| Louise Archer Elementary School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 324 Nutley Street N.W. Vienna, VA 22180 |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public school |
| Motto | Where The Sun Always Shines |
| Established | 1939 |
| Principal | Michelle Makrigiorgos |
| Enrollment | 700 |
| Pyramid | James Madison High School |
| Website | http://www.fcps.edu/LouiseArcherES/ |
Located in the west of the town of Vienna, Virginia, United States, Louise Archer Elementary School is one of many elementary schools part of Fairfax County Public Schools. It is notable for its history and for its designation as a one of several elementary school centers for advanced academic programs in Fairfax County.[1]
Currently the school has an enrollment of about 700 students.
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The school was established in 1939 in a black neighborhood as a school for black children. Mrs. Louise Archer served as the school's principal and taught the students with two other teachers, she taught and fed all of the black students. In the early 1940s, the only water was from the Salsbury Spring a mile away, boys had to go and fetch water, and Mrs. Archer fed the children from a pot-bellied stove. The old school building is what is now part of the northern section of the school near the cafeteria. In 1948, Mrs. Louise Archer died of a heart attack, the school was named after her in her honor.
One of the things Louise Archer holds the most pride for is it's teachers and staff. When Mrs. Louise Archer died in 1948, the school hired another principal, Oswald Robinson. For the next two decades, Louise Archer Elementary School attracted more and more teachers and staff members. Principal Robinson helped desegregate the school in 1965. When Judith R. Azzara became the school's new principal in 1976, the school was quite alive and thriving with students and workers. Principal Azzara helped transform the school into a better place for all, and more was added to the school building. Currently, Michelle Makrigiorgos is the principal of the school and Lisa Pilson is the assistant principal. There are currently about 40 teachers and staff members employed at the school. Archer has many skilled and experienced teachers; for example, Kevin D. Garrahan, a 6th grade teacher also works as an author, his latest book, Third House Down Hidden Cove, a realistic-fiction book for both children and adults, was published in Spring 2009.
Louise Archer is a Magnet School, which means it has homerooms for students determined to be Gifted & Talented.
Louise Archer takes place in a nation-wide spelling competition, Wordmasters. In 2009, the fourth-grade of Louise Archer scored first place in this competition. In 2010, Louise Archer's fifth grade scored first place in the competition.
Louise Archer Elementary School has in fact one of the best chess clubs in the country. In the 2009 school year alone, the Louise Archer Chess Club has won over 7 trophies and awards. The school has won 3rd place in the country in a tournament in spring 2009, and not far behind in another National Chess Competition.
The morning announcements and school news and so on are transmitted on WLATV closed-circuit television.