| School | Grades | GreatSchools rating |
|---|---|---|
| Park View Elementary School | K-6 | 3/10 |
| Wm. E. Waters Middle School | 7-8 | 2/10 |
| I.C. Norcom High School | 9-12 | 2/10 |
Ratings from GreatSchools.org, checked Sept 2026. Ratings change, and school zones vary by address — always confirm the assigned schools with Chesapeake Public Schools.
Park View Elementary Sits Right in the Neighborhood
Park View Elementary School is located at 260 Elm Avenue, right in the heart of the neighborhood, and it's the elementary school most closely associated with this historic district. It serves grades K through 6 as part of Portsmouth Public Schools, offering a Gifted & Talented program, according to its GreatSchools profile.
As of its most recent GreatSchools rating, Park View Elementary carries a 3 out of 10 overall rating, reflecting performance below the Virginia average on state test scores, alongside stronger-than-average attendance figures. I always encourage families to look at the full picture, including attendance, programs and recent trends, rather than a single number.
Middle and High School
For middle school, this part of Portsmouth generally feeds into Wm. E. Waters Middle School, serving grades 7 and 8, and for high school, I.C. Norcom High School, serving grades 9 through 12 as a magnet school offering AP courses and a Gifted & Talented program. Both carry a GreatSchools rating of 2 out of 10 in recent reporting.
As with elementary zoning, I recommend confirming middle and high school assignment for your specific address directly with Portsmouth Public Schools, since attendance boundaries can be precise and don't always match neighborhood lines exactly.
What I Tell Families Considering Park View
Below-average GreatSchools ratings are worth taking seriously, but they're one data point among several, and they don't capture specific classroom experiences, program offerings or a school's more recent direction. I encourage families to tour schools directly and ask about programs like gifted and talented tracks before making a final decision.
Some families weigh Park View's walkability, architecture and downtown proximity against school ratings and consider private school options in the region as well. I'm glad to talk through those trade-offs honestly. For more on the neighborhood itself, see my Park View buying guide and selling guide.
