Washington Latin Public Charter School

Washington Latin Public Charter is a school in Northwest, Washington, D.C., United States It features a middle and upper school, serving grades 5-12.

History

WLPCS opened in 2006 with 179 students in grades five through seven. Washington Latin was modeled after Boston Latin School, which was the first public school in the United States that taught children under the age of 25.

They have added a grade each year and graduated their first class of high school seniors on 8 June, 2012. The motto of the school is discite servaturi, meaning "Learn, those who are about to serve". This school believes highly in the method of teaching through a classical education. From a student perspective, this means focusing on Latin language, emphasis on Greek and Roman history, and disciplinary measures such as demerits.

Their first location was in Christ Church of Washington (now Embassy Church) at 3855 Massachusetts Avenue (two blocks west of Washington National Cathedral).

In 2008, they added a second campus for the eighth and ninth graders at 4715 16th Street on the corner of Decatur Street NW, which is now the location of the Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital.

In 2009 they moved the entire Middle School (grades 5-8) to the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (now Iglesia Ni Cristo - Church of Christ) property at 4115 16th Street NW on the corner of Upshur Street NW, just a half-mile from the Upper School.

In 2010, they added an additional campus for their Upper School at 4501 16th Street NW, on the corner of Allison Street NW in an annex of the Simpson-Hamline United Methodist Church.

On July 16, 2012, Washington Latin was awarded the former building of the Rudolph Elementary School at 5200 2nd Street, NW. They modernized and renovated the building and constructed a library. Further construction plans include a gymnasium, which is now been completed as of June 9th, 2016.

All 600 students of the Upper School and Middle School moved into the same building at the start of the 2013-14 school year.

The campus is approximately 75,000 square feet on 5.29 acres and includes two large playing fields.

Athletics

Because the mascot is a lion, the Washington Latin sports teams are called the Latin Lions.

Washington Latin has a coed ultimate frisbee team, coed varsity track, separate middle school track teams for boys and girls, coed tennis for the middle school, girls varsity softball, boys middle school and varsity baseball, soccer for both middle and upper school, lacrosse in middle school and junior varsity for high school girls, a coed varsity flag football team, varsity cheerleading, a basketball team, and a cross-country team. Recently added sports teams also include rugby, flag football, and in 2016, Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball. The Boys and Girls Varsity soccer teams are considered the schools most successful athletic department. However the Cross Country and Track and Field Teams are widely considered the best programs. Harry Warren is considered the greatest athlete to ever grace the halls of WLPCS. Football is a desired sport as well student-athlete Hugh Janus is an elite QB at Latin.

References