C/A Students' Artwork Used in Set Design at The Kennedy Center
As the curtain rose for "The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful and Her Dog!" at the Kennedy Center's Theater for Young Audiences on October 14, close to 60 lower and middle school students from Commonwealth Academy held their breath in anticipation of seeing their original artwork on stage. At the request of set designer Misha Kachman (Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Theater Studies, University of Maryland), C/A students produced acrylic, soft pastel, and oil pastel portraits of Copernicus, Einstein, Curie, Galileo, and other famous scientists to decorate the walls of the play's out-of-this-world set.

What could have been a simple art assignment evolved—in the tradition of C/A's philosophy—into a thoroughly developed cross-curricular activity that maximized learning and fun at every turn…before, during, and after the play. The assignment itself fit nicely with C/A's lower and middle school art curriculum, which focuses on still life, landscapes, and portraits. C/A art teacher Ksenya Litvak, an accomplished set, puppet, and costume designer, began the assignment with a study of black and white photos of famous scientists. Children discussed the scientists' accomplishments, inventions, and contributions to their fields, as well as the facial features, proportions, and scale before selecting a subject. While drawing and painting, children learned about various techniques used to create portraits, and enjoyed examining the art and culture surrounding the life of each selected scientist.

The musical's protagonist, Dr. Wonderful, and her dog, Newton, travel into the solar system in a fantastical spaceship to solve a mystery. C/A students were very familiar with the play's three lessons because the same lessons are taught everyday at C/A—science is everywhere, teamwork solves problems, and changing the way you look at things helps you see something new.

In science class, lower schoolers continue to talk about Newton as they use Netwton's laws to build and launch rockets. The play will also help lower schoolers build their vocabulary as they use new words from the play in thank you letters and in reading and writing classes. Middle schoolers study the solar system in Earth and Physical Science classes and learn about the team required to put together a musical of this scale: the playwright, director, composer, actors, lighting designer, set designer, costume designer. Perhaps most important, teachers will use Dr. Wonderful and the inspiration of famous scientists to focus on students' creative minds and inspiring ideas and to build self-esteem.

The Washingtonian Highlights Commonwealth Academy
The October edition of The Washingtonian highlights area "schools that experts say truly stand out" in the article "Finding the Right School." Commonwealth Academy is pleased to be one of the handful of schools singled out by education experts in the magazine. Here is what the article reports:

"Commonwealth Academy in Alexandria specializes in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but is designed to help those of all learning backgrounds who require more safety nets. 'It’s good for kids who would not do as well in a traditional environment,' says one consultant. The school's philosophy is to address individual needs so students can excel in the classroom. Students who have trouble expressing their thoughts in writing can dictate their essays. If they struggle to follow along with a book, they can listen to an audio textbook. Some classrooms are completely paperless, instead using electronic tablets. 'They're working with bright, college-bound students who will be better served in a small, very hands-on school,' says Anderson. 'They can save kids and get them back on track.'"

Head of School Susan Johnson, PhD Receives Washington Post Distinguised Educational Leadership Award

Commonwealth Academy’s Head of School Susan J. Johnson, PhD received a 2009-2010 Distinguished Educational Leadership Award at a reception held at The Washington Post for the year’s Principals of Excellence. Johnson was one of 19 principals from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to receive the award, and the only educator from an independent school. The evening was hosted by Donald Graham who introduced each awardee and highlighted the testimony of colleagues, faculty, and students about their accomplishments.

As Don Klawiter, Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees wrote, Johnson “was appointed Head of Commonwealth Academy when it was housed in a one window warehouse, had a total student population of 41 and staff of 19 and was at the brink of insolvency. Today, Commonwealth serves over 100 students with 30 teachers and staff in a spacious 20,675 square foot facility in Alexandria that is bathed in light and filled with open space…. The students face challenges such as attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, and other conditions that make it more difficult for them to succeed in a typical classroom. By working with each student and providing individual accommodations, Commonwealth prepares students to move on to a college environment and be successful.” This year, for example, 14 of 15 seniors have been accepted to college and, as a group, have received 70 college acceptances and 26 scholarships totaling $283,304 per year for a total of $1,133,216 over four years. Former C/A parent Mary Matalin sums up the school and Johnson’s leadership most succinctly when she says, “It’s a miracle.”

Dr. Johnson served as a teacher and school psychologist before joining Commonwealth Academy as Head of School in 2002. She earned her BA and MPA from New York University, her MAT and EdS from Trenton State College, and her PhD from Newport University. [April 29, 2010]

C/A in the Press
Former C/A parents Mary Matalin and James Carville recently spoke with Attention Magazine (August 2009) about their experience at Commonwealth Academy and life with AD/HD.

CARE Awards Ceremony 2009
See the Slideshow.

Dr. Johnson's Interview on LD Podcast
With over 30 years experience educating AD/HD and LD students, education expert and Head ofSchool Susan Johnson, PhD, shares important insights and anecdotes on LD Podcast (#102, #103, #104).

Honors for C/A Students in Math Tournament
Three C/A students won Individual and school honors in a regional math tournament on March 19. Read more.
Posted 3/24/09

Cougars Victorious at Kingsbury Tournament
The Commonwealth Cougars varsity basketball team took first place in the Middle Division of the December 2008 Kingsbury Day School Basketball Invitational Tournament. Read more.
Posted 12/18/09

Perfect in Math
Matt Fagnoni '09 scored a perfect 800 on the math SAT.
Posted 11/8/08

C/A Student Is Youngest Marathoner
Andrew Villemarette '12 was the youngest to compete in and finish this year's Marine Corps Marathon. Read Alexandria Gazette article.
Posted 11/6/08

Commonwealth Academy Featured in Local Newspapers
Feature articles about Head of School Dr. Susan Johnson appeared in the Alexandria Times and Alexandria Gazette Packet. Parents Mary Matalin and James Carville talk about their daughter's success at Commonwealth in a recent interview with the Alexandria Times.
Posted 6/3/08

Cougars Sweep Basketball Tournament Sportsmanship Awards
Commonwealth students received all three Sportsmanship Awards at the 4th Annual Kingsbury Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament on December 14 -15 at West Elementary High School in Washington, DC. Awardees included Casey Howerton, Ally Leader, and Mike Jones. Jones was also voted First Team All-Star for the tournament. Read more.
Posted 12/20/07

Leadership Alexandria Visits Commonwealth Academy
Leadership Alexandria candidates visited Commonwealth Academy on December 5, 2007. We were honored to host Mike Hart, Sheri Dougherty, Tony Davis, and Luke McFadden, who chose C/A from a list of Alexandria schools for their unit on “Education–The Key to the Future.” Read more
Posted 2/1/08

Commonwealth Honored by NAIS
Commonwealth Academy has received top honors from the National Association of
Independent Schools for its technology program, earning the Leading Edge Award for
Programmatic Sustainability in the division of small schools (up to 150 students).

In all, only 15 schools–from across the nation–received a Leading Edge Program
award. We are so honored to be among them! The Leading Edge program’s goal “is
to showcase model programs and best practices from which all schools can learn.” This
year, one school in each of three size categories was honored for Demographic,
Environmental, Financial, Global and Programmatic Sustainability.

Entries for specific programs were judged on “achievement of stated objectives; level
of student engagement and achievement; integration with the school's mission and
curriculum; innovation in content, delivery, and use of resources; amount of interdisciplinary
or community-wide collaboration; use of technology in planning and delivery; and
immediate and future benefit to the school and community.”

Coming on the heels of our technology award last year, this NAIS honor is a major
testament to the quality of the program we have built at Commonwealth—and the
hard work of our students. We are all extremely proud of the model school we have built!

Commonwealth Named Finalist in Technology Award
Commonwealth Academy was chosen as one of five finalists for the 10th Annual Alexandria
Technology Achievement Award. We are delighted to have received this recognition for the
innovative ways our students use technological tools to learn and demonstrate their mastery
of subjects. Because technology is so interwoven in our pedagogy, we often take for granted
how powerful a tool it can be in education. As a finalist in the competition, we have participated
in interviews and a video taping; it has been very rewarding to share our methods and discuss
some of the technology we use such as SMARTBoards®, Inspiration, Text Help, and Kurzweil.

The Alexandria Technology Achievement Award is a project of the Alexandria Chamber of
Commerce, Alexandria Economic Development Partnership and the City of Alexandria. The
judges evaluated the entries on the basis of technological achievement and its impact on the
business, its industry, and/or the City of Alexandria.

Commonwealth Academy Wins CASE Award
We're pleased to announce that our new communications materials
received a CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education)
District III Special Merit Award for Graphic Identity Programs.
Universities and Independent schools throughout the region submit work
each year to an experienced panel of judges. We submitted numerous
pieces of our new materials including our admission package, website,
strategic plan, advertisements and signage and are honored to receive
this recognition for our school.

Revising our communications materials was one of the initiatives
outlined in the 2004-2009 Strategic Plan. Our goal was to better
reflect the significant merits of our school and the calibre of our
students, as well as provide more efficient communications with both
current and prospective families on the web.
Posted 2/1/06

Dr. Johnson Published in “Families” Magazine.
In the August edition of “Families” magazine, our own Head of School Dr. Susan Johnson
discusses the prevalence of learning disabilities, difficulties children face in coping with them,
and gives practical suggestions to help children with environmental, instructional and behavioral
accommodations. To download a PDF of the full article, click here.
Posted July 23, 2005

Recent College Acceptances

Alfred University
American Institute University
American University
Art Institute of Washington
Averett University
Beloit College
Bluefield College
Bridgewater College
Canisius College
Castleton State College
Catholic University
Christopher Newport University
College Living Experience
College of Wooster
Coventry University, England
Curry College
Davis and Elkins
Delaware College of Art & Design 
Delaware State University
Drexel University
Elizabeth Town University
Elmira College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Ferrum College
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida State College
Franklin and Marshall
Frostburg State University
George Mason University
Goucher College
Hampton University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
James Madison University 
Jefferson College of Health Sciences
John Carroll
Kent State University
Landmark College
Le Moyne College
Longwood University
Lynchburg College
Lynn University
Manhattanville
Mary Baldwin College
Marymount University
McDaniel College
Mitchell College
Montgomery College
Mount St. Mary’s University
Muskingum College
Nazareth College
New York Institute of Technology
NOVA
Old Dominion University
Oxford-Brookes
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute
Philadelphia University
Potomac State College of WVU
Radford University
Randolph Macon College
Roanoke College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Saint Joseph’s University
Salisbury University
San Francisco State University
SCAD Savannah College of Art and Design
Shenandoah University
Shepard University
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Temple University
Texas A & M, Corpus Christi
The Catholic University of America—School of Architecture
Towson University
University of Arizona
University of Delaware
University of the District of Columbia
University of Hawaii
University of Hertfordshire
University of Mary Washington
University of Maryland
University of Maryland (Engineering school)
University of San Francisco
University of Texas at Austin
Virginia Commonwealth
Virginia Intermont College
Virginia Tech
Virginia Weslean
Washington and Jefferson  
Washington College
West Virginia University
West Virginia Wesleyan
Wheaton College
Widener University
Xavier

* early decision
† honors program

Posted 08/20/08

•Commonwealth Receives VAIS Accreditation
In 2004, Commonwealth Academy earned full accreditation, awarded by the Virginia Association
of Independent Schools. This means that we have met or exceeded standards set by the VAIS for
all independent schools in the state of Virginia. The recognition validates the strengths of our
programs, faculty and students, particularly because it was awarded with no conditions or stipulations.
Posted February, 2005