Apply to ISW
At ISW, we don’t do big, impersonal Open Houses. We do admissions like we do everything else—one student at a time. We are currently offering tours for families after an initial phone conversation for the 2025-26 school year. We are delighted to welcome you to ISW!
If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact us via our web form www.iswva.org/contact/ or email us at info@iswva.org or call us at 540-877-5552.
We are currently accepting applications for Kindergarten through 12th grade. Our admissions committee looks for capable, enthusiastic, college-bound students who are academically, socially, and emotionally prepared to handle the challenges of a progressive, college preparatory environment. Successful applicants will exemplify our Core Values: respect, responsibility, integrity, compassion, and commitment to education.
- A phone interview with the Head of School
- A building tour with the Head of School
- Application (application form, 2 teacher recommendations, records, if available, from preschool, and the $50 application fee) submitted
Those students will be invited for a classroom visit. ISW will notify families as soon as possible after the file is complete. As long as there are seats still available, we will accept applications on a rolling basis.
Applicants for grades 1 through 12 will follow a similar process.
A complete application (forms below) includes:
- A completed application form
- Official transcripts from all previous schools
- Copies of all standardized testing and educational evaluations
- Recommendations from three teachers (two for Kindergarten applicants)
- A parent admissions conversation and tour with the Head of School
- A student visit with relevant faculty
- A (one-time) application fee of $50
K-8 Application Forms
High School Application Forms
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ISW admits students of any race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities available at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or sexual orientation in its administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Huzzah!
Huzzah Theater Production Company is a project of the Independent School of Winchester, and it is run by a student board of directors composed of high school students drawn from schools throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Huzzah’s Artistic Director is Joette Orndorff, and the Faculty Adviser is Dr. Claire McDonald. Huzzah is supported by a generous grant from the Marion Park Lewis Foundation, an organization that has been supporting Huzzah for many years.
The 2024-25 Season features A Wrinkle in Time and Frozen, Jr.
The 2023-24 Season included Shakespeare’s Bachelorette and Mean Girls, Jr.
The 2022-23 Season included Little Women, The Play! and Guys and Dolls, Jr.
Our 2021-22 Season featured our first live, in-person production in two years, The Enchanted Bookshop, which debuted to sold-out shows every night! The Spring Musical was Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr.–which also sold out before Opening Night!
For the 2020-21 Season, Huzzah produced two streaming comedies for the Fall–Check, Please! (a comedy for older students) and The Internet is Distract–Oh, Look, A Kitten! (for our Middle School students). Our Spring productions included Pandora’s Socks (a comedy for younger students) and Clue: High School Edition (for our older students).
The 2019-20 Season featured Willy Wonka Jr in the Fall of 2019. Sadly, we cancelled our production of Curtains Young@Part due to the pandemic.
The 2018-19 Season included Alice in Wonderland, Jr, and Mary Poppins, Jr. Both shows played to sold-out audiences!
The 2017-18 Season featured James and the Giant Peach, Jr, which was the first production of this show in the area and proved to be a sell-out show, and Legally Blonde, Jr, which featured the work of award-winning local performing artists from several area high schools.
The 2016-17 Season included: a production of Beauty and the Beast Jr, which sold out before opening night; A Midwinter’s SciFi Daydream, a science fiction spoof on Shakespeare produced at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley; and Avenue Q School Edition, a show featuring some of the area’s most celebrated student vocal talent.
Performing Arts and STEM Tracks
ISW’s High School includes an innovative, multi-track program. Students take college prep coursework and pursue their academic passions now–before college–with a high school “major.” ISW offers both a performing arts high school program and a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) track.
Our performing arts high school program features a theater “major.” Students pursue college preparatory academic subjects as well as one to two hours of performing arts daily. Students study acting, voice, and stagecraft. As a complement to the formal study of these subjects, ISW has created Huzzah Theater Company, one of the first and only student-run high school theater companies in the US. Huzzah affords ISW theater students the opportunity to work with highly trained professionals as well as high school students from around the area to create performances for audiences in the larger community.
Our STEAM program features a STEAM “major.” Students pursue college preparatory academic subjects as well as additional STEAM work weekly. Our STEM track includes traditional instruction as well as opportunities for student teams to compete in tournaments of their choosing.
We invite you to apply to ISW’s innovative programs!
2016-17 Academic Year
CLASSES
Courses offered through ISW’s High School program in 2016-17 are as follows:
Math
Algebra I (1 credit) Algebra II (1 credit) Precalculus (1 credit)
Science
Biology (1 credit) Geology (1 credit) Design Lab (1/4 credit, open to 11th graders)
Humanities
English: Global I (1 credit, open to 9th and 10th graders)
History: Global I (1 credit, open to 9th and 10th graders)
English: American Literature (1 credit, open to 11th graders)
History: AP US History (1 credit, open to 11th graders)
Foreign Language
Spanish I online (1 credit)
Spanish III (1 credit)
French I online (1 credit)
American Sign Language III (1 credit)
Please inquire about other language options.
Art
Introduction to Creative Art (1/4 credit, open to 9th and 10th graders)
Performing Arts Track
Acting and History of Theater I (1 credit)
Dance and Movement for Stage I (1/2 credit)
Voice for Stage (1/2 credit)
Stagecraft I (1/4 credit)
Classes are available on a full-time or part-time basis. Students have the opportunity to take most classes either at the regular level or the honors level.
TEACHING STAFF
Donna Day (American Sign Language) is a certified ASL instructor who has taught students of all ages–from very young children to adults. She taught ASL for seven years at Lord Fairfax Community College. In addition to teaching at USW, she works at Access Independence, where she has been employed since 1998. Donna lives in Inwood, WV.
La Tasha Do’zia-Earley (Acting, Director for Huzzah) has worked with students of all ages for more than a decade. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Selah Theater Project in Front Royal, and she has taught theater classes in many venues in the Winchester area. La Tasha is an accomplished performer with credits in both regional and community theater, including the Sandler Performing Arts Center, the Apollo Civic Theater, Ohrstrom-Bryant Theater, and Winchester Little Theater. La Tasha graduated from the elite Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk. She has completed coursework in voice, theater, and communications at Shenandoah University and is pursuing a degree in education through Western Governor’s University. She has served as a preschool director, a Big Sister and foster parent. La Tasha and her wife, Tamiya Do’zia-Earley, live in Winchester with their children.
Jeremiah Dyke (Precalculus, Design Lab) earned his undergraduate degree at George Mason University in Economics, and he holds an MS in Math Education from University of Phoenix. Jeremiah has taught in a number of settings and is also currently a professor at Lord Fairfax Community College. He and his wife and two sons (one, an ISW student) reside in Strasburg.
Amanda Greenacre (History) graduated cum laude with a BS in History and Political Science from Colorado State University. She has taught social studies in the US, Great Britain, and South Korea. Amanda has coached volleyball and basketball and is currently a Jiu Jitsu instructor.
Christy Landers (Spanish) holds a BA in Spanish and International Studies from Hollins College and an MA in Spanish from George Mason University. She has taught in many settings, most notably in Loudoun County, where she developed the FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary School) program. She is currently a professor at Lord Fairfax Community College. She is married to Matthew Landers and together they parent their four children, three of whom are ISW students.
Rebecca Lloyd (Science) graduated from the College of William and Mary with a BS in geology. Becky has taught students of all ages, and she brings to ISW a background rich in hands-on, experiential learning. She served as a program presenter at Blandy Experimental Farms and at Oak Hart Farms, and she has worked in secondary schools teaching a wide variety of science classes. Becky and her husband reside with their daughter in Clarke County.
Rosemary Markowski (Art) is a very gifted artist who owns Tangelo Studio, which specializes in papier mache and commissioned portraiture. Rosemary has taught at ISW several years ago, and we are thrilled that she has returned to us. Rosemary recently completed a BA in Art Education through the Corcoran Gallery and George Washington University and is pursuing her masters degree at Shenandoah University.
Christina Romich (Voice for Stage, Stagecraft) has her doctorate in vocal performance from West Virginia University, a Masters in Vocal Pedagogy from Shenandoah University, and a Bachelors of Music from Shenandoah University. She is a very experienced teacher who has worked with students of all ages–from the very youngest preschoolers to adults. Chris directed opera scenes at WVU, music directed high school student musicals, and conducted choirs, pit bands, and marching bands. She and her husband and daughter live in Winchester.
Kerry Silva (Dance/Movement for Stage) holds a BFA in Dance Education from Shenandoah University and a certification from Ulyanovsk State University in Russia. She taught ballet, modern, and jazz dance for 11 years at the Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy and has been Director of Ballet at Rhythm Studio since 2013. She also taught pre-kindergarten at the Winchester Medical Center Day Care Center, where she worked for 15 years. Kerry and her husband Pablo are the parents of two young children, one of whom is an ISW student.
Tosha Tillman (Campus Dean and Humanities) earned a Masters Certification for Teaching in English and Language Arts, grades 6 through 12, from Shenandoah University and graduated cum laude from Hollins University with a BA in Dance. Over the last eight years, she has taught English, writing, and language arts at many levels and served as both a classroom teacher and a coach for teachers. She has also danced professionally, taught dance, choreographed many shows, and worked with a wider variety of performing arts programs. Tosha and her husband Matt live in a multi-generational home in Winchester with their two children and Matt’s mother.
Jay Viner (Algebra I and II) holds a bachelor’s degree in Math and Statistics from the University of Oklahoma and a second BA in Secondary Math Education. He is certified to teach Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus. Jay also has many years of applying mathematics in the real world as an air traffic controller and trainer. Jay lives in Winchester with his wife and two children.
LOCATION
ISW partners with the Youth Development Center, which serves as our location for high school classes. The campus, located at 3 Battaile Drive Winchester VA, 22601, offers ISW students access to lovely classroom space (indoors and outdoors), a gym, a black box theater, a game room, a pavilion, a creek, and beautiful grounds.
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
ISW’s Middle School program capitalizes on the incredible brain development that characterizes the adolescent. We ask our students to tackle intellectual challenges and to take (calculated) risks that will prepare them well for high school, college, and the work world. Understanding that this phase of life is tremendously social, we provide many opportunities for students to build their social skills with one another, with a larger group of middle schools students, and through community service.
Curriculum:
•Humanities: Integrated English and social studies approach, including global world history, current events, geography, economics, literature, rhetoric, poetry, grammar, and writing
•Math: grade-level math using Prentice Hall’s Mathematics. Options for Algebra I and II and Geometry using Kendall Hunt’s Discovering series
•Science: Science and Technology Concepts, developed by the National Science Resource Center, the National Academies of Science, and the Smithsonian
•Spanish: Introductory through Spanish 2, taught by a specialist
•Public Speaking: drama, poetry, and other presentation opportunities
•Choir: a performing group with concerts twice annually
•Art: weekly studio classes integrated with other studies
•Experiential Ed: weekly workshops, speakers, and trips based on classroom studies
Key Elements in ISW’s Middle School program:
•Small class size with hands-on learning
•Multi-age classrooms that allow students to learn to lead and to follow
•Opportunity to work independently and in groups
•Mastery learning rather than traditional grades
•Student-paced work. ISW provides challenges that encourage students to move ahead.
•Technology, including Google Classroom, Prezi, and Power Point. Families provide student laptops.
•Co-curricular options including yearbook, robotics, and auditioned theater productions with Huzzah.
Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5)
The Upper Elementary program asks students to expand their skills and knowledge by exploring new topics in greater depth and continuing to build a strong foundation in basic skills.
Curriculum:
•Reading: ISW uses high-quality children’s literature to teach reading. Typically, our students read 8 to 10 books per year. Past titles have included: See Saw Girl, Frindle, Number the Stars, The Penderwicks, The War That Saved My Life, Island of the Blue Dolphin, and The Secret Garden.
•Language Arts: a writing-intensive approach with an emphasis on grammar, spelling, and composition
•Math: Pearson’s MCP Math
•Science: Science and Technology Concepts, developed by the National Science Resource Center, the National Academies of Science, and the Smithsonian
•Social Studies: United States history, early modern global history, and 20th-century-to-present global history (taught on alternating years)
•Spanish: conversation and culture
•Performing Arts: drama, poetry, dance, choral/instrumental music, and music theory
•Destination Imagination
•Art: studio approach integrated with other studies
•Experiential Ed: weekly workshops and speakers based on classroom studies
Key Elements in ISW’s Upper Elementary program:
•Small class size with hands-on learning
•Multi-age classrooms that allow students to learn to lead and to follow
•Individual attention
•Joyful, loving atmosphere
•Opportunity to work independently and in groups
•Mastery learning rather than traditional grades
•Student-paced work.
•Technology, beginning in 5th grade, including Google Classroom
Lower Elementary (Grades 1-2)
The Lower Elementary program invites students to explore their emerging intellectual and social capacities while developing a solid foundation in basic skills.
Curriculum:
•Reading/Language Arts: guided reading using Fountas and Pinnell System and Pearson’s Reading Street
•Math: Pearson’s MCP Math
•Science: Science and Technology Concepts, developed by the National Science Resource Center, the National Academies of Science, and the Smithsonian
•Social Studies: ancient and medieval history
•Spanish: conversation and culture
•Performing Arts: drama, poetry, dance, choral/instrumental music, and music theory
•Art: weekly studio classes integrated with other studies
•PE and Health: weekly classes with an emphasis on outdoor education and the Choose Love curriculum
•Experiential Ed: weekly workshops and speakers based on studies in the classroom
Key Elements in ISW’s Lower Elementary program:
•Small class size with hands-on learning
•Multi-age classrooms that allow students to learn to lead and to follow
•Individual attention
•Joyful, loving atmosphere
•Opportunity to work independently and in groups
•Mastery learning rather than traditional grades
•Child-paced work
Kindergarten at ISW: Hands-on and heads above.
The ISW Kindergarten program invites students to explore their emerging intellectual and social capacities while developing a solid foundation in basic skills.
Curriculum:
•Reading/Language Arts: guided reading using Fountas and Pinnell System and Pearson’s Reading Street
•Math: Pearson’s MCP Math
•Science: Science and Technology Concepts, developed by the National Science Resource Center, the National Academies of Science, and the Smithsonian
•Social Studies: world cultures
•Performing Arts: drama, poetry, dance, choral/instrumental music, and music theory
•Art: weekly studio art classes integrated with other studies
•PE and Health: weekly classes with an emphasis on outdoor education and the Choose Love curriculum
•Experiential Ed: weekly workshops and speakers based on studies in the classroom
Key Elements in ISW’s Kindergarten program:
•Small class size with hands-on learning
•Individual attention
•Joyful, loving atmosphere
•Opportunity to work independently and in groups
•Mastery learning rather than traditional grades
• Individualized challenges for each child
Independent School of Winchester
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ISW: By the Numbers
High School
100%
Students scoring 4 or above on 2019 Advanced Placement tests
Middle & High School
67065
Math problems solved in 2018-19
Elementary School
8
Average class size
ISW News
Academics
ISW students are self-motivated! The progressive notion that humans are wired to want to learn is borne out in our school every day. It’s really not about grades or external validation or a sense of “winning” an academic race. It’s about putting out everything we have, feeling the joy of discovery, moving through the pain of the grunt work, and celebrating when we achieve our goals. The ISW curriculum is set up to help students maximize their learning potential.
The ISW Curriculum:
- Employs a theme-based approach integrated across disciplines. For example, an environmental studies project may extend to reading, science, math, art, physical education, and community service.
- Includes many opportunities for students to customize their learning experiences by designing unique individual projects, creating portfolios and, by High School, establishing internships and service projects with area businesses and organizations.
- Emphasizes critical-thinking skills.
- Focuses on fostering a deep connection with and understanding of the natural world.
- Promotes confidence, skill, and wisdom in using educational technologies in age-appropriate ways.
- Allows students to work in multi-grade-level groups.
To be well-educated is to have the desire as well as the means to make sure that the learning never ends.
Alfie Kohn