CHPSPO Meeting Notes – February 21, 2012

Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization

J.O. Wilson Elementary School

660 K Street, NE –Library, 2^nd floor

February 21, 2012  6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

1) Safe Routes to School, Jennifer Heffernan, District DOT

**Congratulations to Brent ES, as Feb 21 was the debut of the Brent Safety Patrols!

First Annual National Bike to School Day is on May 9, Wednesday.

 – Supported by DDoT (giveaways will be available to participating schools)

 – Soon, schools can register to participate via WWW.Walktoschool.org – (the site is currently being redesigned to provide more biking related material)

– Brainstormed around idea of having a pitstop at Lincoln Park, rather than a W2SD type of party. Plan to record the participants and recognize the schools who participate (maybe shout outs to the schools with most participants). Have multiple pit stops, as long as there are volunteers to ‘man’ them.

– ACTION: Sandra M. to reach out to CHPSPO schools to see who is willing to volunteer to organize pit stops and where.

ABCs of Family Bicycling on Sat, April 21st, 11AM-2PM @ Logan parking lot (215 G St., NE) (rain date is following day).

 – Kiddical Mass

 – Families w/ experience biking will give demos, showing gear

 – Bike shops will show gear

 – Bicycle skills rodeo

 – Safety

 – Bicycle train training (teach skills re: riding in group safely), followed by group ride

 – ACTION: Jennifer H. to add to program – how to secure your bikes

– ACTION: CHPSPO will get event into Hill Rag

Bike Racks and Safe Routes to Eliot Hine

 – Q: do all schools on Hill have full complement of bike racks? – ACTION: Jennifer to look into those bike racks installed in last year or so.

 – Q: Could DDOT look into Safe Routes to Eliot-Hine? ACTION: Jennifer to look into this – Suzanne to connect Jennifer w/ Eliot-Hine

 

 2)  Community Parade, Apollo:

 – Parade likely 11AM-12PM, in April or May

 – To include schools, clubs, teams, music

 – ACTION: CHPSPO to reach out to Capitol Hill Classic and Laps for Lincoln organizers; Apollo to flesh out theme/focus of parade

 3) Mindful Parenting Workshops, Steven Seiden

 – Therapist-led sharing environment w/in parents to feel like we can problem-solve issues and have support and connect

– Eventually, peer-led

– Goal is to make this a DCPS parent-engagement program

– Opening up this opportunity to all Ward 6 schools. On March 9 and March 23 9:30-11 AM (or 1:30-3:00PM); ideally, at each school

 – ACTION: Steve to write up invite to circulate to schools

4) IFF Study Discussion: http://dme.dc.gov/DC/DME/Publication%20Files/IFF_Final_Report.pdf

– ACTION: ALL -read and encourage individuals to write letters to encourage Chancellor and Deputy Mayor not to look at this study, but rather at the work that is going on in schools and communities.

– ACTION: Suzanne to circulate DeShawn Wright’s response to IFF.

5) Discussion of 2012 CHPSPO Priorities, All

Middle Schools

– Bring Principals (+ LSAT; PTAs) of middle schools together to identify where they think the community can help

– Reference to Heather’s pitch in example: need to know what volunteer needs are at the school

• Bring PTA leadership together from MS to figure out how to get them more active; bring PTA feeders together w/ MS PTAs
•  Have a list of ways we think we can help that principals can consider

– Living room chats w/ feeder families

• Also set expectations

– Leading Tours for Parents

– Have schools hold PTA meetings at EH

– Request from DCPS accountability around MS plan

– Elementary school events at EH (ex: art show of feeder elementary schools at EH)

– Re-engage the collaboration teams

– ACTION: Suzanne to reach out to Principals and PTA presidents to meet w/ CHPSPO/feeders

– Elliot-Hine collaboration team meets first Wednesday of the Month at 5:30 PM @ Parent Resource Center at Eliot Hine

– Eliot Hine PTA = 3rd Thursday of the Month

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Next CHPSPO Meeting: March 20, 2012

Upcoming Events:

March 10, Alchemy of Great Taste, Tyler Fundraiser

March 17, School Within School Jazz Gala and Auction

March 24, Maury at the Market, Maury Fundraiser

March 24, A Taste of the Hill, Brent Fundraiser

April 27, A Montessori Night’s Dream, Capitol Hill Montessori @ Logan Fundraiser

Visit CHPSPO on the web at http://chpspo.org