Principal's Message

Dear Peabody and Watkins Community,

Our staff is back! Please check out the pictures of our first joyful, relationship building, collaboration day of the school year on our Instagram page below. And also check out the pictures from and amazing breakfast hosted by the PTA. Thank you PTA!

This newsletter contains key dates, information and action items for all families.

For an overview of our COVID policies and practices, please see Summer Update #5. I will also host a Welcome Back Town Hall at 7pm on August 23 to discuss in detail how these practices will look, and provide tips on a strong start to the school year. Click here to join the meeting.

Our team is very busy getting read for your child's first day. Below is how you can best prepare.

• August 23, 8am - 2pm. Come to Peabody or Watkins to collect a COVID testing kit and drop off school supplies. School supplies can also be dropped off from 4-5pm.
• August 23, 7pm. Welcome Back Town Hall. Click here to join the meeting.
• August 24, 8am - 9am and 4-5pm. School supplies drop off at both campuses. 12-5:30 COIVD testing kit pick up.
• August 25, 12-5:30 COIVD testing kit pick up.
• August 25, 2:30 - 3:30 - Watkins "Sneak a Peek." Caregivers and students are welcome to visit the classroom.
• August 25, 3pm - "Popsicles and People" on the Watkins playground (read more below)
• August 26, 9am-2pm COVID testing kit pick up.
• August 26, 9-10am - Kindergarten "Sneak a Peek." Caregivers and students are welcome to visit the classroom.
• August 28: upload your child's negative test to https://dcpsstrong.com/testing/ by 3pm for K-5 students. And bring it or a picture to the first day of school!
• August 29: first day for K-5 students.
• August 31: PK families upload your child's negative test to https://dcpsstrong.com/testing/ by 3pm
• September 1: first day for Pre-K students.

For one hour only! Please come to your school to meet the teacher, check out your child's desk, and start to build relationships with friends new and old. Classroom visits are limited to 15 minutes.

• Watkins: August 25, 2:30 - 3:30. Stay for the Popsicles and People!
• Peabody (Kindergarten only): August 26 9am-10am.

At Watkins, come for the teachers, stay for the friends! After you visit the classroom please join leadership, staff, and our Equity Team on the Watkins playground for "Popsicles and People." Enjoy a refreshing popsicle and begin or deepen your relationships with your fellow Panthers. This event is for PK-5 students and their caregivers. Students must be chaperoned by an adult.

Before the first day post your child's test results to the portal below AND bring a photo or the actual negative test to the front door. We will check that every child has a negative result before they can enter. Those without results at the front door will be asked to test outside with their caregiver or return home.

• August 28: upload your child's negative test to https://dcpsstrong.com/testing/ by 3pm for K-5 students.
• August 31: PK families upload your child's negative test to https://dcpsstrong.com/testing/ by 3pm

Lunch will cost $3.00 for all students that do not qualify for free or reduced lunch. Families can apply for free and reduced lunch here. Forms must be returned to your child's school.

Separately, all student receiving school lunch, need to go to the DCPS Meals and Payment Page to establish a My School Bucks account.

Review both Peabody and Watkins arrival procedures before the first day. They are posted on the 22-23 tab of our school website.

Before care and aftercare with Flex (Peabody and Watkins) and Joe's Den (Peabody) is currently open for enrollment and will start on the first day of school.

Last Friday, DPR shared with the Watkins team that they would not be providing services this school year. Hearing this news two weeks before we expected services to begin was a shock. We know how important affordable, reliable before and aftercare services are to so many of our families.

The Watkins team is approaching the need for affordable options in a number of ways including working with Flex, the DCPS Family Engagement Team, and OSSE via their voucher program to provide a long-term, sustainable solution for this need. I don't have an update yet, but please know that this is a top priority for me and I hope to have more concrete news soon. In any solution, students' Free and Reduced-Price Meals forms will be required. Please submit them to the main office when your child returns to school.

Email addresses are often entered into our systems with mistakes. If someone you know (partner, friend, neighbor) isn't getting school communication please have them email their names, their child's name, email addresses and phone numbers and any other information to either PeabodyESEnroll@k12.dc.gov or WatkinsESEnroll@k12.dc.gov. Our team will correct the errors asap.