The William E. Doar, Jr. Educational Foundation

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Founded in November 2002, The William E. Doar, Jr. Educational Foundation, Inc. was created to provide:

1. Academically rigorous programming to prepare students for post-secondary education;
2. Artistically rigorous programming to provide students professional-level experience and practice, worthy of public exhibition and/or performance in various artistic forms including: visual, graphic, applied, written and performing;
3. Professional Development Training for instructors in integrating arts education in schools;
4. Summer and After-Care programs in academics and arts; and
5. A full range of out of school-time programs for children and families.

To date, the major programmatic focus of the foundation had been to successfully apply for and receive a charter to operate the William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts, Inc.

During our FY 2004 the foundation successfully wrote and defended a charter school application to open the school in

. The charter allowed the foundation to open and operate, at capacity, a PK-12th Grade school for up to 1200 students. Upon receipt of the approval letter, the William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts, Inc. became its own corporation, with a separate tax id number, 501(c)(3) designation and its own governing board of directors. Before opening, a total of $48,000 in grants, donations and in-kind donations was raised by the foundation on behalf of the school to ramp up for the opening year.

The school opened its doors for the first time to serve 160 PK-5th grade students on September 8, 2004. As such, The William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts, Inc. is the first, non-audition, primary, middle and secondary Performing Arts school in the District of Columbia.  During that first year of operation the school was able to identify, renovate and move into a permanent facility which today remains the home of WEDJ. In September 2006, the school opened the doors to its first 9^th grade class.

Currently we serve over 650 students in grades Prek 3 – 12^th grade on three campuses.  The first 12^th grade will graduate in June 2010. Our eventual capacity is 1200 students. Additionally, we serve up to ¾ of the school year population during the summer program as well as students from other schools that choose to enroll in the program for the summer term.

The school model consists of a full 8-hour day, provides breakfast, lunch and snacks to all attending students, runs a daily aftercare program, a rotating Saturday school program and a 6-week summer program. Parents are required to commit to 20 hrs/year of volunteer service with our school and students all participate in our “Arts to Others” community service program through their required annual public performances.

The Foundation has a mutually beneficial relationship with the school: The School serves as a lab model for the Foundation’s programs, while the School provides office space for the Foundation. The Foundation does fundraising on behalf of the school and acted as its fiscal agent while the School’s 501(c)(3) application was pending. All intellectual property developed in the school is the property of the Foundation. The Foundation, however, is currently developing programs for other schools.

To see more about the William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC click here.