12-14 -2020 - CHEC BULLETIN

CHEC BULLETIN
A weekly update on our professional learning community

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CHEC bulletin for Week of December 14, 2020
AP PHOTOGRAPHY - JANAIYA WARD
MARIA TUKEVA’S (MT) MESSAGE:

IT IS SPIRIT WEEK – PLEASE JOIN IN THE SPIRIT!

REOPEN UPDATES
Last week the LSAT/Reopen Community Corp met again, and reviewed the data from the Parent Survey, Student Survey and Faculty Meeting.  Some of the key data points that emerged were:

Parent Survey
  • There was  36% response rate, 541 parents responded
  • 66% of Parents wanted to remain completely virtual
  • 18% were parents of Special Needs students, 35% were parents of ELL’s, 35% were parents of SLL’s
  • Of the 44% who wanted some kind of in person activities,
  • 31% wanted in person experience in their current content classes
  • 21% wanted some kind of recreational, SEL or cultural activity
  • 20% wanted small group tutoring
  • 13% wanted college and career assistance
  • 12% wanted counseling services
  • In comments, many parents mentioned their concern for making sure that all students follow health protocols.

Student Survey
  • There was a 67% response rate, 997 students responded
  • 14% were Special Needs Students, 43% were ELL’s, 38% were SLL’s.
  • 51% of students wanted to remain completely virtual
  • 60% wanted one or more content classes in person
  • 43% wanted some kind of recreational, SEL or cultural activity
  • 29% wanted small group tutoring
  • 28% wanted college and career assistance
  • 18% wanted counseling services
  • In comments, many students expressed that virtual instruction was not working well for them; they also stated that they were concerned about all students following health protocols.

Looking at this data is informing our planning for in person experiences.  SLC administrators are looking at individual student responses, and also identifying struggling students who may not have responded, and coming up with a way to prioritize who will be served, and how we will serve them.  The missing piece to this plan is the number and kind of staff who are available to come in person. Once we have that information, we can design a master schedule.  If you are available and willing to come in person any days or times, please let me or our SLC administrator know.  Thank you again for all you do!

Next steps  for this week include:
  • Our Initial Instructional Plan is due Monday, December 14.
  • Reopen Community Corp will meet on Wednesday, December 16, at 4:00 pm.  At this meeting we will review feedback on our initial reopen plan, and make any needed adjustments.
  • Our Final Instructional Plan is due Friday, December 18.
  • Our Staffing Plan is due December 21.
  • Our Operational Plan is due January 8th.
         



PROGERSS REPORT GRADING FOLLOW UP AND WS CODE FOR ADVISORY 2

This is a reminder that in our ALT Team meeting of December 1, 2020, (4:00 pm) we created a Sub-Committee on grading and gradebooks.  Please be on the lookout for information that the Sub-Committee will be sharing. In addition, please review the communication on the with Waiting Submission (WS) code that is to be used with all unsubmitted assignments.  Specific details on this were provided in a schoolwide communication sent by Mr. Oliva, as well as from each SLC administrator. If you need assistance with this, please see your SLC administrator.



SHOUT OUTS

  • Shout out to all who supported our Reopen Community Corp Meeting last week!
  • Kudos to all who came to and supported our Parent Town Halls last week!
  • Special Shout out to Ms. Patterson who presented her latest research on COVID 19 and the vaccine to our Reopen Community Corp and Parent Town Hall!!
  • Shout out to Mr. Athmer and all members of the Grading Sub-Committee for their work on our grading guidance!
  • Shout out to all members of the Admin Team, and all who came to EdFest to assist us in recruiting students for next year! We had over 85 Leads in our first Virtual EdFest.  We will be following up with calls and virtual visits!



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! Last year our very own Ms. Ramirez won the Life-Changing Teacher Award and a $5000 cash award!
MEETINGS THIS WEEK:
All Departments and SLC’s send individual notifications of their meetings
-----

Monday, December 14, 2020


Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Term s PR Grades need to be in Aspen by 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020
9:30am- CHEC Parent Workshop - en Espanol
Winter Holiday Concert


Thursday, December 17, 2020
11:30am- CHEC Parent Workshop - in English


Friday, December 18, 2020
Term 2 Progress Reports Mailed


UPCOMING EVENTS
INSTRUCTION:
DISTANCE LEARNING READY CLASSROOMS  - COVID-19 READY TO TEACH IN THE BUILDING WHEN THE TIME COMES
WEEK 6 OF ADVISORY 2

We are beginning the sixth week of the second advisory.  Progress reports are due this  week (December 15).  Please be sure your grades are ready on time, and that you have followed all grading guidance.  By this week the first GRASPS of the advisory should be almost complete and  students, and in the independent work period of the class, students should be completing different components of the project, and giving and getting feedback.  In reflecting upon the First Advisory portfolio presentations, we saw that in order for students to speak authentically on the essential questions of the unit, it is important to weave those questions throughout the instructional process. Other reflections and suggestions to consider as we progress through the second advisory:
 
Take advantage of Break Out rooms as a way to engage students in more academic discourse with each other, and reduce the amount of teacher talk.

Provide incentives and fun ways for students to come on camera daily, so that when it comes time to present their portfolios, they are ready to come on camera and speak in front of others.  For example, let students know a week in advance, when their turn will be to come on camera and show their work or present something.  Then, provide badges or other incentives. The Dean Team will be visiting classes to assist in promoting a higher level of engagement.



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.




IMPACT UPDATES

Informal observations for teachers have begun, and will continue until every teacher has had at least one informal observation. Once you have had an informal observation and feedback, the formal observation will take place.  As a follow up to our IMPACT orientation  we last month, we are creating a library of practices and videos to support development on particular EP’s. As we discussed, we are all in a learning curve with virtual instruction, and will be learning from each other throughout the year.  If you would like to share a best practice and be videotaped for the video library, please let your SLC Administrator know.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Development and learning is a priority for all of us, and we are all on a new learning curve.

Here is the link for topics being covered in office hours this week:


Join the Summit Master Course Training each Tuesday during the first 30 minutes of your planning period to learn new Summit Projects and PLT Best Practices!

Ms. Ramirez- Building engaging content assessments and checks for understanding

Ms. Zuccarello- Focus Area Workshops and Mentoring during PLT

Contact Veronica Zuccarello or Gabriela Ramirez with any questions.

You can find the link for all office hours on the CHEC EdTech Course Homepage Link to office hours

If you have any suggestions or questions, please let me know, mya.ferguson@k12.dc.gov.




EQUITY BEGINS WITH OUR CURRICULUM
 
 
As part of our mission to develop as leaders in the quest for social justice, it is important that we continually review and revise our curriculum to align it to social justice and anti-racism.  Please take advantage of this great opportunity.  T

Black Lives Matter at School 2021 Curriculum Fair


Please join Teaching for Change and the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice network for a virtual Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair, co-hosted by Howard University's School of Education, on Saturday, January 30 from 10:00 am - 12: 30 PM ET. Teachers will have the opportunity to: - Join workshops featuring lessons related to the BLM at School Week of Action - Hear from guest speakers and panelists - Receive a FREE e-book for remote instruction Learn about previous BLM at School curriculum fairs here: https://www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/news/black-lives-matter-curriculum-fair and RSVP below.



OPPORTUNITIES:
HIGHLIGHTS OF MS. McCULLOCH'S TERM 1 IMAGING CLASS
UPDATES FROM: I AP ART STUDENTS I LINCOLN LIBRARY I DONORS CHOOSE I





CHEC AP STUDENTS DESIGN ORNAMENTS FOR THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE

Here is a short video about the holiday display on the mall.  There is a moment where you can see some of the ornaments designed by this year's AP cohort.  

National Christmas Tree Lit Without Crowds This Year
A  D.C. holiday tradition carried on, but it looked much different than in  years past. Because of COVID-19, no live audience was present when the  first family flipped the switch on the National Christmas Tree. News4’s  Shomari Stone has more.

The students who submitted design were:

  • Bleriot Abanda
  • Cesar Bautista
  • David Guerra
  • Alcides Lopez
  • Brayan Vargas
  • Janaiyah Ward

MANDY McCULLOCH



LINCOLN LIBRARY UPDATES

LMS Roles Spotlight: Teacher-Librarian Collaboration Ideas
 
Another role of a Library Media Specialist is Reading Advocate. As your partner, I can help you brainstorm, develop, and curate resources to further build a culture of reading within your classroom and CHEC to build reading stamina, inquisitive scholars, and mildly skeptic information consumers. Some ideas to consider:
 
Plan Drop Everything and Read time (all contents, PLT, flexible or more structured)
 
Book clubs and/or virtual author visits (all contents, PLT, singular or multi lesson)
 
Reading challenges, including the 25 Books Campaign (all contents)
 
Media Literacy & Current Events (all contents, PLT, singular or multi lesson)
 
Previous roles mentioned: Instructional Partner and Information Specialist. Contact angela.falkenberg@k12.dc.gov for more information.


Hour of Code: December 7-13, 2020
The Hour of Code is happening this year from Dec. 7-13, 2020, and Code.org has designed 115 brand-new tutorials and lesson plans! Many activities were created with remote learning in mind to support the various classroom models taking place during this time. You can sign up to participate in the Hour of Code here. Reach out to Ms. Falkenberg if you'd like to partner on mini activities or lessons. Activities and links will also be available in the Lincoln Library Hour of Code channel. Worth exploring for STEM classes or WUW computer and gaming sessions. Reach out to Ms. Penn Pearson (krishunda.penn@k12.dc.gov) for next week's CTE & Computer Science Virtual Events. Events will also be posted through the CHEC Resource Hub Canvas Calendar.




DONORS CHOOSE - MS. ERICKSON HAS A PROJECT FUNDED
 
Ms. Erickson’s classroom project "Independent Reading Books for Students of the Week Incentives" was recently funded by Donors Choose.

MY STUDENTS

Our ninety 8th-grade students are intellectually-curious, creative, and resilient scholars who work hard each day in class to fulfill our school's mission "to succeed in college and civic life as leaders in the quest for social justice." These students are mostly Latino and African American. Many are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Many are learning English. 100 percent qualify for free and reduced lunch. Despite the obstacles that face our students, they are incredibly hardworking and diligent, focused on their studies and achieving their goals.

In my English Language Arts classroom, our students read complex texts and develop critical thinking skills necessary for their futures.

We cultivate our loves of reading together every day. Our students are grateful to have access to texts, both in and outside of the classroom, to learn and develop their skills. Personal copies of texts enable our students to annotate on and interact with their reading as well as come back to what they read and continue their pursuits as lifelong readers.

These students inspire me daily, and as they begin to leave their marks on the world in the future, I hope they inspire you, too!

MY PROJECT

Remaining academically motivated during remote learning from home amidst the pandemic is challenging for even the most diligent students. My students learn best and are able to overcome academic challenges when their hard work is regularly celebrated in our virtual classrooms. In my classroom, to recognize students' hard work, I select five students each week as our Students of the Week. My ninety students and I celebrate these students in class by congratulating them virtually and sending encouraging messages to them and their families. Their favorite part of being selected, though, is getting to pick an independent reading book to keep. Our students are so grateful to have access to texts of their own to continue their independent reading outside of class, enabling them to continue to build their reading and critical thinking skills, take ownership of their learning, and remain motivated amidst this challenging time.

The resources for this project include:
  • Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice x 5
  • March: Book One x 5
  • New Kid x 5
  • One Crazy Summer x 5
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry x 5
  • Maus I: A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History x 2
  • The Book Thief x 3
  • The Maze Runner x 3
  • The Giver x 5
  • The Alchemyst x 2

The DonorsChoose team

P.S. Check out your school page at DonorsChoose to see all the teachers posting projects from your school. You can trade tips and tricks with colleagues to get your projects funded.




UPDATES FROM: I FAMILY CODING NIGHT  I AP ART STUDENTS I LINCOLN LIBRARY I DONORS CHOOSE I DULCE NUNEZ REPRESENTS CHEC I





CODING FAMILY NIGHT AT CHEC






CHEC AP STUDENTS DESIGN ORNAMENTS FOR THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE

Here is a short video about the holiday display on the mall.  There is a moment where you can see some of the ornaments designed by this year's AP cohort.  

National Christmas Tree Lit Without Crowds This Year
A  D.C. holiday tradition carried on, but it looked much different than in  years past. Because of COVID-19, no live audience was present when the  first family flipped the switch on the National Christmas Tree. News4’s  Shomari Stone has more.

The students who submitted design were:

  • Bleriot Abanda
  • Cesar Bautista
  • David Guerra
  • Alcides Lopez
  • Brayan Vargas
  • Janaiyah Ward

MANDY McCULLOCH



LINCOLN LIBRARY UPDATES

LMS Roles Spotlight: Teacher-Librarian Collaboration Ideas
 
Another role of a Library Media Specialist is Reading Advocate. As your partner, I can help you brainstorm, develop, and curate resources to further build a culture of reading within your classroom and CHEC to build reading stamina, inquisitive scholars, and mildly skeptic information consumers. Some ideas to consider:
 
Plan Drop Everything and Read time (all contents, PLT, flexible or more structured)
 
Book clubs and/or virtual author visits (all contents, PLT, singular or multi lesson)
 
Reading challenges, including the 25 Books Campaign (all contents)
 
Media Literacy & Current Events (all contents, PLT, singular or multi lesson)
 
Previous roles mentioned: Instructional Partner and Information Specialist. Contact angela.falkenberg@k12.dc.gov for more information.


Hour of Code: December 7-13, 2020
The Hour of Code is happening this year from Dec. 7-13, 2020, and Code.org has designed 115 brand-new tutorials and lesson plans! Many activities were created with remote learning in mind to support the various classroom models taking place during this time. You can sign up to participate in the Hour of Code here. Reach out to Ms. Falkenberg if you'd like to partner on mini activities or lessons. Activities and links will also be available in the Lincoln Library Hour of Code channel. Worth exploring for STEM classes or WUW computer and gaming sessions. Reach out to Ms. Penn Pearson (krishunda.penn@k12.dc.gov) for next week's CTE & Computer Science Virtual Events. Events will also be posted through the CHEC Resource Hub Canvas Calendar.




DONORS CHOOSE - MS. ERICKSON HAS A PROJECT FUNDED
 
Ms. Erickson’s classroom project "Independent Reading Books for Students of the Week Incentives" was recently funded by Donors Choose.

MY STUDENTS

Our ninety 8th-grade students are intellectually-curious, creative, and resilient scholars who work hard each day in class to fulfill our school's mission "to succeed in college and civic life as leaders in the quest for social justice." These students are mostly Latino and African American. Many are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Many are learning English. 100 percent qualify for free and reduced lunch. Despite the obstacles that face our students, they are incredibly hardworking and diligent, focused on their studies and achieving their goals.

In my English Language Arts classroom, our students read complex texts and develop critical thinking skills necessary for their futures.

We cultivate our loves of reading together every day. Our students are grateful to have access to texts, both in and outside of the classroom, to learn and develop their skills. Personal copies of texts enable our students to annotate on and interact with their reading as well as come back to what they read and continue their pursuits as lifelong readers.

These students inspire me daily, and as they begin to leave their marks on the world in the future, I hope they inspire you, too!

MY PROJECT

Remaining academically motivated during remote learning from home amidst the pandemic is challenging for even the most diligent students. My students learn best and are able to overcome academic challenges when their hard work is regularly celebrated in our virtual classrooms. In my classroom, to recognize students' hard work, I select five students each week as our Students of the Week. My ninety students and I celebrate these students in class by congratulating them virtually and sending encouraging messages to them and their families. Their favorite part of being selected, though, is getting to pick an independent reading book to keep. Our students are so grateful to have access to texts of their own to continue their independent reading outside of class, enabling them to continue to build their reading and critical thinking skills, take ownership of their learning, and remain motivated amidst this challenging time.

The resources for this project include:
  • Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice x 5
  • March: Book One x 5
  • New Kid x 5
  • One Crazy Summer x 5
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry x 5
  • Maus I: A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History x 2
  • The Book Thief x 3
  • The Maze Runner x 3
  • The Giver x 5
  • The Alchemyst x 2

The DonorsChoose team

P.S. Check out your school page at DonorsChoose to see all the teachers posting projects from your school. You can trade tips and tricks with colleagues to get your projects funded.




DULCE NUNEZ - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH
 
 
On Friday December 4th,  Ms. Dulce Nunez, representing CHEC, made a presentation at the International Conference for Teachers of English.

Here is a photo that Ms. Nunez is proudly sharing since she mastered scaffolding at CHEC.







STUDENT WORKS


In this section of our Bulletin, we will highlight student work from all disciplines. If you would like to share some excellent student work, please send to M. Tukeva, and we will highlight it in this section.

This week we would like to highlight the work of Alex Flores, Ana Reynoso, Anura Sharma, Anura Sharma, Anna Aguilera and Alberdy Ramirez Lopez.

These students submitted works that are featured on the Smithsonian website as part of the Living Through History project.  The Living through History Cornerstone is a K-12 academic and SEL curriculum for DCPS students. Through the lens of global competencies, students, staff, and families applied academics across content areas to understand and process their experiences during the quarantine and connect with others’ experiences across the globe.

Please check out their incredible work below.
THE DEAN TEAM:
Hello CHEC Family!

We hope you all are well. The Dean Team would like to share a few shout outs and friendly reminders.

Teacher Spotlight:
Today the spotlight shines on Mr. Rodney Cook and Ms. Elizabeth Guillen!

Mr. Cook  is our 9th and 10th Grade teacher. He has impacted the lives of many students within his thirteen years of service at CHEC. When asked how do students earn badges in your classes? Mr. Cook responded saying, ”Students earning badges by completing task and activities during synchronous time. Students earning badges by completing mathematical task or cooperative learning activities ivies during Asynchronous time. Students earned badges by using their camera during any segment of class. ” Mr. Cook  shared the following when asked how has using restorative practices in your class has helped you during virtual learning, “Help each other achieve greatest by supporting and respecting our classmates.” Thank you, Mr. Cook, for your commitment to your students and team.

Ms. Guillen is our Ancient World History teacher. She has also impacted the lives of many students within her two years of service at CHEC. When asked how do students earn badges in your classes? Ms. Guillen responded saying, ”Students can earn badges in my class by turning on their cameras, engaging with class materials, completing work, and participating (via chat or a mic)! Students are constantly demonstrating courage and perseverance in my class, whether it's a Spanish Language Learner reading a few sentences in Spanish or a Native Spanish Speaker reading a whole text for their group, it's important to recognize and reinforce their efforts. ” Ms. Guillen shared the following when asked how has using restorative practices in your class has helped you during virtual learning, “I find that SEL check-ins and 1:1 meeting is when students are more likely to turn on their cameras and engage with their peers or teacher. It's been amazing using these restorative practices to foster relationships with students throughout virtual learning. ” Thank you, Ms. Guillen, for your commitment to your students and team.

Everyone, please shine your light on Mr. Cook and Ms. Guillen this week!

CHEC Happening:

What's happening at CHEC? This week is SPIRIT WEEK! Check out the IG page @checdc to see who is participating! Also, CHEC out the LIT School Activities and Trips tab! All students will be receiving notifications of activities, events, and trips happening at CHEC. Please use the link below to see activities added to the LIT School Activities and Trips Calendar. https://dcps.instructure.com/courses/206982
PBIS STUDENT WINNERS: WEEK 14
Student Name                 
Grade
Points
Samir Espinal-Mendoza
6
36
Yahidry Ramirez
7
32
Edgar Valdez Hernadez
8
22
Hayshlin Valenzuela
9
37
Germiah Contee
10
32
Sintia Madrid Romero
11
36
Kalkidan Alemsaw
12
27
Please celebrate these students for their high earnings of PRIDE points!

Student Support Forms:
Also, we have created a padlet which has the student support form and the behavior referral form. Please bookmark this padlet for future reference: CHEC Student Support Guide. Feel free to connect with the Dean Team if you have any questions.

Peace & Love,
The Dean Team

WEEKLY SPORTS UPDATE
The District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) recently announced that unfortunately due to the current public health emergency all DC extracurricular activities has been suspended.  As a result, our sports seasons have been pushed back.  The DCSAA is targeting Monday, February 1, as the new start of the 2020-21 athletic calendar, with the intent of holding three seven-week sport seasons:

Winter sports: Practice begins February 1; competition February 8 to March 27

Fall sports: Football practice begins March 1; other sports begin practice March 8; competition March 15 to May 1

Spring sports: Practice begins April 26; competition May 3 to June 12  

More information can be found on https://www.thedciaa.com/. If you have any additional questions, please contact Coach A at desmond.alexander@k12.dc.gov.  
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