About

The new John Tyler Elementary School opened for students in September of 2002, and serves the Waterview, Port Norfolk, West Park View, Shea Terrace and Glenshellah sections of Portsmouth, VA. The current principal is Dr. Wayne Williams.  Dr. Williams is the Portsmouth Council of the P.T.A.'s Elementary Principal of the Year 2009-2010. Additionally, John Tyler Elementary, under the guidance of Dr. Williams, is the first school in Portsmouth to earn a perfect score to secure the 2009-2010 President's Cup. John Tyler School is a neighborhood school, serving nearly 700 students in grades K - 6.

Reading
Emphasis on reading is one of the major distinctives of John Tyler. With two reading specialists and a full-time librarian, students receive a lot of attention in the area of learning to read. Different reading programs that are used to help students read include Accelerated Reader and STAR Reader programs, and the PALS reading program, for K-3 students. As well, community volunteers come to read with our students each week in our "Be Excited About Reading," (B. E. A. R.) reading program.

To participate in Accelerated Reader, students have to read books from a rapidly growing collection of AR books, which have point-levels assigned to them. After reading the books, students take tests on classroom computers. Student achievement and progress in AR is monitored for the entire school, and when students reach certain levels of accomplishment, their work is recognized by the whole school.

Parents
The parental involvement at John Tyler is among the best in Portsmouth, if not the state of Virginia. A comment that is frequently heard in conversations about John Tyler is its "Chemistry." There is a special chemistry at John Tyler Elementary, and it is made up of a team of caring, talented faculty and administration, and enthusiastic, involved parents. The P. T. A., is very active, and parents work side-by-side with the administration and faculty to achieve the very best for our students. The P. T. A., provides for student field trips to many of the educational opportunities in the Hampton Roads area.