| School | Grades | GreatSchools rating |
|---|---|---|
| Douglass Park Elementary School | PK-5 | 1/10 |
| William E. Waters Middle School | 6-8 | 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.
Portsmouth Public Schools Zoning
Prentis Park falls within Portsmouth Public Schools, and assignment for elementary, middle and high school is based on your specific address. Families in this part of the city are commonly zoned toward Douglass Park Elementary School, which carries a GreatSchools rating of 1 out of 10 [1](https://www.greatschools.org/virginia/portsmouth/1302-Douglass-Park-Elementary-School/); William E. Waters Middle School, rated 2 out of 10 on GreatSchools [2](https://www.greatschools.org/virginia/portsmouth/1320-Wm.-E.-Waters-Middle-School/); and I.C. Norcom High School for grades 9 through 12, rated 2 out of 10 on GreatSchools [3](https://www.greatschools.org/virginia/portsmouth/1307-I.C.-Norcom-High-School/), but boundaries can shift and vary near the edges of the neighborhood.
Because of that, confirm the exact zoning for any address you're considering directly with Portsmouth Public Schools rather than relying on the neighborhood name.
How to Confirm Your Address
Portsmouth Public Schools publishes attendance zone information and a directory of school contacts on its website, and the district's enrollment office can confirm assigned schools for a specific address. I recommend doing this before you commit to a specific home if schools are part of your decision.
If you're relocating from out of the area, I can help you request zoning information in advance so you're comparing homes with accurate information rather than assumptions.
Programs Beyond the Zoned School
Portsmouth offers specialty and magnet options, including its Spark Schools and gifted education programs, that some families use alongside or instead of their assigned neighborhood school. If that matters to you, contact the division directly for current eligibility and application timelines.
These GreatSchools ratings are current as of this writing, but ratings change from year to year, so I'd still recommend checking greatschools.org directly as part of your own research.
Next Steps
If schools are a priority, let me know early so I can help cross-check zoning against the homes we tour together. For more on the neighborhood, see my Prentis Park buying guide and Prentis Park selling guide, or the wider Portsmouth market overview.
