October 16, 2020

Dear Stoddert Families,

Thanks to those who were able to attend Wednesday’s Coffee with the Principal. At that event, and at our October PTO meeting, I outlined the three different scenarios of the district’s Return to School Plan. In today’s update I’ll provide a more thorough explanation of one of those scenarios – CARE classrooms – and I’ll ask you to respond about your interest in a CARE classroom seat for your child.

CARE classrooms 

• Will accommodate 10-11 students, probably from different grade levels. 
• CARE classroom students will be working on-line with their regular virtual classroom teacher, using headphones.
• CARE classroom students will be supervised by an adult who is not their classroom teacher, and may be a DCPS employee from a different school.
• CARE classroom students will have assigned, safely distanced seats, and will be required to wear masks at all times except when they are eating or drinking.
• CARE classroom students will remain with their cohort of 10-11 students the entire day, including breakfast and lunch which will be eaten in the CARE classroom.
• Each cohort of CARE classroom students will receive daily recess at staggered times, to minimize exposure to other students.
• DCPS will use a randomized selection process to offer CARE seats to students, with priority given to students experiencing homelessness, students receiving special education or ELL services, students classified as at-risk, and then all other students.
• CARE classroom seat offers will occur by October 30, which is after in-person seat offers have been made.
• CARE classrooms will begin the week of November 16 for students in PK through 1^st grade, and the week of November 30 for students in grades 2-5.

In order to plan for CARE classrooms at Stoddert, and to have an idea of how many staff members will be needed, I need to know how many of you would accept a seat in a CARE classroom for your child. 

• The most direct and efficient way for you to get that information to me is by emailing me with a simple statement such as: I am the parent of Sally Smith in 2^nd grade. If my child were offered a seat in a CARE classroom, I would accept that seat. 
• Please send those emails to by Friday, October 23 at Donald.bryant@k12.dc.gov 

Other News

• Beginning next week, students in 1^st-5^th grades will receive one synchronous special per week, with the other specials remaining asynchronous. Based upon the success of this roll-out, synchronous specials may be increased in the future.
• Next week you will receive an invitation for a roundtable discussion to be held on Wednesday, October 21 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. This will be an opportunity for parents, teachers, and administrators to communicate directly on topics such as virtual learning and the transition to in-person learning.

As always, thanks for your continued support.

Principal Bryant and Assistant Principal Villegas