Taking up a huge plot of land on the south end of Mt. Vernon Avenue, the George Washington Middle School building was split into two schools (GW1 and GW2) in 2009. The decision was made to create more personal environments for students and to focus more closely on their needs. George Washington's curriculum was overhauled that same year and students now follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, which emphasizes languages along with mathematics and science.