On a recent Tuesday morning, 8th grader, Love, sat shoulder to shoulder with her book buddy, patiently guiding him through a reading activity. She slowed down, sounded out each word with him, and offered lots of encouragement.
Moments like this are happening every day at Anna Julia Cooper School. March brings Read Across America Week, but at AJC, building confident readers is much more than a once-a-year celebration—it’s a daily commitment. From one-on-one support for our youngest learners to middle school reading buddies who show up week after week as volunteers, students are surrounded by people who believe in their growth. Our Title I Reading Specialist works with K–2 students daily, and our growing wrap-around literacy program provides speech therapy and targeted reading support—all right here at school, and free of charge for families. Our dedicated teachers and librarian create spaces that nurture a love of reading and help students see themselves as capable readers.
It’s a true team effort—teachers, specialists, volunteers, and families working together to support every child’s success. And it wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you for your support, and for cheering on our resilient students. |
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8th grader, Love, works with her Kindergarten reading buddy. |
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6th grader, Lauren, working toward her personal literacy goals. |
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| Lower School National Beta Induction |
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| We're proud to share our Lower School recently became a member of National Beta, an honor society dedicated to helping students grow in four key pillars: achievement, character, leadership, and service.
Earlier this month, we held an induction ceremony to celebrate and welcome our inaugural group of 12 Lower School students who qualified for membership based on their excellent grades and strong character. Moving forward, these students will engage in service and leadership projects while working to excel academically.
With the support of Lower School Principal Mr. Crane and dedicated faculty sponsors, our Beta students are already stepping into roles that help them see themselves as leaders in their school community. |
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Ce’Asia, a 2022 AJC grad, recently stopped by to volunteer and we got to catch up and hear about her journey since leaving AJC.
Reflecting on her time at AJC, Ce’Asia spoke emphatically on the kindness and the care she received from teachers. It’s that same sense of support that continues to bring her back – whether to volunteer or to work during her summer breaks. Now a senior at Rise Academy, Ce’Asia has taken on leadership roles as both a student ambassador and a class representative for the Student Government Association (SGA). She has continued to excel in mathematics, a subject she has enjoyed and succeeded in during middle school.
With high school coming to a close, Ce’Asia plans to attend Old Dominion University, where she will major in applied mathematics and minor in business. While she is still exploring her ultimate career path, she knows she wants to pursue a career that will allow her to use her love for math and goes beyond the confines of a desk. When asked what advice she would give current AJC students, Ce’Asia shared, “Do your homework and turn it in on time. And don’t want until the last minute to write a paper!”
We could not be more proud of Ce’Asia and all that she has accomplished. |
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At Anna Julia Cooper School, students are surrounded by people who show up for them in many different ways. One of those people is Janet Williams, a Gabriel Award recipient and dedicated volunteer of five years. Janet provides occupational therapy to students in grades K–8--support that is often difficult to access, but offered here at no cost.
We love that Janet always arrives with the most interesting items in her bag, thoughtfully chosen to reinforce the skills she is building with students. Students eagerly look forward to her visits – and to discovering what fun things her giant bag holds. No two visits with Janet are the same, and her variety of activities are helping students develop fine motor skills for fluent handwriting. |
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Family partnership is at the heart of AJC, and parent-teacher-student conference day is an opportunity to connect with caregivers and celebrate the pride we all share in their children.
For many families, getting to AJC requires extra effort—from juggling schedules to arranging transportation—yet we have 100% participation year after year.
These meetings are opportunities for uplifting conversations and a chance to ensure families know they and their students are seen, known, and loved. |
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Writing Wednesday is back, thanks to encouragement from our teachers and the courage of our students who are finding their voice. We hope you enjoy these reflections. |
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Under the Stars by Brooklyn, 7th grade I walk and look up the night sky shimmering light
the moon glows the night asleep waiting for its peak as I stare I wonder the possibilities my crossroads my future my life moving in the midnight sky shining so bright my future might burn my eyes so light like stars so bright what will the future bring me what will I see what will I be in my crossroads will my stars be bright will they be dim will they be right will they be all I can be will my
life be as bright as the stars the stars above even the stars beneath me will I be as right as I am under the stars |
| Hope and Abundance
by Rakea , 8th grade Things change quickly one day you can have everything you think you could ever want the next day all of that is gone. When everything changes you start to question yourself
you spend less time sleeping and more time thinking you may start to think you can't push forward. But one day you will find that Bible you bought and never used or you will scroll on TikTok and you will see someone telling you to pray. You may even go to church one day with your grandma. It doesn't matter how you will do it or how you find Him, but you will find God. You will pray to Him and ask for answers--
He will give you the word "abundance" in return. You will think on that word abundance God wants you to know that he has something in store for you |
| Surrender
by Kenzie, 6th grade I will never surrender because I know what I'm worth and what I'm capable of I'm never going to give up if I can't do it. If I can't make a right elbow shot in a game I still won't surrender After the game, I pick up a ball and go shoot around until I know I can make that shot. On the court by myself with my Beats on playing
NBA Youngboy feet squeaking left to right, sweating, pump fake between the legs right elbow let it fly green the sound a swish wet and smooth you should never surrender. |
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Lower School Expansion Campaign Update |
Construction on our new lower school building continues to progress beautifully. Walls and windows are now complete, and classrooms are being painted, with each space beginning to take shape. We anticipate the building will be finished before the end of the school year, just in time for the start of summer school in July. Lower school teachers and staff are looking forward to making the space their own, creating a warm and welcoming environment for students. We are now just under $3 million away from completing our Hope Grows Campaign, a comprehensive effort to fund the building, athletic field, and operations. Thanks to the generosity of a lead donor, all new gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million. We invite you to consider a gift in support of AJC’s next chapter as we work to complete the campaign during Head of School Mike Maruca’s final year at AJC. |
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Celebrating Community at the Sneaker Ball |
Last week’s Sneaker Ball brought students, families, and staff together for a fun-filled evening. We want families to feel at home in their school community—and what better way than line dancing alongside teachers and staff? Rumor has it even Mr. Maruca showed off a few of his moves! Families arrived dressed in their finest, pausing for photos and embracing these joyful moments. |
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See What You Made Possible in 2024–2025 |
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| Spring Break: March 30 – April 3 Soccer Games vs. Waldorf School - Friday, April 10 vs. Seven Hills - Friday, April 24 Track Meets Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ Collegiate Saturday, April 11, 2026 @ Midlothian High School Thursday, April 23, 2026 @ Benedictine High School
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 @ Benedictine High School |
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There are many ways to support our students. |
Send classroom supplies through our Amazon Wishlist. Contact Ashley Raggi at raggia@ajcschool.org to learn how you can make a difference by volunteering.
Did you know? You can make your volunteer time go even further. Some employers match volunteer hours with financial donations — meaning your time at AJC could turn into funding for our students. Consider checking whether your (or your spouse’s) employer offers a volunteer match. Support our Hope Grows Expansion Campaign. |
Thanks for supporting our hard work and big dreams! |
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