The Hill Is Home covers the Hill middle school effort:
http://www.thehillishome.com/2010/08/hope-or-hold-your-breath/
A busy time at Eastern Senior High School
The DC Youth Orchestra Program (DCYOP) is in the process of moving in, and will hold Orchestra Day at Eastern on Saturday, September 11. To learn more about the DCYOP, go to: http://www.dcyop.org/.
Community members have been invited to tour Eastern and have good things to say about the facilities. Read about this here: http://www.thehillishome.com/2010/08/eastern/.
For information on the Academic developments around Eastern (including International Baccalaureate), go to DCPS: http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Parents+and+Community/The+Future+of+Eastern+High+School.
Exciting times at Eastern Senior High School!
Local Foods and School Garden Week – October 11-15
10-11-10 to 10-15-10: Local Foods and School Garden Week
Mark your calendars, on October 11-15 DC Farm to School will celebrate the passage of the Healthy Schools Act, and fresh, seasonal, local foods and school gardens in schools and cafeterias District-wide! They’ll send around more information soon for schools interested in participating, and about community events (including garden tours, VIP speakers, educational programs and more). Would you like to help organize the event? Email Andrea at (andrea at dcfarmtoschool dot org).
DCPS Announces New Food Service Vendors For Pilot Programs
August 03, 2010
RAISING THE BAR: DCPS Takes First Step to Dramatically Improve the Quality, Taste and Nutrition of School Meals
School System Launches Two Pilot Food Service Models to Bring Fresh and Local Food to 14 Schools
Contact: Jennifer Calloway | (202) 535-1096
WASHINGTON, D.C. – District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) will launch two pilot food service models that will bring fresh and local ingredients to 14 schools –dramatically improving the taste, quality and nutrition of the meals served. DCPS is committed to transforming its food service program to offer the highest quality food for students at the best price and has awarded contracts to two vendors: Revolution Foods will provide fresh portable meals to seven schools; and DC Central Kitchen will provide meals made-from-scratch to seven schools.
Each vendor participated in a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process that included a taste test with students and school staff. Vendor proposals were evaluated on numerous criteria including vendors’ capacity to implement specifics of the pilot programs and taste and quality of their menu offerings. DC Central Kitchen gained evaluative points for its unique model of procuring local foods and transforming that food into healthy, appetizing meals. Revolution Foods demonstrated its unique marketing efforts to encourage students to try its healthy food options.
“Children who eat nutritious meals are not only healthier, they are also better learners,” stated Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. “This administration is committed to providing healthy food in schools as one of the crucial supports needed for children to achieve at the highest levels.”
DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee added, “As a mother of two DCPS students, I hear daily about the challenges we face in the cafeteria. Whether it’s taste or variety, I know all too well the impact and impression school meals make on our students.” She continued, “Three years ago, we made a commitment to balance taste and nutrition with a comprehensive food service program that offers the best value to the city. This is a major step forward.”
Chartwells-Thompson, the school system’s current food service vendor, will retain its service contract to provide meals for 108 schools. DCPS and Chartwells’ regional staff have redeveloped and taste tested over 200 of Chartwells’ menu items in preparation for the new school year.
All three vendors will be required to purchase at least 20 percent of their ingredients from within 120 miles of the District. Local sourcing will enable DCPS to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, which will improve the overall taste and quality of each meal. Local food costs less, and buying local helps reduce DCPS’ carbon footprint, because less fuel is used to move the food from producer to customer.
The total expenditure on all three contracts is expected to be cost neutral. DCPS will continue to evaluate the service provided by all three vendors during the course of the school year and determine the most effective way to provide DC students with nutritious, high quality food service going forward.
Today, August 3 from 7-8 p.m. at 1200 First Street NE–Tony Tata, Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Mills, Director of Food Services, and Diana Bruce, Director of Health and Wellness will host a Food Services Round Table to discuss the school system’s vision for supporting the health and wellness of students. This is a public event at DCPS headquarters open to all DCPS families and community members.
LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
From Scratch: DC Central Kitchen Fresh Portable Meals: Revolution Foods
Kelly Miller Middle School Amidon-Bowen Elementary School
Thomas Elementary School Hearst Elementary School
Burrville Elementary School Anacostia High School
Aiton Elementary School Eastern High School
Kenilworth Elementary School Johnson Middle School
Marshall Elementary School Peabody Elementary School
Prospect Learning Center Woodrow Wilson High School
***DCPS Director of Food Services Jeffrey Mills is available for interviews. Please contact Jennifer Calloway at (202) 701-9364.***
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Ward 6 Middle Schools Plan – Good Stuff for Capitol Hill Students
DCPS hosted a community meeting for the Ward 6 community (for all families of children attending Ward 6 schools) on Thursday, July 29 @ Maury Elementary.
Attendance was pretty impressive for a mid-summer meeting (50ish participants).
The presentation and all supporting documents (Collaboration Team, Survey feedback and Summary of plan for each individual schools) will be available on the DCPS site: http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/building-on-momentum
A few highlights that impact all schools:
- Rigorous Academic Program
- Differentiated Math Pathway: assessment for appropriate placement, ‘rigor’ standards that will apply to all schools, math intervention program to get all students ready for Algebra 1 in the 8th grade, teacher PD
- World Language as a core course: HS credit by 8th grade, sharing of teachers to offer additional languages, online programs, after-school programs for credit or enrichment
- International Baccalaureate Middle Years implementation at Jefferson and Eliot-Hine
- Facilities upgrades (Modernization and ‘Blitz’ schedule)
- School Culture and Climate
- Full Service Schools
- Educators for Social Responsibility
- Measuring Success
- Grade Configuration and Feeder Patterns
- Stuart-Hobson: moving Montessori to the Logan School, moving the 5th grade to Watkins and Ludlow-Taylor feeding to Stuart-Hobson effective SY11/12
- Brent feeding to Jefferson and Eliot-Hine until boundaries are re-drawn
- Possible re-opening of Van Ness as a neighborhood elementary school
- School Collaboration teams at each middle school to implement the above plan – contact your principal by September 10, 2010 if you are interested in joining your middle school’s team.
Congratulations to DCPS, the Capitol Hill community and to CHPSPO for this huge step towards excellence across all middle schools!
CHPSPO Meeting Notes – July 20, 2010
Capitol Hill Public School Parent Organization
Middle School Subcommittee Meeting
July 20, 2010
Stuart Hobson Middle School
4th & E Streets, NE
Library
6:30 – 8 p.m.
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Precious Calloway) – Healthy Schools program (www.HealthierGeneration.org).
Funding to support 100 (or more) schools, Need to enroll min of 40 schools by September.
6 Step Program: http://healthiergeneration.org/builder/builderlogin.aspx
Benefits to school/community: National recognition, resources, funding for various health/green related programs, IMPACT for teachers
Contact: Precious Calloway – precious.calloway@healthiergeneration.org - Schoolyard Greening Subcommittee – contact Laura Marks (capitolhillgreenschools@gmail.com)
Tuesday, August 31 – meeting with Jeff Mills and Diana Bruce to discuss Healthy Schools
Lookout: Breakfast in classrooms for ALL students to kick off on first day of school (August 23) - Walk-to-School Day
Seeking Champion(s) to coordinate this year’s Walk to School Day (Wednesday, October 6) – Volunteers? (resources are available) - Mayor and 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
Waiting for confirmation from Mayoral Candidates
Host similar forum for DC Board of Ed candidates?
Will give candidates questions 1 week ahead of time. Q’s to represent families with children.
Q’s that came up tonight in brain storm (not final):
1. How can you guarantee funding for modernization when consistently going over 40% on current projects? (Art school is being pushed)
2. Disconnect between DC- CAS and DC-BAS – how to address continuity in testing?
3. Transition plan bet. DCPS and Principals?
4. What do you do w/ the School Board? - By-laws Discussion and 501(c)3 – contact Barbara Riehle (barbara@erols.com) and Sherry Trafford (sherry_trafford@hotmail.com)
Barbara to circulate draft by-laws. 501(c)3 is dependent on by-laws. - CHPSPO Website & Logo – contact Sandra Moscoso (smoscosomills@hotmail.com) & Heather Schoell (heysassy@yahoo.com)
Site is live: http://chpspo.org – please visit, and provide feedback!! (look and feel will likely change once logo is finalized).
Restaurant Chefs Propose Taking Over D.C. School Cafeteria | The Slow Cook
See what’s new at Tyler ES!
via Restaurant Chefs Propose Taking Over D.C. School Cafeteria | The Slow Cook.
DCPS to Reveal the Ward 6 Middle School Plan – July 29
REMINDER: Please join the Capitol Hill and Ward 6 DCPS community:
Thursday, July 29
Maury Elementary School
1250 Constitution Ave., NE
6-7:30 PM
For background on this initiative, go to:
For more information about this meeting, please contact Claudia Lujan at (202) 719-6598 or Claudia.Lujan@dc.gov.
Hello Parents!
Welcome to the new CHPSPO site! Take a look around and be sure to give us feedback on how we can improve it. We’re working on better communication and making it easier for you to get involved.
Check out ‘Current Initiatives’ to see what might interest you this summer and school year 10/11
Ward 6 Public School Parents Organization 