 Calling all DC High School Students to become Changemakers!
The DC Office of Human Rights (OHR) Youth Human Rights Ambassador Program is now underway! Tailored for high school students within the District of Columbia, this program offers a unique platform for developing leadership abilities, nurturing civic engagement, and offering valuable tools for youth to facilitate dialogues on diverse youth-related community issues. Applications are being accepted until May 31. For further information on the program, please visit here or contact Ernest Shepard, OHR Youth Bullying Prevention Program Manager, at Ernest.Shepard@dc.gov.
Immunization Information for Spring Enrollment Packets
As spring enrollment season is underway, here are some immunization resources we recommend including in spring enrollment packets:
Schools and LEAs are encouraged to get a head start on communicating with families the immunization requirements and immunization document collection for the 2024-25 school year, particularly for current students in grades pre-K 4, 6 and 10.
For additional information and resources, visit osse.dc.gov/immunization and dchealth.dc.gov/immunization, and reach out to OSSE.SchoolHealth@dc.gov with any questions.
DC Health 2024 Pediatric Vaccine Locations
DC Health has updated its resource that lists locations for pediatric vaccinations throughout the District. Schools are encouraged to share this information with families. The resource is available here.
Guidelines for Viewing the Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse will move across the United States on Monday, April 8, 2024. This is a rare and exciting learning opportunity for students. We want all our learners and adults to have a positive experience on Monday, and so it is strongly recommended that schools plan accordingly and communicate risks, precautions, and expectations to students, families, and staff ahead of Monday. To help you with this communication, the OSSE Division of Health and Wellness is sharing the following information:
-
TIMING: In the District of Columbia, the solar eclipse will occur Monday, April 8 between 2-4:30 p.m., with nearly 90 percent of the sun covered at 3:20 p.m.
-
NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT A SOLAR ECLIPSE WITHOUT PROPER EYE PROTECTION: Permanent eye damage can occur when a solar eclipse is viewed directly without proper eye protection. Eye damage is immediate, but damage may not appear until 4-6 hours afterwards, with visible damage gradually getting worse in the following days.
- Sunglasses, unfiltered telescopes, and polarizing filters are not safe for viewing a solar eclipse. All solar glasses or viewers, including telescopes, must meet the International Organization for Standardization of 12312-2, according to the American Astronomical Society. More information on safely viewing a solar eclipse is available from the American Astronomical Society. If your LEA is distributing eclipse glasses to students, please be aware of counterfeit and fake eclipse glasses.
- DC Public Libraries are distributing individual eclipse glasses to residents through April 8. Families can obtain the eclipse glasses from their neighborhood library while supplies last. This opportunity is available to individual families and not meant as bulk supply to entire classrooms. More information available here.
- If students do not have eclipse glasses, the solar eclipse can be viewed using an indirect method that does not involve looking directly at the sun, such as a pinhole projector (for example, a hole punched in an index card) that projects an image of the sun onto the ground or a nearby surface. It is strongly recommended to demonstrate and practice this method with students ahead of time, with repeated reinforcement to never look directly at the solar eclipse. More information is available here and here.
-
SKIN PROTECTION: During a solar eclipse, the sun will be very bright. It is recommended to take precautions to prevent skin damage, including wearing sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing with SPF ratings.
-
INDOOR ENGAGEMENT: Schools may choose to keep students indoors during the solar eclipse. NASA will air a live stream of the solar eclipse online. More information is available here.
-
DISMISSAL AND AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: If students are dismissed from school during the solar eclipse, it is strongly recommended to communicate expectations, risks, and precautions ahead of time. This may include practicing and demonstrations protective eye and skin safety with students. Expectations should also be communicated to all after-school care, clubs, activities, and athletics.
No matter how your LEA chooses to engage students during the solar eclipse, it is strongly recommended to communicate expectations ahead of time. If your LEA plans to allow students to safely view the solar eclipse outdoors, it is recommended to inform parents/guardians and allow them opt-out if they choose. For questions, please contact OSSE.SchoolHealth@dc.gov.
Upcoming Virtual Epinephrine Administration Training (reminder)
OSSE Allergy Management Team within the Division of Health and Wellness is holding a live virtual Epinephrine Administration Training on Thursday, April 11 from 1 – 2:30 p.m. Certification is valid for one calendar year. Share this training sign-up form with staff members at your school who need to get certified this school year. School staff may also choose to receive certification at their convenience via a recorded Online Certification Course. Contact OSSE.Epi@dc.gov to coordinate a live virtual training session if you want to have more than the required certified staff at your school.
|
OSSE's 2024 Adult College and Credentials Fair
Are you 18 or older and interested in going to college or earning a postsecondary credential? Join us for OSSE’s 2024 Adult College and Credentials (ACC) Fair on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Public Library (901 G St. NW).
-
Conversations with representatives from local universities and colleges that offer credentials, associate, and bachelor’s degree programs that cater to adult learners.
-
Scholarship and resource information from organizations that support adult learners who are pursuing higher education degrees.
-
Degree Audits with local college or university representatives. Bring your unofficial transcript and receive a complimentary degree audit or transcript evaluation.
-
Workshops designed to provide you with everything you need to know to successfully return to college or enroll in college for the first time.
Register, attend workshops, complete the exit survey. The first 120 gain free virtual Microsoft Office Suite certification training.
For more information, questions, or to register for the fair, please contact Greg Palmer at Gregory.Palmer@dc.gov.
Nominate an Outstanding DC Educator!
OSSE is searching for outstanding educators from across the District to be considered for a variety of awards, including the 2025 DC Teacher of the Year and the DC Educator Talent Pool. We are seeking nominations for excellent educators who:
- Inspire and accelerate growth for all students
- Build strong partnerships with families and communities
- Champion the teaching profession
Administrators, colleagues, LEA and school staff, parents, students, and community members can all submit nominations. Self-nominations are also acceptable. Please complete the 2024-25 District of Columbia Outstanding Educator Nomination Form by May 19. Nominees will be notified on a rolling basis. For a teacher to be eligible for consideration, they must be a current teacher in a DC public school or public charter school and must plan to continue as a teacher in DC for the 2024-25 school year. For questions, please contact Megan.Dumond@dc.gov.
SOAR Act FY25 Stakeholder Engagement Survey – Input Requested by Friday, April 26
Each year, OSSE applies for a grant from the US Department of Education under the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act to support the public charter sector in the District of Columbia. OSSE must submit priorities for this grant, and a breakdown of how funding will be used to support charter LEAs and charter support organizations in the application. OSSE anticipates that it will be awarded $17.5 million in SOAR Act funding for fiscal year 2025 (FY25).
OSSE is soliciting input from public charter LEAs and nonprofit charter support organizations based in the District of Columbia on its tentative proposal for FY25 SOAR Act funding. To provide your input, please complete the SOAR Stakeholder Engagement Survey no later than Friday, April 26. Please consolidate responses from your organization into one survey submission where possible. For questions, please contact Jessica Mardo at Jessica.Mardo@dc.gov or (202) 455-9203.
Invitation to Apply for the Next Environmental Literacy Leadership Cadre
OSSE is recruiting District teachers/education leaders to participate in the next Environmental Literacy Leadership Cadre. The cadre will meet monthly during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years beginning in late September 2024. Participants who successfully complete the cadre will be eligible for a stipend.
OSSE’s Environmental Literacy Leadership Cadre is a group of individuals from District public and public charter schools who are interested in creating green, healthy, sustainable learning environments at their schools. Participants will (a) receive comprehensive professional development related to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), (b) develop a school-based environmental literacy program to implement student-driven, place-based projects that use the school building and grounds as teaching tools, (c) network with others to discuss creating systems of support for environmental literacy implementation in schools, and (d) disseminate information about environmental literacy to their community and garner feedback on the school-based environmental literacy program. Up to two individuals may represent one school.
If you are interested, or know an educator who may be, please visit or share OSSE's website for more information and register to attend an informational webinar on April 23 at 4:30 p.m. At the webinar, you will hear from a cadre mentor and an alumni participant who will share about their experience and benefits to participating. Interested educators should apply online by May 31. Participants will be selected by June 14.
For more information or questions about the Environmental Literacy Leadership Cadre, please contact Grace Manubay at Grace.Manuaby@dc.gov or (202) 654-6116.
OSSE Congratulates FY24 Flexible Scheduling Pilot Program Grantees (reminder)
OSSE is excited to announce the following LEAs as grantees of the FY24 Flexible Scheduling Pilot Program Grant:
- Kingsman Academy Public Charter School
- Global Citizens Public Charter School
- I Dream Public Charter School
- Capital City Public Charter School
- E.L. Haynes Public Charter School
- Howard University Middle School of Math and Science
Congratulations to this cohort of grantees! OSSE looks forward to working with these LEAs to bolster student achievement by implementing flexible schedules that support the retention of the District’s high-quality, effective and diverse educators.
For more information, visit the OSSE website here or contact Abigail Johnson, Flexible Scheduling Pilot Program Grant Manager, at Abigail.Johnson@dc.gov.
Public Comments Being Accepted for Proposed Rulemaking on New Specialized Performing or Visual Arts Educator Credential (reminder)
On Friday, March 15, the proposed rulemaking on a new DC educator credential - the Specialized Performing or Visual Arts credential - was published in the DC Register. This rulemaking would establish a specialized performing or visual arts teaching credential. To view the proposed rulemaking, please visit the DC Register at bit.ly/DCRegsOSSE_DE.
All persons desiring to comment on the subject matter of this notice of proposed rulemaking should file comments in writing no later than April 14. Comments are accepted via email at ossecomments.proposedregulations@dc.gov; or by mail at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Attn: Elizabeth Ross re: Specialized Performing or Visual Arts Credential, 1050 First St. NE, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20002.
Parent/Guardian Truancy Mailings for the 2023-24 School Year (reminder)
DC law requires educational institutions and OSSE to communicate student attendance status. In the event of a truant student (at least 10 unexcused absences of any minor student within one school year), OSSE is required to provide the truant student’s parent/guardian with a Truancy Prevention Resource Guide.
In the coming weeks, OSSE will send Truancy Prevention Resource Guides to the parents/guardians of any student who was truant in the 2022-23 school year or so far in the 2023-24 school year. A copy of the truancy packet is available on OSSE’s website and further information can be found on the OSSE Attendance and Truancy Resources Website.
For questions or additional information, contact Cameron Martin at Cameron.Martin@dc.gov.
|
New Self-paced Course! Biliteracy Instruction: Leveraging the Science of Reading
OSSE is pleased to announce a new self-paced course, “Biliteracy Instruction: Leveraging the Science of Reading,” designed to equip dual language educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively integrate biliteracy instruction and the science of reading into their teaching practices. This course is ideal for educators delivering instruction in two languages. Instructional coaches and classroom teachers are strongly encouraged to participate.
After completing all assignments, participants will earn 4 professional learning units (PLUs). Register here. For questions, please contact Santiago Sanchez at Santiago.Sanchez@dc.gov.
Attention Educators!
OSSE’s new educator certification system is LIVE. Visit ecis.osse.dc.gov to easily apply.
April LEA Special Education Points of Contact Webinar
On Wednesday, April 10, from 10-11 a.m., OSSE will host the monthly webinar training for all LEA SPED POCs. During this training, OSSE will provide important information relevant to your role as the LEA SPED POC. The agenda will include the following:
- Policy reminders and updates;
- IDEA monitoring reminders and updates;
- Teaching and Learning reminders and updates;
- Special Programs reminders and updates;
- Nonpublic reminders and updates;
- Transportation updates; and
- Reminders and announcements.
All LEA SPED POCs should plan to participate in each month’s webinar, as well as share the content, updates and announcements with relevant staff within your LEA. If you have not already signed up for the 2023-24 webinar series, please register here.
If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact LaShonda Wilson at LaShonda.Wilson@dc.gov.
OSSE Math Content Professional Development Bootcamp (K-5) (reminder)
OSSE is partnering with a nationally recognized professional development provider to provide a math content bootcamp for any K-5 teacher.
This training is a great opportunity for K-5 math teachers to deepen their own understanding of number sense and how to teach it to students, learn how to use number talk routines to develop students’ number sense and foster understanding of procedural fluency. Teachers will participate in live online content sessions as well as smaller group facilitated planning and coaching sessions. Content sessions began the week of March 18.
This opportunity is available to any K-5 math teacher at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Teachers who successfully complete this bootcamp will receive a $1,000 stipend. Register here to participate. For more information, please contact Miryam Oziel at Miryam.Oziel@dc.gov
Supporting Teacher and Student Wellness through Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Practices (reminder)
OSSE, in partnership with InSite Solutions, is offering two professional learning opportunities focused on understanding trauma in children and developing organizational wellness in our school communities. Identifying and managing the impact of trauma and toxic stress on students can increase a school system's ability to respond sensitively to the unique needs of children who have experienced trauma while also reducing teacher absenteeism and improving student academic performance.
Educators in DC can choose from the following courses which will be repeated on multiple dates.
-
Understanding Trauma in Children and How to Develop Healing-Centered Practices (Introductory course): This session will be offered virtually on April 17 and May 15 and in person at OSSE on May 16.
-
Developing Sustainable Organizational Wellness (designed for school leaders): This 2-hour virtual session will be offered monthly on the following dates: April 3, April 23 and May 17.
Secondary Transition Community of Practice (reminder)
The Secondary Transition Community of Practice (COP) supports DC youth with disabilities as they transition into a self-directed life. We are a citywide cross-section of stakeholders who come together to strengthen our individual and collective ability for action. This community of practice is led by SchoolTalk’s InclusiveDC. The Secondary Transition COP convenes regular monthly meetings and small group solution-oriented opportunities on specific transition-related topics. Most activities occur via Zoom or in a hybrid format. Visit the website to learn more.
Meeting Schedule: All sessions are Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Registration Link
- April 23
- May 21
- June 11
- July 16
- Aug. 13
- Sept. 10
For more information, please contact Kalecia Baity with the Division of Postsecondary and Career Education at Kalecia.Baity@dc.gov.
Introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Asynchronous Course (reminder)
Dive into the theory and practice of UDL and explore how it is used as a framework for inclusive practice that allows for more accessible and equitable learning environments. OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning is excited to offer eight-module asynchronous introductory series to UDL. This coursework is open to all DC public and public charter educators via OSSE's learning management system (LMS). Educators will be able to engage in learning the "why," "what" and "how" of UDL and how UDL can create a more accessible learning environment for all learners. Sign up for the course here.
For questions, please contact Byul Yim with the OSSE Division of Teaching and Learning at Byul.Yim@dc.gov.
Social Studies Professional Learning Opportunities (reminder)
June 17-21, 2024: Elementary Social Studies LEA Curriculum Leadership Development Fellowship
- OSSE is providing professional development and stipends for LEA curriculum leaders to build capacity for social studies curriculum development using OSSE produced materials.
- Participants must be nominated by their LEA leadership, commit to developing two full unit plans, a scope and sequence and professional development for teachers during the 2024-25 school year.
- Stipend: Up to $5,000 upon completion of fellowship
-
Application and Additional Information
July 8-12, 2024: Action Civics Professional Learning and Curriculum Institute (Project DCI)
- OSSE is seeking grade 8 educators to pilot eight lessons (two units) of Action Civics resources in the 2024-25 school year.
- Participants will receive coaching in teaching controversial issue discussions grounded in media literacy and access to free lesson plans that cover six curricular units.
- Participants must attend an in-person professional development workshop between July 8 and 12 and attend virtual professional learning during the school year.
- Stipend: $1,800 upon completion of eight lessons
-
Application and Additional Information
2024-25 School Year: World History Lessons Pilot Study 2024-25
- OSSE is seeking educators to pilot inquiry driven World History lessons.
- Educators must be committed to teaching world history at their current school through the 2024-25 school year.
- Educators will attend an onboarding session for the research study, implement provided world history lessons (over a two to three week period) and submit an audio recording for two class periods using the provided lessons.
- Stipend: Up to $500 upon completion of pilot study
-
Pilot Study Information
- Teacher Interest Form
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities with OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning (reminder)
OSSE's Division of Teaching and Learning is pleased to offer many upcoming professional learning opportunities for DC educators, including teachers, staff, school leaders and service providers serving students in grades pre-K through 12 in DC public and public charter schools. All DC educators are encouraged to subscribe to the monthly TAL PD Bulletin to receive additional announcements about professional learning opportunities and resources for educators. View the most recent bulletin here.
|
SOAR Act Formula Consolidated Post-Award Webinar and Reporting Templates Available on OSSE Website (reminder)
OSSE held a post-award webinar on Tuesday, March 5, for public charter LEAs that were awarded an FY24 Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Formula Consolidated grant. The webinar covered topics including submitting reimbursement requests, semi-annual narrative reporting requirements, and submitting budget amendments.
A recording of the webinar and accompanying slide deck are now available on OSSE’s SOAR Formula web page, along with the FY24 semi-annual reporting template. LEAs that were unable to attend the live webinar are encouraged to review the resources to ensure familiarity with grant requirements.
Please note that the first semi-annual narrative report for the FY24 SOAR Formula Consolidated grant will be due by email to your LEA’s SOAR program contact on Monday, April 15.
For any questions, please reach out to your LEA’s SOAR program contact or OPCSFS.funding@dc.gov.
|
April 2024
|
