9.11 ONE CITY, ONE WORLD: RESOURCES FOR PEACE, TOLERANCE, SERVICE, AND REMEMBRANCE

A U.S. flag flies over Ground Zero before the start of ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, in New York September 11, 2011. REUTERS/ Gary Hershorn (UNITED STATES - Tags: ANNIVERSARY DISASTER)

From the Educator Portal: Washington, DC is recognizing the 10th anniversary of the September 11th tragedy this upcoming weekend. Friday, September 9th is a Day of Peace, Tolerance, Service and Remembrance across the city. Please find the attached guidance for the day, including selected lessons for teaching peace and tolerance in DCPS classrooms.

“Essential Questions for Teaching September 11”
This blog entry was written by an education consultant and participant on a panel discussion for the National Museum of American History (NMAH) online conference for K-12 educators about September 11.
http://blog.americanhistory.si.edu/osaycanyousee/2011/08/essential-questions-for-teaching-september-11.html
 
“Education Goals and Key Questions”
Short list of goals and key questions for teaching and leading discussions about September 11^th in the classroom.  Questions include:  “How do we deal with communities of hate?”  “How can democratic societies protect civil liberties and freedoms in the face of increased insecurity?”
http://www.911memorial.org/education-goals-and-key-questions
 
“Bringing 9/11 in the Classroom—Useful Lessons”
The materials suggested on this page address many religious and cultural issues.  Addressing anti-Muslim bias and teaching accurately about Islam should be clear priorities for U.S. teachers.  Themes include: Comparative Religion, Cultural Understanding, and Developing Authentic Identities.
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/bringing-911-classroom-useful-lessons

Back-To-School Night Invitation

Dear Parents,

Back to School Night is a one time event which happens the first week of school and is an invitation to our parents to come to school to meet their children’s teachers. This is an opportunity to learn about our school’s and teachers’ expectations about homework, grades, standards, and behavior.

You will learn first-hand the procedures your child is expected to follow, as well as what you can expect your child to be doing and learning throughout the year. As a parent, you are a key instrument in your child’s success, and by showing your support when you attend Back to School Night, you are demonstrating to your child the value you place on education.

We are hoping to personally meet you on September 15, 2011 (Thursday) for our Back-To-School Night here at Jefferson Academy. See you!

Sincerely,

The SPED Team

Parent Volunteers Needed at Jefferson Academy!!

Dear Parents,

There are huge benefits for all involved when you donate your time to your child's school and education. "When your child sees you alongside their teacher working as a team, it creates positive rapport and opens communication channels for everybody. The other compelling factor is that school budget cuts mean our class sizes are suddenly larger, and our teachers have fewer (if any) assistants. Any help as parent volunteers makes a big impact."

Thank you to the parent of one of my wonderful former students for volunteering to help us at Jefferson Academy this school year!! Ethel is now in 12th grade at Wilson Senior HS, and is determined to pursue college education. It is our great relationship that we forged together when she was my student in 6th grade that made them keep in touch with me. See Ms. Burnette's letter about me below...





To whom it may concern,

As the parent of Ethel B., I have had the priviledge to observe [Ms. Angala's] special education class for the last two years now.

Ethel is in her final year at Jefferson Middle School taking Reading and Math classes with Ms. Angala. She has endured classic ADHD-NOS (a nervous system disorder), ADD, socialization, and learning difficulties since birth. Ethel's weaknesses is being described as fragile. Ethel attends out-patient therapy, OT, and ADHD Clinic at [a private hospital]. Ethel's behavior mannerisms, coping skills, andf socialization skills are right on tasks because of the hardwork of all the Multi-Disciplinary Team members, including Ms. Angala as her special education teacher.

Ms. Angala is very consistent with communicating with me. She calls me not just when there are concerns with Ethel, but she also tells me about her achievements in class. She sends me emails, invitations to attend class with Ethel, and she meets with me often to give information about what's best for Ethel's future. The class website is very helpful for us to keep in track with class works when she is absent.

Ms. Angala's teaching strategies demonstrated in her class, and the way she disciplines her students, and the personal attention she is giving her students are working to benefit her students so they can reach their full potential. Ethel was encouraged by Ms. Angala to read a lot. She comes home from school with homework and wanting to read, she is excited about going to the library checking out on books, etc. She is also eager to go to Karate classes, Sweep Cadets, and possibly attend Duke Ellington or a Vocational School. This is all because Ms. Angala is greatly appreciated by my daughter and she's inspired by her to reach her highest potential.

After being in the class observing as a parent for these two years, I gained a great appreciation for this teacher, realizing that these special needs children need an innovative teacher like Ms. Angala. One abreast and focused with the technology needed to keep them focused and attentive, by commending them constantly giving them the praise they deserve when they have done well making them feel they have made their accomplished tasks properly.

I personally feel that Ms. Angala is responding to Ethel's needs adequately. Ethel is about to graduate and move on to the 9th grade. She is determined and focused to do her best in her endeavours; she is highly motivated to succeed. She promised to check in with Ms. Angala and keep in touch with her after she graduates regarding her progress.

I am a satisfied and confident mother, ready to move on. My thanks to Ms. Angala for all her dedication and hardwork.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Ms. Donna B.
May 22, 2008

Welcome Letter to Parents

August 30, 2011

Dear Parents,


Welcome to my George Washington University class at Jefferson Academy!

My name is Maria Angala, an Exceptional Needs Specialist, and I am excited to be your child’s teacher this school year.

Throughout the year we will be very busy. We will cover many different units of “how English works” for both decoding and spelling automaticity with our Just Words Intervention Program. This program, I want to make it clear, supplements our regular Reading/ English Language Arts subjects, not replace it. We will cover intensive reading topics such as:

- Phonemic Awareness where students learn to segment and blend three sounds, then four, five, and six sounds within a syllable with a “tapping” system that provides a kinesthetic-tactile guide and reinforcement.

- In-Depth Word Study where students learn that the English language generally follows a logical system as they carefully study sound-symbol correspondence as related to syllable patterns, orthographic (spelling) rules, and the morphology patterns of prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

- Phonetically Regular Words where students study word structure that is based on the six-syllable types of the English language. Fluent decoding requires automatic sound-symbol correspondence and sounds are taught only as they relate to the syllable type being studied.

- High Frequency Words where students learn to automatically read and spell the most frequently used English words using kinesthetic-tactile memory techniques.

- Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension where students will apply decoding skills to read passages with prosody, learning how to read sentences in meaningful phrases. This emphasized fluent reading for meaning, rather than speed.

A good learning experience is built on a cooperative effort among, parent, child, and school. We look forward to the excellent work and tremendous growth we will all accomplish this year.

In the past, we have had many parents volunteer their time in the classroom, and I encourage this because it provides opportunities for more children to receive personal attention. If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know. This can be done on a weekly, biweekly, or occasional basis. Any help you will give will be greatly appreciated. You can also help by providing us with any information that will aid us in better understanding your child.

Again, welcome to Jefferson Academy! Please feel free to contact me about any questions or concerns you may have at Maria.Angala@dc.gov .

Sincerely,

Maria Angala, NBCT (Exceptional Needs Specialist)

Welcome Letter to Students

August 30, 2011

Dear Trojan scholars,

WELCOME! We are happy to welcome you to our George Washington University class at Jefferson Academy this year. We are looking forward to an exciting year as we share our ideas, talents, and interests!

We will make our class rules together as a class. Please begin brainstorming on the paper provided when you finish reading this letter.

Please feel free to tell me about any special interests or knowledge that you have. We will always be happy to explore interesting new topics as the year progresses.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to bring them to our attention. All problems can be solved with openness and teamwork.

Cheers to a wonderful school year!

Sincerely,
The SPED Team
Jefferson Academy

The New Jefferson Academy!!

I will be working in the new International Baccalaureate program at Jefferson Academy this school year as a special education teacher/ inclusion specialist. I am excited to be part of a new diverse professional learning community and to respond to the different needs of my colleagues and our students to help create a successful learning environment for all of us. I am thrilled to be working and learning with my colleagues and students in an international context, and happy to collaborate with everyone to prepare our students to become globally competitive in this 21st century economy. I'm glad to take part in this great new adventure!