The 2025–2026 school year opened with many new changes, one being the brand-new all-freshmen advisories. In previous years, SWW operated with advisory classes consisting of students from all four grades. This system promoted cross-class communication, which was especially beneficial for underclassmen who did not have many other opportunities to get to know their older peers.

Among the many changes for the new school year, one stood out: the new cell phone policy. According to the policy, students must keep their phones in their backpacks—from the time they enter the school until 3:30. During the first weeks of school, administration made multiple announcements about the rule, since it was district-wide and left little room for students to be on their phones.

Statewide assessments marked the conclusion of a long school year and the start of a bright, refreshing summer. The DC CAPE results for the 2024–25 school year had just been released, and Walls students and staff were delighted to hear that test scores had improved significantly.

In its latest report, U.S. News & World Report named School Without Walls the top public high school in D.C., ranking it first among dozens of schools across the district. Walls was also the only D.C. public school to break into the national top 100, placing 69th among all public high schools nationwide.

A Note from Our Puzzle Editor by Leah Levy (‘25) – Puzzle Editor Emeritus  As my time at SWW comes to an end, I would like to express my...

Budget cuts across all departments of the federal government have recently made headlines. But one that directly affects us as Walls students the most may be the cuts to the Department of Education which was effectively axed by the Trump administration before a court order mandated the rehiring of Dept. employees.

In a sea of leis and inflatable palm trees, School Without Walls hosted its annual Spring Fling dance at the Martin Luther King Jr....

Following a successful 2024-2025 Indoor Track and Field season, Walls sent 5 athletes to compete in 2 prestigious national meets. Nadia Lytle (‘25), Lars Kearney (‘28), and Reia Stock-Heard (‘27) attended Nike Nationals, each competing in their respective events, while Rory Leavitt (‘25) and Benji Shepard (‘28) attended Adidas Nationals.

The Jackson-Reed baseball and softball teams have dominated DCIAA for years, but this season SWW was determined to end their supremacy.

For many students at Walls, public speaking is not uncommon. From the infamous sophomore speech to the culminating challenge:the senior...

With summer break fast approaching, SWW faculty members are looking forward to their own fun in the sun. Whether it's going on an...