FAQs

Our Admission Events webpage highlights opportunities for prospective parents to visit our campus. We reserve in-person Parent Conversation & Tours for families who have completed their application form. A Parent Conversation & Tour is 75 minutes. Learn more about our 5-Step Application Process here.

The age cutoff is September 1^st. For instance, students should be 4 years old by September 1^st to apply for the pre-kindergarten program, 5 years old by September 1^st for the kindergarten program, and so forth.  

Norwood is an inclusive school that is child-centered, focusing on the development of our children in mind, body, and spirit. All children at Norwood are gifted in many ways and our program is differentiated to challenge them to the best of their abilities. Learn more about our excellent academics here.

Additionally, our commitment to nurturing the whole child and providing a well-rounded education is central to our philosophy. For further insights, read Head of School Matthew Gould’s article on the benefits of child-centered teaching and whole-child education.

The day begins for every student at 8:00 a.m. Parents may drop off their children as early as 7:15 a.m., through our Early Birds Program. Regular drop-off is between 7:45-8:00 a.m. At our drop-off areas, faculty/staff and parents intentionally greet students every morning, with a kind word and handshake or fist-bump. PK-2^nd grade ends at 2:35 p.m. 3^rd – 8^th grades end at 3:35 p.m. On Fridays, all students end the day at 2:35 p.m. For more information, click here.

After-school programs are available to all students beginning at 2:35 p.m. and extend until 6 p.m. Click here for detailed information.

Norwood school has 450 students PK – 8^th grade. 53% of our students are boys and 47% are girls. 41% of our student body identifies as students of color and of Latinx/Hispanic/Spanish origin. This is relatively equal among both lower and middle schools. For more information, click here.

In the pre-k homeroom, there are 3 teachers caring for 20 students. In K-2^nd grades, we have 20 students in each of our 2 homerooms, with 2 lead teachers in each homeroom. In 3^rd and 4^th grades, there are 12-14 students in each homeroom. In middle school, classroom sizes may vary, ranging from 8-14 students, according to grade and subject. One of the many reasons why parents choose Norwood is because of the individualized attention that teachers lovingly provide students. No one falls through the cracks.

Yes, Norwood offers morning and afternoon transportation to and from designated locations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Routes are re-evaluated each year and determined based on interest and the fulfillment of minimum ridership requirements. Click here for more information.

A healthy morning snack is provided on a daily basis to all students. Pre-kindergarten through fourth graders bring lunch from home and eat in their homerooms, or may order a meal through Yay Lunch, a third-party lunch program. Middle school students participate in our lunch program, eating a nutritious hot lunch and salad/sandwich bar offerings in the Cohen Common Room.

No. Norwood does not have a uniform. Instead, students are expected to wear clothing that is simple, age-appropriate, and comfortable for a variety of activities. Jeans, open-toed shoes, tank tops, and joggers are an example of items not allowed. The Norwood Handbook provides more detailed information on the dress code. 

Learn more about our after-school programs here.

Norwood graduates attend their best-fit schools. A graduating class of 55-60 will typically attend approximately 25 various high schools, mostly in the D.C. area. Our most recent graduating class of 58 students is now attending these 20+ competitive high schools.

Click here for information about Norwood’s high school placement process.

The highest level of math at Norwood is Geometry. Most of our 8^th graders enroll in Algebra or Honors Algebra. Like 6^th and 7^th grades, math is taught at different levels to best challenge students. Read more about our math program here.

We begin teaching Spanish in pre-kindergarten. In middle school, we offer Spanish and French starting in 5^th grade, Mandarin in 6^th grade, and Latin in 7^th grade. Learn more about our world languages here. In cases where students have learning differences, language exemption is an option.

Summit provides exposure to an exciting variety of outdoor adventure sports, while focusing on the physical fitness goals of the Norwood athletics program. We believe the nature of adventure sports provides an innate challenge for participants, in terms of both physical fitness and leadership skills. Learn more about Summit and our Athletics program here. 

Yes. At Norwood, student learning, growth, well-being, and safety are at the center of our decision-making and serve as our highest priority. Norwood is committed to academic excellence, and to the intellectual, personal, and social development of each child. Student support looks different for individuals. These are the programs and people in place to support and to guide students. If you would like to discuss specific examples, please email the admission team: admission@norwoodschool.org.

Character education is fundamental to the PK-8 educational model and has always been an essential component of the Norwood experience. We believe that education is fundamentally a moral endeavor and that a school should stand for and teach a set of core values: the pursuit of knowledge, integrity, respect, responsibility, diligence, kindness, cooperation, and service. Character lessons are woven into academics, physical education and athletics, art, music, and, of course, service learning. Each day begins with a lesson about the value of the month, which is presented during morning chapel. “How you lead your life matters” is more than a school motto; they are the words we live by.

Norwood is a secular school that explicitly celebrates our community values. “Chapel” is a carry-over term from our Episcopal origins. Chapel is our morning meeting or assembly. Either as a whole school or in lower school and middle school groups, students and teachers come together to prepare for the day through singing, reflection, and lessons related to our core values. Chapel is also a time to celebrate special national, global, cultural, and religious holidays and recognize important current and historical events. Chapel lessons are designed to instill intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth as well as a sense of things greater than ourselves. While presentation topics vary widely, they often connect back to goodness, human dignity, and caring for others and our environment. Like the curriculum at Norwood, Chapel includes stories and music from many cultural and religious traditions from around the world, embracing and highlighting the rich diversity of our community. 

At Norwood, community is a central and guiding value, which breathes life into our mission and core beliefs. We aspire to be an authentically diverse community where all are genuinely valued and respected for who we are, where we build meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging and trust. We have a strong and welcoming parent community. Discover the many ways parents may volunteer at Norwood here.