About WCDS
Wakefield Country Day School (WCDS) is a Preschool through 12th-grade independent school located in serene Huntly, Virginia. We pride ourselves on providing not just a rigorous college-preparatory education with a 100% college acceptance rate, but an education that builds character and prepares students with a toolkit for life.
Our curriculum is rooted both in the classical tradition and the cutting-edge, focusing on the 21st-century educational values of writing, public speaking, critical thinking, STEM, and foreign language fluency. All WCDS scholars participate in athletics, fine and performing arts, and their education culminates in a year-long senior thesis project. Additionally, teachers place a strong emphasis on ethical responsibility, inclusivity, honorable conduct, and leadership within our community and beyond.
We are accredited by the Virginia Independent School Association and ranked #17 in the entire State of Virginia by Niche in 2023 for Best Private Schools (K-12). We are consistently ranked as one of the top private schools in the state by Virginia Living Magazine.
Learn about what makes a
WCDS education unique
Mens sana in corpore sano –
a sound mind in a sound body
Latest News
Meet Amanda Hoffman, Learning Specialist and Lower School Dean of Faculty
I was led to Wakefield by my desire of wanting something different. The bulk of my teaching career took place in public education, but when I had my daughter and began exploring the benefits of a classical education, I knew I needed to make a change. These past six years, I have seen my daughter …
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50th Anniversary Campaign
Dear Friends of WCDS: Wakefield is turning a half-century old. In Fall 2021 we launched our 50th Anniversary Campaign to fund the future of our beloved school for the next 50 years! Without the generosity of our donors, we wouldn’t be able to provide the excellent education at the incredible value that we do. That …
Scripps National Spelling Bee
This year, WCDS held its first annual Scripps National School Spelling Bee on January 27, 2023! During the months of December and January grades 1-8 held their classroom bees to determine who would participate in the schoolwide bee. The classroom winners and runners-up were: Kalani Loving, Owen Smith, Emma Padgett, Grace Collings, Alex Zajac, Beatrice …
Take One, Action!
By: Tara Johnson, Theatre I teacher, 9th-12th grade Through hard work, collaboration, and bravery (it’s scary to get up in front of a crowd!), the high school thespians at WCDS are ready to perform a One Act comedy entitled: “This is a Test” by Stephen Gregg! Wakefield’s Theatre class is off to a stellar start! …
Gods and Goddesses, Oh My!
By: Mrs. Molly Fairhurst, third-grade teacher There are a few highlights in our third-grade history curriculum, and the Greek gods and goddesses project is one of the favorites. Students who have previously attended Wakefield Country Day School, especially if they have older siblings, come into 3rd grade ready to study Greek Mythology and count down …
We Can Do Hard Things!
By Ms. Pheister, Fourth Grade Teacher The third, fourth, and fifth-grade teachers started the year by brainstorming some team-building projects and field trips we could go on to get a strong start for the year. We decided on two early character-building field trips: one to Shenandoah National Park for a hike to see the falls …
May the Force Gauge Be with You
By: Brian Beres Ph.D. The other day in class, we were designing in CAD, and testing 3D printed force gauges. A force gauge can tell how much force it takes to move an object. A student came up to me and asked, “Dr. Beres, do you think this is what a Newton feels like?” My …
Student Government Elections 2022-2023 School Year
Elections for Student Government took place last week, with students from grades 4-12 running for class representatives and office. Students learn to develop leadership skills, organize and carry out school activities and commit to serving their fellow students to make the WCDS experience the best possible by supporting one another. Congratulations to all candidates. Class …
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WCDS Alumnus Contributes to Nobel Prize with his Scientific Team
Meet Dr. Sanjeev Ranade: WCDS Alumnus, Class of 1999 and a member of a team that recently received a Nobel Prize. While earning his Ph.D. at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, Sanjeev was a graduate student with neuroscientist Ardem Patapoutian, who studied scientific data that answered the question: “How do we sense touch?” …
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ASL and Theatre Electives Now Offered at WCDS
Mrs. Tara E. Johnson studied English, Communications, Acting, and Dance at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, Cheltenham University in England, and American Sign Language at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., for two years. Gallaudet is the only all-Deaf college in the world, first signed into being by President Lincoln in 1864. Mrs. Johnson has appeared in …
Shared Experiences: Then & Now
When the Lynns broke ground in 1972 to establish their dream school, they envisioned a school with students of all ages but began with students in elementary school. Grades were added subsequently year by year as students advanced in age and learning, with the first graduating senior receiving a diploma in 1978. Hundreds more were …
Semester of Finance for all WCDS Seniors
As part of the curriculum expansion for the 2022-2023 school year, Head of School Paul Larner and Katie Hill, Finance, are teaming up to prepare students for life with a new, required elective: Finance. Beginning Fall 2022, all seniors will complete this semester-long course for graduation. We sat with Mr. Larner and Ms. Hill and …