EMHS Gets A New Name & Mascot/Logo
After a month of taking comments on the proposed name of the school and on 3 schools mascot options, we finally have the results. Students, families, and community members told us what they wanted – and we listened. In August the doors will open to the new Ron Brown College Preparatory High School. We are the MONARCHS! The lion “Monarchs” represents a strong leader- a king of the land. He represents trust and integrity and service for his people.
It’s been a while since our last Coolidge update. We’re excited about this one because it’s the first of many more over the coming months and years as we begin the school’s modernization process. The Coolidge Working Group officially kicked off this week with its first meeting on Tuesday, May 10th. Notes are here, recap below.
https://twitter.com/srfrjulie/status/730164593071407104
The Coolidge Community Working Group is unique because it combines responsibilities typically associated with a Community Cabinet (school programming) with those typically associated with a School Improvement Team (building modernization). Because both processes are starting at the same time, members have an opportunity to give input on both the modernized school building and some of the elements that go inside of it.
At Tuesday’s meeting we asked the group to begin thinking about how we should gather feedback about the school from the larger network of prospective parents and community members. It was a rich discussion among our stakeholders and an energizing start to the project for all of us at DCPS. Coolidge buzz is growing!
Roosevelt Planning Principal Aqueelha James met with the Community Cabinet last week to talk about next steps for the group as the school transitions to the new building this fall. The notes are below. Ms. James also gave Cabinet members a sneak peek at the new Roosevelt website currently in development! It’s still in progress but check out the latest below.
Principal Aqueelha James and MacFarland Assistant Principal Mark Sanders will host an enrollment fair for both Roosevelt High School and MacFarland Middle School on Saturday, May 21st from 10am to noon in the Roosevelt Gym. Registration will happen on site, so make sure to bring your proof of DC residency. Flyers in English and Spanish are below, please contact DCPS.Planning@dc.gov with any questions.
Note: this event is tailored to prospective families. We look forward to hosting many more events for our Ward 4 neighbors in the future, but will not be able to offer building tours on the 21st.
MacFarland community members, we’ve got some exciting news on MacFarland leadership! As you may recall, Roosevelt Principal Aqueelha James will be Principal of MacFarland for the next two years with the support of a bilingual Assistant Principal. In early April DCPS asked a group of community members, parents, and MacFarland Community Cabinet members to meet the candidates for MacFarland AP and make a recommendation to the Chancellor. We’re happy to announce today that the panel’s recommendation, Mark Sanders, has accepted an offer to join MacFarland’s leadership team!
Mr. Sanders has a ten year track record of success as a bilingual educator, starting out as a Spanish teacher and serving as Assistant Principal at McKinley Tech High School and Powell Elementary School. He has a Masters in Education from Harvard University’s School Leadership Program and is a current Mary Jane Patterson Fellow at Woodson Senior High School.
The full announcement in English and Spanish is below. We’ll be announcing opportunities to meet your new MacFarland leadership team soon. Stay tuned!
Planning Principal Aqueelha James will be hosting an enrollment fair for both Roosevelt High School and MacFarland Middle School on Saturday, April 23rd from 10am to noon in the Roosevelt Gym. Registration will happen on site, so make sure to bring proof of DC residency. Flyers in English and Spanish are below, please contact DCPS.Planning@dc.gov with any questions.
Note: this event is tailored to prospective families. We look forward to hosting many more events for our Ward 4 neighbors in the future, but will not be able to offer building tours on the 23rd.
EMHS Facilities Update
The Empowering Males High School Community Cabinet received a presentation from the DCPS Facilities Team about the timeline of the construction project and the scope of work that needs to be completed. Cabinet Members were introduced to members of the construction and design teams. Each team provided an update on the phased modernization taking place at the former Ron Brown Middle School. See below to view the meeting notes and presentation deck.
Proposed Name Change for Empowering Males High School
DCPS is proposing a change to the name of the former Ron Brown Middle School, located at 4800 Meade St. NE, Washington, DC, 20019. Pending public comment, effective May 1, 2016, the school will be named Ron Brown College Preparatory High School. This school will be Washington, DC’s only public, all-male, college-preparatory high school that places significant emphasis on humanities and languages, which will ensure that every young man graduates with the skills necessary to be successful in college and career.
DCPS proposed maintaining the current name of the school with minimal modification and engaged the district-wide Empowering Males High School Community Cabinet, with representation from every ward of the city, including Ward 7 ANC, and civic representation. DCPS will inform the community of the new school name through DCPS social media, information on its website, community listservs, and communication with students and families who have applied to the school.
For further information and/or to submit public commentary, please contact the Empowering Males High School Working Group, DCPS Office of Family and Community Engagement at EMHS@dc.gov or 202-719-6613. Click here for the official link to the DC Register.
EMHS Enrollment Begins!
The Empowering Males High School will host a series of enrollment events for families who were matched on April 1 via the My School DC Lottery. EMHS families also received letters from Principal Ben Williams, via email and USPS, to notify them that their son would be a member of the class of 2020, the first class of ninth grade students at the new Empowering Males High School. Each EMHS family can enroll each Saturday during the month of April, beginning April 9 at Kelly Miller Middle School. For families who are not available on Saturdays, there are two evening opportunities on April 14 and 28 at the Deanwood Recreation Center.
EMHS APRIL ENROLLMENT DATES
| Date | Location | Time |
| 4/9/16 | Kelly Miller Middle School | 10:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m |
| 4/14/16 | Deanwood Recreation Center | 6:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m |
| 4/16/16 | Kelly Miller Middle School | 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m |
| 4/23/16 | Kelly Miller Middle School | 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m |
| 4/28/16 | Deanwood Recreation Center | 6:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m |
| 4/30/16 | Kelly Miller Middle School | 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m |
Principal James led last week’s Community Cabinet meeting in the new Roosevelt building, discussing her enrollment plan and instructional vision for Roosevelt High School. She also discussed her leadership of MacFarland Middle School’s Dual Language Program for its first two years, and how the middle and high school programs will align.
Notes are here.
DCPS School Planning 