CHCS PTA Newsletter
February 13, 2012
In This Issue
Important Dates | Principal’s Note | CHCS News | Upcoming Events | PTA News | Support the PTA | Stay In Touch
February 14 (Tue) — Show The Cluster Some Love:Take Your Valentine To
Tunnicliff’s,5 pm — 10 pm
February 15 (Wed) — Stuart-Hobson Archives Family Connection Night,
6:30 — 8 pm, SH Library
February 16 (Thu) — Peabody Expansion Meeting:Current & Prospective
Parents, 5 pm, Peabody Library
February 16 (Thu) — S-H Modernization Library Working Group, 6:30 pm,
Stuart-Hobson
February 20 (Mon) — President’s Day; DCPS Closed
February 21 (Tue) — Stuart-Hobson Informational Meeting For Prospective
Students, Watkins Food Lab, 6:00 pm
February 23 (Thu) — CHCS LSAT Meeting, 6:00 pm, Stuart-Hobson
February 28 (Tue) — CHCS PTA Business Meeting, 6:30 pm, Watkins
March 1 (Thu) — CHCS Family Science Night, 6:45 pm, Smithsonian Air &
Space Museum
March 2 (Fri) — Dr. Seuss’s Birthday — CHCS Winter Reading Program
Concludes
March 7 (Wed) — Stuart-Hobson Archives Family Connection Night, 6:30 –
8 pm, SH Library
March 23 (Fri) — DCPS Professional Development Day — no school for
students
March 23 (Fri) — HoopEd Sports & Games Camp, Stuart-Hobson
March 29 (Thu) — Peabody Clay Bowl Open House, 4^th Floor Art Room
April 15 (Sun) — CHCS Day Out At The Nationals, Washington Nationals
vs. Cincinnati Reds, 1:35 pm
April 21 (Sat) — CHCS Spring Fling
May 19 (Sat) — Peabody Gardens Spring Work Day, 9 am — 1 pm
May 20 (Sun) — Capitol Hill Classic:start training now!*
Hello Cluster families,
This has been a week of changes at the Cluster. SWS is moving to Logan
and expanding their program and Peabody will be doing the same. I will
be adding a detailed message below about Peabody’s early childhood
program and its accolades and academic achievements. The modernization
of Stuart-Hobson is moving along rapidly with furniture and color
touches being made this week. As it stands now, we will be breaking
ground on the new gym this spring and on the new three-story addition
next fall. Be sure to take a glance at the tri-fold displays in the
entry at each campus. Congratulations to Watkins as they have been
accepted as a pilot school for the DCPS Study Circles Diversity program.
You will be hearing more about this exciting opportunity in the near
future. Congratulations to all the students who presented at Ford’s
Theater this week also!
Have a great week and remember you can always call me directly if you
have any concerns or questions.
Sincerely,
Principal Clemens
Stuart-Hobson Student Kyra Smith & Science Teacher Anthonette Peña
Represent DCPS At White House Science Fair
After attending the White House Science Fair with her teacher, Ms.
Peña,Kyra Smith shared the following report:
On Tuesday February 7, 2012, I attended the White House Science Fair
with my science teacher Ms. Peña. When we got there we met Bill Nye the
Science Guy, who was a very interesting person. We were then led inside
the building after having our IDs checked twice, being sniffed by a
police dog and then going through a metal detector. Upon entry into the
White House we got to look at lots of interesting science projects from
kids across the country. I saw computer games, robot and new inventions
and was very impressed. Before we all went to the press room to hear the
President speak I also got the chance to talk with the astronaut Leland
Melvin. Then we were all told to take our seats. After about 15 to 20
minutes, the President of the United States walked in. It was just like
seeing him talk on TV, except he was only a few feet away, and I could
see the cameras filming him. He talked about appreciating the scientific
and academic achievements of children today and especially about hiring
and training new teachers to encourage and inspire students. It was over
pretty quickly and then the President was gone. Afterward Ms. Peña and
me walked around some more and saw some of the projects we hadn’t gotten
to see before the President’s speech. I also met the President of NASA
and got to explain my project to him and talk about how it was going
into space in the ISS in the spring. Not much later, we left, got
something to eat and then traveled by Metro back to the school.
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program also has a great write-up of
their day at the White House here >>>
240 Students Are Off And Running At Watkins
Congratulations to our 240 fantastic student runners in January at
Watkins!Many runners have already earned their first 5-mile charms, with
many more set to join them at the end of February.Top finishers in
January include…
1st grade – 51 participants – Top Runner: Sophia Smith
2nd grade – 77 participants — Top Runner: Destiny Brown
3rd grade – 51 participants — Top Runner: Jordan Goss
4th grade – 42 participants – Top Runner: Helena Webb
5th grade – 19 participants — Top Runners (tie): Legecee Mitchell and
Jazelle Delaney
Jordan and Helena also participated everyday in January, so in addition
to the charms they earned for distance, they received a January
snowflake charm to mark their special achievement.
Parent volunteers continue to be needed daily from 11:15 am — 12:30 pm
to support the Running Club. Also, help with the monthly tally can be done
anytime, with one parent needed per grade to assist Ms. Thomson with the
record keeping.
Click here to sign-up >>> online to help during recess. Please email Ms. Thomson directly
(tanya dot thomson @ dc dot gov) if you can lend a hand with the tallies.
Winter Reading Program News From Peabody/SWS
With three weeks left to go until our Galactic Goal of reaching 200,000
minutes of reading here at Peabody and SWS, Astronaut Bloom is reporting
that we have made it about half way. As of a few days ago, the
rocket-riding readers had logged nearly *92,000 minutes of reading* and
several readers are already exploring *Planet Uranus* and will be on
their way to *Neptune* very soon! Room 10 logged enough minutes to now
be tied with Room 7 for the most minutes of reading and Rooms 5, 6 and 8
are all very close behind. Astronaut Bloom visited all classrooms last
Friday to show our minutes on the */Reading Rocket/* and to share
another fun solar system prize and she’ll make the rounds again next
week. Keep up the great reading and don’t forget to include minutes
spent in ANY book or literacy-related activity – that includes, time
spent visiting the library, attending a story hour, looking at picture
books by themselves, listening to a book on tape, etc.
Peabody Salad Bar Launched With Revolution Foods
Peabody Kindergartners enjoyed a very successful kick-off of the new
Revolution Foods salad bar last week. The salad bar is operating
Tuesdays and Thursdays for Peabody’s Kindergarten classes, with parent
volunteers helping students create salad masterpieces that seem to
disappear as quickly as they’re made!Parents who can lend a hand from
12:20 — 12:40 pm in the cafeteria can click here >>> to sign
up to volunteer.
Stuart-Hobson 8th Grader Yasmin Banscomb Receives Honorable Mention
In Arena Stage 12th Annual 10-Minute Play Competition
Out of nearly 800 submissions, Stuart-Hobson 8^th Grader Yasmin Banscomb
was awarded a Middle School Honorable Mention in the Arena Stage 12^th
Annual 10-Minute Play Competition, an annual event in which D.C.-area
students submit original 10-minute plays into competition. The Student
Playwrights Project is an educational component of Arena Stage’s mission
to expand the American canon with new work from diverse
voices.Congratulations, Yasmin!
NEW:Attendance-Related Notes May Be Emailed To Peabody & Watkins
NEW! You may now send tardy, absence or other attendance-related notes
to peabodynotes@gmail.com for Peabody students and watkinsnotes@gmail.com for
Watkins students. Paper notes sent to the teacher or given to Ms.
Turner (Peabody) or Ms. Roy (Watkins) will still be accepted.
CHCS Local School Advisory Team Update
The next CHCS LSAT meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 23, at 6
pm at Stuart-Hobson.The LSAT focuses on policy and budget issues that
have an impact on the Cluster’s overall learning environment, and serves
as an advisory body for Principal Clemens and the administration team.If
you have a topic that you would like for the LSAT to consider adding to
its agenda, please contact the LSAT co-chairs Shanika Hope or Mark Engman. A full
list of this year’s LSAT members and minutes from previous meetings are
available online here>>>.
All parents, teachers and staff are welcomed and encouraged to attend.*_Parent Volunteers Needed To Assist Watkins Librarian_*
in the mornings or when you pick them up in the afternoons or anytime
during the day—your help would be so appreciated in shelving the books
that all our scholars are reading! A little goes a long way in keeping
our books easily accessible to our students and teachers!If you are
interested, you can contact Currie Renwick, the Watkins librarian, in
the library or at currie.renwick@dc.gov. Many thanks for your help!*_Peabody/SWS Parents:Adopt The School Bird Feeder!_*The winter schedule to adopt the Peabody Gardens bird feeder is
available online here>>>
have fewer alternative food sources. Classes and after-school groups are more than welcome to sign up. Contact Laura Markswith any questions.*_February School Meal Menus_*Available on the Cluster Website: http://www.capitolhillcluste
Show The Cluster Some Love:Celebrate Valentine’s Day At Tunnicliff’s!
*Tuesday, February 14: 5 pm – 10 pm, Tunnicliff’s Tavern
Make CHCS your family’s Valentine this year!Join your friends and
neighbors for CHCS Night at Tunnicliff’s. Dine and donate at the same
time — Tunnicliff’s will contribute 15% of all sales between 5 pm and
10 pm to CHCS PTA. No special codes or coupons needed.
Stuart Alumni Invited To “Family Connections Nights”
Wednesday, February 15 and Wednesday, March 7, 6:30 — 8 pm — SH
Library*
The Archives and Builders Clubs of SHMS invite alumni of Stuart Junior
High or SHMS who have other family members who attended or currently
attend the school to two “Family Connections Nights” on Wednesday,
February 15, 2012 and Wednesday, March 7, 2012. The events take place
from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the SHMS library. Light refreshments will be
served.The events are designed to bring former and current students
together, learn about various “families’ connectedness” to our school
across several generation, find out more about each other’s experiences
at our school, and share memorabilia. We also hope to conduct brief oral
history interviews. If you have an alum in your family, and you cannot
make these events, please contact Archives Club Sponsors Jan MacKinnon
and Satu Haase-Webb at stuarthobsonarchives@yahoo.com, so we can make plans to talk
to your alum on another day.
Peabody And SWS Are Expanding
*Peabody Parent Meeting:Thursday, February 16 at 5 pm — Peabody Library
*Chancellor Henderson has announced her decision that SWS will relocate
to the Logan Annex beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, allowing
both SWS and Peabody to expand our very successful early childhood
programs. More information is available on the Capitol Hill Cluster
School’s website: http://www.capitolhillclusterschool.org/parents/peabody-and-sws-are-expanding,
including the Chancellor’s announcement letter and answers to frequently
asked questions about the transition. Parents with specific concerns
about the lottery that are not addressed in the FAQs may contact the
DCPS central office point of contact for the SWS move,
claudia.lujan@dc.gov (claudia dot lujan at dc dot gov).Current and prospective parents are invited to a meeting on _Thursday, February 16 at 5:00 pm_ to discuss Peabody’s expansion plans with Cluster Principal Dawn Clemens and DCPS Instructional
Superintendent Lolli Haws.
Stuart-Hobson Informational Meeting For Prospective Students
Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 pm — Watkins Elementary FoodPrints Food
Lab, 4th Floor*
All Watkins 4th and 5th grade families are invited to join Cluster
Principal Dawn Clemens for an informational meeting about Stuart-Hobson
Middle School. Come hear more about the exciting curriculum, wonderful
teachers and innovative programs Stuart-Hobson has to offer.Principal
Clemens will share information about the facilities modernization plans
getting underway this spring at Stuart-Hobson and how those changes will
support the school’s reinvigorated arts integration and museum magnet
programs.
CHCS Family Science Night
Thursday, March 1, 6:45 pm — Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
The *National Center for Earth and Space Science Education* (NCESSE;
http://ncesse.org) and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
would like to invite you to participate in the Family Science Night
(FSN) Program for the 2011-12 academic year.
Family Science Night starts at 6:45 pm with guests entering the Museum in the
/Milestones of Flight /gallery where some of the most remarkable flying
machines ever constructed are on display, including: the Spirit of St.
Louis, the Bell X-1, an X-15, the early rockets of Robert Goddard,
Sputnik, Friendship 7 (John Glenn’s Mercury capsule), and the Apollo 11
Command Module. Guests will also have access to the interactive gallery
/How Things Fly/. At 7:15 pm the program moves to the Lockheed Martin
IMAX® Theater for a 35 minute presentation by a NCESSE space scientist
followed by an IMAX® film. Schools can choose from 9 presentations and 7
IMAX® films. The large number of choices allows educators to integrate
the program into the curriculum.
HoopEd Sports Camp Returns To Stuart-Hobson In March
Friday, March 23 (professional development day)
CHCS PTA is once again teaming up with HoopEd to offer its All Sports &
Games Camp for boys and girls of all skill levels ages 6 through 13.
Kids will spend from 9 am to 3 pm rotating around all different sports
in an environment where coaches teach the rules of the playground,
incorporate all of the kids regardless of abilities, and stress the
important lessons of sportsmanship and being honest in play. Games
include everything from kick ball, soccer, flag football, whiffle ball,
and basketball to all sorts of dodge ball games, capture the flag, and
even old school “kick the can!”
The HoopEd coaches create an environment where kids of all skill levels and abilities feel comfortable and included. Although we always compete to win, the spirit of the game and
FUN is at the center of everything we do. Simply put, kids have fun and learn by DOING! Kids are required to come with a bag lunch and a water bottle and wear comfortable clothes. We guarantee they will leave with a smile on their face!Cost per day is $60, with a reduced rate of $50 for CHCS teachers and $30 for CHCS families receiving free/reduced school
lunches. Siblings receive a $10 discount. After care is available until
5:30 pm for an additional fee.
Online registration is available here
http://www.hoopeducation.com/register.html?programId=SHMC7
Peabody Clay Bowl Open House
Thursday, March 29, 5 pm – 7 pm — Fourth Floor Art Room
29! Ms. Cushman will be having a Clay Bowl Open House that
afternoon/evening from 5-7 pm on the 4th floor in the Art Room. Each of
our wonderful Peabody Artists has created a Clay “Knee” Bowl! Families
and friends and of course, the artists, are invited to come view our
beautiful bowls at this Gala Event! We will serve refreshments and will
have a wrapping station set up so that the bowls may be carried safely
home. We hope all of our Peabody families can attend!CHCS Day Out At The Nationals Returns Again This Spring
Sunday, April 15, 1:35 pm — National Park, Washington Nationals vs.
Cincinnati Reds
Join your friends and neighbors during the Nationals’ home opener series
to watch the Nats take on the Reds.Click here
http://www.capitolhillcluster
*_Save The Date:CHCS Spring Fling Coming April 21_*
Planners needed!Event Co-chairs Shelonda Tillman and Tammy Rimpsey are
looking for volunteers to help coordinate the Field Day activities, yard
sale logistics, and recruit flea market participants. Have ideas to
include for this event? We’d love to hear them! There won’t be another
event this fun to work towards your 20 volunteer hours! Contact Shelonda
(lonnietillman@gmail.com) or Tammy (tammyrimpsey@hotmail.com ) if you’d
like to help out.
CHCS PTA’S 33rd ANNUAL CAPITOL HILL CLASSIC
Sunday, May 20, 2012:10K, 3K & Kids’ Fun Run — Stanton Park
Online registration for the 33rd Annual Capitol Hill Classic is now
open! Click here: http://capitolhillclassic.
reserve your spot in one of Washington’s favorite races. Run entirely
through historic Capitol Hill on a new, more level course, the races
directly benefit our school and our students. See the website
http://www.capitolhillclassic
https://www.facebook.com/
news! Interested in volunteering or sponsoring this great community
event? Contact Race Chair Mike Soderman for more information.
Haven’t Contributed Yet? What Are You Waiting For? Help us reach 100% participation so we can support more great programs!
Our PTA does not charge dues, but we do ask every Cluster family to give what they can as a commitment to our students and our school. Every donation, from $10 to $500 makes a difference! Donate online or send a check through your child’s backpack. All donations are tax deductible, and every penny is spent in support of our school. Imagine what we could accomplish if 100 percent of Cluster families donated!
Need More Mabel’s Labels To Keep Track Of All Those Hats And Mittens?
The Capitol Hill Cluster School PTA has teamed up with Mabel’s Labels to offer you a great opportunity to raise money for the school and save all those hats, backpacks, lunch boxes, mittens and water bottles from being sent to lost and found, never to be seen again. Iron-Ons, Stickies, Bag Tags, Allergy Alert labels & more! Personalize your labels with names, nicknames, initials — whatever you choose. Cool icons help even little ones identify their own belongings. Dishwasher-, microwave-, laundry- & kid-tested!
CHCS Online Store Is Open!
The CHCS Online Store is open for business! CHCS field trip shirts, car magnets, water bottles and more are available for online purchase – even dollar-a-day pledges can be paid here. Orders will be sent home through your child’s backpack! Contact Becky Richards with any questions.
DCPS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Corcoran Gallery of Art Family Day
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is hosting a FREE Family Day on March 3,
2012 with performance, workshops, and much more.NBC weekend has asked
The Corcoran to do a piece on the day with one of our performers,
award-winning Miss Amy (www.missamykids.com) and local children. Cluster
school students are being invited to volunteer to be on NBC to dance
with Miss Amy. Here is a clip of what she did in Philadelphia so you can
get an idea of the event:
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/shows/10-show/Let_s_Move__Philadelphia-119622229.html
For the NBC event with Miss Amy we are looking for a maximum of 15
children 6-10 years old. The NBC event is on Saturday, February 25 and
the arrival time is 8am for the 9am live performance.Parents can e-mail
Joanna Anderson at janderson@corcoran.org directly if they are interested.
STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE CLUSTER
Capitol Hill Cluster School Parent Teacher Association (CHCSPTA)
To keep up with all the latest Cluster information, join the PTA listserv, visit us on the web, follow CHCSPTA on Twitter and visit CHCS on Facebook!
Do you have news to share with the Cluster community? Email us at chcsptanews@gmail.com so we can spread the word. Any related photos are greatly appreciated!
For Peabody families & staff: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Peabody_ECC/
For SWS families & staff: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWS-Reggio/
For Watkins families & staff: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WatkinsElementary/
For S-H families & staff: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/capitolhillclustermiddleschool/
Peabody Early Childhood Campus: 202-698-3277
School-Within-School at Peabody: 202-698-3283
Watkins Elementary Campus: 202-698-3355
Stuart-Hobson Middle School Campus: 202-671-6010