No Family Update on December 31
AcademicsNEW! More Celebrations of Learning Coming Up!
Admissions Season Has Come for Siblings of Students Enrolled at Mundo Verde
5th Grade Families - DC International School Transfer Preference
Events & ActivitiesNEW! Learn About Co-Teaching and Student Achievement Towards IEP Goals at Mundo Verde - Jan 12, Virtual
NEW! Board Meeting - Save the Date! Jan 18
Communications, Information & QuestionsFieldwork Fundraising Campaign: Become a Part of the Magic that Shapes Our Students
NEW! Special Board Meeting Recording from Tuesday, Dec 19
School Closures and Delays Due to Inclement Weather
Make Sure Your Children are Ready for Outdoor Recess!
Health & SafetyNEW! DC Health Provides Covid Test Kits to Schools Before Breaks
Student & Family SupportDC Special Education Hub: Family Empowerment Series Training
Community AnnouncementsOSSE: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards for Feedback and Public Comment Session
School Calendar and Upcoming EventsSY23-24 School Calendar
Dec 22 to Jan 5: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS & TEACHERS
Dec 22 to Jan 1: Winter Break - SCHOOL CLOSED
Jan 15: Holiday - SCHOOL CLOSED
MESSAGE
Due to the winter break, there will not be Family Update on Dec. 31. You can expect to receive the next Family Update issue on January 7, before classes are resumed.
ACADEMICS
Thank you to everyone who joined and explored the captivating world of the stories our clothing tells. PreK students and teachers enjoyed seeing families and friends learning from their discoveries.
Celebrations of learning are more than a display of student work. The events compel students to reflect on and articulate what they have learned, how they learned, questions they answered, research they conducted, and areas of strength and struggles. They are powerful opportunities to make learning public.
The Expo may include artwork, research results from an experiment, written work, tests, or other projects. At Expo students demonstrate what has been learned more clearly than just a grade on a report card can. It also gives other students ideas that will help them improve their own work and helps to set a standard for excellent work from all students.
Kinder: February 12
1st Grade: February 8
2nd Grade: February 9
3rd Grade: February 13
4th Grade: February 15
5th Grade: February 14
Siblings of students enrolled at Mundo Verde may apply with sibling preference through the MySchoolDC.org common lottery. You can indicate on the application that a sibling is currently attending Mundo Verde. Mundo Verde has generally been able to accommodate admissions for all of our students with younger siblings, but sibling, preference does not guarantee entry. The application deadline is March 1, 2024.
Fifth graders have the opportunity to receive transfer preference for enrollment at DC International School (DCI) for 6th grade on the MySchoolDC.org common lottery. Apply today!
In cases where demand exceeds available spaces, selections are determined by lottery among those with preference. This preference is only granted to families who apply by the deadline of March 1, 2024!
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
January 12, 7:30pm - Virtual Session
Join Delmy Rodriguez, Director of Student Services, for a virtual session to learn more about co-teaching and student achievement towards IEP goals on January 12, 7:30pm via zoom. This session will offer simultaneous translation in English and Spanish.
Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/3767886443
Meeting ID: 376 788 6443
We look forward to seeing many of you there!
January 18, 6:30-8:30pm
The Mundo Verde Board of Directors will hold a regular Board meeting on Thursday, January 18. All regular and special board meetings are open to the public, providing the opportunity for stakeholders to observe board operations. The meeting will take place virtually from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
For questions related to the meeting, email board@mundoverdepcs.org.
COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION & QUESTIONS
Become a Part of the Magic that Shapes Our Students
This winter break, be it just outside of the DMV or a continent away, many of our students will be traveling and experiencing new sights and adventures returning in January with fantastic stories and memories. For some students, fieldwork like Luray Caverns, Calvert Cliffs, NatureBridge, or the Capstone trip provides opportunities to get beyond the DC area for the first time. For all students, even those who travel often, fieldwork is unparalleled as the discoveries made collectively with classmates enhance the journey and foster deep connections to the learning expeditions.
Your donation to our Fieldwork Fundraising Campaign can open a world of new experiences to over 1,000 Mundo Verde students.
Give today at https://bit.ly/FieldworkSY24
The Mundo Verde Board of Directors meeting recording from Tuesday, December 19, is available here in English only.
The recording of this board meeting will be available until Saturday, December 30. The video can also be found in the Families Portal (Family Engagement section) on the website, and on your ParentSquare calendar (12/19/2023).
Mundo Verde follows D.C. Public Schools’ (DCPS) decision regarding changes in the school schedule due to inclement weather. In the event of a delayed opening, the before school program is canceled. In the event of early dismissal, the after school program is canceled. Either way, we ensure students receive school meals regardless the school status. In some cases, the school reserves the right to make a different decision than the one made by DCPS if necessary.
Information about school closures and delays is available through:
Text Message & Email: A text message and/or an email is sent to families and staff when a closing or delay is decided (the night before or early the morning of)
School Website: A note on the school website top announcement bar
Radio Station: WTOP (1500 AM, 107.7 FM)
Television: WJLA News Channel 7
School Social Media: Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram
This content can be found in the Family Handbook in English (p. 67), and Spanish (p. 72).
It is cold outside, please prepare your children with the appropriate gear. We go outside even when it is cold! We recommend a jacket and head covering, and appropriate protection for hands, feet and head. When there is inclement weather we may at times opt for indoor recess.
If you need any assistance providing these items for your family, please contact Sarah Ozment, Family Support Manager, at sozment@mundoverdepcs.org.
HEALTH & SAFETY
The District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health) has sent a new supply of Covid take home tests and strongly recommends that families test their children before returning to school after the winter break, given the increased risk of transmission of respiratory illness from activities and travel.
Covid tests were sent home last week with students.
Please ensure that your child takes their Covid tests after 5:00pm the night before returning to school. Parents and caregivers are required to report test positive results via email at covid19@mundoverdepcs.org. Mundo Verde requests students and staff who test positive for Covid to stay home and isolate themselves, especially during the first 5 days, when they are most likely infectious and contagious. Individuals exhibiting only mild or no symptoms may return to campus upon submission of a negative antigen test.
STUDENT & FAMILY SUPPORT
Post-Secondary Transition: When and How to Start
January 8, 7:00pm - Online
Transitions can be challenging, and this can be especially true for students in special education. DC Special Education Hub invites you to join them to learn more about the who, what, when, why, and how of special education transition plans.
Although these plans typically start in middle school, families with students of all ages are encouraged to attend this session on Monday, January 8, 7:00-8:00pm. It's never too early or too late to start learning about transition strategies and supports!
You'll receive the Zoom link in an email in the week of the training! Register Here
Choosing the Right School for Your Special Education Student - In Partnership with My School DC
January 11, 7:00pm - Online
Join the DC Special Education Hub and My School DC for a Virtual Informational Session on the DC Lottery with a focus on Families and Caregivers of Students with Disabilities on Thursday, January 11, 7:00-8:00pm. My School DC is the common application and public-school lottery for all DC Public Schools (DCPS) and most public charter schools that serve PK3 – Grade 12.
This session will present information to equip you with valuable tools and information to guide you through the process of applying to the schools that are the best fit for your student(s). There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. Register Here
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jan. 9 - In-Person/Hybrid
Jan. 18 - Virtual
On Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released a draft for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards for feedback and public comment.
OSSE invites school, family, and community participation in upcoming stakeholder engagement feedback sessions on the standards. These sessions will provide opportunities for participants to learn more about SEL and why it is important for students in schools. Participants will experience a facilitated walk-through of each standard and aligned indicators.
SEL is the process through which students and adults activate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. RSVP Here.
In-Person/Hybrid Sessions:
Tuesday, January 9, 12:00-2:00pm
Tuesday, January 9, 5:30-7:30pm
Virtual Session:
Thursday, January 18, 6:00-7:30pm
Upcoming Events:
Dec 22 to Jan 5: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS & TEACHERS
Dec 22 to Jan 1: Winter Break - SCHOOL CLOSED
Jan 15: Holiday - SCHOOL CLOSED
Jan 18: Board Meeting