Frequently Asked Questions

Moving to the Washington area? Consider Cheverly, Maryland!

Cheverly Is a Great Community

Experience small-town community living in a big city suburb. Neighbors know, befriend, and help each other. When someone loses a cat, people keep their eyes out. Pothole outside your house? Call the head of Public Works. Need recommendations for roofers, babysitters, restaurants, pet care, and more? Join one of our active community listservs. Participate in our annual Cheverly Day festivities, including our own exciting fireworks. Dress up in your finest for the annual Town Prom. See your local government in action. Attend our old-fashioned Town meetings where civility reigns and issues receive thoughtful consideration. Get to know your elected mayor and council members. There are many great reasons to discover Cheverly!

Fabulous Location

Capitol Hill and Washington's major federal and commercial offices are only a 15-minute ride from Cheverly's own Metro station. It's 25 minutes by car via Route 50. The Washington Nationals are just a few Metro stops away at the Navy Yard station. The Baltimore Orioles are 40 minutes north and the Redskins are just three miles away to the east. And just 25 minutes to the east are Annapolis and the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.

Solid Affordable Living

Cheverly is well known for it's very affordable, high-quality, small-town living. This close-knit, active community has its own Metro stop and all of the advantages of a friendly small town. Cheverly's one-and-one-half square mile area is almost entirely residential. The heavily treed neighborhoods consist of mostly single-family, two-story dwellings, appealing to a variety of architectural tastes. Homes generally date from the 1920s to the 1990s. Cheverly was recently described by The Washington Post as a "pastoral community of largely professional people" where one can "find not only great buys but also a busy, unpretentious community." Read another view from The Washington Post.

Our homes are among the most affordable in the Washington metropolitan area. Because of Cheverly's location and quality of life, its houses have great resale value, too. Many homes are bought by folks who grew up in town. Despite its excellent services and amenities, Cheverly has one of the lowest property tax rates in the area. This is a winning combination when coupled with one of the lowest crime rates in the area.

Thinking of buying a home in Cheverly? Learn more about some of our Town ordinances here.

Excellent Schools

Cheverly has its own public and private elementary schools: Gladys Noon Spellman, Judith P. Hoyer, and St. Ambrose Roman Catholic.

Nearby Bladensburg High School was reconstructed from the ground up and opened its doors in the Fall of 2005. It is a state-of-the-art facility for Cheverly High School students. Some Cheverly high school students may choose to attend Eleanor Roosevelt High School for their science and tech program, which is among the best in the nation, while others may select nearby parochial or other high school programs.

Visit our Schools page to learn more about elementary and nursery school programs in Cheverly.

Excellent Recreational Opportunities

Cheverly boasts a wide variety of recreational outlets for young and old alike. The private Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club is one of the best private pools around and has some of the best clay and composition tennis courts in the entire Washington area. Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex, adjacent to the Washington Redskins Stadium, is only three miles away.

For adults in the community, civic groups, as well as numerous book and potluck groups, make for an active social life. Families with children also take advantage of the town's many community sports, theatrical, play and social groups. Visit our Community Organizations page to learn more about civic activities in Cheverly.

The Cheverly Community Market provides a place for friends and neighbors to get together during their season.

There are a number of parks in town, with activities for everyone - from playground equipment for children to exercise equipment. Cheverly has an active population of fitness enthusiasts, from cyclists to walkers to joggers. Town Park has a fantastic jogging track for running fans that want a break from the hills in town, and Gast Park has strength training equipment to keep our residents fit and healthy!

Public

Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary

• 5 to 12 years old (Kindergarten through 6th grade)
• View contact information, address, and more 

Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School serves more than 750 students from the attendance area. The school has a comprehensive curriculum.

The school was dedicated to the late congresswoman, Gladys Noon Spellman, a distinguished resident of Cheverly who represented the community on the county school board and county council, and in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mrs. Spellman was a teacher and began her civic involvement as president of this school's PTA in the Cheverly community.

In 1991, Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary was constructed on the former grounds of Happy Acres Elementary, a K-3 school. The new school combined Cheverly-Tuxedo Elementary (grades 4-6), with Happy Acres Elementary. The new site was able to house students from both schools in one building. The school, which opened as a Model Comprehensive School, boasted a computer lab, a science lab, an art room, and a foreign language component. In its second year, an ESOL program was added to the existing programs. The school has experienced rapid growth in enrollment and achievement. Since the late 1990s, the school has enjoyed numerous awards and recognition for its high scores on the MSPAP and other standardized tests. Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School was cited by the Department of Education from data gathered by the University of Texas as being a high-achieving high-poverty school. In 2000, the school was selected by the Maryland Department of Education as a Peer Mentoring School to work with other high-poverty schools in order to raise their academic achievement.

Judith P. Hoyer

• Closed
• View contact information, address, and more

Judith P. Hoyer Facility has specialized in early childhood education since its opening in 1993 to 1994.

Judith P. Hoyer originated as Cheverly Tuxedo Elementary School in 1927. The school and the community of Cheverly have a long history of working together. The school was expanded to include more classrooms and a gymnasium, to be used by the school and the community. The school is now closed, however, the community continues to use the gymnasium. The Prince George's County Public School system uses it for administrative purposes.

Private

Early School Program

• 2 to 5 years old (must be potty trained)
• View contact information, address, and more

The Early School Program, which meets on Thursdays, 10 am to 2 pm, focuses on readiness skills. Curriculum for older students includes pre-reading, opposites, phonics, math, and other age-appropriate skills. Younger students focus on colors, shapes, rhymes, and counting.

Weekday Nursery

• 2 to 5 years old (Pre-schoolers)
• View contact information, address, and more

Cheverly Weekday Nursery offers developmentally appropriate activities and learning for children ages two to five. The program has served the community and local families since 1970. Weekday Nursery offers 2 day, 3 day, and 5 day enrollment options: half day (8 am to noon) and full day (8 am to 3 pm) with aftercare available until 6 pm.

At Cheverly Weekday Nursery, children have a place to grow outside the home. The faculty helps students learn more about themselves in relation to other children, to adults other than the parents, and to the world around them. They strive to help children grow in the richest, most satisfying, most constructive way while preparing for the school years ahead. Learning is hands-on and designed to develop independent thinking, self-sufficiency, social and emotional maturity, and readiness for kindergarten. Children enjoy multiple free-play areas (including water, sand, art, dramatic play, blocks, science, manipulative games, and toys), story and music times, educational field trips, and more. In addition, children receive speech, language, vision and hearing screenings, personalized attention, and the opportunity to participate in annual Christmas and spring programs. Children are given the freedom to grow and learn in an environment balanced with enough guidance and structure for each child to feel secure.

Classes for all programs are held at the Cheverly United Methodist Church at Forest Road and Cheverly Avenue.

St. Ambrose Catholic Elementary

• 4 to 14 years old (Pre-K through 8th grade)
• View contact information, address, and more

St. Ambrose Catholic Elementary School opened with four grades in 1950 and expanded to eight by the following year. Its students now number about 250. Street Ambrose School has all-day pre-kindergarten and provides before- and after-school care. The school also offers foreign language, gym, art, computer, band, and choir. It has an active Home and School Association and regularly participates in sports through the Catholic Youth Organization.

St. Ambrose School strives to give each student a firm grasp of fundamental skills: to develop in each student the ability to think critically, creatively, and independently; and to foster in each an appreciation for the diversity of human experience. St. Ambrose encourages its students to pursue their special academic talents in the hope that knowledge, diligently sought and acquired, will lead to wisdom that will serve both the individual and the community. Each student's intellectual development prepares him or her for further schooling and also for life. St. Ambrose seeks to develop in each student a broad breadth and depth of knowledge, to encourage in each student creative and aesthetic appreciation, and to increase its students' understanding of intellectual and cultural diversity.

St. Ambrose School is a Roman Catholic School affiliated with the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

Overview

Cheverly has an active community of organizations that focus on a wide variety of interests. The town has a wealth of volunteer opportunities, and these groups help make many of the things we enjoy possible. Scroll down to learn more about community organizations in Cheverly, or visit their websites for further information. To become a qualified Community-oriented public service organization, the Mayor and Town Council require the following: that the general membership consists of at least 20 regular members with at least 50% of the regular members being Cheverly residents.

• View the Community Organization Form (PDF)

Youth & Families

• Cheverly Boys and Girls Club
• Cheverly Parents Resource Center (CPRC)
• Cheverly Boy Scout Troup 257 and Cub Scout Pack 257
• Cheverly Soccer Club
• Cheverly Working Moms
• Girl Scouts
• Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club
• Cheverly Youth Commission

Civic & Community Interest

• American Legion
• American Legion Auxiliary
• Cheverly CERT
• Cheverly Community Market
• Cheverly Community Vegetable Gardens
• Cheverly Day Committee
• Cheverly Forum for Accountability and Action
• Cheverly History Club
• Cheverly Men's Basketball
• Cheverly Village
• Civic African American Community Organization (CAACO)
• Fourth Ward Civic Association
• Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek
• Garden Club
• Homemaker's Club
• Cheverly Women's Club
• Cheverly United Methodist Church

American Legion

The American Legion is a congressionally chartered mutual-aid veterans organization founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by the U.S. Congress. The American Legion Post 108 in Cheverly was first organized in 1933 and completed in 1941; built by post members of materials collected from Rock Creek Park, the East Wing of the White House, a bridge in Washington, DC, the McLean Mansion, and contains old doors from the U.S. Supreme Court. The post family currently has over 450 members and sponsors Boy Scout Troop 257and Cub Scout Pack 257.

The eligibility dates to be a member of the American Legion can be seen at the American Legion website. To be a member of the Son's of the American Legion your father, grandfather, or great grandfather needed to serve during the eligibility dates. Ladies who are veterans but did not serve during the eligibility dates are eligible to join the American Legion Auxiliary. The Post is open seven days a week; space includes a pool table, dartboards, and a hall that seats in excess of 200 people.

• Address: 3608 Legion Drive
• Phone: 301-773-0108

American Legion Auxiliary

The Cheverly American Legion Auxiliary Unit 108 is a local veteran's support organization. We work hard to support our military and veterans! Founded in the 1940s, the Cheverly Auxiliary has a rich history. Its members' volunteer efforts have touched the lives of veterans in numerous ways. There are new generations of veterans to reach out to, and with the passage of time the needs of our older veterans and their families increase. Annually we sponsor young women to attend Maryland Girls State, raise awareness in our community about veterans issues, sponsor Americanism activities for local youth- among many, many other activities. The Cheverly Auxiliary believes that caring for all veterans is a sacred trust, and its members strive to do so with the same courage our veterans exhibited in their service to our country. We welcome new members! Membership requirements are explained on their website.

• Email the American Legion Auxiliary

Boy Scouts / Cub Scouts

The mission of the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. What is the Oath? 40 simple words that can transform your son: On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, to obey the Scout law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. What is the Law? Twelve more simple words that should define everyone's character: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. How do we do this? Going camping and hiking. Pitching tents and building fires. Doing community service projects. Developing citizens and leaders.

The Cub Scouts serves boys and girls from first through fifth grade, Boy Scouts is for boys sixth grade and above. Come Join the Scouting Adventure!

Website

• Cheverly Boy Scout Troop 257
• Cheverly Cub Pack Troop 257

Contact

• Email the Boy Scout Troop 257 Scout Master
• Email Cub Scout Pack 257

Cheverly Boys and Girls Club (CBGC)

The Cheverly Boys and Girls Club has a very active sports program for ages 4 - 13, which includes Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, and T-Ball.

• Website

Cheverly History Club

The club is no longer active but maintains their website.

• Website

Cheverly CERT

The Mission of Cheverly CERT is to provide critical support to the Town of Cheverly and assistance to residents during an emergency. To accomplish this mission, Cheverly CERT has three areas of focus:

1. Providing our members with on-going training in disaster response, emergency preparedness, leadership, and organizational skills.
2. Educating residents in Cheverly emergency preparedness.
3. Supporting the Cheverly Police Department and related emergency services in the event of a disaster

• Website
• Email
• Phone number: 240-303-2447

Cheverly Community Market

The Cheverly Community Market is committed to offering a vibrant market that strengthens the community through providing fresh, nutritious food from local sources, and encouraging unique local businesses and artisans. We accept Maryland-DC WIC/FMNP/SNAP and provide matching funds for all programs.

The Market is held every other weekend from May - December at the Cheverly Community Center, located at 6401 Forest Road. Visit our website for dates and other updates.

Come fill your Market basket with the best in local produce, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, bread, pastries, and more!

• Website
• Email

Cheverly Men's Basketball

"Cheverly Men's Basketball is for men 35 years old and older to play informal pickup basketball during the week at the Town Gym."

Cheverly Parents Resource Center (CPRC)

The Cheverly Parents Resource Center (CPRC) supports Cheverly families with young children by providing valuable information, hosting drop-in playgroups, and holding special events such as local field trips and occasional workshops on topics of interest to parents.

The main activity of CPRC is drop-in playgroups, which offer families with young children the opportunity to meet, make friends, and play. Playgroup meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30 am until 11:30 am at the Community Center in cold weather and at Gast Park (also known as "Cheese Park") in warm weather. Playgroup group is geared toward young children (birth to preschool) but school-age siblings can join us in the summer months.

Special playgroups, including the monthly Birthday and Halloween playgroups, winter holiday party, summer breakfasts at the Arboretum, and other special events are just a few special activities that this community group enjoys.

• Website

Cheverly Soccer Club

The Cheverly Soccer Club formed in 1995. The club sponsors both indoor and outdoor soccer (tot through U-18) and hosts the very popular annual summer Challenger British Soccer Camp program.

Cheverly Swim & Racquet Club

The Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club. The club is a private facility.

• Website

Cheverly Village

Cheverly Village helps seniors and other residents of Cheverly to stay in community and age in motion. Cheverly Village volunteers provide services and create social and educational activities that support Village members in continuing to live in their homes as active, valued members of the community.

• Email us
• Phone: 240-770-1033
• Visit the Cheverly Village website

Cheverly Youth Commission (CYC)

The CYC is an organization committed to promoting youth engagement in the Cheverly community. We are striving towards making sure teenagers are informed about town politics, volunteer opportunities, and community gatherings in order to become better voters and more active members of the town. For more information on how to join the CYC or support the Vote16 initiative, contact us below.

• Instagram - @chvyouthcommission

Civic African American Community Organization (CAACO)

Our primary purpose is to unify the African American community in all segments of life within various communities.

We want to activate, engage, educate, and empower, to present a strong concerted effort in meeting situational awareness particular to our community. This is achievable by pursuing and supporting local policies that address our needs, building partnerships with community groups, demonstrating a commitment to engage in local activity and establishing a physical presence in the community.

Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every month except for holidays at 7 pm.

• Contact: Barbara Brown (CAACO President)
• Email
• Phone: 202-670-6418

Fourth Ward Civic Association

The Fourth Ward Civic Association's purpose is to identify Ward issues affecting the community and to them in particular. The Association encourages residents to become involved with and participate in civic matters at all levels of Government -Town, County, State, and Federal. It also fosters an environment to improve communication among all residents of the Ward and Town officials. Meetings are held the third Monday of every month except for holidays at 7 pm All Fourth Ward residents are invited and encouraged to attend.

• Contact: Edward Reddick, President of the Association
• Phone: 301-520-3777
• Email Edward Reddick

Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek

Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek is a volunteer-led nonprofit founded by Cheverly residents in 2004 to help restore and celebrate area streams. Accomplishments include creating a stream access trail from the Community Center through Woodworth Park to Magruder Spring at the south end of Cheverly Avenue, installing interpretative signage and removed hundreds of tires and tons of trash during clean up events; promote clean water policies and practices in our region. FLBC collaborates with the Cheverly Conservation Alliance, the Anacostia Watershed Society and others. FBC welcomes volunteers for all its activities. Community service credit is given to students. FLBC volunteers meet for fieldwork parties the last Saturday of the month; check the website or town newsletter for details.

• Contact: Joani Horchler (volunteer coordinator) or Dan Smith (president)
• Phone: 301-802-7445

Cheverly Garden Club

The Cheverly Garden Club's purpose is to encourage and advance the fine art of sustainable gardening and landscaping; the study of horticulture and conservation; beautification of our environs; and to aid in the protection of native trees, shrubs and plants. Established in 1954, the club gathers each month to listen to engaging speakers, swap garden plants, take field trips, and share information between new and experienced gardeners alike. The Garden Club meets the third Monday of each month at the Cheverly United Methodist Church. Club members participate in yearly service projects, such as making and delivering floral arrangements for shut-ins in Cheverly and maintaining the Memorial Garden at Cheverly United Methodist Church. The popular annual Garden Club sale offers vegetables, hanging baskets, and plants from members' yards.

• Email 

Cheverly Girl Scouts

The Cheverly Girl Scouts girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Through enriching experiences such as extraordinary field trips, sports skill-building clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships, girls grow courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding skill and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision making, and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities and leadership skills.

Scout Levels:

• Any girl 5 to 17 years of age can join the world largest organization for girls at different grade-levels:
• Girl Scout Daisy, grades K-1
• Girl Scout Brownie, grades 2-3
• Girl Scout Junior, grades 4-5
• Girl Scout Cadette, grades 6-8
• Girl Scout Senior, grades 9-12

Contact:

• Brownie Troop: Email Marcie Goeke-Morey
• Junior Troop: Email Carol Hart
• Cadette Troop: Email Peggy Callahan or Email Andrea Cerulli
• Ambassador Troop: Email Joy Pritchett

Cheverly Forum for Accountability & Action

The Cheverly Community Forum for Accountability and Action (The Cheverly Forum) is a group of Cheverly neighbors working to advance inclusion, equity, and justice. Our mission is to cultivate relationships, build bridges, and provide platforms to involve those whose stories and perspectives are too often unheard, disregarded, or otherwise crucially missing from public discussion and decision.

Open to all, the Cheverly Forum seeks out and listens to the concerns and ideas of people and organizations aiming to rectify and improve our community life and local government. Accordingly, the Forum raises those voices, nurtures understanding, builds consensus around community priorities, and champions efforts to put them into effect.

• Website

The Cheverly Homemakers Club

For 50 years the Homemakers Club has been promoting programs to strengthen the home, family and community life. The club meets the second Monday of each month September through May in various members' homes, and programs featuring a variety of topics are presented.

• Email Gail Hill 
• Phone: 301-322-1461

Cheverly Women's Club

The Cheverly Women's Club was founded in 1919 to unite the women of Cheverly for their mutual benefit and for the promotion of their common interests in education, civic and moral measures.

Through the years, the Women's Club has grown to empower the women of Cheverly to serve the needs of our diverse community through collaboration and cooperation with other organizations in our area. The Club's main goals are to improve the welfare of children, increase interest in our civic duties and to spread tolerance, kindness and understanding to as many people as possible. possible.

The Cheverly Women's Club understands that Love is the greatest power. It's focus is to help create a safe and loving community that's compassionate, caring, kind and shows "Love in Action."

• Facebook

Cheverly Fitness Bootcamp

Cheverly Fitness Bootcamp is your free community fitness resource! We are community led, gathering together to do body weight and light weight workouts, each at their own pace. During Covid 19 restrictions and weather permitting, we meet outdoors on Thursdays at 6 am at the town track and Saturday mornings at Euclid Park. If you would like to receive information and be notified when we resume, email our google group or our Facebook group called Cheverly Bootcamp.

Cheverly United Methodist Church

The "church in the heart of the community with the community in its heart," has been in ministry and service to the town since the early 1940s. Many Cheverly young people began their childhood education here at the Cheverly UMC Weekday Nursery and former Mother's Day Out programs. In addition to Sunday morning worship at 10 am, church activities include Sunday School for all ages, Wednesday Night Bible Study and Thursday Evening Prayer. Cheverly UMC is the meeting place for the Cheverly Garden Club, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Daisy Troops, several AA groups and Love 2 Dance II Dance Academy.

If you are new to Cheverly or thinking of moving here, we welcome you. Cheverly is a wonderful town with a great community spirit. We boast some of the best services you can find, lots of friendly faces from many backgrounds, and a beautiful environment with a wide variety of home styles and trees galore. You can learn about the services available by checking out the links on this site. We have learned that to maintain an attractive community takes a lot of work. So over the decades since Cheverly's incorporation in 1931, we have adopted a number of ordinances intended to help maintain the quality of community life. To avoid surprises later on, please take a look at some key Cheverly ordinances. Of particular importance please note our restrictions on front yard fences and parking of commercial vehicles. If you have questions about any of these ordinances, please contact the Cheverly town office at 301-773-8360.

• View more on the Before You Buy a Home in Cheverly page.