School Background
John Hayden Johnson Middle School is a long-standing public school located in the Ward 8 community of Washington, DC. According to the most recent demographics posted, the school population is 99% Black and 1% Hispanic/Latinx; 26% of students receive special education services, and 82% of students are considered “at-risk.” The indicators of the at-risk category include qualifying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), having been identified as homeless during the academic year, or being under the care of Child and Family Services Agency (John Hayden Johnson School Profile 2025). The Johnson school community is resilient and joyful, scoring the highest in the district in the “loved, challenged, and prepared” domain of the Panorama survey annually administered to students in District of Columbia Public Schools (Panorama Survey 2024). The score is a direct result of the school’s initiative to ensure that every student feels connected to and has consistent checks-in with at least one trusted adult in the building. Many students find joy in the school’s athletic program’s success—students beam with Panther pride year after year at championship football and basketball games. The students at Johnson are not a monolith; they have varied interests, hopes, strengths, and skills. Working at Johnson has taught me the importance of building on the joy that students feel from being a part of a team and a larger school community that cares for them. Students are more apt to take academic risks if they feel supported and have recent positive experiences and successes they can reference.
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