CHPSPO Meeting Notes – February 19, 2013
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
JO Wilson School Library
February 19, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1) At-large City Council Candidates Forum (Bonnie Cain, Councilmember Wells’ Education Advisor)
CHPSPO to host forum focused on education and youth issues.
When: Tuesday April 9 at 6:30
Where: Eliot-Hine Middle School, 1830 Constitution Ave NE
Civics club (students) from Eliot-Hine will come up with questions. Will invite other Ward 6 middle schools to participate.
Action: Suzanne Wells to reach out to middle school principals.
2) Bike to school day
May 8, 7:30-8:30 AM at Lincoln Park. All schools are invited.
Register your school: http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/ (especially so DDOT’s Safe Routes to School Coordinator can track – last year, reflectors were distributed to participating schools)
Please get the word out and find coordinators for your school. Contact sandramoscosomills@gmail.com for details.
Can you help w/ the following?:
- Coordinate on behalf of your school (mostly making sure folks know what’s going on)
- Find parents or teachers from your school to lead Bike trains from park to your school
- Map (safe) Bike routes from Lincoln park to Schools
- Reach out to MPD to see if they can participate
- Find someone to donate coffee (BYO reusable cup or $1 for paper cups)
- Reach out to local bike shops to participate, lead bike trains
- Clean up (if necessary)
- ACTION: Sandra to get permit for Lincoln Park (need to confirm construction won’t interfere)
3) Priorities
a. Collectively advocate to DCPS on agreed upon issues
b. Engage with Councilmember Catania on what is working/isn’t working in Ward 6
c. Working jointly to support our middle schools
d. Identify best practices to support math proficiency so students entering Eastern are prepared for high school math
e. Promote vertical articulation and horizontal integration through supporting a program, e.g., Robotics, debate clubs, GeoPlunge, Street Law
f. Promoting more events at individual schools that are open to all schools, e.g., Maury’s Think Tank, Cluster’s Family Game Night
g. More cross-school collaboration that is led by the schools
h. Promote cross-school events, e.g., a Ward 6 field day, music festival, art show, Jumprope for Heart, school zone at H Street Festival
i. Promote Class of XX events to build community; use existing events when possible
j. Promote innovative summer programs at the Hill schools
k. Advocate for open data and more transparency from DCPS, OSSE, and PCSB
l. Support extended day, extended year, summer bridge programs
m. Support building skills
n. Finalize CHPSPO’s 501(c) 3 application
- ACTION: Suzanne will circulate the priorities before the next meeting, and ask everyone to rank the priorities. We will discuss the priorities at the March meeting, and reach agreement on how we want to move forward.
4) 501c3 – Sherry Trafford
- Members in attendance voted to adopt the conflict of interest policy that is listed in the appendix to the 501(c)(3) application
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CHPSPO Meeting Notes – January 15, 2013
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Maury Elementary School Library
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1) At-large City Council Candidates Forum (Charles Allen, Councilmember Wells’ Chief of Staff)
- In April, District voters will elect an at-large City Councilmember in a special election for a two-year term.
- Eliot-Hine would like to host a student-led candidates’ forum focused on education and youth issues.
- Idea is to get students to organize the candidates’ forum, e.g., invite the candidates, find a moderator, advertise the forum, etc.
- Joe Weeden offered that Defeat Poverty DC would be a co-sponsor. CHPSPO offered to co-sponsor.
- Suzanne Wells offered to let Principals Clemens (Capitol Hill Cluster School/Stuart Hobson Middle School) and Gordon (Jefferson Academy) know about the forum to see if there might be opportunities for their students to participate.
- Charles Allen offered to put together a timeline leading up to the forum.
2) DCPS Lottery Communications (Alaina Smith, DCPS, Office of Strategic Enrollment Initiatives)
- Encourage parents to attend open houses
- Encourage schools to list open houses on DCPS open house list
- Lottery is open Jan 28-Feb 25. Entering early does not mean better chance of getting in.
- BIG CHANGES to waitlist and registration processes. See this year’s guide.
- Lottery website: https://lottery.dcps.dc.gov/
3) DCPS Library Task Force update
- Questions around how recommendations to be implemented, e.g., per pupil funding?
- Task force recommendations here.
3) Presentation on Maury’s game lending library (Vanessa Ford, Maury Think Tank Teacher)
- Think Tank and Science Expo on January 24, 6-7:30PM at Maury Elementary School
- Game lending library at Maury is open to all families in the community. Many families have expressed positive feedback. Games serve as a way to engage children around math, science, problem-solving, cooperation.
- Maury received a grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation to start the game lending library.
- Think Tank Blog: http://maurythinktank.blogspot.com/
4) Discussion of 2013 CHPSPO Priorities (tabled till next month) – see last year’s priorities here: http://chpspo.org/2012/01/19/chpspo-meeting-notes-january-12-2012/
5) CHPSPO 501(c)3 (Sherry Trafford) (tabled till next month)
- Bank account is open
- CHPSPO has been incorporated
- Almost there for 501c3
Next CHPSPO Meeting: February 19, 2013
Upcoming Events:
- January 22, 2013, 5:30 p.m., Jefferson Academy Open House
- January 22, 2013, 6 p.m., Ward 6 IB presentation, Westminster Presbyterian Church
- January 22, 2013, 6:30-8:30PM, SHAPPE Meeting, Phelps Senior High School - discussing the impact of the recently announced DCPS school closures on the city’s high schools. CM Wells is guest.
- Lots of other open houses coming up – check here for dates: http://dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Step+1+-+Get+Ready/Open+Houses
- January 29, 6:30 pm, Living Room Chat with Principal Tynika Young for 2nd grade families
CHPSPO Meeting Notes – November 20, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Maury Elementary School Library – 1250 Constitution Ave., NE
November 20, 2012, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1) DCPS School Closing Announcement (Cathy Reilly, SHAPPE, and Daniel del Pielago (Empower DC)
ACTION:
- Dec 5 – Wards 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 Community Discussion on DCPS Proposed Consolidation and Reorganization, 6 – 8 p.m @ Brightwood Education Campus (1300 Nicholson St, NW)
- What does this mean to us (Ward 6 families) in the future?
- Engage DCPS online – post ideas on how to save money here.
DISCUSSION:
- Need to formulate collective vision of how to fix the schools
- When Hine and Eliot merged 5 years ago, combined population was +600, now Hine is ~300 total. Consolidation has proven to show decreased enrollment.
- No plan in place to enrich combined campuses programmatically.
- Valuable to attend a neighborhood school. Publicly funded, but privately run schools don’t fit into a neighborhood system.
- Teachers union not a strong voice; engage other unions?
- What impact has Basis had on the DCPS middle schools? (Latin, Two Rivers)
- Review data à http://dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/COMMUNITY/CR/DCPS-School-Data-Snapshot-November-19-2012.pdf
- 40% of families affected in this closing were affected in 2008 closing
- A lot of other places DCPS could save $ in lieu of closing schools – Teacher bonus, IMPACT evaluation, vendor relations (food services)
- What does an all charter system look like?
- Two pronged approach: Retention of families + Market to new families
2) Class of 20xx (Drew Golin, Maury parent)
ACTION:
- Recruit captains/teams at each school by grade (public, private, charter – raising a community)
DISCUSSION:
- Captains/Teams at each school by grade (public, private, charter – raising a community)
- Own listservs for the class
- Meetings
- Start getting involved in the HS – raise funds for music program, donate to bake sales, attend events
- ‘experts’ to think about
- Hill Rag letter
- 3rd grade playgroup: 1/3 of parents whose children had been to multiple schools.
- Summer concert series with Eastern HS band.
- Attend Eastern HS games http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/eastern-ramblers-(washington,dc)/basketball/schedule.htm
3) Title IX and sports for girls in DC (Valarie Hogan, National Women’s Law Center fellow)
ACTION:
- Circulate link to flyer and survey – engage MS and High Schools, coaches, parents, teachers – elem are covered but small.
- Meeting Dec 3, 6:30PM to give more info, discuss next steps @ Crolin Morrings, 1101 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
DISCUSSION:
- Center has been in talks w/ DCPS for years and possibly ready to file a complaint. Another complaint has been filed – focus is on opportunities, not on spending.
- Charters have not been tracked, in process of understand DC’s responsibility around charters and equity vis a vis sports
4) Learn about IB Middle Years @ Atlas and Living Room Chats update
ACTION:
- Next IB education night – Jan 22 at Westminster Presbyterian in SW , 6PM
- Stuart Hobson has first Tuesday visits
- Dec 2 Moth school information night 2-5PM. CHPSPO will attend.
5) DCPS Library Task Force update
- Continues to meet: recommendations out by mid-December, a lot of support for staffing librarians at all schools, collection development
- Where are books going w/ all closures? (Almost of all schools being closed don’t have librarians)…
Next CHPSPO Meeting: December 18, 2012
Upcoming Events:
- December 2: Girls on the Run 5K – 2PM @ Anacostia Park. Cheer on Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan, J.O. Wilson, Ludlow-Taylor, Maury, and Tyler or register to run in the 5K
- December 2: Hill School Information Night- 2-5PM @ Capitol Hill Day School
- December 3: Title IX Sports for Girls Next Steps – 6:30PM @ Crolin Morrings, 1101 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
- December 5: Wards 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 Community Discussion on DCPS Proposed Consolidation and Reorganization, 6 – 8 p.m.
- January 22: Next IB education night – at Westminster Presbyterian in SW , 6PM
CHPSPO Meeting Notes – October 17, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO)
Amidon-Bowen ES, Library – 401 I St., SW
Oct 16, 2012, 6:30-8PM
1) Pace Car Program – Dan Hoagland, WABA (did not attend). More here.
Decision: should be disseminated to principals/schools and driven by schools/neighborhoods.
Next Steps: Suzanne will ask Jennifer Heffernan to get list of schools in the Safe Routes to School program & find coordinators. We’ll work through the coordinators to promote the Pace Car program.
2) White Paper – Suzanne Wells/All
Discussion:
- There may not be critical mass at individual schools to offer programs, e.g., a debate club, but hosting at a library and attracting students from multiple schools is a possibility.
- This is the conversation that principals NEED to have.
- Music as unifying force, especially with DC Youth Orchestra Program at Eastern HS.
- Running programs from multiple schools might compete at nats stadium or have a field day on track at Eastern HS
- Frame as not asking DCPS to take lead, but to guide principals to see this as an opportunity.
- Attachment to white paper w/ statistics to better understand individual school offerings … ex: all elementary schools provide track… why does this not roll up to MS or HS level?
- How do we remove competition? How to we work together to ensure all children in all schools are at reading level? How do we share resources?
- My kid is going to be going to school w/ that kid in MS, so I need to help…
Next Steps:
- School reps to collect information about their school activities. Please add them to this document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aupe_6lYFPLIdFpvOUUtTjBxekIzcEJqOGJpbGdValE
- Revise white paper to emphasize the purpose is to promote cooperation among the schools. Consider bringing principals together for a pot-luck dinner to discuss white paper.
3) Class of 20XX
Discussion: Idea is to get students thinking from an early age that they are the high school graduation class of 20XX, and that the Eastern feeder pattern expects there to be a 100% graduation rate. Bigger goal is to help support any student not on track to graduate, and identify students early on so they have greatest chance of graduating from high school. Look for sponsors to support initiative. Tshirts, reunions, pre-unions, Ward 6 scavenger hunt.
Next Steps: Reach out to Drew Golin(Maury) for a framework/details.
4) DCPS Library Funding Follow Up
- DCPS has only agreed to one recommendation by establishing task force
- Protest/rally on Friday, October 19 at the Wilson Building – 8:45 AM – 2:00 PM
5) Learn about IB Middle Years Programme (Joe Weedon)
- October 23, 6PM at Atlas Performing Arts Center, including principals from Eliot-Hine, Jefferson and Eastern. More here.
- Need volunteers to set up and help sign participants in – contact Joe Weedon (joeweedon@verizon.net)
6) Eliot-Hine Living Room Chats – Suzanne Wells
- Looking for 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th grade parents to participate, co-host. Contact Suzanne (m.godec@att.net)
- NOTE: Eliot-Hine set to get bicycle racks!
Next CHPSPO Meeting: November 20, 2012
Upcoming events:
- Oct 19: Support School Libraries Rally/Protest, 8:45 AM-2 PM @ Wilson Building. More here.
- Oct 21: Brent’s Ward 6 Fall Safety Festival, 11 AM- 4 PM (all donations to support the Meslin Family). More here.
- Oct 23: Learn about International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, 6PM @ Atlas Performing Arts Center. More here.
- Oct 27: Tyler Fall Harvest. 11 AM- 3 PM. More here.
- Oct 27: Maury Fall Festival. More here.
- Oct 27: Capitol Hill Montessori @ Logan Haunted Harvest, 6-9PM. More here.
- Nov 8: Cluster Family Game Night & Wine Raffle. More here.
- Nov 10: Amidon-Bowen Fun Day. 11 AM-2PM
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CHPSPO Meeting Notes – September 18, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Capitol Hill Montessori@Logan
215 G Street, NE
September 18, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
At-Large School Board Member Candidates, Mary Lord and Marvin Tucker spoke about why they are running, their vision.
Walk-to-School Day (George Blackmon)
- Participating Schools – most in Capitol Hill have signed up.
- Food: need donations. Tyler and CHM@L will contribute Cliff Bars.
- Speakers: Confirmed – Tommy Wells, Kathy Pugh (EZ8DC and Girls on the Run), Rita (MAFA). Pending – MPD, Capital Bikeshare (Sandra to follow up), WABA (Shahna to follow up), Josh Morgan (Anthony Allard to follow up), AAA (Peter to follow up)
- Sponsors
Give Social (Kita McCord)
Give social is a platform to bring together groups. (GivSo.com). They are joining forces with Companies for Causes (companiesforcauses.org) and are interested in working w/ like-minded community organizations to work w/ Eastern HS and feeder schools/community. They are looking to understand who the groups are. PTA, out of school time orgs, to bring together community members to pool resources. Companies for Causes are 10 CEOs, staff at RAFA (Tom RAFA) that have committed to contribute. For now, focused on students immediately feeding into Eastern. Focused on most in need.
DCPS Library Funding Follow up (Peter MacPherson)
- Peter to represent CHPSPO in task force that has been assembled by DCPS.
- Provided feedback to task force “TOR’
- Publish librarian budget on CHPSPO site.
CHPSPO Website (Sandra Moscoso-Mills)
- We’re hoping to leverage the CHPSPO site to help get the word out about events, auctions, fundraisers, etc at all schools. Please reach out to your school communities and designate a person (or two) for your school to post content on the CHPSPO site. The site is on a WordPress platform
– Sandra to host WordPress.com workshop in October. Contact Sandra Moscoso – sandramoscosomills@gmail.com.
What do vertical and horizontal articulation mean to us? (All)
- Eastern High School feeder pattern. Based on ideas from July meeting, drafted a white paper. Need to think about how to implement. Need principals to set more of a vision of what they want to see in Eastern feeder pattern. Read White Paper – Provide feedback via email to Suzanne Wells (m.godec@att.net).
Community meetings on IB & feeder school living room chats (Joe Weeden & Suzanne Wells).
- Continuing discussions with Eliot Hine feeder schools. 4 living room chats w/ principal young from Eliot Hine representing feeder schools, so families have opportunity to mingle. Looking for host for 3rd grade parent – (have 2, 4, 5). Reach out to Suzanne (m.godec@att.net) if you want to co-host.
- Tuesday, October 23rd at Atlas Theatre – IB Bob will come w/ Principal Gordon, Young, Skerrit to deliver a session on what is IB. Series of 3 sessions – IB, Academic, how it relates to Common Core Standards. What does my 2nd grader need to know so that they can graduate w/ an IB degree from Eastern? What can we as parents do to support that?
Next CHPSPO Meeting: October 16, 2012 at Amidon-Bowen
Upcoming Events:
September 29 Maury Elementary School’s Yard and Bake Sale. 9AM-2PM. 1250 Constitution Ave., NE
October 1 Deputy Mayor Community Conversation about Quality Schools Wards 2/6, Location Amidon-Bowen, 5:30-9PM
October 3 Walk-to-School Day – 7:30-8:30 AM at Lincoln Park (by 7:15 AM if you volunteer to set up)
October 14 J.O.Wilson Taste of H Street
Visit CHPSPO on the web at http://chpspo.org
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )CHPSPO Meeting Notes – August 21, 2012
Bonnie Cain shared some insight regarding the Options School expansion on 15th Street. There was general concern in terms of safety of the students/neighborhood. Informed that students will be bused.
Sherry Trafford discussed items from the bylaws. Optimally, a voting representative from each school should be designated by September 1st. Additionally, we are striving to elect officers by the October meeting.
A reminder regarding Beautification Day was given.
Another item I brought up but wanted to remind many of you on was International Walk To School Day. The date is Wednesday, October 3rd at Lincoln Park. An initial email was sent out in July. Now the families are back from vacation and school is in session, it would be a great time to let your school populations know. Please pass the word through your listservs, websites, back-to-school nights, etc. I’ve been tasked again to help coordinate volunteers and assist with planning.
As you know from the summer, five weeks can fly by real quick. Feel free to contact me if there are any questions at gblackmon@hewfcu.com.
Thanks for your time and welcome back to a great school year.
CHPSPO Meeting Notes – July 17, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Maury Elementary, 1250 Constitution Ave., NE, Library
July 17, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1. DCPS Library Funding Follow up, Suzanne Wells
- June 15, July 4, and July 11 Bake Sales were successful in generating awareness (media, Washington DC Teacher’s Union, DC Council, general public)
- CHPSPO and ‘in ward parents’ have had a presence at all ‘State of the Schools meetings (all Wards) and have raised the libraries issue in all meetings.
- CHPSPO requested meeting to present check to Kaya Henderson of $ raised by bake sales – were instructed by DCPS to submit online
- CHPSPO requested meeting with DCPS (Kaya Henderson) to discuss libraries, and were told because of her busy schedule she could not meet with us. Follow up requests stressing the need for a thoughtful discussion with DCPS on the library issue has gotten no response
Discussion:
- Money is there (example: prove what’s possible grants), but “cuts” are really about choices
Next Steps:
- Reach out to Deputy Mayor Wright, since DCPS is not responsive
2. What does vertical and horizontal integration mean to us? (Brainstorm)
- Much of this was captured in Ward 6 Middle School Plan (math, languages, IB to feed from feeder ES to MS, then from MS to Eastern)
- In our current feeder pattern, principals don’ t currently have to talk to each other; principals operate their schools as separate “islands”
- 2-3 languages should be offered at middle schools (and the elementary schools that feed into them should offer at least one of those languages). Currently, misaligned; JO Wilson offers award winning French, but Stuart Hobson (it’s feeder MS) offers Spanish…
- Math: Algebra for 7th graders; plan to get ES kids up to speed so they are prepared for Algebra. What happened to summer bridge programs for rising 6th graders?
- Robotics programs across all feeder schools; similar sports/other programs that can be offered across all schools, and coordinated so schools can share resource
- International Baccalaureate
- Lucy Kulkins writing workshops
- Responsive classroom
Next steps:
- Draft a white paper (Suzanne Wells to kick off) on what we think should be expectation for Eastern feeder pattern and what needs to happen to make these expectations possible; gather community input (via voting/survey); outlines responsibilities (parents, principals, students, DCPS)
- Follow up w/ DCPS re: Ward 6 MS plan implementation point person (raised again at State of Schools and still no follow up)
- Follow up on communications among principals that cut through current ‘clusters’ model – need teachers, principals to communicate with each other and align. Currently, many feeder schools do not coincide with clusters, so principals (and staff) have no incentives to talk to each other.
Upcoming Events:
- August 21, Next CHPSPO Meeting:
- August 25, School Beautification Day
- October 3, Walk-to-School Day – NEED COORDINATORS!!! Contact George Blackmon (gblackmon@hewfcu.com) if you can coordinate on behalf of your school
Visit CHPSPO on the web at http://chpspo.org
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )CHPSPO Meeting Notes – June 19, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Tyler Elementary School Library
June 19, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- DCPS Library Funding Followup, Peter MacPherson
- Ludlow-Taylor meeting with DCPS on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Request is to move librarians out of flexible categoryto core staff; , check if Mary Levy and DCPS are willing to meet to discuss discrepancies in budget; ask about ‘in-class’ libraries and what that looks like on the ground; Peter MacPherson and Robert Zarr to attend June 20 meeting.
- Bake Sales: Add petition to sales; July 4 @ Barrack’s Row; July 11 @ Wilson Building (organized by Ludlow Taylor); look for other wards to support other bake sales; Future bake sales: have other wards host, request mtg w/ Kaya Henderson to deliver donations check.
- Enjoy Reading (http://enjoyreading.org/), (Ali Hoffman): Stanton Elementary in Ward 8; at schools 2 days/week
- Children’s Budget report (smoscosomills@hotmail.com): Points raised: How are the Mary Levy report and DC budget discrepancies addressed? Request granularity around DCPS budget vis a vis libraries; Why is DC Parks and Rec not represented if they are now running aftercare in many schools? TAKE QUESTIONNAIRE ONLINE: www.dmhhs.dc.gov
- Grade DC (www.grade.dc.gov) (lauramarks@gmail.com) Raise that DCPS should be included in agencies to be graded and raise library issue here, too.
- Ward 6 State of the Schools Followup, All
- What are DCPS’ next steps? Suzanne to draft letter back w/ key points we heard and want follow up (to be sent on behalf of CHPSPO).
- Vertical and horizontal articulation: convene all principals w/in feeder pattern to discuss what this means
- At young grades, start thinking of themselves as class of 2023; Introduce feeder-wide activities – Ex: robotics
- Ward 6 MS Plan Liaison
- Libraries
- Ask to publish consolidated list of follow up items that were recorded in the meeting
- School foods expectations
- Afterschool programs
- How can we hear from the kids, who no doubt have opinions re: librarian, food, aftercare? Video recorded interviews of children w/ their feedback on all of the above
- 4th of July Parade on Barrack’s Row. July 4 @ 10 AM.
- Sign up your school at http://4thofjulyparadeoncapitolhill.eventbrite.com/
- Line up at 8th and I SE at 9:00 AM.
- CHPSPO to participate. We love school libraries car. CHPSPO; bake sale, generate interest, petition, table… (Sandra has registered CHPSPO)
- Walk with your school, then walk with CHPSPO!
Next CHPSPO Meeting: July 17, 2012
Upcoming Events:
- July 4th Parade
- July 11 Bake Sale at Wilson Building to Support Libraries
CHPSPO Meeting Notes – March 20, 2012
Dear Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization members,
Middle Schools
At our CHPSPO meeting on Tuesday, we had very informative presentations from Principals Tynika Young, Dawn Clemens and Natalie Gordon. After our discussion, we decided to form two “thinking groups” to further explore how we can support our neighborhood middle schools. The two thinking groups are:
1. Outreach – the scope of this thinking group is to look at things like:
a. spreading the word about the good things going on at our neighborhood middle schools;
b. bringing together parents from the different elementary feeder schools, e.g., living room chats, etc.;
c. helping people understand what the IB teaching approach is and the progress Jefferson, Eliot-Hine and Eastern are making in becoming IB certified;
d. creating opportunities for families to visit the neighborhood middle schools, e.g., art festivals, Spring baseball games, etc.
Outreach thinking group members are: Joe Weedon (chair), Andrea Ryan, Isabella Harris, and Barbara Riehle
2. Out-of-school time/Partnerships – the scope of this thinking group is to look at things like:
a. what existing out-of-school time activities do the middle schools currently have such as clubs and sports;
b. what partnerships currently exist at the schools to support out-of-time activities;
c. what are the desires of the principals, teachers and students for after-school activities;
d. identify opportunities for establishing partnerships to support out-of-school activities.
Out-of-school time/Partnerships thinking group members are: Suzanne Wells (chair), Sandra Moscoso-Mills, Principal Dawn Clemens, and Julie Scofield
The thinking groups will report at the April CHPSPO meeting on their progress. If others would like to join the thinking groups, please contact the chairs of the thinking groups (Joe Weedon, joeweedon@verizon.net for the Outreach thinking group and Suzanne Wells, m.godec@att.net for the Out-of-school time/Partnerships thinking group).
DCPS Libraries
At our meeting, we also agreed CHPSPO would submit testimony at the March 28 DCPS budget hearing and/or write a letter to Chancellor Henderson regarding the FY13 budget changes that move librarians into a flexible funding category, and that eliminate librarians from schools with enrollments less than 299. A draft of the testimony/letter will be circulated in the next couple of days.
Smithsonian Education Lab
Finally, we had a very informative presentation by Jeff Meade with the Smithsonian Education Lab. There are great opportunities for free teacher training through the Smithsonian Education Lab. If your school is interested in exploring partnering opportunities with the Smithsonian Education Lab, contact Jeff at meadej@si.edu.
Suzanne Wells
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )CHPSPO Meeting Notes – February 21, 2012
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
J.O. Wilson Elementary School
660 K Street, NE -Library, 2nd floor
February 21, 2012 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1) Safe Routes to School, Jennifer Heffernan, District DOT
**Congratulations to Brent ES, as Feb 21 was the debut of the Brent Safety Patrols!
First Annual National Bike to School Day is on May 9, Wednesday.
- Supported by DDoT (giveaways will be available to participating schools)
- Soon, schools can register to participate via WWW.Walktoschool.org – (the site is currently being redesigned to provide more biking related material)
- Brainstormed around idea of having a pitstop at Lincoln Park, rather than a W2SD type of party. Plan to record the participants and recognize the schools who participate (maybe shout outs to the schools with most participants). Have multiple pit stops, as long as there are volunteers to ‘man’ them.
- ACTION: Sandra M. to reach out to CHPSPO schools to see who is willing to volunteer to organize pit stops and where.
ABCs of Family Bicycling on Sat, April 21st, 11AM-2PM @ Logan parking lot (215 G St., NE) (rain date is following day).
- Kiddical Mass
- Families w/ experience biking will give demos, showing gear
- Bike shops will show gear
- Bicycle skills rodeo
- Safety
- Bicycle train training (teach skills re: riding in group safely), followed by group ride
- ACTION: Jennifer H. to add to program – how to secure your bikes
- ACTION: CHPSPO will get event into Hill Rag
Bike Racks and Safe Routes to Eliot Hine
- Q: do all schools on Hill have full complement of bike racks? – ACTION: Jennifer to look into those bike racks installed in last year or so.
- Q: Could DDOT look into Safe Routes to Eliot-Hine? ACTION: Jennifer to look into this – Suzanne to connect Jennifer w/ Eliot-Hine
2) Community Parade, Apollo:
- Parade likely 11AM-12PM, in April or May
- To include schools, clubs, teams, music
- ACTION: CHPSPO to reach out to Capitol Hill Classic and Laps for Lincoln organizers; Apollo to flesh out theme/focus of parade
3) Mindful Parenting Workshops, Steven Seiden
- Therapist-led sharing environment w/in parents to feel like we can problem-solve issues and have support and connect
- Eventually, peer-led
- Goal is to make this a DCPS parent-engagement program
- Opening up this opportunity to all Ward 6 schools. On March 9 and March 23 9:30-11 AM (or 1:30-3:00PM); ideally, at each school
- ACTION: Steve to write up invite to circulate to schools
4) IFF Study Discussion: http://dme.dc.gov/DC/DME/Publication%20Files/IFF_Final_Report.pdf
- ACTION: ALL -read and encourage individuals to write letters to encourage Chancellor and Deputy Mayor not to look at this study, but rather at the work that is going on in schools and communities.
- ACTION: Suzanne to circulate DeShawn Wright’s response to IFF.
5) Discussion of 2012 CHPSPO Priorities, All
Middle Schools
- Bring Principals (+ LSAT; PTAs) of middle schools together to identify where they think the community can help
- Reference to Heather’s pitch in example: need to know what volunteer needs are at the school
- Bring PTA leadership together from MS to figure out how to get them more active; bring PTA feeders together w/ MS PTAs
- Have a list of ways we think we can help that principals can consider
- Living room chats w/ feeder families
- Also set expectations
- Leading Tours for Parents
- Have schools hold PTA meetings at EH
- Request from DCPS accountability around MS plan
- Elementary school events at EH (ex: art show of feeder elementary schools at EH)
- Re-engage the collaboration teams
- ACTION: Suzanne to reach out to Principals and PTA presidents to meet w/ CHPSPO/feeders
- Elliot-Hine collaboration team meets first Wednesday of the Month at 5:30 PM @ Parent Resource Center at Eliot Hine
- Eliot Hine PTA = 3rd Thursday of the Month
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Next CHPSPO Meeting: March 20, 2012
Upcoming Events:
March 10, Alchemy of Great Taste, Tyler Fundraiser
March 17, School Within School Jazz Gala and Auction
March 24, Maury at the Market, Maury Fundraiser
March 24, A Taste of the Hill, Brent Fundraiser
April 27, A Montessori Night’s Dream, Capitol Hill Montessori @ Logan Fundraiser
Visit CHPSPO on the web at http://chpspo.org
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