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.
________________________________________
VOICES UNITED FOR FAIR FUNDING
FOCUS is mobilizing supporters to fight for funding equity for public charter schools. Watch our video here from yesterday’s council hearing on fair funding and then get involved! There are many ways to support public charter schools in D.C. Find out more here: www.FOCUSdc.org/UNITED
"Like" FOCUS on Facebook for timely updates and D.C. public charter school news: www.facebook.com/FOCUSdc
----------------------
CHARTER SCHOOL EVENTS
----------------------
ATTENTION PARENTS! It’s enrollment season for D.C. public charter schoools. Don’t miss the open house or enrollment deadlines! We’ve included some of the open houses in this newsletter, but you can find many more here: http://focusdc.org/content/january-dc-public-charter-school-open-houses. 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 daily updates on the open house schedules: www.Twitter.com/FOCUSdc
----------------------
WHAT: Perry Street Preparatory Public Charter School – Admissions Information Session. Open Enrollment begins February 18, 2012 and ends April 21, 2012.
WHEN: Sat. Fri. 4 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Perry Street Preparatory Public Charter School, 1800 Perry St. NE, Washington, DC 20018
DETAILS: We are a college prep school that focuses on preparing students to be ready to enter college, do well in college, graduate college and go on to thrive in a global society. We offer a safe and supportive learning environment to every student, PreK (age 4) through Grade 12. Our highly qualified and caring teachers believe in the value of building relationships with parents and working together to ensure that students proceed on the path to higher education. Three character traits – Respect, Responsibility and Perseverance -- are infused into our academic curricula. Perry Street Prep serves a community of diverse learners. Sixteen languages and 22 countries are represented among our students and staff. Our students enjoy a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art school building with spacious high-tech classrooms, science labs, athletic fields, gymnasium, dance and art studios, a huge library/media center and much more! Perry Street Prep offers after-school tutoring and homework help; interscholastic athletic programs; honors and AP classes; and music, art, foreign language, IT and other electives.
CONTACT: Interested parents can register online to attend an Admissions Information session at www.pspdc.org/admissions or call 202.551.0804.
------------------------------
WHAT: Washington Latin PCS Open House
WHEN: Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
WHERE: 4115 16th Street, NW (16th and Upshur)
DETAILS: We are a publicly chartered college preparatory school for grades five through twelve offering a challenging classical education in which community, character, and citizenship are valued. Washington Latin is accepting applications for the 2012-2013 school year from December 5, 2011 to March 9, 2012.
Washington Latin serves grades 5-8 at 4115 16th Street, NW and grades 9-12 at 4715 16th Street, NW.
---------------------
WHAT: Roots Public Charter School invites you to our Annual “Black Love” Skate Party Fundraiser.
WHEN: Sunday, February 19, 2012, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
WHERE: Temple Hills Skate Palace, 3132 Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, Maryland, 20748
COST: $10.00 per person includes admission and skate rentals. Purchase 4 or more tickets during your purchase and pay only $8.00 per person.
DETAILS: Purchase tickets at Roots Public Charter School, 15 Kennedy Street, NW, WDC 20011. Food and beverages sold separately. We look forward to seeing there!
CONTACT: Roots Public Charter School for more at (202) 882-8073
-------------------------
WHAT: Septima Clark PCS Open House
WHERE: 2501 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE Washington. DC 20020
WHEN: 2/7/2012, 2/14/2012, and 2/21/2012 from 8:30- 9:30 am. Parents may also come from 4:30 to 6pm on those days as well.
MORE INFORMATION: http://www.scpcs.org/welcome.aspx
-----------------------
WHAT: DC Prep Open Houses
WHERE: Find all the information you need for upcoming DC Prep Open Houses here: http://www.dcprep.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Enroll.Open_House
DETAILS: Now in its seventh year, DC Prep has built an outstanding early childhood, elementary and middle school program and demonstrated uncommon success in student achievement, parent satisfaction, and organizational development. With its dual focus on rigorous academics and character development DC Prep is ensuring that its graduates have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success in competitive high schools and college.
-------------------------
CHILDREN’S EVENTS, CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
-------------------------
WHAT: The OSSE “Smart College Choice” EXPO will be a twice yearly event designed to expose DC high school students to the complete college landscape. OSSE is moving away from the once a year mammoth college fair event and concentrating on two, smaller, more focused events. One will be in the spring and one in the fall.
WHEN: The first “Smart College Choice” EXPO will be held on the campus of Trinity University ( on Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The EXPO will be much more than a college fair. DETAILS: Representatives from the 40 top institutions where DCTAG students do well
One on one time with college representatives, DCONEAPP registration workshops for students and parents. Topics to include: Financial Literacy, College Survival, Financial Aid (DC, Federal and other) and College Selection (Making the Smart Choice).
-----------------------------
WHAT: Sitar Arts Center Early Childhood Classes in music and dance are still available for children ages 0 to 5!
WHERE: Sitar Arts Center is located at 1700 Kalorama Rd NW, Suite 101 (across from Harris Teeter).
DETAILS: You and your little one will enjoy Sitar Arts Center's Early Childhood Classes in music and dance for infants to five-year olds. Explore a new activity with your child to foster development and skill building. Choose from a variety of age appropriate classes that encourage socialization and create a space to interact with other parents and children. Classes also provide parents and caregivers with a variety of ideas and strategies to continue the exploration beyond the weekly meeting, allowing for interactions to strengthen the bond with one another and to continue fostering curiosity and inventiveness.
INFORMATION: Please visit our website <http://www.sitarartscenter.org/early-childhood-arts> to view our current class listings.
REGISTER: Email mailto:trisha@sitarartscenter.org or call Trisha at (202) 797-2145 ext. 118 to register!
-----------------------------
SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
-----------------------------
WHAT: The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation is proud to announce the One City Summer 2012 grant competition.
WHO: This grant competition invites high-performing, non-profit youth development organizations in Washington, DC that serve young people between the ages of 5-24 with programming that address key developmental outcomes to apply for summer program funding.
INFORMATION: http://www.cyitc.org/grants/nofa.asp to view notice of funding availability and to register for grant technical assistance sessions listed below. Awards will be announced (via email) on April 16, 2012.
Grant Technical Assistance Sessions:
WHEN: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
WHERE: Columbia Heights Youth Club 1480 Girard St, NW
WHEN: Thursday, February 2, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00pm
WHERE: Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School
2427 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE
DEADLINE: Notice of Intent to Due February 3, 2012
Proposal Submission Deadline February 17, 2012 4:00 p.m.
Click http://www.cyitc.org/grants/rfp.asp or contact 202-347-4441 for more information.
---------------------------------
COMMUNITY EVENTS
---------------------------------
WHAT: Medical Museum Science Café: "From Dustoff to Medevac: A First-Person Look at the Transformation of Aeromedical Evacuation from 1971 – 1993,” a presentation by LTC Christopher M. Siedor USA (RET)
DETAILS: During the Vietnam War, more than 58,000 Americans died and more than 300,000 were wounded. It was the job of military personnel assigned to medical aviation units to evacuate wounded troops and civilians to aid stations and hospitals. Join the National Museum of Health and Medicine and LTC Christopher M. Siedor (Ret.) as he shares his experience as a pilot of a "dustoff" crew during the last year of the war. Siedor will also explore the differences between flying during a conflict and peacetime, as well as what it is like to fly a medevac helicopter versus an airplane. For more information, please call 301-319-3303 or visit http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum. This program is open to the public and no RSVP is required.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Silver Spring Civic Building, Fenton Room 1 Veterans Place Silver Spring, MD 20910
COST: FREE!