Education Supplement August 2015

special 2015 edition TA A CAPI

L COMM

UBLIC NEWS P Y T I N U

ATION

DC’S CHARTER SCHOOLS: LEADING EDUCATION REFORM IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL! WARD 1

Apple Tree Early Learning PCS - Columbia Heights • Briya PCS (2 campuses) • Carlos Rosario International PCS • César Chávez PCS for Public Policy – Chávez Prep Creative Minds International PCS • DC Bilingual PCS • DC International PCS • E.L. Haynes PCS - Georgia Avenue • Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science PCS LAYC Career Academy PCS • Meridian PCS • Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS • The Next Step / El Proximo Paso PCS • YouthBuild PCS

WARD 2 BASIS DC PCS

WARD 4

Bridges PCS (2 Campuses) • Briya PCS • Capital City PCS - Lower School • Capital City PCS - Middle School • Capital City PCS - High School • Center City PCS - Brightwood Center City PCS - Petworth • E.L. Haynes PCS - Kansas Avenue - Elementary School • E.L. Haynes PCS - Kansas Avenue - High School • Friendship’s PCS Online - K-12 Online Learning Hope Community PCS - Lamond • Ideal Academy PCS • Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS (LAMB) • Paul PCS - Middle School • Paul PCS - International High School Roots PCS • Sela PCS • Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS • Washington Latin PCS - Middle School • Washington Latin PCS - High School

WARD 5

Academy of Hope PCS • Carlos Rosario International PCS • Center City PCS - Trinidad • The Children’s Guild DC PCS • DC Bilingual PCS DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Elementary • DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Middle • Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS • Friendship PCS - Armstrong Elementary Academy Friendship PCS - Woodridge Elementary • Friendship PCS - Woodridge Middle • Harmony DC PCS - School of Excellence • Hope Community PCS - Tolson Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS • KIPP DC - Connect Academy PCS • KIPP DC - Northeast Academy PCS • KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS • Lee Montessori PCS • Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS • Perry Street Preparatory PCS • Potomac Prep PCS Two Rivers PCS at Young - Elementary • Washington Mathematics Science Technology PCS • William E. Doar, Jr. PCS for the Performing Arts • Washington Yu Ying PCS

WARD 6

Apple Tree Early Leaning PCS - Southwest • Apple Tree Early Learning PCS - Lincoln Park • Center City PCS - Capitol Hill • Center City PCS - Shaw Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy - Capitol Hill • Eagle Academy PCS - New Jersey Avenue • Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Elementary • Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Middle KIPP DC - Grow Academy PCS • KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS • KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS • Kingman Academy PCS • Monument Academy PCS Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts • Two Rivers PCS - Elementary • Two Rivers PCS – Middle • Washington Global PCS

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AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Oklahoma Avenue • Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy - Parkside Middle School • Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy - Parkside High School DC Prep PCS - Benning Elementary • DC Prep PCS - Benning Middle • DC Scholars PCS • Friendship PCS - Blow-Pierce Elementary Friendship PCS - Blow-Pierce Middle • Friendship PCS - Collegiate Academy • IDEA PCS • KIPP DC – Arts & Technology Academy PCS • KIPP DC - KEY Academy PCS KIPP DC - LEAP Academy PCS • KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS • KIPP DC – Quest Academy PCS • Maya Angelou PCS - Evans High School Maya Angelou PCS - Young Adult Learning Center • SEED Public Charter School of Washington, DC • St. Coletta Special Education PCS

WARD 8

Achievement Prep Academy PCS - Elementary • Achievement Prep Academy PCS - Middle • AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Parklands AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Douglass Knoll • Cedar Tree Academy PCS • Center City PCS - Congress Heights • Community College Preparatory Academy PCS Democracy Prep Congress heights PCS • Eagle Academy PCS - The Eagle Center at McGogney • Early Childhood Academy PCS • Excel Academy PCS - DREAM Excel Academy PCS - LEAD • Friendship PCS - Southeast Elementary Academy • Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory Academy • Ingenuity Prep PCS KIPP DC - AIM Academy PCS • KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS • KIPP DC - Discover Academy PCS • KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS National Collegiate Preparatory PCHS • Somerset Preparatory Academy PCS • Thurgood Marshall Academy PCHS

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EDUCATION SPECIAL 2015 • 3

special edition 2015 inside:

NOW ENROLLING FOR HIGH SCHOOL (GRADES 9-11) AND THE YOUNG ADULT LEARNING CENTER (AGES17-24) This upcoming school year includes: • College and Career Readiness

• Workforce Training

• Academic and Mental Health Counseling

• Pre apprenticeship with Homebuilder’s Institute

• Tutoring and Enrichment Programs

• Telecommunication certification program

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Educational Reform Recast: New Actors, New Directions

by Jonetta Rose Barras

12

The Common Lottery Two Years Later: Is It Working?

by E.V. Downey

18

Educational Consultants Are Everywhere and Want to Help

by Paul Rivas

24

The Kids & Family Notebook

by Kathleen Donner

29

Education Resources

• GED Preparation

• Beautiful Building Renovations

To apply:

Call (202) 379-4335 for High School Call (202) 289-8898 for Young Adults For more information, please visit:

www.seeforever.org 4

MIDCITY

F A G O N

GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Capital Community News, Inc. • 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 • www.capitalcommunitynews.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Melissa Ashabranner • melissaashabranner@hillrag.com Publisher: Jean-Keith Fagon • fagon@hillrag.com Copyright © 2015 by Capital Community News. All Rights Reserved.

N O T E B O O K

Education | Family Fitness | Exhibits | Expos | Sporting Events | Live Music MIDCITY

FA G O N C O M M U N I T Y G U I D E

The Kids & Family Notebook runs in the Hill Rag, MidCity DC and East of the River newspapers, monthly.

It is a comprehensive calendar of events in the District for parents and children. As you’re on the hunt for new and interesting activities make this your “go-to” resource each month!

We love your feedback, submissions, and questions.

Please email us at: bulletinboard@hillrag.com

EDUCATION SPECIAL 2015 • 5

Educational Reform Recast

New Actors, New Directions

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by Jonetta Rose Barras

he DC Council Committee on Education and Libraries held a roundtable earlier this summer on the independent evaluation of the city’s eight-year-old school reform. During that session DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson looked around at other government witnesses, wondering who would respond to a question from Chairman David Grosso. “I guess I better answer that one,” Henderson finally said.

“I’ve been here the longest.”

She has led the DCPS since 2010 and was deputy chancellor for three years under Michelle Rhee. Earlier, as the executive director of Teach for America-DC, Henderson helped recruit teachers for the District’s school system. Next to her in seniority may be Scott Pearson, the executive director of the DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB), who was hired in 2012.

The city’s education politburo consists mostly of newbies, however. State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang, Deputy Mayor for Education Jennifer “Jennie” Niles, and even Councilmember Grosso (I At-large) have held their respective leadership positions only since January.

Just as they were settling in they were hit with critical reports, the evaluation being one of them.

Kang has been chief of staff to the

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State Superintendent of Education in Tennessee and managing director of programs for Teach for America’s regional office. She also Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Educabriefly taught high school. Niles is a tion Jennifer “Jennie” Niles. Photo: Lateef Mangum, founder and former executive direcExecutive Office of the Mayor. tor of the District’s award-winning E.L. Haynes Public Charter School. ever they tell him,” adds Toyer.

She directed education initiatives at The Suzanne Wells, head of the Capitol Ball Foundation of Glen Ellyn, Ill.; directed Hill Public School Parents Organization, the charter school office for the Connectiasserts that “Grosso is much improved cut State Department of Education; and over Catania.” taught science and directed service-learning But this is the question on everyone’s programs at middle and high schools in mind: Will the new leaders engage and California and Massachusetts. collaborate with parents and advocates or But some residents are unimpressed insulate their decision-making from comwith the new leaders and their capacity to munity input? manage the bevy of problems plaguing the District’s public education system. “You Meet the New Boss have people who are relatively in the same Mayor Muriel Bowser may have already age group. They may be somewhat acanswered that question. Consider that complished,” says Iris Toyer, a former DC without any public dialogue she has Board of Education. “But this is the most sequestered Chancellor Henderson lackluster group of people that I’ve seen in within the Office of the Deputy Mayor for this city in a long time.”

Education (DME). “That was a surprise Technically Grosso isn’t so new. He to all of us. I’m still waiting to see what served on the education committee for two the mayor’s [education] platform is,” says years under former Councilmember David Eboni-Rose Thompson, head of the Ward Catania (I-At Large). Cautions Toyer, 7 Education Council and a former member Grosso is no Catania, who, in her view of Bowser’s transition team. “could be a pain...did make people answer Despite the uncertainty of mayquestions, and had an idea about what oral motivation, Thompson embraces the makes a good school system.” change. “It gives the deputy mayor’s office “I think Grosso is willing to listen, but more gravitas and clear responsibility that sometimes I think he does that too much. didn’t exist before.”

I want to see that he is not accepting whatDME Niles is top dog in educa-

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Council Education Chair David Grosso (I-At Large) holds a hearing.

Photo: Courtesy Office of At-Large Councilmember Grosso.

tion. She directly supervises the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and DCPS. Charters, public libraries, and the University of the District of Columbia also are within her purview, except that each has its own board of trustees. Still, the DME can influence what happens to them.

The Public Education Reform Amendment Act (PERAA) that transferred control of public education to the mayor also established the DME. ThenMayor Adrian M. Fenty pushed for the creation of a DCPS chancellor who would report directly to the mayor. That action was seen as a way to provide political coverage for what everyone expected would be controversial reforms. Fenty served as flack-jacket for Rhee, which partially contributed to his re-election defeat.

Did that defeat inspire Bowser’s organizational chart redirection?

Niles says it didn’t: “The mayor asked me to be [DME] expressly because of my work with charters and the work I had done with the chancellor. The mayor saw me as able to make decisions around what is going to be best for all the children.” The chancellor is “comfortable reporting to me,” continues Niles, noting that it provides Henderson time to focus on “what she needs to get done.”

Interestingly, during the 2014 mayoral race, retaining Henderson became a key issue. Catania declined to disclose his intentions. Bowser pledged to keep the chancellor. But when Bowser took office she signed only a one-year contract with

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Henderson and then pushed her down the organizational chart.

“We’re fortunate the chancellor is sticking it out,” says Grosso. “But in the long run we may not have her as chancellor. So we have to make sure we have the supports to move forward.”

Having Niles at the helm could prove advantageous, say some advocates. She helped grow E.L. Haynes to a multipledivisional institution with its own campus.

This required financial development and management, acquisition of experts, hiring and retaining quality teachers, and building good relations with parents. If, as some advocates suggest, education has become a marketplace driven by parental consumers, Niles’ experience as an educational entrepreneur may prove valuable.

Inheriting a Hot Mess

Public education in the District has improved measurably. However, as Mary Filardo, head of the 21st Century Fund notes, “Under Fenty and Rhee, there was a huge decline in the DCPS population from 57,000 to 43,000. People want to celebrate because we have 48,000 students. I’m not going to celebrate until we have 58,000.”

Based on the evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences it’s clear that reforms launched by Fenty and Rhee but continued under Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Henderson have not been a complete success. The overall educational governance structure lacks clarity. There is a lack of coordination between DCPS and charters, as well as poor performance by OSSE.

Minority and poor students don’t have equal access to quality teachers and are less likely to perform at grade level or graduate within the standard four years. The racial academic gap is widening. Equally important, there is no centralized data collection and storage to help target educational services and supporting programs.

An investigation by DC Auditor Kathy Patterson found a huge problem with school modernization between 2010 and 2013. The Department of General Services, the principal agency responsible for the program, failed to comply with local laws. The construction program lacked accountability, transparency, and basic financial management. Schools were selected willy-nilly, without consideration of the master facilities plan, educational needs, demographic demands, or costs.

“All these things have come at the same time, forcing people to have a more honest conversation about where we are,” says Thompson. “It’s not pretty. It’s messy.

But it’s exciting. It’s created an opportunity, and I’m hoping people will take the summer to think through all this and start to engage in solutions.

Niles and Grosso Hit the Ground Running

Grosso and Niles, architects of education reform’s future, seem to have formed an alliance. For example, during the Council’s fiscal 2016 budget deliberations Grosso persuaded his colleagues to incorporate new modernization criteria. Auditor Patterson found the city spent more than $1.2 billion on modernizations for 2010 through 2013. There are still more than two dozens schools that haven’t been touched.

Niles, the Department of General Services, and DCPS are creating a new model using similar decision points: education specification, demographics, and cost.

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schools everything, we can’t. We are not having palaces,” says Niles. As an example she says the education specifications for the modernization of Duke Ellington High School of the Arts are being revised. That could alter aspects of the modernization plan, which has reached a whopping $180 million – higher than any other in the city.

“We really want to be thoughtful about how we are spending money.”

The DME has 50 projects or initiatives churning, but Niles says she and her staff “function like traffic controllers of education policy.” They are focusing their efforts on issues like how to reengage 7,500 youths ages 16 to 22 who have not finished high school, and ensuring the OSSE ramps up work around oversight and regulatory functions.

Grosso is intent on giving Niles a hand. “We have rules and regulations that are not being complied with,” he explains.

He has asked Niles to prepare a list of laws that may be superfluous or need tweaking.

“The previous [committee] chairman introduced seven pieces of legislation. That’s not my style.

“I want to make sure we are all on level footing. Where it makes sense to introduce legislation, I will,” he says. The committee will continue to deal with how punishment is meted out to public school students. He also wants more “community schools” and strong mental health services or “traumainformed schools.”

Thus far the Niles-Grosso collaboration appears to be working, although Bowser’s impromptu appearance at the council hearing on modernization may have sent a different message. “I’m pretty comfortable with all the players,” says Grosso. “The one wild card is politics – how ßthe mayor is going to handle things.”

After the mayor’s visit he invited her to lunch so they could “figure out how we want to do things. I don’t want her to

10

use schools and education as a political football, or to think that’s what I am doing.

This is about the children of this city.”

The Pink Elephant in the Corner

Whether the Dynamic Duo wins over District residents may come down to how they plan to reconcile the reform of DCPS and the growth of the public charter system. “None of the leaders is willing to address the fundamental problems posed by the ability of the [charter school board] to open up to 10 charters a year,” says Wells, citing as an example the PCSB’s approval of a new middle school, Washington Global, about 1700 feet from struggling Jefferson Middle School. “[It’s] ludicrous,” continues Wells.

“There is this unconstrained growth of charter schools. We are creating more ‘seats’ than are needed, and spreading our taxpayer resources too thin across schools we don’t need.”

Back in the early 2000s, when DCPS was a basket-case and the District had very little money, elected officials made a pact. In exchange for continuing a school voucher program and establishing an independent system of charter schools, the city would receive additional federal funds. No one imagined the result would be a sort of educational Frankenstein, with parts tacked on without rhyme, reason, or consideration of purpose and expense. Scott Pearson and the charter school board recently approved a new high school for east of the Anacostia River, for example. But that area is already flush with newly modernized high schools that are under-enrolled.

Fortunately it’s not just insiders like Wells who see the problems. Evaluators raised several questions about the charter sector, including its untethered expansion without much intersection or cross-fertilization with DCPS. They also questioned how charters could operate with so little

oversight by the District government, although they receive more than a halfbillion dollars of public funds. Another nearly $1 billion is spent on DCPS. Grosso says everyone is assessing “how much do we as a government push back on charter system” without adversely affecting independence and innovation. Niles is creating a “cross-sector task force” to handle what she calls “the next chapter of education reform.”

She says, “We want to make sure we have articulated where DC charters are going to open, close, and site schools.”

She wants to “figure out how both sectors can come together in a way that is more coherent and clearer for the broader community,” and she argues that “we can maintain autonomy and still have coherence and community input in ways we have not done before.”

Will parents be engaged in the new task force? Thus far they haven’t been courted by the executive-legislative alliance.

“There has been no communication with any of the ward-based education councils about how communities are going to be involved,” says Wells.

“Parents and the community know best. They live daily what it’s like among multiple systems,” says Thompson.

But, says Niles, “I haven’t thought about whether we need that level of community engagement in this particular topic.”

Last year’s community engagement in the redrawing of school boundaries created a “new day,” says Filardo, who believes young families will demand to be involved.

“We have not had anybody [in the educational politburo] for decades who really understands they are [public] servants,” continues Filardo. “That would be a real cultural shift.” l

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photo: Andrew Lightman.

The Common Lottery Two Years Later: Is It Working?

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by E.V. Downey

ack in the Dark Ages, aka Before Common Lottery, the school application process was confusing and probably unfair. It favored families with better resources and allowed children to gain simultaneous admittance to multiple schools. Then, in the fall of 2013, the Common Lottery was introduced. The new system brought nearly all public and charter school applications under a single roof.

Every student in the city has an In Bounds (IB) school at every level from kindergarten through 12th grade. While they are guaranteed entry to their IB institutions starting at kindergarten, a Common Lottery application still is required to obtain admission into any District of

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Columbia Public School (DCPS) prekindergarten 3 (PK3) or pre-kindergarten 4 (PK4) program. Applications to most charter schools, at any level, require use of the Common Lottery as well. A single form now gives families the opportunity to send their children to charter schools with programs that match their needs or to DCPS schools, either IB or not.

The Common Lottery

Under the Common Lottery almost all DCPS and charter schools use a single application. Parents create a family account at www.MySchoolDC.org for all of their children for whom they are applying.

The site also provides large amounts of information about schools: open-house dates, number of spaces being offered, and links to other websites with information about the schools along with links to specific school websites.

After using the MySchoolDC site and other resources, and visiting schools, families start listing their schools of interest on their applications. Each student can apply to up to 12 schools, in any combination of public and charter schools. After the challenge of narrowing it down to 12 schools, the even bigger challenge is ranking the schools in order of preference.

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the rankings and what they mean.

Lottery spokespeople stress that families should rank schools solely in their order of desire to attend each school. That is good advice except that some other factors may come into play. There are some schools at some grades into which a particular child will not gain admission, despite being ranked as first on the child’s list. Families should also consider logistics and a longterm trajectory when ranking schools. The perfect school for your child may well not

photo: Andrew Lightman.

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be 45 minutes of twice-a-day-hideousrush-hour-traffic away.

An Improvement?

The once free-for-all process is now streamlined into a unified system. In last year’s Common Lottery approximately 17,000 applications were received, with 71 percent of students matched with a school; 85 percent of the matches got one of their top three choices. The numbers rose for this coming school year. With over 20,000 applications, 72 percent of students were matched to a school, and 86 percent of those matching gained a spot in their top three choices.

The process remains stressful. Waitlists are growing. Charter school lists increased 18 percent. DCPS lists grew 25 percent. When the first-round results for 2015-16 were released, 8,500 children were on waitlists for public charter schools and 7,000 were on waitlists for public schools. Parents of three- and four-year-olds, in particular, face a shortage of seats at higher performing schools.

A few top charter school choices opted out of participating in the first year of the Common Lottery. Washington Yu Ying School ran its own lottery. Waitlists were ordered according to the time stamp on the applications, and parents camped out overnight to try for the best possible time. By 3:00 a.m. there were over 60 people in line.

Top choices such as Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan had 367 names on the waitlist for PK3 when the first-round results came out this year. Ross Elementary in Dupont Circle had 348 names. The hugely popular Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School had 448. At Brent Elementary School on Capitol Hill there were more applications for siblings of current students than spaces for PK3. Families of these students are faced with having

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children in multiple schools. In-bounds families absent siblings are not likely get into the school until kindergarten, when they are guaranteed admittance.

Parents of older children also face stresses. They actually had lower chances of being matched with a school. While 87 percent of PK3 children were placed, the rates dropped as children got older. At PK4 the rate was 65 percent; 62 percent for kindergarten; 82 percent for fifth grade; and 83 percent for sixth. The rate for high school, a time when most students move from one school to another, was a frightening low 80 percent lottery placement for the 2,747 hopeful applicants.

The Verdict

Yes, applications and waitlists are increasing. However, one can interpret that as a sign of the overall success of the Common Lottery. Without a doubt the new system is much more accessible to families from all backgrounds. It can still be confusing, but MySchoolDC has employees and volunteers who are available to answer questions, not to mention the very useful website. Outreach efforts in less privileged neighborhoods mean that MySchoolDC staff have been out in the community with laptops on which residents may submit applications.

Every DC public school and library must allow computer access to the public and assistance in navigating the website. This serves the planned purpose of helping residents from different backgrounds explore school options they might not have known about.

The streamlined system allows parents to understand the system and feel that it is relatively straightforward, even if their children do not get placement in a topchoice school. There are still issues. For example, a rule puts round 2 in-boundary applicants on the waitlist above round 1

out-of-boundary applicants. This results in round 1 kids moving down the waitlist in the wrong direction, leading many parents to wonder if something unfair is happening. However, MySchoolDC is running the waitlists. The website permits families to see their up-to-date status on each list, which encourages a feeling of confidence in the system.

The Common Lottery has made some significant improvements in the first two years of its existence. The website has steadily added information, and it is easier to obtain answers to questions about unusual situations. Still, most parents look to friends, neighbors, and even professional help to navigate the system confidently.

Ward 6 Board of Education Representative Joe Weedon, cautiously optimistic, calls the Common Lottery “a huge step in the right direction.” Weedon would like to see more equity in the way in which public options are presented in general, feeling that more focus goes to the charter schools. “Speaking as a parent with a fourth-grader, it was disappointing not to hear a lot about DCPS options, but rather to hear about the charters,” he adds.

Now all that remains is improvement in all of our schools. Ideally, in the future the Common Lottery will provide the opportunity to choose only among equally good schools with different program offerings.

E.V. Downey is the principal educational consultant at Downey School Consulting, where she consults on public, charter, private, and special-needs school choices and issues. She started consulting after years of teaching children of all ages and working in private school administration.

A graduate of DC Public Schools, E.V. lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two children. l

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EDUCATION SPECIAL 2015 • 17

Educational Consultants Are Everywhere and Want to Help

I

by Paul Rivas n addition to an enviable array of school choice options, DC parents enjoy perhaps the largest selection of educational consultants available anywhere. Parents looking for help, ideas, or a professional opinion on educating and raising children – from preschool through college – can now consult with District-based companies providing school choice, school placement, therapeutic placement, learning skills, tutoring, college counseling, and academic coaching services.

Still largely a boutique business, educational consultancies tend to be comprised of one, two, or maybe a small handful of extremely experienced, passionate professionals. Within some of the more traditional educational service categories, such as tutoring, there are plenty of companies from which to choose.

Newer fields, such as school choice consulting and academic coaching, are smaller niches with fewer practicing professionals.

Education consultants generally operate on the principle that engaging an expert one-on-one is never cheap but always worth it. Deeply committed to their causes, they often provide free resources and accessibly priced group presentations.

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When considering hiring an educational consultant, parents should ask as many questions as necessary until they feel confident.

Here are some obvious ones: • Is the consultant accredited or a member of any professional organizations?

• What is the consultant’s educational background?

• Can the consultant provide reviews (such as on Google or Yelp!) or references?

• How long has the consultant been

in business?

• How many clients do they have?

• How many employees work for the consulting company?

• Do they have a website explaining their academic philosophy?

To hire an educational consultant is to welcome a new member to your family team right before the big game. The stakes are high. So it is important that parents, students, and consultants be on the same page. If you decide after meeting a consultant that her specific brand of help isn’t exactly what your child needs at the moment, ask her for recommendations for other companies providing services that may better match your student’s needs.

Below is an overview of the types of educational consulting services available in Washington and what to expect when using them. Your research can be as educational as your student’s experience with the services you arrange. Enjoy the process!

School Choice

With an overwhelming number of public school choices in DC, only 25 percent of public school students attend their neighborhood schools. It is no surprise that there are educational consultants engaged in aiding parents to make their choices. Downey School Consulting helps parents navigate the all-important DCPS Common Lottery with aplomb. Employing her exhaustive knowledge of local schools, founder E.V. Downey helps parents new to the DCPS system decide which schools are worth shooting for and which need to be ruled out.

Claster Educational Services guides students and families step-by-step so they are well-prepared and confident as they navigate the college admissions process.

UPCOMING EVENTS August 23 September 30

October (date TBA) November (date TBA)

College Essay Workshop (co-hosted by AdeptPrep Tutoring) College Preparation and Admissions: Parenting through the Frenzy (in partnership with Parachute Coaching) College Admissions: A Road Map Demystifying Financial Aid

(202) 368-1888 BECKY@CLASTEREDUCATION.COM WWW.CLASTEREDUCATION.COM FACEBOOK.COM/CLASTEREDUCATION

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“Should we need consultants to help navigate a public good like education?” asked Sara Wilson, a two-time Downey client. “Of course not. But it’s like getting help to file your taxes: sometimes when the subject matter is complex and the rules keep changing, and the stakes are high and the consequences of making a mistake are painful, you need to get help from a professional.”

Lottery presentations are reasonable in cost; parents can expect to leave with a wealth of information it would have taken them untold hours to amass on their own. (Downey School Consulting: www. downeyschoolconsulting.wordpress.com, downeyschoolconsulting@gmail.com)

Learning Specialists

Parents who have questions or concerns about the ability of schools to meet the individual needs of their children may seek out learning specialists to evaluate their needs, improve executive functioning and general academic performance, and even advocate on behalf of the student’s family with a school. Learningspecialist services may include classroom observations, administering of learning skills assessment tests, and individualized academic support provided with the help of esoteric learning aids.

“My kid has pretty serious ADHD and he was having real problems keeping up in class and doing homework. His teachers were sometimes sympathetic but they just didn’t have the time or energy to keep him on track – or keep us on track,” said one Capitol Hill father. “So we talked first to a learning consultant, Colleen Buchanan, who referred us to a tutor she knew who was really able to engage with our son at a personal level. It’s still a struggle, but having someone who can sit down with our son for an hour and squeeze the maximum amount of work out of him – while still

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leaving him in a happy place – that is a gift.

And it frees us from having to be the 24-7 bad guys.”

Some learning specialists, like Buchanan, have cutting-edge knowledge, tremendous teaching ability, and the benefit of years of experience as the learning specialist at a private school during which they’ve seen it all. Others are basically homework wranglers – very nice people, very encouraging, but without quite the level of know-how when it comes to solving particularly complex issues. Decide which it is you need, and expect to pay $75-$175/ hour. (Colleen Buchanan: learningspecialist.cbuchanan@gmail.com)

School Placement

Families for whom the DCPS lottery route is not appealing or not applicable, often due to their children’s therapeutic or special needs, may seek professional help in placing students in appropriate boarding or day schools. There are a gazillion of these institutions in the area, many of which cater to surprisingly specific demographics.

Given that there are often special circumstances in play, school placement consultant services generally involve a bigger financial commitment on the part of the parents. For example, The School Counseling Group, a well-respected company founded in 1979, has fullservice package offerings that cost $3,500 to $5,500. “Typically we ask families to call/email the office as a first step so we can get a better understanding of the kids and the current needs – before quoting them a price,” said Jen Parsell, client relations coordinator at The School Counseling Group.

Regardless of how many hours your child’s case will require, expect to pay an average of at least $175/hour for school placement consulting. (The School

Counseling Group: www.schoolcounseling.com, guidance@schoolcounseling. com, 202-333-3530)

College Counseling

Given the cost of college today, no parent wants to squander college tuition on what turns out to be the wrong fit for their rising freshman. Increasingly parents are turning to educational consultants to ensure that their kids end up at the right institution.

There are now several talented, independent college counselors right here in DC. “My godchild, whose parents do not live here, had been living in London most of his life and wanted to apply to American colleges,” explained Capitol Hill resident Lou Ivey. “I needed someone who understood the process, could offer a roadmap, and could help with essays, and Claster Educational Services provided all three with precision.”

On an hourly, project, or multi-year package basis these experts help students develop into competitive applicants. They can help: • build a college list, • write convincing essays, • and present the best possible case overall given the student’s interests and circumstances.

They have usually visited 50-100 colleges. They seem to know everything about every school. Claster Educational Services (Capitol Hill), DC College Counseling (K Street), and Distinctive College Consulting (Meridian Hill) are all highly regarded.

Comprehensive packages start at about $3,000 but can reach $14,000 or more.

(Claster Educational Services: www.clastereducation.com, becky@clastereducation.com, 202- 368-1888; DC College Counseling: www.dccollegecounseling.com, colleen@ dccollegecounseling.com, 703-66-ADMIT; Distinctive College Consulting: www. distinctivecollegeconsulting.com)

AWARD-WINNING, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE

DeMatha Catholic High School 4313 Madison Street Hyattsville, MD 20781 240-764-2200 www.dematha.org

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Tutoring & Academic Coaching

Look for the online version of the Education Supplement!

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“Tutoring” covers a lot of ground these days, so it’s important to be specific when thinking about what kind your child needs. In content tutoring the instructor teaches the student the material that the student did not quite learn in school. In some instances the teacher pushes the student to go above and beyond what the school provides.

In test-prep tutoring the instructor teaches the student important strategies for optimizing her or his test score. This can include which tests to take, the peculiarities of each, and how to answer typical questions.

In academic coaching the focus is the student’s process and sustainable, long-term success.

Given the student’s stated interest, challenges, and goals the coach teaches the student the time management, study skills, and motivation necessary to be successful.

For $40/hour you can often find a very capable, possibly brilliant college or grad student to tutor your child in the standard content areas. If you do not want to be at the whim of a full-time student, $75/hour can get you a good, enthusiastic, grown-up tutor who either works for himself or for a local company like Ashley Tutors. The highest-quality test-prep and content tutoring, at places like Adept Prep and Prep Matters, costs $150-$200/hour or more. The only company in DC specializing in study skills, Smith Rivas Academic Coaching & Consulting, charges $225/

hour. (Ashley Tutors; www.ashleytutors.com, info@ashleytutors. com, 240-780-3233; Adept Prep: www.adeptpreptutors.com; Prep Matters: www.prepmatters.com, info@prepmatters.com, 202524-4977; Smith Rivas: www. smithrivas.com, info@smithrivas. com, 202-615-7791)

Resources

Washington Independent Services for Educational Resources (WISER) is the local professional organization for educational consultants, including most of those mentioned above. The WISER website, www.wiserdc. org, has background information and contact information for over 100 educational consultants in the area.

The Independent Education Consultants Association (IECA) is the national professional organization for educational consultants (excluding learning specialists and tutors), including some of those mentioned above. The IECA website, www. iecaonline.com, has a searchable directory with contact info for the 48 educational consultants in the area who have been members for at least three years.

Paul Rivas is the founder of Smith Rivas Academic Coaching & Consulting and can be contacted at paul@smithrivas.com. Smith Rivas helps students earn better grades in less time by teaching study skills and time management that last a lifetime. Their mission is to inspire students to seek more than they think is possible, teach them how to achieve it, and push them toward peak performance.

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Capitol Kids Therapy, LLC 201 8th St. NE • 202.544.5469 leslie.humes@capitolkidstherapy.com

Do you need help navigating the educational system?

Are you having trouble motivating yourself or your teenager?

Do you need help understanding your child’s educational needs?

Family Psychological Services of Capitol Hill, PLLC Samantha C. Sweeney, Ph.D. Providing comprehensive psychological services to children, adolescents, parents, and families in the heart of DC.

Pediatric Speech-Language Therapy Conveniently Located in the Heart of Capitol Hill Free Screenings • Detailed Assessments School and Parent Consultations • Social Language Groups • Phonemic/Reading Therapy • DC Strong Start Partner • Oral-Motor/Feeding Therapy

www.capitolkidstherapy.com

Therapy, Consultation, Assessment

www.fpsch.com ssweeney@fpsch.com (202) 487-5625

Two Convenient Locations: Arlington and Capitol Hill

405 8th St. NE WDC 20002 202.544.5439 Serving children from birth through 13 years of age and specializing in gross and fine motor delays, visual perceptual/motor problems, and sensory processing disorders. We provide individual and group therapy, evaluations, screenings, consultations, and school observations

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Kids & Family

NOTEBOOK Double Trouble (AKA The Parent Trap) at Imagination Stage Lottie and Lisa are ten-year-old twins who are being raised separately by their divorced parents. When the girls meet unexpectedly at Camp Kästner Summer Camp they discover their true relationship, and the high stakes, madcap adventure begins. Having switched places, the girls discover that their deception is hard to sustain. Will their parents be convinced that the sisters belong together?

Catch this world premiere musical at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD, through Aug. 14. It is best for kids 5 and up. Tickets are $10, up. 301-280-1660. imaginationstage.org

Gamer Family Festival at the American Art Museum Imagine a whole day inspired by the video games in the museum’s collection.

On Sat., Aug. 15, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. play the game Flower, create pixel art and other crafts, catch up with their partners Photo: Bruce Guthrie

at MAGFest, and enjoy live music and performances.

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. americanart.si.edu

New girl Lottie is hesitant to find friendship in Lisa, Steffie, and Trudy who are best friends at Camp Kästner. (L to R: Lauren Williams, Emily Kester, Sarah Lasko, Justine Moral) Photo: Margot Schulman

Hilarious Hounds at the National Gallery of Art On Sat., Aug. 8 and 15 at 10:30 a.m. and Sun., Aug. 9 and 16 at 11:30 a.m., laugh out loud as William Wegman’s famed Weimaraner dogs use everything from apples to zucchini to teach kids their letters in Alphabet Soup. The program also includes animated shorts featuring pups facing everyday challenges with comic results. Running time is approximately 45 minutes. After the films, families are invited to pick up an activity sheet to explore paintings in the Gallery’s collection that include canines. For ages four, up in the East Building Auditorium. nga.gov

Shakespeare Theatre’s Free For All Information for Families This year’s Free For All, Sept. 1-13, is a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. The Shakespeare Theatre’s intention is for the Free For All to be familyfriendly. Guardians should bring children out into the lobby if they are restless.

Babes in arms are not allowed in the theatre. They request that children be five years of age or older. Every person entering the theatre must have a ticket.

If a child will be sitting on someone’s lap, they still must have a ticket. Read

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more about how to get tickets at shakespearetheatre.org.

DC State Athletic Association Announces Creation of Student-Athlete Advisory Council The District of Columbia State Athletic Association announces the creation of a Student-Athlete Advisory Council that will meet periodically beginning this fall to serve as the voice of DC’s high school student-athletes. DCSAA is currently accepting applications from students interested in serving on the advisory council.

Details on the application process and an application are posted at dcsaasports.org.

Kids On Ice at Fort Dupont Ice Arena Fort Dupont Ice Arena is home to Kids On Ice, a community ice skating program for children ages 5-18, offering free lessons with all equipment provided. Instructors include qualified volunteers under the direction of professional figure skating, ice hockey and speedskating directors. The Kids On Ice Program has six components: Basic Skills, Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, Schools Skate for Fitness, and Freestyle Practice Sessions. 202-5845007. fdia.org

DC Youth Orchestra The DC Youth Orchestra Program (DCYOP) is the leading curriculum-based classical music education program in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. The

Music Store Instrument Rentals Private Lessons Group Instruction Summer Camps

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Providing the tools and expertise for musicians and music lovers of all ages

202.733.3158 info@musiconthehilldc.com www.musiconthehilldc.com 1453 Pennsylvania Ave. SE • 2nd Floor EDUCATION SPECIAL 2015 • 25

A nearly 14-foot-tall cast of a T. rex known as “Stan” is one of the most imposing dinosaurs featured in the National Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition, “The Last American Dinosaurs: Discovering a Lost World.” The show tells the story of non-avian dinosaurs’ final years in western North America through an extraordinary diversity of fossil animals and plants from the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Photo: Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian Institution

mission of DCYOP is “music for young people; achievement for life!” DCYOP offers group lessons and ensemble training on all orchestral instruments for students ages four and a half to 18. The program consists of seven ensembles including the renowned Youth Orchestra.

DC Youth Orchestra Program has a place for all students with any level of experience. All students who have prior experience with their instrument will have a placement audition and be assigned to a curriculum level of the program. No auditions are required for beginners. Beginning students with experience and intermediate students can take a placement audition on Sat., Aug. 22 at Eastern High School, 1700 East Capitol St. NE, or by appointment.

Read more at dcyop.org.

The Last American Dinosaurs: Discovering a Lost World at the Natural History Museum The last dinosaurs roamed what is now the Western Interior of North America.

Then global catastrophe ended their reign,

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leaving only a single group of dinosaurs--birds--to survive. Like all life, dinosaurs were part of a complex ecological community of animals and plants. Join them as they piece together a picture of their world by looking at fossils from this ancient time. National Museum of Natural History (second floor). mnh.si.edu

Pay-Your-Age and Family Fun Pack at Arena Stage

Patrons, ages 30 and under, can pay their age. Tickets go on sale eight weeks before the performance date, and patrons may purchase tickets by phone or in person.

Pay-Your-Age tickets are limited to four per household. Proof of age for each member of the party will be required at time of purchase or pick-up. They are subject to availability and purchase includes any applicable fees. With the Family Fun Pack, purchase four seats for only $125. Must include a minimum of two patrons between ages five and 17 per Fun Pack; cannot be combined with any other offer or applied to previously purchased tickets; limit two Fun Packs per household. All standard fees apply. Must be purchased by phone or in person. “Oliver” is at Arena, Oct. 30 to Jan. 3. arenastage.org

Nutcracker Tickets On Sale Now! The Washington Ballet presents its annual holiday tradition, The Nutcracker, at the Warner Theatre, Dec. 3 to 27. TWB will also present The Nutcracker at THEARC Theater in SE, Nov. 28 to 29. Previously, tickets to The Nutcracker had only been available by purchasing a subscription package. Now, single tickets are on sale starting at $33. Tickets to Warner Theatre

performances may be purchased online at Ticketmaster or by calling 202-397-SEAT. Tickets to performances at THEARC Theatre may be purchased online at THEARCDC.org or by calling 202-8898150.

On Sun., Dec. 6, The Washington Ballet (TWB) presents Family Day, a ballet experience where children discover what it takes to create everyone’s favorite The Nutcracker. TWB’s Artistic Director leads a fun-filled event at the Warner Theatre prior to the 1 p.m. performance. Family Day at The Nutcracker provides families a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production and a chance to interact with Clara, Drosselmeyer, the Sugar Plum Fairy and many other beloved characters.

The Building Zone at the National Building Museum The Building Zone is a hands-on introduction to the building arts designed especially for the National Building Museum’s youngest visitors, ages two to six. Just as a building’s foundation lays the groundwork for a structure, child-initiated play lays a foundation for learning. Through imaginative play, children learn to interact with others, to recognize and solve problems, and to gain confidence. Play helps children make sense of their physical and social worlds and their place within them. The National Building Museum invites their youngest visitors and their families to enjoy The Building Zone space as they explore the world we all build for ourselves. Building Zone hours are Mon. to Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. For Building Zone only, tickets are $3 ticket per person for ages three and up.

The Big Build at the National Building Museum is a free annual hands-on family festival of tools, trucks, and building arts. The 2015 Big Build is Sat., Sept.

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Joy of Motion Youth Dance Classes Children who dance reap benefits that enrich all facets of their life and enhance their personal growth and development. Joy of Motion Dance Centers provide a wide variety of classes throughout the year for young dancers from early childhood through 12th grade. Youth dance classes and programs are by enrollment only and are designed to be ageappropriate in style of dance and material covered. For early childhood dance (25 months through Kindergarten), placement is determined by age as of the first day of each semester. For grades 1-12, placement is determined by grade as of the first day of their fall semester. Joy of Motion classes are at the Atlas at 1333 H St. NE, 202-399-6763; in Bethesda at 7315 Wisconsin Ave. Suite 180E, 301-986-0016; and in Friendship Heights, 5207 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202-362-3042. joyofmotion. org/youth-program.

Dance Place Kids’ Classes Dance Place offers ballet, tap, tumbling and hip-hop classes for kids. Call them for the fall class schedule of times, days and fees. Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. 202-269-1600. danceplace.org

Shake Up Your Saturdays at the Folger Shake Up Your Saturdays happen on the first Sat. of each month at 10 a.m. Children ages six to 12 and their families are invited to join them for this hour-long

program to have fun learning and sharing Shakespeare’s language and experiencing the Folger. The program is free but you must reserve a space. Read more at folger.edu.

Celebrating Family Community Festival at Anacostia Community Museum The Anacostia Community Museum’s annual Celebrating Family Community Festival is on Sat., Sept. 12, noon-4 p.m.

This year’s theme is Celebrating Community Diversity. Enjoy live music, food vendors, and art activities. Entertainment includes Mental Attraction (GoGo band), Broesler School Irish Step Dancers, Pan Lara Steel Drummers, Panamanian dance troupe Panama Danzas y Ritmos, and performers from Savoy Elementary, the Savoy Players. Art activities include making Japanese kites, Mexican paper flowers, Venetian ball masks, Indian Henna painting, African storytelling and more. It’s a fun day for the entire family with activities taking place both on the grassy picnic area and inside the museum.

They’ll also have information tables from numerous community partners including Martha’s Table, The Textile Museum, Anacostia Watershed Society, Zenful Bites, Creative Junkfood, US Coast Guard, ArtWorks Now, Metro Teen AIDS, Washington Performing Arts, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Howard Theater, The National Museum of the United States Navy, Children’s

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National Health System, Smithsonian African Art Museum, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Cultural Tourism DC, Project Create and others. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

DC Public Schools Beautification Day DC Public Schools Beautification Day is Saturday, Aug. 22. Residents (including non-parents) are invited to participate.

For more information on planning or participating, contact Serve DC’s Executive Assistant at 202-727-7925. serve. dc.gov

Bridging the Gap Between High School and College – Summer Transition Program Workshops The DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education Summer Transition Program focuses on the needs of incoming college freshmen and their families by offering tangible and responsive information through workshops, in an effort to increase awareness of the challenges faced during the 1st year of college. The workshops are offered in one, two, or three-hour formats to encourage maximum participation and options for students and families. Roughly the same material is covered in each workshop.

Remaining workshops are Wednesday, Aug. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m., UDC-CC, 801 N. Capitol St. NE; Wed., Aug. 12, 5-8 p.m., UDC-CC - 5171 South Dakota Ave. NE; Tues., Aug. 18, 6-8 p.m., Mt Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW; Thursday, Aug. 20, 6-8 p.m., Rosedale Community Center, 1701 Gales St. NE; Tues., Aug. 25, 6-8 p.m., Mt Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW; Thursday, Aug. 27, 6-8 p.m., Rosedale Community Center, 1701 Gales St. NE. Register at osse.dc.gov. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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Civil War Tours to Treasure at Anacostia Community Museum On Sun., Aug. 1, 16 and 23; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., families get a personal docent-led tour of the exhibition How the Civil War Changed Washington and participate in a self-guided treasure hunt activity. Kids receive a free museum token for finishing the hunt. Each Tours to Treasure program lasts approximately 90 minutes; recommended for families and children (six years and up).

Call 202-633-4844 to register. Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. anacostia.si.edu

School Supply Donations Sought Councilmembers Allen, Silverman and Alexander are hosting a back-to-school event Aug. 15 for children living at the Family Shelter at DC General. There will be food, games, school supplies, and clothing.

Volunteers are welcome, as are donations of cash, school supplies, and children’s socks and new underwear. Make checks payable to Edgewood Brookland Family Support Collaborative, “c/o Sharon Cryzter for Back to School Kick Off ”, 200 K St. NW Suite 1, 20001. For more information, contact Pat Joseph at pjoseph@dccouncil.us.

Jan’s Tutoring is Beneficiary of Mandarin Oriental’s FANtastic March 5K Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC will take to the streets for the fifth consecutive year to sponsor its FANtastic March 5K on Sat., Sept. 12. The funds raised will be donated to Jan’s Tutoring House and used in assisting with its mission to provide educational and enrichment activities for inner city Washington, DC school-age children and youth.

The 5K will begin at 9 a.m. on the hotel’s front drive and wind around the National Mall before returning to the hotel for a celebratory BBQ in the hotel’s

garden at approximately 11 a.m. The fee to participate is $45 per person and includes a continental breakfast, morning pre-walk stretching session, event t-shirt and admission to the BBQ. For more information, visit the event’s donation website at razoo. com/story/Mandarin-Oriental-Washington-Dc-Fantastic-March-V.

Family Fitness Class at Canal Park with DCBFIT On Sun., Aug. 16, 2 p.m., join the Capitol Riverfront BID and DCBFIT in the middle block of Canal Park for a fitness class geared toward your entire family. DCBFIT will lead an action-packed workout for kids, and kids-at-heart, of all ages. Move through a series of stations featuring jump rope, stretches, and high-energy exercises for every fitness level. Canal Park is at 202 M St. SE. 202-465-7094. canalparkdc.org

Kids Run the Bases at Nat’s Park Kids ages four to 12 can run the bases after select Nationals games. Kids Run the Bases begins immediately following the game, weather permitting. Remaining dates are: Aug. 9, 23, and 30; Sept. 6, 20 and 27. An adult must accompany runners to the field.

One adult per child on the field. Starting at first base, kids will be directed to run around the bases as the adults continue along the warning track and meet the runners near home plate. Once the game has ended, it takes the grounds crew approximately 20 minutes to prepare the field. Kids and parents/guardians can begin lining up at the end of the seventh inning, however fans that would like to stay and watch the entire game will still be able to line up once the game has ended. Participants must exit the ballpark through the Right Field Gate. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First St. washington.nationals.mlb.com

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Preschools and Schools Archbishop Carroll High School www.achsdc.org Archbishop Carroll High School is a Catholic, college preparatory, coeducational school that welcomes young people and empowers them in an academically rigorous, diverse, and supportive learning environment. The school prepares young men and women to make meaningful and positive contributions to their communities and to continue their journey as lifelong learners.

Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School www.beauvoirschool.org Beauvoir, the National Cathedral’s elementary school, founded in 1933, is dedicated to educating a diverse student body in a caring and creative environment. Beauvoir nurtures the spiritual, ethical, intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development of children. The school seeks to foster a spirit of inquiry and a joy in learning.

Blyth-Templeton Academy www.blythtempleton.org Newly founded Blyth-Templeton Academy is a college-preparatory, private, non-sectarian, coeducational high school serving grades nine to 12. It provides an education that is accessible to a diverse community. Academically rigorous small classes averaging eight students are designed to allow students to learn outside of the classroom as well as within it. Join them for one of their open houses or schedule an individual meeting and tour.

The school, located at the Hill Center at Old Naval Hospital, is still accepting applications for 2015/16.

Bridges PCS www.bridgespcs.org Bridges Public Charter School is an expanding elementary school serving pre-k to third grade for the 2015/16 school year. A new grade will be added each year through fifth grade. The school’s developmentally appropriate, student- and familycentered educational approach includes small classroom sizes, a well-trained staff, individual planning for each student, and hands-on and project-based learning. It is located at 1250 Taylor St. NW. Call for information 202-545-0515. For

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the 2016/17 school year Bridges PCS will relocate to a new campus at 100 Gallatin St. NE. Burgundy Farm Country Day School www.burgundyfarm.org Burgundy Farm County Day School provides an inclusive, creative, and nurturing learning environment on a 26-acre “hidden gem” campus. The school features a brand new Outdoor Classroom and Discovery Playground. Its innovative, handson approach to education cultivates excellence, instills respect for diversity, and teaches responsibility for self, for others, and for the natural world.

Capitol Hill Day School www.chds.org Capitol Hill Day School serves approximately 225 students, pre-k to eighth grade. The school offers a strong academic program in a creative environment. Its talented faculty employs regular field trips to augment the curriculum and expand the campus into the city and beyond. The art program is integrated into other core subjects. After-school and summer camp programs are available. Needbased financial aid is available. Capitol Hill Day School is located at 210 South Carolina Ave. SE. 202-547-2244 Community Educational Research Group The Community Educational Research Group’s philosophy is that education should teach children the basic skills to think, solve problems, and cultivate their natural curiosity. Their mission is to develop the child’s social and cognitive skills so that he or she can succeed at the next level of learning. The group also provides parents with early intervention information that gives students the support needed to reach their highest potential in the education process.

District of Columbia International PCS www.dcinternationalschool.org DC International Public Charter School inspires inquiring, engaged, knowledgeable, and caring secondary students who are multilingual, culturally competent, and committed to proactively creating a socially just and sustainable world. In 2015 applications for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade will be accepted. DCI is an IB Candidate school offering Spanish, Chinese, and French.

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DeMatha High School www.dematha.org DeMatha High School offers a college preparatory curriculum serving the talents and interests of students from diverse economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. DeMatha’s outstanding academic program includes extensive AP and honors courses, opportunities for Christian service, an acclaimed music program, co-curricular activities, and a nationally recognized athletic program.

Eagle Academy Public Charter School www.eagleacademypcs.org Eagle Academy Public Charter School employs a variety of educational, technological, physical, and sociological tools to transform its students into active learners. Offering pre-k to third grade instruction, the school has a myriad of programs including STEM, arts, music, foreign language, and adventure activities that encourage student curiosity, which is the key to successful learning. The school has two conveniently located campuses at 1017 New Jersey Ave. SE and 3400 Wheeler Rd. SE. Friends Community School www.friendscommunityschool.org Experience the joy of an extraordinary education!

Friends Community School is a kindergarten-toeight Quaker School that nurtures lifelong learners, courageous risk-takers, and joyous peacemakers. It welcomes students of all backgrounds and is just 15 minutes from the Hill. Its students love to learn, know how to learn, and succeed in leading high schools area-wide.

Friendship Public Charter School Online www.fpcso.k12.com Friendship Public Charter Online, the first virtual public charter school authorized by the Public Charter School Board, will work in partnership with parents to awaken the power of learning in their children. The result can be greater first academic success, confidence, and independence in school and beyond. The school offers instruction from kindergarten to eighth grade. It has an awardwinning k-12 curriculum and is the leading online k-12 curriculum provider and an AdvanceED accredited company.

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The Hill Preschool www.thehillpreschool.org The oldest preschool on Capitol Hill, now in its 45th year, is a cooperative preschool at the Church of the Brethren for children two to four years old. The Hill Preschool teaches through play and socialization. Children are provided rich opportunities to engage in hands-on explorations in their classrooms as well as the larger Capitol Hill community. Believing each child develops at a unique pace, the school seeks to nurture each one’s social-emotional, cognitive, language, and physical development.

Kingsbury Day www.kingsbury.org The Kingsbury Day School provides a transformative educational and social experience to students with learning difference (LD) and ADHD. It offers a supportive and differentiated pre-k to 12 diploma program. The school provides on-site tutoring and support therapies including diagnostic and psychological services, OT/PT, and speech and language services. These innovative services are embedded in each child’s academic day.

KIPP DC www.kippdc.org KIPP DC is a network of high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools.

Outstanding educators and staff, more time in school, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, and a strong culture of achievement and support help its students make significant academic gains. KIPP DC currently operates 16 schools serving students in pre-k and third to 12 grades.

Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools www.seeforever.org Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools create learning communities where all students, particularly those who have not succeeded in traditional schools, can reach their potential and prepare for college, career, and a lifetime of success. Maya’s students see the school as their first choice for a second chance, where they develop the academic, social, and employment skills they need. This is achieved through a demanding academic program, socio-emotional learning support, a blended learning model, and tiered interventions that focus on the whole child.

National Collegiate Preparatory PCHS www.nationalprepdc.org Be a part of a wonderful academic community!

National Prep is a college prep high school located in Washington, DC. It offers small class sizes and an international study focus with a rigorous curriculum to prepare students for college. Space is available for ninth and 10th graders. Contact us about our exciting program.

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Northeast Stars Montessori Preschools www.nestars.net Northeast Stars Montessori Preschools are fully licensed preschools in Old Town Alexandria and Capitol Hill. The schools believe that every child should have the opportunity to experience the Montessori way of learning. They deliver “Montessori and More!” through mixed-age (two to five years) classrooms, carefully planned lessons, and incorporation of music and arts. The schools offer extended day learning from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and also offer part-time spaces.

Perry Street Preparatory PCS www.pspdc.org Perry Street Preparatory PCS uses rigorous academic instruction, a safe and secure learning environment, and strong family relationships to empower its students to be ready to thrive in a global society. The school’s goal is to provide every student, pre-k to eight, with the knowledge, the abilities, the attitudes, and the support they will need to succeed in college and beyond.

Randolph-Macon Academy www.rma.edu Randolph-Macon Academy, grades six to 12, is America’s oldest coed boarding school with Air Force JROTC. The school provides small classes, mentoring, supervised study, AP and college courses, sports for all grade levels, a flight program, music, art, and drama. One hundred percent of graduates are accepted to four-year colleges or universities. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

540-636-5484 Richard Wright PCS www.richardwrightpcs.org Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts offers students, beginning with grade eight, the unique opportunity to explore high school while focusing on their areas of interest within journalism and media arts. The school offers a data-driven instructional program based on a curriculum designed for students with a wide range of academic skills, which reinforces reading and writing skills through Latin instruction and innovative use of technology at school and home.

dent, coeducational, Episcopal parish day school in the District of Columbia serving 510 students from nursery (age three) through grade eight. St. Patrick’s has a more than half-century tradition of providing a vibrant, challenging educational environment that balances tradition and innovation. Its program emphasizes the acquisition of essential skills, integration of disciplines, and creative engagement in active learning.

St. Peter’s Interparish School www.stpeterschooldc.org Founded 141 years ago by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, St. Peter’s Interparish School offers a quality education to students in grades pre-k to eight. With a focus on differentiated instruction, the curriculum adapts to student needs. Spanish, art, music, physical education, and computer instruction form an integral part of school life. The average class size is 25 students, and most come from the Hill. The admission cycle begins in late January with an open house. Tuition assistance is available. St. Peter’s is located at 422 3rd St. SE. 202-544-1618.

Washington Yu Ying PCS www.washingtonyuying.org Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School combines Chinese language immersion with the inquiry-based curricula of the International Baccalaureate Organization. It serves pre-k to fifth graders. Washington Yu Ying accepts applications through second grade. The school has a structured aftercare program. Apply online and attend an information session to learn more.

Waterfront Academy waterfrontacademy.org Waterfront Academy is a dual immersion (Spanish and English), faith-based Montessori school with emphasis on charity and stewardship in the Catholic tradition. The school, located at 60 I St. SW, is now enrolling students between the ages of two and a half to nine. 202-484-0044

SERVICES AND RESOURCES

Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS www.shiningstarspcs.org Shining Stars Montessori Academy is unique in its design as a free public Montessori school infused with culturally inclusive principles. This holistic approach meets the various needs of growing children, with a particular focus on developing life long learners who are confident and positive contributors to the global community.

American Youth Chorus www.americanyouthchorus.org Congressional Chorus www.CongressionalChorus.org American Youth Chorus is the after-school program of the Congressional Chorus at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), for students ages eight to 14. Founded on the belief that all children deserve a high-quality music education, AYC offers a performance-based choral arts and humanities program that encourages young people to develop their voices, creativity, and self-esteem in a fun and supportive environment.

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School www.stpatsdc.org St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School is an indepen-

BalletNova Center for Dance www.balletnova.org BalletNova offers a wide range of classes for

children through adult dancers at all levels in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and conditioning. Since 1981 BalletNova has provided a center of dance excellence in northern Virginia, nurturing and training dancers of all ages and offering superb community performances.

Boy Scouts www.NCACBSA.org/Join National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, is comprised of 23 districts serving 10 counties in northern Virginia, six counties in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands. They serve over 55,000 youth in traditional Scouting, coed outdoor adventure, and career-education programs. Join the action.

Capitol Kids Therapy LLC www.capitolkidstherapy.com Capitol Kids Therapy LLC’s therapists offer therapies to address articulation, developmental delays, language delays, auditory processing, and pre-reading/phonemic awareness skills. They are PROMPT-trained and have experience implementing oral-motor and feeding therapy. Capitol Kids therapists work with children in a variety of settings including clinics, schools, daycares, in-home, and through the DC Strong Start program. Ask about their social skills groups for a variety of ages and abilities.

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop www.chaw.org Creativity, confidence, and community are the watchwords of the new Youth Arts Program at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW).

Diverse and dynamic classes in dance, theater, music, visual art, ceramics, and photography help students develop a unique artistic voice as they explore and create while working in community with their peers. Tuition assistance, payment plans, and transportation options are available for all. CHAW has never turned away a child for inability to pay for an arts class. Call 202-547-6839 to register. Located at 545 7th St. SE. Claster Educational Services www.clastereducation.com Claster Educational Services guides students step-by-step so that they are well-prepared and confident as they navigate the college admissions process. Claster counseling services include course selection, extracurricular and summer activities, standardized testing plans, campus visits, college lists, comprehensive application and essay support, interview prep, financial aid, gap years, and transition to college.

Connect.DC www.connect.dc.gov Connect.DC, the Office of the Chief Technol-

ogy Officer’s digital inclusion program, works to increase technology use in the District by helping residents access affordable home Internet service and free computer training.

Connect.DC is currently partnering with EveryoneOn, the United Planning Organization, and Byte Back to ensure low-income children have the technology tools they need to succeed in school by providing six months of free Internet service for eligible DC families.

To learn more about this project visit www. connect.dc.gov/free-internet.

DC Association of Chartered Public Schools www.dcacps.org The mission of the DC Association of Chartered Public Schools is to increase opportunities and outcomes for students by supporting the development, growth, and sustainability of quality charter schools in Washington, DC. The association was created by and for DC public charter school leaders to serve as their collective voice.

DC Public Charter School Board www.dcpcsb.org The DC Public Charter School Board works hard to ensure that high-quality public school options are available to DC students and families. It does so by setting tough academic standards, using a comprehensive application process and effective oversight of the District’s public charter institutions, and providing meaningful support to current and prospective families Family Psychological Services of Capitol Hill PLLC www.fpsch.com Dr. Samantha Sweeney is a licensed psychologist who specializes in helping individuals and families improve communication and develop lasting coping skills through tough times. She offers therapy, consultation, and assessment for children, adolescents, parents, and families. Dr. Sweeney has a special interest and training in serving nontraditional families and diverse populations.

Learning Specialist LearningSpecialistOnTheHill@gmail.com Colleen, formerly a learning specialist from Friends Community School, helps families optimize learning for all their children. She offers parents consultations, academic skills assessments, readiness and acceleration planning, executive function skills coaching, tutoring, and test-prep (SSAT/ISEE, SAT/ACT, GRE & Praxis).

Music on the Hill www.musiconthehilldc.com Music on the Hill is a family-owned and -operated full-service music store dedicated

to bringing high-quality tools and education to musicians of all levels. New and used band and orchestra instruments are available for rent. Private and group lesson offerings are taught by highly qualified and experienced instructors. The store sells instruments, sheet music, and accessories.

Music Together www.mistermikesmusic.com Music Together offers fantastic music-making classes for infants and toddlers and the caregivers that love them. Come check out a demo class and see why Music Together is “the most loved children’s music program” in Bloomingdale, Capitol Hill, NoMa, Dupont Circle, and Mount Pleasant. 202-251-7205 Skills on the Hill LLC www.skillsonthehill.com Skills on the Hill offers pediatric occupational therapy to children from birth to teenage years. The practice has experience working with motor-skill delays (visual, fine, and gross motor), hypotonia, dyspraxia, sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and trouble with social and play skills. It works closely with families using a team approach.

There are two convenient locations in Arlington and Capitol Hill.

St. John’s Community Services www.sjcs.org St. John’s Community Services offers unique experiences for students with disabilities ages four to 22. The organization provides an inclusive academic and vocational education within DC Public Schools. Students can participate fully in the public school environment, develop relationships, and become empowered to pursue their dreams for the future. l