 Upcoming Immunization Opportunities (reminder)
As we approach the Dec. 9 District-wide exclusion date for students in key grades (pre-K 3, kindergarten, 7 and 11) who are not compliant with District immunization requirements, we recommend you share these vaccine opportunities with families.
See DC Health’s December Pediatric Vaccine Opportunities Calendar, with updated opportunities posted on their website as well as the 2024 District Pediatric Vaccine Locations by Ward.
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Children’s National Vaccine-Only Appointments at the following locations are available Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. See the December calendar for rotating Saturday appointments. Call (202) 476-2371 to schedule an appointment.
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Anacostia: 2101 MLK Jr. Ave. SE
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Columbia Heights: 3336 14th St. NW
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Shaw Metro: 641 S St. NW, Suite 200
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Shepherd Park: 7125 13th Place NW
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THEARC: 1801 Mississippi Ave. SE
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Grubb’s Pharmacy SE at 1800 MLK Jr. Ave. SE has vaccine appointments available Mondays through Fridays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Wednesday, Dec. 25. For appointments, call (202) 503-3610.
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Cedar Hill Urgent Care - GW Health at 2228 MLK Jr. Ave. SE has vaccine appointments available daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Dec. 25. For appointments, call (202) 715-4444.
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Dec. 7: Children’s National is hosting A Family Affair, a community health event for families that includes pediatric immunizations on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Children’s National THEARC West Building at 1801 Mississippi Ave. SE. Appointments are highly encouraged. Register for a Dec. 7 appointment here, and see flyers in English and Spanish.
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Dec. 7 and 14: Both EdFEST events this year will have pediatric vaccine appointments available by appointment only. Upon registering for EdFEST, vaccine appointment links will be shared in the confirmation email. More information about EdFEST is available here.
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2024 DC School Report Card
We are excited to share the 2024 DC School Report Card! It is live on our website at schoolreportcard.dc.gov. The DC School Report Card is a parent-friendly hub that offers comparable data of public and public charter schools across the District.
We are excited about four new features:
- Compare tool of up to three schools across key metrics
- Improved state assessment performance level chart
- Deeper dives into school accountability data
- Multiple pictures of school communities
In addition to data ranging from attendance to student growth, OSSE is sharing, for the first time:
- Student-Teacher Ratios
- Student-Staff Ratios
- Referrals to Law Enforcement
In future years, we are looking forward to sharing the school climate survey data and course data that we are collecting from all schools. We appreciate all the hard work during Metric Calculation Confirmation (MCC) to ensure that every piece of information is accurate. If you have any questions, please email us at dcschoolreportcard@dc.gov.
Course Data Collection Updates
As of Nov. 8, all LEAs should have mapped their Student and Section Course Data Collection data in the LEA Data Mapping Tool.
Unified Data Errors (UDEs) related to this data are now in the 2024-25 school year (SY2024-25) Unified Data Errors Qlik application:
If there are UDEs that need to be resolved by resubmitting Course Catalog data, the Integrated Data Submission (IDS) process for the Course Catalog Collection data will be re-opened for re-submission from Dec. 9 through Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. Please note that the new submission will completely over-write previous submissions, so the entire spreadsheet of Course Catalog data will need to be re-submitted, not just changes.
LEAs can also schedule a one-on-one meeting for assistance using this link. For additional information or questions, please email Whitney Meagher at Whitney.Meagher@dc.gov.
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Learn More about 2025-26 OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching Information Sessions
OSSE is excited to announce that the 2025-26 OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching application will open on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. The OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program is a cost-free opportunity to become an elementary, early childhood, or special education teacher in DC.
This innovative program removes financial barriers to entering the teaching profession by providing prospective DC educators with a cost-free bachelor’s degree, flexible coursework offerings, and paid on-the-job learning. Apprentices who successfully complete the program will also be eligible for an OSSE standard teaching credential.
OSSE will offer an information session on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 from 3:30-4:30 p.m., for currently employed paraprofessionals at a District of Columbia Public or Public Charter School. During this information session, we will discuss program details, eligibility requirements, and the 2025-26 application process. Those interested in attending must register via this link by Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.
To learn more about the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching program, visit the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching webpage.
For additional information or questions, please email OSSE.Apprenticeship@dc.gov
OSSE's 2024 FAFSA and Financial Aid Professional Development Day
Join the DC Tuition Assistance Grant program (DCTAG) and the Office of College and Career Readiness (CCR) for OSSE’s 2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Financial Aid Professional Development Day. This day of professional development will offer opportunities to learn about scholarships, financial aid support, and relevant information regarding skills needed to be successful in college.
Attendees will also receive updates about OSSE’s FAFSA completion initiative and the training will conclude with a 2025-26 school year FAFSA dependent student walkthrough, along with updates, advice and recommendations for working through the 2025-26 FAFSA, which launched on Dec. 1.
To join us, please register using the link below. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Greg Palmer at Gregory.Palmer@dc.gov.
Date: Thursday, Dec. 12
Time: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Where: Virtual
Agenda:
- 10-10:30 a.m. - OSSE/College and Career Readiness FAFSA Completion Initiative Updates
- 10:30-11 a.m. - DCTAG Updates
- 11 a.m.-12 p.m. - Education and Career Planning/College Survival Skills
- 1-2 p.m. - Guidance and support in identifying outside scholarships and grants to reduce costs
- 2-3 p.m. - FAFSA Updates and 2025-26 FAFSA Dependent Student Walkthrough
Register here.
To further assist with starting your FAFSA toolkit, feel free to use the “Be FAFSA Form Ready” email templates here. English | Spanish.
Integrated Education & Training + Digital Skills (IE&T + D) = Student Success in Life and Careers
OSSE Adult and Family Education (OSSE AFE), in partnership with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), is hosting a Mini-Professional Development Institute for adult education providers, training providers, workforce development providers, partner agencies and other stakeholders from Monday, Dec. 9 to Wednesday, Dec. 11. There are two, 1-hour sessions scheduled each day, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with an exception on Wednesday, Dec. 11 when the sessions take place at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Participants will learn about academic, digital literacy, and industry-focused tools for DC providers and partners to utilize to ensure that District residents have maximum flexibility to engage in learning and training to enhance their literacy, numeracy, digital, and workforce skills to transition to and succeed in life, college, and careers. Topics include the following and the Schedule of Events with descriptions and webinar links can be found on the OSSE website:
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Monday, Dec. 9, 10–11 a.m. | Data-Informed Strategies: Enhancing Assessments for Every Learner | Join the session here.
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Monday, Dec. 9, 2-3 p.m. | Creating Communities of Inquiry (CoI) in Any Setting | Join the session here.
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Tuesday, Dec. 10, 10–11 a.m. | Developing Engaging HyFlex Lessons | Join the session here.
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Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2-3 p.m. | Unlock Learning with a Learner Management System (LMS) | Join the session here.
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Wednesday, Dec. 11, 12-1 p.m. | InnovateEd: Tech Tools for Integrated Education & Training (IE&T) that Anyone Can Use | Join the session here.
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Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2-3 p.m. | #AIforAdultEd: What it Means to Teach with and for AI | Join the session here.
Registration is not required. To participate, click on the link for each session.
Past Mini-Professional Development Institute recordings and materials can be found on the OSSE website. Please contact OSSE.AFETA@dc.gov with any questions.
Discipline Data Collection Reminders and Training (reminder)
The first Discipline Data Collection Window has closed and all LEAs are required to submit data on disciplinary actions according to the SY2024-25 Data Validation Policy.
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Collection Window: July 8 – Nov. 22, 2024
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Validation Window: Nov. 25, 2024 – Jan. 10, 2025
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OST Deadline: Jan. 10, 2025
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Certification Date: Jan. 17, 2025
OSSE is offering an asynchronous Introduction to Discipline Refresher course for new LEA Data Managers, school leaders, and discipline points of contact. Anyone who works with the OSSE discipline collection is welcome to participate. The session consists of a recording of the virtual Introduction to Discipline Training that was held in August 2024. Topics covered include background information, key dates, collection requirements, data entry overview, and data review and certification.
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Register in the OSSE LMS.
- View the session recording on the course Schoology page.
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Other resources available include important links and reference materials, a copy of the meeting slides, and a series of .ics calendar files that contain reminders about all three upcoming OST deadlines and certification dates.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Professional Learning (reminder)
Dive into UDL implementation with national experts to increase access and build equitable learning environments. OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning is excited to offer two UDL learning opportunities.
Virtual Professional Learning for Educators
Virtual Professional Learning for School Leaders
Systematic changes to support all learners and improve teacher efficacy
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Five 2-hour synchronous instructor-led sessions
- Audience: All pre-K through grade 12 administrators, including principals, assistant principals, deans, instructional coaches, and special education leads (e.g., special education coordinator, local education agency representatives, etc.), serving in DC public and public charter schools
- Date & Time: Find the details of the sessions here.
- Registration: Click here to register for the sessions. Upon registration, you will receive the calendar invite with details.
Empower Your Bilingual Classroom: OSSE-Funded Fellowship at Instituto Mundo Verde (reminder)
The OSSE-funded Instituto Mundo Verde Fellowship offers bilingual educators an immersive, equity-focused journey to enhance teaching strategies and support multilingual learners. This free program includes self-paced online modules on topics such as language acquisition and differentiated instruction. Participants also benefit from a stipend, cohort engagement, and optional graduate credits. Perfect for any DC educator, assistant teacher, or paraprofessional committed to impactful, inclusive classrooms!
Our cohort meets two to three times per month, starting in October 2025. For more information, contact info@institutomv.org.
Mindfulness Practices for Educators and Students (reminder)
Looking for an effective, evidence-based mindfulness curriculum? DC educators are invited to choose from the following options to learn more about the Peace of Mind curriculum to use for their students in the classroom, while also using mindfulness practices for themselves. In addition, participants can sign up to attend coaching sessions where they can hear from other educators on how they have adapted the curriculum at their school.
Introduction to the Peace of Mind Curriculum
Virtual Coaching Sessions
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Click here to sign up for upcoming virtual coaching sessions.
Student Engagement Strategies for Social and Emotional Learning and Student Success (reminder)
This training explores how active and cooperative drama strategies can support academic achievement for high school, middle school, and elementary school students. These scientific research-based strategies are proven with grades 1-12 and are revolutionizing how we teach and learn. The interactive and engaging approach empowers the students to engage, retain, and transfer information. The activities will help educators engage their students more effectively with tools they can use in their curricula or modules that make learning more fun and act as a strong vehicle for social and emotional learning and academic enrichment.
The training will take place in person at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE on Friday, Dec. 13, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Register here.
Supporting Oral Language Development in the Spanish Immersion Pre-K Classroom (reminder)
Oral language development lays the foundation for strong literacy skills. Join this professional development session to learn about the role of talk in early reading success and learn practical strategies aligned to the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). This session is open to pre-K teachers and paraprofessionals working in Spanish immersion classrooms in dual language schools and will be conducted in Spanish.
The session will take place virtually on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Attendees will receive 1 professional learning unit (PLU) for their participation. Register here.
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Fiscal Year 2025 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant Available Dec. 13, 2024
The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the NSLP Equipment Grant is now available in the DC Register. The competitive grant application for the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant will be available on Dec. 13 in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS). This grant opportunity is available to public schools (i.e., schools within the District of Columbia Public Schools), public charter schools and private/non-public schools that currently participate in the NSLP (including the Seamless Summer Option) and who are interested in using the equipment funds to improve the quality and safety of school food service meals. The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. The award period for these grants is March 14 through Sept. 30, 2025.
An optional pre-application webinar will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday Dec. 17, which will provide an overview of the purpose of the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant, provide information on how to complete the application in EGMS, and share basics of project budgeting and allowable costs. Please register to attend here. The webinar will also be recorded and posted on the OSSE Nutrition Services webpage along with the FY25 NSLP Equipment Assistance Request for Applications.
For questions or additional information about the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant application, contact Kimberly Thompson, Grants Management Specialist, at KimberlyA.Thompson@dc.gov.
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December 2024
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