March 2017 DC Public Charter School News

 

Access for All Students
Are You Doing All that You Can for the Students?

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) released a video about how charter school authorizers across the country are working to expand and ensure all students have access to quality schools. Rashida Young, Senior Manager of Equity and Fidelity at the DC Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB) discusses how DC PCSB addresses access:

  • By monitoring unintentional and intentional barriers that may prevent a family from applying or enrolling into a school (DC PCSB communicates any barriers to the school so they can be removed);
  • Determining whether schools are doing all they can to keep students in their schools; and,
  • Understanding if there are particular groups of students exiting the school more than another group of students. 

Read NACSA's post about the topic here, and watch the video by clicking on the photo above. 
People of Public Charter Schools
"I wake up every day knowing something exciting will happen with these little people who depend on us to learn and have fun every day in the most creative ways possible."

Photo Credit: Christina Miller | AppleTree Public Charter School

Co-lead Teacher Tsion Teckle (Preschool Classroom 4) at AppleTree Early Learning PCS Columbia Heights school shared why she loves teaching at AppleTree.

This career feels like a calling and it has given me a higher purpose. I think there is a reason and a purpose why I have been placed at AppleTree especially with my unique background in child nutrition and the arts. I am constantly aware of my obligation to be a positive role model for my students and parents and believe that every child deserves a quality education with teachers who are dedicated to the growth and development of students, setting the tone for their entire lives. Beyond the classroom, I can honestly say that I love and respect the people that I work with and the community of people I serve. Working here makes it easier to commit to the organization's mission of closing the achievement gap before kindergarten.
School Stories
Celebrating Female Educators for Women's History Month

We are lucky to have many female public charter school founders and leaders who are providing quality educational options to more than 40,000 students in DC. See our post highlighting the contributions of a few of the amazing women who have contributed their skills to our public charter schools here.

 

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GWU Surprises Two Public Charter School Students with Full-Ride Scholarships
Congratulations to Joel Escobar of Cesar Chavez – Parkside High PCS and Jenesis Duran of Washington Latin PCS who both received George Washington University's merit-based Stephen Joe Trachtenberg Scholarship. Learn more about the scholarship and the receipents here.

 

 



Photo Credit: Washington Latin PCS
It's Academic is the longest-running quiz show in the history of television, which is in its 56th season. Washington Latin PCS was the first public charter school to appear on the show, and for the last three years, the school has made the playoffs. The current team on the show features three students - two seniors and one junior. Last year, the team's coach, Ryan Benjamin, won the show's Coach of the Year award. Washington Latin PCS also has a larger academic club, which is made up of 20 students who are competitive in smaller tournaments throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Upcoming Events
April 11 - Charter Application Town Hall
Join the Board's Parent and Alumni Leadership Council's Town Hall to learn about the charter school applications received and the Board's review and voting process. The Town Hall will be held at DC PCSB (3333 14th Street NW, Suite 210) on April 11 at 6:00 p.m. Please contact Nicole Newman ([email protected]; 202-328-1500) if you have any questions. 

April 24 - Board Meeting
The Board will hold its next monthly meeting on April 24 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 (3333 14th Street NW, Suite 210). A meeting agenda will be available here. 

Watch the meeting on our website. Missed last month's meeting? Read a summary here.

 

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