Saint Ann Catholic School

980 North Frederick Street

Arlington, VA 22205

18 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 25, 2025

Saint Ann has been a wonderful choice for our family. The classroom sizes are smaller than public schools, the teachers work with you individually to figure out what's best for your child, and the parents in the community rally together to help others when needed. We joined the school in the middle of the school year in 2020, and by the time the school year ended you couldn't tell my son was "the new kid"- they fully embraced him and he's love it ever since. Can't say enough positive things about this school.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2021

We have had a very positive experience at St. Ann School. The academics, in particular the writing curriculum, have been outstanding. The school community and parish work hard to make everyone feel welcome and part of the place. I would highly recommend anyone looking for Catholic school take a tour of Saint Ann.
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2019

I have to agree with the review that said do not send your boys here. Teaching styles and disciplinary habits are not suited for the average boy, and boys are often lost in a cycle of punishment and bad behavior. There is a lot of potential in such a small school, but Saint Ann misses the mark, especially for boys.
Submitted by parent on June 02, 2019

St. Ann’s is an absolutely wonderful place to receive a classic Catholic education. The Pastor is fully committed to the school and the Principal is a great leader who is very fair, is receptive to feedback, and is continually looking for ways to make the school a better place for all students. She has built a staff of wonderful classroom teachers who know how to teach, always have a smile for the students and demonstrate that they genuinely care about them…plus the middle school math teacher is outstanding. The staff of specials teachers know their stuff…the Language Arts Enrichment teacher is the best in the business, as St. Ann students continually emerge as strong writers and win awards in local essay contests on a regular basis. The Art teacher is fabulous and showcases multiple pieces of artwork from every student in the school at an impressive art show each May. The PE, Spanish and Computer teachers are also on top of their game. St. Ann’s also has an outstanding resource teacher who does a great job with students who need some extra help. The school also offers a wide variety of after school enrichment activities. However, the secret sauce at St. Ann’s lies in the community. You will not find a more close knit, supportive and genuinely nice group of families anywhere, and there are lots of fun, community building activities throughout the year for everyone. The CYO sports program has something for everyone, and includes a group of experienced, dedicated coaches…highlighted by a highly acclaimed and very popular basketball program that emphasizes sportsmanship. The result of an education at St. Ann’s? Students who are genuinely nice, respectful, well mannered, well rounded and very well prepared for high school…year after year the graduating 8th graders are accepted to some of the best high schools in the area. While no school is perfect, St. Ann’s is a gem.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2019

This is not an ideal school for transfers or students who are not of the Catholic faith. The school is small and class sizes are kept at a minimum. The families are nice, as are the children. Some teachers are overly strict, with unreasonable rules and consequences. The specials teachers are lacking, and push worksheets instead of teaching. Too many teachers are old-school and traditional, which does not reach every student, leaving many behind. Beginning in the middle grades, there is too much homework, most of which is busywork. Communication is lacking. There were several times when we emailed the teacher or principal, only to be ignored for up to a week. There is great potential in this school, but the leadership and many staff/teachers are stagnant and not up to date with the latest teaching and management strategies. If you are of the Catholic faith, and your child has no learning or behavior issues, this may be a good choice.
Submitted by principal on December 10, 2018

Terrific. If you want a smaller back to basics community feel then this is the perfect match.
Submitted by parent on August 21, 2018

My family´s experience has been great. We have truly found a home, a place with our children feel welcome and where we found fellowship. For us it was important to find a school where parents shared our values and where our children would feel comfortable and safe. The school is also very friendly towards those with nomad lifestyles such as military and foreign service families. The preschool program is excellent and very accommodating for those with siblings in the K-8 grades.
Submitted by parent on July 17, 2018

Our experience over the past 4 years has been overwhelmingly positive. Our children are happy, challenged and are growing in their faith. We are particularly pleased with the warm, welcoming school community.
Submitted by parent on June 05, 2018

Not great. Get your kid in at Kindergarten or before if you want to have a good experience. This IS NOT the school for transfer students.
Submitted by parent on March 22, 2017

Our children have been at St Ann School for many years, and the school and community have been absolutely wonderful. The combination of rigorous academics coupled with an emphasis on character development makes St Ann a truly special school. I note that in one of the other reviews character development was mentioned - this does not surprise me. St Ann takes pride in turning out not just good students, but good people. Small class size (and a lack of overcrowding) directly leads to better instruction, more personal teacher-student interaction, and a great community feel. We love this school and are so proud to have our children here.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2015

Our two daughters attend Saint Ann School and overall it has been a wonderful experience. We make the trek from McLean every day because of the beautiful faith-filled community, the dedicated faculty, and strong emphasis on academics and character development. My older daughter is officially a teenager now and while I will admit she has her moments, I am so proud of her kindness, self-confidence, empathy and poise. She has a remarkable sense of self. Her public speaking and writing skills are off-the-charts and I know that Saint Ann has had a lot to do with all of it. There are wonderful programs for the older students to spend time with the younger students, which contributes to the family feel.I agree with some of the reviews about the facilities. To be completely honest, it reminds me a bit of the Catholic elementary school I attended when I was a child. We could have made the choice to send our kids to a closer and/or nicer-looking school. However, the emphasis the school places on building the student academically and spiritually is priceless.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2015

My son has been attending St Ann's since K3. We chose St Ann's for the community aspect, Christian approach, safe environment, and their love for their students. Our son has thrived in the school's environment making good friendships, along with us as parents. On an acadmeic level he has thrived in his classrooms. His current teacher/ kindergarten has taught our son to read, write letters,and sentences. She has also challenged him with his reading, and math skills such as telling time. He loved his kindergarten year it has been a gift to him and our family. Being military we move around a lot and look for a good academic environment for our children and a kind and special place. This little school is a little gem!
Submitted by parent on March 31, 2015

If you are looking for a faith-based school with great academic performance while still creating well rounded (great arts/music offerings, strong PE program, competitive sports teams, interactive technologies) students - St. Ann is, in my opinion, the best option in Arlington. My child is in 4th grade and has thrived in this community and we are happy to take advantage of all the varied opportunities provided. Additionally, St. Ann school is a strong, tight-knit community of parents, teachers, students, the parish and the administration that I feel is a second family for me and my child.
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2015

I have 2 children at this wonderful school. My children have become stronger in their faith since coming to this school and often give me kind ideas on how to ask God for help when things are stressful. Several things that set this school apart. -The hands-on science lab kids use from k-8 -Chromebooks in the upper grades -Lots of PE, recess (on a playground) and opportunities to move (for my wiggly boy) -Some of the homework is online so my kids aren't losing worksheets every day! -For my musical kid, there is a choir, an advanced band, a really nice music room, and a variety show (wrote own act) -For my for AAP kid (we left that), chess, lego robotics, STEM activities, family science night -For us, nice parents who are also our neighbors. We looked at a few schools where everyone was kind of scattered and we were getting on 495 for play dates. Lots of people walk to school events, and are friends outside of school. -For all of us, great teachers who really, really understand our needs as a family and can help diverse learners like my kids.
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2014

This school has taught my son NOTHING! He is learning material he has learned in the third grade! Many of the teachers are too old to teach and have no passion for it. There is a small class size but they are very racially biased. So the only people they would pay attention to are from a certain race.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2013

St. Ann's is a close-knit, nurturing place. The physical plant is meager, but if that's what you prize in a school, no Catholic school in Arlington will impress you. What impressed us on our first visit as parents of a five-year-old 11 years ago: the kind, well-mannered, well-spoken, thoughtful, funny, and smart 8th graders who opened doors and answered our questions at the open house. With one kid having gone K through 8th there and two more doing the same, we've had our bumps and bruises along the way. But St. Ann's has proven to be a wonderful little Catholic school and community. Eight years of it produces a precious commodity: a 14-year-old you'd be proud to call your own, well-prepared to succeed in the area's best high schools, well-grounded in the virtues, and habitually kind to his or her fellows. Plus, St. Ann's beats St. Agnes like a rug, which is nice.
Submitted by parent on June 19, 2012

St. Ann School is a hidden treasure in Arlington, VA. The church and pastor are very supportive of the school. The principal and teachers have made numerous improvements to the school in just the past couple of years in terms of academics (Lab Learner science curriculum, computers, etc.) and enrichment (expanding after school opportunities for arts and music, mentoring program). The class sizes are small and children receive individual attention. The teachers are innovative. The school was also recognized in 2011 as a Department of Education Blue Ribbon School. It is a close knit and welcoming community and the school encourages parental involvement and feedback.
Submitted by parent on December 12, 2011

St. Ann is a really excellent school. We looked hard at St Thomas More, St Charles, St Agnes and McKinley when choosing a school but we liked St Ann the best. The academics are equal or superior to any of the others (test scores and 2011 Blue Ribbon Award are an indication of that). The smaller class sizes mean a better student-teacher ratio, plus there is an effort to integrate all the kids preK-8 (e.g., buddy system for events). The teachers are very good and totally dedicated to their students. Parents are very involved in supporting the school and volunteer work, plus you really feel like you have a say as a parent. The graduating kids go to Gonzaga, Visitation, O'Connell, etc. Since the new prinicipal joined a few years ago, there has been a steady influx of the latest educational tools (e.g., Science Lab Learner), too. The kids are really well-behaved, good kids with great study habits and few discipline problems. St Ann isn't as fancy as some other schools in this relatively upscale area, but it is the most solid place to send our kids. I read the one critical review below and I just don't get it. St Ann really is a nurturing learning community with shared values.
Submitted by parent on October 14, 2011

St Ann's in now a Blue Ribbon School (2011). The Blue Ribbon program is an extemely stringent process, which honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels. The is how the Dept of Ed identify's and disseminates knowledge about best school leadership and teaching in the U.S. This honor says it all! One of the areas St. Ann was lacking were hot lunches. They now have a hot, healthy lunch program! Great programs, staff and students, love this place! Where else can you find a kindergarten teacher with a PhD?!