Grades 9–12 · Albemarle County Public Schools

Western Albemarle High School

The only high school in Crozet's feeder pattern — Fully Accredited, a genuine athletic powerhouse, and for a lot of relocating families, the reason the school search ends here. Home of the Warriors.


9–12Grades
1,274Enrollment
16:1Student-Teacher
WarriorsMascot

Full-bleed hero photo — Western Albemarle High from the front entrance (WebP, descriptive alt text)

The Short Version

What is Western Albemarle High School?


Western Albemarle High School is the only public high school serving Crozet, enrolling 1,274 students in grades 9–12 for the 2024–25 school year — up 9% from the year before. It's rated Fully Accredited by the Virginia Department of Education.

It's also, less predictably, one of the strongest athletic programs in the state for a school its size — named Virginia's top Class 3 athletic program three years running as of 2024. Every student here arrives from Henley Middle School, which in turn draws from four elementary zones across Western Albemarle. GreatSchools rates Western an 8 out of 10, based on college readiness, test scores, and student progress.

Clubs & Activities

What clubs and programs does Western offer?

Students describe more than 60 active clubs at Western, with a standing invitation to start a new one if the list is missing yours — find a faculty sponsor and a room, and you're in business.

Ceramics Club Film Club Improv Club Nevermore Poetry Club Swing Dance Club WAHcapella Writer's Box Robotics (FIRST Tech Challenge) Destination ImagiNation Thespian Honor Society National Art Honor Society

Fine arts runs deeper than the club list suggests: Western has its own auditorium and a full band, choir, and theater program, plus an annual Shakespeare competition built into the drama curriculum.

Source: Western Albemarle High School student leadership page and school website · Verify current club roster at wahs.k12albemarle.org before a specific season

The Feeder Pattern

Where do Western's students come from?

Four elementary zones, one middle school, and Western at the end of the line — the same pipeline every Western Albemarle family eventually walks through.


Grades K–5

Elementary (4 zones)

Brownsville, Crozet, Meriwether Lewis, or Virginia L. Murray, depending on address.

Elementary zoning guide →
Grades 6–8

Henley Middle School

The single middle school for all of Western Albemarle. Four elementary cohorts become one class here.

Henley Middle guide →
Grades 9–12 · You Are Here

Western Albemarle High

1,274 students, a 16:1 ratio, and Virginia's top Class 3 athletic program three years running as of 2024.

Worth knowing before you offer: which elementary school a specific house is zoned for still varies by address — Brownsville and Crozet Elementary serve most in-town Crozet addresses, while Meriwether Lewis and Virginia L. Murray Elementary primarily serve other parts of Western Albemarle toward Ivy and Free Union. Full zoning breakdown →
History

How long has Western Albemarle High School been around?

Western opened its doors in September 1977 and has been in the same spot at the foot of the Blue Ridge ever since — a 75-acre campus with 199,904 square feet under roof, just off Route 250 and I-64.

Jennifer Sublette has served as principal since 2021. The school's colors are blue and gold, and its teams compete as the Warriors.

Source: WAHS Fact Sheet, wahs.k12albemarle.org · Updated July 2026

Quick Answers

Western Albemarle High School, answered

What is Western Albemarle High School's mascot?
The Warriors, in blue and gold. Locals and students typically just call the school “Western.”
Is Western Albemarle High School accredited?
Yes. The Virginia Department of Education rated Western Fully Accredited for the 2025–2026 school year, its highest accreditation designation.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Albemarle High School?
About 16 to 1, per federal NCES enrollment and staffing data — slightly higher than Virginia's statewide average of 14 to 1.
Which middle school feeds into Western Albemarle High School?
Henley Middle School is Western's only feeder middle school. Every Henley student advances to Western; there's no zoning split at that stage. Full schools guide →
Is Western Albemarle High School good at sports?
Notably so. The Virginia High School League named Western the state's top Class 3 athletic program for the third consecutive year in 2024, with state championships that year in eight different sports.
How long has Western Albemarle High School been around?
Western opened in September 1977 and has operated from the same 75-acre campus at the foot of the Blue Ridge ever since — a 199,904-square-foot facility just off Route 250 and I-64.
What is Western Albemarle High School's GreatSchools rating?
8 out of 10, as rated by GreatSchools, based on college readiness, test scores, and student progress. Western has also earned 2 College Success Awards from GreatSchools since the 2019–20 school year.

Written by Josh Keeton, Town Realty

I work Western Albemarle street by street, which in practice means I get the school-zone question more than any other. This page exists because the zone answer is genuinely hard to find in one place, and because getting it wrong is expensive. Every figure here is dated, sourced, and reviewed when the county updates.

Zoned for Western

Looking for a home in Western's district?

Tell us your budget and commute, and we'll build a shortlist of Crozet neighborhoods zoned for Western Albemarle — with the elementary zoning verified before you get attached to a floor plan.

  • Which neighborhoods actually sit inside this school's attendance zone
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  • Bus route and real drive time from that address to school
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