2017 DC Education Special – Winter/Spring Edition

EDUCATION 2017 winter-spring edition • PreK-12

A Resource for the Education and Enrichment of Students in Washington DC

A CAPITAL COMMUNITY NEWS PUBLICATION capitalcommunitynews.com

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EDUCATION sp e c i al e d i t i o n

06 Report Card Time Has Come And Gone Do You Really Understand How Your Child Is Doing In School?

Nigel M. Atwell, Esq.

10 Five Things to Consider When Considering a Private School E.V. Downey

12 Guiding Principles for Principals Rules for Turning Around Schools Stephanie Deutsch

16 Writing Prescriptions for Success Eastern High School HMSA Students Intern at MedStar Hospital Christine Rushton

20 Kids & Family Notebook Kathleen Donner

25 Ad Index and Resources A C APIT AL C OM M UNIT Y NEWS PU BLI CA TI O N Capital Community News, Inc. 224 7th Street, SE, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20003 202.543.8300 www.capitalcommunitynews.com

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Report Card Time Has Come And Gone Do You Really Understand How Your Child Is Doing In School?

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By Nigel M. Atwell, Esq.

he first half of the District of Columbia 2016-2017 public school year is over. Traditional public schools and public charter schools have issued report cards and hosted parentteacher conferences. Parent-teacher conferences usually provide parents roughly 15 minutes – yes, 15 minutes – to listen to teacher observations, review some student work, then share all their questions and concerns about their children’s academic and social development.

Did your parent-teacher conference – all 15 minutes of it – provide you a clear and complete picture of your child’s performance in school?

Here is a short list of issues you should consider and questions you

Photo: Fotolia

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should ask your child’s teacher to get a clearer, more complete picture of your child’s academic and social progress at school and to help you begin to advocate on your child’s behalf.

How Well Does My Kid Read?

By now, your child’s teacher should have assessed your child’s reading, math and writing skills. The assessments may be standardized or teacher-made, and are usually administered in the beginning of the school year, again in December/January, and finally at the end of the school year. Teachers give the assessments to determine children’s strengths and weaknesses, tailor instruction to meet children’s instructional needs, and

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monitor children’s academic growth during the school year.

Teachers assess your child’s reading skills using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment, the Developmental Reading Assessment (“DRA”) or some other standardized assessment to determine your child’s early literacy skills, reading accuracy, reading fluency, ability to recall the order of key story events and details, and reading comprehension.

Teachers score the assessment in accordance with a rubric provided by the test developer and that test score correlates to a reading grade level for your child. Here is a link to a reading level conversion chart that shows how your child’s assessment test score corresponds to her age and a reading grade level: https:// www.readinga-z.com/learninga-z-levels/levelcorrelation-chart/ You should know your child’s reading grade level and the reading level that your school considers to be proficient for children in your child’s grade at this time of the year. If your child is reading significantly below the grade level expectation for this time of year, ask the teacher for her opinion about the cause of your child’s reading struggle. Ask the teacher to share her instructional plan to close your child’s reading achievement gap. Interventions may include the use of teaching strategies like guided reading, one on one support, computerized reading programs, or support from professional reading specialists with whom the school system has contracted to provide intensive reading intervention. If you suspect that your child has a learning or other disability and want your child to be evaluated, make your request in writing to the school’s special education coordinator or the principal.

The Report Card

Review your child’s progress report card completely. Read the grades and read the teacher comments about your child. If the teacher’s comments seem unclear, vague, or minimal, ask your teacher to clarify them or provide more substance. Compare the report card grades in English/Language Arts to your child’s beginning of the year Fountas and Pinnell (or DRA or other assessment) reading level.

If your child has an Individualized Education Program (“IEP”), you should also receive an IEP progress report that shows your child’s 8 / Winter-Spring 2017

progress on each academic goal in the IEP. For each IEP goal, the report should tell you whether your child has met the goal, is progressing toward the goal, or is regressing. The report will also include a narrative of your child’s performance. Often, the special education teacher prepares the IEP progress report; your child’s classroom teacher may have assisted or provided input for the report. You should ask the special education teacher and your child’s classroom teacher for copies of any assessments, observation notes or other written work that evaluate his progress against the IEP goals. Compare the IEP progress report to the other data you have collected on your child’s performance.

Is My Child’s IEP Working?

Compare your child’s current IEP to the IEP that was in place this time last year. Are the reading (or math) goals in your child’s current IEP the same as the goals in the IEP that was in place this time last year? Do the current IEP goals seem too hard for your child to reach given what you know about your child’s current abilities and proficiency? If the answer is “Yes” to either of these questions, you should consider requesting an IEP meeting to determine whether your child is making adequate academic progress.

Do Behavior Issues Connect To Academic Problems?

My child acts out in school. Is there a connection between her behavior, her school’s response, and her academic achievement?

Inappropriate behavior and exclusionary discipline can have adverse impacts on your child’s academic progress and social well-being.

Inappropriate behavior may have origins in reading failure, undiagnosed physiological or psychological conditions, chronic or toxic stress or trauma, or some cognitive or other learning disability. Inappropriate behaviors can impact your child’s ability to learn or progress academically.

Exclusionary discipline separates your child from his peers and his classroom teacher during the school day. Repeated out of school or in school suspensions, extended time in the principal’s office or extended/frequent “time out” in another classroom, and sending a child home as a response to inappropriate behavior will affect

the amount and consistency of instruction that your child will receive in reading and other key subjects. Repeated inappropriate behavior followed by exclusionary discipline can perpetuate and exacerbate reading failure.

Does it appear that your child is experiencing the same behavioral struggles – and exclusion from class or school -- that he experienced during the last school year? Does your child repeatedly exhibit inattention or inappropriate behaviors during instruction, to which the school responds by excluding her from the classroom or the building? What kinds of behaviors does your child show? Ask your child’s teacher these questions and about positive behavior strategies that she is using to support your child.

If it appears that your child is caught in a cycle of inappropriate behavior, repeated disciplinary exclusion, and reading or other academic failure, you should consider requesting a meeting with the school support team or the IEP team to address the problem.

Summary

This short list will help you to better understand your child’s academic and social progress and to plan future advocacy on your child’s behalf, especially if your child has an IEP and you believe that your child’s progress has stalled, is moving backward or is unclear to you. A special education attorney can review your child’s education record (including her IEP, psychological or related services assessments, academic assessments, progress reports, discipline record, and behavior intervention plan), direct you to education advocates, psychologists, related service providers or other education experts, work with your child’s school to review (and if necessary, modify) her IEP, or pursue other action to ensure that your child obtains an appropriate education.

Nigel M. Atwell is an attorney and former elementary and graduate school educator in Washington, D.C. Mr. Atwell practices special education law and is interested in social studies teaching methods and equity in education policy. nigel@lawofficeofnigelmatwell.com. © Nigel M. Atwell, 2016 /

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Five Things to Consider When Considering a Private School

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By E.V. Downey

and desires (more on that Students play outside Friends Community School, during its annual Fall Fair. Photo: Sharon Natoli later), listen to the school officials, observe the ambiance and people, and decide if you want to enter into a more formal relationship.

There’s also the cyber-stalking, more appropriately known as the cyber-research approach.

Check out the schools’ websites, online reviews and press, and local blogs. Watch out for the reviews of a lover scorned -take the information as a whole rather than getting caught up in one particularly enthusiastic or scathing review.

But what should you be looking for in your search? It might not be terribly romantic, but you should make a list of questions that you need answered and have a good idea of what you need those answers to be. This relationship could last for years and you need to go into it having most of your desires met, or at least being fully aware of the shortcomings before you get started. criteria. Entrance tests, sports prowess, strong So start early so you’re not rushed in your interviewing skills, fantastic grades, lots of decision-making, and have a clear sense of what extracurriculars, the “right” feeder school -- find you would like, or at least what you definitely out what the school is looking for and whether don’t want. Here are five top consideryour child has it. ations to get you started.

Have a backup plan, or two, or three.

Applying to four or five schools is a good idea.

Number One – Have one or two most competitive ones if Availability that’s of interest to you and then pick two to Getting a sense of how competitive three more that are more realistic. Often these a school is, how many open seats schools are just as good; they might just lack there will be in your chosen year, and the reputation (or students of famous parents) whether your child is likely to be a of your top choice. good candidate for those seats is a cruDo you have champagne tastes but a beer cial first step. Don’t be afraid to shoot budget? Is a $40,000 per year school out of high, but be prepared to be shot down. reach, but a $30,000 school doable? Will you Be optimistic, but realistic. need financial aid and if so, how much. A Know what a school is looking $15,000 school might serve you just as well and for in terms of successful applicants still allow you to do all those little extras like Capitol Hill Day School 4th Graders learning African dance with and determine if your child fits those eating out and paying your electric bill.

Coyoba Dance Co. hoosing a private school is a lot like finding a mate. There are the must-haves – a good personality match, a mutual attraction, and then there are the ideal extras.

There are the things you know you want, and then there are unexpected qualities that are surprisingly appealing.

The courting process is also similar. You find a potential mate, get to know each other, and hope that there’s a mutual attraction.

There are even like paths toward meeting interesting prospects.

There’s the bar scene--the school fair.

Prospects, schools in this case, stand around with their marketing material while you visit with them and determine if you like what they have to offer. This can be a quick way of ruling in, or out, multiple options.

There’s also the blind date. Your friends wax poetic about a particular school and set you up.

Perhaps it’s a social event or a musical performance. You go, you are interested or you’re not.

Or else you can make a date for yourself.

Most schools offer open houses and scheduled tours that give you an opportunity to check them out without declaring your undying devotion. Have handy your list of questions

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Don’t be afraid to shoot high, but be prepared to be shot down. Be optimistic, but realistic.

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Don’t let the price tag take a school off your list initially, but do be realistic about what you can afford and whether you can sustain that over a number of years. Find out about financial aid and what income levels they offer it to.

Number Two -- Location, location, location

As with a house or a job, finding a school that is in a location that works for you is extremely important. Your mad love affair with a school across town will likely quickly fizzle after the first few months of undertaking a harrowing commute.

Hours of transit time can cut into extracurricular and homework time, as well as family time and, perhaps most importantly, a child’s sleep.

The availability of before and aftercare can help make a school work better for your commute. After school enrichment programs can really make a difference in your total family’s time balance. Being able to knock out any tutoring, piano lessons, dance classes, and sports right there before your child even leaves school will make weeknights and evenings easier on the whole family.

Number Three -- The Right Fit

Finding the so-called right fit is a muchdiscussed element of the school search process because it’s so important! There are so many types of educational models out there; research

and know whether Montessori or language immersion, expeditionary or religious education is right for your family.

Allow the admissions process (and possibly an educational consultant) to help with this.

When you visit a classroom, does it seem like a place where your child would prosper? What is your child’s personality, learning style, and academic ability?

Think about school size and class size, grades served, teacher training, diversity, amount of homework, and, most of all, overall philosophy of a school. Admissions officers are there to explain their school’s philosophy and to help you figure out the right fit. Does the school make you excited? Do you find yourself wanting to tell everyone about it? Let the process guide you into finding what works for your child.

Number Four: Facilities, extracurriculars, etc.

Most parents expect a private school to provide better facilities and resources than their neighborhood public school. Sports fields and gymnasiums, state-of-the-art auditoriums, art students, science labs, computers, and wellstocked libraries can greatly expand a school’s offerings. Environmentally-friendly materials, shady trees, light sensors, and all-natural playground equipment can improve the appearance and quality of a school while reducing its environmental impact.

However, good looks aren’t everything. What does the school do with them and what opportunities will your child have to participate?

How is technology used, how do arts fit into the curriculum, what sports are offered? Do all students have an opportunity to participate or is it by selection or grade level? Do the kids get plenty of chances to play on the fancy playground or swim in the pool?

Number Five: That certain je ne sais quoi

Blythe-Templeton students at the Art Museum of the Americas.

Now on to the less objective measures. How does the school make a relationship that works? How does it continue wooing its community once that initial courtship period has passed? Are there resources such as a parent association? Are there regular

meetings and celebrations among the students as a whole? Are relationships such as reading buddies fostered between grade levels?

The attrition rate for both students and teachers can provide a good barometer of the overall happiness level at the school. Happy people stay put! Recess and social time for the kids and planning and collaborative time for the teachers are important. Systematic support for students who might need extra help academically or behaviorally makes for a better environment for everyone.

Issues such as bullying and violence, as well as overall security should have a systematic approach. A safe, supportive neighborhood with plenty of ties to the school can also help foster a sense of security. Seeing a school as a greater community of administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members gives a better sense of the school being part of something larger than itself.

Marriage?

So you’ve fallen in love. How do you secure the relationship? If you’ve done your homework and your legwork, chosen a school that’s a good fit for your child and your family, chances are good that a match will be made.

It’s important to express your interest -- everyone wants to feel desired!

Make their jobs as easy as possible. Get your paperwork in on time and clearly articulate why you want the school and why they should want you. Make sure your child is on the same page. An unenthusiastic candidate is easy to spot, and reject.

Be cool and calm, but don’t play hard to get. If a school is your top choice, let them know. You’ve done the work, shown them why your child is the right choice for them. Now you just have to sit back and hope to receive that wonderful thick envelope at the beginning of March. Good luck!

E.V. Downey is an educational consultant who works with families to find the right school for their children. She works with public, charter, private, and special needs schools in addition to doing special needs advocacy. E.V. brings 20 years teaching experience, 9 years in private school admissions, and her work as a behavioral therapist with special needs kids to her thriving consulting practice. downeyschoolconsulting.wordpress.com

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Guiding Principles for Principals Rules for Turning Around Schools

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ne of the first changes Stephanie Byrd made this fall when she became principal of Payne Elementary School on C Street in Southeast was to ensure that students start the day with time on the playground and then all enter the school by the same door.

Outside, parents greet each other and chat while their children run around. On Mondays Ms. Byrd is there too, visible and welcoming, communicating to everyone that Payne, a school of 305 students from 3 year old Pre-K to 5th grade, is a warm and welcoming place, firmly rooted in and accountable to the community.

Similarly, on Constitution Avenue in Northeast, the new principal at Eliot-Hine Middle School, Isamar Vargas, greets students at the door as they arrive each morning. She is enjoying the process of getting to know her 200 students. “These are children,” she says.

“They have names and histories…they need to be loved.” Changing the school’s climate and culture from punitive to something more loving and supportive is, along with increasing enrollment, one of her main goals.

And just around the corner, at Eastern High School on East Capitol Street, new principal Sah Brown is outside each morning,

Eastern HS Principal Sah Brown greets a student.

Photo: David Deutsch

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By Stephanie Deutsch notable not just for his height, but for his easy interaction with the school’s students, faculty and staff. He too sees relationship building and fostering an environment where the students want to be as among his primary objectives.

By very different roads, Sah Brown, Stephanie Byrd and Isamar Vargas came to these Capitol Hill schools bringing with them similar values and goals.

Sah Brown

Sah Brown is enthusiastic about everything at Eastern High School from its International Baccalaureate program to the marching band that has played in three presidential inaugural parades. The school’s extracurricular activities include “something for everyone,” he says noting that there are a renowned choir, a large number of clubs run by teachers, and 17 varsity sports including not just basketball, soccer, cross country and track for both boys and girls but swimming, tennis and volleyball. Power Hour is an academic time after school for homework completion and extra help, mandated for students participating in sports and clubs. When he introduces himself as the principal of Eastern Brown is becoming used to hearing people say, “Oh, I am a Rambler!” The school has deep roots in the community and a proud tradition.

Brown grew up on Long Island and attended a Catholic school where expectations were high. At Lehigh University he majored in political science and thought about law school but also played varsity basketball and dreamed of the NBA. After a brief time in the NBA minor league, though, he decided to “deflate the basketball.” He applied for and was accepted into the DC teaching fellows program and he “was hooked. I really enjoyed teaching.” He taught and worked as a Special Education coordinator at Anacostia High school then got further experience and training through the New Leaders program for principals. Each school he was at – Hardy

Stephanie Byrd. Courtesy DCPS website

Middle School, Roosevelt High, Cardozo High – taught him something and, he now feels, all prepared him for the privilege of leading Eastern.

Among his first concerns at Eastern have been building on the enthusiasm of parents and students for the International Baccalaureate program, improving enrollment, and reducing suspensions. Brown takes pride in the fact that Eastern has had 49 fewer suspensions from school this year than at the equivalent time last year, the highest reduction of any high school in the city. He credits a shift in attitude from punitive to restorative with a strong focus on building relationships with all students and among staff and faculty as well. Of his work at Eastern he says, “It is our job to welcome our students, provide them with support, and prepare them before they go on to productive lives.”

As Sah Brown, Isamar Vargas and Stephanie Byrd all know, their work is enormous and important and it starts with the welcome.

Stephanie Byrd

Stephanie Byrd was born in Washington, D.C., and lives today not far from where she spent part of her childhood in Southeast. At Anne Beers Elementary School she remembers the welcoming smell of bread cooking in the cafeteria in the morning and jumping double Dutch on the playground. When her family moved to Forestville, Maryland she attended an Episcopal

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Catholic school that middle school and had been set up to La Reine Catholic educate the poor. high school where It was competitive, she was one of bilingual in English very few African and Spanish, and American girls. “I communicated loved it,” she says “strong Catholic remembering devalues.” At the manding academPontifical Catholic ics and animated Isamar Vargas, Principal at University of Puerto classroom discusEliot-Hine Middle School Rico she started as sions on subjects of a nursing student equity and public but quickly gravitated to teaching, policy. At Howard University, Byrd doing a practicum as a social studies majored in psychology and minored teacher her senior year. The day in chemistry. Continuing her studies she graduated from college she flew in grad school at Howard and later to Chicago where she began as a at George Washington University, substitute teacher and quickly got a she discovered a love of teaching and job as a bilingual teacher in a largely went on to teach kindergarten and Mexican community with many special education at several schools. problems – separated families, drug Going from Hyde Elementary activity, and violence. It was, she school in Georgetown to Langdon remembers, “very difficult. People in Northeast gave her a sense of the told me ‘don’t take it personally.’ disparities that exist between schools.

But if you are doing it right you get “Everywhere you go the kids are invested. I do take it personally.” great,” she says. But at Langdon Ms. Vargas spent 17 years in reading levels were not as high as Chicago coping with “a lot of snow” at Hyde, and the tone was more and being principal of a challenging authoritarian. A fellowship from the school where 97% of the children Mary Jane Patterson Aspiring Princispoke English as a second language pals program gave her the conviction and a third of them also had special that leading a school was something needs. She took particular pride in she could do. the gains in literacy achieved during As principal, Stephanie Byrd her time there. “When you teach a looks forward to reducing the child how to read,” she notes, “you number of students who leave after give him the world.” pre-school for Peabody and Watkins An invitation to interview with and to strengthening the relationship DCPS while she was in Washington with Eliot-Hine so parents will feel for a reception at the White House confident of a clear path forward in honoring teachers and principals DCPS for their kids. Once a month resulted in her being offered the she hosts a coffee for parents and position at Eliot-Hine. It was hard every day at lunchtime she mingles to leave Chicago, where she has two with the kids, challenging them with brothers, but she loves her new situmath facts before they get in line. ation and the challenges it presents.

“They’re hungry so they have gotten One of her own teachers from Puerto good at answering fast,” she says.

Rico lives in Virginia and “continues “They love it.” to be a source of inspiration,” Ms. Vargas says. “She treated me with isamar Vargas dignity. She taught with love.” / Isamar Vargas grew up in Ponce, Puerto Rico where she attended a

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Writing Prescriptions for Success Eastern High School HMSA Students Intern at MedStar Hospital

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By Christine Rushton

elping at a 2016 summer camp for disabled children, Eastern High School student Kaheri Gyenyame, a senior and Ward 4 resident, realized doctors and nurses make up only two of the many career options in the medical field. Gyenyame traveled with hospital staff and worked with children as a part of her six-week internship through MedStar Health’s Prescription for Success partnership program with Georgetown University Hospital and Eastern High School’s Health and Medical Science’s Academy (HMSA). Philanthropic investment group Companies for Causes coordinated the program.

Gyenyame and 11 other HMSA students interned 20 to 25 hours a week, a paid position through DC’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). They spent their time

Students in Eastern High School’s Health and Medical Sciences Academy participate in a mock birth at MedStar Hospital in the summer of 2016. (Photo: Joe Weedon) A student in Eastern High School’s Health and Medical Sciences Academy participates in a mock birth at MedStar Hospital in the summer of 2016. (Photo: Joe Weedon)

observing the doctors, nurses, and other medical staff, as well as attending workshops on professional development such as resume writing and interview and college preparedness training.

At the camp for disabled children, Gyenyame watched as physical therapists, counselors, and other staff showed the children how to play the same sports she plays with her own friends. She plans to study medicine and go into pediatrics, and seeing the variety of expert roles needed to care for the whole child showed her a range of future career options.

Opening the Door to Multiple Medical Careers

Students hoping to pursue a career in medicine often list doctor or nurse as their desired profession, said HMSA coordinator and Eastern teacher Wesley McCammon.

He hopes more of his students will explore lesser-known 16 / Winter-Spring 2017

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Kaheri Gyenyame, an Eastern High School Health and Medical Sciences Academy student and Prescription for Success 2016 intern.

(Photo: Christine Rushton)

medical positions as the internship program continues to grow. “Look at all the possibilities,” he said. “You don’t have to be a doctor to work with a patient.”

Both the MedStar internship and McCammon’s class at Eastern show students a diversity of opportunities. The HMSA program at Eastern offers interested students four courses over their four years in high school to explore the medical sciences and emergency medical technician (EMT) services. Through research and projects, each student earns the chance to prepare for a future degree in medicine.

McCammon views the addition of the internship as a capstone for his students, putting the students in a position of professional responsibility for their program at the hospital and for their own education. “I wanted this to be something for the kids to do for themselves,” McCammon said.

Offering Job Readiness Skills

Knakiya Wheaton, a junior at Eastern High and a Ward 7 resident, wants to pursue a career as a registered nurse. As a student in McCammon’s HMSA class, she observed the physical and occupational therapy departments at Georgetown Hospital during her internship. She said she appreciated the chance to see the many staffers who help get patients back on their feet. But she also valued the workshops and skills training she received to prepare for applying to college and a job in the future.

Navigating her own commute to a job during the summer program also taught her the importance of professionalism, responsibility, and prioritizing her work. She learned how to properly communicate with potential employers and colleagues through interviews for the program, 18 / Winter-Spring 2017

while working with medical staff and through the workshops. She hopes to apply to Virginia State University next year and will use her writing, resume, and interview skills to get there.

Joe Weedon, the Ward 6 DC State Board of Education representative and executive director at Companies for Causes, helped launch this program with MedStar and Eastern. MedStar’s Prescription for Success program has run for a decade in Baltimore, and Weedon helped bring this iteration to DC in 2016. Weedon touts the program as more than a chance for students to observe; it gives them a hands-on idea. “It’s important for students to know there is a career pathway,” Weedon said.

“My goal is to expose students to the pathways that get them where they dream to be.”

If the hospital can help educate or show students what they can achieve in their own city, that feeds the pipeline for future medical professionals in the District, she said. It helps the hospital staff become productive members of their community.

And it shows the students that doctors aren’t the only people who treat patients. “It helps provide them with an experience on how to have an impact on someone’s life beyond just the medical encounter,” Martin said, explaining that it takes more than medicine to heal and help a community.

“It’s fine to be a doctor,” she said. “But perhaps there are other ways you might be able to make an impact that better fits your skills or your personality.”

That’s how Gyenyame feels. She knows she wants to work with children, but now she has a better understanding of her options in the pediatrics field. Whatever she chooses to study, she knows her true passion. “I feel I connect to kids because I’m a kid at heart,” Gyenyame said.

Giving MedStar Staff a Community Perspective

Growing the Program

MedStar and Georgetown hospital staff give the students a chance to explore, but the staff also gain perspectives in return, said Emeobong Martin, MedStar’s regional community health director. “This is an opportunity to build relationships but also to truly improve our mission for helping our communities,” Martin said. “Moving the needle on improving health outcomes, that really goes beyond the four walls of our hospital.”

Knakiya Wheaton, is another Eastern High School Health and Medical Sciences Academy student and Prescription for Success 2016 intern. (Photo: Christine Rushton)

Eastern and MedStar will accept 10 to 15 students in 2017, Weedon said. Both Weedon and Martin said they hope to expand that number in future summers. MedStar also wants to take students through the hospitals earlier in the application process in order to understand their interests and find better fits for each. “I think it’s a tremendous partnership for Eastern and the neighborhoods,” Weedon said.

McCammon said he wants to build the internship as he has built the HMSA program, to become competitive and give students an advantage after graduation. Whether they want to pursue a degree or a job at departments like the DC fire and emergency medical services, they will walk out equipped with both an education and work experience.

The 2017 internship program will begin accepting applications in January through March or April. Weedon said they’re finalizing the dates. Every applicant will receive an interview in May. The 2017 program, which starts in June, will offer four days of observation at the assigned hospital and one day of professional development for the six weeks.

“It’s not just a work experience,” Weedon said. “It’s also that networking and that professional experience.” /

camps

A MUSIC & ARTS PLAYGROUP

For Toddlers and Preschoolers Caterpillars-Ages 1 ž-3

Butterflies-Ages 2-4

Focuses on developmentally appropriate play and activities. This is a time of great transition for young children as they begin to determine their own interests and discover their strengths.

Helps children develop interpersonal skills and school-readiness activities. Extended Day Option

Ask about our 2017 Summer & Spring BreakCamp!

More info and registration at:

www.BusyBeesDC.com 1453 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20003

dcbusybees@gmail.com Education Special \ 19

Kids and Family NOTEBOOK

By Kathleen Donner

STORYTIME+

their heroic actions during the Civil Rights era: Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine; Claudette Colvin who stayed seated on a bus before Rosa Parks; and brave six-yearold Ruby Bridges. This Discovery Theater play is shown Feb. 21 to 24 at 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Ripley Center, Smithsonian. It is recommended for ages 6 to 11. Individual tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children, $3 for children under 2.

The Ripley Center is at 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW. discoverytheater.org.

Bring this show to your child’s school February 1 to 18 and 27, 28, 2017. Call Artivate at 301-588-7525 for prices and availability.

On Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the lobby, STORYTIME+ explores contemporary art through stories and movement. Museum staff will read aloud a book, introduce children to an artist in the collection and lead a hands-on activity. Nursing moms are welcome. Stroller parking is available in the Hirshhorn lobby. Groups of 10 or more should contact mcgettigant@si.edu to reserve a program in advance. Please note: snacks are not allowed inside the Museum, but visitors may eat outside on their Plaza before or after the event. hirshhorn.si.edu.

Hamlette

Being a teenager is hard for Hamlette anyway, but add in a visit from her father’s ghost, her mother marrying her murdered father’s brother (her uncle) and no one remembering she’s a girl; it’s enough to make poor Hamlette go mad. Hamlette takes the classic Shakespeare play, throws it in a blender and shakes it up into a side-splitting comedy told in under an hour with only five actors. It is recommended for ages 11 and up. Hamlette is at the Keegan Theater, 1742 Church St. NW, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. keegantheatre.com.

PLAY-RAH-KA

The Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW, introduces Keegan PLAY-RAH- KA. Through outreach programs in collaboration with community partners and opportunities at home at The Keegan Theatre, the program makes the arts as accessible as possible to all in the form of classes, camps, internships and other opportunities. Offerings are separated by age groups, from pre-K to high school. PLAYRAH-KA also produces professional productions for families. It will present two plays as part of Keegan’s 2016-2017 20th Anniversary 20 / Winter-Spring 2017

Art Adventurers Studio

Courtesy of the National Building Museum

Be an Engineer

On Feb. 18, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., kick off National Engineers Week with a fun-filled day at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Drop in to meet real engineers and to test out ideas with over 20 hands-on engineering activities. Launch rockets. Meet an astronaut. Make slime. Pop popcorn and more. Visit the Discover Engineering Family Day website at engineeringfamilyday.org.

Season. Both focus on transformation and self-discovery.

How Old is a Hero?

In “How Old is a Hero?” audiences meet young people who helped change the nation by

Art Adventurers Studio classes at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) are held on Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. They begin with a children’s story based on an artist’s life or a book that introduces the day’s project and techniques. One main project will be based on the story and appeal to a range of ages.

Additional exploration stations will be set up to complement the main project. These additional stations will reinforce technique and introduce new materials and tools.

These classes are recommended for ages 2 to 4 and are drop-in only with a $5 donation per child to CHAW tuition assistance.

Classes take place at CHAW, 545 Seventh St. SE. For more information contact education@chaw.org or call CHAW at 202-547-6839.

DAR Museum Family Events

On Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Shine a Light on the Past! In these dark days of winter we need more light! How did people light their houses before electricity? Come make a candle and a candle holder. Find out how much light

IS FROM

Encouraging Empowerment and Imagination in a Safe and Caring Environment For Children Ages 3-10

JUNE 19 to AUGUST

4

2017 TYLER ES

PENDING DCPS APPROVAL

Younger children (ages 3-5) will engage in creative play, field trips, amazing classes, performers, the arts, language, movement, plenty of outdoor time and waterplay each week. Older ones (ages 6-10) will enjoy camp mornings focused on the arts, sports, critical thinking, sign language and cultural experiences. In the afternoon, there will also be a host of field trips, classes, performers, swimming and more.

Small ratios for all campers-breakfast, snack, (maybe lunch), all performers, classes and trips included *children ages 6 and up must bring a SmarTrip card

Registration Begins February 6th

Download applications at www.politepiggys.com Mail to PO Box 31215, WDC 20030 OR Submit either at Maury ES,Tyler ES or School Within a School ES daily between 4pm-6pm

Flexible Scheduling: ages 3-5: ages 6-10:

Weekly $340 $370

Whole Day $68 $74

Half Day (any 5 hours) $41 $47

*25% sibling discount | *$100 registration fee | kids have to be 3 by 9/30/17

Early Bird Discount: $15 weekly discount for all prepaid weeks paid for by 4/3/2017.

More Info: 240-396-8957 ask for VanNessa www.politepiggys.com • politepiggysdaycamp@yahoo.com

Music Store Instrument Rentals Private Lessons Group Instruction Summer Camps Providing the tools and expertise for musicians and music lovers of all ages

202.733.3158 info@musiconthehilldc.com www.musiconthehilldc.com

801 D Street, NE Education Special \ 21

camps

CAMP

Ranger Michelle Nolan reads to kids during Reading with a Ranger at Kenilworth Park. Photo: Robert Steele, National Park Service

Reading with a Ranger at Kenilworth Park

Every Sunday through September from 11 a.m. to noon, join a Park Ranger for a fun and educational story time and craft activity. The program combines the reading of a short colorful book with an arts and crafts activity based on the story. This program is for ages 4 to 7. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1900 Anacostia Ave. SE. 202-6926080. nps.gov/keaq.

they provide. On Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Make a Victorian valentine to give to a sweetheart! These are walk-in events. Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters is at 1776 D St. NW. 202-628-1776. dar.org.

“As You Like It” College Night

College Night is Feb. 3, 8 p.m. Rosalind is banished from court and flees to the Forest of Arden. There, she discovers Orlando and a world of passion and possibility. When she disguises herself as a man, enchantment abounds and blossoms into an exploration of the beauty and complexities of young love. Tickets are $15 for college students with valid ID. Call the box office or visit in person to purchase tickets in advance. folger.edu.

Chinese New Year Festival

On Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrate Chinese New Year and the Year of the Rooster.

“Awaken the Lion” and ring in the New Year 22 / Winter-Spring 2017

with performances by artists from Beijing, fun activities and traditional handicraft demonstrations. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F Streets NW. americanart.si.edu.

frame and canvas. There is a $5 materials fee.

The workshop is led by artist Camilla Younger.

This program is at the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

Sackler Family Days

DC SCORES

Chinese New Year Celebration

Celebrate African American Contributions to Space and Aviation

Here’s what’s Happening: Jan. 11 and 18, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Teen Workshop: Ceramics Unleashed (ages 13 to 19), join Freer|Sackler Teen Council alumnus Jared Green for a skill-sharing session on throwing clay on a potter’s wheel and painting tiles. Jan. 14, noon to 4 p.m., Open Studio: Dazzling Designs of the Qur’an (all ages), Discover The Art of the Qur’an with free family activities.

In this Open Studio, we explore illuminated designs in the Qur’an, the holy text of Islam.

Take a family-friendly tour (12:30 and 2:30 p.m.) of the exhibition, and then head to the ImaginAsia classroom to get creative. Tea and refreshments provided. All ages welcome with adult companions. asia.si.edu.

On Feb. 4, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., ring in the Year of the Rooster at the Sackler with art! Their third annual Chinese New Year celebration features free attractions for all ages highlighting contemporary performers and artists from Beijing including: Beijing Opera performed by students from the Beijing Opera Art’s College; Chinese acrobatic performances; Calligraphy demonstrations Paper cutting and appliqué embroidery; Sugar painting and dough figurines; and Chinese New Year card crafts. asia.si.edu.

Re-Use to Re-Invent Art Workshop Family Day

On Jan. 28, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., using the museum’s exhibition The Backyard of Derek Webster’s Imagination as inspiration, families can decorate dinner plates with figures made from every day found objects. Webster was an artist who was born in Honduras but who eventually settled and worked in Chicago, IL. He was a self-taught artist who sculpted both small and large-scale figures using detritus found outside his home and around his neighborhood. He would attach some of his smaller figures to dinner plates which served as both

DC SCORES goes where kids in need are and creates neighborhood teams that give kids the confidence and skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and in life. This school-based, team-based, whole child program provides free after-school programs and summer camps facilitated by trained youth development professionals. It intentionally integrates soccer, poetry and service-learning to help low-income kids throughout the District build physical fitness, find their voice, improve their literacy, increase school engagement and strengthen ties to their community. DC SCORES has served more than 9,000 low-income DC children since 1994. For more information, visit americascores.org/affiliates/dc.

On Feb. 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the National Air and Space Museum celebrates the significant contributions African Americans have made to flight and space exploration despite the overwhelming obstacles they had to overcome. Enjoy presentations, hands-on activities, and stories. Learn about African American astronauts, pilots, and scientists of the past and present and their accomplishments. airandspace.si.edu.

Locals for Locals Good-bye Winter 5K

Locals for Locals 5K, March 19, supports Children of DC (CASA DC) to help foster children here in the District of Columbia. CASA DC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Its mission is to promote court appointed volunteer advocacy so that every abused and neglected child in the DC foster care system can be safe, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive. This mission is carried out through the recruitment, training and support of volunteer advocates. Register for the run at localsforlocals5k.com.

Get your kids moving and grooving...

with our high-energy, fun dance classes!

Toddler & Me (18M-3Y) Baby Ballet (2.5-3.5Y) Ballet, Tap, Jazz Combo (3-6Y) Hip Hop (6-12Y)

Join us for a Trial Class! www.TippiToesDC.com Clarendon * Del Ray * Falls Church * Herndon * Capitol Hill * NW

2 0 1 7 S U M M E R / FA L L I S S U E O N S TA N D S AU G U S T 2 0 1 7

Education Special \ 23

made significant contributions to District secondary school’s athletic programs and overall community. The nomination form can be found at dcsaasports.org, along with a full description of the selection criteria.

To learn more about the (DCSAA), visit dcsaasports.org.

Ella Enchanted

National Symphony Orchestra tuba player Stephen Dumaine. Photo: Scott Suchman

Orchestral Music for Young Audiences

On Jan. 28, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Jan. 29, 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) O tuba player Stephen Dumaine and NSO percussionist Eric Shin team up to demonstrate how lively the tuba can be. Along the way, meet some international relatives of the tuba. See Stephen play while riding his bicycle. This Kennedy Center production is for ages 3 and up. All seats are $20. kennedy-center.org.

DCSAA High School Athletics Hall of Fame

The District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) has announced the creation of a High School Athletics Hall of Fame. It will recognize individuals and teams that have demonstrated exceptional athletic success during their enrollment at, or service to, a District of Columbia public, public charter or private school. The Hall of Fame also looks to honor individuals or organizations that have 24 / Winter-Spring 2017

Based on the Newberry Honor book by Gail Carson Levine, Baby Ella of Frell is given the “gift” of obedience by Lucinda, a misguided fairy and thus cannot disobey any direct order. Then when tragedy strikes, Ella is reduced to an obedient servant in her new home with Dame Olga. Can Ella find a way to rid herself of the troublesome curse?

Ella Enchanted is a production of Adventure Theater. It is recommended for all ages and is on stage at Glen Echo, Feb. 3 to March 19.

Tickets are $19.50. adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Here’s the season’s remaining lineup: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, April 7 to May 21; and Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, June 23 to Aug. 14.

The Freshest Snow Whyte

Fans of past Hip Hop shows at Imagination Stage will love this radical update of a familiar fairytale. Set in the year 3000, meet Snow Whyte – a graffiti-artist locked in competition with her arch rival, Kanye East, over which of them makes the “freshest” images in the universe. Both depend on a Simon Cowell-type celebrity called Mira to decide who is best. After her exile to a distant planet, Snow Whyte is sheltered by two rapping alien twins, reminiscent of the Seven Dwarves, and survives two visits from the vengeful Kanye, dressed in crazy disguises. She then uncovers the true secret to talent: that it is shared equally among all people. Best for ages 5, up. Tickets are $15 to $35. The show runs Feb. 11 to March 18 at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, MD. 301-2801660. imaginationstage.org. Here’s the season’s remaining lineup: The Jungle Book, April 22 to May 28; Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, June 21 to Aug. 13.

Disney On Ice

From Feb. 15 to 20, through enchanted pixie-dust, Tinker Bell takes you on a journey

of beloved Disney tales. Tickets are $85, $55, $30 and $20. They are available at the Verizon Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com or at 1-800-745-3000.

Goldilocks

Goldilocks is on trial. The audience must decide if it was breaking-and-entering or an innocent mistake. This musical romp illustrates that there are two sides to every story with the same circumstances seen from very different points of view. Told with rod puppets and giant hand puppets, this production keeps the audience guessing while including all the favorite elements of the classic children’s fairytale.

On stage at Glen Echo, Jan. 19 to Feb. 19.

This show is recommended for ages three and a half to nine. Running time is 40 minutes.

Tickets are $12. thepuppetco.org.

Remainder of 2016-2017 season shows: Jack and the Beanstalk, Feb. 23 to March 26; The Three Billy Goats Gruff, March 30 to April 30; and Cinderella, May 4 to June 11.

The Big Meow at Theatre on the Run

Specially adapted for young audiences, Jane Franklin Dance offers The Big Meow. Little Cat is taunted by neighborhood felines because his meow is just too darn loud. The movement–based theatre performance is adapted from the children’s book by Baltimore author Elizabeth Spires and tells the story of an ever–hopeful orange fluffball who desperately wants to belong to the band of neighborhood cats, but is ostracized for a “loud as a lion’s roar” meow. The Big Meow is a story of hope, disappointment, courage and the need for belonging. These simple themes are part of every neighborhood, but in this wonderful tale told through the experiences of Little Cat, a potential weakness is a unique strength.

Performances are on Jan. 14 and 28, 3 p.m., at Theatre on the Run, 3700 S Four Mile Run Dr., Arlington, VA. Tickets are $13, general admission; $9 for children under 12 and $40 for a family of four. Order at 703-933-1111 or janefranklin.com.

Have an item for the Kids & Family Notebook, email bulletinboard@hillrag.com. /

AD INDEX and RESOURCES SCHOOLS Preschool Northeast Stars Montessori Preschools (NES) www.nestars.net Northeast Stars Montessori Preschools are fully licensed preschools in Old Town Alexandria and Capitol Hill.

They provide individualized, personal educational opportunities for the whole child. Their teachers deliver “Montessori and More!” through mixed-age (two to five years) classrooms, carefully planned lessons, and incorporation of music and arts. NES schools offers before care, extended day learning from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., space share and part-time spaces. Summer Camp Enrollment begins Feb. 1, 2017.

The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center www.si.edu/SEEC The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) is a non-profit model lab school with a museum-based curriculum. Children aged infant through kindergarten receive all-day, part-time and community workshop instruction in on-site classrooms and the Smithsonian Institution museums. SEEC extends its expertise within educational and museum communities through seminars, conferences, and consulting.

Private The Auburn School • www.theauburnschool.org The Auburn School, an integrated program built for student success, weaving together our social skills program and challenging academic curriculum. Our schools serve intellectually curious students with challenges in socialization, communication, and organization. Auburn integrates art, music, social learning, occupational therapy, study skills, and organizational techniques into core academic subjects. We have campuses in Virginia, DC and Maryland.

Beauvoir – the National Cathedral Elementary School • www.beauvoirschool.org At Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, we provide an extraordinary early childhood education in a diverse community that values every individual.

Beauvoir’s program encourages creative, courageous learners and builds an enduring foundation for a lifelong spirit of inquiry and joy in learning.

Blyth-Templeton Academy – Hill Center blythtempleton.org Blyth-Templeton Academy is a college-preparatory, private, non-sectarian, co-educational high school serving grades 9-12. A micro school that averages just eight students per class and provides an academically-rigorous experiential education where students learn outside of the classroom as well as within it. The school is located at Hill Center. Join us at an information session or schedule an individual meeting and tour to learn more.

Capitol Hill Day School – www.chds.org Capitol Hill Day School serves 215-225 students, prekindergarten through eighth grade. Since 1968, passionate and professional educators have offered a progressive education that sparks joy in learning, encouraging curiosity, exploration, creativity, and play.

We connect the classroom to the larger world with over 300 field education experiences annually. We draw strength from our diverse community, and support each child’s social, emotional, and academic growth, building a strong foundation for high school and for a life of purpose and value. Rich and varied after school and summer camp programs are available, as well as needbased financial aid.

Elizabeth Seton High School • www.setonhs.org Elizabeth Seton HS is leading the way in preparing young women to succeed in college, career, and life.

Seton cultivates a learning culture where interaction with diverse people and ideas, a challenging curriculum, and pre-career programs prepare graduates for leadership and success.

Friends Community School www.friendscommunityschool.org Experience the joy of an extraordinary education! Friends Community School is a kindergarten-to-eight Quaker School that nurtures lifelong learners, courageous risktakers, 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.

Fusion Academy (Wash DC, Tysons, Alexandria) www.FusionAcademy.com Fusion Academy is a revolutionary, accredited 6-12th grade private school where positive relationships and one-to-one classrooms unlock academic potential.

This allows personalized curriculum for each student’s unique strengths and learning style. Classes are offered at: essential, college prep, and honors. Students can enroll full-time, take classes for credit, or utilize tutoring services. Year round admissions.

The Hybrid Academy at CHLG www.capitolhilllearninggroup.com The Hybrid Academy at CHLG is a Christian, coeducational micro-school serving students in grades K-6. We pair classroom based learning (maximum class size of 10 students) with home based education, allowing for a rigorous academic program that can be tailored to the individual student’s strengths and needs. Come visit us to learn more!

Randolph-Macon Academy • www.rma.edu Randolph-Macon Academy, grades 6 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.

The Washington School for Girls www.washingtonschoolforgirls.org The Washington School for Girls is an all-scholarship independent Catholic School serving low-income students in grades 3-8. Our students come primarily from DC’s Wards 7, 8, surrounding areas in PG County. By offering a comprehensive academic program in a supportive environment, we help our students to become confident, competent, and courageous young women.

WSG has two campuses: THEARC, grades 6-8 and The VIEW grades 3-5

Public Charter Schools Achievement Prep Public Charter School www.aprepacademy.org Achievement Prep Public Charter School prepares students to excel as high-achieving scholars and leaders in high school, college and beyond. The award-winning school engages in three-generational work. As the school changes the lives of their scholars, they are also changing the lives of their scholars’ parents and future children.

Bridges PCS • bridgespcs.org Bridges Public Charter School is an expanding elementary school growing to serve students in grades Pre-K through 5th by the 2017/2018 school year. 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.

The school is now located at their new campus at 100 Gallatin St. NE. BASIS, Washington D.C. ™ www.basisdc.org BASIS DC was ranked the #1 Charter School in the District by the Washington Post! This tier one school is a part of a network of charter schools consistently ranked among the top K–12 schools in the United States.

Through BASIS.ed’s revolutionary liberal arts program, BASIS students are inspired to love learning and the pursuit of deeper understanding, ensuring they are prepared for success in every aspect of their future lives.

Cesar Chavez PCS for Public Policy www.chavezschools.org Chavez Schools is a network of innovative college preparatory public charter schools that focuses on cultivating the next generation of civic leaders to create a more just, free, and equal world. With four campus locations, Chavez Schools currently serves 1,400 students in grades 6-12.

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. Applications are open for grades 6-9.

DCI is an authorized IB MYP World School offering Spanish, Chinese, and French.

Eagle Academy PCS • 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. Excel Academy Public Charter School www.EXCELPCS.org Washington’s first all-girls public charter school, serving scholars in Pre-K3 to 8th grade. The founding members of Excel Academy firmly believed that all girls can achieve great academic success! We are committed to providing a strong educational alternative to girls in Washington, DC with the highest quality single-sex education possible.

IDEA Public Charter School • www.ideapcs.org IDEA Public Charter School prepares scholars for college and career success with committed, experienced teachers and small class sizes, a positive culture emphasizing leadership and achievement, and our Academy of Construction and Design, which teaches practical skills including construction, architecture, electrical, carpentry, sustainable design, plumbing, HVAC, and more.

KIPP DC • www.kippdc.org KIPP DC is a network of 16 high-performing, collegepreparatory public charter schools educating students in PreK3-12. KIPP DC utilizes highly effective teachers and leaders, an extended school day and year, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, and a culture of highexpectations and support, leading 100% of students to be accepted into college.

Education Special \ 25

Monument Academy • www.monumentacademy.org Monument Academy is a weekday boarding school for students in Washington, DC currently open to 5th, 6th, and 7th graders. Our school is designed with an emphasis on personalized learning, experience-based learning, and social-emotional well-being to ensure that students with disabilities or who are English Language Learners will benefit from our school.

My School DC • www.myschooldc.org DC residents have many public school options. My School DC makes it easy for families to take advantage of these choices. My School DC is the common application and lottery for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools. The application is open now for school year 2017-18 at MySchoolDC.org. The deadline to apply for grades 9-12 is February 1, 2017, and for grades PK3-8 is March 1, 2017. Application help is available through the My School DC Hotline at (202) 888-6336, 1-on-1 appointments with My School DC staff, or the My School DC field offices in Wards 1 and 8. Visit MySchoolDC.org or call (202) 888-6336 for additional information.

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. College acceptance for all seniors and distinguished as the first school in Southeast DC to offer International Baccalaureate diploma.

Richard Wright PCS • www.richardwrightpcs.org Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts provides a strong, academically enriching and rigorous program while providing hands-on learning of fundamental concepts and skills essential in the fields of Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Film, Graphic Design, Visual Art, and Music Production. The school innovative curriculum elevates literacy levels for all its students.

Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS www.shiningstarspcs.org Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS (SSMA) is DC’s only public Montessori school accredited by the American Montessori Society. The school’s mission is to offer a quality Montessori education infused with culturally inclusive principles to guide children to develop to their fullest potential. SSMA serves students from PreK-3 to 6th grade.

The SEED Public Charter School of Washington, D.C. • www.seedschooldc.org The SEED Public Charter School of Washington, D.C. is the nation’s first college-preparatory, public boarding school. Students balance rigorous academics and engaging activities on campus from Sunday through Friday.

The school offers small class sizes and personalized counseling. Ninety-three percent of graduates enroll in college. Now accepting applications for grades 6-9.

Two Rivers Public Charter School www.tworiverspcs.org Founded 12 years ago by a group of Capitol Hill parents, Two Rivers serves preschool - 8th grade students across two campuses in Northeast D.C. A high performing network, its mission is to nurture a diverse group of students to become lifelong, active participants in their own education, develop a sense of self and community, and become responsible and compassionate members of society.

Washington Global Public Charter School www.washingtonglobal.org Washington Global Public Charter School is currently enrolling middle school students for the 2017-2018 school year. The school offers the International Middle Years Curriculum, a technology-rich, rigorous, inter-

26 / Winter-Spring 2017

national college preparatory curriculum. The school’s partnership with The George Washington University supports student academic growth and afterschool enrichment programs.

Washington Yu Ying PCS • 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 and third 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.

AFTER SCHOOL & CAMPS American Youth Chorus (AYC) www.congressionalchorus.org/JoinAYC AYC is a weekly after-school program, hosted at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, for students ages 8-14. AYC teaches youth through a performance/music theory based education that encourages vocal development, creativity, and self-esteem in a fun, supportive environment! Scholarships are provided to ANYONE in need.

Past performance venues have included: the White House, The Kennedy Center, Nationals Ballpark and Atlas Performing Arts Center. To join AYC, email: AYCManager@CongressionalChorus.org, or call 301502-4952.

Busy Bees Music & Art Playgroups www.BusyBeesDC.com Busy Bees Music & Art Playgroups provide a drop-off preschool environment for kids ages 20-40 months old.

For the younger kids, choose from 1-5 mornings/week with optional aftercare until 3 pm. Older kids attend from 3-5 mornings/week with optional aftercare until 3 pm or 6 pm. Program includes structured free play, music, art, Spanish, and plenty of fun! Ask about our 2017 Spring Break and Summer Camp.

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) www.chaw.org Creativity, confidence, and community are the guiding principles of the afterschool 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. A variety of CHAW Summer Camps offer the perfect balance of arts and recreation to keep the creativity flowing all year long. Private music instruction is also available for all ages.

Camp Shakespeare www.ShakespeareTheatre.org/Camp-Shakespeare At Camp Shakespeare, actors dive into the world of the greatest playwright in history. Working with theatre professionals, participants unravel plays with text analysis; transform into characters through voice and movement; wage battles with stage combat; and develop acting skills. Sessions culminate in a performance at the Shakespeare Theatre Company.

DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) www.dpr.dc.gov DPR offers a variety of exciting urban camping opportunities for youth ages 3 to 17. These opportunities include sports camps, aquatic camps, therapeutic camps, and other day camps. Additionally, DPR partners with the District Department of Employment Services to host a number of exciting teen career camps. For more information please contact the DPR Camp Office.

Music on the Hill • www.musiconthehilldc.com Music on the Hill is a family-owned and -operated fullservice 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.

Polite Piggies Day Camp • www.politepiggys.com We believe that all children deserve an environment where many cultural experiences, differences and likenesses are celebrated, talked about and supported.

We also believe that children must be allowed to just be! They need to have the freedom to find wiggling things under rocks, to explore the sand and water, time to enjoy slowed down moments full of nothing but their imaginations and friends. We promise to give our children great doses of what they want and a great balance of what they need: structure, support, healthy meal options and games. Younger children (ages 3-5) will engage in creative play, field trips, amazing classes, performers, the arts, language, movement, plenty of outdoor time and water play each week. Older ones (ages 6-10) will enjoy camp mornings focused on the arts, sports, critical thinking, sign language and cultural experiences. There will also be a host of field trips, classes, performers, swimming and more. Small ratios for all campers-breakfast, snack, (maybe lunch), all performers, classes and trips included.

DANCE Tippi Toes Dance® • www.TippiToesDC.com Tippi Toes DC provides high energy, engaging, FUN dance classes for boys and girls 18 months to 12 years.

Children learn positions, terminology and choreography while exercising their bodies, imagination and singing voices. Join us for Princess & Super Hero Camps during school holidays and summer vacation or hire us for your next birthday party!

The Washington School of Ballet www.washingtonballet.org The Washington School of Ballet’s Southeast campus at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, TWB@THEARC, provides dance programming for youth and adults. Ballet is offered for ages 4 – 18. Adult classes include African, Ballet, Yoga and Zumba, with discounts for Ward 7 and 8 residents.

SERVICES AND RESOURCES Claster Educational Services • clastereducation.com Claster Educational Services guides students stepby-step so they are well-prepared and confident as they navigate the college admissions process. Services include guidance on course selection, extracurricular and summer activities, standardized testing, campus visits, college lists, comprehensive application and essay support, interview prep, financial aid, gap years, and transition to college.

Little Leaves Behavioral Services • littleleaves.org Little Leaves is dedicated to helping people with social, communication, and behavioral challenges grow and succeed so that they can participate as fully as possible in their families and communities. Using evidencedbased practices based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), we partner with each family to develop and implement an individualized therapeutic plan. Serving the DC-NoVa- Baltimore area.

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. /

For the 2017-2018 school year Bridges PCS is in our new location:

100 Gallatin St. NE Washington, DC 20011

Pre-K 3 through 5th grade Building a strong foundation for learning

APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR Apply for admissions at:

www.myschooldc.org or call (202) 888-6336 Lottery Deadline March 1, 2017

Open houses will be held on the following Fridays from 9:30am–10:30am:

January 13 & 27 February 17 & 24 March 17 & 31 April 14 & 28

w w w. br i d g e sp c s . or g

*You must register for these sessions by calling (202) 545-0515.

Limit 30 people per session.

202.545.0515

Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Voted one of the Best Preschools in DC, City Paper Readers Poll 2013 -2016!