Mission & Philosophy
Our Mission
Capitol Hill Day School deeply engages a diverse community of students in connecting the classroom to the larger world, supporting each child in developing the confidence, compassion, and intellectual capacity to live a life of purpose and value.
Our Philosophy
Capitol Hill Day School is an independent, coeducational school for students in prekindergarten through eighth grade. Together, its academic day program and auxiliary programs in the late afternoon and summer reflect the School's commitment to create a community of students from varying backgrounds in which individual differences are respected and valued.
Discovery and Challenge
Beginning in the early childhood grades and continuing throughout, the curriculum calls upon students to:
- search creatively for patterns and relationships
- analyze and solve problems
- delve deeply into chosen subjects
- reflect upon their work, critique it, and learn from the critique of others
- take risks and see mistakes or disagreement as stepping-stones to increased understanding
Connecting the Classroom and the Real World
From its inception, the School has been committed to using the rich and varied resources of the greater Washington area. An extensive program of trips and guest speakers, all related to the curriculum, provides an experiential approach to learning, makes connections between classroom work and the real world, and helps students understand that learning is a process not limited to a classroom setting or a particular time of life.
Integrated and Learner-Centered Curriculum
The School believes that students are engaged by the teachers' own enthusiasm for learning. Thus, within broad parameters, teachers are expected to invent, interpret, and shape curriculum, responding sensitively to children's needs, interests, and backgrounds. Teachers work together to integrate the curriculum, relating themes and concepts between subjects and over the years. Respect is given for varying styles of teaching, and different groupings occur within classrooms as appropriate to pedagogical goals.
Beyond Academics — Social, Emotional, and Physical development
The School believes that healthy social, emotional, and physical growth must go hand in hand with the development of strong academic skills, and that this growth is best nurtured in an atmosphere of openness, cooperation, and civility, where diversity is embraced and celebrated.
From the earliest years, children are taught how to be responsible members of a group. They come to understand that being part of a class, of a school, and eventually of a wider community requires compromise, self-examination, empathy, humor, and even struggle. With the trust that a healthy sense of community engenders, children learn that they can express differing views that will be heard with respect and that they are expected to respect the views of others.
History
1968
Capitol Hill Day School was founded.
Two small schools started by two churches (Christ Church and Church of the Reformation) merged in June 1968, incorporating in January of 1969 as a new entity: Capitol Hill Day School. Church of the Reformation had preschool and kindergarten and Christ Church had kindergarten and 1st Grade. Each church had around 30 students, and once combined, they felt they could expand to 3rd Grade. The goal of Capitol Hill Day School from the time these programs merged was to provide a quality education to a racially and economically diverse student body, with a relationship with both the Hill and greater DC.
1970
First Director of Field Education was hired.
Capitol Hill Day School’s Field Education Program was born when the School’s founding parents decided to use the Capitol Hill neighborhood and beyond to teach and inspire both their children and the teachers they hired. Today, this part of our mission lives on through our Field Education Program, with a full-time director whose role is to connect with experts and organizations that enrich our curriculum and bring classroom learning to life.
1979-80
Construction and renovation of the Dent Building.
Capitol Hill Day School’s second decade began with a lease of the Dent Building. Renovations began, and parents and staff moved Capitol Hill Day School into the Dent Building during winter break of 1980. The move to the Dent Building accomplished several important objectives: (1) It unified the students and teachers in one location, rather than in two churches blocks apart; (2) It freed the school from its church associations and moved children into a truly non-sectarian environment; and (3) It permitted the school to expand to the middle school years.
1981
Capitol Hill Day School graduates its first 8th Grade class.
The School grew to include 7th Grade in 1980, and we graduated our first 8th Grade class in 1981.
Pictured: Graduation of the class of '85.
1997-2000
Creation of the Rose Window Room.
After purchasing the Dent Building in 1997, the School launched A Campaign to Grow On to raise funds for the purchase and necessary renovations. A centerpiece of the renovation was the creation of the Rose Window Room, inspired by the building’s beautiful rose window, which also became the inspiration for the School’s logo. Today, the Rose Window Room remains a beloved gathering space for meetings, classes, and family coffees.
2018
Capitol Hill Day School leases space in Farren's Stable.
In 2018, the School leased a floor in nearby Farren's Stable, just two blocks north of the Dent Building. In January 2019, our 7th and 8th Grade students moved into this new facility. Designed specifically with middle school learners in mind, this innovative learning environment strengthens our deep and longstanding commitment to teaching and learning, engaging faculty and students in a responsive, relevant curriculum.
2023
The renovation of Farren's Stable.
In 2023, the School acquired and renovated the second floor of Farren’s Stable. Our 5th and 6th Graders joined their older peers, uniting our Upper Grades program under one roof.
Capitol Hill Day School has evolved over the years, adapting to meet the needs of our students and community. Our ongoing commitment to our mission and centering students in all we do remains constant. We can't wait to see what the next chapter of Capitol Hill Day School looks like, and hope you'll be part of it.
