Kendall Demonstration Elementary School - KDES

09/29/2026

113 years later, the words of George Veditz are as true today as they were in 1913:

‘As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs.’

Our Deaf Awareness Day Showcase brought our community together to celebrate the language, experiences, talents, and perspectives that make our community strong.

More than a century later, we continue to celebrate the enduring power of sign language, our lived experience and the community it connects.

09/23/2026

We’re proud to announce that the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School!

This recognition celebrates our commitment to innovation, accessibility, and creating meaningful learning experiences for our students. Through thoughtful use of technology, we are expanding access to communication, encouraging creativity and collaboration, and creating more ways for every student to engage in learning.

As an Apple Distinguished School, we join a global community of schools using technology to inspire, imagine, and make an impact.

08/25/2026

KDES kicked off the first day of school with high energy and excitement! Our teachers and staff gave students a warm and enthusiastic welcome, and the KDES Wildcats mascot made the morning extra special!
We’re excited for a great school year ahead. Go Wildcats

08/21/2026

06/25/2026

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Akilah English as the next Director of Academic Programs at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School.

Following a comprehensive national search, Dr. English has been selected to lead KDES’s academic program. With decades of experience advocating and advancing educational outcomes for Deaf and hard of hearing students, we look forward to the leadership, experience and passion Dr. English will bring to KDES. 

Welcome, Dr. English!

06/18/2026

A look back at KDES’s end of the year events.

06/04/2026

The KDES Early Childhood Education classes hosted a fun Spring Festival.

Students explored nature through hands-on play with elements from nature; encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a connection to the world we live in.

A fun event that brought families together.

06/03/2026

Mario Hernandez, also known as MannyASL, is a professional American Sign Language storyteller. He is a natural performer who loves sharing stories with children and making learning fun.

Originally from Brooklyn, MannyASL connects easily with students of all ages through his expressive and engaging storytelling style. He brings stories to life by connecting ASL, pictures, and English text in ways that are easy to understand.
He also teaches children and adults how to create their own ASL stories using movement, emotion, rhythm, and clear expression. His goal is to inspire confidence and a love for storytelling. MannyASL has been teaching at The Catholic University of America for over 20 years, just a mile from Gallaudet University.

He created Manny ASL: Stories in American Sign Language to help preserve and celebrate Deaf culture. He earned his degrees from Gallaudet University and continues to lead ASL storytelling workshops.

He lives in Maryland near Washington, DC with his wife, Senda Benaissa, who works at Gallaudet University, and their two daughters, Mia and Emma, who are proud CODAs.

His motto is:
“Storytelling ignites the power of knowledge.”

05/29/2026

As we celebrate the last day of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we are thankful for ChunJiEum (translated as Korea Pure Sound) percussion group for visiting KDES.

Based in Virginia, ChunJiEum introduced students to traditional Korean folk music, Poongmul, through hands-on experience with a variety of percussion instruments.

Students learned how different drums and gongs represent elements of nature and explored the unique sounds produced by each instrument, from deep-toned gongs to resonant barrel drums.

Thank you to ChunJiEum for sharing these rich cultural traditions and providing our students with such a meaningful learning experience.

05/28/2026

Congratulations to the KDES Pre-Kindergarten graduates.

Show our Pre-K students some love in the comment section. We look forward to celebrating with you all at the promotion ceremony on June 4.

Swipe to meet our graduates