About Thomson Elementary
Thomson Elementary prides itself in being a school that is committed to Diversity, Academic Excellence and the Arts. Strong John Thomson Elementary has been educating the students of the District of Columbia since 1869. We are located in a newly-renovated building at 1200 L Street, NW, on the edge of downtown and several blocks from China Town. In the past few years, Thomson’s enrollment soared from 285 students in 2005-2006 to 355 students today enrolled in Head Start (age 3) through fifth grade.
Diversity.
Thomson’s student body is one of the most diverse in the city with a population that is 22 percent Asian, 33 percent Hispanic, 40 percent African-American and 5 percent Caucasian. Sixty-two percent of Thomson students speak English with limited proficiency or are not English proficient. Sixty-nine percent of Thomson students are economically disadvantaged. Approximately half of our students are “in-boundaries” and because of our Chinese language program and our excellence in academics and arts, we draw students from all over Washington through the DCPS lottery.
Academic Excellence.
Thomson’s commitment to academic excellence is reflected in its strong performance on standardized tests. Thomson regularly assesses its students’ progress and makes adjustments when expected gains in performance are not realized. Thomson also relies on specialized instruction for its students who are not yet fluent in English. Thomson has a new computer lab as well as computers in each classroom. The school also has dedicated music and art rooms, a large gymnasium and a start-of-the art library and media center. For the second year, Thomson will be working with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to implement a special after school science program for students in grades three through six.
The Arts.
For many years, Thomson has augmented its academic curriculum through partnerships with art and music organizations in the city. These programs provide students with an opportunity to pursue in-depth art projects and to gain exposure to musical events such as the Bach Consort and the Washington Opera. Thomson also has a school choir that performs throughout the city.
Chinese Language Instruction and International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.
Three years ago, Thomson became the first school in the city to offer Chinese language instruction to early elementary school students. This year, Chinese language instruction is provided to all students in pre-k through Grade 4. In addition, Chinese language and culture are integrated into the art and music program. Thomson is one of six DCPS schools selected to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. The school is currently in the planning process to implement this prestigious program.
