Long Branch Elementary is a public school in the Lyon Park/Ashton Heights neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Our nearly 400 students hail from over 25 countries. Each year the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) hosts a social evening for parents with hundreds of silent and live auction items – the proceeds of which directly benefit our students, teachers, and staff. This year our event will be held on March 2, 2024 at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Arlington. 

Over a third of the students attending Long Branch receive free or reduced lunch. At Long Branch 31% of our students are English Learners and 15% are students with disabilities. Our PTA works hard to make school events and activities accessible to everyone. We pay national and local PTA dues for all families. Our community building events – including the Spring Fling, Science/STEM night, Family Arts and Crafts Night, Ice Cream Social, and dinner/babysitting at all monthly PTA meetings with Spanish translation – are free. We also provide stipends and scholarships for students to attend after school enrichment programs and fund the costs for field trips that might not otherwise take place.  

The funds we raise also help to keep our school in good shape. Funds go directly to our budget to fund stipends for out-of-pocket teacher school supplies, staff and teacher appreciation events, community building events, and a school grant program among others. In the past, proceeds from our auction have provided Smart Boards in every classroom, books for the library, new furniture for the cafeteria and library, and technology accessible to all students in the school.