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James Fenimore Cooper Middle School, which is situated just off Exit 44 of the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) at the intersection of Balls Hill Road and Georgetown Pike, lies north of the historic McLean area of Fairfax County. The school admitted its first pupils to an unfinished building in September 1962. Later in the school year the cafetorium, gymnasium, industrial arts, and home economics laboratories were opened. Mr. W. D. McKinney served as the first principal.

In the fall of 1970, Mr. McKinney was transferred to another school and Mr. Herman Lloyd was appointed the second principal. Mr. Lloyd served as principal for 12 years and retired during the 1983-84 school year. Mr. Dwayne Harkleroad was appointed the third principal of the school and served from 1984 until 1988.

Mrs. Susan deCorpo was named Cooper's fourth principal in 1989, and supervised the complete renovation of the school facilities. The renovation included new central air conditioning, carpeting, lighting, updated classroom space, a new gym and multi- purpose room, and expansion of the library. Dr. Bernard Gross replaced Mrs. deCorpo as Cooper's fifth principal in 1991. Upon Dr. Gross's retirement in June of 2001, Mrs. Arlene Randall succeeded him as the sixth principal.

The history of Cooper Middle School has been and continues to be "A Tradition of Excellence."