Pinnacle Academy

This is the worst school ever. Racism is real here, and the level of neglect is extremely high.

No good teacher specially teacher a are not kind

My daughter had a wonderful experience at this school. It was not without some minor flaws but that's expected for any school and any academic journey. During this time, she experienced some great teachers who truly cared about the students, several who were strong at meeting the student where they're at. There were great activities, from the annual talent show to Science night, Read-a-thon and other activities to cultivate a positive learning environment and school community. The diversity of students allowed my daughter to learn how to work with all cultures and embrace the idea of inclusion. They recently got new playground equipment and a chicken coup which are great amenities for students. Overall she felt safe the entire time so we could not ask for more.

Worst school your child may enter, worst.

St. Mark Catholic School has been an incredible blessing to my family. We initially found St. Mark because we were looking to get AWAY from a less-than-great situation in the Fairfax County Public School system, but the longer we have been at St. Mark, the more I feel our family is pulled TOWARD this wonderful school. When we started at St. Mark, my oldest son was worried he wouldn't have any friends and would be the outsider as a new student; his fears ended up being completely unfounded, and at the end of the first day, he came home saying he made great friends and had been welcomed with open arms by the students in his class. He couldn't get over how he already felt he was an integral part of the school community at St. Mark -- much more so than he'd ever felt at the FCPS school he attended previously. The teachers and school administration are incredibly kind and patient with the students, while upholding strict standards for respect and education. Teachers are responsive to parent communication, and have all made clear that they view the parents as significant partners in each child's education. The care, passion, and competence Mrs. Parker (principal) and Mrs. Parks (assistant principal) have for leading the school and the students is significant and noteworthy.St. Mark has been impressive in the level of attention paid to respect, setting --then helping students reach-- high academic standards, and ensuring students are well-rounded individuals who are focused not just on themselves but on the community around them. We were pleased to learn St. Mark had one of the highest (if not ~the~ highest) standardized testing scores in the Arlington Diocese, which we see clearly reflected in the level of instruction our two children have received in all academic classes. As a contrast with their previous FCPS school (in which there was no homework), both of my children have nightly homework that reinforces the instruction they receive each day. The workload is completely manageable, but teachers have been flexible in instances where family obligations have not allowed for homework on a given night. The Parent-Teacher-Parish Organization at St. Mark is very active, and offers many opportunities for engagement. I love the school uniform, and have seen a marked difference in my kids' behavior and attention as a result of the uniform.We are thrilled with St. Mark and cannot recommend the school highly enough.