Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School is a vibrant community dedicated to fostering personal growth, respect, and a love of learning in every student. We strive to create a supportive environment where students are empowered to reach their highest potential and develop the skills they need to succeed. 

Title I Support

Title I support is essential to our commitment to student success. We strategically use these resources to strengthen our instructional program and empower our teachers. This includes providing dedicated staff, such as instructional coaches, reading and math specialists, and behavior coaches, who offer targeted support to both students and teachers. We reinforce our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure all students receive appropriate academic and behavioral interventions. Additionally, Title I funding enables the purchase of high-quality instructional materials to enhance classroom learning and supports ongoing professional development for our teachers, allowing them to continually refine and improve their instructional practices.

Student Programs

Coates provides a comprehensive range of student programs designed to foster academic, social, and emotional growth. We offer a range of programs to support student development. We help our primary students build strong academic foundations with weekly classes like Launching Literacy and Mission Math.  We also provide various interventions tailored to individual needs. Students can participate in before-school clubs that offer the opportunity to build skills and provide enrichment. Leadership opportunities are available through our Student Council and Student Ambassador programs. We also focus on social-emotional learning through dedicated lessons, mentoring, and peer mediation. Our goal is to create a supportive and safe environment for all students.

Caring Staff

Coates Elementary is driven by a dedicated staff committed to continuous growth and collaboration. We prioritize a strong learning culture, where our Collaborative Learning Teams (CLTs) and quarterly planning days are central to instructional improvement. Staff members actively participate in professional growth cohorts and individual learning initiatives, ensuring they are consistently refining their skills and staying current with best practices. We are also proud to have staff members recognized for their excellence, with awards received at the pyramid, region, and county levels. This focus on collaborative growth and individual achievement allows us to collectively enhance our ability to support every student's academic and social-emotional development.

Family Academy

Coates fosters authentic partnerships with parents to support student success. The school, under the guidance of Family Liaison Solangie McPerson, offers a  Family Academy designed to educate parents about Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and the American public education system. This program aims to equip parents, particularly those new to the U.S. or English language learners, with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the school system effectively. The academy covers topics such as understanding school forms, utilizing educational technology, and developing communication strategies with teachers, thereby empowering parents to become active participants in their children's education.

Community Engagement

Coates Elementary prioritizes community engagement through several key initiatives. A Home-School Compact, adopted in 2020, emphasizes the shared commitment between teachers and parents to student success. The school fosters community connections with events like the annual Fall Festival and International Night, celebrating cultural diversity. Educational gatherings, such as Family Dinner/Math Night, further engage families in learning. These efforts contribute to a strong, connected community at Coates.

Active PTA

Coates is proud to have a wonderful Parent Teacher Association (PTA) that works with the principal to make Coates a great school. Typical PTA events include our annual Fall Festival, Family Movie Nights, International Night, Spelling Bee, Teacher Appreciation Week, and more!

Community-Focused Culture

We want all of our kids and families to feel welcomed, appreciated, and safe when they walk through our doors. There’s a warmth and sense of connection that parents have commented on when they spend time in the school building or with their children’s teachers. This is the culture we’re constantly nurturing at Coates.

Diverse Community

Our school community's strength lies in its diversity, with families coming from more than 30 countries and speaking 43 languages. We have teachers and staff members from all across the globe, and we view our multiculturalism as a strength. It shows our children how to appreciate others’ uniqueness and our common greatness. Our families are happy to partner with us, and we’re proud of our Family Engagement Survey results.

Building Future Ready Skills

We are dedicated to developing students' durable skills, aligning with the FCPS Portrait of a Graduate. We provide diverse learning experiences that encourage students to actively use and reflect upon these essential skills. Our specials classes each have a specific focus on developing these skills, and our unique Creativity Lab is designed to ensure all students have weekly opportunities to engage with the Portrait of a Graduate skills. Through engaging activities and projects, students cultivate their abilities as effective communicators, strong collaborators, creative and critical thinkers, ethical and global citizens, and goal-directed and resilient individuals. This intentional focus on durable skills ensures our students are well-prepared for future success in both academic and personal pursuits.

Social Emotional Learning

Coates Elementary prioritizes character and social-emotional learning. We teach positive character traits, implement the Positivity Project, and use the Second Step curriculum for SEL skills like empathy and problem-solving. This creates a supportive environment for student success.

Coates Elementary is a place that cultivates a vibrant, inclusive community where students are empowered to achieve academic excellence and develop essential life skills through dedicated staff, comprehensive programs, and strong family partnerships.