CHPSPO Meeting Notes – September 18, 2012

Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization

Capitol Hill Montessori@Logan

215 G Street,  NE

September 18, 2012

6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

 

At-Large School Board Member Candidates, Mary Lord and Marvin Tucker spoke about why they are running, their vision.

Walk-to-School Day (George Blackmon)

–          Participating Schools – most in Capitol Hill have signed up.

–          Food: need donations. Tyler and CHM@L will contribute Cliff Bars.

–          Speakers: Confirmed – Tommy Wells, Kathy Pugh (EZ8DC and Girls on the Run), Rita (MAFA). Pending – MPD, Capital Bikeshare (Sandra to follow up), WABA (Shahna to follow up), Josh Morgan (Anthony Allard to follow up), AAA (Peter to follow up)

–          Sponsors

Give Social (Kita McCord)

Give social is a platform to bring together groups. (GivSo.com). They are joining forces with Companies for Causes (companiesforcauses.org) and are interested in working w/ like-minded community organizations to work w/ Eastern HS and feeder schools/community. They are looking to understand who the groups are.  PTA, out of school time orgs, to bring together community members to pool resources. Companies for Causes are 10 CEOs, staff at RAFA (Tom RAFA) that have committed to contribute. For now, focused on students immediately feeding into Eastern. Focused on most in need.

DCPS Library Funding Follow up (Peter MacPherson)

–          Peter to represent CHPSPO in task force that has been assembled by DCPS.

–          Provided feedback to task force “TOR’

–          Publish librarian budget on CHPSPO site.

CHPSPO Website (Sandra Moscoso-Mills)

– We’re hoping to leverage the CHPSPO site to help get the word out about events, auctions, fundraisers, etc at all schools. Please reach out to your school communities and designate a person (or two) for your school to post content on the CHPSPO site. The site is on a WordPress platform

– Sandra to host WordPress.com workshop in October. Contact Sandra Moscoso – sandramoscosomills@gmail.com.

What do vertical and horizontal articulation mean to us? (All)

–          Eastern High School feeder pattern. Based on ideas from July meeting, drafted a white paper. Need to think about how to implement. Need principals to set more of a vision of what they want to see in Eastern feeder pattern. Read White Paper – Provide feedback via email to Suzanne Wells (m.godec@att.net).

Community meetings on IB  & feeder school living room chats (Joe Weeden & Suzanne Wells).

–          Continuing discussions with Eliot Hine feeder schools. 4 living room chats w/ principal young from Eliot Hine representing feeder schools, so families have opportunity to mingle. Looking for host for 3rd grade parent – (have 2, 4, 5). Reach out to Suzanne (m.godec@att.net) if you want to co-host.

–          Tuesday, October 23rd at Atlas Theatre – IB Bob will come w/ Principal Gordon, Young, Skerrit to deliver a session on what is IB. Series of 3 sessions – IB, Academic, how it relates to Common Core Standards. What does my 2nd grader need to know so that they can graduate w/ an IB degree from Eastern? What can we as parents do to support that?

Next CHPSPO Meeting:   October 16, 2012 at Amidon-Bowen

Upcoming Events:

September 29    Maury Elementary School’s Yard and Bake Sale. 9AM-2PM. 1250 Constitution Ave., NE

October 1        Deputy Mayor Community Conversation about Quality Schools Wards 2/6, Location Amidon-Bowen, 5:30-9PM

October 3        Walk-to-School Day – 7:30-8:30 AM at Lincoln Park (by 7:15 AM if you volunteer to set up)

October 14      J.O.Wilson Taste of H Street

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

Barracks Row #SaveSchoolLibraries pop-up library – thank you!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our mini pop-up library on Saturday in support of DCPS Librarians. We met dozens of school and community librarians from DC and all over the country, children of librarians, and of course, supporters of librarians. In a short period of time, we gave away dozens of books, raised over $650 towards continued advocacy and media buy for #SaveSchoolLibraries, and added over 100 signatures to the petition to restore DCPS budget for librarians.

Special thanks to ANC6B Commissioner Brian Pate for organizing the event, ANC6D Commissioner David Garber for pitching in and volunteering, and to Restauranteur Xavier Cervera for donating $1500 in restaurant gift certificates (Lolas, Molly Malone’s, Senarts, Hawk N Dove and more!) that went towards a silent auction to help us raise funds.

As always, it takes a village. Thanks to the volunteers (adults and kids) who made this happen. Enjoy these photos of the event.

What can you do to help Save School Libraries?

  • Read this fact sheet –> Library Facts Handout 9-19 and reach out to the Mayor Gray, your Councilmember and Chancellor Henderson.
  • Support Council Member Jack Evans’ bill to restore DCPS funding for librarians, art and music teachers.
  • Encourage local leaders to support this effort, like ANC6B’s Resolution.
  • Sign the online petition.
  • Tell the world you support our DC Public School Librarians. ‘Like’ CHPSPO on Facebook, follow @CHPSPO on Twitter, tweet #SaveSchoolLibraries. Keep up with updates via http://chpspo.org

 

Taste of H Street for JO Wilson is Oct. 14!

Join your friends for a night of fun at the first annual Taste of H Auction for J.O.Wilson Elementary School.  Enjoy music, libations and a food tasting from some of the best restaurants on H Street!

WHAT:

Music, food, libations & an exciting auction in H Street’s iconic arts center! Benefiting JO Wilson Elementary School. More here.

WHEN:

Sunday, October 14th 6 to 9pm

WHERE:

ATLAS Performing Arts Center

1333 H Street NE Washington, DC

 

TICKETS:

For Taste of H Street click here.

Online silent auction (kicks off Sep. 30).

Walk to School Day is around the corner – get ready for October 3!

Join Save School Libraries Pop-Up Library at Barracks Row Fall Festival on Sep 22!

CHPSPO is joining forces with Commissioner Brian Pate to organize a booth at the Barracks Row Fall Festival  (on Saturday, September 22) in support of DC Public School librarians and libraries.

Stop by the booth between 1-4PM for a mini Pop-Up Library and book swap (a small scale version of last week’s). Thanks to Barracks Row business owners (thank you Xavier Cervera), we’ll offer refreshments, too!

If you have books to donate to the pop-up library, please drop them off at 109 13th St., SE between Wednesday and Friday of this week (there will be a box under the steps) or bring them to the festival on Saturday.

What can you do to help Save School Libraries?

  • Read this fact sheet –> Library Facts Handout 9-19 and reach out to the Mayor Gray, your Councilmember and Chancellor Henderson.
  • Encourage local leaders to support this effort, like ANC6B’s Resolution.
  • Sign the online petition (or stop by our booth on Saturday to sign the paper version).
  • Tell the world you support our DC Public School Librarians. ‘Like’ CHPSPO on Facebook, follow @CHPSPO on Twitter, tweet #SaveSchoolLibraries. Keep up with updates via http://chpspo.org
  • Stop by the booth to show your support, pick up or drop off a book! – Want to volunteer at the booth? Contact sandramoscosomills@gmail.com.

Save School Libraries Pop Up Library at H St Fest a Success!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the H Street Festival this weekend where we had over 2000 books and collected 601 handwritten signatures!

The Pop-up library at  Toki Underground restaurant was fantastic: people perused books, read some and always left with a free, new book. Toki’s owner Eric and ANC Commissioner David Garber (whose own mother is a librarian) were super supportive! See photos here.

Didn’t make it? No worries, you can support this effort by signing the petition and by reaching out to DC leaders and asking them to save school libraries. Read this fact sheet for more information –> Library Facts Handout 9-19.

CHPSPO September 18 Meeting – 6:30PM @ Logan

The Tuesday, September 18th meeting of the Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization will be at 6:30 pm at Capitol Hill Montessori at 215 G Street, NE. Attached is the agenda for the meeting.

At our September 18 meeting, we hope to hear from the candidates for the at-large school board position, discuss what is needed to make the 2012 Walk-to-School Day a success, and more. Hope to see you at the meeting.

Suzanne Wells

091812 agenda CHPSPO.doc

Save School Libraries Display and Book Exchange/Giveaway at H Street Festival

Hi Friends and Neighbors,

We are helping ANC Commissioner David Garber organize a Save School Librarians Display and Book Exchange/Giveaway during the H Street Festival on September 15 (12pm-6pm) at Toki Underground restaurant (1234 H Street, NE, above The Pug).

http://hstreet.org/events/festival/

http://tokiunderground.com/#/

The owners of Toki Underground have generously donated the space inside their restaurant for a Book Exchange/Giveaway and have paid for the space in front of their door for us to use to Save School Libraries!

Can you volunteer for 1 hour on Sept 15?  We need volunteers to get petition signatures and pass out information outside or help with the book exchange inside.

If you can volunteer, please email Bella Dinh-Zarr (dinhzarr@gmail.com) with the info below:

Your Name:
Email:
Cell Phone:
Time Slot When You Will Volunteer:
(Choices: 11a-12pm set up, 12-1pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm, 3-4pm, 4-5pm, 5-6pm, 6-7pm clean up)

I’ll be back in touch with more info on the H St Festival Book Exchange Flyer and how you can donate books in a few days.  If you cannot volunteer, would you pass the email on to someone who might be able to?  Thank you very much!   With your help, we can get librarians back in our schools!  Cheers, Bella

Got an old CD Boombox? Walker-Jones Education Campus Needs Them!

Hey CHPSPO Community!

Walker-Jones Education Campus needs CD Boomboxes. Do you have an old one in the basement that you need to get rid of? Donate it to them!

School Librarian extraordinaire, Susan Wagner can pick up if you’re on Capitol Hill. Please contact her at susan.wagner@dc.gov.

Thank you!!!

CHPSPO Meeting Notes – August 21, 2012

Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization
215 G Street, NE, August 21, 6:30 – 8 pm
Special thanks to George Blackmon for capturing this month’s meeting notes!
——————————-
Peter MacPherson updated on efforts on the library front.  A meeting was held with Kaya Henderson and a task force is to be put together and come up with findings by the close of 2012.
 
Bonnie Cain shared some insight regarding the Options School expansion on 15th Street.  There was general concern in terms of safety of the students/neighborhood.  Informed that students will be bused.
 
Sherry Trafford discussed items from the bylaws.  Optimally, a voting representative from each school should be designated by September 1st.  Additionally, we are striving to elect officers by the October meeting.
 
A reminder regarding Beautification Day was given.
 
Another item I brought up but wanted to remind many of you on was International Walk To School Day.  The date is Wednesday, October 3rd at Lincoln Park.  An initial email was sent out in July.  Now the families are back from vacation and school is in session, it would be a great time to let your school populations know.  Please pass the word through your listservs, websites, back-to-school nights, etc.  I’ve been tasked again to help coordinate volunteers and assist with planning.
 
As you know from the summer, five weeks can fly by real quick.  Feel free to contact me if there are any questions at gblackmon@hewfcu.com.  
 
Thanks for your time and welcome back to a great school year.