Our Story
The Social Justice School is an innovative 5th - 8th middle school in Ward 5 of Washington, D.C. We opened our doors in August 2020 to our inaugural classes of Scholar-Activisits.
At the Social Justice School (SJS), we believe in the importance of educating the whole child to become an informed global citizen. Our focus on design thinking enables our scholars to engage in meaningful work, whether that be through our Liberation Design Lab or through community-wide projects or student-led conferences throughout the school year with their teachers.
Each day, we are building a close knit community that collectively pursues innovative solutions to social justice issues that plague our community and the world.
mission
Our mission is to catalyze an integrated community of middle-school learners to be scholar-activists who are designers of a more just world. In order to design a more just world, our students require an education that embraces and lives out a set of core beliefs about what it means to be human.
model
Our academic model is rooted in social justice, built around culturally responsive learning, keeps learning active through expeditionary learning, supports learners with a close-knit community through Crew, and empowers students with design thinking projects.
EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING
LIBERATORY DESIGN THINKING
SOCIAL JUSTICE
CREW
COMMUITY
Our community proudly reflects the diversity of America — racially and socioeconomically diverse, integrated, democratic, and problem-solving. Students, teachers, and parents develop a passion for social justice and are empowered to identify needs and enact change in their school, community, and the world.
Our Community Partners
FEATURED IN
A LETTER TO OUR FIRST GRADUATING CLASS
Today, we mark an extraordinary milestone in the journey of our Social Justice School. We are immensely grateful as we celebrate the promotion of our first founding class of 8th graders to high school. Their dedication, resilience, and passion have helped shape our school into a beacon of love, learning, and liberation.
We are bursting with excitement to announce that several of our remarkable students have been accepted into some prestigious high schools. These institutions recognize the exceptional talent and potential within our founding class. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of them and wish them continued success on their educational path.
Among the high schools they will be attending, we proudly name a few: Banneker High School, McKinley HS, Coolidge Early College Program, Paul, Girls Global Academy, Thurgood Marshall, KIPP HS, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. These schools hold a legacy of excellence and offer our students incredible opportunities to further their growth and pursue their dreams.
As we reflect on this historic moment, we acknowledge the tireless efforts of our dedicated teachers, staff, and the wider community who have come together to create an inclusive and empowering environment for our students. This accomplishment would not have been possible without your unwavering support.
To our inspiring founding class, remember that you are the change-makers of tomorrow. Continue to be bold, courageous, and resilient in your pursuit of knowledge and justice. Your journey has just begun, and we cannot wait to witness the impact you will make in the world.
