IDEA Welcomes New Teachers and Administrators
 Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year! We are looking forward to seeing our hardworking returning students and many new faces in the coming weeks for orientation days and when school starts on August 25. We know this is going to be IDEA's best year yet.
We also welcome several new teachers and leaders to IDEA this fall, including- Reginald Boyce, special education
- Marco Brooks, English
- Victor Bryant, English
- Roxanne Caple-Kelly, special education
- Shana Diagne, Spanish
- Mark Sturdivant, vice principal
- Lacey Thornton, English
Finally, there are some changes to our administrative titles. I am now head of school, Lanette Bacchus is now principal, and we've added Mark Sturdivant to our team as vice principal. John Goldman remains executive director. All of us at IDEA are committed to making sure every IDEA student receives the best possible education from the first day of school to the last. ~Justin Rydstrom, Head of School |
|
IDEA Orientation Runs This Week and Next for New and Returning Students
All IDEA families should have received letters detailing the orientation sessions relevant to them. Orientation is mandatory and an excellent opportunity for students to meet their teachers and new classmates, receive a refresher on IDEA guiding principles and policies, and learn about changes happening at school.
|
Mark Sturdivant Joins IDEA Leadership as Vice Principal
 Meet Mark Sturdivant, IDEA's new vice principal. Mr. Sturdivant is responsible for cultivating a positive school culture and promoting responsible student behavior. My approach I give tough love. I'm definitely a parent away from home. Students can come speak with me about any situation and I can relate and help process through that obstacle. Hopefully I can be a safety net with the students at IDEA so they can feel comfortable and get their education in a safe environment. You're going to meet plenty of different challenges and you're going to fall down. It's all about how you get back up and face that challenge again. My background I've always liked nurturing a population of students or adolescents. I came to IDEA from Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy at the Parkside Campus. Before that I was a psychiatric rehabilitation program director at Community Counseling and Mentoring Services, a crisis intervention specialist at The Pathways Program, and special education instructional assistant in Montgomery County Public Schools. I am a native Washingtonian and attended Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. My parents were married for more than 45 years. I lost my father last summer, but his commitment to our family has instilled in me to stay connected with youth and serve as a male role model and teach perseverance and consistency. My father worked for the government as a chief supervisor at the Government Printing Office. My mom was a biochemist. They instilled honest family values in me, like having respect for yourself and for others. |
|
School Uniforms Still on Sale Online or in Store
If you missed our campus visit from Risse Brothers, the provider of IDEA's school uniforms, you can still order uniforms online or visit the Risse Brothers store in College Park, Maryland.
NEW this year is that skirts and shorts may be worn as part of the IDEA school uniform as long as they adhere to uniform standards and are knee-length or longer.
Learn more about our uniform policy here.
|
Earn $100 When a Student You Refer Enrolls at IDEA
IDEA is still accepting new students in all grades for the fall. Our office is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 3pm for registration. If you are a current IDEA student, you can earn $100 in cash when you refer a new student to IDEA who enrolls and attends this fall.
Visit http://www.ideapcs.org/admissions-enrollment for more information and send that link to anyone you think would be a great addition to IDEA. Please see Mr. Rydstrom for details about how you can earn your $100 reward. |
|
Students to Receive New Biweekly Progress Reports
 IDEA PCS honors our partnerships with our families. The success of our students does not solely rest on what happens in the classroom but through a triad of communication among students, parents, and staff.
As a new means of including parents in discussions about student performance, IDEA will send progress reports to families every two weeks to communicate the current status of a student's educational progress and development in all courses. This gives families the opportunity to monitor their child's proficiency in a course before each quarter report card comes home. Students will set biweekly goals to support their progression in each class. This also allows parents to have more informed conversations with teachers as the progress report will support diagnosis and solutions for student achievement.
~Principal Bacchus
|
| IDEA and Deanwood Team up for Community Day, 5K, and Cookout on September 20 |
 Enjoy a beautiful fall day and get some exercise when you participate in the inaugural 5K walk/run sponsored by Deanwood and IDEA PCS. Registration begins at 8am on September 20 and the walk/run begins at 9am. Celebrate your achievement with an IDEA family cookout from noon to 3pm. Stay tuned for more details.
|
|
 School Supply List for 2014-2015
Here's what students need to be prepared to start school this year.
- No. 2 pencils
- Colored pencils
- Handheld pencil sharpener with lid
- Erasers
- Ballpoint pens (black or blue)
- Highlighters
- Composition notebooks (10)
- Loose-leaf notebook paper
- Several three-ring binders (one for each class)
- Pencil case that fits in a binder
- Binder dividers with pockets
- Index cards
- Graphing calculator (please check with your math and science teachers before you buy to make sure you choose one that's appropriate for your needs)
|
|
NEW PTA! How You Can Get Involved and Why It Matters
This year IDEA will have a brand new organization to help parents and teachers work together for the good of the school. Families will have a chance to get involved in the PTA soon. Please see Mr. Sturdivant for more information and stay tuned for PTA news.
|
