Girls Thrive at Oakcrest
Oakcrest School, in partnership with parents, challenges girls in grades 6-12 to develop their intellect, character, faith, and leadership potential to thrive in college and throughout their lives.
Guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and the spirituality of Opus Dei, we weave together a rich liberal arts curriculum, character development, one-on-one mentoring and service to create a vibrant environment that graduates confident, young women–young women who will make a difference in all they choose to do.
Guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and the spirituality of Opus Dei, we weave together a rich liberal arts curriculum, character development, one-on-one mentoring and service to create a vibrant environment that graduates confident, young women–young women who will make a difference in all they choose to do.
At a Glance
Oakcrest By The Numbers
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7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio -
312
Enrollment -
1:1
Student Mentor Ratio -
13
Sports -
16
Average Class Size
1/5
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Academic Excellence
We offer an exceptional liberal arts education spanning the arts, humanities, mathematics, science, and technology that challenges students and inspires them to become lifelong learners.LEARN MORE -
Faith
Oakcrest offers an education grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church and the spirit of Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church.
Learn More -
Parent Partnership
We are committed to supporting parents as the primary educators of their children. The whole family benefits from the Oakcrest experience.LEARN MORE -
Mentoring
The cornerstone of a student’s education at Oakcrest, our mentoring program encourages, guides and supports each student as she strives for academic excellence and personal growth.LEARN MORE
Recent News
List of 20 news stories.
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Opening the Heart of Oakcrest: The Impact of Tuition Assistance
At Oakcrest School, our mission is great and aspirational, but it is not abstract. It is lived out each day in the lives of our students: the young women who fill our classrooms, walk our hallways, and grow into who they are meant to be.
This mission is not reserved for a select few. It is meant to be shared. Each year, that commitment takes concrete shape through tuition assistance, ensuring that families who seek an Oakcrest education are able to access it. -
School Resources & Facilities: Caring for the Spaces Where the Heart of Oakcrest Grows
At Oakcrest School, so much of the mission is visible: classroom discussions, mentoring conversations, student performances, and moments of joy and growth. But behind each of these lies something quieter and often unseen: the work that makes those moments possible in the first place. This is the work of the facilities team at Oakcrest, the caretakers of our school’s campus, facilities, and resources. -
At the Heart of Oakcrest: Supporting the Faculty Who Form Our Students
At Oakcrest School, the mission of forming young women of intellect, character, faith, and leadership begins with the faculty who guide them each day. They are the “boots on the ground” for a complex mission that requires tact, excellence in formation, and joy. Behind every classroom discussion, mentoring conversation, and moment of discovery stands an Oakcrest teacher committed not only to academic excellence, but to the full formation of the student. -
Oakcrest School Celebrates Its Mission in this Year’s Reimagined “Heart of Oakcrest” Gala
On March 28, 2026, Oakcrest School will host its Annual Gala at Westwood Country Club. For years, this beloved evening has brought together parents, alumnae, faculty, staff, and friends from across the DMV to celebrate the life and mission of the school. As Oakcrest’s primary fundraising event, the Gala has traditionally featured a live and silent auction as the centerpiece of the night.This year, however, the gala has taken on a new vision. -
Justice Amy Coney Barrett offers advice to young women in a visit to Oakcrest School
On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett visited Oakcrest School for a luncheon with faculty and Student Council members, followed by a special fireside chat with the student body. Hosted by Head of School Christie Keuchel, the conversation offered the students a unique glimpse into the Justice’s life as a jurist, a mother, and a woman of faith. -
Oakcrest School blesses newly acquired Anna Diederich Field
On Friday, December 19, the Oakcrest community gathered for a deeply meaningful morning to celebrate the blessing of the Anna Diederich Field, a space that now stands as a lasting tribute to a beloved alumna and former faculty member. -
“Education is the Kindling of a Flame”: Dr. Edwina Maksym Shares Insights on Anthropology, Education, and Parent Formation at Oakcrest’s Coffee with the Head of School
At November’s Coffee with the Head of School, parents joined Head of School Christie Keuchel and special guest Dr. Edwina Maksym for a focused conversation on the heart of an Oakcrest education. Drawing from her ongoing professional development sessions with faculty, Dr. Maksym offered a clear and inspiring look at how the Oakcrest Teacher Institute trains teachers to be true partners in the school’s mission. -
Oakcrest Opens Theology of the Body Series with Online Webinar Exploring the “Logic of Gift”
On October 14, 2025, Oakcrest School launched its Theology of the Body for Oakcrest Parents series with an online webinar led by Elizabeth Bergin, Parent Engagement Coordinator, and Mary Warren, Theology Teacher. The event offered Oakcrest parents an opportunity to learn about the foundational teachings of Theology of the Body (TOB) and explore the curriculum used by Oakcrest to impart a TOB education to students. -
Rear Admiral Tim Gaullaudet Addresses Oakcrest Students with an an Inspiring Talk on Authentic Leadership
On Wednesday, October 15, Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, PhD, US Navy (Ret.), addressed Oakcrest students at a school assembly, offering reflections on leadership, humility, and perseverance drawn from his 32-year career in the Navy and later as head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). -
“The Road Where We Meet Jesus”: Homily by Fr. Jaime Hernández on the Feast of Canonization of St. Josemaría Escrivá at Oakcrest School
On October 6, 2025, Assistant Chaplain Fr. Jaime Hernández preached a homily to the student body celebrating the Feast of the Canonization of St. Josemaría Escrivá. -
Oakcrest Seniors Ada W. ‘26 and Claire M. ‘26 Named Commended Students in 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program
Oakcrest School is proud to announce that seniors Ada W. ‘26 and Claire M. ‘26 have been recognized as Commended Students in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
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Associate Head of School Cynthia Bertolini delivers a back-to-school challenge on the first day of school
In the first all-school assembly of the 2025–2026 school year, Associate Head of School Cynthia Bertolini delivered a powerful address to the 312 students beginning their first day back on campus. In her opening message of the year, she chose to issue a challenge. -
Oakcrest alumna leads university team to rocketry victory
Oakcrest alumna Anne Marie Branch '22 helped lead the University of Virginia’s Rocketry team to first place at an international competition. Her leadership and technical expertise were key to the team’s success, earning recognition on a global stage. -
Oakcrest Alumna Makes First Vows as Dominican Sister
"Dominican Sister Martina Sofia Bucheli, a former parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Great Falls and an alumna of Oakcrest School in Vienna, was one of 12 young women who made their first profession of vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as members of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 11. -
During orientation, new Oakcrest faculty explore the meaning of the "liberal arts"
Last week, for New Faculty Orientation, Oakcrest’s newest faculty gathered for workshops on the pillars of Oakcrest education. They explored the features and outcomes of an education built on academic excellence, one-on-one mentorship, partnership with parents, and personal encounters with God throughout the day. One of these workshops delved into the nooks and crannies of a “liberal arts curriculum," a term which often carries popular misconceptions and associations. -
In the Footsteps of Dante: Oakcrest Students Explore Italy
This summer, Oakcrest students had the opportunity to walk In the Footsteps of Dante during a two-week study abroad experience in Florence and Rome. Offered to 12 rising sophomores and juniors, and graduates from the Class of 2025, this integrated seminar and cultural pilgrimage immerses students in the history, art, and faith that shaped Dante’s world and inspired his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. -
Oakcrest Students Join Camino Summer Program in Spain
To kick off the summer, a group of Oakcrest students have embarked on an unforgettable journey along the historic Camino de Santiago as part of the University of Navarra’s Find Your Way: Walk the Camino summer program. Over the course of three weeks, they’ll walk six stages of the Camino, live with local host families, and immerse themselves in the rich academic, cultural, and spiritual life of Spain. -
Oakcrest Awards Edwina Maksym Senior Thesis Award to Three Students from the Class of 2025
The thesis is the culmination of the Oakcrest liberal arts education. After entering into the intellectual conversations of the past through her reading of several different primary and secondary sources, the student forms her own idea on a subject and crafts it into a thesis. The thesis and accompanying public presentation provides the experience for Oakcrest seniors to reflect on their liberal arts education, and gives them the confidence to continue in their next heroic endeavor. With the guidance of a faculty member, students narrow a topic, and work closely with their advisers to complete research and an annotated bibliography before writing and presenting a formal thesis. -
Awards and Honors of the Class of 2025
Oakcrest School is proud to recognize the outstanding class of 2025, who graduated on Saturday, June 7, 2025. -
Oakcrest Student Angelica P. '25 to Continue Athletic Career at Elms College
On Friday, May 16, Oakcrest proudly celebrated Angelica P.’s athletic signing. Angelica has officially committed to competing at the collegiate level and will continue both her education and volleyball career at Elms College, an NCAA Division III program in Chicopee, Massachusetts.
Portraits of Oakcrest
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Elisa Torres
“It’s really good for the students to know that the teachers love their subjects and not just teaching it, but also living it." Ms. Elisa Torres.
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Jessie Waites
“What I find really beautiful is that everyone here, from the students to the faculty and the faculty to the students, everyone really does want the other to be happy, and they are willing to walk with you to get you there,” Mrs. Waites says.
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Liz Rolwes, Dean of Students
“An Oakie is a young woman who strives for excellence, not necessarily to perfection, but she knows herself and is generous toward others. An Oakie knows how to stand up for what she believes in and has a real love for the world, making it as good as it can be. Wherever she touches, it will be better.”
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Stephanie Passero
“(An Oakie) understands that freedom is not merely saying or doing whatever she wishes, but uniting and informing her thoughts with the Christian understanding of virtue,” Ms. Passero explains. “She understands the importance of the great thinkers of the past, and is willing to consider that foundation before reaching her own conclusions."
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Mary Warren
"I feel like I've come home," Mrs. Warren says. "This is where I belong. I'm excited about watching our students grow and graduate."
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Margaret Sweatman
“Oakcrest’s mission of cultivating virtues in our daughters extends from the classroom to our courts, fields, and pools,” Mrs. Sweatman explains. “Oakcrest educates the whole person. Sports allow our daughters to experience challenges and teamwork in a unique and beautiful way that transforms their confidence into strength.”
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Cynthia Bertolini
“Oakcrest has really stayed true to its mission through substantial growth,” Mrs. Bertolini said. “That hasn’t been easy and it hasn’t been linear, but Oakcrest has taken its mission very seriously in an uncompromising way.”
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Monica Pompei
“The joy and the mission (of Oakcrest) have remained exactly the same,” Ms. Pompei recalls. “It has been constant, the dedication to the formation of the students and the quality of the academics and the parent partnership. There is a concern for every single student here.”
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Alix Baldwin
“Overall, the culture here is that of cheerful, hard work and that is what a music program needs to be super successful,” Instrumental Director Mrs. Alix Baldwin says. “What these girls are able to do even in a smaller school is extremely impressive. Music is a really enjoyable way for a girl to experience God - all of the beauty should direct to God. They love this music that hopefully gives them another way to consider the beauty of God.”
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Christie Keuchel, Head of School
“I’ve had many friendships develop through the years because of Oakcrest. I enjoy being part of the lives of the girls and hope to encourage them to do their best and love life. There can be challenges that young women face, but we at Oakcrest have the opportunity to really impact the girls in a way that can help guide them to make great choices aiming for the good, the true and the beautiful.”
