Whittier Elementary School

Our Programs

Whittier Elementary School is a STEM school, where PreK3–Grade 5 students are exposed to hands-on STEM activities and challenges in all contexts throughout the academic school year and beyond.

STEM & Project-Based Learning

Learning Through Investigation & Discovery

All students are exposed to STEM and project-based learning in their classrooms.

Our Grade 2–Grade 5 students have access to our STEM Lab for reinforcement, instruction, design challenges, and a plethora of other activities.

STEM for Every Student

Whittier's STEM approach gives students opportunities to investigate questions, work through challenges, and engage with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in meaningful ways.

Clubs & SEM Courses

Explore Passions & Talents

All students can participate in a wide range of clubs and School-wide Enrichment Model (SEM) programming before, during, and after the school day. SEM at Whittier gives students opportunities to explore their passions and talents through hands-on enrichment clusters. These experiences encourage creativity, collaboration, and real-world problem solving.

  • Art Club
  • Broadcasting (The Whittier Morning Tea)
  • Chess
  • Cooking
  • DC Scores
  • Flag Football
  • Girls Chess
  • Junior Scores
  • Morning Reading
  • Newspaper
  • Track and Field
  • Whittier Design Makers
  • Whittier Entrepreneurial Lab

Community Partnerships

Whittier's programming is strengthened through partnerships that connect students with hands-on learning and experiences beyond the traditional classroom.

  • FreshFarm FoodPrints
  • Project Lead the Way
  • Anacostia Watershed
  • Casey Trees

English Language learners

Our ELL program helps students grasp the complexities of our language and culture through learning activities that connect to the student’s prior experience; complex thinking and challenging activities; language and literacy development; observation and modeling; and instructional conversations.

WHITTIER GARDEN

We are proud to support our community through our garden, which produces beautiful flowers and fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs tended by our teachers, staff, and students.

arts and culture

Whittier also has programming focused on developing students’ artistic skills. These include Performing Arts, which produces two full-length plays each year, and our partnership with FreshFarm FoodPrints, allowing hands-on, standards-based food and garden education experiences in the classroom in addition to a weekly farmers market.