01-31-2022 - CHEC BULLETIN

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MIDDLE SCHOOL 60%+ ANET PIZZA PARTY
TO CELEBRATE STUDENT SUCCESS ON TEST
WEEK OF JAN. 31, 2022


Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022
COVID 19 SERT Team Meeting 3:45PM


Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022
Faculty Meeting at 3:45 PM

Principal: Maria Tukeva



JANUARY 31, 2022: THIS WEEK'S FOCUS, AS WE LAUNCH BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE FOCUS ON THE MISSION PHRASE,

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. ”

In order for us to truly live up to this phrase from the mission, we need to examine our curriculum critically and continuously.  Black History Month, with this year’s theme of Black Health and Wellness, provides us with a catalyst and reminder of how our curriculum needs to evolve to encompass equity and anti-racism throughout the year. This summer in our Equity CDI, one of our CHEC seniors named a need she had for our curriculum and instruction, “I need to learn about African American history all year long, and in all classes, not just in February.” One of our parents who participated in the institute, provided great insight into a GRASPS that was being developed, observing, “This is very interesting, but I don’t see anything in the GRASPS that reflects me or my daughter’s experience.”

Having these conversations with students and parents, about what we plan to teach, is one way to make sure our curriculum lives up to the intent of our mission.  For Black History Month this year, while we will celebrate with activities, events, and an assembly that represents the perspective of our students and faculty, we must use this as a model for how curriculum and events should be focused throughout the year.  Let’s use the kick off for the month as a focusing experience to develop our muscle for the equity work in curriculum year round.

In this week’s faculty meeting, we will learn about some of the events already being planned, hear additional ideas and thoughts, and provide time for reflection and input.  In addition, there will be a special inspirational gift that epitomizes the spirit of Black History Month, from the CHEC Library to all staff members.

Thank you CHEC team, for all that you do.  Your commitment to equity and anti-racism, and to the quest for social justice, through continuously learning, will make this Black History Month a powerful one for our entire community.




CLIMATE AND NORMS

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 Norm is Empathy and Respect.  As with previous norms, lessons have been developed, and we will begin them on Wednesday.  We will complete the Dependability lessons on Monday.  Your SLC administrator will share the lessons with you.

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.  This Tuesday will be our second Off Campus Lunch! Last week, two teachers nominated their classes – Mr. Aguilar and Ms. Planter.   A plicker wheel was used to choose the winning class. And the winner is –Mr. Aguilar’s class! We will be going to Chipotle and Chic Filet!

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

The COVID 19 SERT Team met on Wednesday, January 12, and will meet again on Wednesday, February 2, at 3:45 in the High School Library and virtually.  The team shouted out the continuing teamwork and diligence of all staff, greater consistency in redirecting students for mask wearing, discussed future presentations by the Student Ambassador Team, as well as DCPS updates and announcements such as the Test to Return after the February and April breaks.

Update on Testing and Cases:
The number of new  cases this past week include 0 staff, and 2 students.  This reflects a decrease in staff cases and an decrease in student cases.

  • We must continually reinforce proper wearing of masks – This week, we will continue to send home any student who refuses to wear his or her mask properly.
  • Limiting 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

  • Shout out to Ms. Strickland and Mr. Diaz for the Professional Development on ACCESS testing! Shout out to all who completed their training and go their certificates!
  • Kudos to Mr Smith and the Middle School Team for their ANET 60% celebration!
  • Shout out to the Dean Team for the Pride, poise and perseverance in maintaining climate in spite of obstacles! Shout out to our AP’s for supporting the Climate initiative every day!
  • Kudos to all teachers who are nominating their classes for 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!






INSTRUCTION
MR. SALAS WORKS WITH STUDENTS ON
ORAL FLUENCY IN HIS ESL SUPPORT CLASS
Week 2 of Advisory 3

We are now entering the second  week of the third advisory. Please be sure your CANVAS pages are updated, and for new classes, that they are set up.  Routines and rituals are very important at this time, please be sure to teach them explicitly, and to align them to our school wide norms.   Please refer to last week’s bulletin for suggestions on re-norming.  Please also be sure you have launched your first GRASP.  Launching it in a way that generates curiosity and engagement, will go a long way to gaining student interest.

A powerful way to generate interest in a GRASPS, is to share an actual student GRASPS Product.  Please see the video created by Mr. Pinto’s Cultural Identify Class.  

This is an example of a rigorous and compelling student project.

LA HIELERA (With Subtitles)
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
NEW MENTAL HEALTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. STUDENT LEAD CLUB FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH

CHEC Minds Matter (CMM) is aiming to 1) reduce mental health stigma, 2) increase help-seeking from peers and adults, 3) promote social connectedness and prosocial skills, and 4) encourage self-care and healthy habits among students in Columbia Heights Educational Campus. We are actively recruiting students to join our club to promote the importance of mental health throughout the school. Meetings will be held in person on Thursdays with an option to join virtually via Microsoft Teams. Students will receive community service hours for participation in club meetings.  

Share out the application below for students that may be interested!  




ANTIRACIST EDUCATOR UNIVERSITY KICKS OFF FEB. 3

On Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 4PM, DCPS is excited to launch the second year of Antiracist Educator University.

Antiracist Educator University is a virtual opportunity to proactively apply what we’ve learned about race and equity to our daily practice in the classroom as well as shifting policies, mindsets and culture.

Antiracist Educator University is a strategic lever that provides DCPS educators and staff with shared learning rooted in a collective commitment to active anti-racism. That’s why it applies the pillars of anti-racism and the DCPS Equity Framework with action through Content Experts, Professional Learning Communities and Micro-Credentialing. PLUs and certification are available at no cost.   
Key dates/times*

  • February 3, 4-4:45pm, 5-5:45pm
  • February 17, 4-4:45pm
  • March 17, 4-4:45pm, 5-5:45pm
  • April 21, 4-4:45pm
  • May 19, 4-4:45pm, 5-5:45pm
  • June 16, 4-4:45pm

*If these dates/times don't work for you, please still register! There are asynchronous options available as well. Synchronous PLCs will be limited to 15 participants per cluster.





PROJECTS FUNDED

MR. TALARICO'S CLASSROOM PROJECT "AP ENGLISH STUDENTS NEED CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN-AMERICAN NOVEL" WAS RECENTLY FUNDED.

My Students
At my school, all students must take AP English Literature. However, our district will not provide a textbook for AP classes, leaving us to constantly scramble to find readings let alone books. About 40% of our students are African-American, but we currently do not have any novels by African-American writers available to our AP Lit students. Our students are creative critical thinkers who strive for social justice even though many of them have experienced immense inequalities. 100% of our students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite these obstacles, our students have been incredibly successful in winning prestigious scholarships and attending renowned universities. They are truly an inspiration.

My Project
Due to limited resources, most of the novels we possess are canonical works by white men. Britt Bennett's acclaimed novel, The Vanishing Half, will expose students to a diverse, contemporary voice and an exciting, genre-bending style unlike any text they have ever read. In addition to an AP essay that analyzes Bennett's development of one complex relationship in the novel, students will interview a family member about their story and write a short story based on the interview. Students will then share their stories in a public forum and experience what it is like to be a real author.



MS. HANLON'S CLASSROOM PROJECT "PROFESSIONAL, QUALITY EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES" WAS RECENTLY FUNDED.

My Students
My students are 6 –12th graders in an urban DC Public School in Washington, DC. We believe that all students who graduate will be prepared to succeed in college and civic life as leaders in the quest for social justice and anti-racism. We focus on socio-emotional learning as a key part of our program for students and staff. Restorative practices are the foundation of our school climate, as we enhance relationships and build community. We foster a growth mindset through which all stakeholders collaborate to achieve goals and overcome obstacles.

My Project
Many students enter my office for support with their classroom projects. At our school we have the students practice public speaking using a past project that they worked on all semester. They are to present the "portfolio" using technology and other useful tools in presenting. This printer and its quality will assist the students in creating and printing out quality materials to help enhance their projects. And as the social worker, I hope to increase their self-esteem and confidence. Oftentimes, students ask for college and job reference/recommendation letters. This quality printer will by far assist in printing out quality letters.



MR. AGUILAR'S CLASSROOM PROJECT "MODIFIED WORKSHEETS" WAS RECENTLY FUNDED.

My Students
My students are a wonderful group of High school kids, many who have immigrated from countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, Ethiopia, Laos, and the Dominican Republic amongst other. 90% of students at my school are language learners - whether that is learning Spanish for the first time, or learning English. We are a dual language community that works together to learn about societal issues, poetry, theatre, and short stories.

My Project
Our ESL class is in need of a printer. School is not providing more ink of old printer (too old). Unfortunately, the daily jams have led to more virtual work, but ESL students needs lots of modified printed worksheets. Having a printer allows our lessons to be flexible and ready. Most importantly many of my former students are stopping by after school in need of printing their documents (letter of recommendations, etc). When students submit some of their virtual work, I like to display them in the "students' famous wall".
 



MR. PINTO'S CLASSROOM PROJECT "CHEC TRACK AND FIELD" WAS RECENTLY FUNDED.

My Students
The students I serve come from low-income families. Most of my students are African-American and also newcomers or 2nd generation of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Despite all the difficulties, my students are very kind, and they have a good heart.They are dedicated and resilient. They have also shown pride, poise, and perseverance to become successful in life.
 
 
My Project
CHEC does not have a Track for our kids to be able to practice. We do have a Football Field and this equipment will help our Track and Field student-athletes develop the agility, flexibility, and strength they will need for their T&F events. Support our kids by giving them the opportunity to achieve their goals thanks to the use of the appropriate equipment. All the materials will be used at school for specific workouts designed to strengthen the core, muscles, and joints of our athletes to prevent injuries and stay fit.
 


MS. ALVARADO'S CLASSROOM PROJECT "ACCESS TO ENGAGE AND DIFFERENTIATED MATERIALS" WAS RECENTLY FUNDED.

My Students
My students are some of the most resilient people I have ever met. Many of them have fled their home country because of violence, political corruption, and poverty. All my students are English language learners and some have experienced interrupted education. However, they do not let their current or past struggles get in the way of pursuing a better future for themselves and their families. My students invest time in their education. They stay after school, come to school on Saturdays, and even come in the summer just so they can catch up to the rest of their peers. The adversity my students face is not that of a typical teenager, especially in the current political climate; however, their passion and perseverance is truly inspiring.
 

My Project
I teach math to students who are newcomers to the United States. My course does not have a written curriculum, so for the past few years, I have been creating my own curriculum to ensure all my students are ready for Geometry next year. This year has been especially difficult. Not only do I have students with interrupted education from a young age, but I have students who were not able to access online learning in their home countries during the pandemic. We are facing large educational gaps in the classroom, and I am in need of supplemental support to help bridge those gaps. Thankfully, there are many teachers across the country facing the same issues who have created awesome resources for students. Having access to these materials with TPT gift cards will help me do more intentional differentiation while focusing my curriculum time in implementing the common core standards my students need to learn this year.


LINCOLN LIBRARY NEWS!

Black History Month Resources
Happy Black History Month! These resources are available to you this month and every month. Additional materials and events will be added throughout this time of celebration and learning so bookmark this newsletter for continued reference:


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
KANEIL WILLIAMS
DEWAYNE BOONE
Greetings CHEC Family!

This week Tuesday begins our celebration of Black History Month! Learn more here. "Black Health and Wellness" is the theme for Black History Month 2022. See previous year’s themes here.



CHEC HAPPENING

Kickboard: The Culture Team will be rolling out our PBIS initiative in the upcoming weeks. Please complete this survey if you haven’t already:


Congratulations to our Coach Alvarado and the MS wrestling team for their 2nd place finish in the DCIAA Championships!

Coaching and Skill Building; Restorative Practices in Action
February 2 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

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.

Restorative Justice, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health
February 5 @ 10:00 am - 12:30 pm


Target Audience: School Staff, Teachers This session runs from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with an optional planning hour from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Restorative practices are dialogue-based processes that center a community on equitable and inclusive relationships of trust, understanding, and collaboration. These practices, including community-building circles, are trauma-informed and provide ample opportunities


STUDENTS OF THE WEEK: 7TH GRADE

  • Carlos Fuentes Pereira
  • Damari Wade
  • Christian Hernandez
  • Blas Granados Fuentes
  • Takiya Holley

Please celebrate these students for being nominated for student of the week

STUDENT SUPPORT FORMS:

 
The Dean Team
BREAKING NEWS

Dear Principal Tukeva,

Congratulations on a great Football Season!

John Stoddard has been selected to the Pigskin Club 2021, All Metropolitan Football Team.  Attached is a letter requesting his acceptance to attend and receive the award.  Please have John call me to confirm his acceptance and attendance no later than Tuesday, February 8, 2022.
Please forward this information to his parents and the Head Football Coach Daniel Tyson.

Sincerely

Arthur Linder, Sr
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Pigskin Club of Washington, Inc
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 middle school boys and girls basketball teams lost to Oyster Adams.  The middle school wrestling team placed 2nd at the last DCIAA meet.  The JV boys basketball team and varsity boys basketball teams defeated Phelps and Ron Brown.

SPORTS TEAM STANDINGS
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Congratulations to Coach Alvarado and the middle school wrestling team who took 2nd place in the DCIAA wrestling championship. Terese Tucker and Maximilienne Ekedi both placed 1st while Kiduse Alemsaw and Amy Mejia Canas took 2nd place respectively in their weight divisions. The middle school boys basketball lost Francis-Stevens to the end the regular season and then lost to Kelly Miller in the first round of the playoffs.The middle school girls basketball team lost to Francis Stevens to end the regular season and defeated Wheatley in the first round of the playoffs and then lost to Stuart Hobson in the 2nd round of the playoffs. The JV boys basketball team defeated DCI but lost to Roosevelt. The varsity boys basketball team defeated DCI and Cardozo but lost to Roosevelt. The varsity girls basketball team defeated Cardozo but lost to Roosevelt and DCI.
BELL
JVBB: 9 - 6
VGB: 8 - 9
VBB: 14 - 6
Bowling: 0 - 0
LINCOLN
BB: 2 - 9
GB: 4 - 8
GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 1/28/2022 - BELL GRIFFINS DEFEAT CARDOZO CLERKS @ CHEC
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

MONDAY:
JVBB vs. Coolidge at Coolidge @ 4:00
VGB vs. Coolidge at Coolidge @ 5:30
VBB vs. Coolidge at Coolidge @ 7:30


TUESDAY
No Games


WEDNESDAY
JVBB vs. Dunbar at Dunbar @ 4:00
HS Swim at DCIAA Swim Championships at HD Woodson @ 5:00
VGB vs. Dunbar at Dunbar @ 5:30
VBB vs. Dunbar at Dunbar @ 7:30


THURSDAY:
HS Bowling Match #1 at Bolling AFB @ 4:00


FRIDAY:
No Games


SATURDAY
No Games
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 older than 12, must be vaccinated by November 1st to begin or continue to participate in sports.  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 begin in mid-February.  An exact date will be given as COVID adjustments are made to the winter sports schedule.

Spring sports include:

Middle School
Baseball - Coach Mesa (carlos.mesa@k12.dc.gov)
Golf - TBD
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 - TBD



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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