Charter Chat 5/2/12
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: http://focusdc.org/join-movement. 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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ATTENTION PARENTS! We’ve included some open houses in this newsletter, but you can find more here: http://focusdc.org/content/upcoming-public-charter-school-open-house-dates. You can find public charter school open house information here: http://focusdc.org/content/public-charter-school-enrollment-deadline-and-information. Follow us on Twitter for updates on the open house schedules: www.Twitter.com/FOCUSdc.
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CHARTER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES
Reminder
WHAT: Ideal Academy PCS Open House
WHEN: Saturday, May 5 from 10 am to 2 pm
WHERE: 6130 North Capitol St. NW
CONTACT: Call 202 729-6660
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Reminder
WHAT: AppleTree Early Learning PCS Open House
WHEN: Thursday, May 3 from 4 pm to 5 pm
WHERE: All campuses (visit http://www.appletreeinstitute.org/schools for specific locations)
CONTACT: Email info@appletreeinstitute.org
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UPCOMING EVENTS
WHAT: Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy - MEGA Enrollment Days
WHEN: Monday May 21- Thursday May 31 - See website for campus specific dates and times www.ChavezSchools.org
WHERE: Chavez Capitol Hill, Chavez Parkside, Chavez Prep
DETAILS: Onsite application and registration onsite for new students. Re-enrollment (Phase I &II) for returning students.
CONTACT: Visit www.ChavezSchools.org
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WHAT: Meridian’s 3rd Annual Life and Family Fiesta
WHEN: Saturday, May 26, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
DETAILS: The celebration will take place at Harrison field (right across from our new school building that is currently being renovated for the next school year). We will take this opportunity to celebrate the importance of life and family with our Meridian community. This year, our theme will be health and wellness. We will have various community organizations such as LAYC, PNC bank, CrossFit Praxis, WIC, MindStreams that will provide us with free resources. We will also have food, music, entertainment, and workout stations. So make sure you wear comfortable shoes and be ready to have fun!!
CONTACT: Email lhassell@meridian-dc.org
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Reminder
WHAT: Elsie Whitlow Stokes School's Gala Celebrating Excellence in Education
WHEN: Thursday, May 17, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
WHERE: Meridian International Center (1630 Crescent Pl NW)
DETAILS: On May 17, Elsie Whitlow Stokes School will host its annual gala, Celebrating Excellence in Education. Part social event, part awards ceremony, and part fundraiser, the annual gala has come to be a much-anticipated springtime event at Stokes. This spring, the gala is honoring two incredible forces in D.C. education: Katherine Brittain Bradley of CityBridge Foundation and Malcolm "Mike" E. Peabody of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools.
CONTACT: Contact Amy Dickson, Director of Development at Stokes School, at amyd@ewstokes.org. Purchase tickets or become an event sponsor by visiting http://ewstokes.givezooks.com/events/gala-celebrating-excellence-in-education
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Reminder
WHAT: Washington Latin Public Charter School Annual Spring Carnival
WHEN: Saturday, May 19 from 11 am to 3 pm
WHERE: 4115 16th St NW
DETAILS: We are planning to have carnival games/activities, face painting, a fortune teller, tattoo artist (fake tattoos, of course), stilt walking performance, lots of food and plenty of fun for the kids. This year we are also planning to have a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament for students of both the Upper School and Lower School campuses.
CONTACT: Email LCampbell@aila.org
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Reminder
WHAT: Get Your Skill On Workshop Series
WHEN: Dates vary
WHERE: Healthy Families/Thriving Communities Collaborative Council, 1112 11th St NW, Suite B
METRO: Mt. Vernon Square (Green line)
DETAILS: You’re invited to “Get your skill on!”, a new series of affordable workshops. The new series includes five workshops. They are:
• Who does what in the legislative and executive branches? (May 10, 10:00 am – Noon, $40)
• Getting the word out (May 17, 10:00 am - Noon, $40)
• The basics of social media for advocacy (May 24, 10:00 am - Noon, $40)
• Making the most of public hearings (May 31, 10:00 am - Noon, $60*)
• Advocacy communications beyond testimony (June 7, 10:00 am - Noon, $60*) [*See blog for details]
Any individual registering for all five workshops receives a 15% discount!
CONTACT: Details about the workshops are on the Helping Others Better blog.
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SCHOLARSHIPS / CONTESTS / AWARDS
WHAT: Make Your Own Money Contest
WHEN: Deadline for submissions is Friday, June 1
DETAILS: Win $2,000 for your business idea, plus a membership and resources from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship! All you have to do is write an essay of up to 500 words describing the type of business you want to establish, who your customer is, how you will market your products and services, and what the seed money will mean for you. Send us up to three photos of yourself and your product(s). All entries will be judged by a judging panel made up of Seventeen editors and staff members from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) based on the following criteria: innovation (33.3%); creativity (33.4%); business-savvy (33.3%).
CONTACT: Visit www.seventeen.com/makeyourownmoney to complete and submit the entry form and to review the official contest rules
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Reminder
WHAT: The 31st National Congressional Art Competition
WHEN: Deadline for submissions is Friday, May 6
WHERE: Deliver artwork submissions to: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, The National Press Building, 529 14th Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20045.
DETAILS: All District of Columbia students, grades 8 through 12, are eligible to participate in the competition. Submit original artwork and a competition entry form. Entry forms and competition guidelines can be obtained from your art teacher or from the address below. Artwork submitted for the competition must be original and created entirely by the contestant. A copy of the Student Release form, signed by both the teacher and the student, must be attached to the back of the artwork to certify the originality of the piece. Only two- dimensional artwork will be accepted. Three-dimensional artwork is not eligible. The maximum total dimensions of framed artwork are 28”X28”X4” and unframed artwork is 26″X26″X4”. The content, condition, and production of artwork must be suitable for public display as determined by the Architect of the Capitol. Artwork created by the District of Columbia First Place winner will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol along with other First Place winners from across the country in the Congressional Art Competition national exhibition for one year. Other awards and prizes include scholarships from the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Corcoran College of Art and Design, gift certificates, tickets to sports and entertainment events, a computer and much, much, more! All participants will receive an invitation to attend a special reception and awards ceremony Coordinated by D.C. Congressional Art Committee and hosted by Congresswoman Norton. All District of Columbia artwork submissions will be display at this exhibit, and winners will be announced at the ceremony.
Competition Categories
• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
• Collage: must be two-dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, blockprints
• Mixed media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolors, etc.
• Photography
• Computer generated art
CONTACT: For more information, contact Thomas Atkins at 202 783-5065. You may obtain additional applications at http://www.norton.house.gov/
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YOUTH PROGRAMS / WORKSHOPS / CLASSES / CAMPS
WHAT: Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives: A National Conversation
WHERE: Locations and dates vary
DETAILS: The DC Public Library is proud to host Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives, a major national initiative bringing humanities-based public programming to 100 public libraries, arts centers, theaters and museums across America. Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives aims to inspire people to come together to read, see and think about classical literature and how it continues to influence and invigorate American cultural life. Over five weeks, we will host six public events in libraries around the city, each on a different theme. We invite you to come and be a part of the conversation.
CONTACT: Call or visit DC Public Library online at (202) 727-1288 or http://www.dclibrary.org/ancientgreeks for information on specific event details or if you have any questions.
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Reminder
WHAT: Children's Defense Fund - Freedom Schools Program
WHEN: Starting June 18, 2012-Ending August 3, 2012
WHERE: Maya Angelou Public Charter School, Middle School Campus (5600 East Capitol St. NE)
DETAILS: A free summer enrichment program operating Monday-Friday from 8:30AM-3pm, Freedom Schools offers students a program which boost student motivation to read and generates a more positive attitude towards learning and connects the needs of children and families to the resources of their communities. Students will receive free books to add to their personal libraries, free breakfast and lunch, free weekly field trips, exposure to social justice projects and high engagement for all participants.
CONTACT: For more information on the Freedom Schools, please contact Atlantis Browder at abrowder@seeforever.org or 202-232-2885.
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
WHAT: Downtown Silver Spring Fine Arts Festival
WHEN: Saturday, May 5 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday, May 6 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
WHERE: Ellsworth Drive
DETAILS: Come out to see over 130 artists exhibiting sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics, glass, digital art, mixed-media, wood - and more!
CONTACT: Visit http://downtownsilverspring.com/events.cfm?id=3.
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WHAT: The 6th Annual International Children’s Festival
WHEN: Sunday, May 6 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
WHERE: Meridian International Center (1624-1630 Crescent Place NW)
DETAILS: This event includes 25+ Educational booths hosted by foreign embassy representatives, up to 10,000 Festival attendees from DC and the surrounding area, traditional dance and music performances by local and international groups, and an international children’s parade featuring the traditional dress of the participating countries
CONTACT: Visit http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/things-do-see/calendar/event/6th-annual-international-childrens-festival.
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WHAT: Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
WHEN: Saturday, May 12 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday, May 13 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
WHERE: Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle, along Norfolk, Auburn & Del Ray Avenues
DETAILS: Delight in fine art created by 130 of nation's best artists, live entertainment and Bethesda restaurants!
CONTACT: Visit http://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/bethesda-fine-arts-festival.
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WHAT: National Museum of Health and Medicine 150th Anniversary Celebration Open House
WHEN: Monday, May 21, 2012 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
WHERE: National Museum of Health and Medicine (2500 Linden Lane)
DETAILS: Please join the National Museum of Health and Medicine for its 150th anniversary celebration and grand opening open house! During this special free event, take a tour of the Museum's new exhibits on the evolution of military medicine, the wonders of the brain, Civil War medicine, biomedical engineering and so much more. No RSVP required.
COST: Free!
CONTACT: For more information, visit http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/news/grandopeninginvite.html, call 301-319-3300, or e-mail medicalmuseum@gmail.com.
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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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