Message from Principal Wilson



Welcome to the 2025-26 School Year! To prepare for a great start to the semester, staff participated in a jam-packed orientation program this August. Today, we are loving the energy they and the students are bringing to the building. Whether in morning circles or during the day in the hall, students are sharing their dreams and goals, and staff are cheering them on. We could not be prouder of their commitment to grow both academically and behaviorally. We invite you to share in their accomplishments through this year’s Fall Newsletter! 

Back to School Event

On September 10, 2025, The Foundation Schools staff welcomed families to our annual Back to School Event. Our families play an essential role in fueling student success, and we are honored to host this annual event to meet and greet them, collaborate on their student’s goals, and foster meaningful connections with them. In addition to meeting school staff and exploring their student’s classrooms, families also attended a welcome session that provided them with essential community resources.  We look forward to continuing partnering the rest of the school year!

Falling into Art!

Our youngest elementary students were fully engaged in a hands-on art activity using leaves, pine cones, and other items from nature as stamps to make artwork worthy of hanging on the walls of our classrooms or the refrigerator at home!

How Did Pink Shirt Day Start?

In 2007, two Canadian high school students saw a younger student being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. To show their support, they bought and handed out 50 pink shirts to their classmates the next day, creating a large display of solidarity that became an anti-bullying movement.  In honor of Bullying Awareness Month, our students participated in a school-wide pink t-shirt design contest. The results are proudly displayed in our hallways!

Restorative Circles

Dr. Jennae Johnson, the Behavior Coordinator at The Foundation School, facilitated a Restorative Circle this month to address a significant peer conflict that had resulted in an escalated issue involving more peers. A restorative circle is a structured conversation in which a group sits in a circle to discuss an issue, build community, or resolve conflict by giving every participant an equal voice and fostering mutual understanding. All scholars and staff that were involved in the incident were in attendance along with additional staff support.

This Restorative Circle was a success and all parties involved were able to effectively communicate in order to resolve the conflict at hand. After this successful Restorative Circle, we will continue to work with the scholars to help support each of them in resolving conflicts appropriately. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Spirit Week

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and at The Foundation Schools we go big and PINK!  Students participated in educational activities during the month to raise awareness and empathy for those suffering from breast cancer. One of our favorite activities was our annual “THINK PINK” day, when students and staff wore their favorite, and most eccentric, pink attire, standing strong in support of breast cancer awareness.

Red Ribbon Week - "Life is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free"

The Foundation Schools works hard to promote a healthy learning environment that is alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free. We emphasize drug education and prevention services in a fun way. This year, students celebrated Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd - 31st, with educational and inspirational events that raised awareness of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.  

Message from Principal Young

Hello, all Foundation families and supporters! We have started the 2025-2026 school year with a bang. We are excited to welcome returning and new students to our high school program. This year, our focus is on continuing academic success through hands-on learning and community partnerships.   

Special Interventions

What’s new at The Foundation School High School this year? During the day, students now have an adjusted bell schedule that maximizes student attention spans and focus during each class period. Meanwhile, students have more time to complete schoolwork and close their learning gaps through our intervention groups and 5th-period homeroom time blocks.

What Does it Mean to TWIRL?

Teamwork | Work Ethic | Integrity | Respect | Leadership

At the start of the school year, our students demonstrated enthusiasm and initiative as they created core value posters, setting a purposeful tone for the months ahead. This activity not only encouraged determination, focus, and a growth mindset but also provided an opportunity to revisit and reinforce our TWIRL framework, building on the key concepts introduced during our all-staff professional development day. Through this shared experience, students and staff alike renewed their commitment to embodying the principles of TWIRL in all aspects of learning and school life.

In October, the spirit of compassion and respect came alive as students designed a Breast Cancer Awareness poster, honoring and showing respect for those affected. Each poster wasn’t just an activity; it was a chance for our students to express values, take pride in their work, and bring our school community closer together.

Hands-On Learning

Students have been actively engaging in hands-on learning experiences that bring creativity, inquiry, and collaboration to life across a variety of subjects. In Cooking Club, students demonstrated practical skills and teamwork as they prepared healthy and delicious sandwich wraps. In science class, they conducted experiments observing how boiling water affects different additives, such as sugar, strengthening their understanding of scientific principles through direct observation and analysis.

In art class, students created personalized works of art using clay, developing both creativity and attention to detail. Each of these experiences reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and real-world application in every learning environment.

The Foundation School High School is dedicated to providing meaningful college and career readiness experiences to prepare our students for life after high school. This year, our programming will expand to include an audio engineering program, a school cafe, a marketing team, and recurring trips to Prince George’s Community College to visit its culinary arts and nursing programs. Students completed their first visit on October 22, and student A'Kayla shared that she’s excited about enrolling in their Certified Nursing Assistant program following graduation. We are excited to begin this journey and look forward to working with families and community partners!