We have compiled a survey for parents. You can find it online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StoddertParentSurvey. It is an anonymous survey.

The results will be used to build our Comprehensive Plan for next year to meet the needs of our students, parents, teachers, and community. The 4th- and 5th-graders will complete a student survey and the teachers will respond to the teacher survey. Please give us constructive feedback, as we are dedicated to bettering any situation that needs improvement. A paper copy will be sent home on Monday the 14th for those choosing not to respond on-line. Please watch for it or respond anytime to the posted survey. Thanks, your thoughts will contribute to continued excellence at Stoddert.

Not too many days left in the 2009-2010 school year. Even as we wind down, many good things continue to happen at Stoddert East. When you are reading this on the weekend, please know that a marvelous Awards Day took place for all the students. You may have come, having seen it on the website last week, but if not, please ask your children about the day. Many awards recognized achievement, participation, attendance, and citizenship. It is always tremendously rewarding to stand with dedicated faculty in front of terrific students. It is always a very rewarding day for a proud principal.

The fifth-graders practiced at the Russian Embassy Thursday for their Promotion Ceremonies, coming up on June 17, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. It will be a day of celebration with students featured on the program. I will be promoting some very competent fifth-graders who are talented in multiple ways. We will thank the embassy for sharing their lovely space with us.

Thanks to many more of you. Our registration rate for next year has risen to 63%. Now this is certainly an increase over our 48% from a couple of weeks ago, but please help us reach 100%. This means that 85 of our families still need to officially register. Many of you have signed intent to return forms, but we need you to zip over to school and register for next year. We cannot plan without true numbers of students. THANKS in advance for taking care of this before school ends on June 22!

Heads Up! A survey is coming to you to ask your opinions on how all of us at Stoddert East are doing. It is on line at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StoddertParentSurvey. It is an anonymous survey. The results will be used to build our Comprehensive Plan for next year to meet the needs of our students, parents, teachers, and community. The 4th- and 5th-graders will complete a student survey and the teachers will respond to the teacher survey. Please give us constructive feedback, as we are dedicated to bettering any situation that needs improvement. A paper copy will be sent home on Monday for those choosing not to respond on-line. Please watch for it or respond anytime to the posted survey. Thanks, your thoughts will contribute to continued excellence at Stoddert.

LOST and FOUND items are multiplying! We have so many terrific items. As you know, we are about to pack up the entire school to move to our wonderful new home. Please come and claim items. On the last day, we will donate all items to a worthy cause. The items are available across from the Main Office.

Have a terrific weekend!

— Dr. Marjorie Cuthbert

The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at 441 4th Street, NW , in the District of Columbia State Board of Education Chambers, located on the lobby level of the building.

Constituents who wish to comment at the meeting are required to notify the State Board of Education in advance by contacting the Staff Assistant, Jamikka Kendrick by phone at (202) 741-0888 or by e-mail at Jamikka.Kendrick@dc.gov twenty-four hours before the scheduled meeting time. Please provide one electronic copy and bring fifteen copies to the hearing for the State Board members to view.

The meeting will air live on District Knowledge Network (DKN) Comcast Channel 99, RCN Channel 18, and Fios Channel 12.

It was great to see so many of you at International Night. The array of food was great. It is also very rewarding to see everyone interacting and enjoying being together. The International Day presentations were also terrific. The students and teachers worked hard studying, writing, and creating about their chosen countries. All of the students rotated around the school to see the displays and to taste delicious treats from the countries. What a wonderful learning opportunity for everyone. Please check on the website for a slide show of the wonderful displays.

Thanks to those of you who have registered for next year. We need everyone! We still have about 90 returning families who have not yet registered for next year. Detailed planning is impossible unless we have an accurate count of our verified registrations. THANKS for helping us get this done.

Please let me remind you about helping us pack on Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. The packing boxes will arrive on June 14th and we will begin. We will work hard on sorting out the materials that go to the new school so that they can be packed and ready for pick-up on June 23rd. As mentioned before, our phones will ring at Hardy MS starting June 23rd and you will be able to find Ms. Wilson, Ms. Rivera, and me housed there – the actual space to be identified soon. I will keep you posted.

We are planning our Awards Day for June 11, 2010. Grades 3–5 will celebrate at 9:30 am and PreK–2 at 2:00 pm. We have so many accomplishments to celebrate this year. Go Stoddert Wolves!

Dr. Marjorie Cuthbert

The market runs on Saturdays from 9 am – 1 pm in the parking lot of Hardy Middle School (Wisconsin Ave., across from the “Social” Safeway). This community-run farmers’ market features local fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, cut flowers, plants, bread, pastries, and so much more. There is live music every week from local bluegrass bands, facepainting, and periodic chef demos. Dogs are welcome!

This market is in its second season, and is run by non-profit DC Greens. Proceeds from the market go to support school garden programs (including one at Stoddert, slated for implementation this Fall), and farm-to-school initiatives in the District. As a new market, we are relying on the community to keep afloat. Hope to see you at the market, and please help us spread the word!

June 3: From Lauren Shweder-Bell, one of the market’s organizers

In honor of Glover Park Day (June 5th), the Glover Park-Burleith Farmers’ Market will be handing out $2 market coupons to the first 50 patrons at the market this Saturday! The King Street Bluegrass Band will also be joining us, so dust off your dancing shoes. Fun! Also look for farmers’ market volunteers at Glover Park Day between 11 am and 1 pm—they’ll have special offers.

Have your children lost any sweaters, jackets, hats, t-shirts, or other clothing items? If the answer is yes, please come and check our bursting clothes rack and bins across from the main office. There are many very nice items just waiting to be found. I know that several parents have been successful this week in reuniting children with jackets.

Thanks to about half of all the Stoddert families who have successfully registered for next year. It is so crucial that the other half does so before school is out. All of our planning for next year is based on our enrollment – real, not projected. We cannot make classroom assignments without having registered children. So, here comes my plea again to please GET YOUR REGISTRATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR IN AS SOON AS YOU CAN. It helps us plan everything if we know who is really going to be with us next year to open our new STODDERT ES. The front office will stay open Thursday nights until 7:00 p.m. through June 17th to help those of you who cannot come during the regular hours. Stoddert East will not exist as of June 23 in that telephones and computers will be moved to Hardy MS for the summer. Shortly thereafter, it will be dismantled and shipped to house its new population. Please work with us to get registered NOW!

The School Improvement Team met this past week. We were told once again that New Stoddert will be ready for August. We will begin planning for the move from Stoddert East to new Stoddert ES. In the first week of June we will begin labeling items to go with us. We will work again with Spectrum moving company and the DCPS warehouse. Actual packing boxes will arrive the week of June 14th. As mentioned before, if you can volunteer to help pack things for our teachers, mark your calendars for the weekend days of June 19 and 20. The school will be open on the weekend for teachers and helpers.

Dr. Marjorie Cuthbert

Beautification Day 2010 is Saturday, August 21. Stay tuned to www.dcps.dc.gov for coming information. Beautification Day is an annual event established in 2005 as a citywide “spruce up” of all DC public school buildings in preparation for the first day of school. Each year more than 2,000 volunteers help spruce up our schools.

2. Summer Volunteer Opportunities – Various Locations

Volunteers are needed to work directly with DCPS students this summer during our afterschool programs (Monday – Friday; 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm) in the following areas:

• Arts & Crafts
• Performing Arts
• Sports
• Technology

To volunteer, please contact the afterschool coordinator. List of Afterschool Coordinators (PDF)

3. Afterschool Volunteer Opportunities – Francis Stevens EC (2425 N St. NW)

Volunteers are needed to work directly with students during afterschool programs in the following areas:

• Academics
• Arts and Culture (music, multicultural activities, newspaper/journalism, photography)
• Athletic Coaches

High School volunteers are welcome. Community service hours are available.

Contact: Désirée McCoy, 202-421-8709, fsec.pcat@gmail.com

4. Coaches, Panelists, Library Aids, Reader/Tutors – Powell ES (1350 Upshur Street, NW)

Powell Elementary needs volunteers to:

• Coach STEP, basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer, dance, guitar, keyboarding and theatre
• Serve as panelists for Portfolio Presentations (listen and judge students’ presentations and exhibitions of their work/projects): June 16-18 from 9 – 11 a.m.; June 16-17 from 1- 2 p.m.
• Unpack and organize books from June 14 – 18
• Help prepare for Powell’s spring talent showcase and play
• Read to students during a morning reading session from 8:00-8:40 a.m. any day M-F.
• Read to student during a power lunch session from 11-12 pm any day M-F

Contact: Principal Janeece Docal, Janeece.docal@dc.gov – include “Powell Volunteer” in the subject line.

5. Tutors for Afterschool Program – Dunbar SHS (1301 New Jersey Ave. NW)

Looking for tutors for high-school-level academics. Tutoring is available Mon-Friday from 3:15-6 p.m. Students can be tutored one-on-one or in small groups. Please be available for at least 1 hour a day, 2 days a week, or 2 hours for one day. Contact: Audra Murray, Audra.Murray@dc.gov, (202) 698-3477

6. Tutors – King Elementary (3200 6th St. SE)

Tutors are needed to work with students in a variety of subjects from 3 – 6 pm. Time commitment is flexible. Contact: Niama Sandy, niama.sandy@dc.gov, 202.446.7160

7. Afterschool Volunteers – Lasalle-Backus EC (501 Riggs Rd. NE)

Volunteers are needed afterschool to assist with:

• Dismissal, transition and snack delivery: duties including assisting with students in transition from various clubs onsite, as well as monitoring and giving snacks out during snack time in the cafeteria and assisting staff with transitioning students during school dismissal.
• Pre-k and Pre-School Aide: to assist lead teacher in the classroom with students. Aide must have some experience working with this age group.

Both positions will be needed daily, but flexible. Contact: Tamara Convington, 202-671-6340, 202-706-3756 (cell), tamara.covington@dc.gov

How to become a DCPS volunteer

1. Complete a volunteer application.
2. Process your application in person. Bring the application and proof of a negative TB test result (taken within the last 12 months) and a government issued photo ID to DCPS Central Office and complete a fingerprinting background check.
3. Receive a volunteer clearance letter in the mail. Once your application clears school security you will receive a volunteer clearance letter in the mail (average processing time 5-10 business days).

Visit http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/volunteer for more information and to download the volunteer application.

DCPS Volunteer Network

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49786125@N08/sets/72157623831940073/show/