June 2016 DC Public Charter School News
| Summer's Here! |
| Summer Programming Options |
| Nearly all public charter schools have ended the school year, and more than a dozen public charter schools will offer enrichment, credit recovery, and summer bridge programming this summer. View summer program options here. For more information on citywide summer options, visit summer.dc.gov |
| New Safe Place to Play |
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SEED School of Washington, D.C. PCS and The U.S. Soccer Foundation were very excited to celebrate the Grand Opening of a New Safe Places to Play Mini-Pitch Soccer Field at SEED's campus. DC United midfielder Lamar Neagle, goalkeeper Travis Worra, and head coach Ben Olsen joined SEED PCS faculty, staff, and students during the unveiling of the pitch. Both Neagle and Worra joined the SEED PCS soccer team for a quick game to break in the pitch. SEED PCS students will now have access to a safe place to stay fit and have fun! |
| Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS and Mundo Verde PCS Host Field Days |
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Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS and Mundo Verde PCS each kicked-off summer by hosting field days. |
| Shining Bright: Celebrating Fathers, Helping the Community and More |
| Helping the Community: Ward 7 Clean Up |
 Photo: IDEA PCS |
| Over 30 IDEA PCS scholars alongside their Vice Principal, Mr. Sturdivant, volunteered with DPW Environmental Crimes investigators and a local Ward 7 community activist for a cleaner DC in a cleanup in Ward 7. With overgrown vegetation, weeds, construction demo debris, and household items polluting the community, these amazing volunteers collected 3.2 tons of debris. MPD Officer, Jason Medina, took the time to recognize and thank the IDEA Scholars and their “Hercules”, Mr. Sturdivant for their contributions to cleaning up Ward 7. |
| Capital City Wins Department of Education's Career and Technical Education Makeover Challenge |
| Congratulations to Capital City PCS for being one of ten winners from across the country in the US Department of Education's $200,000 Career and Technical Education Makeover Challenge. The winners will receive $20,000 in cash and a share of in-kind prizes from the $375,000+ sponsor prize pool to help build a makerspace. Through the makerspace, Capital City PCS will integrate design thinking principles into their curriculum, allowing students to be able to make richer projects and deliverables. The makerspace is a place where students not only learn, but also gain independence, creativity, and STEAM skills. Among other things, Capital City PCS will use this money for 3D printers, a book binding machine, soldering irons, robotics kits, fabrication materials, furniture, and professional development opportunities for our teachers. Read more about the challenge here. |
| DCI IB Certification |
| DCI PCS is now an International Baccalaureate World School (IB). By becoming an IB World School, DCI PCS will emphasize independent thought, allow students to become more culturally aware, and help lead students to some of the highest ranking universities. The process of IB Certification, from candidacy to verification, typically takes around three years. However, DCI PCS worked incredibly hard and managed to become IB certified in only a year and a half. Learn more about DCI PCS here. |
| Chavez Schools Symposium |
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Photo: Cesar Chavez PCS
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| Every year, Cesar Chavez PCS senior scholars present and defend their thesis findings on some of our nation’s most pressing policy issues. This year, the Chavez Schools Public Policy Symposium hosted a dynamic event highlighting the impact of the mission along with providing an inspirational and educational experience for scholars and attendees. Attendees included local and national policy makers, civic leaders, and business leaders. |
| AppleTree PCS Recognized as "High Impact Investment" for Early Childhood Education |
| The University of Pennsylvania's Center for High Impact Philanthropy recently recognized AppleTree PCS as a "high impact" investment for early childhood education. Read the report here. AppleTree PCS provides high-quality early childcare and preschool programs for District families. |
| Eagle Academy PCS Celebrates Father's Day |
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| Eagle Academy PCS celebrated Father's Day by hosting a fathers-only event for more than 200 dads. Through performances, photos of their son or daughter, and other special surprises, Eagle Academy PCS students were able to thank their dads for being awesome! |
| Welcome to our Newest Board Member! |
| Meet our New Board Member, Saba Bireda |
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| Saba Bireda joined the board on June 20 and will serve until February 24, 2019. Over the course of her impressive career, Ms. Bireda has served as a teacher at Sousa Middle School and at the UDC School of Law and, more recently, she has served as a policy advisor and senior counsel to the US Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. Learn more about Ms. Bireda here |
| Upcoming Events |
| July 18 - Board Meeting The Board will hold its monthly meeting on July 18 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss various issues related to public charter schools and to hear from the public. The meeting will be held at DC PCSB at 3333 14th St NW Suite 210. A meeting agenda will be available here. Watch the meeting on our website or follow the discussion on Twitter @dcpcsb. Missed last month's meeting? Read a summary here. |