04-04-2022 - CHEC BULLETIN

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MS. EMILIUS AND MS. FRESHLEY TEAM TEACH ENGLISH CLASS
WEEK OF APRIL 4, 2022


Monday, April 4, 2022


Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Deputy Mayor Paul Kihn Visit 8:30-10:30 am
Portfolio Presentations

Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Portfolio Presentations
COVID 19 SERT Team Meeting


Thursday, April 7, 2022
Portfolio Presentations
Career Fair
Faculty Meeting  3:45 pm – Socratic Seminar on 1619 Project


Friday, April 8, 2022
F1
Portfolio Presentations


Upcoming Events

Principal: Maria Tukeva



APRIL 4, 2022: THIS WEEK'S FOCUS IS ON THE PHRASE FROM THE MISSION,

“All Columbia Heights Education Campus graduates will be prepared to succeed in college, careers and civic life as leaders in the quest for social justice and anti-racism. Our scholars are self-motivated, intellectually curious critical thinkers who value multilingualism and diversity. ”

This week  we are authentically living the above statement from our mission, as we engage in Portfolio Presentations in classes, and provide our students with a vision of their future through our Career Exposure Week.

I am always excited to see Portfolio Presentations, and see students Own their Learning.  These presentations are the culmination of our students’ thinking process  and learning, as they speak authentically about what they have learned, and reflect on their progress and future learning.  During this process, our classrooms are full of engaged and involved students, collaborating with one another.  Parents who attend have the chance to not only see what their child has learned but to view our curriculum and instruction, and provide us with feedback.

This is enhanced when students have a vision of what the world of college and careers holds for them, and can make connections with how school is preparing them. During this week, there will be opportunities at lunch time for all students to find out what our different electives and career academies offer, and on Thursday, we have over 26 professionals from multiple career areas who are coming to share with our students how they can pursue the career of their dreams.

On Tuesday, from 8:30 to 10:30 am, the Deputy Mayor for Education, Paul Kihn will be visiting our school.  He is very interested in seeing how portfolio presentations strengthen the educational process. If you would like him to visit your presentations, please let me know.  

As students present their portfolios this week, please remind them that it is Career Exposure Week, and share the schedule with them.  During their presentations, have them reflect on the question, “What is your career goal or your dream job?  How is this class and project relevant to that goal or job? What do you want to learn about next advisory that will help you prepare for this career and job?

He looks like, let’s all wear our Business/Professional Attire as well!.



PANORAMA SURVEY

The Panorama Survey is one way we get important feedback from students, parents and staff on many aspects of the educational experience, but in particular, how students are progressing from a socio emotional aspect. Please make sure your voice is heard, so that we can “continually improve our practices.”



APRIL IS NATIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH

Let’s take a moment to celebrate our fabulous librarians, Angela Falkenberg and Christopher Stewart, during National School Library Month! The role of libraries and librarians is so important to the development of our students and their families.  Our librarians are creative, committed, and collaborative, and they support out entire school community.  Please show them your appreciation!



APRIL FACULTY MEETING

This month in our faculty meeting, we will continue our work of becoming an equity focused, anti-racist school, by doing our own internal work of reading, learning and having conversations.  For this week’s meeting, we will have a Socratic Seminar focused on the 1619 Project.  We ask each staff member to read an excerpt, passage, or chapter, whichever you find most compelling.  We will divide into break out rooms, and have facilitated Socratic Seminars.  The prompts for the Socratic Seminar are:

1) Thinking about the passage or excerpt you read from the 1619 Project, how did it impact you? What did it make you think about learning and the educational system overall?

2)  What are additional ways we can engage with this book as a faculty? When we share it with students, what are ways we can have it enrich our curriculum and instruction?  



NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

Two weeks ago we inducted over 30 young scholars into the first ever National Junior Honor Society at CHEC, and this week we will induct another almost 20 high school students.  Please join us as we induct the newest members this Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm in the auditorium.  




SCHOOL YEAR 2022-23

Even as we draw to the end of SY 21-22 we are preparing for the new school year.  If you would like to serve on our Interviewing committee, to interview new staff members for next year, please contact Pankaj Rayamajhi.  We need your involvement! Also, if you are willing to serve on our ReEnrollment team, and help parents re enroll their children, please also see or email Pankaj Rayamajhi, or Billy Oliva.  Thank you in advance in being part of our development for next year.




CLIMATE AND NORMS

We are welcoming two new members of our Climate and Culture Team – Dean Daniel Bellido and Dean Christian Reyes.  Currently Dean Bellido is assigned to the High school, and Dean Reyes to the middle School.  Both come to us with a wealth of experience in education, restorative justice, and work with youth.  Please welcome them into your classes, they are here to support.

Thank you to all for your collaboration and engagement as we make sure we are communicating clearly to all students what our norms are, and why they are important to our whole school community.  This week’s Focus will be on cycling back through all of the norms, and building them into daily actions. SLC’s are working collaboratively to develop the lessons.  Kickboard has been rolled out, so you can start giving out Norms aligned incentives! As of today, 74% of all staff are using Kickboard.  Shout out to Ms. Ferguson, who has given out the most points : 2,078!! Let’s get to 100% of our staff using this powerful tool.

An important part of reinforcing the norms, are incentives.  One incentive that the SGA has advocated for, is an opportunity to go off campus for lunch (chaperoned by staff).  Each week, we will select one class, nominated by a teacher, to go off campus for lunch. For last week, the winner is Ms. Gutierrez!

Congratulations!

The process is the following:

1.Please nominate a class that you have, that has for the most part (90% of the class 90% of the time) demonstrated the first two norms – Owning their Learning, and Digital Citizenship.
2.All nominated classes will be put into a random selection process, (Plicker wheel) and only one be selected to go off campus for lunch.  Each student in the class will be provided with $6.00 to support the purchase of their lunch (they can use their own money as well).
3.If there are any students in the nominated class with less than 85% attendance, or with multiple discipline referrals, they will not be included in the lunch off campus.
5.There will be more incentives coming – please participate in our incentive survey coming up this week!



COVID 19 UPDATES

Please refer to the memo sent earlier to all staff for the new mandates on masking.
The COVID 19 SERT Team met on Wednesday, March 9, and will meet again on Wednesday, April 6, at 3:45 in the High School Library and virtually.  We will discuss the new DCPS and CDC Guidelines.

Update on Testing and Cases:

There were two new cases last week.

  • Please limit unnecessary passes and movement for students is critical to limiting transmission. The Agenda book is the only pass, and it must be signed and dated. Passes should be limited and not given for breaks or other non essential tasks such as going to the bathroom.



SHOUT OUTS

  • Kudos to our XQ Design Team – Ms. Freshley, Ms. Athmer, Ms. DeVargas, Ms. Pugh, students Isaac Fuentes, Akirra Bruce, Jeffrey Chivalan, parents, Ahmad Nurridin, Angela Salazar and Dasean Jones, for attending our second design session on Thursday!
  • Shout  out to teachers who have started giving incentive points in Kickboard!
  • Shout out to all for a successful Fire Drill on Thursday!!!
  • Kudos to Ms. Ramirez, Mr. Rahman, Ms. Falkenberg, Ms. Garcia Pinilla, Mr. Fuentes and Ms. Nunez for coordinating our first ever National Junior Honor Society Induction ceremony!!
  • Shout out to Ms. Bryant and Ms. Partelow for taking a group of students to Marymount University on Thursday!
  • Kudos to Pankaj, Mr.Galvan, Mr. Swinton, Mr. Oliva, Mr. Best, and all who supported Enrollment Saturday. We have enrolled 55 students for next year so far!
  • Kudos to all teachers who are nominating their classes for off campus lunch incentives!
  • Shout out to all teachers and staff who have been covering classes!
  • Kudos to the Ops Team, Admin Team and Dean Team for their coordination of COVID 19 testing, contact tracing, and prevention!




WE HAVE A RECOGNITION! HONORED TEACHERS PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES THIS YEAR!

Columbia Heights Education Campus’s great teachers deserve to be recognized! We’re proud to partner with Honored Schools again this year to do just that! Go to HonoredSchools.org to tell Columbia Heights Education Campus teachers how they’ve made a difference. Please share this with parents and students! Once recognized, teachers get an email with your recognition story and we’ll celebrate them! Please see below our Honored Teachers from last week, and go to the website to read the wonderful things their students say about them!



PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Please contact Mya Ferguson or M. Tukeva if you would like to offer Office Hours, or if there is a topic you would like to see offered in Office Hours.
INSTRUCTION
MS. VAZQUEZ AND MS. GUTIERREZ
TEAM TEACH DUAL LANGUAGE SCIENCE

Week 10 of Advisory 3
We are now entering the 10th  week of the third advisory, and it is portfolio week! Please make sure you have taught the routines, rituals, and protocols for presentations, so that all students can be successful and that it is a powerful learning experience. Please also invite parents and colleagues to attend.  Portfolio presentations represent the culmination of all of the hard work of students and teachers, as students share their projects and the impact they have had on their progress.
Instructional Calendar

The Instructional Calendar is a living document that houses all the major curricular requirements, assessments, and schoolwide events. The Instructional Calendar is complete for the moment, however changes may be made and will be noted. If you have any requests for additions to the Instructional Calendar, please contact Mr. Magee, peter.magee@k12.dc.gov, or your SLC Administrator.

OPPORTUNITIES
CHEC WELCOMES DEAN DANIEL BELLIDO
AND DEAN CHRISTIAN REYES!
Dean Bellido (left) is assigned to the High School and Dean Reyes (right) to the Middle School. Welcome!
NEW PROJECTS FUNDED

MS. MOMTAZ’S FUNDED CLASSROOM PROJECT IS: "USING DRY-ERASE BOARDS TO FURTHER STUDENT VOICE AND COLLABORATION

My Students
I teach 9th-grade science in the heart of DC. I have 75 to 80 students across all my periods. My students range from logical curious to creative. Their creativity is truly an inspiration. But one thing that brings a smile to all my students is when they can do hands-on activities and be active while doing projects. They have missed doing hands-on activities with classmates during virtual learning, so I make sure they have opportunities this year to engage in hands-on activities with their peers in the class. Our school is 100% free and reduced lunch, and our families come from low-income households and a variety of backgrounds such as Black, Latinx, and other minority backgrounds. I want to show my students that they can pursue STEM and bring their talents to the field to have more representation in the STEM fields, no matter their background. Despite all the challenges, my students know that knowledge and pursuing higher education can lead to a better and brighter future.

My Project
My students have let me know again and again how much they enjoy working in groups and collaborating with their peers during projects. During projects, these whiteboards can be used to draw out their ideas and collaborate with their classmates. Individual whiteboards also allow students to practice problems and build a culture where students have fun while collaborating and presenting their voices in creative ways other than paper and pencil. Students especially enjoy using whiteboards during science jeopardy lessons and using the boards to express themselves by doodling and creating art.

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MS. MINTZ’S FUNDED CLASSROOM PROJECT IS:READY TO RECHARGE!

My Students
My 6th grade students are smart, hilarious, kind, and resilient. From the Pandemic to community gun violence, they have overcome myriad challenges and still manage to make me laugh every day.

My Project
As we head into the home stretch of the school year, my students need computer chargers, headphones, and snacks to power up their learning through June. Many of my students have lost or broken their chargers and cannot afford to replace them. I am also asking for headphones to help my students with IEPs access audio versions of our texts. Lastly, I would like to have snacks on hand to provide to hungry students so they can feel energized and ready to learn.

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NEW PROJECTS CREATED

MS. FALKENBERG’S NEW CLASSROOM PROJECT IS: “INSPIRING STUDENT CREATIVITY: MAKERSPACE STATION IN THE LIBRARY

My Students
At my Washington, DC middle school, students see the library as a place of refuge, the hangout spot during lunch, and a welcoming space to explore the world of information. My middle school students love to create and be themselves among friends.

My Project
As we adjust and adapt to what it means to learn in our flexible environments, students and staff seek a learning space that is designed to foster their knowledge, interests, and creativity. By donating to this project, my students and staff will be able to engage in arts and crafts and tinker in the makerspace to inspire their creativity and sense of mental well being. Students will be able to interact with others at the makerspace station to collaborate, problem solve, design, and/or mentally refresh during the day. When people feel safe to explore, we create opportunities for learning, seeking, and growth.

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My Students
My students thrive on challenges and are resilient in spite of them. They are some of the most intelligent and innovative individuals, in the world! Academically astute and athletically gifted, these world leaders have no ceiling to break. The sky is literally not the limit!

My Project
When students have access to information, resources and materials, including books, they become equipped with the tools needed to change the world. The mission is to ensure that students are identifying the Birth-to-Prison pipeline, learning its historical and modern day harms while creating solutions that help to transform the way we view the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Students will receive a copy of the book, Just Mercy; a story that speaks to ones heart and mind, empowering all to STAND against systemic and social harms and stand up for each and every human.

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APRIL 7TH CHEC CAREER FAIR

CHEC’s first in-person Career Fair in three years will take place on Thursday, April 7th during Career Exposure Week (April 4th - 8th). Please reach out to your personal contacts to request that they participate in the Career Fair .  We're excited to have a few organizations already sign-up through partnerships from our NAF Academies as well as our MCIP board members. HUGE shout-outs to Ms. Castro, Ms. Freshley, Ms. Cates-Bristol and Ms. Ward for helping to secure participants!

As a reminder, the two staff members who support in securing the most professionals for our fair will each earn a $50 target gift card! Our goal is to have at least 15 MCA related fields and at least 15 MSB related fields represented.

Please feel free to spread the word and share this CF Participant Form with those who may be interested. Participants can sign-up for at least one or all of our two hour timeframes.

Cluster/Program of Study Fair

The Cluster Fair will be held during 8 - 12 grade lunches in the cafeteria Monday 4/4 - Wednesday 4/6, via the following schedule that week:

  • Monday, April 4th -- MCA programs
  • Tuesday, April 5th -- MSB programs
  • Wednesday, April 6th -- Advanced Placement Courses

If you have any questions about the Cluster Fair, please contact @Lewis, Andrea (DCPS) and @Nwaolu Bryant, Keyona (DCPS) for the Career Fair.

Thank you,

College & Career Team
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LINCOLN LIBRARY NEWS!

CHEC Lincoln Library Canvas Page
Check your email (called Lincoln Library Canvas Buttons; sent 1/13) for Canvas buttons and links to add to your class Canvas pages. As you update your Canvas pages, include access to the library for independent reading, research resources, and technology support. As a reminder, our digital library collections are accessible through Clever under the Library Resources section. Need help? Email angela.falkenberg@k12.dc.gov to schedule assistance.

Schedule Library Visits and Collaborations
Email angela.falkenberg@k12.dc.gov or call extension 4018 to schedule Library Visits and/or lesson collaborations. These collaborations include co-teaching, resource curations, reading promotions, GRASP assistance, etc.

Angela Falkenberg
Columbia Heights EC - Lincoln MS
School Librarian, M.Ed
THE DEAN TEAM
DEWAYNE BOONE
KANEIL WILLIAMS
DANIEL BELLIDO
CHRISTIAN REYES
Greetings CHEC Family!

5 days till Spring Break!  How will you spend this time?









If unsure, and looking for a few good ideas, check out Local Events Next Week.

CHEC HAPPENINGS

Families can complete the SY22-23 enrollment form for students starting today.

Kickboard
This Friday, April 8th,  our Kickboard Incentive will be an Ice Cream Social and outdoor games. The Culture Team is asking that you focus on rewarding the specific behavior of students that are arriving early to class. We are encouraging all positive behaviors and norms, but want to especially push for this behavior in our announcements.
 
Points: Students that earn 150 points between the March 28th – April 7th, will be eligible to participate.

STAFF RESOURCES

Monthly Equity & Antiracism Newsletter
 
Check out the April edition of the DCPS Monthly Equity & Antiracism Newsletter (linked) to help you learn and grow in your own journey, as well as resources you can use in your classroom. See past issues here.
 
Thank you for engaging in this work. As always, reach out to us if you have questions or need anything from our team! - Equity Strategy and Programming

April 5 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
RJ and Student Engagement; In Classrooms, Common Spaces & Community
Target Audience: Administrators, School Staff, Students,
Teachers Join us as we introduce restorative concepts and explore the continuum of restorative practices. Strategies include using proactive circles for strengthening relationships and social-emotional skills and implementing restorative circles to shift school culture and climate and address systems of power and oppression.

April 6 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Coaching and Skill Building; Restorative Practices in Action
In these highly experiential coaching sessions, you are invited to bring your unique challenges and questions and get on-the-spot coaching and group-peer support. These sessions may take us on pedagogical, behavioral, ethical, personal and cultural reflections and insights on how restorative practices can support individuals and our sense of community.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK/ MONTH
 

There were no nominations for SOW this week! Please take time weekly to nominate students that have shown consistency, ideal conduct, classroom citizenship and academic progress.
 

Student of the Week
 
Weekly teachers nominate students who have excelled in their class during that week. These nomination includes academic and/or behavioral acceleration. In addition, these nominees upheld CHEC's PRIDE:  Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence! Please be sure to complete by 5pm every Thursday.

Students of the Month
At the end of the Month each teacher will nominate one student who demonstrates exemplary personal character and commitment to service throughout the month. This student has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and service to other through character, collaboration and citizenship in their curricular and co-curricular endeavors. This student also upheld CHEC PRIDE: Professionalism, Respect,
Integrity, Diversity and Excellence

Name:
Maydelin Cerrato-Ramos - 6th Grade
Hailey Mejia-Flores - 7th Grade
Keiyne Settles Jr - 7th Grade
Diego Mendez Loayes - 8th Grade
Ana Amaya Sosa - 8th Grade

Use the following forms:


Student Support Forms:
 
 
Peace & Love,
 
The Dean Team
WEEKLY SPORTS UPDATE

Athletics are an integral part of the educational program and a means to accomplish the goals of education. Our athletic program exists for the welfare of students and the contributions it makes to their educational experience.  Athletic participation builds self-esteem and confidence and provides the necessary tools for success. The interaction between individuals on the fields of sport teaches students the value of teamwork, while developing the proper competitive spirit, combined with a sense of fairness.


LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

The HS baseball team defeated Eastern and HD Woodson but lost to DCI. The HS softball team lost to Banneker and the Dunbar game has been rescheduled due to inclement weather.  The Tennis team lost to Anacostia and McKinley Tech.

SPORTS TEAM STANDINGS
LINCOLN
BB: 0 - 0
SB: 0 - 0
BELL
BB: 3 - 4
Flag FB: 0 - 2
SB: 4 - 1
Tennis: 0 - 4
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

MONDAY:
HS BB vs. Eastern at Eliot-Hine @ 4:00pm
HS Tennis vs. Anacostia at Turkey Thicket @ 4:00pm


TUESDAY
No Games


WEDNESDAY
HS BB vs. HD Woodson at Kelly Miller @ 4:00pm
HS Tennis vs. McKinley Tech at Taft @ 4:00pm


THURSDAY:
HS SB vs. Dunbar at New York Avenue Recreation Center @ 4:00pm


FRIDAY:
HS BB vs. DCI at Maury Wills @ 2:00pm


SATURDAY
HS SB vs. Banneker at Banneker @ 10:00am
To participate in sports, including tryouts, students must complete participation paperwork and upload their physical via https://www.thedciaa.com/participation-forms.  Additionally, all student-athletes, who are 12 and older than must be vaccinated to participate in sports or have an approved medical or religious exemption and test weekly.   Anyone with questions, should contact the CHEC athletic director, Coach A in room D236, or via email at desmond.alexander@k12.dc.gov. Spring sports practice has begun.

Spring sports include:

Middle School
Baseball - Coach Mesa (carlos.mesa@k12.dc.gov)
Golf - Jordan Stouch (jordan.stouch@k12.dc.gov)
Softball - TBD
Outdoor Track - TBD

High School
Baseball - Coach Allen (reiss.allen@k12.dc.gov)
Flag Football - Coach Duvall (ryan.duvall@k12.dc.gov)
Golf - Coach Duvall (ryan.duvall@k12.dc.gov)
Softball - Coach Zinzarella (christopher.Zinzarel1@k12.dc.gov)
Stunt - Coach Wright (dioonewright02@gmail.com)
Outdoor Track - Coach Pinto or Coach Robinson (miguel.pinto@k12.dc.gov or markblaytonrobinson@gmail.com)
Tennis - Claire Riesenberg (claire.riesenberg@k12.dc.gov)
Wrestling - Kenrry Alvarado (kenrry.alvarado@k12.dc.gov)


Desmond Alexander, CAA
Athletic Directo.  
Columbia Heights Educational Campus
Bell/Lincoln Multicultural Schools

(202)939-7700 Ext: 5207 (office)
(202)576-9147 (fax)

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