International High School at Langley Park marks Class of 2026 graduation season

At International High School at Langley Park, graduation season was about more than caps and gowns. The Class of 2026 ceremony on May 29 came with livestream access and interpreter information, a sign of how Prince George’s County Public Schools is trying to make one of life’s biggest milestones reachable for families who are often navigating more than one language at home.

The school opened in August 2015 and is housed in the historical Annapolis Road building in Bladensburg, a location that reflects the school’s role in serving a community shaped by immigration, mobility and multilingualism. District profiles say more than 85% of students are Hispanic and about 95% identify as low-income. International High School at Langley Park describes itself as a competency-based program focused on critical thinking, language proficiency and a college-going culture.

That mission was spelled out in the school’s foundation language, which says the goal is to use rigorous instruction and rich experiences to empower collaborative critical thinkers. The vision is summed up in a short phrase, EC2 = S, or Empowering Collaborative Critical Thinkers for Success. In practice, that shows up in the kind of graduation support the school highlighted for the Class of 2026: families could follow along through a livestream and use interpreter information tied to the ceremony materials, a practical detail that matters in a school community where language access is central to belonging.

The milestone also fits into the school’s short but meaningful history. PGCPS says International High School at Langley Park’s first cohort graduated in May 2019, making the Class of 2026 part of only the school’s eighth graduating cycle. William Shulman is listed as acting principal, and the district’s International Student Admissions and Enrollment Office says its mission is to support the academic achievement, social and emotional development, and college and career readiness of English Language Learner and international students.

That broader commitment has already drawn national attention. PGCPS highlighted Keishia Thorpe, who taught 12th-grade English at International High School at Langley Park beginning in 2018, as the 2021 Global Teacher Prize winner. District materials said the award recognized her work expanding college access for low-income, first-generation immigrant and refugee students. The county is also planning for the future: a proposed International High School in Langley Park is designed as a 58,000-square-foot facility for 400 students and 34 faculty and staff, underscoring that the Langley Park model remains a long-term investment in educational equity.