About

Benjamin Stoddert Elementary School, named after the first U.S. Secretary of the Navy, is located in the Glover Park neighborhood of Northwest Washington, DC just north of Georgetown. The Glover Park community is an established neighborhood full of old trees and housing dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, and surrounded by forested parkland, the Glover-Archbold Park. The community is rich in resources such as Stoddert Elementary School, the Georgetown Public Library, the DC Parks and Recreation Department’s Guy Mason Center, Georgetown University, American University, as well as Georgetown University Hospital. Residents are proud of their community, and value its greenspaces and proximity to urban amenities. Stoddert’s student population is drawn from the neighborhoods of Glover Park and Burleith (between Georgetown and Glover Park), as well as welcoming a number of Out-of-Boundary students who reside throughout the District and Bolling Air Force Base. Today, Stoddert is a diverse school that lives global interdependence and cross-cultural understanding. Indeed, over half of the students are identified as language minority students from numerous Asian, European, African and Latin American countries.

School Mission Statement

The mission of Stoddert is:

To provide a safe, caring, nurturing learning environment for each child to learn to the fullest potential.
To help children understand, respect, and appreciate cultural differences and similarities, religious and ethnic practices, and to be kind and considerate to each other.
To implement the Principles of Learning within a Standards-based curriculum not only to achieve academic excellence, but also to develop creativity, problem solving abilities, and higher-level thinking skills.
To provide the best possible subject matter and teaching methodologies in English, reading, writing, mathematics, the Arts, social studies, science, and technology in which each student can learn and build capacity for learning.
To instill in each child the importance of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship.
To help each child acquire the habits of setting high expectations, meeting standards, and applying learning.

School Programs

Early Childhood and Primary Program (Grades Pre-K Through Two)

Pre-Kindergarten and kindergarten are full-day programs for children who are four- and five-years-olds respectively, by December 31.

The Early Childhood and Primary Grade Program is based on the Responsive Classroom approach, developmentally appropriate practice, and individualized instruction. The Responsive Classroom is an approach to learning in the classroom that focuses upon the importance of the social curriculum for all learners. This approach helps to develop good social skills and sets guidelines for positive interactions with others. As educators, the early childhood teachers recognize the fact that the school plays a major role in the social as well as the academic development of the child.

Children involved in this approach are encouraged to internalize and embrace those concepts and beliefs that will foster better relationships with others in the school as well as within the community.

Teachers provide many opportunities for children to engage in activities where they learn to work together cooperatively in large and small groups; to respect individual strengths and differences; to problem-solve in more meaningful ways; to help establish and understand rules and logical consequences; and to appreciate, practice, and see the value in using common courtesies when working with others.

The major components of the Responsive Classroom are:

Rules and Logical Consequences
Guided Discovery
Choice Time
Classroom Organization

Through the implementation of these components within the classroom, children continually practice those social skills that will ensure their social and personal growth as contributing members of the school and society as a whole.

Intermediate Program (Grades Three Through Five)

The goal of the Intermediate Program is to provide support to all students as they learn and grow through the intermediate level. The student should become independent learners who take pride in their accomplishments through group projects, collaborative problem solving, and respect for others. Ultimately, while supplying each student with basic knowledge, the program provides the foundation to “learn how to learn” through recognizing the merit of others as well as themselves. These children of the twenty-first century will need to be able to adapt to new professions and skills that we can only imagine today.

The academic transition encompasses time management, choices, independent work, and accountability. The social transition begins with the long process of entering adolescence. This starts with wrestling with fairness issues, to working well in groups, to developing the ability to make sound decisions, and finally the emergence of the adult personality. This change begins in fourth grade.

Among the special transition activities for fifth grade offered during the year are:

Fifth Grade Parent/Student Middle School Orientation
Transition Workshops
The Class Overnight Camping Trip
The Fifth Grade Promotion

Daily Life at Stoddert

School Hours

Students may not arrive unattended earlier than 8:40 AM unless participating in the breakfast program or registered with the PTA Stoddert Extended Day Program. School hours are 8:45 AM to 3:15 PM. Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. are tardy. Tardy students must report directly to the front office. Each student must submit a note signed by his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) explaining his or her lateness.

Breakfast and Lunch Programs

Hot lunches and milk may be purchased for a nominal charge. Subsidized breakfast is available before school opens each morning for all students. Applications for subsidized breakfast and lunch are distributed at the beginning of the school year to all students.

Before and After School Care

Stoddert Elementary School now hosts the PTA – sponsored Stoddert Extended Day Program to meet the needs of families:

The Stoddert Extended Day Program is a fee-based program offering before (7:45 AM to 8:45 AM) and after school services (3:15 PM to 6:00 PM).
Special class offerings may vary from advisory to advisory, based on the needs of the school community.

More about the Extended Day program

Student Support Programs

Counseling

The school counselor is available as a resource to work with children, parents, and teachers. She assists the fifth grade with the middle school transition activities including registration for classes at Hardy Middle School.

Morning Computer Lab (Before School)

Our dedicated technology instructor makes the computer lab available to a limited number of students who want to practice keyboarding skills; complete homework projects requiring the use of technology; or practice reading, writing and math skills using computer tutorial programs.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

This program provides additional support to students with limited proficiency in the English language and helps these students have a successful school year.

Math Tutoring After School

At risk students in grades 3, 4, and 5 may receive additional support in math skills upon the recommendation of the classroom teacher, principal or by parent request. Space is limited in order to ensure that students receive intensive and individualized assistance.

Reading Resource

The reading resource teacher provides services to children needing extra support in reading and writing skills. Students are tutored individually or in flexible small groups. Classroom teachers and the principal refer students or use SAT-9 scores to identify students. The classroom teacher continues to be the primary reading instructor while the student receives this extra support.

Peer Mediation Program

Students from grades 4 and 5 are trained as Peer Mediators to help other students resolve their conflicts by listening to the problem and helping both sides agree on a workable solution. The purpose is to prevent students from getting into more serious trouble later and to teach children valuable life skills.

School Nurse

The health suite has two and one-half days of nursing coverage, provided by the District of Columbia Health Department. The nurse provides first aid and triage, maintains health records, and screens for health problems. Health screenings include blood pressure, weight, scoliosis, vision and hearing. Screenings are grade based. The nurse also provides developmentally appropriate health education for students, staff, and parents.

In addition, the health suite also dispenses medications for children who require it during the school day. Parents must complete medication authorization forms (including physician’s orders and signature) to access this service.

Special Education

The Special Education Team provides assessment, identification, intervention, and monitoring of progress of students with special needs. Stoddert Elementary School has adopted the inclusion model to meet the needs of students. Special services and instruction are combined with classroom instruction whenever possible. Services are available to identified students who have been formally assessed as having a disability — learning, speech and language, emotional, or physical

Student Programs and Activities (During School Hours)

Chesapeake Classroom

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and National Geographic’s Geography Education Outreach formed a partnership to provide professional development and materials for teachers in grades four and five. Our teachers received support in implementing multi-week units focused on our local watershed environment. This grant was awarded in the spring of 2002 based on the proposal submitted by our intermediate team and resource teachers. We continue to implement the science curriculum developed from the Chesapeake Classroom program to enhance implementing the DCPS science standards in grades four and five.

Classroom Buddies

Intermediate grade students are paired with primary grade students as “Book Buddies.” Once a week Book Buddies meet to read books together. This program helps the children improve their reading skills as well as developing a sense of school community. Older children become more sensitive to the vulnerability of the “little” kids while the young ones love having a big friend in the school.

Fillmore Art Program

All Stoddert students participate in the Fillmore Arts Programs for a half-day, once a week. Children engage in instrumental music, drama, creative writing, and literature experiences while in attendance.

www.fillmoreartscenter.com

Library Media Center

Every student visits the library on a scheduled weekly basis. Information literacy instruction is integrated into the curriculum through collaboration of the library media specialist with the classroom teacher, and the technology specialist. Skills are taught in context rather than in isolation. Among the highlights of the Library Program are:

Book of the Month
Author visits
RIF (Reading Is Fundamental)
Research projects
Theme-based art projects
Book reviews and contests

Each is designed to promote a love of reading and lifelong learning.

Mathematics

Stoddert Elementary School, with the financial backing of the PTA, adopted the Everyday Mathematics program. Everyday Mathematics makes connections across the curriculum. It shows students right from the start how math is used every day. Lesson topics and activities repeatedly demonstrate the usefulness of mathematics in the students’ own lives and in the world around them.

PALs (Program Assistants in the Library)

PALs are junior library assistants selected from grades three to five. PALs in the Lab is set up just for 5th graders.

Embassy Adoption Program

The 5th graders are adopted by an embassy each year. The embassy representatives come to our school to educate our students and then the 5th grade prepares a presentation to be given at the embassy. We have worked with the Bahamas and Korea. This year we have been adopted by Italy.

Physical Education

All Stoddert students receive one hour per week of instruction from a physical education teacher provided by the Fillmore Art Center.

Safety Patrol

Students in the fourth and fifth grades can volunteer to be safety patrols. Patrols act as monitors on the playground before and after school and help to provide models for exemplar school behavior in the classroom and on the playground.

School Yard Habitats

For School Year 2003/2004, Stoddert was selected as one of seven DC public schools to participate in the DC Department of Health Schoolyard Conservation Site grant programs. When work is completed, Stoddert will be certified as a National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitats site. Our schoolyard will provide learning opportunities for students; trees, shrubs and wildflowers will be added to provide critical habitats for local and migratory wildlife; the beauty of our landscape will be enhanced; and the design will help protect and restore the health of DC’s water supply.

Student Council

The Student Council includes representatives from grades one to five, plus officers elected by students in grades three, four, and five. The Student Council provides leadership and representation for all students.

Technology

The instructional technology program that takes place in the computer lab supports classroom instruction from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 5 in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Students are engaged in hands-on activities that require higher order thinking skills (creative thinking and problem solving, synthesizing of technology and knowledge). All students attend the lab approximately one hour a week. The lab is also open for keyboarding and completing projects/homework both before and after school and during two lunch/recess periods per week.

Traditions and School Events

Throughout the school year, Stoddert staff and parents organize numerous school and community events. Some of these events are educational, some are fun, some are social, and some events raise funds for the PTA. Many projects combine these objectives. The more popular events are listed below:

Awards Assembly

At the end of the school year, awards are given to recognize students for extraordinary service, performance, and achievement during the school year.

Back to School Night

In early fall, there is a Back to School Night at which parents meet their child’s teachers, and learn about the year’s programs and curriculum.

Big Chili / Auction

Open to Stoddert parents and friends, the auction is a big night out for all adult participants. Items to be auctioned are donated by parents, friends, and businesses.

Fall Book Fair

Paperback and hardback books, for pre-school through junior high reading levels, along with selected adult books are available at the Book Fair. Students have the opportunity to preview the books and then return later to make purchases. Parents are invited to attend and many parent volunteers assist in the Fair. The library media specialist and classroom teachers select a wish list of books, which families may purchase and donate to the library or classrooms. In addition to its educational value, profits from the Book Fair are contributed to the Library Fund.

Fall Picnic

The fall picnic is a time for Stoddert families to socialize informally and get to know each other at the beginning of the school year. The picnic is an evening of good food and fun. The PTA provides hotdogs and soft drinks for everyone. Stoddert families are asked to bring potluck dishes.

Fifth Grade Promotion

In June, a special ceremony is held for students being promoted from the fifth grade.

Fun Fair Fundraiser

A springtime event with pony rides, classroom booths, a Moon Bounce, snow cones, face painting, food, etc. Parents give financial donations in order to help support the fair activities.

Halloween Parade and Classroom Parties

Fall festival activities planned by room parents with the guidance of classroom teachers.

International Day

To celebrate our global population and diverse cultural heritage, we dedicate one day of the school year to our multicultural student body. International Day features Stoddert students, parents, and members from DC’s international community who volunteer their time and talents. Classes are transformed into countries with students and parents talking about their native cultures, sharing folklore, sampling native cuisine, and giving voice, dance and musical performances from native lands.

International Dinner

Enjoy foods from all over the world, from appetizers to desserts. This is another PTA fundraiser.

Morning Announcers Club

Students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade who are interested in practicing public speaking skills use the intercom system to broadcast daily events occurring in our school.

Open Houses

During the school year, two open houses are held for the community and parents interested in observing classes and learning more about Stoddert. Open houses are held during American Education Week in November and during the Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten registration time in March.