CHPSPO Meeting Notes – August 30, 2011

Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Montessori at Logan
215 G St., NE
August 30, 2011
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

1. Welcome, and introductions of new school representatives

2. CHPSPO By-Laws – Suggested revisions to be reflected in next version of the By-Laws. CHPSPO will vote on the by-laws on the next meeting (September 20, 2011)

3. Chairman Kwame Brown Public Oversight Roundtable on Middle Grades Education in the District: Preparing our Students for Success in High School and Beyond

• Heather Schoell (heysassy@yahoo.com) will testify on behalf of CHPSPO
• Suzanne will put CHPSPO on testimony schedule
• Suzanne will prepare draft based on: background of CHPSPO and our role in middle school plan; relationship between feeder schools and their middle school (especially within teachers); request DCPS/DC look at creative ways to make sure they are ready for middle school (summer transition, year-round school); Advocate for diversity of programs at MS level that reflect diversity of elementary schools (IB, varying school size, project-based learning, museum magnet); make sure diversity does not stop at elementary school; Want to see an investment by DC in neighborhood schools; advocate to more granular data

4. Walk-to-School Day, October 5

• Contact: George Blackmon (gblackmon@hewfcu.com) to serve as point of contact for volunteers.
• NEED volunteers to take on the following:

o Food and giveaways (contact Laura Marks and Tara Flakker???)
o Ask if Gina Arlotto can help/advise on permit for Lincoln Park
o Speaker equipment from Tommy Wells’ office (contact Anne Phelps??)
o Band (Eastern): Heather to contact Rachel S.
o Contact: Yoga (Gabriella Boston?), Elizabeth Jones? (Effervescence)

5. Race to Nowhere Screening

• Contact: Janet Brown, Maury parent
• Need for volunteers
•  Timeframe: November, at Atlas
• Will need help to sell tickets; spread the word

6. DC Parent Power Organizing Meeting

• CHPSPO will have a presence. Suzanne Wells, Isabella Harris : Sherry Trafford to attend

7. Discussed DC CAS Scores.

• No decision on how they fit in to the work that CHPSPO does. Share best practices among schools? Advocate for more granular data?
• Visit http://www.greatschools.org/ for more comprehensive data.

8. Advocating for more bike lanes by CHPSPO

• Contact: Sandra Moscoso (smoscosomills@hotmail.com).
• Will send letter to DDoT.
• Will connect with Gina Arlotto, WABA.
• Please reach out if your school is also willing to advocate individually.

Next CHPSPO Meeting: September 20, 2011

Upcoming Events:

• August 31 – DC Parent Power Organizing Meeting, 1630 7^th St., NW, Shaw Library, 5:30 p.m.
• September 7 –  Public Oversight Roundtable on Middle Grades Education in the District: Preparing our Students for Success in High School and Beyond, Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, 10 a.m.
• October 5 – Walk-to-School Day