Community Meeting
Feb 21-25: NO SCHOOL for Students
OJO! Parent-Teacher Conferences February 25 & March 2
REMINDER! J.F. Cook Campus: Spirit Week - Feb 28 - Mar 4
NEW! GOLD & Academic Reports
Health & SafetyREMINDER! Rapid Test REQUIRED For All Students After February Break
NEW! Changes to Covid-19 Policies
Weekly Covid Dashboard
Weekly Class Status
OJO! Arrival Times Start at 8:10am - Before School Program is Open Only for Registered Students
Events & ActivitiesEngagement Opportunities, 2022
REMINDER! Coffee with Principal Netta - J.F. Cook Campus, March 11
SAVE THE DATE! Coffee with Principal Jenn - Calle Ocho Campus, March 25
NEW! DC International School Tour in Person: 4th & 5th Grade Students - March 2
SAVE THE DATE! Board Meeting with Public Comment - March 10
Extended Day ProgramExtended Day Program Schedules
NEW! Absences During Extended Day Program
Student & Family SupportsNEW! City-wide School Behavioral Health Services Survey - Your Feedback Matters!
Community AnnouncementsUPDATED! Black History Month - Three more events!
UPDATED! More Dates For Comunidad Playdates - Calle Ocho Campus
School Calendar and Upcoming EventsACADEMICS
Feb 21 - Holiday, SCHOOL CLOSED
Feb 22 & 23 - Mid Winter Break, NO SCHOOL for Students & Teachers
Feb 24 - Professional Development NO SCHOOL for Students
Feb 25 - Parent Teacher Conferences, NO SCHOOL for Students
February 25 & March 2
On February 25 and March 2, parents and caregivers will spend time together with our teachers in one-on-one meetings.
Parent Teacher Conferences are an important way for families to hear from and discuss with teachers the strengths and areas of growth they are observing in their child – across both social-emotional and academic indicators, including testing and other assessments. Especially for young learners, the development of baseline social-emotional skills are critical building blocks for academic learning. Discussing progress reports with teachers helps parents and caregivers develop strong partnerships so that whenever possible learning at home and learning at school are aligned and supportive. Students are generally not present during these conferences.
Your child’s teacher will be happy to answer any questions you might have about Parent Teacher Conferences, please email them directly.
Feb 28 - Mar 4
ESPICA Spirit Week at J.F. Cook Campus is coming! A week of fun to lift spirits, build community, and celebrate Mundo Verde’s ESPICA values:
Empathy
Speak your Truth
Perseverance
Inquiry
Collaboration
Appreciation
We understand that we matter—our actions, attitudes, and priorities today will leave an imprint on generations to come. We are charged with caring for the world around us so as not to sacrifice the needs of others in the present and in the future.
Feb 28, Monochromatic Monday: wear the same color from head to toe!
Mar 1, Tourist Tuesday: dress up as a tourist, ready for vacation
Mar 2, Wacky Wednesday: crazy hair, clothes, you name it!
Mar 3, Throwback Thursday: steal the fashion of yesteryear, pick your favorite decade
Mar 4, Friendship Friday, get with your friends and show off your group’s style
Pre-K 3 & 4: Last week all PreK-3 and PreK-4 families should have received their GOLD reports via email communicating their children's progress. If you have questions about the content of the report related to your child, please contact your teacher.
Kinder-5th Grade: Lat week all K-5th grade families should have received their academic reports via email. If you have questions about your child's performance, please contact your teacher.
If you did not receive the email with reports, please contact platforms@mundoverdepcs.org.
HEALTH & SAFETY
As part of the city’s initiative for a safe return from break, all students, regardless of vaccination status or recent previous Covid-19 infection, must submit a negative rapid antigen test result on Sunday, February 27 prior to returning to school on Monday, February 28. Rapid tests were distributed to students on Thursday 2/17 and Friday 2/18.
The submission form will be available from 8:00am-1:30pm on Sunday, February 27 for families to submit negative rapid antigen test results.
OJO! Any positive result should be emailed to covid19@mundoverdepcs.org.
All students will be checked on Monday before entering school. If you do not submit a result prior to 1:30pm on Sunday 2/27, your child will not be allowed in the building on Monday 2/28. If you miss the deadline on Sunday 2/27, you will need to wait until 8:45am on Monday 2/28 to submit the form with your child’s negative result in order to attend school on that day. Mundo Verde will not be testing onsite.
The Department of Health released, on January 31, significant changes in updated Covid-19 guidance for schools.
Mundo Verde carefully reviewed the new guidance and we have made changes to our policies, which you can find details of in our updated routines, as a reference, please find our previous Covid-19 Guidance here. We highly encourage you to read them.
Highlights include:
Test-To-Stay program for eligible PreK-3 and PreK-4 students
Reduction in class threshold from 70% to 50% for Kinder-5th grade so that more classes remain open even after a positive case may be identified
Requiring booster shots for those who are eligible, so they can then be considered fully vaccinated
Reduction in quarantine time for someone who tests positive for Covid-19 and is asymptomatic (without symptoms) from ten to seven days
For up-to-date information and statistics on how we are containing the spread of Covid-19, visit the Health & Safety section on the website.
The school is on mid-winter break this week. This report will be available in the next Family Update.
Before School Program is Open Only for Registered Students
The Before School Program is currently at capacity on both campuses. If your family is not signed up for this program please do not drop your children off at school between 7:30-8:10am. Arrival times are as follow:
Calle Ocho Campus Arrival Blocks:
8:10-8:20AM: 1st & 2nd grade
8:20-8:30AM: Kinder
8:30-8:40AM: PreK
J.F. Cook Campus Arrival Blocks:
8:10-8:30am: 1st - 5th grade
8:10-8:20am: PreK
8:20-8:30am: Kinder
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Meet with Teachers, Executive Director, Principals, Interim Chief School Officer, and Board Members
February 25 & March 2 - Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are an important way for families to hear from and discuss with teachers the strengths and areas of growth they are observing in their child – across both social-emotional and academic indicators, including testing and other assessments. For more details, read the ACADEMICS section in this Family Update.
February 25 - Leadership Office Hours
This is an opportunity for families and caregivers to meet and talk with school leaders. Executive Director Kristin Scotchmer, J.F. Cook Principal Netta Douglas, Calle Ocho Principal Jenn Koaukeou, and (NEW!) Interim CSO Joseph look forward to meeting with as many family members as possible in individual, 10-minute slots between 9:00-10:30am. Walk-ins are also welcome thereafter from 10:30-10:50am. Time slots are available on a first come, first serve basis.
For instructions on how to register, read the letter sent yesterday, Saturday, February 18, with Expanded Engagement Opportunities: bit.ly/MVEngagement021822
We invite you to register for "walk-in office hours" using the following links
Kristin: bit.ly/MVRegistrationKristin022522
March 2 and March 3 - Listening Sessions with Interim CSO Joseph
Our Interim CSO Joseph is hosting Listening Sessions with families by campus. These listening sessions are an opportunity for parents and caregivers to share their experiences at Mundo Verde, introduce themselves, draw Joseph’s attention to any particular issues, and ask questions. Joseph will also formally introduce himself to the community.
Each campus will host sessions in both English and Spanish as indicated below.
J.F. Cook Campus:
March 3, 6:00-6:45pm English
March 3, 7:00-7:45pm Spanish
Calle Ocho Campus:
March 2, 6:00-6:45pm English
March 2, 7:00-7:45pm Spanish
Board Meeting with Public Comment - March 10, 6:30-8:30pm
The Mundo Verde Board of Directors will host its next meeting on Thursday, March 10 from 6:30-8:30pm. In an effort to connect with our school community, the board is opening this meeting to public comment.
If you didn't have a chance to read the letter sent yesterday, Saturday, February 18 with Expanded Engagement Opportunities, you can read it here: bit.ly/MVEngagement021822
J.F. Cook Campus
March 11, 11:00am-12:00pm
J.F. Cook Campus families and caregivers are invited to join Principal Netta on Friday, March 11, 11:00am-12:00pm for a virtual coffee.
Principal Netta looks forward to defining Restorative Practices, how it is used in school and how to support students at home. We will also have time to answer questions that have come to us from our families and caregivers. To help us best plan for our time together, we invite you to submit questions in advance using this google form. We look forward to seeing many of you there!
Calle Ocho Campus
Friday, March 25
The Coffee with the Principal provides families and school leaders a common space to get to know one another; learn about school initiatives and priorities; share concerns, ask questions, and provide feedback; and cultivate a community committed to the success of every student.
Save the date - Friday, March 25!
4th & 5th Grade Students - March 2
Please join DCI School on Wednesday, March 2 at 6:00pm for an in-person tour of the school. The tour is exclusively for Mundo Verde families and students! Please RSVP here.
DCI is incredibly excited to welcome you all to their campus! Please contact Lauren at lauren.games@dcinternationalschool.org with any questions.
March 10, 6:30-8:30pm
The Mundo Verde Board of Directors will host its next meeting on Thursday, March 10 from 6:30-8:30pm. In an effort to connect with our school community, the board is opening this meeting to public comment, providing an opportunity for families to share thoughts and concerns.
Details on the public comment process and the RSVP form will be shared in the upcoming Family Update.
EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM
Visit the Extended Day Program webpage to learn about:
Unit 3 program schedules by campus
Hours of operation
Before school program
FAQ
Take a look at our first edition of La Revista for fall highlights.
If your family knows your children will be absent for the Extended Day Program, we ask you to inform us by 2:00pm the day of an absence by emailing extendedday@mundoverdepcs.org. This advanced communication informs the transition teams to bring your children to the regular dismissal.
STUDENT & FAMILY SUPPORT
Your Feedback Matters!
The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) has partnered with Child Trends, a nonprofit research organization, to learn about school behavioral health (SBH) services and supports at all public and public charter schools in DC. In Winter 2022, online brief (10-15 minutes) surveys for students, parents, and school staff will be administered. These surveys will provide Mundo Verde with information on student, family, and staff perceptions of school behavioral health services (SBH). The school will receive a report that can be used to help inform our School Strengthening Workplans and to monitor delivery of school behavioral health (SBH) services. Your feedback matters, help us complete the parent survey HERE (survey available in English, Spanish, and Amharic).
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Three More Events!
We are approaching the end of Black History Month, a Celebration of DC’s Black health providers and scientists. Three more events to close out this fun-filled month of learning and engaging activities.
Please mark your calendars! (Zoom Link here)
Cooking on Sunday, Feb 27, 6:00-7:00pm
Quilting on Tuesday, Mar 8, 6:00-7:00pm
Variety Show - TBD
A Night of Cajun Cooking with Chef Eric Tyson - Sunday, Feb 27, 6:00-7:00pm
Chef Eric Tyson is a Baton Rouge, LA native. Starting as a young baker to satisfy his sweet tooth, Eric evolved into a passionate chef with a devotion to bringing a fresh perspective on Cajun-Creole food to Washington D.C. Don’t miss this spicy and tasty event! Click here Spanish and English for more details if you want to purchase the list of ingredients and cook Creole Cajun Chicken and Turkey Sausage Jambalaya alongside Chef Eric.
A Night of Gee's Bend Quilting - Tuesday, March 8, 6:00-7:00pm
Each student will create a unique quilting square using different color construction paper that will be supplied by the school and sent home in your child's backpack. If you are interested in helping assemble and hang the quilts, please provide your contact information here.
Black Broadway Variety Show- More Info to Come
A Black Broadway Variety Show is a great opportunity for your child to showcase an interest (singing, dancing, spoken word/poetry, rap, comedy routine, tricks, dramatic monologue, or playing an instrument). This event will be hosted by the school and will honor the historical neighborhood of U Street in Washington, DC. More details will be coming soon!
To see the Program and Details about each event, click here in Spanish and English.
Thank you, thank you, thank you We also would like to give a big THANK YOU to those who helped support all the different events this month! None of the programming would have been possible without the support and collaboration of the Mundo Verde staff, the Comunidad Cultural Celebration spoke, and Affinity Group for Caregivers of Black Students.
We also want to give a special shout-out to our 2nd-grade teachers at the Calle Ocho campus, who helped coordinate a guest presentation by Kristi Whitfield, Director of the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. This presentation helped bring the Business Consumerism Expedition to life. During her presentation, students were able to explore the importance of supporting local businesses and how this can have a positive impact on the environment and sustainability.
More Dates For Comunidad Playdates
Please join Comunidad’s first Calle Ocho Campus playdate on Sunday, February 27 at 10:30am-1:00pm at Barry Farm Recreation Center Playground (1230 Sumner Rd SE, Ward 8) for the first monthly school-wide play-date. The goal is to build community by connecting families through informal gatherings.
Please make sure you take your Covid-19 Rapid test and submit your negative test result using the submission form (see announcement above) before attending the playdate. Thank you for supporting our community!
Don't forget to save the date for future playdates:
March 26
April 24
May 28
June 26
Comunidad is Mundo Verde Calle Ocho Campus´ caregiver group. We strive to build community by uplifting the school’s ESPICA values through justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
We are all Comunidad and you are where it all starts.
To connect: comunidad.calle8@gmail.com or text/call 202-922-6272.
Upcoming Events:
Feb 21 - Holiday, SCHOOL CLOSED
Feb 22 & 23 - Mid Winter Break for Students & Teachers
Feb 24 - Professional Development NO SCHOOL for students
Feb 25 - Parent Teacher Conferences NO SCHOOL for students
Feb 25 - Leadership Office Hours
Feb 28 - Mar 4 - Spirit Week at J.F. Cook Campus
Mar 2 - Parent Teacher Conferences
Mar 2 - Listening Sessions for Families with Interim CSO, Joseph - Calle Ocho Campus
Mar 2 - DCI School Tour in Person
Mar 3 - Listening Sessions for Families with Interim CSO, Joseph - J.F. Cook Campus
Mar 10 - Board Meeting with Public Comment
Mar 11 - Coffee Principal J.F. Cook Campus
Mar 25 - Coffee Principal Calle Ocho Campus