D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson took time last month to recognize DCPS’s principals for their dedication and commitment to ensuring a quality education for all students.
Parents and guardians also joined Wilson in praising the system’s principals.
“We appreciate all of your long hours and positive intentions for our students,” D.C. parent Shawn Donnelly posted on Twitter.
Teen Awarded for Perseverance
Warren King, an 8th-grader at John Hayden Johnson Middle School in Southeast, was honored this fall by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine for the self-improvement he’s shown while dealing with the death of his mother two years ago.
Warren, 13, an honor roll student, has also been a role model to other students and volunteers in his community, school officials said.
For his efforts, Warren received the “Right Direction Award” and a copy of “Slugg: A Boy’s Life in the Age of Mass Incarceration.” He is among 34 youth who received the annual award, now in its third year.
Chancellor on Equal Global Access
“While we have begun to see positive results from our efforts, we know there is a long way to go before we truly bring equal global access to all of our students. We continue to learn from our colleagues, educators, families, and students and are consistently adapting our approach, from engaging world language teachers each summer to revising curriculum, to making our eligibility criteria for DCPS Study Abroad more inclusive of students on non-traditional learning pathways. Looking ahead, we are excited to engage in the intersection between social-emotional learning and global education, and to connect our work to DCPS’ new strategic plan.” — #DCPSGoesGlobal via Education Week
Meeting New Education Requirements
OSSE’s Hanseul Kang announced plans on Nov. 17 to give early childhood educators more time to meet the city’s new education requirements for those who work in child development centers.
The extension will apply to teachers, assistant teachers, expanded home caregivers and associate home caregivers.
Teachers and expanded home caregivers will receive an extension earning an associate degree in early childhood education or any associate degree with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood.
As part of the extension, OSSE has partnered with Trinity University to create a first-of-its-kind initiative that begins in January. At that time, Trinity will host classes for several groups of students earning their associate degree in early childhood education at local child development centers.
Middle School Investments
As the 2017-18 school year continues, each DCPS middle school student will have the option to participate in at least one extracurricular program.
New offerings include coding clubs, lacrosse, wrestling, rugby, archery and hockey, as well as wheelchair track and field and unified basketball for students with disabilities.
Building on recommendations from the Algebra Task Force, all DCPS middle schools are also offering algebra, and through the addition of engineering and computer science electives, more students will have access to robust STEM courses before reaching high school.
These electives are being supported by the addition of 750 new computers.