History
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School was founded in 1956 as a parish day school, offering classes at first for Nursery School children in the Church facilities. The addition of the elementary grades began in 1967, and the first Grade 6 class graduated in 1974. In September 2002, St. Patrick’s completed the addition of Grades 7 and 8 and the first Grade 8 graduated in 2003. Currently, St. Patrick’s maintains two campuses, 4700 Whitehaven Parkway, NW for its Nursery through Grade 6 students and at 4925 MacArthur Boulevard, NW for its Grades 7 and 8 students.
Student Body
St. Patrick’s students come from all over the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Twenty-three percent of the student body is African-American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian-American, or Multiracial.
Enrollment
St. Patrick’s is an Episcopal, co-educational, Nursery-Grade 8 school and enrolls 490 students in three divisions:
Nursery School (Nursery and PK): Nursery, 2 sections per grade PK; 3 sections per grade
Lower School (Kindergarten-Grade 3): 3 sections per grade
Upper School (Grades 4-6): 3 sections per grade
(Grades 7-8): Students grouped in advisories
Hours
Nursery School: 9 am–noon, with an optional afternoon program until 2:45 pm
Lower School: 8:15 am–2:50 pm (Monday-Thursday), Friday 12:10 pm dismissal
Upper School:
Grades 4-6— 8:05 am—2:50 pm
Grades 7-8—8:05 am—4:15 pm (daily, except Thursday), Thursday, 3:15 pm dismissal
Early Arrival (7:30 am) and Extended Day Programs until 6 pm each day are available for an additional fee.
Campus
The facilities include two campuses with three science labs, three libraries, three art studios, four music rooms, a full gymnasium and performance stage, a mini-gym for early childhood classes, three playgrounds, and a playing field.
Lunch
St. Patrick’s has a catered hot lunch program available for Kindergarten through Grade 8. Typically students have a hot (meat and vegetarian) entrée option, cold cuts, salad bar, dessert, and fresh fruit daily. The School Nurse works closely with our caterer to accommodate children with food allergies.
Faculty
St. Patrick’s has 72 full-and part-time teachers. The average tenure is eight years. Approximately 60% of teaching faculty has advanced degrees.
Secondary School Placement
After St. Patrick’s, our students continue their education at fine independent schools throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In recent years, these schools have included: the Cathedral Schools (National Cathedral and St. Albans), Holton-Arms, Landon, Maret, St. Andrew’s, Potomac, Sidwell Friends, Bullis, Field, St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes, Georgetown Day, Edmund Burke, Georgetown Prep, Georgetown Visitation, Madeira, and Woodberry Forest (VA). Although fewer in number, some St. Patrick’s students continue their education at public schools in the District and its surrounding counties.
Financial Aid
The School has a large, need-based, Financial Aid Program that provides assistance to approximately 17% of our population. Our Financial Aid Program has, for many years, assisted families with moderate to significant need.