The Bridges Academy

“The future is in your hands at Bridges”

At a Glance

The Bridges Academy is a private school located at 6119 Georgia Avenue NW, serving students from Pre-K through 8th grade. Founded in 1979, the school was established specifically to educate children with learning differences, and that focus continues to shape how it works with families today.

The school sits in Ward 4 along the Georgia Avenue corridor in upper Northwest DC, an area that includes neighborhoods like Brightwood and Petworth. Its location makes it reachable from much of upper Northwest, as well as from parts of Maryland just across the District line. As a small private school covering early childhood through middle school, it primarily serves DC-area families looking for a structured environment outside the public and charter systems.

What Parents Should Know

A few practical points for families considering The Bridges Academy:

• It is a specialized private school. Bridges was founded to support students with learning differences, so families exploring it are typically looking for a setting equipped to work with how their child learns, rather than a general-admission private school.
• The PK–8 grade span matters. Students can stay from their earliest school years through 8th grade without changing buildings, which can be a real benefit for kids who do better with consistency. The flip side is that families should plan ahead for the high school transition, since Bridges ends after 8th grade.
• Admissions is application-based, not lottery-based. Because Bridges is private, it does not participate in the My School DC common lottery used by DCPS and public charter schools. Families apply directly to the school.
• Location and commute. The Georgia Avenue NW address puts the school on a major north-south corridor in Ward 4, with Metrobus service running along Georgia Avenue. Families driving in should factor in typical rush-hour traffic on that stretch.
• Stated focus on individual students. The school describes its approach as meeting each student as an individual and building organizational and study skills that travel with students after they leave Bridges — a useful frame to bring into any tour or admissions conversation.

Programs and Approach

As a private school, The Bridges Academy sets its own admissions process and curriculum rather than enrolling through the DC public lottery. Families interested in applying should contact the school directly to ask about application timelines, required materials (which often include prior school records and any educational evaluations), and whether visits or student assessments are part of the process.

The school's stated mission centers on students with learning differences, with attention to organizational and study skills alongside academics. Because specific program details, staffing, and class structures can change from year to year, parents are best served by asking directly about current class sizes, support services, related-service providers, and what kinds of learning profiles the school is currently best positioned to serve. It's also worth asking about how Bridges supports the transition to high school, given that 8th grade is the school's exit point.

Visiting and Contact

The Bridges Academy is located at 6119 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, in Ward 4. The school can be reached by phone at (202) 829-1901.

For tour scheduling, application deadlines, and the most current information about programs and admissions, visit the school's website at http://www.thebridgesacademy.org.