Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization members,

All of our schools have benefited from the generosity of the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. The Foundation works hard to raise money that they then use to fund grants to support our schools and community. A Literary Feast is one of the important fundraisers of the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. The committee planning A Literary Feast is looking for hosts (see information below). Please share with your school communities. It would be great to get more parents to host/co-host dinners this year! If anyone is interested in hosting/co-hosting, please contact Todd.Cymrot@gmail.com.

Suzanne Wells

Can it really be that time already? The Literary Feast is Oct 27th, but we need to find our hosts NOW… We’re reaching out to our generous prior hosts and board members first to see if we can round up a core of hosts who can help support our grants to neighborhood schools and spread the good word about the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. Although the event is months away, planning is happening NOW, and we go to press with our print materials in a few weeks. If you are interested in hosting, please let us know this coming week. A few reminders about hosting: We need homes that can fit a minimum of eight guests… it does not have to be sit down (buffet is ok), but the more, the merrier! This is a book-themed party, not a book discussion, so don’t worry too much about the book selection. Many people start with a menu idea and then choose a book that fits (like to cook Indian? How about The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri). You’ll be cooking dinner, but we’re looking for hosts, not chefs… it is important that you be able to spend time with your guests. Some folks partner with friends, so someone can always be mingling and not stuck in the kitchen. Finally, we’re looking for a wide selection of food options (do you like preparing vegetarian food? are you a master at the grill?), AND we’d love to find some handicapped accessible homes… know anyone with a ground floor entrance who’d be willing to host? If you are interested in hosting, have questions, or want to help with this event in any other way please contact Todd.Cymrot. Thanks! -The Literary Feast Committee

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization members,

CHPSPO will meet on Thursday, July 19 at 6:30 pm at the Northeast Library (330 7th St., NE) in the lower level conference room. Council member Charles Allen and State Board of Education member Joe Weedon will join us for an open discussion on what people are looking for in the next DCPS Chancellor.

Please share this information with your school communities. Principals, teachers, parents and students are all welcome to attend.

Hope you will be able to join us for this important discussion.

Suzanne Wells

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization members,

We are moving our July CHPSPO meeting to Thursday, July 19 at 6:30 pm. Council member Charles Allen and State Board of Education member Joe Weedon will join us for an open discussion on what people are looking for in the next DCPS Chancellor. The meeting will be at the Northeast Library in the lower level conference room.

Hope you will be able to join us for this important discussion.

Suzanne Wells

At our Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO) meeting on June 19, we discussed 1) a city-wide letter that will be sent to the Mayor regarding the process and goals for selection of the next DCPS Chancellor and Deputy Mayor for Education, and 2) a petition for lead-free drinking water in our schools. There was broad support for both the letter and petition at our meeting.

We’ve been given the opportunity to sign both the letter and petition as individuals. Please share with you school communities so your families can decide, if they want to sign. The organizers of both letters are trying to gather signatures as quickly as possible.

Thank you.

Suzanne Wells

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization members,

Hearings

Below is information about three hearings/town halls that will be held on a variety of education issues in the coming weeks:

June 27, 6 – 7:30 pm, Northeast Library (330 7th St., NE) Education Town Hall. Opportunity to share thoughts, ideas and concerns about moving DC schools forward and ensuring every student is in the best position to succeed. You are encouraged to
RSVP for the town hall. Let’s have a big showing or the Ward 6 Education Town Hall!

June 29, 11 am, Wilson Building, Room 412, Committee on Transportation & the Environment and the Committee on Education will hold a joint Public Roundtable on Summer Modernizations of DC Public Schools. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Aukima Benjamin at abenjamin@dccouncil.us.

July 13, 10 am, Wilson Building, Room 500, Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education will hold a joint Hearing on the District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Act. Anyone wishing to testify should contact cow@dccouncil.us by July 11, 2018.

Parent and Community Advisory Board Applications

Please encourage parents in your school communities to apply for one of the 2018-2019 School Year advisory boards DCPS is establishing. The following five advisory boards are being established:

• Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Board
• Deputy Chancellor for Social Emotional and Academic Development Parent Advisory Board
• Deputy Chancellor of Innovation and Systems Improvement Advisory Board
• Special Education Parent Advisory Board
• https://dcps.dc.gov/node/1333206

Descriptions of each advisory board can be found on the DCPS website.

The application is available at http://bit.ly/dcpsadvisoryboards2018 . All applications are due by 11:59 on Friday, June 22, 2018.

Thank you.

Suzanne Wells

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization Members,

CHPSPO will meet on Tuesday, June 19, at 6:30 pm at the Northeast Library (330 7th St., NE). At our meeting, Grace Hu, an Amidon-Bowen parent, will lead a discussion on technology needs at DCPS, representatives from Maury Elementary will discuss a lead petition they are spearheading, Gary Carleton will discuss a book sharing proposal for Ward 6 schools, and we will have an open discussion on the search for the next Chancellor and DME.

Please continue to remind your school communities about the feedback sessions OSSE is sponsoring on the ESSA school report cards being developed (see attached agenda for remaining dates), and the education town hall meeting on June 27 at the Northeast Library Councilmember Grosso is sponsoring.

Hope to see you on Tuesday.

Suzanne Wells

061918 CHPSPO Agenda.docx

Whereas DC Councilmembers Mary Cheh, Robert White Jr, Charles Allen , Vincent Gray , Phil Mendelson, Brianne Nadeau, Elissa Silverman , Anita Bonds, and Trayon White, Sr. have co-sponsored the “District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018,” and,

Whereas the Council included $500,000 in the FY 2019 budget and budget support act considered on first reading on May 15, 2018 to pilot such a program and,

Whereas C4DC believes independent research is critical to continuous improvement of public education; and,

Whereas the Act calls for creating a sixteen-person advisory board including representatives from DCPS, the DME, OSSE, PCSB, SBOE, parent organizations, DC education non-profits, the WTU, the principals’ union, and DC community representatives; and,

Whereas the Advisory Board, staff and DC Auditor will be charged with proposing to the DC Council the design for a long-term structure for an independent research entity; and

Whereas the collaborative will prepare “state of public education” reports each July; and

Whereas the Advisory Board and DC Auditor will hire an executive director and staff but also contract out independent research projects;

Be it therefore resolved, that the C4DC supports the principle of independent research and a representative advisory board, and the bill titled “The District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018” and urges the Council to include its proposed $500,000 funding for FY19 to pilot such an initiative and to hold hearings on and enact a law based on the proposed bill before the start of FY19.

Signed By the Following Groups:

Ward 1 Education Collaborative
Ward 3/Wilson Feeder Education Network
Ward 4 Education Alliance
Ward 5 Council on Education
Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
Ward 7 Education Council
Ward 8 Education Council
Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators
Teaching for Change
EDUCATIONDC.NET
EmpowerEd
Washington Teachers Union
Washington Lawyers Committee

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization Members,

CHPSPO will meet on Tuesday, May 15, at Jefferson Middle School Academy (801 7th St., SW) from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. We will have an informal discussion with Michael Bekesha a candidate for the Ward 6 City Councilmember position. Unfortunately, Lisa Hunter and Charles Allen will not be able to attend our meeting due to scheduling conflicts.

Betsy Wolf, an Amidon-Bowen parent, will lead a presentation on at-risk funding. If you have information on how at-risk funds are used at your schools, please bring it to share.

Finally, we’ll have open discussions on 1) DC Education Research Advisory Board and CollaborativeEstablishment Bill that was introduced by Councilmember Cheh last month, 2) principal selection panels, and 3) traffic safety issues around our schools.

Hope to see you on Tuesday.

Suzanne Wells

051518 CHPSPO Agenda.docx