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...
This week, our school improvement team (SIT), tasked with working with DC's Department of General Services (DGS), was informed that due to the discovery of archaeological artifacts on the site of the new construction, the completion date for the new wing has been pushed back. As many of you know, construction activities on the site have begun - in particular, the interior and exterior work on the historical Reno building has been underway for a few weeks. The city's archaeologist recently concluded that the process for permitting for the new building could continue, but DGS has lost some critical weeks. In practical terms, DGS has moved the proposed completion date from August 2014 to December 2014, with move-in over the winter break. The LSAT representatives on the SIT strongly expressed their concern about the delay, and will be working with my staff to minimize any effects on our instructional program.
Our disappointment over a delay, any delay, must take a backseat to our efforts to prepare for this change. In the next couple of weeks, a plan for how to roll out the new schedule will be developed. One element beyond discussion is the planned addition of a fourth 8th grade team for next year - this will occur. Deal's successful academic program is predicated on teams of 100-110 students; this will be our plan for the coming year.
Tomorrow we have our second Parent-Teacher Conference day of the year. The electronic sign-up process seems to have worked well - we had 1,000 of a potential 2,700 (!) conference slots assigned within one day of opening the online scheduler. (Please note that our teams all set aside times for families that don't use email, following up by phone to get them scheduled.) Please arrive on time for your sessions; any delays are magnified at the end of the day, keeping the teachers here well past 7pm.
On March 28, we will have our 3rd Reno Days activity. For the first two, we have explored as a school the changing landscape of our neighborhood, both physical as well as demographic. Students have been grappling with the idea that the once-prominent Reno City was eliminated in the first half of the last century, and that our school populations have undergone dramatic changes in the last 90 years. In a month, students will find out how a segregated school system came to be and how this has changed (or not) over time.
One key element of our 3rd and 4th (June) Reno Days will be creating opportunities for students to create their own reactions to the story. We are hoping that oral histories, creative writing, art projects, and even further academic studies will be some of our outcomes. To this end, we are going to solicit your memories and your connections. How? We know that many of your families have long roots in the area - either with Deal or with the Reno School. Our goal is to build a database of connections, names and, eventually, stories, so that our future is built on an understanding of our history. We know that the Tenleytown Historical Society and the Sumner School and the MLK Library all have some resources on our history (many of which have been used) but we are going to solicit your information, too. In the coming couple of weeks we will send out a request for names and connections to specific information so that we can start planning for our next lessons. What do you have to do? Think about what might be interesting connections - do you know a former Principal of the Rose School (we do!), did you have family that grew up in the area, is there something that you think worthwhile sharing? We will create a tool that will make it easy to share your thoughts and ideas - so keep a lookout for this!
Finally, our winter sports season is coming to a close this week. Following our indoor track teams great success, we will have 3 basketball championship games this week. Every one of our teams competed with fire and energy and played deep into the playoffs. The locations for the games (Wednesday and Thursday) have yet to be released, but we hope to have our great fans turn out in force to celebrate our team's efforts.
Go Vikings!
James Albright
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Week of
February 24
Bell Schedule
Monday- No School for Students
(Parent-Teacher Conferences)
Wednesday - Bell I
Thursday - Thursday Bell
Pause
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Upcoming Dates
February 24
Parent-Teacher Conference Day
No school for students
Peer Mediation Training
February 25
Principal's Coffee 9 -10
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
6th Grade Ski Trip
February 26
SCAC, 7:30 pm
7th Grade Ski Trip
February 27
8th Grade Ski Trip
February 28
Visiting Deal, 9 - 10 am
March 1
Saturday Institute, 9 - 12-noon
March 4
Grade-level Chairs
March 6
Black History Speech & Drama Competition, 2pm
Pasamos la Voz, 6:30 pm
March 7
LSAT, 7:30 am
March 8
Saturday Detention, 9 - noon
Saturday Institute, 9 - noon
Hands on DC
March 10
8th Grade NHD Registration
March 11
8th Grade NHD Judging
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
March 12
8th Grade NHD Viewing
March 14
SCAC, 7:30 am
Visiting Deal, 9 - 10 am
March 15
Deal Scrabble Tournament
Saturday Institute, 9 - 12 noon
March 19
PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm
March 20
Faculty Meeting, 3:30 pm
March 22
Saturday Detention, 9 - 12 noon
Saturday Institute, 9 - 12 noon
March 24
IB Assessment Workshop (staff)
March 25
Principal's Coffee, 9 - 10 am
IB Assessment Workshop (staff)
Team Leaders, 3:30 pm
March 26
IB Assessment Workshop (staff)
March 28
Reno Day #3
Records Day
Students dismissed at 12:15 pm
March 29
Saturday Institute, 9 - 12 noon
March 31
DC CAS Starts
6th Grade Birthday Party
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The Alice Deal PTA is Building Community
Shop online anytime at Politics and Prose and earn contributions to
benefit the school's library.
Search for books through the search bar at the top of the page, and 5%
of the proceeds from any purchases will go to fund the Deal library.
The library, our teachers, and Deal kids all benefit!
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Before School 8:00 - 8:40 am
After School 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Students must have parental permission to stay after school
The Alice Deal Media Center 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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Bus Information '13-'14
Metrobus Contacts for Schools
If an issue occurs with your designated school transit service, below are contacts at Metro who can help.
For emergency issues or time-sensitive questions (i.e., safety, late buses, missed stops, etc.), contact the Bus Operations Communication Center at (202) 962-1825.
For longer-term bus planning needs (i.e., requests for new transit services, ongoing crowding, etc.), contact Brooke Fossey at (202) 962-5203 or btfossey@wmata.com.
As always, please send an email about bus problems or concerns to james.albright@dc.gov. Here is a link to the bus route schedule. |
Immunization News
Thanks to the parents who have been sending in immunization information. Please continue to send in documentation every time your student receives new immunizations. It is important to have all students immunized to prevent the spread of childhood diseases.
All 6th graders 11 years or older must have the following:
Tdap (tetanus, diptheria and pertussis)
Meningococcal (meningitis)
HPV (human papilloma virus)
For the HPV vaccine, three doses are required for females or you may complete an opt out form.
All immunization forms must be stamped, signed and dated before the Immunization Registry will accept them.
If there are any questions, please call Nurse Whitlock at (202) 939-2009.
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PTA Sponsors
The following are the Deal PTA 2013-2014 business sponsors.
The Broad Branch Market
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W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtor
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Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
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Discount Vacation Rentals for Deal Families
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Capitol Language Services
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Acacia Bistro
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The DCPS Attendance Protocol
***REMINDER****
ACCORDING TO THE DCPS ATTENDANCE POLICY, ONLY ABSENCES DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS ARE EXCUSED:
ILLNESS
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
EMERGENCIES
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
COURT SUMMONS
DEATHS IN THE FAMILY
HIGH SCHOOL VISIT
In order to be acknowledged as "excused", parents must provided a note (email or written) to Ms. Johnson, the attendance counselor, indicating the reason for the child's absence.
Ms. Johnson's email address is krystle.johnson@dc.gov. If you have any questions, please contact the Welcome Center and ask to speak to the Attendance Counselor, Ms. Johnson.
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Student & parent information New: Congratulations Mock Hearing Participants Congratulations to the 8th graders who participated in the city-wide We the People Mock Hearings at Georgetown Law on Wednesday, February 19th. Our students brought home second place honors and demonstrated excellent research, writing, and speaking skills about the Constitution. Kudos to Ryan Johnston, Natalie Seablom, Regan Staudenraus, and Jericho Desalegn, who earned special recognition for their outstanding performance.
New: Deal Library Book Trailer Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the Deal Library Book Trailer Competition! Out of 15 entries, the top three were: James Carline & William Wright: The Alchemyst Ryan Yorra & group: Tiempo Libre Lily Perez & Angelique Ledou: Frozen All book trailers were shown on the big screen in the library this past Friday.
New: Parenting Children with ADHD Support group. Our next meeting is Monday, February 24th at 6:00 pm. Parents, please stop by after your parent/teacher conference. Please contact terence.chang@dc.gov for more information.
New: Baseball Team Interest Meeting There will be an information meeting for all students interested in trying out for the Deal Baseball Team on Tuesday, February 25 at 9:40 am in the auditorium during homeroom. New: 7th Grade Celebrations The 7th grade teams have plenty to celebrate from the first semester! Each team will hold a short celebration during their homeroom to recognize all the students who made honor roll, showed remarkable effort, or reached an extracurricular goal. Team Babylon held their celebration Friday, February 21st. The remaining teams will meet this week during homeroom: Mumbai - February 25th in the auditorium Alexandria - February 28th in the auditorium Dubai - February 28th in the cafeteria Black History Month Speech & Drama Competition Deal's 2nd Annual Black History Month Speech and Drama Competition will be held on Thursday, March 6 (a switch from the previously announced date). The first place winner will receive $100, the second place winner will receive $75, and the 3rd place winner will receive $50! African-American Film Festival In February, the Deal Library will present an African-American Film Festival every Wednesday after school. All the films are based on books that celebrate African-American struggles and triumphs. All are welcome - films start at 3:30. February 26th: The Watsons Go to Birmingham Looking for National History Day Judges: March 11th The Humanities 8 Team is looking for judges for our school's annual National History Day competition on March 11th. Parents and community members with some expertise in history, journalism, archival work, museum studies, and film production would qualify for this important task. Students will present their research through one of five categories: research papers, exhibit boards, web sites, performances, and documentaries. We need panels of evaluators to review and score student achievement. If you have the time and interest in helping us with our school level competition on Tuesday, March 11th please contact cynthia.mostoller@dc.gov as soon as possible.
Calling all Ultimate Frisbee Players!
The Washington Area Frisbee Club (WAFC) is looking to begin a middle school recreational league in the DC metro area but they need players and parents! All games and activities will be organized by WAFC and are not Deal sponsored. If families are interested in registering please visit http://goo.gl/tywHgX or email Coach Martini (michael.martini@dc.gov) for more information!
Yearbook/Newspaper pictures are requested!
Please email any pictures for the yearbook and/or the newspaper to Mr. Klauber at eklauber@gmail.com
New Issue of School Newspaper
Be sure to check out The Vikings Quarterly for Deal news, human interest pieces, reviews, and more! You can find us at: http://alicedealvq.org
Follow @DealVikings on Twitter!
Be sure to follow, mention, and retweet Alice Deal's new Twitter account for updates and pictures from the daily happenings at Deal. If you already follow us, you know that we have been posting pictures and narratives that show what is happening during each of our Deal days. Don't miss out!
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Winter Sports
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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3:30
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3:30
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3:30
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3:30
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| MS Basketball Championship
Location TBD |
EC Basketball Championship Location TBD
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4:45
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4:45
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4:45
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Student-athletes with later start times for practice are required to be in study hall until practice starts. With permission, students may work with other teachers as needed. Students must be under adult supervision at all times.
Please ensure that your athlete has sufficient food for snacks or meals; individual teams may make arrangements for their students. Students are not allowed to leave school to travel for food in the neighborhood, nor are they allowed to ask others to do so.
Please speak with your child's coach if you have questions about any of these procedures.
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The Wizard of OZ!
PERFORMANCE DATES
May 8th, 9th and 10th 
Parents please note there will be a Wizard of Oz cast parents meeting Tuesday, February 25th at 6:15 pm in the Deal conference room.
Questions or Concerns? Email Director Jill Roos jill.roos@gmail.com
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This Week at Deal...
(If there are any weather-related delays or closures, announcements will be made at school for when activities will be held.)
Tuesday: The After School Outdoor Basketball Club
The After School Outdoor Basketball club will NOT meet this Monday due to Parent - Teacher Conferences. The club will resume on Tuesday, March 4 at 3:30 pm behind the school. Please note that, for the month of March, the club will move from Monday afternoons to Tuesday afternoons with Mr. Namian to accommodate the 7th grade math team's weekly Monday afternoon gatherings to prepare for the DC CAS exam.
Tuesday - Thursday: Ski Trips
It's ski trip week at Deal! Students attending one of the grade level ski trips are asked to arrive at the building at 7:30am. Students are asked to dress for the weather and bring a watch, a water bottle, lunch, and two snacks (as discussed in the meetings). Students will be responsible for making up any work missed during the trip so please make sure to reach out to your teachers!
Wednesday: Wilson HS Visit
Principal Cahall and the counseling staff from Wilson HS will meet with Deal 8th graders on Wednesday morning to discuss the transition to high school.
Wednesday: MS Basketball Championships
At this time, the championship games (boys and girls) are scheduled for Wednesday pm, but the location has not yet been determined.
Thursday: EC (Boys) Basketball Championship
At this time, the boys championship game is scheduled for Thursday pm, but the location has not yet been determined.
Friday: World Language Trips Meeting
Families of 8th grade students attending one of the world language trips to China, France, or Costa Rica need to attend a meeting at 6:30 pm at Deal. Each language trip will have a different location, which will be noted at the front door. Teachers traveling on the trips are expected to be in attendance as well.
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Eighth Grade Corner
Wilson High School Last Open House
Don't miss the last scheduled open house at Wilson High School on Friday, March 14th from 9:00 -11:00 am.
High School Course Planning
The counselors have met with each of the 8th grade teams to get students started on the high school course planning process through www.dcps.bridges.com. Students have portfolio names and passwords in order to complete their plans. This is the first step in many conversations that rising students will have once they enroll in the high school of their choice. Students are encouraged to speak with parents, teachers, and their counselor to determine the level of coursework they wish to pursue in high school. Please reach out to Diane McFarland at diane.mcfarland@dc.gov or by phone at (202) 939-2014 with any questions or concerns.
High School application deadlines are fast approaching!
8th Grade Mock High School Interviews
If you plan to interview for high schools and would like practice and feedback, contact Ms. Redekopp in the library to schedule a mock interview. They will be held during lunch periods and after school, and appointments last approximately 15 minutes.
High School Common Application
This year there will be a common application and lottery system for all public schools of choice, including charters, DCPS out-of-boundary, and DCPS specialized high schools. The initiative is entitled MySchoolDC, for more information email www.MySchoolDC.org. The timeline for completing the application process is as follows:
March 31st: Results released.
May 1st: Deadline to claim your seat by turning in your enrollment forms.
The DCPS Specialized/City-Wide High Schools are:
- Benjamin Banneker High School
- McKinley Technology High School
- Columbia Heights Education Campus (Bell)
- Phelps Architecture, Construction, and Engineering High School
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts
- School Without Walls
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. Gather the recommendation forms and fill out all pertinent information. Prepare an addressed and stamped envelope for each school from which you are requesting a recommendation. All recommendations will be placed in the mail by the individual teacher or by your counselor.
3. Take the recommendation form with the envelope to the person from whom you need the request. Ask the person if they would be willing to write a recommendation for you. Remind them of the date by when it needs to be completed and mailed in. Please give the teacher two weeks to complete your recommendation. Ms. McFarland has copies of "Letter of Recommendation Request Forms" and "Student Profile Sheets" that are helpful for this process.
If you need a transcript to send to a private school, please provide Ms. McFarland an addressed and stamped envelope to use to mail your transcript.
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Staff information ...
Tuesday: Team Leaders
Team leaders will meet in the conference room at 3:30 pm.
Tuesday: ELA ALT The ELA ALT will meet in room E206 at 3:30 pm.
Wednesday: SCAC
There will be a SCAC meeting in the conference room at 7:30am.
The Teach Plus PD will take place between 5:00 - 7:30 pm.
Friday: Mindsets and Motivations Meeting The Mindsets and Motivations meeting will take place at 8:10 am.
Friday: World Language Meetings @ 6:30 All teachers and administrators planning to go on one of the world language trips must attend these meetings.
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(all activities begin at 7:45 am unless otherwise stated)
Monday No School:
Conferences |
Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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All School Chorus
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Percussion Ensemble
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String Chamber Ensemble
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Percussion Ensemble
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String Chamber Ensemble
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Jazz Band
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Symphonic Band
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Jazz Band
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Symphonic Band
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Peer Mediators Meeting 8:00 am
RM C116
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6th Grade Concert Band
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6th Grade Concert Band
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(all activities begin at 3:30 pm unless otherwise stated)
Monday
No School:
Conferences
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Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday
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Friday
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Music Workshop
| Chinese
Tutoring
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Space Time
E100
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Art from the Heart
C205
| Robotics/Investment
Team
E207
| Cheerleading practice - gym
| GeoPlunge
E105
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New to Deal Transition Workshop
| Chinese tutoring |
Cheerleading practice - gym
| Cooking Club Group B CG03
| Swim Team Practice to 5:30 pm
| Team Santiago study hall C130 |
Team London study hall
E104
| The Big Deal Acappella
Choir
| Robotics/
Investment Team E207
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Photography Club
W204
| Music Workshop
| Field Hockey practice |
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Computer Programming
E206
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GSA club
N116 or
W305
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Team Babylon tutoring
W207
| TAGS DC
C130 |
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Literary Magazine club CG07
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History club
W304
| Vinyl club
C203
| Speech Club
W206 |
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Board Games
W106
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Debate Team
W206
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Art From the Heart C205
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French tutoring
N111
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| Chess Club
Cafeteria
| Jiu Jitsu
Outside gym | Alexandria Library E205
| Model Un
W304 |
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Science Olympiad Team W200
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Meditation Club C213
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| Team Rio study hall
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Digital Recording Club
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| Team Mumbai tutoring |
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| After School String workshop |
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| Illustrator's Club C224
| DIY club
E105
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Chinese tutoring
| The Big Deal Acappella Choir | |
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| GirlUp!
E305
| Let's Get It Together
C113 |
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| Artist Journaling
C217
| Outdoor Basketball Club
Cottage |
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| African Drumming CG21
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| Student Council meeting
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Please click the following link for the:
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Community Information
(Items in this section are not sponsored by Deal) Summer Enrichment Opportunity: Summer Aboard 2014 Parents: Summer Aboard is the premiere and elite summer academic enrichment program for rising 6th through 10th graders, located at the renowned Lawerenceville School. Find out more at www.dcrblsummeraboard.com. There will be an information/registration session on Saturday, March 8th at Tenley Friendship Library from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Feel free to contact the program with additional questions at 202-460-8417. Squash Team Would you like to try the new cool sport in town? Dealsquash team is open for spring registrations!
Where - Chevy Chase Athletic Club, Barlow Building, Friendship Hts (opp Wholefoods)
Equipment - loaner equipment provided, need to wear non marking shoes.
Activities - we will have training days and play other MS teams in a friendly competitive league and work on fitness. Come 'n try session - noon Mar 1 - this is free but you need to register with Coach Barnes The coach - Connie Barnes has been coaching squash to middle school, elementary school and high school students in the Montgomery County area for the last 12 years. Financial assistance available Contact Connie Barnes directly at conniesquash@gmail.com with any questions. www.aussienicksquash.com www.chevychaseathleticclub.com Capitol City Little League: Baseball and Softball Registration is Currently Open Registration for the Capitol City Little League (CCLL) is currently open for all children who live or go to school in the CCLL area. For more than twenty-five years, CCLL has provided boys and girls in our community with a fun environment in which to learn the fundamentals of baseball and softball, while playing on a team comprised of other kids of similar age and skill level. The league encourages all children to participate, learn the game, build their skills, and have a fun with current and new friends. The CCLL season begins in late March and continues through early June. You can register your child to participate at: https://active.leagueone.com/Olr/Pages/Welcome.aspx?ClubId=13265 Those who register between February 2 and February 16, 2014 will pay the basic rate. Those registering on or after February 17, 2014 will be charged a $25 late fee. Registration for all divisions (except the National Division) closes on March 1, 2014 and no registrations will be accepted after that date. This firm deadline is necessary to ensure that the league can keep team sizes at an appropriate level so all kids get enough playing time, to recruit coaches, and to secure field space. We look forward to a terrific Spring 2014 season and hope that your daughters and sons will participate.
Bancroft Elementary School is Starting a Chess Program.
Bancroft is looking for middle school chess players to help 3rd-5th grade beginners. The program meets every Tuesday from 4:30 - 6:00 pm at Bancroft Elementary.
Interested students may contact Devon Bartlett at devonbartlett@yahoo.com
or 202-288-0009.
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