DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) will begin its annual street tree planting next week. This year, more than 3,500 new street trees will be planted in all eight D.C. wards. A map of planned planting locations, which are subject to change due to on-site conditions, can be found at http://ddot.dc.gov/trees. (Click here to go directly to the planting map.)

• Time period: Planting will occur between December and approximately May, depending on weather, emergencies, and other extenuating circumstances.
• Warranty: Each new tree is under a one year warranty by the planting contractor. Every tree that does not survive that first year for applicable reasons will be replaced free-of-charge to the District.
• Canopy Keepers: Contractor and city crews provide water to new trees throughout the year, but UFA relies on residents and businesses to consistently water young trees every week so they get established and thrive. Individuals or businesses that become Canopy Keepers receive a free watering tub for every District-owned tree adopted.

Trees can be adopted by calling 202-671-1533 or submitting a form online.

Any service request for planting, pruning, removal, or inspection of street trees can be made by calling 311 or through 311.dc.gov.

Thanks,

Tom Smith
Ward 3 Liaison
The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Engagement

WOW!! It was great to see so many families at Academic Night. Thanks to all the PTAers who arranged to have pizza and gym play for the children while parents attended many academic sessions. The teachers freely gave of their time to present ideas that they thought parents might want to know for themselves and to help their children. So, from me to teachers and parents — THANKS — you are the major contributors to the success of our Stoddert Wolves!

The garden area behind the amphitheater is fenced in and will become a reality very soon. Sponsors, parents, and teachers updated the faculty this week on all of the progress and asked that all begin planning their varied and different involvements. So many teachers, students, parents, and neighbors are interested in incorporating different aspects of the garden into instructional units, planting, maintenance, etc., and pure enjoyment. Create a garden and they will come!

This week, the faculty was asked for additional input into the design of the natural play areas that have been drawn for us by several of our professional landscape-architect parents. The basic plans include ways for students to interact with natural materials and enjoy imaginative play outdoors. Thanks PTA for supporting ideas from which students can benefit and enjoy.

As per usual, I want you to be thinking about upcoming dates so you can look forward to them.

• I am sure you are planning on attending the Family Fun Night on Saturday, February 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. for pizza, playing in the gym, and playing board games.
• If you have not already signed up for your parent teacher conferences on February 28, please do so. The teachers have different ways of making times available for you, so please ask if you do not already know how to get signed up.
• It seems impossible that the 28th will end February already. Having said this, please page over to your March calendar and put in the PTA meeting for March 3 at 6:30 p.m. I will want to talk with you about the newly proposed Scorecard that will be online—a snapshot to update you on many aspects of the school, including data, survey results, etc. DCPS is asking teachers and parents for input on what all groups think will help keep all stakeholders informed about our school.

No word has come to us yet on the proposed budget for next school year. I am sure you are all following the budget news, at all levels of government, and know that many cuts must come to all given that we are starting from a huge deficit. Your Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) will work closely with me and get news to you when we know. Stay tuned!

— Dr. Marjorie Curhbert

It was a short week, but a terrific week. Once again, I saw quality instruction happening and students engaged in all kinds of learning activities. Many of our teachers were being observed by the Master Educators (MEs), a group of teachers who observe twice a year and rate our teachers as part of their evaluation system called IMPACT. All of the MEs would see quality interactions between the teachers and the students, differentiated activities to meet skill levels, and students engaged in learning. The teachers never know when they might be observed, but it is not a worry at Stoddert, as quality instruction is ongoing. Go Stoddert teachers!

I wanted to give you a quick update on the budgeting process for the next year. As I mentioned in an earlier Blast, your Local School Advisory Team (LSAT), a group of elected parents and teachers/staff who advise me on many issues including budgeting, will begin working on the proposed budget for FY 12. The LSAT met on 01/04/11 to look at projected enrollments and to become familiar with the expectations of its role for preparing for the next school year. We have not met again as I have not received the allocations for Stoddert for next year; DCPS is waiting to see what the amounts given to education from the city will be. We are anxious to get started with planning, but have to wait for our allocations. Stay tuned.

As you know, Stoddert is a green school and we are using the actual building as a teaching tool. This week, students in grades 3-5, and later the teachers at their faculty meeting, learned a lot about the fine acoustics that we have in our building. Two acoustical engineers who worked on our building, Christopher Pollock and Geoffrey Sparks, presented information about why our building is so quiet with demonstrations on reverberations, decibel levels, and materials to absorb sound. It was very informative and teachers take this information and incorporate it into their science units. Over the year we are having a series of presenters who help us learn about our green building.

I always like to mention a few dates that are coming up. On January 25th, our top spellers will compete in the school Spelling Bee to see who will represent Stoddert at the next level of competition. We are fortunate to have many talented spellers. On January 27th our fourth graders will take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test. The NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do. Please read more about it if you wish at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/. Please mark your calendars for February 4th for report cards coming home and February 8th for our Stoddert Academic Night, where teachers will present on reading, writing, and math ideas that will inform you about what our students are learning and how you can help them. We will have many concurrent sessions from which you can choose.

Please check out the completely adorable welcome mat at our front doors. THANKS parents, your PTA purchased this for us. It is so………cute, and needed!

— 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.

• Audio/visual equipment
• Audio cassettes
• Camcorders, digital cameras
• CD-ROM drives, CDs, and DVDs
• Cell phones, pagers, and other hand-held devices
• Computers and monitors
• Connectors, cords, and wire
• Copy machines
• Fax machines, printers, and scanners
• Floppy drives and hard drives
• Memory chips
• Network, video, and sound cards
• Power supplies
• Tape drives
• TVs, VCRs and VCR tapes
• Video games and software
• Unbroken, burned-out, compact-fluorescent light bulbs
• Batteries (but not car batteries)
• Printer cartridges

Other Features:

“Freecycle” Event: Bring working or “in-need-of-a-minor-repair” electronics that you no longer use to the event (and browse the available items yourself). Items from the freecycle will be free to whoever wishes to take them home.

Exhibitors: Clean Currents (a renewable energy company) and the District Department of the Environment will be exhibitors, and a team from Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh’s office will be helping at the event.

Bake Sale: “Many yummy things from which to choose,” according to the website! Hearst’s PTA will be selling reusable, BPA-free water bottles.

You can learn more about the e-cycle at Hearst’s website:
http://www.hearstes.org/recycling/green-team/e-cycle.
You can also contact Selena Smart from Hearst’s Green Team at 202/333-3360.

• An update from the student council president, Connor O’Bryant
• A Pepco representative will discuss the Saving Energy in D.C. Schools initiative
  and distribute free, energy-efficient light bulbs.
• The Stoddert Green Team and Mr. Duff will discuss energy and recycling at school.
• Dr. Cuthbert will introduce a Stoddert academic initiative for next year,
  “Making a World of Difference in the Global Environment.”
• General PTA business

• Recycling: We will continue recycling this year. Our bins and toters went missing during the move to the temporary building, but we are in the process of getting new materials from DCPS. There will be a DCPS recycling meeting on Tuedsay, October 6th, at Powell ES (1350 Upshur St. NW) at 4:30 PM. Third-grade teacher Jinny Choi and others will be attending.
• Energy: There will be a training workshop with the District Department of the Environment and the Alliance to Save Energy on Wednesday, October 7th. Ms. Choi and Mr. Duff will be attending and will bring back information to share.
• Student Green Team: A student group will be forming once more and will meet regularly. The group will have activities and responsibilities related to the recycling and energy program.

Anyone interested in participating in Stoddert’s Green activities should contact Ms. Choi at jinny.choi@gmail.com.