EDUCATION LEADERS TODAY
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WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
Structure and community are the core principles of Washington Jesuit Academy. William Whitaker, president, believes that their extended day program provides tremendous benefits for the students and is a true necessity to ensure that the students excel.
FEATURE | WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
2 Winter 2010
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | FEATURE
Extending the possibilities of education by Anne Brouilette
AT WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY, STRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY DRIVES THE BOYS AT THIS WASHINGTON, D.C. PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO SUCCEED. Washington Jesuit Academy isn’t your average private middle school. For the boys who attend, it’s more like a second home. “We spend an extraordinary amount of time with the kids,” said William Whitaker, President of WJA. “We decided, why not try 12 hours a day and see if it can be done.” And indeed, it can be done. Students arrive by 7:30 a.m. and have breakfast with their teachers and faculty members. The next seven hours function like a normal school day: core classes in math, science, reading and writing, and lunch. But at three o’clock, the boys don’t go home. Rather, they divide into clubs and sports, working and practicing until five p.m., when it’s time for dinner, again, accompanied by their teachers. A study hall, which lasts until 7:30 in the evening, wraps up their day. “Many conversations have been had about the impact of longer school hours,” Whitaker said. “Our extended day is very unique.” Whitaker believes that the extended day provides tremendous benefits for their students and is a true necessity to ensure that the students excel. “The combination of extended day and extended year has Education Leaders Today 3
FEATURE | WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
redefined the structure, or lack thereof, that our students have had in their lives prior to entering WJA. We have been able to surround them with an environment that perhaps in the wider population would be taken for granted. This incredible structure gives them a safe haven.” The school year at WJA runs 11 months a year, until late July. The Washington Jesuit Academy was founded in March 2001 by the Jesuit communities of Georgetown University, Gonzaga College High School, Georgetown Preparatory School and Holy Trinity Parish together with the Maryland Province of the
The combination of extended day and extended year has redefined the structure, or lack thereof, that the kids have had in their lives prior to entering WJA. We have been able to surround kids with environments that maybe kids in the wider population would take for granted. Society of Jesus in an attempt to better prepare young students in and around the District of Columbia for high school and college. “I had been Director of Admissions at Gonzaga and had seen that a lot of incoming kids did not have adequate preparation,” Whitaker said. “My personal drive to head this project came from seeing this. I wanted to be able to provide them with the ability to have a smoother transition to high school and college. Provide them with a better toolbox.” The primary focus has been to serve economically disadvantaged boys with academic potential. Students must qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch programs in order to attend, and each child receives a 100 percent scholarship. WJA started out focused on the black community, but now 20 percent of the students are Latino. Their mission has been to attract boys that have a spark, a desire to do better. “A spark that would never be ignited if they stayed in other schools,” Whitaker said. It’s clear that these sparks aren’t dying out. WJA currently has 116 graduates, 99 percent of whom are enrolled in or have completed high school. Of the first two graduating 4 Winter 2010
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | FEATURE
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FEATURE | WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
6 Winter 2010
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | FEATURE
classes, 82 percent are attending college. “This is phenomenal compared to the 20 percent rate that is typical in D.C.,” Whitaker said. This rate is due, in part, to the support department that follows each student after they graduate from eighth grade. The academy commits financial and human resources to ensure that when the boys leave what, for some, has become their second home, they aren’t forgotten about. “Each student is tracked and mentored through the bumps that come up in high school and college,” Whitaker said. Whitaker believes that their high academic achievements and continued trajectory of graduates has allowed the school to continue to hit their funding goals, even in the recent economy. “While foundations and individuals are donating less and focusing on where they can obtain the most ‘bang for their buck’ from a philanthropic point of view, we have been able to win that race because people can see our success statistics.” Those who choose to donate realize that they’re investing not only in the school, but in the future of each student who attends. But while still at Washington Jesuit Academy, the boys learn a lot more than the basics. “We committed from the very beginning to get high quality teachers,” Whitaker said. “We demand a high standard of teaching from each one. We tell our students consistently that not only can they be successful but that they will Education Leaders Today 7
FEATURE | WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY
be successful. There are so many different impact points where we can connect with the students. A teacher can have a very different relationship with our boys when they can not only teach them in the classroom, but also eat three meals a day with the students and break into advisory groups with them.” WJA’s teachers focus on teaching morals and values, regardless of the religions background of the student. “We have a great retreat and reflective program. Our kids go away from our school at least twice a year where they spend time together, learning how to trust each other, trust themselves and the direction the school is taking them.” This well-rounded approach, which focuses on building character, also places an
There are so many different impact points where we can connect with the students. A teacher can have a very different relationship with our boys when they can not only teach them in the classroom, but also eat three meals a day with the students and break into advisory groups with them. importance on health and wellness. “We had a garden in the back of our school, long before gardens were hip. We have a relationship with D.C. Central Kitchen, which cooks fresh meals for our kids. Each student receives three very nutritious, hot meals, each day. We’ve been doing this for many years.” The benefit of this attitude, which is to take care of students on all levels, has reached well beyond the walls of WJA. “Our exact food program has now been piloted in the D.C. school system with six public schools this year,” Whitaker said. “As I look to the future, I believe we will focus on what more we can do for the city,” Whitaker said. “We will continue to focus on high academic standards for our kids and our teachers so that they continue to understand the importance of what they do. Our goal would be to widen the base of whom we can touch with the same model, so that we can continue to make a difference one child at a time here in the city.” ELT 8 Winter 2010
WASHINGTON JESUIT ACADEMY | FEATURE
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