Winchester Public Schools runs seven schools, all fully accredited; John Handley High is rated Distinguished. Register at 598 N. Kent St.; 540-667-4253.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts on this page come from Winchester Public Schools, the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profiles and federal enrollment data.
Every public school in Winchester, with its zone and report card: Winchester public schools.
Winchester is an independent city with its own school division, Winchester Public Schools, led by a School Board and Superintendent Jason Van Heukelum. The division provides free public education to students who live in the city (the 22601 ZIP code).
Who to call
- Central Office: 598 N. Kent St., 540-667-4253, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
- Preschool (VPI) applications: Coordinator of Early Childhood Education, 540-667-4253, or the early childhood family liaison, 540-686-5436
- School Board office and BoardDocs questions: 540-667-4253
- Official sites: Winchester Public Schools and student registration
The schools and their state ratings
Winchester has four elementary schools, then one school for every student at each later stage. Ratings below are from the state’s School Quality Profiles as posted when we checked: accreditation status, then the performance level and score under Virginia’s school accountability framework.
| School | Level | Accreditation | Performance level | Framework score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Douglass Elementary | Elementary | Fully Accredited | Meets Expectations | 88.34 |
| Garland R. Quarles Elementary | Elementary | Fully Accredited | Meets Expectations | 84.47 |
| John Kerr Elementary | Elementary | Fully Accredited | Approaching Expectations | 85.6 |
| Virginia Avenue Charlotte DeHart Elementary | Elementary | Fully Accredited | Meets Expectations | 82.2 |
| Daniel Morgan Intermediate | Intermediate | Fully Accredited | Approaching Expectations | 80.64 |
| Daniel Morgan Middle | Middle | Fully Accredited | Approaching Expectations | 81.83 |
| John Handley High | High | Fully Accredited | Distinguished | 99.36 |
Each school’s profile on the state site has test results, enrollment, attendance, teacher quality and spending. High school students can also apply to the regional Mountain Vista Governor’s School.
Which school serves my address?
Only the elementary school depends on where you live. Type your address into the division’s WebQuery property search tool, choose the grade (K for preschool) and it shows the school and the bus stop. You can also call any elementary school. Families inside the division’s walk zones are shown on the walk zone maps.
Registering a new student
From the division’s registration page:
- Kindergarten: children who will be 5 by Sept. 30, 2026, register for 2026-2027.
- Preschool: children who will be 3 or 4 by Sept. 30, 2026, may qualify under state Virginia Preschool Initiative criteria (such as family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level) or local criteria. Places are based on need and space.
- Start online with the pre-registration form. A parent email address is required.
- Bring: a parent’s photo ID; a certified birth certificate; two proofs of city residency (a gas, electric, water or home phone bill no more than 2 months old; a city or state tax receipt from the last year; a current homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy; or a deed, mortgage statement or lease); an immunization record; and, for preschool through fourth grade, a physical exam done no earlier than a year before the first day of school, on the state’s school entrance health form.
The division asks families to register even if they do not yet have every document.
Enrollment
Enrollment has stayed between about 4,100 and 4,400 students for six years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The School Board says it directs a $63 million budget and a staff of more than 800.
Calendar, closings and the School Board
- School calendar: the division’s master calendar lists holidays, early releases and events.
- Weather closings and delays: posted on the closings, delays and early release page.
- School Board: meets generally on the second and fourth Mondays. Coming up: a business meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, and a work session at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. Agendas, times and locations are on BoardDocs, and meetings stream on the division’s YouTube channel. To speak at a regular meeting, call or write the superintendent’s office; a sign-in sheet is provided at each meeting.
Board members represent wards or serve at large. The current members are Bryan Pearce-Gonzales (chair, Ward 4), Michael Birchenough (vice chair, Ward 1), Karen Burrough (Ward 2), Benjamin Rothermel (Ward 3), and Mary Tedrow, Melissa Harris and Kylie Zoller (at large), according to the School Board page.
What this means for you
- Moving to the city? Look up your elementary school first; every child then goes to the same Daniel Morgan and Handley schools.
- Bring two proofs of a Winchester address when you register.
- Kindergarten cutoff: 5 years old by Sept. 30.
- Friday night games and scores are in our Friday night football guide and the scoreboard.
Related guides: moving to Winchester and voting in Winchester.
Which elementary zone each part of the city falls in: see our Winchester neighborhoods guide.
Frequently asked questions
What school will my child attend in Winchester, Virginia?
Every Winchester Public Schools student attends the same intermediate, middle and high school: Daniel Morgan Intermediate, Daniel Morgan Middle and John Handley High. Only the elementary school depends on your address; check it with the division’s WebQuery property search tool or call an elementary school.
How are Winchester schools rated?
All seven schools are fully accredited on the Virginia School Quality Profiles. John Handley High is rated Distinguished; Frederick Douglass, Garland R. Quarles and Virginia Avenue Charlotte DeHart elementaries Meet Expectations; John Kerr Elementary and both Daniel Morgan schools are Approaching Expectations.
How old does my child have to be for kindergarten in Winchester?
Children who will be 5 by Sept. 30, 2026, should be registered for kindergarten for 2026-2027. Children who will be 3 or 4 by that date may be eligible for preschool, which is not guaranteed.
When does the Winchester School Board meet?
Generally twice a month, on the second and fourth Mondays. The next business meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026; agendas and locations are on BoardDocs.
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