Principal's Summer Bulletin #1

Dear Families,

I hope your first days of summer break are off to a great start and you are staying cool in this heatwave. I will send a few bulletins throughout the summer to share important news and reminders. Please see below for a new virtual reading support program for all students entering Grades 2-5.

Please visit https://dcpsreopenstrong.com/sy21-22/ for the most current information regarding DCPS' full reopening for the coming school year. All health and safety guidance for the 21.22 school year can be found at this site.

Your child must be fully enrolled and up to date on immunizations in order to start the new school year. Many families have submitted partial enrollment packets. Your child is not fully enrolled until you have completed all steps, including residency verification. You have ten days after submitting enrollment forms to prove residency. Please reach out to Mr. Salazar and Ms. Green if you need assistance. A copy of the OSSE residency requirements is attached.

OSSE and DCPS have released guidance for families who wish to keep their children learning virtually next year. Only children with a medical (physical or mental) health need as confirmed by a medical professional will be considered for a virtual learning spot. Please note that family members' health status, such as a parent or grandparent, will not suffice. Please also note that DCPS will not guarantee your child will be taught virtually by a Ross staff member. Your child may be cross enrolled in a DCPS led virtual academy taught by DCPS staff not assigned to Ross.

If you are approved for virtual learning, it is a semester long commitment. Please see the attachments from OSSE for details.

Action Steps:

1. Re-enroll in school

2. Visit your child's healthcare provider to complete the medical exemption form (attached below)

3. Submit the form online

Wishing you continued good health. Please continue to visit coronavirus.dc.gov for the most current COVID information for DC residents.

Best Regards,

Holly

DCPS is partnering with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, D.C. Public Library and our region’s professional sports teams and others for the Read 20: DC Reads with Amira Initiative to provide an opportunity to support your child’s reading skills over the summer! Through this partnership, every DCPS student entering the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th grades next year has access this summer to Amira: a personalized, automated reading tutor. Participating students will also receive exciting recognition and prizes. Information and login details are below.

What is Amira? Amira is at the cutting edge of educational technology using artificial intelligence. Students interface with Amira primarily by speaking with the program as they would a human teacher. Amira is adaptive in its difficulty. Amira is programmed with 35 micro-interventions rooted in the Science of Reading that can help students in the moment that they are decoding texts. All students need is an internet connection and a school-issued or other compatible device.

What is the challenge? For the summer months of 2021, DCPS has partnered with the DME, DCPL, participating charters, the Clarke Foundation, and Amira to offer a summer reading challenge to students free of charge! This is to promote love of reading, student literacy, and address summer slide and learning disrupted due to COVID 19. It is separate from but adjacent to other DCPS initiatives such as Summer Acceleration and camps. Amira is available to all rising 2nd- 5th graders!

From June 24th to August 30th, participating students are encouraged to read with Amira at least 3 stories a day, 3 times per week, for 8 weeks (a total of 72 stories or more over the course of the summer). This ideally comes to about twenty minutes a day.

Students log in to Amira through Clever. If those students meet usage goals, they will win amazing prizes sponsored by various DC major league teams (i.e., DC United, the Nationals, etc.).

Please see the attachments for log-in directions and more information.

The first day of school for all K-5 students is Monday, August 30. It is a full day.

PK4 Transition Week Schedule

Monday, August 30: Parent/Teacher conferences (virtual home visits)

Tuesday, August 31: PK4 students with last names A-M attend full day.

Wednesday, September 1: PK4 students with last names N-Z attend full day.

Thursday, September 2: All PK4 students attend full day.

Link to DCPS School Calendars

The EDCJCC plans to begin aftercare for K-5 on Monday, August 30. They will release their school year calendar soon. Please note that there are many Jewish holidays in September which will result in the JCC being closed.

https://www.edcjcc.org/children-families/after-school/

In order to volunteer regularly at school and to chaperone field trips, you must have a DCPS volunteer clearance. We encourage our parents to become cleared. We are excited that field trips have been approved to resume for the 21.22 school year. https://dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-fingerprinting-background-check-and-id-badge-processes-and-requirements

Enrollment

1. Read the Frequently Asked Questions.

• English
• Español

2. Gather necessary supporting documentation for upload as needed:

• Proof of DC residency – see the Residency Form for a complete list of acceptable documents and verification methods

3. Complete the SY21-22 electronic submission enrollment packet.

Please remember to schedule medical appointments and complete all health forms. Updated immunizations are required for students to return to campus next fall. Please see the attached flier from the DC Health with more information.

Questions? Contact Ms. Green laverne.green@k12.dc.gov

Mayor Muriel Bowser launched Internet for All (IFA) in September 2020 to connect eligible DC traditional and public charter school students (grades P3K-12) as well as adult public school students to home internet access. This email is to alert you that the eligibility for participating students has expanded and the processes for connecting families to IFA have been revised. Both are described below.

• Complete the Internet for All Interest Form: https://bit.ly/3xS5rX8
• Sign up for either Comcast Internet Essentials
• Application link (preferable): https://www.internetessentials.com/apply
• Phone number: 1-844-963-0178
• Code: DC2021

---OR---

• Sign up for RCN Internet First
• Offer details: https://www.internetfirst.com/
• Service availability checker: https://shopnow.rcn.com/
• Enrollment phone number: 202-250-7842

Email: holly.searl@k12.dc.gov
Website: http://rosselementary.org/
Location: 1730 R Street Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: (206)-673-7200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossElementarySchool/
Twitter: @rossesdc