Varina High School

Varina High School

Public High School | Grade 9-12
7053 Messer Rd,  Richmond, VA
Henrico County Public Schools
3.6
3.8
1,531 Students
C
Niche Grade
Serving students in ninth through 12th grade, Varina High School is one of nine schools in the Henrico County Public School District. This school offers a variety of programs and academic options beyond the common core classes of English, math, science and history. Varina High School offers Advanced Placement courses in English, world languages, math, history and art. Students can also receive dual credits through the High Tech Academy at Highland Springs Technical Center for J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, ECPI University and Virginia Commonwealth University. The Center for Communications and Media Relations, one of thirteen specialty centers in the district, is housed at Varina High School. This specialty center has two television studios and control rooms, two computer labs for video editing and graphic design and a presentation studio. Beyond academics, the school boasts over 40 clubs for students to participate in and find common ground among their peers, such as the art club, dance team, Varina on Chill and Educators Rising. There are also fall, winter and spring sports for students to participate in. The athletic program offers football, competitive cheer, basketball, track and volleyball.

School Details

Head of School
Mrs. Tracie Q. Omohundro
Student Teacher Ratio
14:1
Average SAT Score
1010
Average ACT Score
19
Math Proficiency
40%
Reading Proficiency
73%
Average GPA
3.27
Graduation Rate
87%

Niche Grade

C
Academics
C
Teachers
C
College Prep
C
Administration
C+
Resources/Facilities
B
Clubs and Activities
A-
Sports
C-
Food
Source: Niche
Niche Grades

Niche grades and rankings are calculated using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. Niche data scientists and user researchers rigorously analyze data and user opinions to assess the key aspects of K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Places to Live. Every month, millions of students and families use the Niche grades and report cards to find the right school or neighborhood.

Niche Grade Details

Academics
Average GPA
3.27
Reading Proficiency
73%
Math Proficiency
40%
Teachers
Student Teacher Ratio
14:1
Teachers
102
Full Time Teachers
102
Teachers in First or Second Year
16.7%
College Prep
Average SAT
1010
Math
490
Verbal
520
Average ACT
19
Math
18
English
18
Reading
20
Science
19
Number of AP Courses
3
AP Pass Rate
23.4%
AP Math Enrollment
Low
AP Science Enrollment
High
Other AP Enrollment
Average
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Low

GreatSchools Rating

Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

GreatSchools Rating Details

Teachers and Staff

Students Per Counselor
242:1

Student Diversity

Male
54.5%
Female
45.5%
Black
73.6%
White
15%
Hispanic
5.3%
Two or more races
4.8%
Asian or Pacific Islander
<1%
Native American
<1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
<1%
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Specialty School Programs

AP Programs Offered
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Athletics Program

Colleges Students are Considering

Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
Virginia Commonwealth University 421 Students
Old Dominion University 381 Students
Norfolk State University 285 Students
James Madison University 261 Students
Virginia State University 259 Students
Hampton University 181 Students
Howard University 174 Students
George Mason University 169 Students
University of Virginia 139 Students
Longwood University 139 Students

What Students Want to Study

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Nursing 106 Students
Business 105 Students
Psychology 96 Students
Biology 87 Students
Computer Science 50 Students
Communications 45 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies 34 Students
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration 31 Students
Criminology 29 Students
Veterinary Sciences 29 Students

This School’s Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.6 337 Reviews
3.0 Senior
3/13/2025
The best part about attending Varina High School is the academics, my teachers push me everyday to be the best version of myself that I can be. The curriculum in my classes challenges me everyday to apply myself and continue to work hard. Some things I would like to see changed is the safety measures on campus, my school is an outside campus and that makes it very easy for a stranger to walk on to campus and harm students or staff.
5.0 Senior
5/4/2024
The best experience a Varina high school for me would be our counseling staff they are the best when it comes to getting ready for college and etc. But the worse experience would be the kids that don't want to learn and just coming to school because their parents make them.
2.0 Senior
2/17/2024
A lot of fights and disrespectful students. Some teachers did not care and it showed. At time, very chaotic.
GreatSchools Reviews
3.8 8 Reviews
1.0 other
9/27/2021
The new principal, Darin A. Thompson, Ed.S., is setting staff up for failure with unrealistic goals and only offering empty platitudes rather than actual support and resources to help them achieve these unrealistic goals of his.
3.0 student
2/19/2019
I love this school and the history surrounding it. However, fights are common due to the low parental support that Varinas parents give. The parents here do not support very many programs outside of football and the PTSA program is noticeably small. With that said, Varina is actually a good face val...
5.0 parent
8/24/2017
A wonderful school that has overcome many challenges! They strive to teach, encourage, and help the students achieve their goals. I know VHS used to have a not so great reputation, but they have worked hard to become one of the best schools in the area.
5.0 teacher
11/23/2016
Every high school has its issues. Varina has people who work in the school who work tirelessly to try to solve said issues. When we look at the improvements that have been made in test scores (which are not the end-all, be-all), we see that students, teachers, and administrators have labored to tack...

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Varina High School is a public school for students in grades 9-12 in Richmond, VA and is served by the Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia. The school has a total enrollment of 1,531 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. Academic records show that 40% of students achieve proficiency in math, and 73% are proficient in reading. Varina High School has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of C and a GreatSchools Rating of 2 out of 10. The average GPA is 3.27, the graduation rate is 87%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1010 and an ACT score of 19. The average home value in this area is $370,043. Discover additional schools in the area, like East End Christian Academy, Rise Academy, John Rolfe Middle School, and more. Learn more about what Richmond has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near Varina High School.

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