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GreatSchools Rating

Murch Elementary School

Public | PK-5 | 577 students

We are best known for high level of parental support.
 
 
Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
Based on 1 rating
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
No new ratings

Teacher quality

Principal leadership

Parent involvement

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11 reviews of this school


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Posted August 26, 2012

During the school year, a pretty good school, but during the summer, they make students read during their eight week summer, and when you think about that, it's not much. As a student in 5th grade at murch I would recommend it however, if you like to have fun on the summer, be cautios


Posted June 20, 2011

We strongly recommend this school! This school has a great principal leadership, very good teacher quality and a lot of parent involvement. Jose Marquez, Rubi Alonso (Mexico)
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 29, 2010

I love Murch so much because it cares about each student's education, very open and communicative with the parents, also has a vastly diverse school environment.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 18, 2009

Murch Elementary School is wonderful. It is a public school. However, it runs like a private school. The teachers put their blood sweat and tears into everything they do. I applaud all of the teachers at Murch. It has always had a reputation of being the best. Parents will not be disappointed.


Posted October 8, 2009

Murch has an excellent teaching staff and an amazing community of involved parents who support the school in so many ways. In 2009 we have a new, enthusiastic Principal and a brand new completely redone playground which the kids love!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted June 2, 2009

Murch has sadly deteriorated in the past two years. Before then we had a dynamic principal who hired excellent teachers, had a strong vision for the school, and created a great spirit. Alas, after she departed Murch has now become a typical bureaucratic public school. With few exceptions, the teachers are competent at best, most mediocre, and totally lacking in inspiration. School leadership is below lackluster and totally lacking in creativity; parents and parent input and not welcome. What a sad change. If you child is a self-starter who can be motivated regardless of the classroom, they'll do well. If they need come help or real teaching....forget it. Look elsewhere. We are.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 8, 2008

My son is a third grader at Murch. We came from private schools. I was told that Murch was a great school. I have to say that I am disappointed. There is a lack of language arts. The teacher that he has is inexperienced and is a poor teacher. He is not being challenged. Try Lafayette instead.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 29, 2007

Our 4 year old started at Murch in pre-K this year, and we have nothing but praise for the quality of the teaching, the organization, the PTA and the community spirit at the school. Truly outstanding!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 1, 2005

Im currently a 6th grader at Murch ES and I LOVE it! Murch has everything you would want in a school: great kids, awesome teachers, fun afterschool activities it has it all. I've been here since kindergarten and believe me its really cool. So if your in the area you owe it to yourself to check out this wonderful school.
—Submitted by Casey Crawford, a student


Posted February 7, 2005

I am the parent of two former Murch students and two current students (K/3). I am extremely pleased with the overall learning environment and academic challenges that my children have and are receiving at Murch. The school has high expectations for academic excellence, strong parental involvement, and plenty of extracurricular activities; including chess, basketball, and choir. The principal and staff are warm and caring and go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that every child receives the extra help that is needed to reach his/her potential. Not only, is Murch a great environment for children to excel academically, but its student body consist of children from different cultures and customs, which also helps the children to grow socially. Murch is a great school!
—Submitted by Donna Fletcher, a parent


Posted August 8, 2004

Hi this is Emily VAughn and I am currrent sixth grader at Murch Elementary,and I have attended Murch since kindergarten.My school is a fun,and working enviorment and even though we are on summer break I am ready to head back to school. I think Murch is a great school for anyone to go to,and I every teacher puts the students before themselves,and the extra curricular activities are great. We have a girls,and boys B-ball team,a choir,cheerleading,and many ithers. Murch is awesome and i really enjoy it. I hope you choose Murch to be your Elementary school,because it is a great enviorment. I hope to see a new student soon,and so I give the school 5 stars flat out.- Emily Vaughn
—Submitted by emily vaughn, a student


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 37% in 2012.

80 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
88%

2011

 
 
79%

2010

 
 
74%

2009

 
 
78%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 41% in 2012.

80 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
85%

2011

 
 
74%

2010

 
 
82%

2009

 
 
82%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Washington, D.C. used the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC-CAS) to test students in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and science in grades 5, 8, and High School. The DC-CAS is a standards-based testing program, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the District of Columbia. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Washington DC's state standards

Source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 52% in 2012.

69 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
74%

2011

 
 
96%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
88%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 49% in 2012.

69 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
81%

2011

 
 
95%

2010

 
 
89%

2009

 
 
83%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Washington, D.C. used the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC-CAS) to test students in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and science in grades 5, 8, and High School. The DC-CAS is a standards-based testing program, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the District of Columbia. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Washington DC's state standards

Source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 50% in 2012.

70 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
81%

2011

 
 
83%

2010

 
 
77%

2009

 
 
71%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 48% in 2012.

71 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
90%

2011

 
 
91%

2010

 
 
86%

2009

 
 
80%
Science

The state average for Science was 36% in 2011.

66 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
89%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
n/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Washington, D.C. used the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC-CAS) to test students in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and science in grades 5, 8, and High School. The DC-CAS is a standards-based testing program, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the District of Columbia. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Washington DC's state standards

Source: Office of the State Superintendent of Education

GreatSchools Rating

What makes up this rating?

Academic rating
9 / 10
Climate rating
Coming 2013

This GreatSchools Rating is based on academics, including students' test scores, academic growth and college readiness. Soon, the rating will also measure school climate, which includes safety, cleanliness, parent involvement and more.

Learn more about our methodology

What is the new GreatSchools Rating?

Rating legend
Below
average
Average
Above
average

Our rating (from 1 to 10) reflects a school's overall performance. The higher the rating, the more likely the school will prepare your child for the future, so choose an above-average school (8-10) if possible. For average schools (4-7), do careful research and look for evidence that the school has high-quality programs. For below-average schools (1-3), take caution; a low-performing school may not provide the instruction or environment your child needs to learn, and you may need to supplement classroom lessons at home.

Academic rating

The academic rating is made up of equally-weighted parts: students' test scores, their academic growth and their readiness for college (for high schools). If a school is designated low performing (Tier 3) by the DC Public Charter School Board, the school receives a "Below average" GreatSchools Rating. The graphs below compare this school's results to other schools in the city.
Overall academic rating

9

Above average

Test score rating 2012*
This school
City
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Learn more about this school's test scores »

Student growth rating 2012**
This school
City
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

*Test scores are based on 2012 DC-CAS results from the District of Columbia.

**The academic growth rating measures how schools affect student test score improvement over time in reading and math. The data is for the 2012 school year and is provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

Climate ratings

Starting in fall 2013, we plan to release a climate rating as part of this school's overall GreatSchools Rating. The climate rating will be based on survey data about various aspects of this school's climate, such as safety, cleanliness, expectations for students, parent involvement, and more.

Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 63% 7%
Black 20% 80%
Asian/Pacific Islander 10% 2%
Hispanic 7% 12%
American Indian/Alaskan Native 0% 0%
Source: NCES, 2009-2010

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 113%N/A70%
Special education 26%N/A13%
English learners 26%N/A7%
Source: 1 NCES, 2009-2010
Source: 2 Office of the State Superintendent of Education, 2011-2012

Attendance

  This school District averageState average
All Students 100%N/AN/A
Asian/Pacific Islander 100%N/AN/A
Black, not Hispanic 100%N/AN/A
Hispanic 100%N/AN/A
White, not Hispanic 100%N/AN/A
Economically disadvantaged 100%N/AN/A
Students with disabilities 100%N/AN/A
Limited English proficient 100%N/AN/A
Source: DCPS, 2009-2010

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 13N/A14
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher resources

Special staff resources available to students Assistant principal(s)
Art teacher(s)
Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
Librarian/media specialist(s)
Music teacher(s)
PE instructor(s)
Nurse(s)
Reading specialist(s)
School psychologist
School social worker/counselors(s)
Special education coordinator
Teacher aid/assistant teacher
Foreign languages spoken by school staff None
Read more about programs at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Special education / special needs

Level of special education programming offered
  • Intensive - the school offers a full program for many needs and/or offers at least one very comprehensive program for very challenging needs such as autism or complete visual impairment
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
Extra learning resources offered
  • Differentiated learning programs
Staff resources available to students
  • Special education coordinator

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)

School facilities
  • Computer lab
  • Outdoor learning lab
  • Science lab
Clubs
  • Recycling club
  • Science club

Arts & music

Staff resources available to students
  • Art teacher(s)
  • Music teacher(s)
School facilities
  • Art room
  • Music room
Music
  • Choir / Chorus
Performing and written arts
  • Drama
Clubs
  • Art club

Language learning

Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students

Health & athletics

Staff resources available to students
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • Nurse(s)
  • PE instructor(s)
  • School psychologist
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Gym
  • Kitchen
  • Multi-purpose room ("cafegymatorium")
School leaders can update this information here.

School basics

School start time
  • 8:55 am
School end time
  • 3:15 pm
Before school or after school care / program onsite
  • Before school
  • After school
School Leader's name
  • Chris Cebrzynski
Best ways for parents to contact the school
  • Email
Gender
  • Coed
Special schedule
  • Block scheduling
Is there an application process?
  • Yes

Programs

Bi-lingual or language immersion programs offered

Don't understand these terms?
  • No
Level of special education programming offered
  • Intensive - the school offers a full program for many needs and/or offers at least one very comprehensive program for very challenging needs such as autism or complete visual impairment
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
Foreign languages taught
  • None
Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • Basic - the school offers or partners to provide services based on the needs of individual students

Resources

Staff resources available to students
  • Art teacher(s)
  • Assistant principal(s)
  • Instructional aide(s)/coach(es)
  • Librarian/media specialist(s)
  • Music teacher(s)
  • Nurse(s)
  • PE instructor(s)
  • Reading specialist(s)
  • School psychologist
  • School social worker/counselors(s)
  • Special education coordinator
  • Teacher aid/assistant teacher
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • None
Extra learning resources offered
  • Counseling
  • Differentiated learning programs
  • Mentoring
Transportation provided for students by the school / district
  • L1, L2, L4 (Chevy Chase Circle - Potomac Park/McPherson Sq/Dupont Circle), M4 (Pinehurst Circle - Sibley Hospital)
School facilities
  • Access to sports fields
  • Art room
  • Auditorium
  • Computer lab
  • Gym
  • Internet access
  • Kitchen
  • Library
  • Multi-purpose room ("cafegymatorium")
  • Music room
  • Outdoor learning lab
  • Playground
  • Science lab
Partnerships with local resources and organizations
  • Casey Trees
  • Growing Regionally and Organically in Washington, DC (GROW)
  • Safe Routes to School Program
School leaders can update this information here.

Sports

Boys sports
  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Track
Girls sports
  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Girls on the Run
  • Track

Arts & music

Music
  • Choir / Chorus
Performing arts
  • Drama
Media arts
  • None

Student clubs

Clubs (distinct from courses)
  • Art club
  • Chess club
  • Recycling club
  • Science club
  • Student council/government
School leaders can update this information here.

Photos

School culture

Dress Code
  • Neither uniforms nor dress code
Bullying policy
  • This school has a bullying and/or cyber bullying policy in place.
Parent involvement
  • Attend parent nights
  • Chaperone school trips
  • Coach sports teams or extracurricular activities
  • Join PTO/PTA
  • Monitor the playground
  • Organize cultural events
  • Organize fundraising events (school auction, bake sales, etc.)
  • Present special topics during curricular units
  • Serve on school improvement team or governance council
  • Tutor
  • Volunteer in the classroom
  • Volunteer time after school
School colors
  • blue and gold
School mascot
  • Mustangs
School leaders can update this information here.

Apply

 

This school accepts applications on a

rolling basis

 
Apply now
 

Planning ahead

Students typically attend these schools after graduating
Deal Middle School
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

4810 36th St. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Website: Click here
Phone: (202) 282-0130

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