Alice Deal Middle School Think globally - Listen compassionately - Act inclusively |
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The Weekly Bulletin
Our school mission:
Alice Deal Middle School inspires excellence, curiosity, and compassion through intellectual and social engagement.
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Principal's Message...
For all of us here in the northern hemisphere, the end of the calendar and the shortest days of the year are appropriately matched. It is cold, it is dark, and we are ready to put behind us the trials of the past. A new year speaks to so many hopes - resolutions allow us to make fresh starts; holiday celebrations focus on messages bigger than ourselves; and we get to think of the our world as new. In college, the first semester has typically ended and students are home for extended breaks, looking for work, reconnecting with friends, and starting back with a clean slate in mid-January. At Deal and most other schools, our first semester is still oddly chugging along - with our "mid-year" happening at the end of January. While in our hearts we know that we are sort-of halfway, our student agendas remind us that we need to remember what was happening during that last week in December.
When our students walk back on Monday, they will find themselves reminded that there was a purpose for the rest - there is much to do. So many big things are happening - National History Day, Science Fair, high school applications - that our students will be swept up right away in the tide. In three weeks, we will close the books on the first semester and the second advisory. I encouraged students and teams to get December work in during December and avoid the late-semester cramming that is so ineffective. Think of January 7 as the first day of a three week course - keeping up will be easier if we break our work into pieces.
Our office staff (Ms. Baxter, Ms. Mills, Ms. Berry, Ms. Streeter), our ISS coordinator (Mr. Turner), our school nurse (Ms. Dickens), and our custodial team worked throughout the break. The building was given an extra shine, paperwork was tackled and addressed, and we start anew in great shape.
Please keep in mind that while we are eager to have you come in to Deal, we are going to be extra diligent to ensure that all visitors come in the main door, sign in with our security team, and then check in the front office. From there, you will be either picked up or directed to your destination.
While we all recognize that a clear protocol is part of a consistent safety approach in any school, I think it is also important to recognize that teachers and classrooms are not generally available to the public. Parents are encouraged to make appointments with teachers, and not hope to catch them in the hall. Each teacher has 15 unencumbered minutes in the morning before class starts, and then four minutes between classes for everything else. During class, they only have attention for your children. After school, their day runs another 15 minutes - so a total of 55 minutes broken up into 7 small segments. When appointments are made, teachers are using their planning periods or, on occasion, their lunch times. I want them available (and they want to meet with you), but it does require all of us to be a bit more aware of all the demands. Let's be together on this.
Wishing you luck in your resolutions . . .
Principal Albright
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Stay Informed!
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Week of
January 7, 2013
Bell Schedule
Monday - Bell I
Tuesday - Bell I
Wednesday - Bell I
Thursday Bell - Pause
Friday - Bell I
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Find out about Deal with...
Open House January 12 9 -12
Deal Tours
Please join us for a tour. All tours start at 9:30 and meet outside the Welcome Center.
January 15
February 12
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Upcoming Dates
January 7
School Resumes
January 8
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
January 9
Math Dept. Meeting, 3:30 pm
January 11
LSAT, 7:30 am
Geography Bee Preliminaries
January 12
Open House 9 - 12
January 14
American Art Museum - La Paz
Air & Space - London
January 15
Deal Tour
Air & Space - San Francisco
January 16
Embassy Adoption Prgm - London
Track Championships
Air & Space - Santiago
January 17
Dept. Chairs, 3:30 pm
School-wide Spelling Bee
January 18
8th Gr. "We the People" Mock Trial
Air & Space - Sydney
January 19
Saturday Detention, 9 - 12 noon
January 21
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
No school for students or staff
January 23
Literature to Film Festival
January 24
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm
School-wide Geography Bee
January 25
Students Dismissed at 12:15 pm
Detention, 12:15 - 3:15 pm Records Day Last Day of 2nd Advisory
January 28
American Art Museum - Mecca
2nd Advisory 6th Grade Bday Party, 3 pm
January 29
Team Leaders
January 31
Embassy Adoption Prgrm. - Sydney
February 1
American Art Museum - Firenze
February 4
Science Fair Set Up
February 5
Science Fair Prep
PIA Testing
Team Leaders
February 6
Science Fair Judging
Math Depart Meeting
PIA Testing
February 7
New to Deal Meeting, 3:30 pm
February 8
LSAT, 7:30 am
Report Cards Issued
February 9
Saturday Detention
9 am - 12 noon
February 12
NAEP Testing
Deal Tour
6th Grade Writing Night, 6 pm
February 13
National Portrait Gallery - Firenze
February 14
Department Chairs, 3:30 pm
Winter Dance
3:30 - 6 pm
February 15
PD Day
No School for Students
Detention 9 am - 12 noon
February 18
Presidents Day
No School for staff and students
February 20
Literature to Film Festival
Embassy Adoption Prgm - London
8th Grade We the People Mock Trial
February 21
Faculty Meeting 3:30 pm
February 22
Deficiencies to HR
World Language Trip Meeting
February 23
Deal PTA Auction - 6:30 pm
Saturday Detention; 9 - 12
February 25
Parent-Teacher Conference
No School for Students
February 26
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
February 27
Deficiencies to Admin
February 28
Third Advisory Midpoint
Hoops for Heart
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Lunch Applications
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Complete Lunch Form online at
Mealsapp.dcps.dc.gov
All families regardless of eligibility must complete a lunch form. This is important and helps determine some funding for the school.
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Library News
Library Media Center Hours
Before School 8 - 8:40 am
After School 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Students must have parental permission to stay after school
The Alice Deal Library welcomes students for reading and homework after school! Students must have a permission form on file in the library to use the space after school. Students may pick up a form in the library, or may download it from the library website (Library Pass).
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PTA Sponsors
The following are the Deal PTA 2012-2013 business sponsors.
The Broad Branch Market
* Taylor Agostino Group
* Radifera Design Group
* W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtor
* Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
* Second Wind CrossFit
* edCount, LLC
Math Medics
(More information at AliceDeal.org)
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Community Information
(Items in this section are not sponsored by Deal)
Futsal Clinics
Register now for Futsal clinics on Saturday and Sunday afternoons starting in January at the Bethesda Sport and Health Club. The program is directed by Allison Diaz, previously a 4-year varsity player at Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, and a former Division I soccer player at Canisius College. The sessions are divided into boys and girls. Sundays groups from 1-2 and 2-3 are for 10-13 year olds. There are three five-week sessions planned, and the cost of each is $150. To register, go to: www.tennistar.com or call 301-530-5472, or e-mail the director at [email protected].
Writing Contest for Students in Grades 4-10
It's time for the 21st Annual Letters About Literature Writing Contest for students in grades 4-10. The contest challenges young readers to write a personal letter to an author explaining how that author's work somehow changed the reader's view of the world. Letters About Literature is sponsored by the Library of Congress' Center for the Book. Prizes are awarded on both the state and national level at grades 4-6 and 7-8.
Visit lettersaboutliterature.org
for details. Submissions must be mailed and be postmarked by January 11, 2013. State winners will be notified in April, 2013; national winners will be notified in May, 2013.
Information of interest to the Deal community may be emailed for consideration to [email protected].
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Student and parent information...
New: National History Day Workshop/Tutorials Start Next Week
Students seeking help with NHD projects can get some on-site assistance on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30-4:15 p.m. in E305. Ms. Mostoller, the teacher trustee on National History Day's board of directors, will provide tutorials on the dates below:
Wednesday, January 16: documentaries
Wednesday, January 23: exhibit boards
Wednesday, January 30: research papers
Wednesday, February 6: web sites
Wednesday, February 13: performances
Students must have parental consent before electing to stay after school for help.
Students are also encouraged to contact Missy McNatt, the DC coordinator for NHD, who offers assistance at the Education Center of the National Archives and Records Administration every Saturday. You can reach her at [email protected] to make an appointment.
Final projects are due February 19.
New: Girl Up Gears Up for 2013
The fabulous members of Deal's Girl Up Club raised $2043 to send 11 girls growing up in eastern Congo to school for a year. What will we do next to show our support for girls in the developing world? Come to today's meeting in E305 to help shape our second semester agenda.
New: Attention All Seventh Grade Spanish Student!
The 2014 Spanish Language Spring Break tour has been announced and Deal is looking forward to returning to beautiful Costa Rica in 2014!
If you are interested in finding out more about the tour or registering please go to www.eftours.com/1365514. I hope your son or daughter can join us for an experience that will open their eyes to the world. If you have any questions please email me at [email protected].
New: International Cooking Club
The International Cooking Club Group A will meet on Monday, January 7 after school in room C216 (the teacher's lounge).
Group B will meet January 14 and Group C will meet on January 28. Meetings will take place from 3:15 until 5 pm. Please consult the group list below, as several changes have taken place.
Group A
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Group B
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Group C
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Monday, 1/7
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Monday , 1/14
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Monday, 1/28
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Clarke Paty
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Zach Crouch
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Zarina Carpenter
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Erica Serrano
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Felicia Klimpacher
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Rykah Bell
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Mattie Melnyk
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Caleb Bush
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Surina Goel
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Tahaje Tomlinson
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Ariana Wehoz
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Naejia Piper
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King Cambell
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Manny Scherif
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Ilana Samuel
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John Pollack
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Youssef Youssef
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Olivia Howard
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Shakaliah Smalls
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Marjorie Albert
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Zigmund Annaville
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Shrabonti Turna
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Meghan Dayton
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Myles Duncan
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Jordyn Wright
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Lily Chanine
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Leah Pearcy
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Sofia Geislinger
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Lukas Leijon
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Cyrus McDowell
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Calia Christie
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Cecelia Sneed
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Viren Kiridena
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Nastia Webber
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Mabel Malhotra
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Leo Saunders
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Claire Contreras
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Gabby Anifantis
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Ellika Edelman
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Matilda Jensen
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Lena Kohls
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Isabella Rhein
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Lindsay Harper
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Ashan Kiridena
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Zenon Melynk
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Clara Edmonds
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Natalia Facchinato
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Sarah Desta
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Robert Graves
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Leela Yadav
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Madeliene Yando
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Sophia Poulos
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Camille Ortiz
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Jaednee Ramirez-Rivera
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Perri Hollar
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Ariana Daly
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Kendra Brown
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Lalita Kohls
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Emilia Menjersik
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Anna Joos
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Alexandra Tomkin
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Alexis Anderson
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New: Scholastic Book Clubs
Sometimes the right book is all it takes to nurture a child's love of reading. That's why we are pleased that our school will be participating in Scholastic Book Clubs this school year. Starting in January, Scholastic Book Club fliers will be available through Ms. Kinzer each month. These fliers contain just-right, affordable books and Storia™ eBooks for every age and reading level. In addition, orders can now be placed online. Ordering online is fast and easy! In order to order online, follow the steps below:
1) Register at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
2) Use LWMM6 as the Class Activation Code
3) Choose from thousands of print titles, value packs, and Storia eBooks.
4) Submit the order to Ms. Kinzer
5) Earn free books for you and our school, too!
For more information, contact Ms. Kinzer at [email protected]
Spelling Bee
The Deal Spelling Bee is coming! The all-school bee will be held on Thursday, January 17 for those who have won their homeroom bees. All of the excitement will take place after our return from Winter Break. Anyone interested in getting a list to study from may stop by Mr. Gueltig's room, E104 any day after school this week.
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This Week at Deal... Monday: International Cooking The International Cooking Club Group A will meet on Monday, January 7 after school in room C216 (the teacher's lounge). Monday: The After School Outdoor Basketball Club The After School Outdoor Basketball Club will meet Monday, Jan. 7 at 3:30 pm behind the school on the court next to the "Cottage." Dress for cold weather. In the event of rain, we will meet with Mr. Namian in Room W205. Monday: Board Games After School Activity Mondays from 3:30 in W106 Monopoly, Yahtzee, Trouble, Scrabble, Cranium, Hit or Miss, Connect Four, Scattergories, Othello, Checkers, Uno, Taboo, Chess, Twister and more! If you would like to spend an afternoon enjoying a game that you've played a thousand times or challenging yourself to learn a new one, please come to W106 (Ms. D. Jackson's classroom) from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm on Mondays. Monday: Basketball Games MS Girls' Basketball game at Jefferson at 3:30 pm MS Boys' Basketball game at Jefferson at 4:45 pm 6th Grade Girls' Basketball game at Walker Jones at 4:45 pm 6th Grade Boys' Basketball game vs Prospect at Home at 4:45 pm Tuesday: Jewish Culture Club Come join the Jewish Culture Club on Tuesday during ZAP in E105. You do not have to be Jewish to join the club. There will be an interest meeting on Tuesday. Wednesday: Team Santiago Study Hall On Wednesday, January 9th (and every Wednesday until June 12th), Team Santiago will have a voluntary Study Hall from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm in Mr. Martini's classroom (C130). This is a great way for students to get individual or small group help from Ms. Ruiz, Mr. Martini, Ms. Quinn, Mr. Custer, and Ms. Jackson. Thursday: Basketball Games MS Girls' Basketball game vs Browne at 3:30 (Home) MS Boys' Basketball game vs Browne at 4:45 (Home) 6th Gr. Girls' Basketball at Oyster-Adams at 3:30 |
8th grade announcements
Specialized High School Opportunities
The Common Application Deadline has past but there are opportunities to take part in specialized programs at other DCPS high schools. Go to the DCPS website to check out some of the special programs offered within our public high schools. To apply for these programs go to the individual high school websites and if these schools are out-of-boundary for you, enter the lottery starting January 30, 2013. Below are three opportunities which you or your child may be interested in:
Accelerated Cohort at Eastern (ACE), Health and Medical Sciences Academy(HMSA) and BUILD. These academies provide unique opportunities to be a part of a select cohort of students who want to pursue specific interests during their time at Eastern. Students and families can learn more information about Eastern and download application materials at www.easternhighschooldc.org. Application deadlines vary for the program to which you decide to apply. Please see Ms. White if you would like more information.
Requesting Recommendations for Private Schools
1. Who to ask?: Start by thinking of which teachers can attest to your strengths and positive attributes. Some schools require specific subject teachers to write the recommendation so be aware of this before you ask.
2. Prepare: Gather the recommendation forms and fill out all pertinent information. Prepare an addressed and stamped envelope for each school which you are requesting a recommendation for. All recommendations will be placed in the mail by the individual teacher or by your counselor.
3. Ask: Take the recommendation form with the envelope to the person who you need the request from. Ask the person if they would be willing to write your recommendation. Tell them when it needs to be completed and mailed in. Ms. White has recommendation request slips available to help with this process.
4. Grow: Use the experience of asking for a letter of recommendation to help you grow your communication skills which will come in handy when advocating for yourself in high school.
For all transcript requests for private schools, please also provide an addressed and stamped envelope for the mailing of these items as well.
Specialized High School Open House Updates
Phelps ACE - January 18 and February 22
Individual Graduation Portfolio (IGP)
The IGP provides students with a road map to the future and a record of the past. Staying on course empowers students to reach the destination-graduation- with all the courses, skills, and experiences needed to make informed decisions about education and career. Grade level milestones and guideways lead students through the program. Learning opportunities available through the IGP include Career/College Major Exploration, High School Course Planning, Goal Setting/Journaling, Interest/Skill Inventories.
Please encourage your student to explore options for their future at home using the following steps:
1. Go to www.dcps.bridges.com
2. Login with DCPS+studentID and the password the student has created (If it's the students first time logging in, the password is simply DCPS)
3. Click on Choices Explorer
4. Click on the Your Portfolio Tab
5. Click Your Plans and get started on the path
Should there be any questions regarding the Choices explorer, please contact your grade-level counselor.
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8th Grade Congressional Mock Hearings
Test Knowledge of the Constitution
For the month of December, eighth graders studied the Constitution. To conclude our unit, students participated in a Congressional Mock Hearing on December 18 and 19 to demonstrate their understanding of the Constitution in action in the US and their lives today, as well as its importance as a democratic model in the world.
In teams, students researched, wrote and then formally presented their findings about an assigned question about the Constitution. Collaboratively, students were required to write a five-paragraph essay, provide an annotated bibliography of outside research, present their essay to a judge, and finally, field questions from the judge.
At the end of the two days, the judges for each team chose the strongest presentation for each unit. These students will present their essay in the school-wide competition on January 18 to yet another panel of judges. The top unit from each of the three teams will move forward and compete for Deal Middle School at the city-wide competition of the We the People Congressional Mock Hearings at Georgetown Law with other middle schoolers from across the city on February 20.
Congratulations to all students for their hard work. They truly are Constitutional scholars! The students below will be participating in the school wide competition later this month.
Unit
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Team Firenze
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Team La Paz
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Team Mecca
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1: What were the Founders' basic ideas about government?
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Liam Murdoch
Craig Washington
Ava Zechiel
Ayesa Akhter
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Ali Bauman
Julie Dao
Chad Hoyte-Hayes
Lexy Medina
Tosha Skolnik
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Emily Durr
Will Hamlin
Walter Riley Edward Rodas
Reid Hobson-Powell
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2: What shaped the Founders' ideas about government?
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Jarrah May
Jacob Siegelman
Rayne Ramsawak
Nicholas McGrew
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Molly Berman
Isaiah King
Cara Lowengrub
Pearl Strand
William Davis
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Jordan Carpenter
Natalia Greene
Jake Mezey
James Stewart
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3: What happened at the Philadelphia Convention?
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Alexis Adams
Kyra Hamerling-Potts
Annie Brennan
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Reece Bland Mapp
Michael Foose
Ursula Hedlund
Ben Solberg
Krista Ross
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Jisca Adigo
Vincent Graham
Reid Hobson-Powell
Kelila Weiner
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4: How was the Constitution used to establish our government?
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Martin Marquez
Jorge Garcia
Ngoc Nguyen
Caleigh Bartash
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Ezona Haile
Kayode Lampkin
Anya Navidi-Kasmai
Max Rubin
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James Sarokin
Anneliese King
Jakira Tucker
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5: How does the Constitution protect our basic rights?
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Patrick Mulderig
Hannah London
Mike Grimes
Matias Cano
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Joe Bloom
Khaleb Coleman
Gus Marrakand
Teo Topa
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Ameenah Arter
Amara Jerome
Louis Lane
Johanna Pereyra
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6: What are the responsibilities of citizens?
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Lidia Solorzano
Ayelet Drazen
Carolina Shea
Clara Edmonds
Alexandra Radifera
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Matthew Dulaney
Paul Weaver
Jakob Hegewisch-Allen
Adam Tarfur
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Alex Dorosin
Adam Kramer
Ben Schwartz
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Staff information ...
New: Understanding ADHD in the Classroom
Beginning in January, Ms. Banal and Ms. Scott will meet with grade-level team teachers to offer strategies and support for understanding and working with students who have ADHD.
Sessions will be offered during team planning periods on the following dates:
6th Grade Teams: Friday, January 11
7th Grade Teams: Friday, January 18
8th Grade Teams: Friday, February 1
Teams should confirm with Ms. Banal or Ms. Scott by Wednesday, January 9.
New: Recycling Printer Cartridges and Batteries
Wondering what to do with your used printer cartridges and batteries? The Recycling Green Team will make sure they are recycled or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way. Please send all types of printer cartridges and batteries to Mr Winn-Ritzenberg or place them in his mailbox. Thank you for recycling.
New: Photos from Winter Assembly
If you have great photos from the Winter Assembly - or any other good time at Deal - please share them with Mr. Rodberg for use in the bulletin and elsewhere!
New: Differentiating Classroom Materials PD
Ms. Zanelli will be doing a PD on Differentiating Classroom Materials on Friday in room C222.
New: LIFT PD
LIFT PD will take place in Mr. Assael's room E204 on Friday.
Ethics training completion
All staff should have completed the DC ethics training by now. If so, please complete the process by going into Peoplesoft and agreeing to the DC Ethics Pledge.
o Log into Employee Self Service (https://ess.dc.gov/) o Click "Self Service" o Click "Personal Information" o Click "DC Ethics Training" o Click "DC Ethics Training" link on the bottom of the page
Please check with Ms. Baxter if you need further assistance.
Unblock Websites for Your Classes
Teachers can now unblock specific websites from the DCPS filter. For instance, if you want students to watch a video on laptops, this is the way to do it. To unblock a website, send a message with the URL (not just youtube.com, for instance, but the specific video) to [email protected].
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Before and After School Activities
Monday AM
Young Men's Choir - 7:45 am - Rm CG04
Chinese tutoring 8 - 8:30am - Rm N111
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Cadavid 8:10 am - RM C314
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - Rm C212
Monday PM
Girl Up Rm E305
Newspaper club Rm N116
Student Council meeting Rm E205
Viking Quarterly Rm W103
African Drumming club- Canceled this week
Girls on Track - Rm E103
After school Outdoor Hoop club - Rm W205
Ultimate Frisbee club - Rm C130 6
6th grade Concert Band, 7th & 8th Symphonic Band and Jazz band meeting - Auditorium
Tennis club - Rm E300
Photography Club - Rm E104 French club to 4:30 - CG07
Afterschool Basketball club - W205
Vikings Soccer to 5 pm
GeoPlunge - C130
Board Games to 4:30 - W106
Indoor Track practice to 5 pm
Deal Relief Council - E104
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
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Tuesday Am
8th String Ensemble - Auditorium
Jazz Band 7:45 am - Rm CG20
Concert Choir 7:45 am - Rm CG04
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
Tuesday PM
Fantasy Football club - Rm C212
Reader's Theater - Rm E205
Cheerleading practice to 5pm
Ultimate Frisbee club - Rm C130
Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Ms. McFarland's office
Bocce club - Front lawn
Music workshop
Girls' Running - RM E304
Girls on Track - Rm E103
Mural/Public Art club
Swimming club to 5:15 pm
Midsummer
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
Indoor track practice to 5 pm
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Wednesday AM
6th Grade Concert Band - 7:45 am
Advanced Concert Band - 7:45 am
Young Men's Choir - 7:45 am
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
Wednesday PM
Spartan Barracks
Deal Student Librarian
- Library
Team Mumbai Rm N113
Fencing
club to 5:00 pm - Rm W207
Alexandria Library Rm E200
Roman Holiday - Rm E204
After School Sports Rap - Rm W104
Team Santiago study hall - Rm C130
Debate Team - Rm W100
Type Faster Now to 4:15 - Rm 204
New Student Transitions workshop 7th & 8th
Ms. White's Office
Roman Holiday - E204
Deal Scientists club - Rm E101
C-Span - Rm W304
Team Alexandria - Rm E200
Santiago study Hall - C130
Parlons Fran�ais Club, to 4:30 - C308
Literature-to-Film Festival to 5 pm - Library Discovery Club - E101 Salva Las Focas/Save the Seals club - C314 Boys' Basketball practice Girls' Basketball practice
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Thursday AM
Chinese tutoring 8 - 8:30 am - Rm N111
Spanish tutoring 8:10 am - RM C314
String Chamber Ensemble - 7:45 am
Jazz Band - 7:45 am
Concert Choir - 7:45 am
Spanish tutoring with Ms. Jackson - RM C212
French Tutoring Mr Ngwa 8:10 am
Thursday PM
Cheerleading practice to 5 pm
MWIT club - Rm E206
Team London Rm E104
Mathletes Rm E106
M.I.T. to 4:30 - RM E206
Swimming club to 5:15 pm
TAGS 6th and 7th graders - C130
GEMS meeting
Spanish Club
Midsummer
Boys' Basketball practice
Girls' Basketball practice
Writing club RM W305
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Friday AM
7th & 8th Grade Peer Mediators meeting at 8 am - Rm C116
6th Grade Concert Band - 7:45 am
Advanced Concert Band - 7:45 am
Friday PM
M
Boys Basketball practice
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