Welcome to Van Ness Elementary School!

Our Vision

Children, families, and educators come together to create an inclusive community that provides authentic experiences and engages the whole child. Our aim is to cultivate critical thinkers and develop a generation of confident, curious, and compassionate members of society.

Van Ness Elementary School reopened in Fall 2015. Since then, amazing things have happened. Our school building and grounds have been transformed into an engaging and beautiful place for our children to learn and thrive. The newest improvement, completed Fall 2021, is a brand new wing complete with a roof top educational garden, renovation of a historic field house that is now flexible space for our school, and an annex building that will house our fifth graders. Van Ness Elementary now serves Pre-K3 through 5th grade.

We hope you join our excitement for Van Ness. Go Otters!

Immunization Information

To attend schools, students must be current with their immunizations. Immunization compliance is documented by submitting a completed Universal Health Certificate to the school at the time of enrollment. A series of medical forms, DCPS School Enrollment Packet.pdf, should be turned in to the school as part of the enrollment process, and any updated forms throughout the school year should be submitted to the school nurse.

View Mental Health Support Resource Information here.

INVESTING IN THE WHOLE CHILD: A NEW SCHOOL DESIGN

Van Ness Elementary, an innovative district-run school in Washington DC, and Transcend, the field’s premier “engine” for R&D on new school models, are partnering to create a powerful elementary school model that has the potential to transform elementary education in the District of Columbia and—when fully realized—the nation. Read more here.

*Post-renovation images from Broughton Construction