Loudoun’s Newest School Jump Starts the School Year

A Justin Timberlake tune and high fives from teachers greeted students at Loudoun County’s newest school Monday morning.

The 781 students attending Madison’s Trust Elementary in Brambleton didn’t hold back their excitement to begin a new school year at a brand new school. As they made their way into the gym for a high-energy assembly, they clapped, they danced, they sang; one kid busted out an air guitar.

“We are all so happy to have you here,” Principal David Stewart announced to the school’s inaugural student body.

When he was hired as Madison’s Trust’s principal in February, he toured what was then a snow-dusted construction site. “There was no floors, no ceiling, no heat or air conditioning…” he said. “Now, there’s air conditioning, lights and color—and all of you. 781 of you.”

Stewart called on the fifth-graders, as the “seniors of the school,” to be good role models for the younger students going into the year.

Photo Gallery: The First Day of School

Jaden, a fifth-grader, shouted along with his classmates the three Rs that represent what it means to be a Madison’s Trust Mighty Macaw: respect, responsibility and ready to learn.

“I can do that,” the 10-year-old later said. He was particularly excited about being in a school that had two stories—“I’ve never been in a school this big before,” he said—and seeing some familiar faces from his former elementary school, Creighton’s Corner. Five-hundred students were reassigned from neighboring Creighton’s Corner, which has operated above its building capacity for the past several years.

When fifth-grader Ellie heard she would be reassigned to Madison’s Trust, she saw it as only a plus. She had the option, along with other rising fifth-graders, to stay at her former school, Creighton’s Corner, but that would have meant that her parents would have to drive her every day to school. She told them she’d rather ride a bus to a new school.

“I thought it was cool to try a new opportunity,” she said. And she’ll get to christen a new school next year too, as part of Brambleton Middle School’s first sixth grade class. “That will be really cool, too. These new schools—everything is so new and clean. It’s just all nice.”

Schools throughout Loudoun County welcomed students back to the classroom today. More than 78,600 students made their way back to the county’s public schools and thousands of other private school students also kicked off the new academic year.

dnadler@loudounnow.com