Our Mission & Vision

 

Welcome from our Head of School

 

Dear Lorien Wood Families,

It is both a joy and a privilege to join the Lorien Wood community as Interim Head of School.

At Lorien Wood, we believe that education is far more than the acquisition of knowledge. It is the formation of the whole child—mind, body, heart, and spirit. Rooted in the conviction that every child is created in the image of God, we seek to cultivate wisdom, character, wonder, and a lifelong love of learning.

Our educational philosophy recognizes that children learn best when they are actively engaged with God's world. Education is more than the transfer of knowledge; it is a journey of discovery. Through meaningful relationships, rich academic experiences, imaginative exploration, outdoor discovery, and opportunities to serve others, students grow not only in what they know but also in who they are becoming. As they learn, students are challenged to discover their gifts and calling, recognize both the beauty of God's creation and their responsibility within it, and develop the wisdom needed to serve Him faithfully.

One of the aspects of Lorien Wood that I find especially compelling is its commitment to partnership between school and home. Parents are a child's first teachers, and the work of education is most effective when families and educators labor together toward a shared purpose. By nurturing both intellectual and spiritual growth, we seek to prepare students not merely for future success, but for lives of faithful service and meaningful contribution.

As we begin this new chapter together, I look forward to learning from this community, supporting our faculty, and encouraging our students as they discover their gifts, develop wisdom, and grow in their understanding of God's purposes for their lives.

Thank you for welcoming me into the Lorien Wood family. I look forward to partnering with you in the important work of educating and forming the next generation.

In His Service,

Theresa "Tessa" Willen

Interim Head of School

Our Vision & Mission:

Outfitting a stalwart and faithful fellowship for a noble adventure

Vision

Lorien Wood Christian School will lead in reimagining Christ-centered education, growing wise and courageous people through a rich, whole-child approach.

 

Formed through real-world, hands-on experiences, using creation as our classroom, students will seek truth, invite wisdom, awaken wonder and be nourished by beauty, forging confidence for an ever-changing world.

outdoor teepee classroom

Mission

Outfitting a stalwart and faithful fellowship for a noble adventure

We accomplish our mission by using a rich, integral curriculum in small, mixed-age classes and by equipping our teachers to meet the needs of individual students while fostering a deep sense of community. Our robust academic program emphasizes a teaching methodology that is grounded in classical study and joyful discovery. 

Firepit classroom
 

Our History

A small group of parents and educators founded Lorien Wood with big ideas and a desire to build a private school in Vienna, Virginia where God is the head.

Lorien Wood first opened its doors in the fall of 2004. After two years of rigorous preparation, the school was open with 18 families and 23 students in grades K-2nd Grade at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Since opening its doors, Lorien Wood has been blessed with significant growth and expansion as an additional grade was added each year, faculty grew, and enrollment increased. A long-term lease at the current campus at New Song Church (previously Christian Assembly) was secured, a mature administrative staff was integrated, and an engaged Board of Trustees and parents continued to execute the Founder’s vision for Lorien Wood as the school grew. 

2024-04-10_RVP_LW_Campus-001_200kb-033

“True education is a kind of never ending story —  of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien

 

 

 

 

 
 

The Roots of Our Name

The name of our school comes from J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy, The Lord of the Rings.

At Lorien Wood, we invite students to expand their imaginations. The power of story in the life of children and adults far reaches our own ability to simply explain the world with facts and figures. We recognize the imagination to be a gift of God and a tool for learning truth and practicing empathy.  When we enter imaginatively into Middle Earth, we come to see the hobbit’s perilous journey bear witness to the reality of the cosmic struggle between Good and Evil and the call to live out a life of faithfulness.  

In Fellowship of the Rings, Lorien Wood is a place of preparation where one becomes increasingly mindful of the beauty of God’s creation, respectful of ancient things, and imaginative, curious creatures. Similarly, at Lorien Wood School we seek to be an environment where children grow in their awe of and concern for all that God has created and are prepared for a lifelong journey serving Christ while extending his kingdom now.

IMG_4714 (1)

Statement of Faith

Lorien Wood is a Christ-centered school teaching from a Biblical worldview, and as such, it maintains a statement of faith. We do require all families to sign our statement of faith as a prerequisite for attending the school.

View Our Statement of Faith