Eliot-Hine – Page 5 – DCPS School Planning

Eliot-Hine’s March Highlights & Upcoming Events

March 21, 2017March 22, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

March has been very busy at Eliot-Hine! Check out the photos and highlights below:

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Eliot-Hine TV Network interviewed new DCPS Chancellor Antwan Wilson last week! He also met and heard from staff and current students.
A group of students took a field trip to see Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors exhibit at the Hirschhorn Museum. (A separate blog post on this coming up next week!)
Eliot-Hine students read Ungifted by Gordon Korman and engaged in a book discussion with Kitty Felde of Book Club for Kids Podcast. Stay tuned for this podcast coming out in May!
3 of Eliot-Hine’s Ski Team places in their recent competition:
- Malia: 1st place, middle school intermediate division
- Ja’shon: 5th place, middle school intermediate division
- Elizabeth: 8th place, middle school novice
5 students compete in the Science Olympiad at American University and place in five different categories they competed in!
8th grade students met with their community mentors as they work on their International Baccaleaurate (IB) Community Project. Topics for this year’s research projects include raising awareness about the homeless shelters and population in DC, evaluating high school drop out rate and its consequences, how to address bullying in middle school, education reform, etc. Mentors will continue to meet with students until their presentation in late May.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, March 23: Eliot-Hine STEM Fair Expo, 1-3 PM. This event brings together our students to demonstrate their abilities to create, problem-solve, and innovate in the fields of math and science. You will be able to view: 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Science Fair Projects; 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math Projects; STEM demos.
Saturday, April 1st: Pollinator Garden Installation & Enrollment Event, 9 AM – 12 PM.

Eliot-Hine April 1st Event Flyer

Spring has arrived at Eliot-Hine: New GrowLab!

March 20, 2017March 21, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

Eliot-Hine’s new GrowLab, indoor garden, was funded as part of an OSSE Farm Field Trip Grant. The purpose of this grant is to increase the number of District students who visit local farms. Students helped plant the milkweed seeds, water them consistently, and track their progress. Then in April, 6th and 7th grade students will take a field trip to Hard Bargain Farm in Accokeek, MD. Also as a part of the grant, Eliot-Hine’s required follow-up activity will be installing a pollinator garden. Everyone is invited to this April 1st Pollinator Garden Installation event. Join Eliot-Hine as they continue to infuse science and sustainability in fun and productive ways!

April 1st: Pollinator Garden Installation and Enrollment Event for All!

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

Eliot-Hine April 1st Event Flyer — Flyer for Eliot-Hine’s April 1st event!

Eliot-Hine Middle School has a very exciting April 1st event planned for current families, prospective families, and anyone who would like to join from the community! From a grant the Junk Art Club won earlier this year, a pollinator garden will be installed on Saturday, April 1st from 9 AM – 12 PM. There will also be a variety of art projects available for all ages, including painting hubcaps to decorate the fences. This is also an opportunity for current and prospective families to re-enroll/enroll their student on-site. Staff and current parents will also be present to share more about the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.

Upcoming Events:

April 1st: Pollinator Garden Installation & Enrollment Event, 9 AM – 12 PM
April 12th: PTO Meeting at 6 PM

Eliot-Hine Staff Feature: Ms. Harrington, 8th Grade Physical Science

March 8, 2017March 8, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

EH Sci. Staff_Harrington — Ms. Harrington, 8th grade Physical Science teacher

Where are you from and what experiences led you to where you are in education today? I am from this area and went to Virginia Tech. After college, I came back home and have been teaching at Eliot-Hine ever since. My mentor is my 9th grade biology teacher. She is remarkable, made science fun, and we still have relationship to this day! Relating lessons to the real world made her class so interesting. That is what I try to do in my classroom: connect and make every moment count
How long have you been teaching at EH? Six years. I started my teaching career here at Eliot-Hine.
How would you describe Eliot-Hine students? Inquisitive. They are always exploring, asking questions, seeking answers, and constantly learning. They love being here! They are appreciated and very loved in this safe space.
Share something about Eliot-Hine staff: No teacher or classroom here is alike. You will find teachers here come from such diverse backgrounds- those with a doctorate degree or some seeking teaching as a career change, etc. All our various attributes bring something different to the classroom.
Science learning profiles

This is Eliot-Hine’s first full year as an IB MS. How does this IB framework shape your teaching? We really emphasize the IB learner profiles. These are attributes I would like them to have when they leave my class. A test does not strictly define capability. We focus a lot on the whole student and project-based learning. They’re so creative and excel when they’re asked to apply what they’ve learned. You’ll see a lot more discussion-based classes here. Also debates that challenge their mindset and expose them to various ways of thinking about something.
What are some new Science initiatives at Eliot-Hine this year? We have new lab spaces and equipment! There is a grow lab (an indoor gardening station) in the back of the 7th grade Life Science classroom. We also recently created a pollinator garden to help preserve the health of bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators.
What is something people do not know about Eliot-Hine? We are a Flamboyan Family Engagement Partnership School. Flamboyan Foundation works with four DCPS schools as Middle School Family Engagement Partners to implement high impact family engagement strategies that build strong relationships and engage families as partners in their student’s academic success. This allows us to do a lot home visits. We also have student-led conferences and goal setting is also very student-driven.
Describe Eliot-Hine in one word. Change. Middle school years are the years of transformation. We help with the precious transition into becoming a middle school student and build up their character for their transition into high school. Our students become very resilient and acquire many life skills to help them adapt to change.

Stop by Eliot-Hine to check out their neat pollinator garden or meet passionate staff like Ms. Harrington! We will feature more staff members and their pollinator garden in the coming weeks.

Eliot-Hine embraces the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP)

March 6, 2017March 7, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) is a framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. One way Eliot-Hine embraces this is through their Communications Class with Mr. Birks. Students not only learn how to code and become more comfortable and confident with public speaking, they utilize technology in innovative ways and obtain journalism experience interviewing notable local and international politicians, corporations, and radio/TV personalities.

EH Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center Interview.jpg

Recently, students took a field trip to Microsoft and interviewed their Corporate Vice-President of U.S. Government Affairs, Frederick S. Humphries Jr. The above photo features Mr. Birks with four 6th graders and their interviewee. They also interviewed Desmond Tutu’s eldest daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe to learn more about TuTu Desk. All their interviews can be found on the Eliot-Hine TV Network channel.

UPCOMING EVENT REMINDER: Eliot-Hine PTO meeting this Wednesday, 3/8 at 6 PM in the Media Center

Eliot-Hine’s Award-winning Junk Art Club!

February 22, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

eh-junk-art-club-10

Eliot-Hine is full of fun and innovative extracurriculars. Recently the Junk Art Club was selected as a winner of the Office of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE) Health and Wellness Award. The Junk Art Club won this $500 award for their efforts to create art out of materials that would normally be considered trash. The club members have created a map of the United States out of cereal boxes and are currently working on a project to recreate one of the panels from the Jacob Lawrence Migration Series out of bottle caps.

junk-art-club-award

Below is an update from their recent adventure with the Anacostia Watershed Society:

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Members of the Junk Art Club spent a day with the Anacostia Watershed Society collecting and sorting trash from the River Terrace Trash Trap. Trash traps are set up along the Anacostia River to prevent trash in storm water sewer outflows from entering the river. In addition to keeping trash out of the river, the students learned the trash traps provide valuable information to policy makers. Data gathered from the trash traps were important pieces of information that led to the five-cent fee on plastic bags, and the recent ban on Styrofoam containers in the District. The students learned that the five-cent fee on plastic bags led to a significant reduction in plastic bags found in the river. Today the trash traps along the river are collecting primarily plastic and glass beverage containers.

Looking forward to more things the Junk Art Club creates and positive impact they have on the environment!

Seeking Eliot-Hine Feeder Schools’ Input!

January 30, 2017February 9, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

Put forth by the Eliot-Hine School Improvement Team, we are currently seeking feedback from all our feeder school families to learn more about your preferences in a middle school option. Feedback from this survey will support our planning process for the upcoming $87.7 million Eliot-Hine modernization.

So far this is the breakdown of our 171 survey responses. To ensure we have feedback from all feeder schools and your voice is heard, take the very brief survey and circulate with your school’s network. We have extended the deadline to complete the survey to Friday, February 10, 2017.

Thank you for you input and help in building our neighborhood middle school and community!

Interview with Parent of Eliot-Hine 8th Grader!

January 25, 2017January 25, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

Tour guides for Open House!

LeShawn Weeks: Parent of current Eliot-Hine 8th grader. Photo of her daughter on right: leading a school tour for Eliot-Hine’s Open House.

Tell us why your student is a good fit for Eliot-Hine. My daughter is a good fit for Eliot-Hine because it’s a smaller environment where she can thrive and express her leadership abilities. Although Nafisa would thrive in any setting, I liked Eliot-Hine’s smaller setting compared to other DC schools because it feels more like a family.

What elementary school did she attend? She attended Langdon Elementary School until 3rd grade, then J.C. Nalle for 4th and 5th. So how did you end up at Eliot-Hine? I was trying to find the best school as far as teachers, programs, and a safe environment. Being a Washingtonian, I know the city and its areas and attending school in a safe haven was important for me so she wouldn’t have to worry too much while she was learning.

As a current Eliot-Hine parent, what have your interactions with staff been like? All of my interactions have been positive. Anytime they have had to reach out, it has been positive. Telephone, pop-up school visit, etc. no matter how I am in contact with them, whether it’s a security guard or Principal Vargas, they are very communicative.

What did Eliot-Hine have that other middle school options did not? My daughter is all about learning and Eliot-Hine beat out a lot of schools, especially now with the IB programme. The other schools didn’t have the academic environment to allow my daughter to gain all the information she needed to be successful. At Eliot-Hine she has had the chance to shine not just academically, but also practice her leadership skills. She is a student tour guide at Eliot-Hine’s Open house! This is the school for her.

How do you see the IB framework shaping your student? The IB MYP is a lot more open and not as constricting. The student is able to take what the teacher is giving and expand on it on their own. As an 8th grader, you have a community based project to research and present on. We’re looking forward to seeing what she will choose.

What extracurriculars is your student part of or what is their favorite class? Her favorite class is science. She has previously been involved with the book and knitting clubs. This year she has been heavily involved with the Eliot-Hine TV & Radio Network. As an 8^th grader, she is one of the lead interviewers. They’ve gone to the White House and National Museum of African American History and Culture, interviewed Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, President Obama’s Press Secretary Josh Earnest, Journalist and Newscaster Leon Harris and the list goes on.

What do people not know about Eliot-Hine? People do not know how valuable the teachers are at Eliot-Hine. The teachers and staff genuinely care so much about the students and they foster such a family environment. They want to see them grow and succeed. We are grateful as this allows our students to be more confident and get the most that they can out of their middle school experience.

One word to describe Eliot-Hine: Achievement!

Check out Nafisa’s interview with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Principal Vargas as part of the Eliot-Hine Radio & TV Network.

Interview with parent of current Eliot-Hine 7th grader!

January 23, 2017January 23, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

heather-schoell-headshot Heather Schoell: Parent of current Eliot-Hine 7th grader and Eastern HS 9th grader, an Eliot-Hine alum

How did you end up choosing Eliot-Hine for your family? When it was time for my older daughter to choose a middle school, we made a pro and con list. After we got into Latin, we turned them down because the logistics of the longer commute was not worth a life change for all four of us. It would have meant my husband would be commuting into work an hour earlier, my daughter would miss ballet class because she would arrive home too late, etc. More importantly, we chose our neighborhood school because we believe in investing in our community. We could have chosen the charter or private school route, but we were considering a longer term plan. We are totally happy with our choice! My daughters are receiving a well rounded education at Eliot-Hine, and we get to stay in our community.
Maury ES is one of Eliot-Hine’s feeder schools. What helps Maury students thrive at Eliot-Hine? The feeder continuity is so important. Kids get to continue their relationships. For PK3 to 5 grade, that’s 8 years of friendship and relationships! There’s no need for them to all scatter for middle school. Even though Maury is not officially an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, it feels that way with their learner profiles. Maury students are able to continue this learning and familiarize themselves with IB attributes when they come to Eliot-Hine, an IB school.
As a current Eliot-Hine parent, what have your interactions with staff been like? Eliot-Hine teachers are incredibly invested in their students, their successes academically, and navigating those awkward middle school years. I am particularly impressed with teachers who have called on weekends to keep me updated on how my daughter is progressing.
What did Eliot-Hine have that other MS options did not? Eliot-Hine has a campus of over 6 acres with plenty of outdoor space. Compared to charter schools, this was a big plus so my kids could have lots of physical activity. Additionally, being our neighborhood school, the proximity to my home was huge. They are able to walk to and from school without needing to spend time on a bus and get back after dark. They have time to decompress.
How do you see the IB framework shaping your student? Inference is challenging for students. The IB framework really fosters this, whether it’s through reading and discussing text or communicative writing. I see this play out with students and their growth through the years as they practice this in classrooms and their daily lives. I see this setting them up for success in high school and college.
What is an extracurricular you are or your students are involved with? I lead a lunch club called “Talk with your mouth full”. Born out of a book club, we seek reflection pieces and learn more difficult vocabulary. This is a time where kids can talk and express themselves weekly. Our content varies from sharing what we read over winter break, watching video series, or articles. Previously we read about a woman who survived the Holocaust as as child; Carrie Nation, a prohibitionist with a hatchet; and also Hetty Green, the “Witch of Wall Street”.
What do people not know about Eliot-Hine? Parents are surprised that Eliot-Hine has advanced students! We also have a very accomplished radio and TV broadcast led by Mr. Birks.
What would be one word you would use to describe Eliot-Hine? Ascending!

Thank you, Heather, for speaking to us. Our next post will feature a parent interview of a current Eliot-Hine 8th grader.

A reminder we currently have a survey out to learn more about our current Eliot-Hine and feeder families. Please fill out the below survey. It will take no more than 5 minutes!

Eliot-Hine’s MLK Day Service Project and Basketball Game Recap

January 19, 2017January 24, 2017dcpsschoolplanningLeave a comment

Eliot-Hine is buzzing this semester with a variety of events from a MLK Day Service Project to 8th graders and their families meeting about their upcoming IB MYP community project, along with basketball games and ski trips! It is also so exciting to continue meet Eliot-Hine’s feeder families (Maury ES, Miner ES, Payne ES, and School-Within-School@Goding) at Buddy Days and the monthly Eliot-Hine Open Houses. Check out Eliot-Hine for yourself at any of the events below!

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Upcoming Eliot-Hine events: