Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Walker School
Who was Bishop John T. Walker?
Why a school for boys?
Is the Bishop Walker School a charter school?
Is the Bishop Walker School a religious school?
Will the school stress academic achievement?
Where will the school be located?
What ages will the school serve?
What will happen to the boys after they graduate?
How is the Bishop Walker School funded?
What can I do to help?
Who can I contact for more information?
More Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who was Bishop John T. Walker?
A: The first African American Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, The Right Rev. John Thomas Walker was a pastor, teacher, cathedral builder, civil rights leader, social justice pioneer and urban missionary. As Bishop of Washington from 1977 until his death in 1989, he was strongly committed to opening all educational opportunities to African Americans in the United States, and deeply involved in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa. Bishop Walker took to heart his parents' foundational belief that education is the door to opportunity. Read more about Bishop Walker.
Q. Why a school for boys?
A. With high dropout rates, disproportionate representation in special education programs and the criminal justice system, and declining college enrollment, boys from low-income urban families are facing an educational and social crisis. The Bishop Walker School will offer an alternative model for our students, aimed at addressing a number of critical risk factors.
Q: Is the Bishop Walker School a charter school?
A: No. BWS will be a private school administered by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. BWS will receive no public funding and will be solely accountable to the Diocese and the BWS community. The Episcopal Church has a long tradition of administering excellent schools. Many of the very best private schools in the country, as well as in the DC area, have a connection to the Episcopal Church. BWS is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, the Urban Alliance of Episcopal Schools, the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association and the International Boys Schools Coalition.
Q. Is the Bishop Walker School a religious school?
A. The Bishop Walker School will be a private Episcopal School that is open to boys of all faiths and religious traditions. There will be regular chapel and religion classes. The Bishop John T. Bishop Walker School for Boys shares the Christian values and high academic standards which are the trademarks of Episcopal schools nationwide. The school will be careful not to substitute religious indoctrination for education. Instead, the central tenets of the Christian faith will be lived out and affirmed daily.
Q. Will the school stress academic achievement?
A. Schools in the Diocese of Washington have a long history of high academic achievement, and the Bishop Walker School will continue this tradition. We will provide the boys a challenging environment and the support structure required to achieve academic success. The Bishop Walker School's program will be built around curricula that integrate cognitive, physical, social, and emotional learning. It will provide a variety of opportunities to develop language, reasoning, science, and math skills; and drama, art and music will be integrated into the curriculum.
We believe in a well rounded education—one that values learning for the sake of learning, critical thinking skills and not simply rote learning, and purposeful evaluation over standardized testing.
TOPQ. Where will the school be located?
A. The school will be located at the Church of the Holy Communion, 3640 Martin Luther King Ave., in the Congress Heights community of Southeast, Washington, DC. Easily accessible by public transportation, this location is served by Metro Bus via the A4, A5, A8 and A48 lines, all of which stop directly in front of the school. View Map
Q. What ages will the school serve?
A: The Bishop Walker School will serve students in grades pre-K through 8. We will begin with our first class of pre-K students in the fall of 2008, and plan to add one grade level per year until we reach 8th grade, when our total enrollment will be 160.
Q. What will happen to the boys after they graduate?
A. A trained counselor on the staff will work with each boy and his family to identify the most appropriate educational opportunity after graduation, whether public or private, local or boarding. We will assist students and families with all relevant aspects of their search, including evaluation, applications and if necessary, financial aid. The Bishop Walker School is intended to provide a foundation for academic success, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that our graduates have every opportunity to continue their academic, personal and spiritual growth.
Q: How is the Bishop Walker School funded?
A: BWS will depend on charitable gifts, grants and in-kind donations to cover most expenses. As a private school, we receive no public funding. We have the strong support of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, which is providing our building and other in-kind support. BWS has received start-up donations from many generous individuals and institutions.
In order to exist as an independent, tuition-free school, BWS depends on the generosity of many individuals. Please consider giving what you can. Through its relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, BWS is an approved 501(c)3 organization and therefore all donations are fully tax deductible. The school is prepared to receive stock gifts, an attractive option for potential donors who currently hold long-term appreciated securities. We would also welcome the opportunity to discuss how BWS might fit into your Estate planning.
If you would like to contribute to the Bishop Walker School fund, you may donate on our website (www.bishopwalkerschool.org) or contact James Woody, Project Director, (202-257-9020, jwoody@edow.org) or Preston Hannibal, Canon for Academic Ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, (202- 537-6552, phannibal@edow.org).
TOPQ. What can I do to help?
A: BWS depends on the faithful support of volunteers. Volunteers will be needed to help tutor and mentor students, work in the kitchen, provide administrative support, maintain the grounds and contribute to the various committees that make the school work.
Q. Who can I contact for more information?
A. For more information, please contact:
James Woody
Project Director
(202) 257-9020, jwoody@edow.org
The Rev. Preston B. Hannibal
Canon for Academic Ministries
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
(202) 537-6552, phannibal@edow.org