourage students to express their opinions freely and challenge them to learn concepts and develop the critical thinking skills they will use in furthering their education. And our 1:9 teacher-to-student ratio allows for the personal attention that is impossible to provide in classes with 20 or more children and a single teacher.
Q: Where do your students come from?
A: We have many from Northern Virginia–Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Reston, Fairfax, Arlington, South Riding, Ashburn, and of course, Herndon–plus others that come from Maryland, D.C. and areas further south and west. What’s perhaps most impressive is the number of families that move here from other parts of the country for the sole purpose of enrolling their child at Nysmith. We are that different, and are proud that in our case, a special place attracts special students.
Q: What does it mean “Nysmith makes a world-class education a joy-filled experience?”
A: Our curriculum not only delivers a deep foundational knowledge-based education; it likewise helps develop children’s’ character and teaches them how to apply what they’ve learned to work with the goal of becoming their best selves. We teach students to think for themselves, to analyze, problem solve, communicate and lead. Our graduates are dynamic, considerate, resilient and optimistic young people who see problems and look for solutions in their roles as active collaborators and leaders. We help them achieve a healthy level of happiness with themselves, that when combined with the knowledge they secure, prepares them for success in high school, college and life, competing successfully with their peers around the world.
Q: What are the first steps in the application process?
A: It starts with filling out an application, which can be found in both the Admissions brochure and on our website under the “Admissions” tab. Please note that depending on the age of your child, teacher recommendations and testing may be required in order for him or her to be considered for admission.
Once we receive the completed application, we schedule an in-person visit that will enable your son or daughter to become fully immersed in the Nysmith experience. They will see with their own eyes what it’s like for students here and that “day in life” opportunity provides valuable insight into what makes the school different from any other you may be considering.
Q: How and when are Admissions decisions made?
A: We provide current Nysmith families that complete their re-enrollment by the end of January the first opportunity to reserve a space for the following year.
For students applying from other schools, if you have submitted all the required documents and your child completes the student visit by Feb. 15, you will be included in the first round of Admissions decisions that are made in mid-February.
After the first set of enrollments are received, the school offers rolling admission for any additional spaces.
Q: Do you ever accept mid-year enrollments?
A: We are happy to consider your child for mid-year admission if space is available in their grade.
Q: Do you offer financial aid, and if so, under what circumstances?
A: We try to make a Nysmith School education affordable for as many families as possible. We use a sliding scale tuition adjustment process that assesses the financial need of the family through the use of ISM Fast software. About 25% of Nysmith families receive financial assistance; typical financial assistance grants amount to 25% to 50% of tuition.
Q: Can we schedule an on-site tour before submitting an application?
A: Absolutely. Parents who have been vaccinated are encouraged to come on-site for a tour as long as they remain masked while inside the building.
Q: Will my child have a chance to work beyond his/her grade level if appropriate?
A: Absolutely. The Nysmith School is built on differentiation. We challenge your child in a way that is stimulating without pressure–and students showing an advanced proficiency in Language Arts or Math may study up to four grades ahead. And regardless of subject matter, whether it is Science, Social Studies, Technology, Foreign Language or an elective, within each class the teachers are able to provide the personal attention to meet the varying needs of each student.
Q: Do you provide transportation, lunch and/or child care?
A: Yes, yes and yes.
We have buses that pick up and drop off students every day through Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Reston, Herndon and other local areas. We also are happy to help families arrange carpools with friends and neighbors.
We have daily hot lunches from outside vendors available for purchase. More details are available upon request.
Child care is open from 7:00 in the morning until 6:30 in the evening. Care can be arranged on an hourly basis as needed and is available over most academic breaks.
Q: Are there a good number of extracurricular activities offered?
A: We currently have more than 60 after-school teacher-led clubs that run from 3:15 to 4:15 most weekdays. Although the specific offerings vary from year to year, they always include sports/recreational activities, academic pursuits, computer-related interests, music/theater and many other fun options. We also have a wide variety of enrichment clubs presented by outside vendors that run from 4:15 to 5:15.
Q: Is there an official school dress code?
A: Nysmith’s dress code, which does not apply to our Preschool class, requires a plain colored shirt with a collar, solid pants or skirt. A more detailed version is available upon request.
Q: What are the Foreign Language requirements/options?
A: Beginning with the three-year-old’s, all students take 30 minutes of French every day. In fourth and fifth grades, they transition to Spanish for a half hour each day. Sixth graders move to Latin for that same amount of time. Seventh and eighth graders choose a high school level foreign language they want to study.