April 28, 2023
Dear Washingtonians,
I want to start this week's message by thanking Chief Contee. We announced this week that the Chief will be retiring from the Metropolitan Police Department after serving our community for more than 33 years. I know I speak for our city when I say we are incredibly proud of Chief Contee. A kid from DC, who grew up in Carver Terrace, decided in 1989 to sign up for the MPD cadet program when he was 17 years old; and 31 years later and four days before January 6th, he was sworn in as the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. Now, he is ready for his next chapter, which we know will still include helping us build a safer, stronger DC.
For now, though, Chief Contee remains busy at MPD. Just yesterday, we announced a new Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Policing Strategy, which will utilize data to identify specific areas in each police district and employ focused patrols for proactive policing and community engagement. This is a strategy that will better empower our officers to be “problem solvers” for the community. It will allow us to be more proactive in preventing crime and violence. And residents in the neighborhoods where we are launching this strategy will see more officers out of cars, more officers walking around and engaging with the community. If you see officers out in your community, please take a moment to introduce yourself.
As we conduct our search for the next Chief of Police, you can find more information about the job HERE. And if you know the next young person in DC who could rise through the ranks to one day become the Chief, learn more about the MPD Cadet Corps program HERE.
Sincerely,
 On Saturday, April 29, over 200 DC Public Schools and DC public charter schools will open their doors for families to enroll or re-enroll their children for the 2023-24 school year. A list of participating schools and their enrollment hours can be found HERE.
While most schools can accept school enrollment requirements electronically, some families may prefer to enroll or re-enroll their child in person. Enrollment Saturday gives families the flexibility to submit their enrollment paperwork directly to the school outside of normal operating hours.
If a child is matched with a school in the My School DC lottery, families must enroll their child by May 1 to secure their spot.
To enroll, check school requirements at their respective websites or visit myschooldc.org/enroll/how-enroll-your-child.
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 Join the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs for an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration. The celebration will include an awards ceremony, cultural performances by renowned AAPI artists, and more.
- When: Monday, May 8 @ 6:30 p.m.
- Where: Lincoln Theatre (1215 U Street NW)
RSVP HERE.
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 This week, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) expanded hours at an additional 15 recreation centers.
The updated hours for the following locations are from Monday-Friday, 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The locations include:
- Brentwood Recreation Center (2311 14th Street NE)
- Douglass Community Center (1922 Fredrick Douglass CT)
- Friendship Recreation Center (4500 Van Ness St NW)
- Glover Park Community Center (4001 Calvert Street NW)
- Hardy Park Recreation Center (4500 Q St NW)
- Harry Thomas Recreation Center (1743 Lincoln Rd NE)
- Hearst Recreation Center (3950 37th Street NW)
- Joseph H. Cole Recreation Center (1299 Neal St NE)
- Lafayette-Pointer Recreation Center (5900 33rd Street NW)
- Marie Reed Community Center (2200 Champlain St NW)
- New York Avenue/Dunbar Recreation Center (100 N St NW)
- Park View Recreation Center (693 Otis Pl NW)
- Petworth Recreation Center (801 Taylor St NW)
- Takoma Recreation Center (300 Van Buren St NW)
- Upshur Recreation Center (4300 Arkansas Ave NW)
These 15 sites are in addition to the rec centers listed below that recently expanded their hours.
The updated hours for the following locations are from Monday- Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The locations include:
- Arthur Capper Community Center (1000 5th Street SE)
- Bald Eagle Recreation Center (100 Joleit Street SE)
- Benning Stoddert Recreation Center (100 Stoddert Place SE)
- Chevy Chase Community Center (5601 Connecticut Avenue NW)
- Ferebee-Hope Recreation Center (700 Yuma Street SE)
- Fort Davis Recreation Center (4100 41st Street SE)
- Fort Stanton Recreation Center (1812 Erie Street SE)
- Hillcrest Recreation Center (3100 Denver St SE)
- King-Greenleaf Recreation Center (201 N Street SW)
- Lamond Recreation Center (20 Tuckerman St NE)
- North Michigan Park Recreation Center (1333 Emerson St NE)
- Palisades Recreation Center and Playground (5200 Sherier Pl NW)
- Raymond Recreation Center and Playground (3725 10th Street NW)
- Riggs-Lasalle Recreation Center (501 Riggs Rd NE)
- Ridge Road Community Center (830 Ridge Road SE)
- Sherwood Recreation Center (640 10th Street NE)
- Trinidad Recreation Center (1310 Childress Street NE)
- Woody Ward Community Center (5100 Southern Ave SE)
The updated hours for the following locations are from Monday- Friday, 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The locations include:
- Arboretum Community Center (2412 Rand Place NE)
- Shepherd Park Community Center (1425 Jonquil St NW)
- Marvin Gaye (15 61st St NE)
- Guy Mason Community Center (3600 Calvert St NW)
The updated hours at the following locations are from Monday- Friday, 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The locations include:
- Barry Farm Recreation Center (1230 Sumner Road SE)
- Columbia Heights Community Center (1480 Girard Street NW)
- Deanwood Recreation Center (1350 49th Street SE)
- Edgewood Recreation Center (300 Evarts St NE)
- Emery Heights Community Center (5701 Georgia Avenue NW)
- Kenilworth Recreation Center (4321 Ord Street NE)
- Rosedale Recreation Center (1701 Gale Street NE)
- Turkey Thicket Recreation Center (1100 Michigan Avenue NE)
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 Join the Department of Parks and Recreation at two events on Saturday, April 29 to participate in the City Nature Challenge — a friendly worldwide competition among metro areas to see whose residents can spot and identify the most wildlife.
Location#1: Pope Branch Trail (NE Corner of Branch Ave and M Street SE) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location #2: Oxon Run Park (13th Street and Mississippi Avenue SE) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Learn more HERE.
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