Middle School Collaboration Teams

Dear Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization Members,

I wanted to remind everyone that DCPS is establishing “collaboration teams” to support the implementation of the DCPS Ward 6 Middle School Plan. Collaboration teams are being established for Stuart Hobson, Eliot-Hine and Jefferson middle schools. Each team is to have two parent representatives and two teacher/staff representatives selected by each school’s principal, and the principal or assistant principal from each school. Attached are the sheets DCPS prepared with information about the collaboration teams.

The deadline for parents to express their interest in being a member of the collaboration teams is Friday, September 10. Parents should contact their school’s principal, if they are interested in being on the collaboration team. Please help spread the word on your school list serves, and newsletters, about this opportunity to be involved in implementation of the Ward 6 Middle School Plan.

Also, wanted to remind everyone that CHPSPO will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 21. The two Ward 6 school board candidates will attend this meeting for an informal discussion.

Suzanne Wells

DCPS-BOM-Ward-6-Jefferson-Collaboration-Team.pdf

DCPS-BOM-Ward-6-Eliot-Hine-Collaboration-Team.pdf

DCPS-BOM-Ward-6-Stuart-Hobson-Collaboration-Team.pdf

CHGSI Hosts DCPS Food Services Roundtable

The Capitol Hill Green Schools Initiative, CHPSPO’s school greening subcommittee, hosted DCPS Food Services Director Jeff Mills and DCPS Health and Wellness Director Diana Bruce for a roundtable discussion with Hill parents on Tuesday evening at Peabody Elementary.

Many thanks to Peabody for hosting, Sweeetgreen for providing food, and Andrea Northup of the DC Farm to School Network for moderating.  Contact Laura Marks (lauramarks at gmail dot com) for more information or find CHGSI on Facebook and Twitter (CHGSI).

Ward 6 Council Candidates’ Forum – Thank You

The Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO) thanks Councilmember Tommy Wells and candidate Kelvin Robinson, who did a fantastic job at the Candidates’ Forum held on August 24, 2010. Our goal was for our members and the community to hear their views on issues of special significance to families. We feel that goal was met splendidly.

We are grateful to our moderator, Mark Segraves, for his guidance, expertise and overall terrific job of setting the tone and pace for the event.

Finally, a huge thank you to the community, to our partners, Sports on the Hill (SOTH) and Eastern Market Metro Community Association (EMCCA), and our volunteer organizers for making this event such a success.

We hope to continue the discussion around these issues in the weeks and months to come.

Click here for a transcript of the discussion. For a summary posted by The Hill Is Home, click here.

 

A Step in the Right Direction – Secretary Duncan Promotes Safe Routes to School at Maury Elementary

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Press+Releases+and+Announcements/Press+Releases/A+Step+in+the+Right+Direction+-+Secretary+Duncan+Promotes+Safe+Routes+to+School+at+Maury+Elementary

August 24, 2010

A Step in the Right Direction – Secretary Duncan Promotes Safe Routes to School at Maury Elementary
Chancellor Rhee and Mayor Fenty Join Nearly 100 Students, Parents in Walk, Bike to School

Contact: Safiya Jafari Simmons | (202) 480-0857

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Chancellor of Schools Michelle Rhee, U.S. Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, and State Superintendent of Education Kerri Briggs joined nearly 100 students and parents in a “Walking School Bus” commute to school Tuesday, along a two-block route from Lincoln Park to Maury Elementary in Ward 6.

The event promoted the importance of safe, healthy lifestyles and the value of pedestrian safety for school-age children who share the road with cars, bicyclists and buses.

Gathered at Lincoln Park with their parents and siblings, Maury students played on the nearby playground while parents socialized before the walk at 8:30 a.m. Duncan, Fenty, Rhee, Mendez and Briggs walked with the students to begin their second day of the 2010-11 school year.

Principal Carolyne Albert-Garvey thanked parent Jerome Young for his work as the lead parent coordinator of the school’s Safe Routes to School team that shepherded the program from planning to implementation. The team began working last November to create a dedicated, safe walking route to the school, including the addition of pedestrian signals and marked crosswalks. The Maury Safe Route to School Walking Bus convenes every Wednesday morning at 8:15 a.m.

Tuesday’s event also supported first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative, aimed at confronting the problem of childhood obesity through fitness and proper nutrition.

“Student safety is our highest concern, and each of our teachers, principals and staff members share that commitment,” said Chancellor Rhee. “Through this program, children develop safety skills they can apply on the way to school and in other contexts throughout their lifetimes. It also aims to make parents and community members aware of the goals of their school’s Safe Routes to School program and how their behavior impacts safety conditions around the school.”

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CHPSPO Meeting Notes – August 17, 2010

Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization (http://chpspo.org)
Middle School Subcommittee Meeting
July 20, 2010
Brent Elementary School
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

  1. Walk to School 2010  – contact (for now, as coordinators are not yet finalized) Heather Schoell (heysassy@yahoo.com) and Mandy Bassow (abassow@gmail.com) Co-Chaired by Maury and the Cluster. Food coordinated by Capitol Hill Green Schools Initiative (CHGSI)/Laura Marks (capitolhillgreenschools@gmail.com).
  2. Ward 6 School Board Candidates forum – contact Barbara Riehle (barbara@erols.com).Looking into whether other organizations are sponsoring a forum. Will also invite Lisa Raymond to talk to CHPSPO about the role of the DC State Board of Education (http://sboe.dc.gov/).
  3. DC CAS Test Scores – A 2-page document released by the Chancellor’s office, which is a snapshot of each school that tracks progress from SY07/08, was circulated.
  4. Ward 6 Democratic Councilmember Candidates Forum – contact Barbara Riehle (barbara@erols.com).
    Sponsored by CHPSPO, Sports on the Hill (SOTH) and Eastern Market Metro Community Association (EMMCA) – Mark Seagraves will moderate. Ward 6 Candidates (Tommy Wells and Kelvin Robinson) have agreed to address the community on Tuesday, August 24 @ Southeast Library. Candidate questions which were formulated at the meeting are: What would they do for Hill Schools? Do you support DCPS’ middle schools plan, and what assurance can you give that the plan will be implemented? Would you support mayoral governance of schools, and how do you think this has worked? What is your focus, and what changes would you like to see? What are your priorities for school funding in the coming years?  How is there no money left? What are your priorities for serving the health and education of Capitol Hill families and for Ward 6? What would you say Ward 6 offers for families with children, and how would you improve it?
  5. CHGSI to host DCPS Food Services Roundtable Tuesday, August 31, 6:30 PM @ Peabody ES -contact Laura Marks (capitolhillgreenschools@gmail.com)

    The Capitol Hill Green Schools Initiative will be hosting a roundtable discussion on DCPS food services, the Healthy Schools Act, support for school gardens and schoolyard greening, August 31, from 6:30 to 8 pm at the Peabody ES Library (4th Floor), 425 C Street, NE.Joining us from DCPS will be:

    Jeff Mills, Director of Food Services
    Diana Bruce, Director of Health and Wellness
    Paula Reichel, Program Coordinator, Office of Food and Nutrition Services

  6. By-laws Discussion and 501(c)3 – contact Barbara Riehle (barbara@erols.com) and Sherry Trafford (sherry_trafford@hotmail.com).  The following 3 things need to be answered in crafting CHPSPO bylaws.
    – What is the membership of CHPSPO? Does each school have a designated rep with voting rights, or can it be anybody?
    – Who are the officers, and how are they chosen? Elected from schools?
    – How are decisions made generally? By the board or by membership?

Next meeting – Tuesday, September 21.

Ribbon-Cutting at Eastern High School, August 25 @10:30 AM

From DCPS’ Peggy O’Brien – Chief, Office of Family and Public Engagement…

————————————

 
The ribbon-cutting at beautiful, beautiful Eastern High School is tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25th at 10:30 a.m.
Please join the Mayor and the Chancellor, Eastern alumni, teachers, students, and lots of Eastern fans in front of the building for this great event! 

August 24 – Ward 6 Council Candidates Forum at SE Library

You’re invited to join the Capitol Hill Public School Parents Organization (CHPSPO), Sports On The Hill (SOTH) and the Eastern Market Metro Community Association (EMMCA) for a Ward 6 Democratic Council Candidates Forum on Tuesday, August 24, at 6:30 pm at the Southeast Library.

Councilmember Tommy Wells and candidate Kelvin Robinson will share their views on school and community issues impacting Ward 6. WTOP journalist Mark Segraves will moderate the discussion.

Learn more about CHPSPO, SOTH, and EMMCA on the web at:

http://chpspo.org
http://sportsonthehill.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EMMCA

CHPSPO meeting tonight!

Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

6:30 – 8 pm – Brent Elementary (301 North Carolina)


6:30 p.m.            Welcome and introductions

6:35 p.m.            August 24 Ward 6 Councilmember Candidates Forum (Barbara Riehle)

6:45 p.m.            Meeting with Ward 6 School Board Candidates (Suzanne Wells)

6:55 p.m.            DC-CAS Scores for Capitol Hill Schools

7:00 p.m.            Healthy Schools Program (Suzanne Wells)

7:05 p.m.            August 31 DCPS Food Service Roundtable (Laura Marks)

7:10 p.m.            Local Foods and School Garden Week October 11 – 15 (Laura Marks)

7:15 p.m.            October 6 Walk-to-School Day (Amanda Bassow)

7:20 p.m.            By-laws Discussion and Articles of Incorporation (Barbara Riehle and Sherry Trafford)

7:50 p.m.            Next steps

Next CHPSPO Meeting:   September 21, 2010

Upcoming Events:

Ward 6 Councilmember Candidates Forum

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

6:30 pm

Southeast Library

DCPS Food Service Roundtable

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
6:30 pm – 8 pm
Peabody ES Library (4th Floor), 425 C Street, NE

Ward 6 Council Democratic Candidates Forum – August 24

Ward 6 Council Democratic Candidates Forum

Tuesday, August 24 @ 6:30 PM

SouthEast Library

Councilmember Tommy Wells and Candidate Kelvin Robinson will share their ideas

around schools and community issues impacting our youngest and most senior residents.

WTOP Journalist Mark Segraves will moderate the discussion.

Sponsored by the following Organizations

Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO) http://chpspo.org/•

Eastern Market Metro Community Association (EMMCA) http://sportsonthehill.com/•

Sports on the Hill (SOTH) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EMMCA/

SAVE THE DATE: DCPS Food Services Roundtable – 8/31 @ Peabody

The Capitol Hill Green Schools Initiative will be hosting a roundtable discussion on DCPS food services, the Healthy Schools Act, support for school gardens and schoolyard greening.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
6:30 pm – 8 pm
Peabody ES Library (FOURTH Floor), 425 C Street, NE

Joining us from DCPS will be:

Jeff Mills, Director of Food Services
Diana Bruce, Director of Health and Wellness
Paula Reichel, Program Coordinator, Office of Food and Nutrition Services

We’ll also have Andrea Northup from the DC Farm to School Network in attendance. Bring your questions and concerns to what I’m sure will be a lively and interesting discussion.

FACEBOOK: Capitol Hill Green Schools Initiative
TWITTER: CHGSI