CHEC bulletin for Week of September 16, 2019
BACK TO SCHOOL DAY
MARIA TUKEVA’S (MT) MESSAGE:
COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS
- CHEC CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
CHEC Mission Connection for this week – “We develop intellectually curious scholars who are articulate communicate in two languages, critical thinkers and consumers, cultural ambassadors, and contributing community members.”
As cultural ambassadors, it is our role to build a learning environment where each child feels his or her culture is valued, and where we utilize our diversity as a vehicle for learning. This focus on culture builds our capacity for courageous conversations about race and equity. The national heritage months provide an ideal lens for our study and celebration of the many cultures that make up our school. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 through October 15. This year’s theme is “Hispanic Americans: A History of Serving Our Nation.”
Heritage months provide many opportunities to make our curriculum and activities relevant to our students’ cultures, and to plan activities, displays and events where students can see their cultures reflected. There are a wealth of materials available from Teaching for Change, or from the official site of Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a learning opportunity for us as well as for our students, as we learn some of the history that has not been regularly told. Please check out the following site for a link to resources, as well as our librarians.
SHOUT OUTS
- Shout out to all Faculty and Staff for a great Back to School Morning and Night! We had a total of about 350 parents attend!
- Shout out to the Music Department for performing at the DCPS Back to School Bash on Saturday!!
- Kudos to Mr. Aguilar for presenting on a new technology for language learning, to the Dual Language and World Language Departments!!
- Shout out to Ms. Abbondanza for presenting on PLT and Advisory to the 9th/10th grade PLT’s!
- Kudos to Mr. Smith, Mr. Lewis and Ms. Avila for their grade level “huddles” to build culture and climate!
MEETINGS THIS WEEK:
Monday, September 16, 2019
National Hispanic Heritage Month Begins
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Guide to Graduation (9th and 10th Grade) Parent Meeting 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Middle School Kennedy Center Field Trip 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Norfolk State University Lunch Visit 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
AOHT Howard University Tour
High School Kennedy Center Field Trip 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Marymount University Lunch Visit 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
INSTRUCTION:
MS. PATTERSON'S SCIENCE CLASS
This is week 4 of the First Advisory, and by now, students should be close to completing their first draft of their first GRASPS, and being provided time in class to revise it to standard. Please also be sure to analyze diagnostic results with your students, so they can complete their POP sheets and take ownership of their learning. Progress reports will be due to parents next week, so now is an ideal time to conference with students so that they know what feedback will be provided to their parents.
The CHEC 7 are powerful literacy strategies that can ensure that students are engaged in a rigorous classroom experience. Please see your department chair or SLC administrator if you would like to see any of the strategies in action.
INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR
The Instructional Calendar is a living document that houses all of the major curricular requirements, assessments, and schoolwide events. Please check it weekly, as it changes as events are added or moved. The calendar is curated by members of the Admin team, and Mr. Magee, Science LEAP lead, curates and adds events or items that are submitted by Department Chairs. If you have an event or item that you think should be added to the Instructional Calendar, please submit it to your Department Chairperson first, and then your Department Chair will submit for inclusion if appropriate.
Please view the Instructional Calendar here
OPPORTUNITIES:
AP PHYSICS - B. ARTIS, E. TORRES, A. SORIANO, M. CRUZ
UPDATES FROM: LEADERSHIP TEAM I AFTER SCHOOL I PD I TRAUMA INFORMED PD I COLLEGE ACCESS TUTORING I COLLEGE APPLICATION WORKSHOPS I COLLEGE ACADEMY I LIBRARY UPDATE I OFFICE DEPOT GIVE BACK I
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP TEAM
Professional Development Institute Opportunity from DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative
I'd like to share with you an amazing opportunity for educational staff to attend a Trauma Informed Professional Development Institute hosted by the DC Commission on Arts & Humanities and the DC Collaborative on Saturday, September 21 from 9AM - 3:30 PM.
The theme of this PD Institute is “Unpacking a Safe Space”. Join teaching artists as they share practices for the creation of physically and emotionally safe spaces through trauma-informed processes, where risk-taking is encouraged and student voice and agency are promoted. More information can be found here.
This event is completely free and includes a complimentary light breakfast, lunch, and the opportunity to win raffle prizes. The school who has the most teachers attend will win an in-school workshop hosted by one of our presenters! Participants will also be provided with a participation certificate for 5.5 contact hours to turn in for re-licensure credits. Reserve your space by September 16th as space is very limited.
All the best,
Clarissa Heartsfield
Manger of School Partnerships
DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative
JOIN THE CHEC ALT TEAM FOR SY 2019-20!
Thank you to all for a great start to the school year! This is to provide an update to all on our Academic Leadership Team (ALT) for school year 2019-2020. The purpose of the ALT is to provide guidance for our implementation of our Comprehensive School Plan (CSP). All LEAP Leads and Department Chairpersons, as well as Coordinators, are members of the ALT, however membership and meetings are open to all staff members. If you would like to serve in a temporary capacity in order to participate in a given issue, or in a permanent capacity for the entire year, you are welcome and invited to attend. The first meeting will be Wednesday, September 4, at 3:30 pm in the High School Library. We alternate the meetings between afternoon and morning meetings, so that they are accessible to all staff. During our first meeting the agenda will be:
Define our purpose as an ALT Team
Decide on meeting times
Read and analyze the Comprehensive School Plan
Organize subgroups and committees to work on different parts of the plan
Please consider becoming a member of our ALT team!
TEACHERS NEEDED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES
We are in need of teachers to support our Middle School Extended Day classes. Extended Day provides our middle school students with enrichment and intervention. This year we are redesigning the extended day to make sure it meets students needs for what they need in terms of intervention, and offers choice for their enrichment. Teachers are paid $43.00 per hour for Extended Day. Currently we need teachers to teach Spanish as a Second Language, Chess, Sports Activities, and STEM Activities! We also need more Special Education Teachers to serve our students in Extended Day. Please see our Extended Day Coordinator, Ismenia Garcia-Carmona, our Assistant Principals Roman Smith and Joseph Lewis, if you are able to support our middle school youth!
TRAUMA INFORMED PD OPPORTUNITY
The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities are hosting a Trauma Informed Professional Development Institute on Saturday, September 21 from 9AM - 3:30 PM. The theme of this PD Institute is “Unpacking a Safe Space”. Join teaching artists as they share practices for the creation of physically and emotionally safe spaces through trauma-informed processes, where risk-taking is encouraged and student voice and agency are promoted. More information about sessions will be provided next week. This event is completely free and includes a complimentary light breakfast, lunch, and the opportunity to win raffle prizes. The school who has the most teachers attend will win an in-school workshop hosted by one of our presenters! Participants will also be provided with a participation certificate for 5.5 contact hours to turn in for relicensure credits. Reserve your space by September 16th as space is very limited. The flyer for this PD is here.
GREAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER LINK
Here is a link for a monthly newsletter from OSSE about PD opportunities for a bunch of subjects/areas.
Please take a look … it may have something they could use! http://eepurl.com/gBFkKw
It has ELL, SpEd, SEL, H & PE, RTI, literacy, math and more.
COLLEGE ACCESS TUTORING FOR SENIORS
Curran Chopra and Akshar Patel are forming a team of volunteers who plan to tutor seniors for all aspect of college applications and college access during this fall. Presently, they are recruiting a cohort of college student volunteers from Howard University, Trinity Washington University, American University and Georgetown.
Mr. Chopra began this project the DC Learn and Serve program, to provide low-income DC high school students with the resources, motivation, and mentorship to perform to their capabilities on standardized testing required for college and navigate through the college application process. His vision is to connect undergraduate students with high school juniors so the college students who have the experience of taking the SAT/ACT and applying to college can offer their expertise and knowledge to their younger peers.
Thanks for your continued support of Special Olympics, and especially of our Unified Sports events!
COLLEGE APPLICATION WORKSHOPS
Time: Wednesday’s after-school from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Beginning October, 2019)
Length: The workshops begin first week of October and end by Christmas Break
Location: Computer Lab (Room 407)
Students: 25 to 30 students
Volunteer Duties: Volunteers will provide essay writing support – Common App Essays – helping decide structure, students have stories to share but need help capturing stories in an essay.
Additional Info: There is no need for curriculum/books, but college student volunteers will bring their applications, essays to share with students. A collection of sample Common App and supplemental essays will be provided.
Students will be working to apply to a list of 5 schools they have developed with CHEC College Counselor. Ms. Henry.
COLLEGE ACADEMY
Time: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Length: The program begins in September
Location: CHEC
Students: TBA
Volunteer Duties: volunteer will help students work on applications, essay-writing, resumes, other preparation for a post-secondary education
Snacks will be provided at the sessions.
Raffles at the sessions will have prizes of college paraphernalia – when students complete the workshop and their essays, they can enter raffle and win paraphernalia
College tours will be discussed and planned.
LINCOLN LIBRARY UPDATE
DCPL Educator Cards
Last week DC Public Library renewed or issued Educator Cards to use throughout the school year.
If you did not receive a card or unsure of your Educator Card number, please contact Angela Falkenberg (angela.falkenberg@k12.dc.gov).
HS staff can contact Christopher Stewart (christopher.stewart2@k12.dc.gov).
Educator Card Benefits:
- Access DCPL databases (perfect for research, professional journals, content videos, etc)
- Go to www.dclibrary.org/research/databases. User # is card #, PIN is the last 4 digits of card #.
- Check out up to 100 books & materials for nine weeks from any DCPL location
- Borrow with no overdue fines for JUV or YA material
Databases to Try:
Britannica School
Breaks down information by grade and age level; this one will be the most user friendly for students first getting start in using the databases:
Britannica Escolar
Online is entirely in Spanish and is designed for ages 6-12:
GALE Research in Context
Provides research tools and materials specifically for grades 6-8:
Khan Academy
Offers homework help for children and teens. You have to make an account but there is a portal for teachers, students, and parents with a multitude of subjects and grade levels:
NoveList Plus K-8
Includes fiction and nonfiction titles that teachers can use in the classroom, and the learning center shows teachers how to best use this resource:
ScienceFlix
Provides videos, lesson plans, quizzes, and a few other tools under the Teacher Resources tabs, and it has videos and homework help for students on a lot of different science topics:
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated Sept. 15 - Oct. 15 by celebrating the cultures and contributions of citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Events will take place around DC and more resources can be found here.
Library of Congress Primary Sources
We are fortunate to have so many resources around us, including the Library of Congress. They have a portal for educators with lesson plans, access to primary sources, professional development opportunities, and more. Some materials are also available in Spanish. Contact Ms. Falkenberg if you would like help incorporating primary sources into your curriculum.
Upcoming Local Events
Look Both Ways - Jason Reynolds in conversation with Rion Amilcar Scott - October 15th @ 7:00 pm
Politics and Prose
Union Market
1270 5th St NE
Info and pre-order his new book here
"Same God" Film Screening - October 17th @ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
The film explores issues of Islamophobia, religious freedom, academic freedom, race, theology, white evangelicalism and politics.
Documentary Theater, Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW
RSVP here
BELL LIBRARY UPDATE
I already see this being one of the most incredible school years, yet! The CHEC/ Bell High School Library would love to invite teachers and staff to reserve library space (check out the pictures) via our reservation platform, Skedda (https://reservechecbelllibrary.skedda.com/booking). Once booking your first reservation you will be prompted to create a quick login. Users will be able to see when space is available and when space is unavailable. This will allow for transparency and comfort in knowing that the time that you have requested, is available. There is also a space for *notes. If you would like to request AV material (i.e. projector) I can have that available and set-up for you. The first space is the main library and the second space is Peace & Love Room/ Makerspace.
We have some amazing things planned for the 2019-2020 school year! Please check out the Bell Library Website with new programming, resources for students and parents and new faculty webinars.
In our Nations Capital and all over the world we have literary deserts that have prevented many from exploring the beauty of equitable literacy. I had the pleasure of being a part of a Summer Curriculum Development Institute at CHEC taught by Mr. Darry Strickland. Each participant developed a UbD (Understanding by Design), a framework used to improve student achievement. Because of the amazing feedback from all involved in the institute and students as well as new teachers, Bell Library's finished project is Building Through Community Relationships: Providing Opportunities to Literary Deserts. We have developed a new partnership with Christ House, a medical facility with "comprehensive and compassionate health care to sick, homeless persons in the District of Columbia, and to assist them in addressing critical issues to help break the cycle of homelessness." (christhouse.org)
The Bell Library along with students and educators will replenish their living room library and create a library in their 52-bed residence known as Kairos. "The Kairos Program participants are capable of living independently, but due to chronic illness, are unable to hold full-time employment. Volunteer service is a key element of the program and each member serves based on his gifts and abilities. They escort Christ House patients to medical appointments, staff the clothing room, work in the kitchen, and assist with mailings and other administrative activities. Some participants also work part-time jobs at Christ House or in the neighborhood." (https://christhouse.org/services-2/kairos-program/) Students will complete empathetic interviews and create a collection that will be sure to rival University of Michigan's- Cook Research Library. If you are interested in helping expand and create a library, please reach out to me!
DCPL Educator Cards will be in within the next few weeks. For new educators or educators who would like a new card, please email me.
Library of Congress National Book Festival is Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The event is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 8:30 AM
Educator Night Out at the International Spy Museum is Thursday, October 3, 2019, 5 PM- 8 PM and FREE! Tickets are usually $22.95
I look forward to seeing you soon for a library tour and, serving you well. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call, email or drop by the library- A205!
OFFICE DEPOT GIVE BACK
Office Depot has a Give Back to Schools program that provides 5% credit from people's purchases to help schools buy supplies throughout the year. Below is more info and our school ID numbers that people can share at in-store or online check out. The site provides graphics to share online as well.
Lincoln: 70020154
Bell: 70229484
CHEC: 70020156
https://www.officedepot.com/cm/school-supplies/give-back?cm_sp=FooterLinks-_-products-_-5PercentBack
'Simply make a purchase of qualifying school supplies, provide your school ID at checkout and your school will receive 5% back in credits for FREE supplies!'
CLIMATE:
MIDDLE SCHOOL 8TH GRADE TOWN HALL
BEHAVIOR REFERRAL LINK
Below is the Google Survey/Referral
link that the entire CHEC school community will be using to send behavior
referrals. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to your
appropriate Dean directly.
High School - Dean Boone - dewayne.boone@k12.dc.gov
Middle School - Dean Avila - kathrine.avila@k12.dc.gov
Student Culture Intervention
Form - Behavior Referral: Please use this
link to send any behavior concerns after using the 5-step discipline process
and any care system you have in place to support your student's
social-emotional learning. You may also use this link to bring to the Dean's
attention the need for a restorative circle and/or when students are tardy to
your class more than three times. The Dean Team will actively monitor this live
document to support all teachers.
REMINDERS
Students that are Out-of-Area
During the past school year, we noticed a pattern of middle and high school students wandering into the wrong school. For this new year, please be mindful that Middle School students should not be in the High School at all, and certainly not without a pass. High School students should only be in the Middle School on the Lincoln 3rd floor. The route for High School students to the 3rd floor Lincoln is through the Bell 2nd floor and on to Lincoln 2nd floor landing and up the stairs to the 3rd floor. They should not use the 1st or 2nd floor Lincoln to get to the 3rd floor Lincoln. Students that are not complying should be written a referral, so they can earn a consequence.
Detention
Detention is a first intervention we have for students to check and correct their behavior in your classrooms. Students being informed of this consequence is vital to the effectiveness of the consequence. Remember to use our 5 step process with fidelity so that our students will not earn a greater consequence of ISS and thus lose valuable class time
Dismissal
We always need more support at dismissal from 3:15pm until 3:35pm (High School), 4:15pm until 4:35pm (Middle School). Please follow students all the way out to the front of the building. Students should be encouraged to move on toward their bus stops/metro quickly. Teachers and staff that can make themselves available to stay out front will be greatly appreciated.
Cafeteria Support
All lunches have their ups and their downs. We always appreciate additional supports in the cafeteria on days that teachers are available. Check-ins with students build relationships and adult presence supports our daily procedures in lunch.
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.
CHEC FOOTBALL 1ST GAME VS BALLOU AUGUST 30
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
The Middle School Boys Soccer Team defeated Oyster Adams. The High School Boys Soccer Team defeated Paul. The High School Girls Soccer team lost to Wilson. The High School Football Team defeated to Eastern. The High School Volleyball Team defeated Anacostia and SEED but lost to Wilson, SWW, and DCI.
LINCOLN
Archery: 0 – 0
Boys Soccer: 1 – 0
Girls Soccer: 0 – 0
Volleyball: 0 – 0
BELL
Boys Soccer: 3 – 0
Girls Soccer: 1 – 1
Football: 2 – 1
Volleyball: 2 – 3
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
Monday, September 16, 2019
Middle School Volleyball vs. Oyster Adams @ Oyster Adams @ 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Middle School Boys vs. Hardy at Deal @ 5:00 p.m.
Bell SHS Volleyball – Roosevelt @ Cardozo @ 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Bell SHS Girls Soccer vs. McKinley Tech @ McKinley Tech @ 4:00 p.m.
Bell SHS Boys Soccer vs. McKinley Tech @ McKinley Tech @ 5:30 p.m.
Middle School Volleyball vs. Sousa at Sousa @ 4:30 p.m.
Bell SHS Volleyball vs. Washington Latin at Washington Latin @ 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
MS and HS Cross Country – Lafayette International Tour. 2 Colmar Manor @ 12:00p.m.
Middle School Boys Soccer vs. Oyster Adams at CHEC @ 6:00 p.m.
SHS Volleyball vs. McKinley Tech at CHEC @ 6:00 p.m.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Bell SHS Volleyball vs. EL Haynes at EL Haynes @ 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Bell SHS Football vs. Wilson @ Wilson – 2:00 PM