Chart Chat 11/09/2011
Welcome old and new subscribers! Charter Chat is published weekly by Friends of Choice in Urban Schools, better known as FOCUS, a nonprofit organization that supports quality public charter schools in the District of Columbia. We hope that you find the resources and information in this e-newsletter useful.
Feel free to forward this email to other parents and community members who might benefit from the information and wish to subscribe directly. If for any reason you don’t receive an edition of Charter Chat, please visit our website and sign up to subscribe. It’s quick and easy: www.FOCUSdc.org/get-involved Of course, should you decide that this newsletter is not beneficial, you may opt out at any time. See the bottom of this message for links to subscribe, forward, and unsubscribe.
Submission Instructions: The more submissions we have, the more useful this e-newsletter will be! Email us at charterchat@focusdc.org to submit youth-oriented and family-friendly events and resources to include in future newsletters with “for charter chat” in the subject line. Please submit entries in the format found in the newsletter below. Entries must be received by COB Monday to be included in the Wednesday edition that week. We generally include entries three weeks in advance of the event date, deadline, or activity start date. We may provide more lead-time for contests, scholarships, competitions, etc. where time for preparation is required.
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Get Involved with FOCUS!
The stakes for education reform have never been greater in DC. The time is now for YOU to get involved. Sign up today to join the movement at FOCUS. www.FOCUSdc.org/Join-Movement
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Charter School Events
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WHAT: The Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS Open House
WHEN: Thursday, November 10th from 9:30 until 11:00am and again on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 9:30 until 11:00am.
WHERE: 3700 Oakview Terrace, NE Washington, D.C. 20017
DETAILS: Our Open House gives us the opportunity to showcase ourselves to prospective families who we are (our school culture) and what we do (language immersion, service learning, etc.). We invite prospective parents to listen to and ask questions of our parent panel; to hear from the school administration; and to tour the school.
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WHAT: School Design Webinar Series
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov 29th - Friday, Dec 9th, 12-1pm each day
WHO: Founding Public Charter School Groups
DETAILS: Interested in starting a public charter school in the District of Columbia? FOCUS’ School Design Webinar series will help your school meet the conditions of the DC Public Charter School Board’s application guidelines. Since our program began in 2004, 75% of successful applicants have participated in our school design programs, including multiple charter management organizations that have replicated their schools in DC.
PRESENTERS: This nine day series will familiarize you with the major components of the DC charter application, with different topics and expert presenters each day. Click here for the detailed schedule.
COST: $475 per group, which includes a copy of the FOCUS "Guide to Starting a Public Charter School in the District of Columbia."
REGISTER: To register, click here, or visit http://www.focusdc.org/workshops.
Questions? Need special accommodations?
CONTACT: Alison Collier at acollier@focusdc.org or 202.387.0405.
UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
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WHAT: Prevention Center Network Meeting
DATE: Friday, November 18, 2011
TIME: 12:00—2:00pm
CONTACT: Charles Dark, Director (202) 543-5796 cdark@sashabruce.org
Jennifer Dean, SPF-SIG Coordinator (202) 299-4003 jdean@sashabruce.org
Courtney Bennett, Community Organizer (202)423-5960 cbennett@sashabruce.org
DETAILS: Gift Cards! Snacks! Connect and collaborate with other
community leaders. Voice your concerns & observations about the issues effecting your community related to underage alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
Help construct policies that will have a positive impact on Wards 5 & 6.
Representation from: MPD, faith based groups, government agencies, direct service providers, community based organizations, health practitioners, & more. Lunch will be provided!
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WHAT: UNDERSTANDING FBAs AND BIPs WORKSHOP
WHEN: Nov. 14 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: TBD
WHO: Teachers, Sped Teachers, Paras
Cost: $40 Co-operative Members, $80 Non-members
DETAILS: Creating effective functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) is critical to a charter's special education compliance. In this workshop, participants will learn how to understand, observe and analyze problem behavior. Through videos and case studies, attendees will learn the skill of accurately describing and assessing behavior, and then learn how to design positive interventions aimed at decreasing challenging behavior while at the same
time increasing positive behaviors. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- analyze the root of challenging behavior
- take behavior data and create a hypothesis
- plan appropriate and effective interventions
- write accurate, effective and compliant FBA/BIP documents
PRESENTER: Katie Holloran is a Certified Special Education teacher, as well as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Katie works in schools with students, teachers, and administrators and in homes with parents/caregivers and children.
REGISTER HERE: https://docs.google.com/a/focusdc.org/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dHF2QlFXVnAtamJlSEEwQk1aX2szbkE6MQ
WHAT: Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative Community Networking Meeting
WHO: Ward 5 & 6 Community Members
WHEN: Thursday, November 17, 2011 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
WHERE: UPO Headquarters,301 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001-1826
DETAILS: November 17th is the last Community Networking Meeting for 2011. We still have space for speakers. Please reply to confirm, if you are able to present. All presentations can be 5-7 minutes long. Pat Fisher at CONTACTS: pfisher@ebfsc.org, Sharon Easton at sdeaston@ebfsc.org, Juanita Jones at jjones@ebfsc.org
202 832-9400
NOTE: If possible, please bring non-perishables donation for our Thanksgiving
“Help A Neighbor in Need Drive” and or an unwrapped gift for the EBFSC Client Christmas Store.
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WHAT: You’re Invited—Become Part of the School Leaders Network!
WHO: D.C. Public Charter School Principals
DETAILS: New Leaders is excited to continue our partnership with the School Leaders Network (SLN) to offer a transformative leadership development experience for DC charter school principals! The DC New Leaders Charter School Network will be facilitated by Dr. Sheila C. Gray, a former school and district leader, with extensive experience and training in facilitation. The network will meet once a month (November through June) for a dinner meeting to explore issues that directly impact your work as educational leaders.
WHEN: The first network meeting will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
WHERE: Embassy Suites-Washington, D.C., 1250 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037.
MORE INFO and RSVP: Interested principals should contact Dr. Sheila Gray at drsc_gray@yahoo.com by Wednesday, November 9, 2011. For more information about the School Leaders Network, visit www.nslnetwork.org.
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NETWORKING ONLINE
FOCUS is online and awaiting to further connect with you and the charter school community. Find and follow us on the following links.
Official Website| www.focusdc.org
Facebook| www.facebook.com/focusdc
Twitter| www.twitter.com/focusdc
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