Margaret Brent is distinguished by its commitment to Arts Integration as a core instructional approach. Designed by a Johns Hopkins University research team led by education scholar Dr. Mariale Hardiman, the model is based on the understanding that integrating the arts into daily instruction supports student engagement and academic success. At Margaret Brent, the Arts are woven into every aspect of the education experience, including our Science-Technology-Education-Math (STEM) curriculum.

As a part of last year’s Annual Review process, on January 14, 2026, the Board voted to defer a decision on the recommendation to close Dallas F. Nicholas Elementary and combine it with Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle school while changing the grade configuration at Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle school from Prek-8 to PreK - 5 school until the 2026-27 school year.

At the public Board meeting on October 21, 2026, CEO Dr. Dawson rescinded this recommendation. Dallas F. Nicholas will remain open, no combination with Margaret Brent will be considered and Margaret Brent will continue to serve students in grade PreK-8 for the foreseeable future.

To learn more about this year’s recommendations to the Board and how to provide feedback to inform the Board’s decision-making process, please visit City Schools’ Annual Review of Schools landing page.