Frequently Asked Questions

Peabody School Student Population 2025-2026

How many students attend Peabody School?

Enrollment for the 2025-2026 School year is 229 students (109 girls, 120 boys), from PreKindergarten through Grade Eight.

How diverse is the student population?

In 2025-2026, 34% of our population are students of color.

What percentage of students receive financial assistance?

In 2025-2026, 24% of the Peabody student population (K – Grade 8) receives financial assistance.

Where do Peabody students live?

While the majority of our students are from the Charlottesville/Albemarle area, current students travel from Fishersville, Gordonsville, Louisa, Staunton, Troy, and Waynesboro to learn here.

Peabody School Faculty

What percentage of Peabody School faculty and staff hold advanced degrees?

More than 65% of Peabody School faculty/staff hold advanced degrees; More than 77% of Peabody Middle School teachers hold advanced degrees.

How experienced are the teachers at Peabody School?

Peabody faculty and staff average 17 years of teaching experience; 54% of Peabody faculty have 15+ years of teaching experience, and 38% of Peabody faculty have 20+ years of teaching experience.

Peabody School Learning Environment

How small are the classes at Peabody School?

With a low student: teacher ratio, Peabody is able to individualize instruction within the classroom.  Maximum class sizes are:

  • Pre-Kindergarten (two classes with two teachers in each classroom): 12 students
  • Kindergarten (one class with a teacher and an assistant teacher): 15 students
  • Grades 1 – 8: (two classes per grade): 16 students  
What High School course credits are offered at Peabody?
Algebra I
Algebra II
Geometry
Biology
Engineering
French I
French II
Spanish I
Spanish II
What classes are available in addition to the traditional core classes?

In addition to the core academic classes in English, Math, Science, History, and World Language, Peabody students in the lower school also take specials classes in the subjects of Art, Music, Drama, Physical Education, and Technology.

Middle School students have the opportunity to select from a menu of offerings for their Arts & Enrichment segment of the day.  

Testing

What tests are required for admission to Peabody School?

As part of the application process, children applying to Kindergarten must take the WPPSI (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence), and those applying to the Grades 1 – 8 must take the WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children). Testing needs to have occurred within three years of the date of application.

To take the WPPSI – children are age 2 years 6 months to 7 years 7 months
To take the WISC – children are age 6 years 0 months to 16 years 11 months

When a child is between age 6:0 and 7:7 it is up to the examiner to decide which test is most appropriate. Most children over age 6:0 applying to Peabody will take the WISC.

Students applying to the Middle School (grades six through eight) can submit results of assessments such as the CogAT, Woodcock-Johnson, Stanford-9, or the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in addition to the WISC. Please contact the Director of Admission for more information.

What do the WPPSI and WISC measure?
Both the WPPSI and WISC are designed to predict how well children will perform in school. The tests are standardized and are administered to children all over the country. The test is designed to assess your child’s problem solving skills as well as his or her intellectual strengths and weaknesses. Some parts of the test may be influenced by the academic exposure your child has had.
What will the results tell us?
The results of the test will help show how your child compares with others of his or her age in problem solving skills, verbal abilities, critical thinking, abstract reasoning, and preparation for school. The tests predict academic achievement, but motivations, study skills, academic opportunities, and self-discipline also play important parts in academic achievement.
What should I tell my child about the testing?
Most children enjoy the testing. We encourage you to tell your child that s/he will be asked some questions and be given some activities to see what s/he knows and what s/he has been taught. Some questions will be answered with words, and others will be solved like puzzles. We discourage parents from saying it is an IQ or intelligence test because that makes children nervous and is not exactly accurate. Because the assessments are influenced by education, they are not purely intelligence tests. We encourage you to tell your child that the results of the assessment will be used to help show more about what he or she has learned over the past couple of years. We also suggest that you tell your child that the tests are often given to children much younger and much older than they, so there will be some questions that seem very easy and some that are very difficult. It is important for your child to know that he or she is not expected to know all of the information and that it is okay not to know something.
What does the Admission Committee look for regarding testing?

Typically, students who are successful at Peabody School score above the 90th percentile on the WISC or WPPSI, with most students scoring above the 95th percentile. The verbal subtests of the WISC and WPPSI are weighted more heavily by the Admissions Committee than other subtests.

Where can I get my child tested?

Contact any licensed school or clinical psychologist to arrange for testing. Request that the test results be forwarded to Peabody School. The testing typically takes between 1 1⁄2 and 2 hours, and children usually enjoy participating in the testing activities. Please do not attempt to have your child tested if s/he is tired, ill, or has recently been ill, as testing can only be administered once every 365 days. Please indicate to the test administrator that the test is for Peabody School in order to expedite scheduling.

Several local options for in-person testing include:

  • Allison Anderson, PhD (434-480-3888)
  • Leigh Berry, PhD (314-630-9481)
  • Julia Blodgett, PhD (434-242-2331)
  • Angie McHugh, EdD – Richmond (434-996-6574)
  • Suzanne Michels, PhD (434-296-0762)
  • Hellen Lewis Streicher, PhD (434-989-1481)
  • UVA’s Johnson Center (434-924-7034)
  • Sarah Wymer, PhD – Richmond (404-219-0110)

Accreditation

Which associations is Peabody School accredited through?

Peabody is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS).