Walk, Roll and Prance to School for TranspoBINGO! Feb 6, 7:45-8:15am

Last year, we celebrated #TranspoBINGO by throwing an old school dance party with CHAMPS and The Hill is Home. This year, we prance, walk and roll to school together with Hill Family Biking, the Prancers, The Hill is Home, Friends of Lincoln Park, and the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. This is possible thanks to the continued support from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.

Join us Feb 6, 7:45-8:15am at Lincoln Park (near Mary Mcleod and at participating schools!

Old School “Prance” Party on FRIDAY October 24, 2025 @ 7:00pm – Henceforth on H St!

Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce, On Fridays We Prance, and W6PSPO invite you to an old school dance party on Friday, October 24 @ 7:00 p.m. at the Henceforth (1335 H St NE). Grab some friends and dance to all your favorites!

Tickets are $15 (cash) or $10 with proof of same day dinner purchase from an H St. business. Ticket sales go to local neighborhood schools and to H Street beautification and improvement projects.

Celebrity DJ, “Tony T” from the Pug will spin tunes all night!

(Dad bods, Mom jeans, and day-glow prance wear are welcome!)

Video: AI Policy and Practice in DC Schools – Oct 21 2025

Brandon Best on DC SBOE Draft AI Policy for DC Schools and Lucas Torre on DCPS AI Policy and practices.

Meeting follow up by Suzanne Wells: As we learned this evening, AI literacy is critical to safely and effectively participating in an increasing digital world.

Also, please find below a survey developed by Parents United for School Health on health suite staffing and medication training.

1. SBOE resolution on Establishing State Board Priorities for Artificial Intelligence in Education (see below resolution passed in 2024).

2024-05-15-DRAFT-SR24-12-Establishing State Board Priorities for Artificial Intelligence in EducationDownload

2. DCPS resources on AI:

– Student and Staff Technology and Network Acceptable Use Policy (https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/student-and-staff-technology-and-network-acceptable-use-policy)
– Secondary Grading and Reporting Policy (https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/secondary-grading-and-reporting-policy)
– AI Literacy Framework Infographic (https://digitalpromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24cLSR0009-Infographic-AI-Literacy-Framework-Paper_FINAL.pdf)
– AI Literacy: A Framework to Understand, Evaluate, and Use Emerging Technology (https://digitalpromise.dspacedirect.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/c09bc1b5-a869-4fc3-b47b-c3bfd6575ca0/content)
– Family Portal link: DCPS Digital Citizenship Family Portal (https://dcps.instructure.com/courses/317184)

3. Parents United for School Health is conducting a Health Suites/Medication Training survey. The goal of the survey is to collect information from as many schools as possible on the school nurse staffing at schools, and medication training offered to school staff. Parents are encouraged to coordinated with their school administration to answer the questions.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWi0ByGQpyCWUmHzIv_4AV-HAOcJMcVllo_t8i5Z3TeStYmA/viewform

Walk and Roll to School Day is October 8 – Register and Join!

Walk and Roll to School Day is October 8!

  1. Register your school HERE,
  2. Help us get the word out, and
  3. Join us at Lincoln Park, 7:30-8:30am!

Conversation on Keeping Kids Safe Before and After School – Friday Aug 22 @ 2pm

Join Free DC and the American Federation of Teachers, Friday, August 22 @ 2pm via Zoom. More information and registration HERE.

W6PSPO Meetup Tuesday, Aug 19 7pm @ The Brig

We hope to see you on Tuesday, August 19, 7:00 at The Brig (1007 8th St SE), for our annual in-person meetup to kick off the school year.

We are not sure what to expect with how the federal occupation of DC will impact our schools. We have invited friends from Free DC (https://freedcproject.org) to join us on Tuesday to share the work they are doing to help our communities build strength and protect each other, specifically as it pertains to families and children.

We hope to see you.

In community,

Sandra and Suzanne

DME Presentation – FY26 Schools Budget

W6PSPO’s / Ward 5 Education Equity Committee’s joint meeting on June 17, 2025 featured the following speakers:

  • Bijan Verlin, Legislative Policy Advisor, DC Council Committee of the Whole
  • `Abdu’l-Karim Ewing-Boyd, Director of Strategic Initiatives, K-12, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education
  • TJ Sell, Director of Budget and Performance Management, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education 

Other updates:

  • Sign-on Letter in Support of DCPS International Educators – A team of WTU international educators has created a sign-on letter to the DC Council asking for $200-$300K in the DCPS budget to restart the DCPS Green Card Program.  DCPS ended this program in October 2024 (see this gifted Washington Post story)

    DCPS has hired between 200-300 educators (dual language teachers, ELL educators, foreign language teachers, math and special education teachers) on H1B visas.  Without the chance to apply for a green card, these teachers will likely leave DCPS.  You can sign the sign-on letter here.  This  provides more background information.
  • SBOE Task Force on High School Graduation Requirements – Before updates are made to the high school graduation requirements, the SBOE must review and approve them.  The SBOE is convening a task force to help in their review.  The task force will begin meeting in August 2025.  If you are interested in being on the task force, you can access their online application here.  Applications will be taken through June 30, 2025.
  • Hill Family Biking Open Streets Ride, June 28th, 10:30 am –  Open Streets DC is coming to Capitol Hill and Hill Family Biking will be kicking off the festivities with a bike parade down the 1-mile car-free route. All ages and abilities welcome.  The ride will begin at Seward Square (6th and North Carolina) and end at 16th and Massachusetts where riders can help create a giant chalk street mural with ChalkRiot!  Register here.
  • Old School Dance Party, June 27, 7pm at Hill Prince DC (1337 H St. NE). Details HERE.
  • Harvesting Justice: Cultivating a Future for DC Schools Thursday, July 10th | 6:00–8:00 PM – True Reformer Building | 1200 U Street NW. Register HERE for an inspiring evening, filled with connection, visioning, and movement-building in the heart of the city. This social gathering will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, vibrant conversation, and powerful voices committed to justice in education.

Old School Dance Party on FRIDAY June 27, 2025 @ 7:00pm – Come Boogie at Hill Prince!

Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce and W6PSPO invite you to an old school dance party on Friday, February 21 @ 7:00 p.m. at the Hill Prince (1337 H St NE). Grab some friends and dance to all your favorites!

Tickets are $15 (cash) or $10 with proof of same day dinner purchase from an H St. business. Ticket sales go to local neighborhood schools and to H Street beautification and improvement projects.

Celebrity DJ, “Tony T” from the Pug will spin tunes all night!

(Dad bods and Mom jeans are welcome!)

DC Joy Day – Sat. June 14 @ Anacostia Park

Details here: https://freedcproject.org/event-list/dc-joy-day

*W6PSPO will be organizing a pop-up book swap (for all ages) at the park. Bring a book or two to share and/or take a book or two. 📚❤️

Thank You, Ward 6 for a Fantastic Good Trouble Ride!

Our Bike and Roll to School Day Good Trouble Ride was a blast thanks to YOU! Thank you to all of the student performers, educators, and community partners for bringing your flavor of magic that make these events so special. Never change, Ward 6, and see you on October 8, 2025 at Walk and Roll to School Day!

Enjoy these photos, this excellent coverage by Eliot-Hine Network, and  this terrific video put together by DDOT! There also were stories about the event on Fox5 and NBC News4! and be sure to submit your own to the first ever BRTSD images contest!

Special shoutouts to:

  • the Ludlow-Taylor dance team
  • Stuart-Hobson’s Madagascar cast
  • Payne’s cheer squad
  • The Eastern Senior High School Blue and White Marching Machine
  • Eliot-Hine Network
  • the Capitol Hill Community Foundation
  • DC Department of Transportation – Safe Routes to School program and DC Highway Safety groups
  • the DC Metropolitan Police Department’s – Sargeant Ibrahim and the Bike Patrol trainees and to the First District (1D!)
  • DC Public Library and the Book Bike
  • DC Public Schools families and educators, and Chancellor Ferebee and team
  • FreeDC – organizing joyful Good Trouble within Ward 6 and the city 
  • Hill Family Biking – and Mark Sussman – inspiring an active family cycling community
  • National Park Service – Jr Rangers and Ranger Vince Vaise!
  • Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen – Best DC Council Team Ever!
  • the Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization school representatives, the Hill is Home, and the Hill Rag, and everyone else who helped us get the word out!