Dear Peabody and Watkins community,

As we continue through our Spring Break, it's important that we balance the fun community events with important school events.

April 22 is the Cluster Auction. All community members can attend in person or participate online for FREE! There is an optional, $50 suggested donation, but the PTA wants most for everyone to be together. You can secure a ticket beforehand or just show up at the Brig at 8pm and join in on the fun. We want all families to participate in the community fun. More details are below. Our parent leaders can answer your questions:

Laura.odato@gmail.com

ClusterAuctionChair@chcspta.org

April and May also bring about PARCC testing for 3rd - 5th graders. We have begun the conversation at school about what this means for our daily schedule and how we can show Panther PRIDE by trying our best. Please review the schedule (see below) with your child and also remind them that there are attendance incentives for on-time arrivals on testing days.

Term 4 begins April 19! For Watkins this means our last specials rotation begins! Finally students will have that one class they've waited for all year. Also, 2nd and 4th graders will return to the classroom (including the outdoor classroom on a rotating basis) for lunch and 1st and 3rd graders will eat in the cafeteria.

Lastly - everyone deserves this break to relax, reflect and just enjoy some space. Please take a moment to thank your teacher for enduring a truly unique and challenging 3 terms of this year so far.

• April 5- 28: Every Tues and Thurs from 4-6pm- Late enrollment days for on-site enrollment support. Note this will not take place during Spring Break (week of April 11).

• April 11- 15 - Spring Break
• April 18 - PD/Records day. No school for students.
• April 20-21 - DC Science Test for 5th graders
• April 22 - Cluster Auction
• April 23- Enrollment Saturday, 9am- 12pm- join to get enrollment forms processed outside of school hours
• April 26-28 - PARCC for 3rd and 5th graders - Math
• April 28 - King Bullfrog Party at Peabody, 6pm
• May 3-4 - PARCC for 3rd and 5th graders - ELA
• May 10-12 PARCC for 4th graders - Math
• May 15 - Capitol Hill Classic - community fund raiser and race
• May 17-18 - PARCC for 4th grades - ELA

April 19 the PARCC window is open. Yes, PARCC is back for 3-5 graders for ELA and Math state summative assessments. 5th graders will also take the DC Science assessment. Testing will be complete before Memorial Day.

Asymptomatic Student Testing Schedule!

Every Friday: Asymptomatic COVID testing for students.

9:15 for Watkins

9:15 for Peabody (Kindergarten only - PK students all test at home weekly)

All DCPS students and staff will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school after Spring Break. The following steps should be completed prior to returning to school on Tuesday, April 19:

1. Take the at-home test on Monday, April 18 following the instructions provided
2. Upload proof of negative test results to dcpsreopenstrong.com/safereturn by 9pm on Monday, April 18

Visit dcpsreopenstrong.com for more information.

We look forward to seeing you and your student next school year! Reminder to enroll your child by May 1st! This process is required for all students- new and returning.

Please note that enrollment is only complete once you have submitted an enrollment form and proof of residency! Visit https://enrolldcps.dc.gov for enrollment forms and more information.

Need on-site support?

During the month of April, join us in your campuses' lobby every Tuesday & Thursday from

4pm- 6pm to meet our registrars, get your questions answered and have your enrollment forms processed on-site.

Save the Date: 2022 Cluster Auction & Party

The 2022 Cluster Auction & Party is on Friday, April 22nd from 8pm-10pm at TheBrig, an outdoor venue on Capitol Hill. The event is open to all families at no cost! There is a suggested $50 contribution, but families can contribute what they can. Follow the links to buy tickets, donate an item or become a Cluster Star sponsor. If you can’t attend the Party and still want to take part in the Auction, you can sign up as a remote contributer. Get excited to party under the stars – with friends new and old – while raising critical funds for Peabody, Watkins and Stuart-Hobson!

Have a question or idea? Reach out to Kristi Lowe and Laura Odato, the 2022 Auction Chairs.

PTA Dates This Spring:

• Friday, April 22 - Auction and Party!
• Sunday, May 15 - 41st Annual Capitol Hill Classic!
• Monday, May 23 - Final PTA General Meeting on Zoom (8:00pm)

Sign up here

PARCC is back! Watkins 3rd – 5th graders will take the PARCC ("Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College") assessment - DC's annual math and ELA assessment - again this spring. Please see above for the 3rd – 5th grade testing schedule.

We are asking for your help on and before testing days to support critical aspects of the testing administration! We’d love to have 3-6 caregivers' support on testing days; and 1-2 caregivers' support on prep days. While not necessary, we're hoping that volunteers will sign up for multiple time slots. These are in-school volunteer experiences and you do not need to have a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade student to volunteer.

Sign up here

The 5th grade team has many, many fun events planned for the end of the year, including trips to Six Flags, a Potomac River cruise, and more. All students and parents have been sent a behavior contract to commit to our Panther PRIDE behavior expectations. If you haven't already, please be sure to sign the contract and return it to your teacher.

This coming week, at drop off time, bring books you are done reading to a box by any entrance. Then Thursday night at the Pizza Party, students can choose some new titles for their spring reading. Those families who don't make the pizza party can pick books in the front door alcove on Friday!

There are changes coming to Kindergarten lunch! In preparation for 1st grade, Kindergarten students will begin eating lunch in the cafeteria on April 19th. This provides them the opportunity to practice going through the lunch line as they will be doing next year at Watkins. There will be two Kindergarten classes eating at one time in the cafeteria with five students seated at each table.

ECE families: please join the ECE Team for upcoming sessions of Ready for Pre-K! Hosted by Dr. Traci Baxley on April 20. Sessions with Dr. Braxley begin at 6:00, are free, and open to parents and caregivers of young children interested in raising anti-racist, compassionate, and justice-minded children. Families can register here.

POC: Drue.Docie@k12.dc.gov