July 2, 2026

Dr. Beth Reaves – Head of School, Washington School for Girls (WSG)

Washington School for Girls is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

The WSG community includes a very special and beloved sister, Liz, the bearded dragon. The official school pet, Liz, is cared for throughout the year by middle school students and visits our elementary students periodically. Our student tour guides always include a stop at her terrarium in the Science Lab when showing visitors around WSG. Science teacher and Innovative Programs Lead Kaitlin Walker assigned her sixth grade students a special project to close out the year: design and build something that will improve Liz’s day-to-day life. Students worked in small groups and had a fixed budget of “dragon dollars” to acquire building materials from the lab store room, and were encouraged to use upcycled materials.

Our 6th graders got creative: they built Liz swimming pools, a “Repstacle Course” designed to help her exercise her body and brain, comfortable habitats, and a closet for her collection of accessories (students often bring in costumes to celebrate holidays, and she even has a WSG school uniform!) One particularly detailed project was titled “Liz’s Bug-ffet” and included several comfortable locations for her to eat bugs and greens. Students practiced using a budget, developed skills in design thinking, engineering, and math, and solved problems as they executed their plans. They collaborated with their peers and built something with their hands. They also hosted a demonstration fair and presented their projects (with Liz’s help!) to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, showcasing their work and reflecting on the challenges they faced throughout the build.