Music Class - 1st Grade J.F. Cook
NEW! Important Schoolwide Updates
NEW! Executive Director Search: Engagement Opportunities
AcademicsNEW! SY24-25 School Calendar
The Re-enrollment Process for 2023-24 Starts This Week on April 1
Events & ActivitiesEarth Day Celebrations
Communications, Information & QuestionsNEW! Spring Assessment Information Session Recording Available
NEW! Hop on the BiciBus - Wednesdays J.F. Cook & Fridays Calle Ocho
J.F. Cook Garden Market
Health & SafetyNEW! New Traffic Signage at Calle Ocho
School ServicesSY23-24 Summer Program: Slots Still Available - April 1 Last Day to Submit Interest Form
NEW! School Meals Menu - April
Community AnnouncementsCalle Ocho Campus Families: News From Comunidad
J.F. Cook Campus Families: News From Padres
School Calendar and Upcoming EventsSY23-24 School Calendar
Apr 15: Holiday - School Closed
Apr 16-19: Spring Break - No School for Students and Teachers
MESSAGE
If you missed the last few messages sent by Kristin Scotchmer, Founding Executive Director, and Joseph Rodríguez, Interim Chief School Officer, please see below.
Tuesday, Mar 26: Important Updates – Learn more about internal shifts underway at Mundo Verde and how the job description for a new Executive Director places principals at the center of decision making and planning.
Tuesday, Mar 12: A Window to Our Work – Learn more about how we are currently centering students and staff, and see a detailed summary of the strategic revisions and structural changes that will set our school on a course of ongoing success.
Last Call – Members of the Mundo Verde community are invited to respond to this - NEW! - School Leader Search Stakeholder Survey by March 31, 2024 to provide feedback especially on the experiences/ skills/ competencies and the areas of responsibility that are important for a new school leader. We anticipate that it will take about five to ten minutes to complete. Thanks in advance for your time.
Background: As the board communicated to families on March 18 (linked here), Edgility Consulting was selected through a competitive procurement process to partner in the search for the next Executive Director. A high-level overview of engagement opportunities for staff and caregivers for the coming months is shown below.
ACADEMICS
We're excited to publish our school calendar for SY24-2025 - Linked here in English and Spanish. Scheduling a balanced calendar every school year is no simple task! In addition to considering our school priorities and school values, we considered aspects related to official regulations while at the same time we sought to align as much as possible to the school calendar of other organizations that are of relevance to our families and staff, including DC International School and DCI member schools. Using DCPS calendars as a base, collaborating with staff and DCI/DCI members schools, we have developed the school calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.
On March 29, an email with re-enrollment instructions was sent to all families. Make sure you complete all of the necessary paperwork.
Please visit the Returning Students section on the school website to review the list of all documents needed.
Please note that current students seeking re-enrollment DO NOT have to go through MySchoolDC. Siblings of current students accepted for a new space will be able to be included in the same re-enrollment form as long as they have been matched to Mundo Verde through MySchoolDC.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
“We Love Earth” Spirit Week - Both Campuses: Apr 8-12
During this week, we will celebrate ‘We Love Earth’ Spirit Week, ride bikes to school, plant a rain garden at Calle Ocho campus, and more!
Monday: Powered by the Sun - Dress up like sunshine today!
Tuesday: Garden theme - Our school gardens are home to many plants that make our school a beautiful place to be. Let plants inspire your outfit today!
Wednesday: Water Conservation - Create an outfit inspired by oceans, rivers, rain, rain barrels, ect. or simply wear blue!
Thursday: Animals in the garden - There are so many amazing creatures that live in our school and home gardens, like worms, birds, bats, butterflies, ants, bees, flies, and more. Let them inspire your outfit today!
Friday: Reusable Water Bottle Day - Bring your reusable water bottle to school! If you have extra water bottles at home that you no longer use, ask your grownups if you may bring them to school to donate to Mundo Verde's water bottle library!
RiverSmart Garden Build (Calle Ocho) - April 10
Join us on April 10 between 1:30pm and 6:00pm to build a vegetated barrier along Varnum Street using raised garden beds, archways, and blueberry bushes!
Earth Day Celebrations Throughout the School Day - Looking for Volunteers!
Each grade level will come outside the school for about 75 minutes and rotate through various sustainability related activity stations. Volunteers are needed to assist with the various stations. Please select a shift that works for your schedule:
Annual Anacostia River Earth Day Cleanup - April 20
Calling all Mundo Verde Earth Besties! Join us on Saturday, April 20 from 10:00am-12:00pm for the annual Anacostia River Earth Day Cleanup! We will meet outside of Margot Hall 3426 12th St NE Washington, DC 20017. You can register here and then email Sustainability Manager, Ms. Carissa, at ctiradomarks@mundoverdepcs.org to let her know you want to join the Mundo Verde team. Registration will be open until April 16. We hope to see you there!
COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION & QUESTIONS
If you didn´t have the chance to participate in the Virtual Information Session About Spring Assessment hosted on March 28 for 3rd-5th grade families, or you want to review the session again, please check the recording here.
Wednesdays at J.F. Cook
Fridays at Calle Ocho
Hop on the weekly Mundo Verde bicibus!
J.F. Cook riders meet on Wednesdays, starting April 3, at Alethia Tanner departing at 8:10am. From there, everybody rides to Florida Ave Park to pick up more riders, and then all together ride to school as a group. For weekly updates, join the WhatsApp channel.
Calle Ocho riders meet on Fridays at Turkey Thicket, departing at 8:10am and riding to school as a group.
If you have any questions, please contact Carissa Tirado, Sustainability Manager, at ctiradomarks@mundoverdepcs.org
J.F. Cook Campus
Garden Market resumes on Tuesday, April 2 at J.F. Cook campus! April market dates are April 2, 9, 23, and 30. Join us from 3:30-4:30pm to support local growers and 5th grade market interns!
HEALTH & SAFETY
As you probably have noticed, DDOT has installed new signage to remind our Calle Ocho school community not to use the neighborhood alleyways during morning drop off (7:00-9:00am) and afternoon pick up (3:00-6:00pm). This means no one — not residents, not parents/caregivers, no vehicles of any kind — should be traveling southbound on these alleyways.
Please know this is not a new or arbitrary request. Alleyways are not designed to be rush hour thoroughfares. Cars using the alleyways compete with cyclists in a very narrow space, putting everyone at risk. Please help us respect our neighbors and — most of all — keep our students safe by avoiding the alleyways during your morning and afternoon commutes.
SCHOOL SERVICES
Last Day to Submit Your Interest Form is April 1
There is still time for your children to participate in the Summer Program, please submit your SY24 Summer Program Interest Form now! The deadline is tomorrow, Monday, April 1.
Families that have completed the Interest Form and have been accepted into the Summer Program, will receive an invitation letter by April 12 with information regarding payment deadlines. Families who do not receive invitations will be added to a waitlist and will be notified. Note: Students with a past due balance for school services (meals, snacks, and extended day), as of April 15 will be ineligible for the Summer Program and moved to the waiting list.
If you have questions about the summer program, please visit our website or send an email to summer@mundoverdepcs.org
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEW! First All-Hands PTO Meeting
Tuesday, April 2nd at 4:30pm - Zócalo
Join Padres on Tuesday, April 2, 4:30pm in the Zócalo at J.F. Cook Campus. Now that Padres is a formal PTO, they will use meetings as a chance to interact and work with teachers. Come for the first meeting! Refreshments will be provided. On the agenda include a listening session with teachers, planning Spring elections, and preparing for the Spring Fiesta!
NEW! Neighborhood Safety Committee Meeting
Wednesday, April 3, 8:00pm
Join the monthly Neighborhood Safety Committee Meeting on Wednesday, April 3 at 8:00pm using this link.
NEW! Viva Viernes!
Friday, April 5, 4:00pm at Big Bear Cafe
Padres will host Viva Viernes on Friday, April 5 from 4:00-7:00pm at Big Bear Cafe (1700 1st Street NW). Come see old friends, meet new ones, and unwind after a long week with the best pizza in DC. It is walking distance from J.F. Cook campus. Supports a Mundo Verde family, and they put on movies upstairs for the kids, so parents and caregivers can have adult conversations in peace!
NEW! Café con Comunidad
Monday April 1, 8:00am
Start your morning out with coffee and connection!
NEW! Join Us and Help Shape the Future of Comunidad!
When? Comunidad is hosting two in-person options, and is aiming to provide a hybrid option, too (details forthcoming)! An RSVP for headcount purposes would be appreciated!
- Option 1: Monday, April 8 from 8:40-9:40am in the Zócalo RSVP. There will be coffee!
- Option 2: Tuesday, April 9 , starting at 7:30pm at Right Proper Brewery (920 Girard St. NE; Washington, DC 20017) (RSVP). *Many thanks to Mundo Verde parents Thor and Leah Cheston for making the space available and tending the bar! A casual meet-and-greet will start at 7:30pm, and a formal presentation from 8:00-9:00pm. While they would love to include kids, this event is just for parents and caregivers who can attend in person or virtually.
Upcoming Events:
Apr 1: Reenrollment Process Starts
Apr 2: Garden Market - JF Cook
Apr 8-12: Sustainability Week
Apr 9: Garden Market - JF Cook
Apr 10: RiverSmart Garden Build - Calle Ocho
Apr 11: Earth Day Celebration - Calle Ocho
Apr 12: Earth Day Celebration - JF Cook
Apr 15: Holiday/School Closed
Apr 16-19: Spring Break / No School for Students and Teachers
Apr 20: Annual Anacostia River Earth Day Cleanup
Apr 23: Garden Market - JF Cook
Apr 24: Coffee with the Principals - Both Campuses
Apr 30: Garden Market - JF Cook
May 2: Board Meeting