Arlington Traditional School - Arlington, VA

Great schools don't happen by chance, they happen by design. Arlington Traditional School (ATS), established in 1978, is an economically and ethnically diverse school with families speaking 21 different languages and representing 30 countries. We are guided by seven traditional tenets: teacher-guided instruction in self-contained classrooms; emphasis on basic education in the core academic areas; regular homework assigned at all grade levels; weekly written summary of student progress communicated to parents; promotion based on grade level mastery; behavior, dress, and grooming standards; and weekly assembly programs reinforce philosophy and build community. The first five tenets are focused on academics, the sixth on behavior, and the seventh on character. Everywhere in the school, these are referred to as the ABCs of Success - Academics, Behavior, Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship).

Additional philosophy that sets us apart from other schools include: every child participates in the hallmark Summer Reading Challenge of reading 50 books; every child in grades 1-5 performs a class play; every child in grades 4 and 5 learns to play a musical instrument, plays in the beginning or advanced orchestra/band, and sings in a grade level chorus; every child in grade 5 is a school safety patrol; sister school, Arlington Junior School, in Uganda, Africa.

ATS school colors, blue and gold, signify the importance of individual achievement and the Golden Rule. Our goal is to engage, educate, and empower all students!