ISW develops confident learners and future leaders.
At ISW, students find their voices.Then they use them.
Heard, challenged, and championed.
Classes are small by design so that every child is heard — never lost in a crowd. Our master teachers are committed to knowing each student well and to drawing out their individual strengths. ISW's college prep curriculum, which is based on strong core academics, inquiry-based learning, and the performing arts, leads students to find their passions and to use their voices.
See our approachConfident learners start here.
"ISW is a supportive environment with teachers who care about each student as a whole person. Interactions with all admins and teachers have been kind, professional, and caring. The quality of education is excellent, and I am confident students are being well-prepared for college!"
"ISW is a wonderful place to learn and grow! The teachers are not only knowledgeable and supportive, but they also genuinely enjoy being part of the school community, creating a fun and welcoming environment. The smaller class sizes make a big difference, allowing for personalized instruction and strong connections among students and faculty. ISW encourages students to be curious and independent thinkers, and it provides the resources and support to explore their individual interests."
Here's how we do it:
with purpose and joy.
Academic excellence
College prep academics, delivered by master teachers, build the love of learning and prepare students for college and beyond.
Experiential education
From kindergartners running experiments to high school students building robots, ISW students learn by doing across the entire curriculum.
Mastery learning
Students advance by achieving mastery of the skills and concepts that prepare them for success. Mastery learning taps into students' innate creative drive to learn while teaching them to take responsibility for their growth.
Core values
Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Empathy, and Commitment to Education. These are the pillars of the ISW approach to creating a thoughtful and kind learning community that in turn produces thoughtful and kind adults.
Small by design. Serious about outcomes.
Developing creativity, confidence, and a voice.
At ISW, the stage is where confidence becomes visible — for every student.
What’s happening at ISW
Congratulations to the cast and crew of Radium Girls! Huzzah (ISW's student-led theater company that is open to students from all over the Shenandoah Valley) has done several comedies and musicals in recent years. This fall, Huzzah elected to move into drama, and they committed to telling the true story of "the radium girls," young women from the 1920s whose lives were sacrificed to profit. Their story continues to resonate one hundred years later.
Four sold out shows and three standing ovations! Huzzah!
Congratulations to all the fantastic humans who made Radium Girls such a success. You won't see their faces on stage, but they have been working hard for months!
Director: Joette Orndorff
Stage Manager: Elizabeth McDonald
Sound Designer/Costumes: Roxie Orndorff
Set Design: Sarah Jenkins
Prop Designs: Chris Frear and Sarah Jenkins
Lighting Designer/Light and Sound Board Operator: Meredith J
Set Construction: Jonathan Ryall, Sarah Jenkins, Erin Powell
Set Dressing: Charlotte A, Eira E, Brian H, Tegan K, Hanz P, Alexandra S, Kyla Z, and the ISW Stagecraft Class
Prop/Costume Construction: Sarah Jenkins and the ISW Stagecraft Class
