What's After Whittier?

Students who complete 5th grade at Whittier, or who live in the boundaries of Whittier, LaSalle-Backus, Takoma, and Brightwood Elementary schools, are automatically eligible to attend middle school at Ida B Wells Middle School, which opened in 2019. Wells MS is located across the street from Whittier, and attached to the south side of Coolidge High School.

Coolidge Senior High School opened in 1940 and has educated generations of Ward 4 and DC students. Alumni have gone on to illustrious careers in law, business, government, and more. The historic building recently completed a full modernization so it can continue developing leaders for generations to come. You can read all about the project on the DCPS Modernizations website.

Ida B Wells Middle School

The northern Ward 4 community advocated for years to establish a new neighborhood middle school and revert the four education campuses (Brightwood, LaSalle Backus, Takoma, and Whittier) back to elementary schools. As part of the Coolidge modernization, a new wing was built on the south side of the property to create a separate entrance and additional space for the middle school. Wells Middle School opened in August 2019 with 6th grade, and add one grade per year through 2021. Whittier, and the other Ward 4 education campuses, will lose a grade each year until they are Pk3-5th grade elementary schools again in 2021.

To learn more about Wells Middle School, click here.

Coolidge High School

With the modernization project, Coolidge also revamped its curriculum to bring rigorous academics and specialized training opportunities to a neighborhood high school. The high school features three academies: Health Science, Mass Media, and Early College. Health Science and Mass Media are open to all students in the Coolidge boundary and feeder schools; Early College is a Districtwide application program. Learn more about each academy below.