Dear Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization members,
Below are updates to share with your school communities:
1. EdFest is this Saturday, December 14, 2019, at the Stadium Armory from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Good luck to all of you as you get the opportunity to share what makes your schools special.
2. DCPS will be opening the Stevens Early Learning Center at the historic Thaddeus Stevens School building (1050 21st St., NW) for SY20/21. This will be the city’s first citywide (no boundary) PK3/PK4 program. There will be a priority preference for at-risk families. You can learn more about the Stevens Early Learning Center at EdFest.
3. The Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education will hold a public oversight hearing on updates to the Master Facilities Plan (MFP) on December 18, 2019. Testimony at the hearing is being limited to invited witnesses, and W6PSPO was invited to testify. Sandra Moscoso-Mills will deliver W6PSPO’s testimony. We plan to include the following in the testimony:
a. The importance of the MFP being guided by the principle that the city is responsible for providing facilities for our by-right public education system;
b. The continuing need for School Improvement Teams (SIT) to be partners with DCPS and DGS, and for the SIT to have genuine opportunities to provide input in a timely manner so the input can be considered in the design process;
c. The continuing need to address adequately environmental issues like lead in water during major renovations;
d. The importance of considering renewable energy generation as part of every school renovation in the city;
e. Questions about how swing space is funded;
f. Express reservations about co-location of charter schools on the site of existing DCPS facilities; and
g. Encourage planning to ensure priority access to field space on school property for all DCPS students.
If you have other thoughts on this testimony, please contact Sandra Moscoso-Mills at smoscosomills@hotmail.com.
4. DCPS is shifting to STEMscopes as its primary science curricular in SY19-20 (see attached). If there is a parent interested in following the rollout of the STEMscopes for W6PSPO, please let me know.
5. There will NOT be a W6PSPO meeting in December. The last thing any of you need during this busy time of the year is another meeting. W6PSPO will be back in full swing for its January 21 meeting.
Suzanne Wells
Ward 6 Public School Parents Organization 