Author: dcpsschoolplanning

Foxhall & MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group Meeting- #4 Summary

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The Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group convened for its fourth session on Thursday, March 18th, 2021. During this session the School Planning team reviewed survey feedback on proposed options discussed at sessions #2 and #3. Additionally, the collective reviewed and discussed updated scenarios and additional recommendation proposed by the group. The meeting concluded with conversations around approaching broader community engagement. Meeting materials are available here  —here and our group membership list is here.   

For questions regarding this Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group, please email our team at DCPS.Planning@k12.dc.gov. 

Foxhall & MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group–Meeting #2 & #3 Summary

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The Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group convened for its second meeting split into two sessions on Tuesday, March 2nd and Thursday, March 4th, 2021. In these sessions, the group reviewed the scope of needs within the Wilson Feeder Pattern and in the area surrounding Foxhall and MacArthur sites. A significant portion of both sessions was spent reviewing proposed options and impact analysis for the Foxhall and MacArthur sites. Community Working Group members were also given the opportunity to identify any additional options for analysis and discussion. Materials from the meeting are available–here and our group membership list is here. 

For questions regarding this Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group, please email our team at DCPS.Planning@k12.dc.gov. 

Military Road Early Learning Center: Principal Announcement

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Principal Amelia L. Hunt

DCPS is excited to announce the principal of Military Road Early Learning Center: Amelia L. Hunt. Principal Hunt opened DCPS’ first standalone early learning center this school year (2020-2021), Thaddeus Stevens ELC, in a newly modernized historic building with in-person classes starting in January 2021. We look forward to her bringing her early childhood education expertise and apply her school opening best practices to Military Road ELC, also a school opening in a historic building. Principal Hunt will lead both of DCPS early learning centers this fall for School Year 2021-2022: Military Road ELC and Stevens ELC. Read more in the full announcement letters:

Letters to Military Road ELC community: English, Spanish, Amharic. Also posted on the Military Road ELC website: http://bit.ly/MilitaryRoadELC.

Letter to Stevens ELC community here.

Questions? Reach out to the Military Road ELC at MilitaryRoadELCenroll@k12.dc.gov or call (202) 671-6410.

Foxhall & MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group First Meeting Summary

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The Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group convened for its first meeting on Thursday, February 11th, 2021. In this meeting, the group reviewed the proposed engagement and planning process related to the two new sites, including the data analysis plan that DCPS will use to evaluate options and inform discussions. Materials from the meeting are available here and our group membership list is here.

The Community Working Group will meet next in early March and then periodically throughout the spring. The key deliverable from this process will be a set of recommended options with clearly articulated trade-offs and preferences that the Community Working Group – and the broader community – have engaged in. These recommendations will be shared with DCPS and city leadership to inform decision-making on the program scope for both the Foxhall and MacArthur sites, including grade configurations and feeder patterns. Once these decisions are finalized, DCPS will work with impacted school communities on implementation planning.

For questions regarding this Foxhall and MacArthur School Planning Community Working Group, please email our team at DCPS.Planning@k12.dc.gov.

DCPS Early Childhood Education hosting 2 PreK lottery sessions in Feb.!

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Thinking about Pre-K? Curious about DCPS? Join the Early Childhood Division for an evening of information sharing and Q&A about our Pre-K programs. Get your questions answered and get to know DCPS! There will be two sessions available, one in English on February 3 and a second one in Spanish on February 17. This will also be an opportunity to learn more about the new Military Road Early Learning Center opening in Ward 4: 1375 Missouri Ave NW!

RSVP with these links:

New DCPS School: Military Road Early Learning Center (SY21-22)

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DCPS is opening a new school this August for School Year 2021-2022! Military Road Early Learning Center will be a citywide, standalone early learning center with grades PK3 and PK4. This site is located in Ward 4 at 1375 Missouri Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011. Updates will be posted here regularly. You can also visit the new Military Road Early Learning Center’s school website for more details: http://bit.ly/MilitaryRoadELC. The MSDC school profile for Military Road ELC will be coming soon!

Location: 1375 Missouri Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011

Please see below for all our announcement letters from today, translations included.

Questions? Please reach out to our team at DCPS.Planning@k12.dc.gov

Community Engagement Process for Foxhall & MacArthur Blvd School Planning

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DCPS has identified Capital Improvement Plan funding beginning in FY21 to construct a new facility – “Foxhall” – on the Old Hardy site (1500 Block of Foxhall Rd NW), as well as funding in FY21 to purchase the newly vacant GDS lower school facility – “MacArthur Blvd School” (4530 MacArthur Boulevard NW).  Both facilities are in Ward 3.  The goal of these investments is to help address overcrowding in the Wilson HS feeder pattern. DCPS has not yet determined the program scope for these buildings, including considerations such as boundaries, feeder patterns, and final grade configurations.  These topics will be the focus of the upcoming engagement process.   

Given the scope of this planning, these conversations are relevant to the entire Wilson feeder pattern.  For this reason, DCPS is launching a community engagement process to support planning for the two sites to ensure that all impacted communities are engaged in the planning and decision-making process.  The engagement plan will include a number of ways for stakeholders to provide input, including: 

  • The establishment of a Community Working Group (CWG) of school and parent representatives so that we can hear from every school community on the options and work across schools to identify the impacts and considerations for each option.  This group will begin meeting in early February and will likely meet 1-2 times once per month through the spring.  Each school will identify one staff (the school principal or a designee) and one parent representative to join the CWG.  Representatives from key community groups will also be invited to participate.   
  • Additional touchpoints with principals to provide a space for school leaders to hear directly from their peers and provide input to the School Planning Team.  
  • Opening up public opportunities for people to  submit their input online, and finally, 
  • DCPS may also hold additional school and community meetings in the spring to get more feedback on the ideas that come out of the CWG. 

DCPS expects to hold the first Community Working Group meeting in early February 2021 and will post meeting materials and notes, as well as other relevant updates, to this site after each meeting.   

Free Internet for Eligible Families (SNAF or TANF)

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DC Government will pay for a year of home internet (Comcast Internet Essentials or RCN Internet First) for approximately 25,000 households with PK3-12th grade students enrolled at DC public schools and charter public schools that receive SNAP or TANF benefits. DC Government will reach out to SNAP and TANF eligible households with PK3-12th grade students enrolled at DC public schools and charter schools.

Eligible families will have received a text message from DC Government at the below dates listed in the flyer. Families must reply yes to the program and then yes to Comcast or RCN calling you for installation. After signing up, Comcast or RCN will then contact the household to initiate the internet installation process within 2 weeks. Please be sure to respond to Comcast or RCN in order to complete your internet installation.

Past debt with provider does not affect eligibility. They will not attempt to collect this debt. Also families can opt out of service any time. If you did not receive the communications and feel you are eligible or if you previously opted out and changed your mind, please contact your school for support.

December Parent University Sessions

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DCPS Parent University is a workshop series for families facilitated by the Communications and Engagement Office. Each session is designed to help families play their important role in supporting student learning and growth. The workshops are an opportunity for families to share strategies and learn new ones from each other and DCPS Central Office teams. Upcoming December sessions include:

Click the above links to register for these sessions! You can also view recordings of previous sessions here.

Stevens ELC Feature: Ms. Billie Case, PK4 Teacher

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What is your role at Stevens for the SY20-21? How long have you been teaching? This will be my fourth year teaching Pre-K in DC. Prior to joining Stevens ELC to teach Pre-K 4, I taught in mixed-age Pre-K classrooms in local charter schools. I am excited to join the Stevens team and begin a new adventure.

What do you love most about the early childhood education (ECE) age group? Young children consistently inspire me with their ability to flourish when provided with the tools, strategies and opportunities they deserve. When offered respect, time and support, our youngest learners build caring, adaptive, and creative classroom communities together. I also feel that working with young children brings out the best in me. They inspire me to be curious, patient, welcoming and forgiving.  I feel lucky to be part of a profession that cultivates joy, creativity and friendship between students, families and educators.

Can you share a little about your teaching philosophy? I believe in the power of high-quality ECE experiences and the importance of reflective and responsive practice. I believe my primary responsibility as an educator is to design a responsive education experience that introduces school as a place of joy, growth, questioning and support for both students and families. I believe children thrive best when we hold high expectations for both them and ourselves, but always remember that everyone requires time and love to grow.

How can we make virtual learning successful? Be responsive and adaptive while also anticipating needs. As teachers, we need to think through the details from the perspective of our students and their families at all times. We then also need to work individually with families to tailor the experience to their family’s unique needs

What are some of your favorite children’s books? Gazpacho for Nacho by Tracey C. Kyle and Little Cloud by Eric Carle

What was your favorite childhood book? My favorite childhood book was Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Fun fact about myself: I have 9 nieces and nephews!