K12 Academics Newsletter Archive - Nysmith School Affiliate Newsletter

Nysmith School

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Nysmith School

A school for gifted & high-achieving students · PreK–Grade 8 · Herndon, Virginia

Nysmith School is a private school in Herndon, Virginia, serving students from preschool through eighth grade. Founded in 1983, it is known across Northern Virginia for an accelerated, enrichment-based curriculum built for curious, high-achieving learners.

The academic model centers on small classes and subject-specific teaching. In kindergarten through third grade, students change classrooms by subject so that specialist teachers can tailor instruction to each child, often working several grade levels above the standard pace. Grades four through eight continue that approach with advanced coursework across the disciplines.

Nysmith at a glance

1:9

student to teacher ratio

students maximum per class

teachers in every classroom

75,000+

square feet of campus

45 min

hands-on science daily

1983

founded

Classes stay small, with a maximum of 18 students and two teachers in every room, and the school keeps a one to nine student-to-teacher ratio. Daily hands-on science, a 75,000 square foot campus, and a long-tenured faculty, more than half of whom have taught at Nysmith for over a decade, shape the day-to-day experience.

The approach begins in preschool, where teachers introduce an enriched, hands-on academic experience alongside social skills and confidence in a nurturing setting. From there, the program grows with the student through middle school across three stages:

Beginners & Pre-K

Grades K–3

Grades 4–8