Summer Update #3

We are maintaining some snail mail practices with our summer mailer! It was sent in the mail Monday afternoon! All of the summer mail information and more is already posted on our website. Families will receive a paper copy of my welcome letter, supply lists, an events calendar, and information from the PTA.

New this year: your child's teacher will email caregivers an introduction note on August 21st, the teachers' first day back from summer break. We will not share that information ahead of that date.

Dear Peabody and Watkins Panthers,

I am so proud and excited for another year of rigorous and joyful learning experiences at Peabody and Watkins! Last spring our early literacy data showed that proficiency rates are above pre-pandemic levels and our 3rd – 5th graders continued to report increases in how they feel loved, challenged, and prepared on the Panorama Survey. This year I believe we’re ready for even greater academic successes and deeper connections between students, staff, and families. I’m very excited to get started!

Sneak a Peek of your classroom! Caregivers and students will be welcomed into the school building to preview their classroom, say hello (briefly) to their teachers, and talk with classmates- new and old. Peabody: August 25 at 9-10am. Watkins: August 24 at 2:30-3:30pm. Come with your child’s classroom supplies to drop in the classroom!

Need to know details for a successful first day and year:

All K-5 students will start on August 28

All PreK students will start on August 31

• Peabody: doors open at 8:30, class starts at 8:45. Dismissal between 3:05-3:15.

• Peabody families can continue to walk students to the classroom during the first days of school and throughout the year. However, caregivers are not permitted to enter the classroom and should say “good-bye” at the door.

• Watkins: doors open at 8:10, class starts at 8:45. Dismissal at 3:15.

• On the first day and every day, caregivers should plan to say goodbye to their child at the front door to the school. Caregivers are not permitted to walk their child to their classroom.

School meals: New this year, all Watkins students will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack).

Peabody students will continue to receive free breakfast and afterschool snack; however, lunch will cost $3.00 for students who do not qualify for free or reduced meals. Applications for Free or Reduced lunch can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/FARM23-24. Students participating in school meals, who do not qualify for free lunch, must have a MySchoolBucks account, which can be created at MySchoolBucks.com. Students' meal accounts function as debit accounts. The cost of the meal is deducted when they go through the lunch line.

If your child requires dietary accommodations, please complete and submit their form to dietary.forms@k12.dc.gov or to your school’s cafeteria manager. DCPS Food and Nutrition Services does not require a new form each school year. Please visit https://dcps.dc.gov/page/dietary-accommodations for more information.

Caregivers should not send lunch to school via delivery services, nor should caregivers expect that school staff can heat up lunch. We do not have the capacity to honor those requests.

Before and aftercare sign-ups are now open at both schools. See https://www.capitolhillclusterschool.org/before-after-care to sign up now.

Whenever possible, administer medications at home. If your child needs access to medications or medical treatment during school hours, please complete the following steps:

• Have your medical provider complete the appropriate forms – Medication and Treatment Authorization Forms, the Asthma Action Plan and the Action Plan for Anaphylaxis. These forms are available from your school’s main office and online: https://dcps.dc.gov/node/1003562.

• Drop off the medicine and required paperwork to the school nurse. In the nurse’s absence, they can be turned into Ms. Carraway at Watkins and Ms. Brooks at Peabody on Wednesday, August 23 from 9am-2pm. Medications will not be accepted without the appropriate paperwork.

• Communicate your child’s medical needs to their homeroom teacher. Please note that your child will not be able to receive medication during the school day (including on field trips) until steps 1 and 2 have been completed.

Unlike previous years, this mailer will not include your child’s teacher assignments. All our teachers have been selected for hire and are ready to greet your child on their first day. On the teachers’ first day of work, August 21, families will receive a welcome email from their teacher with important and class-specific information.

I hope all our Panthers have a fantastic last few weeks of summer! We are so excited to welcome you back to Peabody and Watkins on August 28! Please stay up to date on all our school events by reading our weekly Principal’s Message on our school website. It is sent to families on Fridays once the school year begins.

We will have a fantastic school year together!

In service,

Principal Berkowitz

The summer is a great time to make appointments for annual well child visits and get caught up on immunization requirements before the new school year. See below upcoming clinics and resources:

1. SBHCs | Ongoing

School Based health centers are an excellent resource for getting students physicals and updated immunizations. Physicals are only for students that attend the school with the school-based health center. Immunizations are open to all DCPS students. The following school-based health centers will be open throughout the summer:

Anacostia: Tuesdays | 9 am-12 pm (July 3- August 25)

Ballou: Tuesday, Thursday | 8-12 pm (June 26-August )

Cardozo: Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 8-12 pm (July 3-August 25)

Dunbar: Tuesday, Thursday | 8-12 pm (July 3-August 25)

Coolidge: Wednesdays and Thursdays | 8:00-4:30 (June 26-August 25)

Roosevelt: Wednesday | 12:30-3:30 pm (July 3- August 25) (Temporarily closed and awaiting repairs)

Woodson: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday | 8-12 pm (July 3-August 25)

2. Pediatric Clinic Finder

1. Families can search by zip code and each clinic has details about availability and eligibility (including programs that are for Medicaid/Medicare only, as well as a date that the information was last reviewed for accuracy, next steps, and contact information for each clinic)
2. Language can be changed by scrolling to the bottom and finding the language menu on the left

3. A Family Affair - Community Health Event| Saturday, July 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Children’s National Hospital is hosting a weekend health fair for children to receive their immunization and vision screenings. In addition to vaccinations, the entire family can have dental and cardiovascular screenings by Howard University. Families can call (202) 476-2741 to register for a free appointment. Lunch for the entire family is also provided with proof of vaccination at the fair.

Summer Mailer

Our new school year information and PTA information will be emailed to families on August 7th. All of the information will also be available on our website and published as soon as possible.

New Family Playdate **New Date**

New to Watkins or Peabody? Come join me, Principal Berkowitz and others August 8th at 4pm on the Watkins playground for some community building and fun!

Peabody Summer Play Date

Peabody will host a summer play date with all families on August 2 at 4pm. Come join AP James and Principal Berkowitz to meet new and returning families, see the building, and enjoy the Peabody playground.

Teacher Assignments

Our teachers, social workers, instructional coaches and support teams made class lists in June. We are still enrolling students and will continue to make sure classes are balanced before we open school in August. On August 21, families can expect an email from their child's teacher. This email will welcome the family to the class, serve as the means of communicating the teacher assignment, and have other information specific to the teacher's class. We will not communicate teacher assignments before August 21st and please remember that we do not take teacher requests.

Before and aftercare

Sign-ups are available now on our school website.

Sneak a Peek

Like last year, we will have time before school starts to "Sneak a Peek" into your child's class at both Peabody and Watkins. You can see your child's space, cubby, desk, etc, meet your the teacher, and drop off supplies before the first day of school.

• Watkins - August 24 at 2:30-3:30 pm followed by playground time.
• Peabody - August 25 at 9:00-10:00 am followed by playground time.

PreK Home Visits

PreK families should expect an email from their child's teacher to set up virtual or in-person home visits August 28-30th. The first day of school for PreK students is August 31st so all families and students can connect with their teacher before class begins.

Clearances to Chaperone Field Trips

Parents who would to volunteer/ chaperone on an ongoing basis, must complete the DCPS Clearance process beforehand. Upon receipt, clearance letters should be emailed to tanisha.montgomery@k12.dc.gov. Please include your child's name and grade.