St. Mary's Elementary School

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2026

I went to this school for 5 years and it was... alright. We started switching classes in 4th grade which was a little early. The teachers were mostly nice and I really think the community is good. They have a pretty good system but there was one incident. The principal is alright, but the old one was much better.

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2026

Posted: June 23, 2023

Posted: June 23, 2023

Posted: June 23, 2023

Posted: June 23, 2023

Posted: June 23, 2023

Our son just finished the 4th grade at The Basilica School of Saint Mary where he has been enrolled since Pre-K. We can't find enough good things to say about the student body, community of families, educators, curriculum, facilities, and the academic resources available to the students. At the start of the COVID pandemic the school shut down in March of 2020 and remained closed for in-person learning for the rest of that academic year. They made use of technology as best they could to facilitate remote learning but as we've all come to understand remote learning for young elementary aged children is not a viable option.

Accordingly the Diocese, school administrators, and teachers worked to reopen for in-person learning as soon as possible which ended up being the very next fall, September of 2020. While the public school system and many private schools remained closed for the entirety of the 2020-2021 school year (in addition to a good portion if not all of the 2021-2022 academic year) our son and his school mates were having face-to-face interactions with their peers, teachers, administrators, and clergy. We couldn't be more thankful to the staff at the Basilica School of St Mary's for their selfless commitment to the children and their dedication to the teaching profession in what was a very uncertain and scary time for us all. This dedication and commitment is evident in the testing scores of the student body. Whereas learning loss is evident across the country for students our sons age, who had no other options than the remote learning fiasco offered by the public school system, our son (and the majority of his peers at St Mary's) test far above the national averages in all subjects post COVID.

We empathize with the families who attempted to enroll their children at the Basilica School of St Mary's during COVID only to find themselves wait listed because of high reenrollment rates and increased interest during the pandemic from public school attendees desperate to get their children back in the classroom. We were the lucky ones, luck to be enrolled at a school that recognizes parents are the primary educators of their children. Lucky to be enrolled in a school with teachers who're dedicated to their students academic and emotional growth. We couldn't be happier with how our child is learning, growing, and maturing thanks to the Basilica School of St Mary and their dedicated team of educators and the community of faith which surrounds.

Posted: June 23, 2023

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Posted: June 6, 2023

Posted: June 6, 2023

Posted: June 6, 2023

Posted: June 6, 2023

Posted: June 6, 2023

Not a good experience. I had a lot of issues with bullying where the admin does nothing about it and does not let the other people involved know. There is a lot of not good things here. There should be more counselors and more learning support for the students. I am glad to not have to return to this school.

Posted: June 6, 2023

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Posted: July 25, 2022

Posted: July 25, 2022

Posted: July 25, 2022

Posted: July 25, 2022

Posted: July 25, 2022

Our child was at St. Mary’s for one year, and that was enough. He makes friends easily because he is an easy-going kid who plays fair. But I will say that the parent community is incredibly unwelcoming for those who don’t fit the mold (mostly white, wealthy, country club members). Most—not many, MOST—parents ignored me and simply did not respond when I reached out. (Note that I have had zero issues with this at my kid’s new school.) A girl who was my kid’s self-proclaimed best friend told him that he must have COVID because he’s Asian. Not sure where a 7 year old learns to think like that other than at home. I am also certain that any semblance of differentiated learning did not happen in my child’s classroom of 30 students. I will say we were very happy with the encore classes—in particular, the art and Spanish teachers were amazing at teaching the kids but also making sure they had fun.

Posted: July 25, 2022

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Posted: July 25, 2022

Posted: December 9, 2020

I am the parent of four students at St. Mary’s, and after nearly a decade my oldest will be graduating this coming spring. Simply put, St. Mary’s is not just a school, it is a family. My husband and I chose St. Mary’s over a well-regarded FCPS elementary school, because we wanted something more. We wanted to know that our children were spending each day in a place where they were not only learning the things they needed to know in the classroom, but where they were developing their characters. By and large, the teachers at St. Mary’s are there not because it is a job, but because they believe in the mission of the school and truly care about its students. Mr. Cinalli, the school’s principal, is one of the school’s greatest assets. He fosters an environment of respect, kindness and scholarship and is truly dedicated to the students. At St. Mary’s, we joined a community that truly lives out its motto “saints, stewards, and scholars.”

Posted: December 9, 2020

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Posted: December 9, 2020

Posted: December 7, 2020

We have been a part of the Basilica School for four years. We have been extremely happy with the education and have enjoyed being part of a wonderful community in Alexandria.

Posted: December 7, 2020

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Posted: December 7, 2020

My daughter has been a student at The Basilica School of St. Mary for 8 years. Not only is she getting a fantastic education, our family has met the best of friends throughout the years. We especially appreciate the kindness and support from the staff, leadership and parents. It’s not just a school, it’s a community.

Posted: December 7, 2020

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Posted: June 2, 2020

My child spent three years at St Marys then we transferred to another private school where she just completed her first school year at this new school. After seeing how our new school lives its values and encourages acceptance & tolerance, I can say that St Marys has significant work to do to improve itself. At 6 years old, my child was told by a classmate that she could not play with white children on the playground bc of the color of her skin (my family is Hispanic). I reported this to my child's teacher who was upset and stunned. This wonderful teacher - who was probably one of St Mary's best teachers - left the school 2 years later. And, if the Catholic Church is the immigrant church on earth, how about the administration take an interest in diversifying its student body in an attempt to reflect the world we live in (students of color make up a dismal ~25% of the student body). To make matters worse, it was well known that there was a mean girls problem in certain grades. Ultimately, I'm just glad we found the right school for us - one that has a social-emotional curriculum that encourages children to respect themselves and respect others. My very bright child fit right in and has made many new friends. And while St Marys didn't leave lasting scars on my child, she certainly cringes every time we drive by the school. I do want to be fair and point out that we met some wonderful families who had a positive experience at St Marys. However, there were others like me. As an example, a military family that was at St Marys for only 1 year had a daughter who had a very rough year feeling ostracized. So, unfortunately, I don't think my experience was an isolated one.

Posted: June 2, 2020

The long-time principal who retired last year was known to be dismissive of parents' concerns and not approachable yet she stayed on in her position for many years. I even heard about this from a school administrator not just other parents. This indicates to me that even when there is a problem, the school is not agile enough to implement swift changes.

Posted: June 2, 2020

Can't comment on this bc we did not deal with any learning challenges.

Posted: March 11, 2020

There is homework but I feel like the teachers are fair. Some teachers give the students their workload for the week and they can work on it as their schedule allows (sports/practices/etc) - as long as it gets done, they are flexible. Almost every grade requires nightly reading.

Posted: March 11, 2020

I have four children at the school and we have been blessed with wonderful teachers. Very open, communicative and fair. They definitely care a lot about each student and want the best for them.

Posted: March 11, 2020

This is my favorite part of the school. Character matters just as much as academics. They reward virtuous behavior. They encourage kindness, community service and giving. It lends to wonderful community building and a warm environment.

Posted: March 11, 2020

Mr. Cinalli the principal is very caring and does a wonderful job responding to all populations - students, parents, teachers, and clergy. He is enthusiastic, flexible and works hard to make The Basilica School a wonderful place for all.

Posted: March 11, 2020

The Mater Dei program is a wonderful addition.

Posted: March 11, 2020

I have not had personal experience with this so I don't feel like I can comment.

Posted: March 11, 2020

I absolutely love it. I feel so lucky to be a part of this community. I know when I drop my children off each day, they are receiving a top-rate education as well as encouraged to be the best version of themselves. I would recommend highly to any parents looking for a family-friendly Catholic school!

Posted: November 1, 2019

The homework is helpful to know what my son is working on and is not overwhelming to his day.

Posted: November 1, 2019

The teachers are experienced and can manage the classroom without just yelling or ignoring behavior.

Posted: November 1, 2019

There is a strong emphasis on character development. This is seen in the character awards, focus on the Saints and saintly behavior, and daily reminders in rewards for good behavior.

Posted: November 1, 2019

The new principal is engaged and enthusiastic.

Posted: November 1, 2019

The students with learning disabilities are supported through extra staff but are also integrated in the classroom as much as possible.

Posted: November 1, 2019

I cannot yet speak to this personally.

Posted: November 1, 2019

So far, this is our first year, it has a very welcoming community and has an excellent curriculum. My son has excelled since moving from his public school. Even though the curriculum is challenging he enjoys going to school and feels accomplished.

Posted: September 17, 2019

It's a new day at the Basilica School of St. Mary's with a dynamic young male principal taking over in July 2019. Mr. Cinalli gets the kids excited about learning, plays basketball with them during recess and even rode the bus home with them one day. In just a few short months the kids and parents have been INCREDIBLY impressed with his attitude, open communication, willingness to listen to new ideas and displays an effective leadership style.

Posted: September 17, 2019

This year the school opened the Mater Dei program for children who learn differently with a dedicated multi-year classroom for them as well as special ed teachers for the program. Not only is there a special classroom for them but they also spend time with their regular grade level for some of the "regular" instruction. It has been an amazing and long overdue program for our school

Posted: September 17, 2019

can't speak to this personally as it has not been an issue for our family

Posted: September 17, 2019

the basilica school of St. Mary has provided a wonderful experience for my kids up to 5th grade. I would encourage anyone looking for a Catholic "family" school environment to come and visit the school and meet our teachers, principal and students. It is a special place and my family and kids have made lifelong friendships and established a strong catholic foundation. I would recommend especially to anyone looking at catholic schools coming from out of town as it is very welcoming to military and new families.

Posted: September 17, 2019

students are given a grade-level appropriate amount of homework. Some of it is online but most of it is hand-written so the kids are not using technology all day long (with many of these technologies increasingly shown as ineffective)

Posted: September 17, 2019

as the parent of three children who have been at the school for more than 5 years, i can attest to the fact that these teachers love their job and are dedicated to instructing kids effectively. they are also able to identify learning issues early on and suggest interventions such as reading specialists. These teachers care about making your kids into KIND and caring individuals which is priceless.

Posted: September 17, 2019

yes, 100 percent yes. they learn discipline, reverence and respect for their classmates, teachers and parents.

Posted: June 9, 2019

Posted: June 9, 2019

Some of my child’s teachers have been good and others have been weak. We are just finishing the year with one of the weak teachers who had poor class control resulting in loud classes where students could not always hear. With a poor teacher, my child’s test scores have dropped and I am not happy.

Posted: June 9, 2019

Posted: June 9, 2019

I’ve been really disappointed with the principal and vice principal. Both do a terrible job dealing with bullying and violence. The administration tries to keep issues covered up at school and do not get rid of the really bad couple kids. Additionally, the school should solicit feedback from parents on their teachers. They are interested in pushing information out and not listening to constructive feedback. Finally, a teacher was suspended mid year but never replaced. The school reported the teacher was facing charges but no specifics were mentioned. Were these crimes against children? As a parent, we would like to know if the teacher was accused of crimes with children. The school is more interested in protecting the church than sharing important information with parents.

Posted: June 9, 2019

Posted: June 9, 2019

St Mary does a terrible job with bullying. The same children cause the same problems over and over without suspension, termination, or even notifying the parents. This is a big problem and many parents I speak with are frustrated. Additionally, I think the class sizes are just too large for many of the teachers to handle.

Posted: June 9, 2019

I am not overly impressed with the education St Mary has provided so far. I’ve sincerely hoped for much better. The religious foundation has been positive but the same emphasis needs to be placed on a quality education. An education where a child can feel safe and not bullied by his or her peers. If the school put the same emphasis on education versus its fundraising, the school would be more competitive.

Posted: February 15, 2019

On the average day while at SMS, I'd spend 3-4 hours on homework a night, with most of the homework being irrelevant busy work.

Posted: February 15, 2019

It varies, there were some AMAZING teachers at SMS that made learning fun and I still feel the effects of their classes in high school, but there are other teachers that are unqualified, with one even being arrested this year and many others fired halfway through the year due to their inability to affectively control and teach a class. My sister, who still attends SMS, has a math teacher that used to be an aide and was thrown into that position due to the schools inability to find a sufficient middle school math teacher. She comes home talking about how the class is a joke, how their teacher often answers questions with the wrong answer and teaches them wrong methods. She even described an incident of what looked like the teacher almost hitting a student with a plastic fairy wand, before freezing with the wand over her head and apologizing to the student. One of the teachers told my sister's class that "It's a women's fault if she gets raped due to the way she dresses." That same teacher commonly makes inappropriate jokes about death and torturing his students. He joked about things like getting a tank of the infamously deadly box jellyfish and having students stick their hands in after answering a question incorrectly, when students had untucked shirts grabbing a stapler and stapling it to their skin, and when students had nike logos on their socks he mentioned keeping a hot iron in his room to burn the logo onto the kid's skin. They were meant as jokes, but still very alarming. He was also obsessed with dress coding; he would have me lift up my sweater at least once a week to check if my shirt was tucked in and roll up my sleeves to show that I had no hairbands (yes, harmless hairbands) on my wrist because they didn't conform with the dress code and he confiscated them many times (and they were nice hairbands too). Both my sister and I required tutors during our time at this school to help us understand the material that was insufficiently taught to us.

Posted: February 15, 2019

The students were, for the most part, respectful, but i honestly see no difference in their behavior and the behavior of my peers at public school now.

Posted: February 15, 2019

My sister has come home in tears many times describing incidents of assemblies (MULTIPLE) where a priest told her class that men were superior to women and had a (and I quote) "stronger connection with God." The management is terrible; the Vice Principal called my grade and others terrible names including "dirty pagans" because she lost her temper while trying to quiet us during lunch. Sexism is shown in many ways, with girls (including me many times) being 'slut shamed' for having our skirts about 4 inches above our knee instead of 2. I've had a teacher call all the girls in my class into the hallway and had us measure each others' skirt length. Girls would often get reprimanded for doing things that boys commonly did (ex. yelling out in class) without punishment.

Posted: February 15, 2019

Posted: February 15, 2019

There were many cases of bullying in our grade; one student even became anorexic after being teased about his weight. The management did nothing about it.

Posted: February 15, 2019

Terrible, I believe I still have psychological effects from attending SMS. Just the thought of it still scares me, and I refuse to even drive by the building. My parents have even discussed taking me to a therapist to work out my issues. After graduating I don't want to be Catholic anymore and have begged my parents to let me switch religions. The only reason I'm staying Catholic is to get preference into colleges. In elementary school I attended a public school, and the school I attended had a very happy and supportive environment, encouraging creativity and uniqueness. In contrast, I felt that Saint Mary's suppressed these traits, prohibiting students to express themselves with creative approaches to projects or simple colorful headbands. If a student had an opinion that contradicted Catholic teaching or even teachers personal values, he or she would be looked down on or even reprimanded in some cases. I would not recommend this school to anyone.

Posted: July 30, 2018

Good,
I have enjoyed watching my kids navigate through st Mary's

Posted: July 30, 2018

Parents can check the school portal what the childs work is and teachers are in contact with the parents on any issue that kight come up.

Posted: July 30, 2018

The teachers will communicate with the parents about the child's performance

Posted: July 30, 2018

I have seen the character development of my kids between right and wrong, with their behavior

Posted: July 30, 2018

Their is a clear mission state and concern are clearly addressed

Posted: July 30, 2018

Kids are tested early 1st grade and support is provided.

Posted: July 30, 2018

The students and monitor and issues are addressed to the parents

Posted: July 23, 2018

Posted: July 23, 2018

Posted: July 23, 2018

You'll note that most of the bad reviews seem to come from parents with children who engage in bad behavior. The school administration will give a good deal of leeway but there comes a point where they are perfectly willing to expel children with chronic bad disruptive behavior, especially if they engage in violence against other students or faculty (two expulsions in the last two years involved repeated attacks by an expelled student and another was directed at a teacher). Most parents who have well behaved children appreciate this approach. That's why we send our children there.

Posted: July 23, 2018

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Posted: May 28, 2018

They have a lot of really long assemblies but afterwards everyone forgets what they said or just ignores it all

Posted: May 28, 2018

They support people with disabilities by giving them easier work and splitting their work in half instead of keepig them back a grade

Posted: May 28, 2018

No one at the school really gets bullied but there are alot of mean and annoying kids but,those are in every school

Posted: May 28, 2018

My experience at this school is if your child is advanced in school or certain classes like I am, then you should know that honores classes dont start until middle school and honor roll doesnt start until 4th

Posted: May 28, 2018

They give us homework but it is fairly easy

Posted: May 28, 2018

They dont teach us those, all they teach us are regular subjects and religion which no one really enjoys

Posted: April 4, 2018

Posted: April 4, 2018

My sons had good teachers at St. Mary's, for the time they went there.

Posted: April 4, 2018

Posted: April 4, 2018

If your child was not compliant, or had special needs, the principle and vice principle were not accommodating. Not only that, if your child was involved in an incident, there was the real possibility that he/she would be sent home, and that they were to stay at home, until you had a meeting with the principle. It was in effect, a suspension, where the burden was put on you, the parent

Posted: April 4, 2018

My younger son, was diagnosed with ADD late in the school year, and despite that, we were told that he must be "perfect" or he would be disciplined. There was no compassion by the school's administration, or effort to make any accommodations.

Posted: April 4, 2018

It seemed, both from my experiences and our close friends, that children, whose parents gave generously to the school were treated differently than others, even if they were bullies.

Posted: April 4, 2018

Although most of the teachers and students were good, the principal and the executive staff were quite rigid in their administration.
You, both parents and children, either did things their way, or there were consequences. It's a shame the pastor of the school has not taken the time to investigate why so many parents are upset with the school, or why the turnover of students and teachers is so high.

Posted: July 23, 2017

Posted: July 23, 2017

Posted: July 23, 2017

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Posted: July 23, 2017

Overall a very poor experience for my son. There is great disparity in the treatment of the boys and girls. The girls are treated very well and the boys, for the most part, are dismissed. The quality of the education is mediocre, at best, as are the teachers. The school leadership is poor. She is a bully who takes great pleasure in lecturing the parents on the proper way to raise their children.

Posted: February 17, 2017

Posted: February 17, 2017

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Posted: February 17, 2017

I am a student at this school. I definetly am grateful I get to go here. The teachers are very kind and have excellent teaching techniques.

Posted: February 6, 2017

St. Mary's is a great school. Kids are happy and well centered. Some parents might disagree with the current administration, but overall when you check the students and the school you realize that it is a very good school. Most of the students are well behaved, very nice kids with a good foundation.

Posted: February 6, 2017

They try, I do not think there is extreme bullying, but you do have the "mean girls" and the "athletic boys" but I think that it is part of growing up.

Posted: February 6, 2017

Within their means, they do their best but if your kid needs special treatment you will have to be more invested in the school and work close with the teachers.

Posted: February 6, 2017

This might be the weakest link, but they must be doing something good, since the kids that attend the school are great kids.

Posted: February 6, 2017

I think the kids in St, Marys are respectful, compassionate and with a great foundation.

Posted: February 6, 2017

If you talk to the teachers they are open to your suggestions and work with you if your kid needs something special.

Posted: February 6, 2017

Kids get a lot of homework, but they are able to make it possible. School claims is only half an hour but it is way more.

Posted: October 17, 2016

They quickly and quietly deal with bullying in a way that no one gets hurt.

Posted: October 17, 2016

Saint Mary's students year after year get into amazing high schools like Gonzaga and Visitation. We always have a very large number of students in the National Junior Honor Society.

Posted: October 17, 2016

They know the students well and they know the material well. They truly care about each and every student.

Posted: October 17, 2016

Study Halls are offered throughout the week and there are many different times throughout the day to meet with teaches.

Posted: October 17, 2016

I was a student here for ten years. As a student in the graduating class of'17 I feel so sad to leave, but Saint Mary's has left me more than ready for high school. The sense of community is amazing and I feel close to all my classmates. When I was sick and had to be hospitalized for a long period of 5th grade they were with me every step. I always knew I wasn't alone. They make it so new students feel right at home and bring us together with school wide programs like the Lenten Retreats and Field Day. I would recommend this school for everyone.

Posted: August 31, 2016

Posted: August 31, 2016

Posted: August 31, 2016

Posted: August 31, 2016

I was a student there from 1995 to 2003 and I loved St. Mary's. My sister and brother both went there as well and were in the class of 2009 and 2014. They hated it there and I can see why. My brother who was once very strong in his catholic beliefs saying he did not want to be Catholic anymore. His 7th grade year he endured bullying by the students and his 8th grade year he endured bullying by the teachers. I can see why all of the teachers that were there when I graduated left with the new administration. The principal is terrible. I had once thought my family would be going there for generations now I will never send my kids there. It is really sad what happened to a school I loved so much

Posted: May 12, 2015

We were not very happy with this school and I think the public should know before sending their children there. The administration seems to handle any kind of conflict poorly. Teachers are nice but they seem unhappy under the thumb of the current administration. Our son was very well behaved for a boy. He seemed to have developed behavioral issues and bad nerves as a result of the environment he was in. The school handles things in the classroom without considering changes in the children's lives and their home life. We were not happy with the way that they handled several issues, many had nothing to do with our children, during the four or five years that we were there. Our children are very happy at their new school. We were approached by their new teachers because they were both afraid to pick up a pencil without being told to. We also noticed that when we got some notebooks and journals back before we left they had not been graded or commented on. This was very upsetting to us as parents paying to go to a school.

Posted: October 3, 2014

In recent years The Catholic Church has lost it's way, St Mary's School is a prime example of the fall out, so called collateral damage. It is my understanding that several students have been pulled out of this school in recent years because of the continued trauma suffered at the hands of a bully teacher (grade 2). This is near and dear to me because it has happened to a member of my family. Yes, bullying affects the student's family too. For this reason I have chosen to come forward for the children with whom we entrust to this teacher, who chooses to misuse the inherent power that is part of her position. Parents, listen to your children when they explain a teacher making fun of them, an example of them, hurting their feelings, humiliating them. Our children are a precious commodity, our future... protect them. Sadly, children are in a vulnerable position when in an environment with a bullying teacher, ill equipped to fight back alone. Teachers and SMS community, I leave you with this to ponder in hope that like your religion, you might "live it" instead of preaching it. "You never know how far reaching something you say or do today will affect the lives of others tomorrow."

Posted: February 11, 2014

After having our children enrolled in the school for many years, I can honestly say that we were utterly dissatisfied. The reasons are endless, from the arbitrary mistreatment of their children (bordering on abusive) to the beaten down faculty and staff. Teachers leave each year in droves --- and families have followed suit. While the lower grades are better, it isn't until your children need to learn math at an advanced level that you realize they weren't even exposed to it in the lower grades. Overall, it is a sad excuse for a school that we entrusted with our children to learn good values as Catholics. They did not. They can recite prayers, sure...but what this school has really done is shaken my Catholic faith and my faith in those that should effect change in an environment that should exude joy each day. And many parents are delightful and kind and great role models - and that is why we stayed as long as we did. But what I have learned is that there are truly wonderful Catholic schools out there --- and yes, you have to pay more, but the reward is far greater than watching your child cry each night because of mistreatment. Leave for your child - you will be happy

Posted: December 31, 2013

. i am a student and the rules stink but i really do love it. the teachers are very nice and involved and i love my friends there. the cirriculum is excellent. it is a very fun expierience

Posted: April 1, 2013

My son and daughter have been at St. Mary's for several years, and we are enthusiastic supporters. It is a wonderful faith-filled, traditional (conservative) Catholic environment, that also offers the technology, resources, programs and activities that rival some of the better private schools in the area. The moral and character development that it offers is invaluable, especially in today's pop-culture. It is growing and maturing to be a hidden gem, that we strongly recommend.