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Student Life

Campus Life: Embracing Joy and Adventure in Education

WES students tend to run, not walk, through the front doors of the school, eager to begin each day. Some might begin their day with Open Gym or practicing the recorder, but each student is greeted in a Morning Meeting, and eases into the day ahead, feeling part of the diverse and welcoming Washington Episcopal School community.

The routine might be familiar, but every day is filled with adventures in learning, as students embrace academic rigor in an appropriately balanced and supportive environment. Our enriched after-school program offers exciting options such as chess, hip-hop dance, art, sports teams, study hall, Mad Science, and more. Whether on the playground, in the classroom, in the Art Studio, on the stage, athletic fields, or on study trips down the street or across the Atlantic Ocean, a day as a WES student is never routine or ordinary – it is a constant adventure!

Bethesda Elementary School Student Life
Responsive Classroom & Honor Code

WES is committed to encouraging responsible and caring behavior in students. To heighten awareness of and commitment to moral and ethical living, specific activities are a part of the school’s ongoing program. WES has a formal Honor Code and the faculty use Responsive Classroom® techniques and philosophy. There are clear policies regarding student online behavior. All of these form the foundation for student life and WES’s social curriculum.

WES Honor Code
The Honor Code is a pledge signed by each student in Grades 2-8 at the beginning of each school year. It is discussed in class meetings and provides a guide for attitudes and behavior shared by the entire school community.

Responsive Classroom
Responsive Classroom® reinforces the WES mission to create a supportive and positive community of academically excellent and joyful students. The program recognizes that academic success is best achieved in a socially successful environment. The core values of empathy, respect, and responsibility are emphasized, alongside social skills, self-regulation, and conflict resolution.

Recess and Lunch

All Elementary students have 2-3 daily recesses and lunch to refresh and stay energized. Recess serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated learning in the classroom. This free team offers cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that give WES’s students the necessary balance to develop a love for learning. The Elementary students frequently share recess on the playground and athletic fields with each other.

Lunchtime is mid-day for Grade 2-5 students. Students sit communally in a cafeteria type environment by class. An optional Hot Lunch program is offered by the school with food provided by Vignola Catering. Families must sign up in advance for the program, and fees are included with the regular tuition bills. Students enrolled in the Hot Lunch program will get a boxed lunch for study trips.

Cross Grade Friendships and Leadership Opportunities

Relationships between students in different grades allow all to develop deeper senses of compassion, tolerance, and empathy as well as a fuller understanding of the needs and experiences of others. Exploring new student life and leadership opportunities for students has been a particular area of recent focus in the Elementary Grades. These are just a few of the leadership opportunities WES provides Elementary Students:

  • Student Advisory Group (Student Government) 
    All Grade 2-5 students were invited in September to run for class representative. Two students from each classroom are elected to participate with one serving in the fall and the other in the spring.
  • Chapel Pals
  • Grade 5 & Kindergarten Reading Buddies
  • Safety Patrols
  • Admission Ambassadors

By the time our students graduate WES in Grade 8, they have a multitude of opportunities to mentor peers and be mentored by others.

Elementary Dress Code

Our students start their day focusing on their relationships with their peers and not what each other is wearing. Uniforms allow students to more easily build school spirit and showcase their individualism through their personality and achievements. Grade 2-5 students have a formal dress code which is comprised of Dress Uniform and Daily Wear. Dress uniform is worn on special occasions such as All-School Chapels, school picture day, school performances, certain study trips, etc. The Dress Code changes as students matriculate to Middle School.

Grades 1-5 – Dress Uniform

TOP

  • Shirt: White oxford cloth, long or short sleeve
  • Blazer or sweater: Navy; v-neck or cardigan long sleeve sweater only

BOTTOM 

  • Trousers: Tan twill; belted at the waist if there are belt loops on the pants
  • Jumper: WES plaid; hemline to be no shorter than mid-thigh

 ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ITEMS

  • Tie: WES plaid; girls may opt-out of tie
  • Belt: Dark leather for trousers/shorts with belt loops
  • Socks: Plain white, navy, or black
  • Shoes: School appropriate and completely black, brown, navy, or tan

Grades 1-5 – Daily Wear

All dress uniform components may be worn for daily wear.

TOP

  • Shirt: Collared polo or turtleneck in white, red, light yellow, or navy knit
  • Optional WES sweatshirt

BOTTOM 

  • Jumper: WES plaid or navy; hemline to be no shorter than mid-thigh; shorts may be worn under skirts if they do not extend below the hemline
  • Skort or Skirt: Tan or navy twill; hemline to be no shorter than mid-thigh; shorts may be worn under skirts if they do not extend below the hemline
  • Walking shorts: Tan or navy twill; belted at the waist if there are belt loops
  • Trousers: Tan or navy twill or corduroy; belted at the waist if there are belt loops

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ITEMS

  • Belt: Dark leather for trousers/shorts with belt loops
  • Socks or tights: White, navy, or black
  • Shoes: Any appropriate school shoes
  • Optional leggings: black or navy, worn with socks such that no bare leg is showing and may be worn only with jumper or skort.

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Address: 5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816 | Phone: 301-652-7878