Begin, Grow, and Lead on Russell Road
Grace Episcopal School stands at 3601 Russell Road in Alexandria, Virginia, just around the corner from the public park now named for one of its former heads of school. The Preschool through Grade 5 day school grew out of Grace Episcopal Church and still worships each week inside the church's historic chapel. It is small by design, Episcopal by tradition, and well known in the neighborhoods that feed into the school for three things in particular: a tight-knit faculty who know every child by name, a literacy and Singapore Math curriculum that travels with students from junior kindergarten through fifth grade, and a three-word rhythm that the school calls Begin with Grace, Grow with Grace, and Lead with Grace.
The campus is co-educational and serves children from age 3 through fifth grade. Its mission statement reads simply, "The mission of Grace Episcopal School is to honor the gift of childhood," and the rest of the work flows from that sentence. The Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church charges the school to provide a Christ-centered education to children of the parish and the wider community, and the result is a school where faith formation, character education, and academic rigor are woven together day by day.
Begin, Grow, and Lead: A Three-Word Journey
The school's philosophy is captured in three phrases that follow a child through the years.
Begin with Grace. The early years are celebrated as a foundation for a lifetime of learning. Teachers nurture enthusiastic readers through a deep commitment to literacy, build confidence and mathematical fluency with the Math in Focus curriculum, and intentionally support every child's social-emotional growth. The five character keys (honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, and courage) begin to shape how students treat one another from their first classroom morning.
Grow with Grace. As students move through the grades, teachers develop a deep understanding of their strengths, interests, and individual needs. Small class sizes and personalized instruction allow the faculty to challenge, support, and celebrate every child along the way. From the preschooler taking brave first steps into the classroom to the confident fifth grader welcoming prospective families as a student ambassador, every child grows in confidence, character, and leadership.
Lead with Grace. The oldest students naturally step into meaningful leadership roles. Beginning in third grade, students take on increasing responsibilities through the buddy program, chapel acolyte teams, student ambassadorships, playground leadership, and STREAM leadership. Fifth graders plan and lead the annual STREAM Extravaganza and serve as Chapel Acolytes, leading weekly worship with confidence.
The Head of School, Amanda Hungerford, sums up the rhythm this way: "My passion for making Grace the best it can be comes from seeing Grace through my daughters' eyes. Their enthusiasm for different Grace traditions, like the second grade and preschool buddy time, or our all-school participation in a greening of Grace on Earth Day, in combination with the relationships they have built and are continuing to build with their classmates, the teachers and staff, and other Grace community members, helps to relight my passion on a daily basis."
From a Basement Preschool to a Preschool-5 School
What is now Grace Episcopal School began in 1948 as a small half-day preschool of 19 to 25 parish children held in the basement of Grace Episcopal Church. Father Merrow, the Rector at the time, was fully committed to the idea of a school as an integral part of his parish. In 1959, the addition of a parish hall allowed the preschool to grow into a fully realized Grace Episcopal Day School. That hall is still called Merrow Hall and remains central to the Grace experience.
Merrow Hall serves several roles at once. The Auditorium hosts assemblies and programs, offers plenty of room for play and exercise when indoor recess is needed, and serves as the Grace Cafe where students in Grades 1 through 5 eat lunch together. Over the years, the school population steadily grew, as did its reputation for offering an outstanding elementary and early childhood "whole child" education in a nurturing environment.
Grace has always been an inclusive school. At the time of the school's founding, Alexandria City Public Schools were not yet integrated, but Grace opened its doors to children of all races, cultures, and ethnicities from the start. Father Merrow, who remained an active member of the school community until his passing in 1974, provided financial support to make a Grace education affordable to all families. That tradition continues today through a robust tuition assistance program that currently supports more than 21 percent of Grace families.
One of the most influential figures in the school's history was Shirley Tyler, whose long history with Grace began as a teacher in 1969. She became Head of School in 1975 and led the school until her retirement in 1989. Mrs. Tyler led Grace to accreditation and worked tirelessly to lead a small school in a big way with forward-thinking technology, community building, and best practices in teaching. Named "A Living Legend" in Alexandria, she became the first African-American woman to chair the Alexandria School Board, serving from 1980 to 1982. In December 2020, Alexandria City Council voted unanimously to name the public park at 3550 Commonwealth Avenue the Shirley Tyler Unity Park. The park is located just around the corner from Grace.
Several Grace traditions grew up around these foundational figures. Former Head of School Chris Stegmaier Byrnes introduced the morning handshake line in 2004 as a way to get to know Grace parents and students during her first year as Head of School. The morning greeting proved to strengthen the strong community feeling present at Grace and continues each school day at the car line. The school initiated a silent auction in 1985 as part of Grace Church's annual Christmas bazaar; the auction has since evolved into a major school fundraiser and has funded playground renovations, technology upgrades, and a new turf field in 2019. Tom the Turkey was brought to life in 2007 when Grace students first used donated canned goods to create the shape of a turkey in Merrow Hall. Tom's look has changed through the years, gaining a waddle, snood, and colorful feathers, and each year students look forward to this schoolwide event that demonstrates the school's strong commitment to outreach.
Chapel, Character Keys, and the Episcopal Tradition
As an Episcopal community, Grace values spirituality that celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion: students and families of all religious backgrounds are welcome and valued. The school relies on the teachings of Jesus to create a religious and ethical base relevant to each child's age, beginning with an understanding of the values of love, inclusion, empathy, and a call to help others.
All students, from Preschool through Grade 5, attend weekly chapel in Grace Episcopal Church. This time together is one of Grace's most cherished traditions. The community sings, prays, and learns together what it means to embrace the Episcopal way of love. Fifth graders take an active role in these services as readers, ushers, and acolytes. The historic Grace Church chapel provides a rich resource for the study of Christian stories, symbols, art, and history. Parents and siblings are welcome to attend all chapel services and share in the joy of weekly worship.
While the underlying values of the Episcopal faith are present in the day-to-day life of Grace students, children in Grades 1 through 5 also have Religion Class once a week. Mother Emma Brice, the School Chaplain, teaches religion and serves in the Godly Play room, where children are physically immersed in the stories of God and God's people. Through the telling of stories and parables, children are supported to use their imaginations and listen to each other as they collectively wonder. Godly Play is about knowing God beyond just knowing about God. The stories invite each child into a lifelong relationship with God, scripture, and religious traditions.
The trademark of a Grace elementary education is its set of five Character Keys, which are woven into daily life and integrated into every curriculum area.
- Honesty: Live with integrity. Be sincere. Tell the truth, even when it is hard.
- Respect: Be kind. Always treat others how you wish to be treated.
- Responsibility: Own your actions. Understand how they affect others and the world around you.
- Compassion: Love one another. Practice patience and understanding.
- Courage: Be brave. Do not be afraid to stand up for what you believe.
Students recite the Character Pledge as a community: "We, who are members of the Grace Episcopal School community, seek to live lives of Christian values and good character. We believe that good character grows from daily acts of honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion and courage. We pledge ourselves to develop these ideals with integrity, striving to do what is right at all times." Visitors to the school find the character keys proudly displayed in hallways and classrooms.
Service to others flows from the same commitments. All classes participate in community service projects that provide students with hands-on experience of helping others. Annual non-perishable food drives support the Grace Church Food Pantry. Students take part in the ALIVE! House walk for homeless awareness, the "Be the Change that Makes the Change" coin drive for Alexandria's Carpenter's Shelter, a towel and blanket collection for the Alexandria Animal Shelter, and senior outreach services with Alexandria's Goodwin House. Each class also hosts a Carpenter's Shelter dinner.
A Day in the Life
A typical day at Grace begins at 8:30 a.m. with a warm welcome by name at the morning car line, often including the famous handshake line with the Head of School. The school day ends at 3:15 p.m.
The early childhood classrooms serve children ages 3 through junior kindergarten. Preschoolers and junior kindergartners learn about the world through stories, songs, rhyming activities, arts and crafts, number games, dramatic play, and peer relationships. Play-based learning supports positive attitudes toward education, keeping children engaged while encouraging their natural curiosity and vibrant imaginations. Children are exposed to hands-on activities, sensory tables, singing and dancing, and a constant rotation of books, puzzles, and games. With the introduction of circle time and small group activities, teachers lay a foundation for lifelong learning.
A full-day junior kindergartener named Katherine begins her day outside on the playground, greeting her teachers and classmates. She runs around climbing and jumping until it is time to head inside. At 9:15 a.m., the day of learning officially begins with morning meeting, which can be anything from a music and movement exercise to story time integrated into the class's weekly theme. The entire class reviews the weather and date each day and talks about how they are feeling. At 9:30 a.m., the class says a blessing together and enjoys a mid-morning snack. At 10 a.m., Katherine heads outside for recess on the early childhood playground, where she practices the monkey bars and plays in the sandbox. At 10:45 a.m., she comes inside for learning centers, which could include a sensory activity, science experiment, or arts and crafts project. Lunch is at noon, followed by more outdoor play and a quiet rest period on her own cot. At 3:10 p.m., Katherine gathers her belongings, says goodbye to her teachers and friends, and heads out to the afternoon car line, ready to share the highlights of her day with her family.
Elementary students in kindergarten through Grade 5 follow a more structured rhythm. Kindergarten and first graders enjoy learning in an engaging and interactive environment where they are given the tools they need to succeed in an academically challenging curriculum. With an average class size of 14 and two teachers per class, these students benefit from personal attention and differentiated approaches to learning.
A fourth grader named Allen, a Grace "lifer" who has attended since preschool, begins his day at 8:30 a.m. diving right into the morning math block, where the class might be working through improper fractions. At 9:45 a.m., he goes to science, taught by Fifth Grade Teacher Cindy Mitlo, and works in a small group to observe nine different fossils from Grace's science collection. At 10:45 a.m., he meets friends on the playground to shoot basketball hoops and play a quick game of four square. At 11:20 a.m., he heads to STREAM, where the class designs and builds small bridges out of popsicle sticks and tape, testing how much weight their bridges can hold. Lunch is at 12:15 p.m. in the Grace Cafe upstairs in Merrow Hall with the rest of the Grace "graders." At 12:45 p.m., he goes to language arts to work on a personal narrative about a favorite family tradition. At 2:00 p.m., he heads outside for an active class with Coach Palacio, full of laps, lunges, and an energetic game of gaga ball. At 2:35 p.m., he begins his second language arts block, where new vocabulary is introduced and the class reads from their current novel. At 3:10 p.m., Allen packs up and heads outside for dismissal in the afternoon car line.
The Faculty Behind the Mission
The faculty and staff at Grace are central to what the school calls its small-by-design philosophy. Years of experience of 68 percent of the faculty shape a deep bench of expertise, and an average class size of 14 in the lower elementary years and 11 in the upper elementary grades keeps the teacher-to-student ratio low.
Amanda Hungerford has been a fixture at Grace for more than 20 years. After working for Teach for America in New York City and then Youth Activities for Disney Cruise Lines, she returned to Northern Virginia looking to put down roots. She arrived for an interview on graduation morning in 2006 and felt an instant connection with the school. Starting out as a kindergarten teacher, then moving upstairs to both the fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, she has a unique point of view and awareness of the school as a whole. She now serves as Head of School and has become an irreplaceable member of the Grace community. Her work and home life converge, with one daughter currently enrolled at Grace and one a recent Grace graduate.
Mary Kate Holland, Director of Early Childhood Programs, is known at Grace for her playful, engaging personality, magical ability to forge strong connections with her students, and expertise in early childhood development. Mrs. Holland has taught preschool, junior kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade religion and has worked in morning and afternoon extended care. She is strongly motivated by understanding the emotions behind children's behavior and is passionate about helping students grow and achieve in a way that is developmentally appropriate. "My favorite part of being a member of the early childhood team is how much of a difference we, as adults, can make just by loving the children in our care," she says. "I want all of my students to know that they are loved and respected and that they can count on us to keep them safe and help them learn and grow."
Miguel Palacio, known as "Coach P," is the physical education teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade. Mr. Palacio found his way to Grace by way of Baroody Camps, where he has worked with children for more than 30 years. Originally from Bluefields in Nicaragua and fluent in Spanish, he is father to five children and stands 6'2" tall. He was a star basketball player in high school and college, and his energetic personality and incredibly positive attitude make him a natural leader on and off the fields and courts. His approach to physical fitness fits perfectly with Grace's whole-child philosophy: he begins each class with a prayer and stresses good sportsmanship and healthy habits. His motto: "Whether a task be big or small, do it well or not at all."
Mother Emma Brice serves as School Chaplain and Religion Teacher, bringing a Master of Divinity from Yale University and a B.A. from Duke University to her role. Mother Anne Turner, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, serves as ex officio on the school board, ensuring that the school and the parish continue to walk together. Ashley Brittingham serves as Director of Elementary Programs, bringing more than a decade of Grace experience and an M.Ed. from Curtin University in Australia. Claire Ernst is the Director of Curriculum and Learning, with an M.Ed. from Lesley University and nine years at Grace. Beth Bradley serves as Director of Finance and Operations, holding a B.A. from Old Dominion University and Certified Public Accountant credentials. Julia Byrnes serves as Director of Advancement and is the welcoming voice for prospective families. Keeley Rae Prestwich teaches art; Marie Fulda teaches music; Lucia Villarraga teaches Spanish; Diane Johnson serves as Librarian and Grades 2-5 STREAM Teacher; and Michal Berkson Powell, LCSW, LICSW, LCSW-C, serves as School Social Worker.
Grace365: Care Before, After, and All Summer Long
Grace365 is the school's continuum of care beyond the school day. It recognizes the needs of working professionals and parents who strive to balance the care of their children with the demands of their careers, and it offers flexible, high-quality programming in the familiar surroundings of Grace.
Extended Care. Morning care is open to all students and begins as early as 7:30 a.m. with staff ready to welcome the children to crafts and centers. Students are given the opportunity to have a morning recess to use physical energy before settling into classroom routines. Aftercare is available daily from 3:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for all students. Families may enroll their child for the full school year or take advantage of a flexible drop-in option. Aftercare is a fun extension of the school day, featuring snack, homework time, and recess with friends. Lunch Bunch, open to early childhood half-day students from noon to 3:15 p.m., includes nap and rest time. More than 70 percent of current families participate in some form of extended care.
Enrichment Clubs. All Grace students are invited to sign up for afterschool enrichment clubs that offer opportunities to explore a new hobby, craft, sport, or talent each season. Clubs change each season and range in age groups, interests, and cost. Depending on the time of year, Grace students may try their hand at cooking, yoga, STEM, soccer, coding, chess, sewing, and more. The clubs are often held by Grace faculty and staff members, which allows students to try something new in a comfortable environment and bond with faculty members and schoolmates over shared interests. The most popular enrichment club is the Boys and Girls Running Club, offered each winter to second through fifth graders. The children meet once a week and run through the trail behind Grace and the surrounding neighborhood, working toward the goal of completing a 5K at Episcopal High School with teachers, friends, and family cheering them on.
Summer Camp. Grace Adventures welcomes children ages 3 through 11 (rising sixth graders) to a full summer of learning and play. Each week features a theme that inspires hands-on activities and sparks curiosity and imagination. Younger campers, called Explorers, engage in play-based experiences alongside Grace Guides (rising second through sixth graders). Grace Guides build leadership skills through mentoring and have the opportunity to take a deeper dive into each week's theme. During the school year, Bonus Days are offered on many vacation days so that busy families have a safe, camp-like experience to offer their children.
Tuition and Admissions
Grace Episcopal School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities of the school. The school does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and aid programs, or any other school-administered program.
For the 2026-27 school year, tuition is set at $13,140 for a half-day Preschool or Junior Kindergarten program and $19,990 for a full-day program in those same grades. Kindergarten through Grade 5 tuition is $26,405. The Grace Fund, the school's annual fund, supports the operating budget and helps close the gap between tuition revenue and the true cost of a Grace education. Donors may direct their gifts to academic programming and technology, art, music and cultural programming, belonging and inclusion, faculty development, facilities, or financial aid.
Grace is committed to making a Grace education accessible. Tuition assistance is awarded to more than 21 percent of Grace families and is determined by the Tuition Assistance Committee using an impartial third-party system, Clarity Financial Aid. Requests for tuition assistance are not a factor in the admissions decision. The Clarity Application is fully translated into Spanish, with support available in English and Spanish.
The admissions process for the 2027-28 school year opens on October 1, 2026. First round applications are due by Friday, January 15, 2027, and supporting paperwork and visits must be completed by Monday, February 1, 2027. Admissions decisions are released to families via email at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2027, and signed enrollment contracts and deposits are due on Friday, March 12, 2027. Children must meet age requirements by September 1: Kindergarten, 5 years old; Junior Kindergarten, 4 years old; Preschool, 3 years old. Each application carries a non-refundable $75 application fee. Prospective families are encouraged to visit Grace; private in-person tours are available on select weekday mornings between 9 a.m. and noon, beginning in October.
Belonging Beyond the Classroom
Diversity is celebrated at Grace. Students represent a variety of family structures and racial, ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds, and the school considers this diversity vital to allowing children to learn about and embrace differences.
Students come to school in a school uniform of red, blue, and the school's signature plaid. Uniform items with the school crest can be purchased through Lands End, while other uniform clothing may be purchased from the store of parents' choice. Each school year features a number of "Free Dress" days for students to express their individuality. The school's first floor classrooms (Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten) are nut free. All Grace students bring their own lunch and enjoy a morning snack; nutritious snacks are provided for all Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten children mid-morning and in the afternoon for all students enrolled in extended care. Parents may bring in a special birthday snack from an approved list, and snacks in the lower grades must be nut free.
Grace students' daily lives are enriched with field trips and school assemblies. The school takes full advantage of its close proximity to Washington D.C. with annual field trips to several of the Smithsonian's museums, federal government buildings, and historic sites. Students also enjoy the rich history of Alexandria with field trips to nearby historical buildings in Old Town and the greater Northern Virginia area. Assemblies held in Merrow Hall bring the opportunity to spend time together as a school community, exposing children to culture and exciting extracurricular activities, often featuring musical and theatrical performances, puppet shows, animal exhibits, and more.
Beyond the core curriculum, students enjoy "specials" classes woven throughout the week: STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics), art, physical education, music, Spanish language, library, and religion. Elementary students in kindergarten through Grade 5 have studio art once a week, exploring various mediums each year with a focus on creativity, imagination, and visual art design principles. All Grace students have music once a week using an interactive, collaborative, and highly kinesthetic teaching method. Two musical performances each year, one at Christmastime and one in the spring, incorporate singing and bells and are two of Grace's most cherished traditions. Weekly Spanish instruction begins in junior kindergarten with songs and games and continues through fifth grade, with the objective of achieving conversational Spanish by Grade 5.
The Grace Community
The Grace Episcopal School Parents Association, GESPA, is made up of every family at Grace and serves as the primary way parents come together to support students, teachers, and one another. The association organizes school-wide events, takes care of teachers and staff on birthdays and holidays, and plans outreach activities to serve others. Events throughout the year include the Fall Family Social, BINGO! Night, Talent Show, restaurant nights, parent coffees, and Teacher Appreciation activities.
Alumni are warmly welcomed back. Grace invites former students and parents to stay connected through visits, volunteer opportunities, chapel services, and student performances. Alumni can talk to fifth graders about middle school life, help out in the art room for a day, or share a talent with a class. The Development Office helps alumni maintain current addresses and stay informed about school news, reunions, and events.
The school is governed by a Board of Directors with oversight responsibility for the policies and operation of Grace Episcopal School in accordance with the Charter and Bylaws. The 2026-27 Board is chaired by Jennifer Long, with Laura Haines as Vice Chair, Marcie Huff as Treasurer, and Jenni Shearer Voces as Secretary. Members include Ashley Berrang, Natalie Hernandez, Lauren Gustafson, Andrew Johnson, Rebecca Prosser, Veronica Sander, and Larry Thompson. The Head of School, Amanda Hungerford, and Mother Anne Turner, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, serve as ex officio members.
Grace Episcopal School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. It is a proud member of the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, and the Virginia Council for Private Education. Its campus sits on Russell Road in Alexandria, just around the corner from Shirley Tyler Unity Park, and its story continues to be written by the families, teachers, and students who walk through its doors each morning.