Posts by Natalie Wexler — Contributor
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Capitol Riverfront parents organize to reopen a closed DCPS school
The newly revitalized Capitol Riverfront neighborhood has all the amenities a family could want, except one: a neighborhood school. But thanks to the efforts of a group of parents, DCPS has committed to reopening one that closed in 2006. Capitol Riverfront, situated along the Anacostia River between the Navy Yard and Nationals Park in Southeast, is a planned community that… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Keeping disadvantaged students on track to and through college
From DC General to Georgetown U: The valedictorian at Anacostia High School, who lives in the homeless shelter at the former hospital, is going to Georgetown on a full scholarship. (Post) Going to college with a posse: Sending low-income students to colleges in groups can help them make it through to graduation. (Ed Week) The way to prevent dropouts: A relative handful of… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: What babies can teach elementary school students
Babies and bullying: Five DC elementary schools are bringing babies into the classroom as part of a program to foster empathy in kids. (Post) Improprieties alleged at charter: The DC government claims that the founder of Community Academy PCS has diverted millions of dollars to a for-profit management company he owns. (Post) Principal comes out of the closet: Wilson… Keep reading…
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Teaching math without words can boost students’ understanding, and their resilience
Do kids learn math better if you take away the words? DCPS schools that used a wordless computer program last year increased their math test scores at 3 times the rate of other schools. At first, students confronted with the strictly visual puzzles in the ST Math program often get frustrated. “Where are the words?” they want to know. But if they manage to stick with… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Back into the ring on changes in student assignment policies
School boundaries, round two: The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education will release another set of draft recommendations the week of June 9, which will incorporate the sometimes vociferous community feedback to the first set. Community meetings will be held the following week. (Post) Time for a mayoral debate? Muriel Bowser has said she won’t debate her rival David… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Mapping the contours of child poverty in DC
Where do DC’s at-risk kids live?: Interactive maps provide neighborhood-by-neighborhood data on where kids live in poverty and with single mothers, and where students score lowest on reading and math tests. (DC Action for Children) Anti-gay group targets Wilson High: The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church plans to protest next month at the Ward 3 school’s… Keep reading…
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If you want students to learn, teach them how to take notes
A recent study showed that students who take notes in longhand retain information better than those who take notes on laptops or tablets. But what about the many students, in DC and elsewhere, who don’t take notes at all? Note-taking is a hit-or-miss proposition in DCPS schools, with no prescribed approach or requirement that teachers focus on it, according to two DCPS… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: A revolving door for DCPS principals?
DCPS losing principals: At least 8 veteran school leaders have announced they’re leaving, including some who have garnered acclaim. Jonetta Rose Barras considers the possible reasons. (Post) Savoy Elementary and the arts: Actress Kerry Washington holds up the Anacostia school as an example of how arts education can help turn a school around. (Patrick Pope, the principal,… Keep reading…
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More coordination between DCPS and charters? Not if it threatens charter autonomy, says DC’s top charter official.
How much coordination should there be between DCPS and the charter sector? Probably more than there is now, says the Public Charter School Board’s executive director, but not so much that we return to the era of centralized planning. The DC education scene has no shortage of anomalies. Expensively modernized DCPS buildings that are half empty sit near vastly oversubscribed… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Will charters pull more students out of DCPS?
More charter seats: The DC Public Charter School Board approved 3 new charter schools and is considering the expansion of two others, prompting some to ask if the Board should coordinate its planning with DCPS. (Post) Principals consider contract: DCPS has reached a tentative agreement with the union that represents school administrators, and it contains 3% annual raises… Keep reading…