Cornerstone School has transitioned to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite challenges, students, teachers, and staff have adapted well. The document highlights how God prepared Cornerstone for this moment through technological resources and curriculum changes. It also summarizes positive student participation in online classes and extracurricular activities held earlier in the year, such as a Supreme Court rally and Black History Month celebrations.

1. Schools of Washington D.C., Inc.
ConnectionSpring 2020 IssueHope and Academic Excellence
in the Nation’s Capital
The Cornerstone
NotefromtheExecutiveDirector
Despite our current situation, God’s work through Cornerstone continues. In fact,
this work is more important now than ever. On Friday the 13th and on the
following Monday, our staff packed bags with books, a computer, and any materi-
als our students would need to begin doing school from home. The next day, our
teachers began putting their lessons online as parents came to pick up materials for
their children.
It was unbelievable to see our staff navigate this new reality; our students
prepare for this challenge; and love, prayer and worship filling our building as
students left Cornerstone for an uncertain length of time, with uncertain trials ahead.
This pandemic further complicates life for our students and their families. Parents
have little financial margin and can’t afford to miss a paycheck. The educational
deficits of our students make every missed school day all the more tragic. Families
have little ability to stock up on needed supplies and have inadequate health care if
they are infected. Tight living conditions coupled with large extended families make
isolation difficult. Students with single parents will have little assistance with online
learning as their parents struggle just to get by. Finally, with violence already on the
rise due to the warmer weather, having every school in the city closed will only
increase the risk for students.
Yet, after the first week of what we are calling, “Cornerstone Online,” we are
encouraged to see the near-universal participation of students, teachers tutoring
and individualizing instruction, and prayers and encouragement continuing between
teachers and students, and among the students themselves. Our family-like culture,
so far, has transferred well to remote learning. God is good.
It is amazing how God prepared Cornerstone for this time in ways we would
have never foreseen. Specifically:
n Three years ago, a donor suggested we switch
to Chromebooks and helped us purchase
enough for the entire High School;
n Our staff is young and adept at technology
and were quick to set up online learning for
our students;
n Most of our classes have moved to discus-
sion-based learning over the last three years,
which has prepared students to take owner-
ship of their education;
n A donor just recently sent us enough Bibles
to give each of our early elementary students a copy to continue their study of
the Bible from home;
(continued on page 4)
In January, Cornerstone’s Middle
Schoolers joined a rally outside
the Supreme Court in support of
the Institute for Justice, who were
arguing that religious schools should
have equal footing in school choice
programs. A student interested in
becoming a lawyer told us this was
his favorite part of the school year
so far. He said, “I want to become a
lawyer mainly because...to me the
law is fascinating and I want to learn
more about it and become good
at it.” What a blessing to be in the
nation’s capital where our students
can have hands-on civics lessons like
this one!
3742 Ely Place, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20019
www.cornerstone-schools.org
Rally at the
Supreme Court

2. Schools of Washington D.C., Inc.
Hope and Academic Excellence
in the Nation’s Capital
ConnectionSpring 2020 Issue
BlackHistoryMonth
atCornerstone
Black History Month started out with a bang at
Cornerstone as twenty of our students were invited
to the White House’s private theater to watch Hidden
Figures with First Lady Melania Trump. After the movie,
our students participated in a discussion about the film
led by a representative from the Museum of African
American History and Culture. After eating as many
White House snacks as they could manage, the group
went on a private, behind the scenes tour of the White House where
they had the chance to sit at the state dinner table and spend time
relaxing in the Green and Red Rooms.
Another highlight of Black History Month was a praise dance
performed by Cornerstone’s ad hoc dance team led by one of our
Middle School teachers, Ms. Stone! They danced to “When Jesus
Say Yes,” a pop song based on a traditional Nigerian praise song.
Their West African inspired dance brought our students and staff to their feet! (You can see for yourself on any of our social
media platforms). It was beautiful to see our students praising God through dance.
Cornerstone’s
First Homecoming
Cornerstone welcomed back 22 of our 49 total graduates this past
Christmas break. Alumni and teachers ate dinner together while
catching up and reminiscing over old school photos. Then graduates had
a chance to get up and share their favorite Cornerstone memory with the
whole group. The stories ranged from confessions of past mischief to heart-
warming memories and once they started, no one wanted to stop.
Not only was this a wonderful chance to reconnect with our graduates,
but we expect this will be the first of many events where students will be
welcomed back during breaks from college. Many of our graduates are first
generation college students, and one of the best things we can do to help
them succeed is to stay in touch with them. We are so grateful for the ways
they have helped to build Cornerstone’s culture of love and support over
the years, and we want to continue to serve them to the best of our ability.
As we told our graduates that night, we want them to know that they always
have a home at Cornerstone.
PAGE 2 3742 Ely Place, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20019 • 202.575.0027 • www.cornerstone-schools.org

3. Schools of Washington D.C., Inc.
Hope and Academic Excellence
in the Nation’s Capital
ConnectionSpring 2020 Issue
Mr. Davis, or Coach Davis as he has come to be called,
first heard about Cornerstone when he stopped in with
a coworker whose daughter already attended the school. He
and his wife wanted to send their two daughters to a Christian
school and so they enrolled them the following year in pre-K
and Kindergarten respectively. Eight years later, their daughters
are still at Cornerstone and the Davises are one of our most
dedicated families.
Mr. Davis told us, “When Cornerstone needs something,
we’re up here.” He talked about the blessing of having free
time and the importance of pouring into their kids’ lives. He
also talked about always feeling welcomed at the school. “We
just like it here,” he said with a smile. “From what I see, the
teachers and staff here genuinely care about these students,
even when they’re not the easiest to care for. Somehow they
find a way to keep modeling Christ and reach them through
relationships.”
Mr. Davis became Coach Davis this year when he volun-
teered to coach our girls basketball teams. He told us that he
spent hours researching and watching videos to learn different
coaching philosophies so that he could be the best coach he
could be. As prepared as he was, he was surprised at how tough
it was to coach Middle and High School girls. “I learned a lot
about how to go about it next year. I learned when I had more
compassion and invested more in getting to know the girls, I
was able to bring out skills that I hadn’t been able to earlier in
the season.” He has encouraged the girls to find ways to play
basketball off-season and is excited to coach again next year.
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Davis, for being so dedi-
cated to making Cornerstone the best school it can be!
WheninRome
This winter, our 3rd grade students had a hands-on introduc-
tion to Ancient Rome. Their teacher, Miss Davies, hosted a
“Rome Party” where her students made togas and crafted laurel
wreaths as costumes to perform their own versions of Antony
and Cleopatra. They also ate a feast of bread and grapes while
reclining on the carpet as Romans would have eaten! After
learning about gladiators, the class had another Rome Party
where they each built the colosseum out of materials from
around the classroom and made gladiator armour.
We are grateful for Miss Davies and for all our teachers who
spend time thinking of creative and
interactive ways to make their subject
matter come alive for students. We
know our students will always remem-
ber activities like this!
Parent Spotlight: Mr. Davis

4. (continued from page 1)
n NASA recently sent us several hundred draw-
string bags for our students, which were perfect
to hold all the materials they need for distance
learning;
n Google provides a free platform to integrate
online classes, video conferencing and an office
suite which is now the backbone of Cornerstone
Online; and finally,
n Over the last three years, Cornerstone has
amassed a financial reserve fund which we pray
will get Cornerstone through what is likely to be
a dramatically lower year of giving.
When our building reopens and we are
reunited, I pray God is more real and more glorified
for his faithfulness at Cornerstone than ever before.
Let our students grow closer to God in this time,
and see more clearly His handiwork in their lives!
Sincerely, Derrick A. Max
Schools of Washington D.C., Inc.
P.O. BOX 76456
WASHINGTON, DC 20013
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
WASHINGTON DC
PERMIT NO. 974
First Semester Update from Cornerstone Grads
Last school year was the inaugural year of the Cornerstone College
Scholarship for graduating seniors. Two members of the class of 2019
received this $10,000 scholarship to be applied wherever they need it
most — tuition, housing, or even books! Amaria is using her scholarship
to attend University of Dayton this year and Solé is using hers to attend
Xavier University of Louisiana. You can hear from them about the ups and
downs of their college experiences so far at www.cornerstone-schools.
org/college-scholarship.
To qualify for this
scholarship, students must
have a 3.5 GPA and have
attended Cornerstone
for all four years of high
school. We are thrilled
to have three students
on track to receive this
scholarship at the end
of this year! If you would like to contribute to the Cornerstone College
Scholarship fund for these three young women, you can make a gift
online or by mailing a check made out to “Cornerstone Schools” to
P.O. Box 76456, Washington, DC 20013, and be sure to let us know
that you want the gift to go to the college scholarship fund.
Your Support
Makes A Difference
To make a financial contribution,
visit www.cornerstone-schools.
org and click on “GIVE NOW” or
mail a check to P.O. Box 76456,
Washington, DC 20013
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