Admission

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions we hear from parents interested in Highland School

You're considering Highland School for your child. That's a serious decision, and you deserve clear answers, not a brochure. Here's what prospective families want to know, told straight.

Cost should never be the reason you don't ask

Tuition matters to every family. We don't pretend otherwise. That's why Highland uses Indexed Tuition, a need-based approach that sets your cost according to what your family can contribute. No fixed number that rules you out before the conversation starts. Just a fair, accessible way to make a Highland education possible.

If affordability is your first question, make it your first conversation. Click here to read more about Indexed Tuition.

Small by design. Known by name

Highland sits on a 42-acre campus in the heart of Warrenton with 183,300 square feet of classrooms, studios, fields, and gathering spaces.

But size isn't the point. Connection is. We enroll around 560 students across three divisions; Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. Classes average just 11 students, with a 7:1 student-teacher ratio. That means no child disappears in a crowd. Every teacher knows every student. Academically. Personally.

We're big enough to offer everything. Small enough to know everyone.

What to know before day one

Here's how Highland works, in plain terms.

No uniforms. Students follow a division-appropriate dress code, not a uniform. Ask us for the specifics by division.
School hours are 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM. Offices stay open until 4:00 PM throughout the academic year.
Before and after care is available. Your day doesn't have to match our daily schedule.
Arts and music are offered across all divisions. They aren't extras. They're part of the regular school day for every student.
Sports start early. Students in Grades 6 through 8 play interscholastic sports during the school day. Upper School teams practice and compete after school, beginning at 3:30 PM.

Your child won't have to choose one self

A student can compete on a team, perform in the Rice Theater, and build a robot, all in the same season.

At Highland, athletics, arts, and clubs aren't competing for your child's time. They're built into how the day works. Lower and Middle School physical education and team sports happen during the school day, four days a week. Middle School play and musical rehearsals begin at 3:30 PM. Upper School athletes train after class.

The answer to "Can my child do both?" is almost always yes.

Still have questions? Ask the person who knows

Reach Laura McCauley, our Associate Director of Admission and Tuition Assistance, at lmccauley@highlandschool.org or 540-878-2741. Real answers, from a real person.

See it for yourself

The best way to understand Highland is to walk through it. Come meet our teachers, see our campus, and picture your child here.

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Meet Our Team

List of 3 members.

Donna Tomlinson

Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement

540-878-2740
Laura McCauley

Assistant Director of Admission

540-878-2741
Brooke Trudeau

Admissions Associate

540-878-2743