Every School Has a Story.

This was the title of one of the opening sessions for the Black Minds Matter Summit that I recently attended.  This session was led by photographer and author, Andrew Feiler, whose book, A Better Life for Their Children, features his photographs and research on the incredible partnership between Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington in the early 1920’s.  Through this session I learned about this partnership that started schools for Black children in the South, eventually leading to the creation of nearly 5,000 schools.  It was an interesting discussion and I especially appreciated learning about this important movement in education. 

Every School Has a Story is a theme that also has stuck with me, even a week later, as it is so true. Every school is uniquely different, made up of the students and families, the teachers and staff, the curriculum, the location, the school building and the current events in time that shape what happens within the building.  The Rosenwald schools (as they are referred to) are now at times labeled according to how they were built, based on the number of teachers that were in the building. But the fuller story of each school is one that you can envision; In a one-teacher school for example, you might envision a teacher in the building teaching a wide age range of students, bringing forward the applicable lessons for every student in the building that day. We call that differentiated teaching now; then, it was a 1 teacher school building.

Every School Has a Story has me thinking about our school and the story that may be told about Washington School for Girls in the distant future.  In the year 2027, we will celebrate our school’s 30th anniversary but what will our story be in 100 years, in 2097?  

Our story begins with a group of courageous women, both Religious and lay leaders, who were determined to plant the seed of education for girls in our community.  Over the past 30 years the story of our school has changed, from our early beginnings as an after school program for girls located in the basement of an apartment building, to first establishing as a Middle School on the campus at THEARC.  Our story has included growth and expansion to now serve elementary school students and continued support of the young women graduates of WSG, now totaling over 300.  Our story has included educators who committed themselves to students and their learning over the years, embracing ideas, curriculum and available and accessible instructional tools during the current time.  Our school story also would prominently feature our school community through every phase, highlighting how we collectively weathered the loss of graduates and beloved staff members, the global pandemic and the hardships in life that many experience.  Our recent story is one of commitment and expansion; commitment to the community of students and families we serve in SE DC by building our new school building right here, commitment from our funders and donors who have helped fuel WSG and continue to support the students and their futures, commitment from our partners who join with us to bring the vision alive and commitment from our families year after year to enroll their girls at WSG.  

What will the future chapters of our story include?  Our current capital campaign and new building construction will bring us together in an innovative new campus, purpose built for our students and our program.  We’re continually assessing the technological tools that we currently need to support students’ learning, while at the same time evaluating the role of technology in our students’ lives (i.e. cell phones).  Things change so quickly and it is important to be able to pivot and adapt as needed based on our school program and our students’ needs.  How will that coexist in 20 years?  Our students aspire to careers and professions that may not have existed 10 years ago.  How will we continue to embrace the skill building they will need as young women to realize their potential?  There are only questions now, but the Rosenwald/Washington schools experience reminds me that the snapshot in time that is right now will become a part of a much larger story for our school.  

Through the past 27 years, the story of WSG is one of dedication to the early vision of bringing great education to the young girls in SE DC who are often most overlooked and yet very deserving of great opportunities.  I believe that our story when told at 30 years, at 50 years, at 100 years in 2097 will include that same theme.