St Mark Catholic School

9972 Vale Road

Vienna, VA 22181

20 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 07, 2024

St. Mark Catholic School has been an incredible blessing to my family. We initially found St. Mark because we were looking to get AWAY from a less-than-great situation in the Fairfax County Public School system, but the longer we have been at St. Mark, the more I feel our family is pulled TOWARD this wonderful school. When we started at St. Mark, my oldest son was worried he wouldn't have any friends and would be the outsider as a new student; his fears ended up being completely unfounded, and at the end of the first day, he came home saying he made great friends and had been welcomed with open arms by the students in his class. He couldn't get over how he already felt he was an integral part of the school community at St. Mark -- much more so than he'd ever felt at the FCPS school he attended previously. The teachers and school administration are incredibly kind and patient with the students, while upholding strict standards for respect and education. Teachers are responsive to parent communication, and have all made clear that they view the parents as significant partners in each child's education. The care, passion, and competence Mrs. Parker (principal) and Mrs. Parks (assistant principal) have for leading the school and the students is significant and noteworthy.St. Mark has been impressive in the level of attention paid to respect, setting --then helping students reach-- high academic standards, and ensuring students are well-rounded individuals who are focused not just on themselves but on the community around them. We were pleased to learn St. Mark had one of the highest (if not ~the~ highest) standardized testing scores in the Arlington Diocese, which we see clearly reflected in the level of instruction our two children have received in all academic classes. As a contrast with their previous FCPS school (in which there was no homework), both of my children have nightly homework that reinforces the instruction they receive each day. The workload is completely manageable, but teachers have been flexible in instances where family obligations have not allowed for homework on a given night. The Parent-Teacher-Parish Organization at St. Mark is very active, and offers many opportunities for engagement. I love the school uniform, and have seen a marked difference in my kids' behavior and attention as a result of the uniform.We are thrilled with St. Mark and cannot recommend the school highly enough.
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2024

Pros: My children have attended St Mark since preschool and we are grateful for the kind and caring teachers and staff who have helped them grow academically, spiritually and emotionally every year. Some of the teachers are phenomenal, especially the ones that have stuck it out through Covid. The addition of an SEL specialist and more special education teachers has made the school one of the best for diverse learners. The PTPO is very active and there are a number of events that build community. We love that advanced math courses are offered in middle school. Most teachers are responsive and will work with kids to ensure they learn the material. Every year we’ve been amazed by the things kids have done including a mock trial with a real judge, consistently winning essay contests and participating in a Shakespeare festival just to name a few.Cons: the current principal is probably the worst we have experienced. There is HIGH turn over and one year my youngest started school without a teacher. Teachers have quit mid year ever since she took over. In the middle school this year there are at least 3 teachers that are difficult to work with (fortunately 2 are leaving so fingers crossed for next year). There are serious behavior problems at this school. There does not appear to be any consequences for bad behavior and that has had a negative impact in the learning environment. I am hopeful the new priest will make positive changes to combat this.The playground has been unusable this year.
Submitted by student on May 07, 2024

This school is very strict about Christianity but I do not recommend for middle schoolers. Dress code is very strict and unimportant. Makes parents pay a lot of money and makes children feel uncomfortable and humiliating. Super Christian and you have to pray 20 times a day.
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2024

We had two boys go through from K-7 at St. Mark. What a wonderful school - Catholic values, small class sizes and caring, passionate teachers. They've both gone on to excel in high school, university and life - a testament to the foundation and values they learned at St. Mark.
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2023

My daughter has been here at St. Mark from 4th -7th grade. She is immersed in faith and a challenging curriculum. She is so proud of her school that she wears her uniform and spirit wear almost all the time which is even more significant considering she is now 13. The PTPO is quite active and parent voice and support are frequently requested. She lost no learning during COVID due to the tenacious commitment to these kids physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health. She’s excelled her whole time here. As a publicschool teacher, I am frequently asked why I send my child to St. Mark. It is such a beautiful environment for a child to be taught that they have a purpose in life and their faith will show them the way. While high academic and behavioral expectations are the norm, everything is taught within the faith world. It’s given my daughter a sense of purpose and greater confidence. It’s a faith and learning family at St. Mark. We have been so blessed to find this school. I only knew the public school world. In my experience, the public schools are adequate to fine; St. Mark is exceptional.
Submitted by other on August 29, 2020

This is an amazing and spirit-filled place! Not only do children develop a deeper faith at Saint Mark, but the academics are equally strong. Students leave St. Mark well prepareD for the areas most rigorous high schools.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2019

St. Mark Catholic School has been an amazing place for our daughter to grow and learn both spiritually and academically. The community of staff, teachers and parents and parish are supportive and caring and we have made many lifelong friends.
Submitted by other on November 09, 2018

Saint Mark is known for its very strong academics, faith and moral development, and strong sense of community. From its small class sizes to amazing clubs opportunities, you will not find a more welcoming community!
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2017

Both of my daughters excelled at St. Mark. The teachers are extremely dedicated to creating an environment that is nurturing yet challenging. This school is worth every penny and then some!
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2016

St Mark has excellent academic standards coupled with teachers who truly seem to care about their students. My kids have flourished at St. Mark, whereas they seemed to have been a bit "forgotten" in the larger public elementary school classes (at one of the highly rated FCPS schools). We have no regrets for moving our kids to St. Mark! Character education is an obvious priority (Virtue of the Month program and Manners Matter really emphasize a strong moral development). The students were incredibly welcoming to my kids; this is really impressive, since many kids have been there since Pre-K. Overall, a warm community with students, parents and faculty who seem to be genuinely caring people!
Submitted by other on September 20, 2016

this school could possibly be one of the worst schools on the planet. do not send your kids here this will ruin their lives
Submitted by parent on May 29, 2015

A great school with incredible administrators and faculty. Mrs. Girmus and her team runs a tight ship and the faculty really place a heavy emphasis on academic excellence. The character building around faith is fully reinforced and seems to be lived by all students. We sent our son to St. Mark from Pre-K through First grade before we moved out of the area. St. Mark was one of the hardest placed to leave behind.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2015

We've had 5 children attend Catholic schools, with our last two going to St. Mark from K-8. They've all gotten a lot out of their Catholic education but the love and care at St. Mark were truly something special. The small class size policy is unique in the NoVA area and it is clear the greater amount of attention that teachers can give to students as a result. A big thanks to the teachers and faculty - they are now doing great in high school.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2014

I have two children at St. Mark, with the oldest getting ready to "graduate" to high school. My oldest started St. Mark in first grade and had to work really hard the first few months to catch up with the rest of the children. She went to Kindergarten at the local elementary school where she was ignored because she was well behaved. (I think another parent posted something similar.) I was able to see the difference first hand, when my younger child started Kindergarten at St. Mark. Reading is a priority in Kindergarten, and Spanish class is part of the curriculum, from pre-school through 8th grade. In addition, a number of additional STEM classes are offered on the campus, immediately after school. The teachers are wonderful and you can tell they honestly care about the success of your children. I enthusiastically recommend St. Mark.
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2014

I would choose to send my children to this school all over again if I could. They were so well prepared academically for high school. They learned good organizational/study skills, including note taking and long term planning for assignments. Most importantly, I feel that their personal development was emphasized as well. If you are looking for a school that balances academic achievement along with character building, look no further.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2013

I have three children at St. Mark, and we are incredibly happy with our experience. It has strong academics and a wonderful and supportive community of parents. My absolute favorite thing about the school, though, is the quality of the staff and teachers. These people love our kids, and it shows in everything they do. My oldest went to kindergarten in a public school, where I felt like the teacher didn't know much about her and she was falling through the cracks a bit because she was quiet and well-behaved. At St. Mark, it has been a totally different experience. We couldn't ask for anything more in a school.
Submitted by parent on August 19, 2012

Love St. Mark school. My daughter was at OES for a few years but it seems they only concentrate on AAP classes and the other classes suffer. Entering St. Mark from OES, my daughter had some catching up to do as she was somewhat behind in Math. She is now up to speed thanks to the wonderful teachers at St. Mark. Keep up the good work. Kudos to the principal.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2011

Awesome school with high standards for every student. at this scholl no child is left behind!!
Submitted by parent on April 22, 2011

Was contemplating taking my son out of public school but it was well worth it. The academics at St. Marks are so much more challenging than public school. The teachers make it fun and interesting for him. Believe me there are many awesome teachers at St. Marks but also a couple who should be thinking of retirement, but overall the teachers are A+. They are supportive and are willing to stay after school if a student needs extra assistance.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2010

I highly recommend this school if you are looking for a religious based, academic focused education. There is also a tremendous sense of community. We transferred from the public school system and have not looked back once (even when we're writing the tuition checks). The administration and teachers are very focused on the students and teaching them not only academic, but life skills. Your child will learn how to make good decisions. The other parents are so supportive. The best thing about St. Mark is that it's not "high competitive" -- everyone (administration, parents, teachers, other children) wants every individual child to reach their full potential. It's a wonderful environment for children. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's also a great school if you're a working mother....as there's a before and after school program.