Empowering Males of Color
Zakari, fourth-grader at Stanton Elementary School in Southeast:
“After school in The Boys Institute, we do our homework together so we don’t have to do it at home. On Wednesdays, we gather with Mr. Pollard. He didn’t just pick good people. He picked people who needed self-discipline. We help our brothers, we keep them cool, and we help them when they’re feeling down or doing the wrong thing. We’re all kings and we have our jackets that nobody else has.”
Alex, 12th-grader at Columbia Heights Educational Campus in Northwest:
“When I graduate from high school, I want to go to a four-year college. I want to [study] computer science. That’s my field. Computers and technology, you use in everyday life, so everywhere you go you can get a job. I want people to look at us like we’re young men who have manners, young men who are going to be successful, and young men who can go to college. I think that we are going to get somewhere. Years from now, you’re going to see [our success] on TV.”
Public Charter Schools
Quality Reports
The “School Quality Reports” for grades pre-K-12 were released on Nov. 10, offering a comprehensive look at education for public charter schools throughout D.C. The reports, also known as the Performance Management Framework, measure how well charter schools prepare students for college or the workforce, improve student math and literacy skills, and perform on the state assessment in English language arts and mathematics.
The reports, which can be accessed on the DC public charter schools’ website, also assess other metrics that measure school quality, such as attendance and the percentage of students that reenroll each school year.
Students Work the Polls
Students at Thurgood Marshall Academy are continuously given the opportunity to be active citizens and help put democracy in action. On Election Day, 46 seniors were placed at different voting locations to serve as poll workers.
Prior to becoming poll workers, students spent 2.5 hours learning how elections are conducted and received hands-on experience on how to provide voter assistance at the polls.
10th-Grade Law Academy
Students, staff and faculty at Thurgood Marshall Academy in southeast are thrilled to announce their new partnership with Howard University School of Law. Each year, the school’s ninth-graders engage in “Law Day” activities while 11th-graders participate in “Law Firm Tutoring” activities.
However, this year TMA’s new program, “Howard Law Academy,” will provide 10th-graders the opportunity to travel to Howard University School of Law’s campus for workshops led by law students, and where they will dissect the amendments and apply their learning to everyday situations.
DCPS Pride
The Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a commemorative art exhibition themed “DCPS Pride: Reflections & Memory-Making.”
The exhibition which opened this week, runs through Jan. 6 and features artwork by 18 DCPS alumni and current public and public charter school students.
More information can be obtained at https://sumnermuseumis30exhibit.eventbrite.com.