Dranesville Elementary is located just outside the boundaries of the town of Herndon. The community is extremely supportive with thousands of volunteer hours logged each year as parents and educators work together in a nurturing community to provide a quality education for each student.

High expectations are held for student performance in all areas of the curriculum with an emphasis on developing thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are required to apply what they learn about basic reading, writing, and math to solve problems that they identify in the curriculum, the classroom, and the environment. Dranesville partners with Northwest Federal Credit Union and MITRE corporation to encourage additional Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) problem solving.

Modern technology, in the form of computers, is an important part of thoughtful analysis and problem solving. Each classroom has a minimum of three computers, but two computer labs are also available. Each classroom has an interactive Smart Board to facilitate active student engagement. Beginning in third grade, all students are taught keyboarding skills.

Positive Behavior Support ensures that students learn and practice respect on a daily basis. An emphasis on other widely accepted values, such as responsibility, trustworthiness, caring, fairness and citizenship is supported by Responsive Classroom strategies as outlined in our School Improvement Plan. The school has an active peer mediation, conflict resolution and mentoring program.

Physical education, art, and music are essential to developing thinking individuals. Students participate each week in physical education, music and art classes taught by highly trained teaching specialists. Each year, upper-level students seek out additional music instruction by enrolling in band, strings, or chorus.  Many students enroll in the after school art club and the Drumming Dragons percussion ensemble.  

Dranesville Elementary is a microcosm for the world. Our students and teachers trace their heritage from countries which span the globe. We celebrate our multicultural traditions and place a high value on our unity as Virginians and Americans.