School Notes by Susan Braun Johnson

kids&family SCHOOL NOTES

by Susan Braun Johnson

Northeast Stars

NES students enjoyed salt painting in which they used pipette droppers filled with water and food coloring to “paint” pre-made salt designs. Using the dropper helps to develop fine motor control, hand strength and coordination, and hand eye coordination.

The students also used magnetic discovery trays which involved placing common objects from around the classroom into three bowls on a tray. The students wave the wand over each tray to see which items were magnetic. This activity develops coordination, learning cause and effect, and creative thinking.

Northeast Stars Montessori Preschool is located at 1325 Maryland Ave NE, www.nestars.net

Maury Elementary

The Lunar New Year - Chinese New Year - is always a “red letter day” at Maury ES.

To celebrate on February 1, school uniform rules were cast aside with most staff and students sporting festive red gear. Although pandemic precautions precluded the traditional dragon dance, students observed the occasion by entering the school through an impressive (albeit temporary) gate. The school community wishes everyone a Happy

New Year! Welcome to the

Year of the Tiger!

Maury ES, 1250 Constitution Ave. NE, mauryelementary.com.

Miner Elementary

The Miner Elementary administration and PTO, along with the help of some veteran teachers, have begun hosting monthly breakfasts for their newest staff members. The Miner Community is committed to welcoming these new team members to their Miner Bear family. The first breakfast was on Jan 28 and they will continue through the end of the school year.

Miner Elementary is located at 601 15th St NE, minerelementary.org.

Photo: Miner PTO. Van Ness Otters on Ice

Students from Van Ness Elementary strapped on their skates for Otters on Ice. With the support of the Canal Park Ice Skating and

Wiseguy Pizza, both of which gave a portion of the night’s proceeds to the school, the event was well attended and fun was had by all. Van Ness is located at 1150 5th St SE. vannesselementary. org.

Photo: Sue Tiedeman.

Waterfront Academy

The elementary school students prepared for their Culture Geography Fair. They learned about countries all over the world through craft projects and more.

Waterfront Academy is located at 222 M St. SW. https:// www.waterfrontacademy.org.

Photo: Kate Oczypok. Capitol Hill Day School

Capitol Hill Day School’s Field Education Program reinvents the “field trip,” going beyond the traditional look-and-see approach and engaging students deeply with the places they go and the people they meet there. Across the grades,

Capitol Hill Day School students embark on over 300 meaningful field education experiences per school year—each tied to a class’ specific curriculum. Second-graders recently visited local store, Hill’s Kitchen to interview business owner and

Capitol Hill Day School alum,

Leah Daniels, as part of their study of the Capitol Hill neighborhood and how it meets the needs of the community. Capitol Hill Day School is located at 210 South Carolina Ave, SE, www.chds.org.

Richard Wright PCS

Richard Wright students prepare to dissect a sheep’s brain in Forensics class.

Richard Wright Public Charter School is located at 475 School St, SW. www.richardwrightpcs.org.

Photo: Amir Carter. Eastern HS

Eastern is celebrating Black

History Month with interactive whole-school lessons on the contributions of Black people in academics, history, and culture. There is selfreflection in how students see themselves as part of the whole, a focus on love, and a call to action on how students can help spread the word and foster understanding about

Afro-centric history and contributions to the world made both now and in the past. A Black History Door decorating contest (see photos) was voted on by the SGA. Congratulations to Ms. Patterson’s class who got some help from City Year!

Eastern Senior High School is located at 1700 East Capitol St, NE, easternhighschooldc.org. u

Runner up in Eastern’s Black History Month’s door contest is AP Psych students’ door and lead designer 11th grader Vernell Garvin. Photo: L. Braganza.