The Glebe Elementary School parent-teacher association has received national recognition for its efforts to combat food insecurity and improve multilingual communication.
The school was named a National PTA School of Excellence earlier this month, joining 320 other associations around the country in being recognized for “leadership in creating welcoming, inclusive school communities and lasting change.”
“The Glebe Elementary PTA partnered closely with Principal Jamie Borg and Assistant Principal Ingrid Clarke-Marshall to conduct listening sessions with families and implement learnings,” the PTA said in a press release. “The Glebe Elementary School of Excellence plan prioritized two objectives: expanding communications channels to serve a multilingual school audience and launching expanded food security offerings, including a community food pantry.”
A significant portion of Glebe’s application for this award centered around its work streamlining communication with families, PTA president Emily Emery told ARLnow. The association ran bilingual surveys to better understand how parents and guardians prefer to hear about school and PTA news.
As a result of those surveys, Glebe adopted ParentSquare, an Arlington Public Schools tool to communicate with families in multiple languages using real-time alerts and a daily roundup of information.
In response to the government shutdown last year, the PTA also opened a food pantry inside the school’s entryway.
“The pantry serves as a food share,” Emery said. “Members of the community are able to take what they need, or drop off what they need. The food supply turns over weekly and is sustained by family contributions.”
The PTA also coordinates weekly grocery deliveries to some Glebe families, Emery said.
“We are extremely proud of the Glebe Elementary PTA‘s close partnership with and support for Glebe Elementary School’s leaders, Ms. Borg and Ms. Clarke-Marshall,” she said. “We believe that Glebe‘s ‘School of Excellence’ designation is a wonderful example of the strong partnership between Arlington Public Schools and its PTAs.”
Glebe, located at 1770 N. Glebe Road in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood, is following in the footsteps of Gunston Middle School’s PTA, which received this honor in the previous cycle. Gunston went on to be named a 2025 National PTA Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award recipient, an even higher honor given out to three total schools every year that includes a $2,000 grant.
Designation as a National PTA School of Excellence lasts for two school years after recognition. Glebe has been named as part of the 2025-2027 cycle. Honorees are announced in August every year, and Glebe will remain on next year’s list.
Two Alexandria schools — Alexandria City High School and the Cora Kelly School — were also recipients this cycle.
