Ward 6 DC State Board of Education – Candidates Forum – October 25, 6PM @ Maury Elementary

Ward 6 DC State Board of Education – Candidates Forum

Monday, October 25, 6:00 -7:30 PM @ Maury Elementary School

On November 2nd, Ward 6 will elect a new representative to the DC State Board of Education.

Hear from the two candidates – Melissa Rohan (http://www.melissarohan.com) & Monica Warren-Jones

(http://monicawarrenjones.org/) – about their plans and vision for public schools in Ward 6. Find out where

the candidates stand on improving our middle schools, driving academic performance, and continuing

growth beyond our elementary school gains.

WTOP Journalist Mark Segraves will moderate the discussion.

Sponsored by the following community organizations:

Ward 6 School Board Candidates Forum Flyer

Locations of Six Remaining Gray Town Halls To Be Changed – DCist

Locations of Six Remaining Gray Town Halls To Be Changed – DCist.

After concerns were raised about Vince Gray holding town halls inside public schools, the presumptive Mayor-elect’s campaign has scrapped the locations for the six remaining events.

While the Ward 5 event was held in a charter school and the Ward 3 event in a church, upcoming town halls in Wards 2, 6 and 7 were set to be held in D.C. public school buildings. Some city officials said this was a big no-no, seeing as how the events could be considered partisan since Gray isn’t yet officially mayor-elect.

The Ward 7 town hall scheduled for next Tuesday has been moved from Sousa Middle School to the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (enter your own joke here about the separation of church and state), but the locations for the five town halls after that are still to be determined. We’ll update our handy map once the new locations are announced.

By Martin Austermuhle in on October 8, 2010 12:45 PM

Capitol Hill Walk To School Day 2010

Great Walk To School event this morning in Lincoln Park!  Wonderful to see so many Capitol Hill families out walking and biking.  Many thanks to the organizers, sponsors and speakers!  Particular thanks to…

  • Elizabeth Brooks, Effervescence LLC
  • Capitol Hill Community Foundation
  • Chartwells‐Thompson School Dining Services
  • Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary of HHS
  • Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director of the President’s Council on Fitness
  • Washington Area Bicyclist Association
  • Councilmember Tommy Wells
  • Whole Foods

See you next Walk To School Day — October 5, 2011!

DCPS Open Houses Kick Off this Month!

Curious about your neighborhood school? Check out the upcoming open houses. Mark your calendar now, but check back if the weather is particularly ‘iffy’ (as in 30 inches of snow…).

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Open+Houses/Open+Houses

Ward 6 Meeting with Presumed Mayor-elect Vincent Gray

On Wednesday, October 27th at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H Street, NE) from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, Vincent Gray will be meeting with Ward 6 residents.

Please attend so that you can let Chairman Gray know of your strong support for the Ward 6 Middle School Initiative and provide feedback on other community initiatives and issues.

In the meantime, you can start to give feedback here: http://action.vincegrayformayor.com/o/6239/signup_page/townhall

Principal Selected to Welcome Eastern High Class of 2015

Rachel Skerritt

Rachel Skerritt

September 30, 2010

Principal Selected to Welcome Eastern High Class of 2015

Boston native brings broad education perspective, including classroom and administrative experience

Contact: Safiya Jafari Simmons | 202-724-6689 |

WASHINGTON, DC – DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced today the appointment of Rachel Skerritt as principal of Eastern Senior High School in Northeast Washington, DC beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. The appointment was made after an extensive search and a significant engagement process that involved all parts of the Eastern community, from alumni, to the parents of current and potential students, to interested members of the broader community.

The Eastern community came together in February 2008 to begin re-imagining the school both physically and programmatically. Regular meetings continued through the principal selection process; a thirty-member cross-section of the community group advised on the job description, prepped for and interviewed every candidate, and sent extensive feedback to Chancellor Rhee.

“Eastern High School is a school of exceptional history and promise. Rachel Skerritt is a leader of exceptional caliber,” said Chancellor Michelle Rhee. “Next school year, Principal Skerrit will welcome ninth-grade students to a re-imagined Eastern, designed with extensive input from alumni and the current and future Eastern communities.”

Principal Skerritt began her career in education as a secondary English Literature teacher in a Boston public high school. After teaching for seven years, she moved into school leadership positions at her school and then into a principal fellowship program. With her experience in teaching and school leadership, she became a principal at a college-preparatory Boston public high school before moving into a central office role as the Chief of Staff for Boston Public Schools. Principal Skerritt holds a bachelor’s degree in English and African-American Studies, a master’s degree in secondary education and a master’s in educational administration.

“Principal Skerritt’s broad perspective on leading highly-effective schools from the classroom to the central office makes her a perfect fit for principal at Eastern Senior High School,” said Mayor Adrian Fenty. “We are pleased to have found her.”

Principal Skerritt will spend the 2010-11 school year planning, and will transition into the principal’s office in July 2011. Eastern’s current principal, William Chiselom, is in his third year with the Eastern community and has brought consistency and a positive student culture to the school. He was critical in the school’s successful move into its new, state-of-the-art facility. Chancellor Rhee and Principal Chiselom have discussed several school leadership options and will confirm his new position in the spring of 2011.

Eastern recently has undergone a $77 million modernization and now boasts new state-of-the-art science and technology labs, Internet and cyber cafes as well as a working ambulance in the new health/science practical lab for real-world emergency medical assistance training.

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http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Press+Releases+and+Announcements/Press+Releases/Principal+Selected+to+Welcome+Eastern+High+Class+of+2015

Capitol Hill Walk to School Day 2010 – Wed 10/6

Capitol Hill Walk to School Day 2010

Wednesday, October 6, 7:30 am – Lincoln Park

Join the Capitol Hill school community for Walk to School Day, an annual celebration of our walkable, bikeable neighborhood, healthy bodies, a cleaner environment, and safe routes to school with a kick-off event and breakfast in Lincoln Park.  Wear your school t-shirt, grab a healthy breakfast, and join students, staff, administrators, and families for a walk together from Lincoln Park to school.  Let’s get moving!

Please help to get the word out by forwarding on to your respective schools.  Many thanks for your help and hope to see you there!

http://www.walktoschool.org/

CHPSPO Meeting Notes – September 21, 2010

Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization (http://chpspo.org)
Middle School Subcommittee Meeting
September 21, 2010
Tyler Elementary School
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

  1. Naval Lodge Fun Fair Proposal (for 2011) – contact Michael Webb (mwebb_tone@yahoo.com).  Michael presented a proposal to join forces with and make CHPSPO the recipient for funds raised in next fun fairs going forward (For which the Naval Lodge provide ‘sweat equity’ and cover cost for amusements and food to raise funds for a cause). Click here for a description of last year’s fun fair. This year, the Naval Lodge will participate in Barracks Row Festival. Key Q’s raised: Where to host fun fair next year? What would be the cause? I: Need 25-20 volunteers average to serve refreshments, run amusements. Typically done around end Sep, early October. Rachel Klein from Ludlow-Taylor will look into it for the school and keep this on the CHPSPO agenda. 
  2. Walk to School 2010  – contact Jerome Young (jerome.young@dc.gov), Maury parent. The Cluster and Maury are teaming up to put on this event. Wednesday, October 6 is Walk to School Day. Schools will meet at Lincoln Park at 8:00 for the festivities (food from Wholefoods, Music, Safety info, more…). Need volunteers for set up and clean up and to promote the event. Jerome will share posters/promo materials w/ each school via the principals. Wear your school T-shirts and show your school spirit.
  3. Middle School Collaboration Teams – contact your school’s principal. Deadline was September 10 to express interest in participating in the teams to implement the plan. Of the schools represented in this meeting, none seemed to have kicked off yet.
  4. Ward 6 State Board of Education Candidates – Lisa Raymond shared the description of and her experience in the role of the DC State Board of Education (http://sboe.dc.gov/). Monica Warren-Jones shared her platform. Melissa Rohan was unable to attend.
  5. Ward 6 State Board of Education Candidates forum – contact Barbara Riehle (barbara@erols.com).  CHPSPO will collaborate with other groups to bring a candidates forum to Ward 6 in the next few weeks.

Next CHPSPO Meeting:   October 19, 2010

Upcoming Events:

  • September 23  Discussion with SW Parents and Educators for Education Excellence, Now; 6:15 p.m., 401 4th Street, SW (ID required)
  • September 24  Capitol Hill Community Foundation Fall Grant Deadline
  • September 26   Film screening of “Two Angry Moms” followed by discussion of DC school food,  3 pm – 5 pm, Whole Foods Market – Georgetown:  2323 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
  • October 6  Walk to School Day, 8 a.m., Lincoln Park
  • October 11 – 15 Local Foods and School Garden Week

CHPSPO September 21 meeting at Tyler

The Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization will hold it’s September 21 meeting at Tyler Elementary (1001 G Street, SE). The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. The agenda is attached.

We will have a discussion with Ward 6 school board candidates Melissa Rohan and Monica Warren-Jones. Each school board candidate will have 5 minutes to share their reasons for running for the school board position; the issues they will work to address, if elected; and the role they see the school board playing in ensuring high quality education in DC. We will then have a Q&A session with the candidates. Lisa Raymond, our current Ward 6 school board member, will also attend.

If you have changes to the agenda, please let me know.

Suzanne Wells

Visit CHPSPO on the web at http://chpspo.org(See attached file: 092110 agenda CHPSPO.doc)

092110 agenda CHPSPO.doc

October 16, 2010: Three Capitol Hill Schools To Be Featured On School Gardens Tour

The conclusion of DC School Garden/Farm to School Week will be two school garden tours, one by bus and one by bike, on Saturday, October 16. Information on the bus tour, which includes 3 Capitol Hill schools, is below. The bike tour itinerary will be posted when it is available.

Come out and see Tyler, Peabody and Miner!

BusTourFlyer2010-1.pdf