Tuesday Bulletin February 7, 2012

Tuesday Bulletin February 7, 2012

1. DC Public Charter School Recruitment Expo Post Event Survey for Schools
2. Mayor’s One City Summit - February 11th
3. FAFSA Campaign Training Session - February 15th
4. Charter Schools Program Title V, Part B Funding Notice
5. Public Meeting Regarding Surplus of Webb E.S. and Young E.S.
6. DC State Board of Education Announces National Youth Science Camp 2012 Opportunity
7. Author Available to Speak with Students about Birmingham Children's March
8. New Staffing Support Initiative for DC's Charter Schools
9. Opportunity for Teachers to Earn Teaching Licenses While in the Classroom
10. University of the District of Columbia Application Fee Waiver
11. University of the District of Columbia Transcript Requests

____________________________________________________________________________

PCSB Notices

1. DC Public Charter School Recruitment Expo Post Event Survey for Schools

School Leaders,

Thank you for your participation in the 2012 DC Public Charter School Recruitment Expo that took place on Saturday, January 7, 2011.  Thanks to you, organizers of the Expo have received positive feedback on the success of the event.  In order to make sure that we continue to improve your experience at the Annual DC Public Charter School Recruitment Expo each year, we encourage you to complete a post-event survey.  The survey can be found here:

https://pcsb.wufoo.com/forms/2012-dc-charter-school-expo-post-event-survey/  

Please complete the survey as soon as possible in order to be included in the feedback.  

Government Notices

2. Mayor’s One City Summit  - February 11th

Mayor Vincent Gray invites DC residents to attend the “One City Summit” on Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.  The Mayor along with other top city officials will be present at the event to listen to concerns and hear ideas from city residents.  Free lunch will be served to attendees. Read the letter from the Mayor with more details here.  Read the letter from the Mayor for school leaders to share with parents and families here.  To register visit www.onecitysummit.dc.gov.  


3. FAFSA Campaign Training Session - February 15th

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will host a FAFSA training session to provide guidance and preparation on how to complete the 2012-2013 FAFSA form online. This session will also highlight Title IV programs and recent updates to the new application. The details for the event are as follows:

When: February 15, 2012, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE. Washington DC, 20202
Location: Main Lobby: Room 1102A, Two blocks north of Union Station, Metro Accessible: Red Line (Union Station)
Who Should Attend: Washington DC High School & Charter School Counselors

Limited seating is available so please RSVP to maisha.challenger@ed.gov by Friday February 10th, or for more information call (202) 377-3343.

  
4. Charter Schools Program Title V, Part B Funding Notice

A Request for Proposals (RFA) has been posted by the Office of Public Charter School Financing and Support (OPCSFS) within the Office of the State Superintendent of Education for the FY 2012 Charter Schools Program Planning and Implementation Grant.

The purpose of the Charter Schools Program (CSP) is to increase national understanding of the public charter schools model by:

1.    Providing financial assistance for public charter school planning, program design and initial implementation activities;
2.    Evaluating the effects of public charter schools on students, student achievement, staff, and parents;
3.    Expanding the number of high quality public charter schools available to students across the nation; and
4.    Providing support to public charter schools for facilities financing in an amount more nearly commensurate to the amount typically provided for traditional public schools.

An eligible applicant shall not receive more than a combined total of $705,000 during the thirty-six (36) month grant period.  

This Request for Applications (RFA) addresses the CSP. The CSP is authorized  under Title V, Part B, Subpart 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended.  Developers who submitted a charter petition February 1, 2012 to District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (the “PCSB”) are encouraged to apply. Funding will only be awarded to those that receive conditional approval from the PCSB in April 2012.  

To receive more information, please contact:

Matthews Wright, Program Officer
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
810 First Street, NE, 9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20002
Telephone: 202-727-8320
Email: matthews.wright@dc.gov

A copy of the RFA and application is now available on the OSSE’s website at www.osse.dc.gov.

5. Public Meeting Regarding Surplus of Webb E.S. and Young E.S.
 
The public meeting regarding Webb Elementary School (located at 1375 Mt. Olivet Road, NE ) and Young Elementary School (located at 820 26th Street, NE) will take place at 6:00 pm on February 27, 2012 at the Trinidad Recreation Center (1310 Childress Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-2504).  View the public meeting notice here. This public hearing replaces the previously cancelled meeting which was to take place on January 23rd.

6. DC State Board of Education Announces National Youth Science Camp 2012 Opportunity

Two graduating high school seniors with a passion for science, engineering, or math have an opportunity to represent the District of Columbia at the prestigious National Youth Science Camp in Charleston, West Virginia this summer with peers from other states and Latin America, all expenses paid.
 
This year's residential science education program begins June 27 and lasts through July 21, 2012. Participants, who are selected from each state, work alongside practicing scientists on research projects spanning various fields as well as present their own seminars. They also get to hike and enjoy the camp's beautiful outdoor location. Past participants include Nobel prizewinners, members of Congress, and business leaders. This experience is free for students, including travel to and from West Virginia.

Applications may be downloaded on the DC State Board of Education Website at www.sboe.dc.gov. They are due by the close of business on Friday, March 16, 2012.
Eligibility Requirements for Delegates:

• Must be candidates for high school graduation between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012;
• Must demonstrate superior academic proficiency, including recognition in mathematics and/or the sciences;
• Must demonstrate leadership abilities and social maturity through involvement in both school and community activities;
• Must demonstrate skills and achievements outside the realm of science and academic pursuits; and
• Must demonstrate a curiosity and an eagerness to explore many and varied topics.

For hard copies or further information, please contact Mrs. Jamikka Kendrick at the D.C. State Board of Education at 202-741-0888 or DC State Board of Education Member and selection coordinator Mary Lord at 202-257-3226.

Special Opportunities for School Leaders/Staff/Students

7. Author Available to Speak with Students about Birmingham Children's March

DC charter schools have the opportunity to invite the author, Cynthia Levinson to speak with school students on a topical civil rights story.  Through the experiences of four elementary and high school students, Levinson's WE'VE GOT A JOB:THE 1963 BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S MARCH (Peachtree Publishers, 2012) tells the story of how 4,000 black children defied the dreaded Birmingham police force in order to desegregate one of the most violently racist cities in America. The book is based on many hours of interviews as well as interviews with scores of other people, black and white, and extensive archival and secondary research. As a former teacher, education policy specialist, consultant, and researcher, Levinson has made many presentations to students and teachers.

Her interactive presentation for middle and high school students on WE'VE GOT A JOB incorporates video and music into scripted scenarios in which students take the parts of the four key participants as well as of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bull Connor, and others. Cynthia Levinson is available to speak with students on Monday, February 27th.  If you are interested in having Cynthia Levinson speak with students on this date or another date during the 2011-12 school year, please email ariel.waldman@dc.gov.

8. New Staffing Support Initiative for DC's Charter Schools

Teach DC Charters, a local program will offer teacher recruiting and staffing services to DC‘s charter schools.  Through the website, www.teachdccharters.org, teachers can apply to all charter schools with a single online application.  Then, only pre-screened applicants are placed in our online database for school administrators.  As part of the “Basic Subscription” service, schools pay a small annual fee of $200 to access this high-quality applicant pool.  School administrators can independently search for applicants based on specific hiring needs and preferences, and contact applicants to proceed with the interview and hiring process.  With the “Premium” level service, Teach DC Charters Staff provides hands-on candidate matching for schools.  For an annual fee of $5,000, this includes assisting schools at every step of the hiring process until all vacancies are staffed.
 
 
Teach DC Charters will conduct a webinar, hosted by Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), on Thursday, February 16th at 10:00 a.m. You can register for the event on FOCUS’s website. This is an opportunity to learn more about the service; we hope you’ll attend and also forward the information to any school leaders you believe would benefit.
 
For questions, or to recommend any schools with potential interest in subscribing to this service, email teachdccharters@tntp.org or call (202) 688-5892.


9. Opportunity for Teachers to Earn Teaching Licenses While in the Classroom
 
Center for Inspired Teaching, is accepting applications for a 24-month state accredited teacher certification program that recruits, selects, prepares and supports exceptional individuals who wish to serve the children of the District of Columbia as teachers. Inspired Teaching Fellows learn the skills and dispositions of Inspired Teachers who recognize each child's innate desire to learn and build on individual strengths to maximize academic, social and emotional achievement.
 
Inspired Teaching Fellows begin their teaching career with a 12-month Residency year, working under the guidance of a Lead Teacher, allowing them to gain the knowledge and experience to enable a smooth transition into the teaching career. Fellows then continue attending coursework and receiving increased mentoring during the Fellowship year of the program, as a teacher of record. Inspired Teachers are certified in Early Childhood (PreK-3) or Elementary Education (1-6).
 
For more details and to apply online, visit:
http://certification.inspiredteaching.org.

Inspired Teaching will host an online information sessions where prospective applicants can learn more about the program and ask questions on February 13, 2012 -11a.m. EST: Register Now at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/933149534
 
Inspired Teaching is committed to building a teacher workforce that reflects the diversity of DC's student population; people of color, speakers of languages other than English, and individuals with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to apply.
 
If you are ready to apply, please visit: http://certification.inspiredteaching.org.
 
10. University of the District of Columbia Application Fee Waiver

The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Board of Trustees recently approved a resolution removing application fee barriers specifically for District high school students who apply to UDC in the fall immediately following high school graduation.  Students who meet specific income eligibility requirements are eligible for the waiver, and can apply to UDC for the waiver through the College Board or the National Association for College Admission Counseling waiver process. For more information about UDC’s easy-to-use online application and fee waiver process, please go to http://www.udc.edu/admissions/application_requirements or contact the UDC Office of Recruitment and Admissions at udcadmissions@udc.edu.   

11. University of the District of Columbia Transcript Requests

To assist in the application and enrollment process, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) has added a disclaimer to its online application that authorizes the Office of Recruitment and Admissions to contact high schools directly on students’ behalf to request their transcripts. UDC Admissions Counselors will contact high school registrars and guidance counselors to request electronic or hard-copy transcripts on behalf of students who have applied to UDC. If you have any questions or concerns about this process, or would like more information on how you can partner with UDC on behalf of your students, please contact Andrea Linthicum at alinthicum@udc.edu.