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School Summary
The mission of Graham Road—Focus School for Language and Fine Arts is to inspire students to achieve academically, to think critically and creatively, to learn independently, and to become ethically responsible within a diverse and dynamic community.
Graham Road is a vibrant public school that provides an enriched, rigorous academic program for each child. Its wonderfully diverse student body reflects the changing demographics of the new millennium. Ethnic- and language-minority students compose over 75 percent of the student body, representing more than 23 countries and 14 different languages.
To support all Graham Road students’ ability to access, to master and to exceed the challenging standards set by the division and the state, school leadership works to hire and retain only the best classroom teachers. Teachers who work at Graham Road hold themselves and each other to high standards, spending many extra hours in professional collaboration and learning. Joining these classroom teachers is a cadre of highly skilled resource teachers and teacher coaches. In addition, the modified calendar, as well as after-school programs, provides extra learning time for students.
Every student at Graham Road school has access to an enriched education. Specifically, the school has additional staff and material resources that focus on language and the arts, including full time visual arts, music, physical education, and Spanish teachers. Students begin instrumental music instruction in third grade with weekly violin lessons. Graham Road has had a three-year partnership with the Washington Performing Arts Society (WPAS). Each year, WPAS has brought four performances to school for all students, an artist in residence at a particular grade levels, and tickets and transportation to an evening performance in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for students and parents.
Staff members work to maintain positive home-school communication with parents and generate outreach activities in the community. Collaborative decision making is an integral part of the instructional program. An 18-member leadership team facilitates the school planning process.
School staff members are determined that all students will learn and achieve. This attitude is reflected in the school-wide motto—Graham Road-The Road to Success.
Last Updated: 2012-07-26
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