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Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School

United States, Washington DC

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, French, Spanish
Fees $0 - 24,044
Ages 3 - 11 years
Pupil numbers 707
Type Co-educational
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP)
Taught languages French, Spanish
Typical class size 12
Strengths Languages, Visual and Creative Arts, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Arts and Creative, Community and Service, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Early Years, Primary School
Introduction

Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School operates across two DC campuses, Brookland and East End, serving students from PK3 through fifth grade (ages 3 to 11). The school delivers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme in a dual-immersion framework, with English plus a target language (Spanish or French) for content-area instruction. From Pre-K, 90% of instruction is in the target language; kindergarten to fifth grade use roughly half English and half the target language, with native-speaking teachers leading lessons. The campus facilities include a kitchen that prepares three meals daily from local ingredients, a garden program, a library, a music and art room, and outdoor spaces. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association and participates in Label FrancEducation and Learn24. Support services include MTSS and English Learner supports, with targeted 1:1 or small-group instruction as needed. The program emphasizes inquiry-based learning, intercultural understanding, and student voice.

5600 East Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20019, United States

The Essentials

Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School has 707 pupils, typical class sizes of 12, instruction in English, French, Spanish.

Location
The school operates two campuses in Washington, DC. Brookland Campus is located at 3700 Oakview Terrace NE, Washington, DC 20017. East End Campus is located at 5600 East Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20019. Both campuses are in Northeast Washington, DC.

Stages
PK3-5 (Pre-K through 5th grade).

Type
Public Charter School

Additional learning support
English Language Learner (ELL) support and language support services; target language teachers are native speakers or fluent in French or Spanish; ACTFL Can Do statements guide language progression and the ACCESS assessment supports planning.

School day structure
Pre-K provides instruction in the target language 90% of the time and English 10% of the time; classes are mixed-age for 3- and 4-year-olds with a two-year cycle. Kindergarten through grade 5 follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program curriculum in two languages, with about 50% of time in English and 50% in the target language.
Diving Deeper

Food Options
Stokes Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper daily. Breakfast is available from 7:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Breakfast, snack, and supper are free for all students, and lunch is $4.50 per meal. The program accommodates dietary restrictions (gluten, dairy, egg allergies) with vegetarian options at every meal, and menus are posted monthly; meals are prepared in-house using minimally processed ingredients sourced from local farmers and suppliers.

Governance and Ownership
The school is governed by a Board of Trustees that oversees programs and ensures alignment with the school's mission. The Board meets on the second Saturday of every other month at 9:30 a.m., with meetings conducted virtually until further notice.
Fees

Annual tuition at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School ranges from USD 0 to USD 24,044 for 2026/27.

Application fees
- There is no separate application fee charged by Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School for students applying through the My School DC common application and lottery; families apply via the My School DC system.

Tuition fees (by year group / term / overall)
- For District of Columbia resident students, there is no tuition charged: Stokes School operates as a D.C. public charter school and does not assess annual tuition for resident scholars.
- For non-resident students, the school notes that non-residents may be required to pay tuition under District law; specific non-resident tuition amounts or per-term schedules are not published as a standard annual tuition schedule on the school's public materials. Families subject to non-resident tuition should consult the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the school's enrollment office for the exact charge and billing arrangements.

Published school-year / per-term fees
- School meals: Breakfast, snack and after-school supper are provided free to all students. Lunch is available at USD 4.50 per meal. This USD 4.50 per-meal rate applies when families purchase lunch rather than qualifying for free or reduced-price benefits. Families are encouraged to submit applications for free or reduced-price meals if eligible.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Meal billing is handled according to the school's meal program and Meal Charge Policy; lunch is charged at the per-meal rate above and the Meal Charge Policy governs collection of unpaid meal charges and delinquent accounts. Families are directed to complete the school's meal application to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. Specific monthly or term billing cycles for paid lunches are not listed in the public summary; families should contact the school operations staff for account setup and payment timing.

Boarding fees
- Boarding is not applicable. Stokes School is a day public charter school with Brookland and East End campuses; there is no boarding program or boarding fee listed.

Other costs and fees (uniforms, supplies, extracurriculars, trips, aftercare)
- Uniforms / dress code: The school's family/student handbook and school policies contain the school's dress-code/uniform expectations and any related guidance; specific uniform purchase costs are not published as a standardized school fee. Families should expect routine costs for required uniforms, school supplies, and occasional class or field-trip fees where applicable.
- Optional programs and extracurriculars: Fees for optional or third-party programs (for example some after-school offerings, field trips, or enrichment providers) may be charged separately when those activities are offered; such fees are assessed only for optional services and are not a substitute for general tuition. Details and current prices for optional program fees are provided by the school when each program is offered.

Refund information
- Meal refunds and handling of unpaid meal charges are governed by the school's Meal Charge Policy and related federal/state program rules; the Meal Charge Policy describes the school's approach to insufficient funds and delinquent accounts for school meals. Refund rules for other fees (for example for optional paid activities or program withdrawals) are covered in the school's Family and Student Handbook or in the specific program terms; families should consult the relevant policy or program agreement for precise refund deadlines and penalty rules.

Fee payment options
- The school's publicly posted pages do not list a single, published payment portal or exhaustive list of accepted payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, check, cash). For meal accounts and any payable programs, families should contact the campus operations staff to arrange payment and confirm accepted payment methods and online account options. Contact for operations:
- Brookland Operations Manager: Mirsa Lopez — 202-265-7237.
- East End Operations Manager: Nancy Cruz — 202-975-2100.

Concise summary (what a parent needs to know)
- There is no application fee for families applying through the My School DC common application.
- Resident students pay no annual tuition; the only standard per-student public charge published by the school is the per-lunch fee of USD 4.50 when not eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
- Boarding is not offered. Additional charges (uniforms, supplies, optional activities, aftercare) may apply from time to time and are handled separately. Families should contact the campus operations staff for payment arrangements, precise program fees, and any account or refund questions.
Academics

Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School teaches IB (PYP) for students aged 3 to 11.

Curriculum
The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for PK3-5. The academic program is structured around a dual-immersion model where students learn language (English and Spanish or French) through the content areas. The IB program exists worldwide and promotes high-quality, challenging international education. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The PYP curriculum framework emphasizes inquiry-based, transdisciplinary learning with a student-centered approach and ownership of learning. IB Learners strive to be inquirers, thinkers, knowledgeable, principled, communicators, caring, risk-takers, balanced, reflective, open-minded.

Student Teacher Ratio
Small class sizes and team teaching with a learning specialist assigned to each grade level.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Peace of Mind Mindfulness Curriculum is a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program used across the school. It combines mindfulness, conflict resolution, and social justice education for students from early childhood through middle school. Students learn mindfulness to regulate emotions, practice kindness, empathy, and gratitude, and educators provide ongoing support with dedicated Peace of Mind lessons to reinforce a shared language for social-emotional needs.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Elsie Whitlow Stokes uses a Multi-Tiered System of Supports and Services (MTSSS) to provide personalized supports for academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs. A Schoolwide Student Support Services (SST) team collaborates with families and staff to review data and implement targeted interventions, with referrals for special education evaluation as needed. A 504 Plan provides accommodations for students with disabilities, and the Special Education Program offers individualized instruction through an IEP with related services such as speech or occupational therapy. School Counseling Services address academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
English Language Learner (ELL) services provide specialized supports for students whose primary language is not English and who need assistance in developing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. These services are designed for students identified as English Learners through language assessments to ensure equitable access to the curriculum while building English proficiency. Teachers facilitate language learning from explicit skill instruction, content-based instruction, and task-based instruction, and data is used to plan to meet student language needs.

Mental Wellbeing
Peace of Mind supports mental wellbeing by teaching mindfulness-based strategies for emotion regulation, compassion, and resilience, with brain science grounding. The program includes conflict resolution skills and applies these skills to students' voices and actions. School Counseling Services provide additional mental health support through debriefing sessions, long-term individual counseling, peer counseling, and brief family counseling to strengthen home–school collaboration.

Safeguarding
Wellness Policy is part of the Student and Family Policies, alongside policies for Preventing and Addressing Student Sexual Abuse by Staff, Preventing and Addressing Student-on-Student Sexual Harassment, and a Bullying Prevention Policy. These policies establish safeguarding and child protection standards for the school community.
Parent Experience

History
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School opened in 1998 in the basement of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church in Northwest DC with 35 kindergarten and first-grade students. By fall 2002, after adding a grade each year, the school moved to the corner of 16th and Park Road NW. Six years later, Stokes purchased its own building in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast DC, expanding enrollment from 250 to 350 students and adding a music room, an art room, a library, a turf field, two playgrounds, and a garden. In 2018, Stokes expanded again, adding the East End campus, which enrolled 140 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students that year and will eventually enroll 400 students. The school now operates two campuses, Brookland and East End.

Community
The school operates two campuses in Washington, DC: Brookland Campus and East End Campus. The school teaches two language pairs—English and French, and English and Spanish—offering full-immersion preschool in French or Spanish; from kindergarten through fifth grade, the IB Primary Years Program is delivered in two languages with all faculty native speakers of the language in which they teach. The school hosts events and observances on its calendar, including Francophonie Month and Women's History Month in March 2026, and regular First Friday activities and other campus events that foster community and intercultural learning.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Brookland Campus is located at 3700 Oakview Terrace NE, Washington, DC 20017, and East End Campus is at 5600 East Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20019. Stokes Kitchen serves three meals a day; meals are prepared in-house by professional chefs using minimally processed ingredients from local farmers and suppliers, with fresh fruit at every meal and a vegetarian option available. Breakfast is available from 7:30 am to 10:50 am. The Stokes School Garden program provides hands-on learning in science and social studies and connects students to urban agriculture. Support services include MTSS and English Learner supports, with individualized assistance where needed.

Academic Facilities
The academic program uses a dual-immersion model with English and Spanish or English and French for content-area instruction. From Pre-K through fifth grade, Stokes delivers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. All faculty are native speakers of the target language used in instruction. Units are designed to align with ACTFL Can Do statements to describe what students can do with the language across domains. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools and is associated with Label FrancEducation and Learn24. Support services include MTSS and English Learner supports, with 1:1 or small-group instruction as needed.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The Stokes Garden provides hands-on, experiential learning tied to science and social studies and addresses food security and nutrition. The Peace of Mind mindfulness curriculum supports social-emotional learning. Volunteers and families contribute to school life through the PTO and volunteer programs, including garden work, classroom presentations, and lunchtime/recess support. The nurse program supports student health and health education as part of the school's wellness approach.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
Stokes School offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program for PK3–5. The IB Primary Years Program provides a high-quality, challenging international education within an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary framework. From preschool, targeted language immersion is part of the learning; Pre-K has 90% instruction in the target language and 10% in English, while kindergarten through fifth grade is about half in English and half in the target language. All faculty teaching in the target language are native speakers, and every lesson integrates language objectives and intercultural learning.

Arts & Creative
Music and art are offered on a rotating basis in Pre-K. The school has a dedicated music and art room in the building to support arts education. These spaces and practices are part of the IB framework and daily learning.

Cultural & Language
The school teaches children to think, speak, read, write and learn in two languages: English and French and English and Spanish. Target language immersion begins in Pre-K with 90% instruction in the target language and 50/50 English and target language from kindergarten onward. All teachers in the target language are native speakers, and lessons include content and language objectives to develop a balanced bilingual ability. The IB framework and language-focused practices promote intercultural understanding and respect.

Social & Hobbies
The Stokes volunteer program offers broad engagement opportunities, including mentoring or room parent roles, garden work, fundraising, classroom presentations, and creating instructional materials in French and Spanish; volunteers also assist during lunch or recess. The campus calendar highlights events and family involvement through activities and programs. Students and families participate in hands-on garden and arts-related activities as part of school life.

Community & Service
Every student can contribute to the community through service activities that prepare them to become caring neighbors and responsible citizens. The Stokes School Garden bridges science and social studies, connects students to urban agriculture, and addresses food security and waste management as part of experiential learning. These initiatives support the school's commitments to social justice and community engagement.

Leadership & Professional
The school aims to prepare students to be global leaders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of diverse parents, former students, and leaders in education, government, business and the arts, and it guides programs to align with the mission. Family involvement and volunteer opportunities further foster leadership development and organizational skills.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Stokes follows the DC Healthy Schools Act; all grade levels participate in at least 150 minutes of physical education weekly, and second through fifth graders receive 80 minutes of health education weekly. The Stokes Kitchen serves three healthy meals daily, prepared in-house with locally sourced ingredients and accommodations for dietary restrictions. The Stokes School Garden supports hands-on learning about food systems, while the Peace of Mind mindfulness curriculum promotes social-emotional learning, and a school nurse provides health-related support.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the instructional language, paired with French or Spanish as the partner language. The school teaches in English and French and English and Spanish. The dual-language immersion model supports learning in both languages across core subjects. The program serves PK3-5.

Bilingual Teaching
The school teaches children to think, speak, read, write and learn in two languages: English and French and English and Spanish. English is paired with French or Spanish in the bilingual program. Students develop bilingual proficiency through classroom instruction across subjects. The program serves PK3-5.

Immersion Programs
The school uses a dual-language immersion model. Students learn language (English and French or English and Spanish) through the content areas. This approach supports bilingual proficiency across the curriculum. The program serves PK3-5.
Admissions

Admissions
The school participates in the My School DC common application and lottery. Open House events are offered for the 2026-2027 application season at the Brookland Campus and East End Campus. Language immersion teaches in two languages: English and French or English and Spanish. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for PK3–5. Applications are accepted from all DC residents. Pre-kindergarten requires a child to be three by September 30 of the first pre-kindergarten year and to be able to use the bathroom with minimal assistance; kindergarten requires turning five by September 30 of the kindergarten year.

Waitlist
Lottery results are released on March 28, 2025. If matched, enrollment must occur by May 1, 2025. After that date, the school will begin making offers to the waitlist as space allows.
School Events
The school has not added events
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