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

During the ceremony, the portrait of Benjamin Stoddert originally presented by the PTA in 1932 will be returned to the school. Also, the National Capital Chapter of the Navy League will present a plaque detailing Benjamin Stoddert’s biography, taken from official U.S. Navy history; and a framed copy of the Washington Post article about the 1932 building dedication ceremony. All three will be installed in the school lobby.

U.S. Navy Commander David Varner, whose command includes Glover Park’s own U.S. Naval Observatory, has been invited to speak about the link between Stoddert Elementary and the Naval Observatory. A U.S. Navy Color Guard may participate, depending on their other mission requirements. Pat Clark, President of the Glover Park Citizens’ Association, will also speak at the special event. The GPCA was represented at the original dedication, 78 years ago. Tradition!

And, believe it or not, rumor has it that Benjamin Stoddert himself will be attending the event. Inside sources say that First Lady Abigail Adams will accompany him to represent President John Adams, who has a scheduling conflict due to other presidential responsibilities.

Please arrive no later than 1:45 p.m. for the ceremony. With 300+ children, teachers and other attendees, we’d like to have everyone in place to start on time.

For event questions, please contact Mitch Wander at mwander [at] gmail [dot] com.

Photo: Judith Beermann

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

I am organizing, along with Friends of Glover Park, a ceremony to dedicate the new co-op classroom to Miss Beth’s memory. We will place a bronze plaque and also donate some special classroom equipment in her honor. The PTA would like to make a contribution to this effort, so we would like to ask those of you who have special memories of her to please consider a donation to the PTA, to be used toward the memorial. If you have any questions or would like to be involved in the planning of this ceremony, please contact me at 202-337-0134 or molly.c.evans [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thank you! Molly Evans

What an exhilarating week for the Stoddert Wolves and their teachers. On Tuesday, representatives from DCPS and SchoolWorks visited our school as part of the process to determine if we can be designated as an Autonomy School. As previously explained, Stoddert ES applied for this status at the invitation of the District because our achievement in math and reading showed 75% proficiency in reading and math, as measured by the DC CAS. For those who missed last week’s message, we applied for Autonomy to have some latitude in the budgeting process; to have freedom to design professional development to meet the needs of our faculty; and to use appropriate assessments that measure the capabilities of all of our students, including those students performing above grade level. The review team arrived at 7:00 a.m. and left at 6:00 p.m. They visited classrooms, met with a group of parents (10 strong & THANKS), met with a group of students (12 strong), met with three different groups of teachers, met with our Leadership Team, met with me individually, and compiled their recommendations. Their findings go next to the Office of School Innovation and then to Chancellor Rhee to determine if we will be placed in the status of Autonomy School. It would be ideal to open our new school with this status, but the goals listed in the process are those that we will achieve irrespective of a status designation. I was bursting with pride as the first salient point made by the team to me was, “We observed 80-100% of your students to be engaged, across multiple classroom visits, and we do not usually see this.” What is more exciting than students engaged and learning? I will keep you posted as to the outcome that is to be given to us in early June.

As of the last meeting with the engineers and architects, the new school is on target for opening in August. We will begin planning for the move from Stoddert East to the 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. 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. Stay tuned for details. The telephones and office will move to Hardy MS (for the summer) on June 23 and Stoddert East will be dismantled the following weekend starting on the Calvert Street side. So, please GET YOUR REGISTRATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR IN AS SOON AS YOU CAN. I think some DCPS papers say you have until June 15, but please do not wait. It is going to be an exciting time, but we need you to register new students or reregister returning students SOON so the transition can be smooth and we meet our needed enrollments. It helps us plan everything if we know who is really going to be with us next year to open our new STODDERT ES.

— Dr. Marjorie Cuthbert

THANKS for helping us!

This meeting is for anyone interested in discussing options for Stoddert’s natural playground. We have a landscape architect lined up to help with ideas and options but have to work out the specific details for the meeting. We really want the word out so everyone who is interested has a say in putting it together.

Please contact Ginger Jacobs with questions: ginger_neva [at] yahoo [dot] com

Thanks to the PTA and parent donations of activity fees, time, and resources, Stoddert “East” has lovely play areas for the students in the front and back of the trailers. Your donations also help purchase teachers’ supplies, field trips (through scholarships), teacher trainings, and classroom libraries.

We are asking for a contribution of $300 per family, the same as last year. If you feel that you cannot give at this level we hope that you will consider giving at whatever level you can. Our main goal is PARTICIPATION. We would like to get close to 80% participation this year, something we have never achieved in the past. So please consider a donation at the level you can afford.

Please submit your donations to your child’s homeroom teacher or to the PTA file in the principal’s office.

Warmest wishes for the holidays and the New Year to you and your families!

Martha Rebour
Parent of Second-Grader Matthew Rebour