Lafayette ES Family Newsletter

Dear Lafayette Families,

Wow! It has been a wonderful February already, with more in store! A huge shoutout to Ms. Gemar, Mr. Brockman, and all of the staff members and families who played a supportive role in making the winter concert a success last week. Our student leaders on the Student Council have planned a fun, optional Spirit Week for next week. Read the section below for details!

Please be reminded that we hope all families will join us on Monday, February 24 from 8:10-8:30am for Mindful Monday. This will be a special one where students who participate are encouraged to take their families on a self-guided tour of our many Black History Month exhibits, including the doors that our families have decorated. They look truly amazing! We will also have Black History Month celebrations, as well as additional musical student performances, at the Community Meetings on February 28.

In addition to hosting parents in the building to see our students shine, the admin team would also love to create a space for adult dialogue. Introducing: Bear Huddles! Once a month, families are invited to join us in the library from 8:00-8:30am for a coffee before school to hear a brief update on a topic of interest (no powerpoints!) before we open it up to questions and dialogue with families. We will have staff Feel free to save the dates for the remainder of the year, shared below and in the graphic!

• March 12
• April 9
• May 14
• June 11

In partnership,

Katie Prall, Principal

Lafayette Elementary School

Lafayette Student Council is bringing some winter fun with a spirit week for all from Monday, February 24th through Friday, February 28th! If you have any questions, see a student council officer or Ms. Dunleavy or Mr. Lookner!

2/24 Fan Day: Show your ultimate fandom by repping your favorite team’s gear or colors!

2/25 Tired Tuesday: Pajamas ALL Day!

2/26 Wacky Wednesday: Dress outside of your comfort zone! Mismatched socks, shorts over pants, crazy hair, etc.

2/27 Throwback Thursday: Throw it back and dress from a decade of your choice!

2/28 Blue and Gold: Show your Lafayette pride by wearing Blue and Gold or your Grizzly gear!

DCPS, in partnership with EveryDay Labs, issues mail and electronic attendance communications to the families of students who have missed five percent or more of the school year (excused or unexcused). These messages are designed to reduce student absenteeism and motivate student engagement. The next communication will be mailed letters to issued, on February 21st. Please note that, although they may be signed from Principal Prall, they are not school issued communications.

Squash – Squash is an indoor racquets game played in indoor, air-conditioned comfort! Whether you want to learn and play for fun and fitness, use squash as an avenue to get into a great college, or play in the multiple leagues and tournaments, we have a spot for you – beginners most welcome.

Squash is played at the Barlow building at Friendship hts, 5454 Wisconsin Ave, 18th fl, Penthouse.

We have opportunities for you to try squash – Feb 15 at 2pm and Feb 24 which is the first day of Spring clinics.

The event is free, but registration is essential Contact Adrienne Jules juleskids2@hotmail.com cell 404-809-5037

DCPS (K-12)-: https://dcpsstrong.com/summer/

DPR (Ages 3-13): https://dprsummercampoff.splashthat.com/

DPR also offers Therapeutic Recreation summer camps for children with and without developmental and intellectual disabilities. An application and assessment must be completed prior to enrollment. https://dprtrcamp.splashthat.com/. Assessment registration opens 2/14.

Therapeutic Recreation

Let's Play Together Camp - Ages 3-7

Camp Adventure - Ages 6-16

Inclusion Camps - Ages 6-10

Join us for an unforgettable performance as our talented middle school students bring William Shakespeare’s The Tempest to life on stage! Don’t miss the magic, adventure, and drama in this classic tale of betrayal, forgiveness, and wonder.

Show Dates:

🗓️Thursday, 2/20, 6:30PM

🗓️Friday, 2/21, 6:30PM

🗓️Saturday, 2/22 1PM

Tickets On Sale Now!

Buy your tickets early and support our young performers. https://alice-deal-theater.square.site/tickets

Become a Business Sponsor!

Support the arts and showcase your business to our school community! Sponsorship opportunities are available—contact ADCAtheatreinfo@gmail.com for more details.

We welcome 5th grade Lafayette families to join our dedicated Feeder School Chat on Wednesday February 12 at 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Lafayette Virtual Feeder School Chat (February 12) - bit.ly/LAFAYETTEFEB12

Upcoming In Person Open Houses!

5th Grade Families - HERE WE GROW! Join Alice Deal Middle School in one of our open houses! Come by to visit Deal's campus, meet with Principal Neal, and participate in student guided tours. We look forward to meeting you!

• Saturday, March, 22, 2025 - 10:00 - 12:00 noon
• Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 26, 2025 - 10:00 - 12:00 noon
• Wednesday, May 21, 2025 - 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 31, 2025 - 10:00 -12:00 noon

Registration Encouraged: https://bit.ly/DealOpenHouse2025.
Walk-Ins Welcome!

Welcome, families of future 6th grade students!

All incoming 6th grade families are asked to complete this Course Information Form to select your child's world language and provide additional information.

We are happy to share registration information for this summer's RISE program.

RISE is an opportunity for students to learn about all things Deal and make a strong transition to middle school. RISE features everything from opening a lock to learning about our schoolwide International Baccalaureate programming, including:

• Opportunities to build relationships with teachers, staff, and fellow students,
• Important middle school transition skills (such as keeping organized for multiple classes, checking your grades, and keeping up with assignments),
• Time to engage in fun, engaging team-building activities,
• And more!

Students must be fully enrolled at Deal to participate in RISE. Enrollment opens on April 1, 2025 and can be completed online (https://enrolldcps.dc.gov) or in-person at Deal. You may complete the registration forms linked below now to reserve your seat, but your student's participation in RISE will not be confirmed until their SY 25-26 enrollment is complete. Students who do not complete enrollment may be removed from the roster for RISE.

Your student's RISE week is assigned alphabetically by last name. Please see links below to register. Space at RISE is limited.

• Week 1 (July 7 - 10) - Last Names A - F: Register Here
• Week 2 (July 14 - 17) - Last Names G - N: Register Here
• Week 3 (July 21 - 24) - Last Names O - Z: Register Here

For questions, please reach out to Ms. Gathers, 6th grade assistant principal (stacey.gathers@k12.dc.gov). Please be advised that I will check and follow up on emails about RISE and future students weekly.

We look forward to getting to know your child soon!

Please find the dates for the upcoming Community Meetings for the rest of the school year! Based on the positive feedback, we will continue having the Upper School (grades 3-5) meetings at 8:45am (ending by 9:15am). The Lower School (grades PK-2) will begin promptly at 9:35am (ending by 10:05am). Community meetings include 1) Shared Learning 2) Shared Celebration 3) SAMM Wall of Fame 4) News and Announcements.

• February- Friday the 28th
• March- Friday the 28th
• April- Friday the 11th * updated for CAPE*
• May- Friday the 30th
• June- Tuesday the 17th

We want to make sure everyone has access to the information shared in the Family Newsletter! By clicking on the email you receive, it will open it in your web browser. From there. There are multiple accessibility options listed at the top for you to choose from. This includes automatic translation into over 130 languages!

Our family volunteers help us build a thriving school community. We are seeking several critical positions for the 2025-2026 school year.

We are looking for one new Co-President (2-year term), Treasurer and Secretary, as well as many key roles that help plan, lead and communicate beloved Lafayette events (e.g. Arts Night, Fall Fest, Grizzly Gear and the auction).

Read more about open roles here. We will continue to update this document as vacancies are confirmed.

Please complete this short form to express your interest in an elected or non-elected leadership role. We encourage you to complete the form even if you do not yet see a role that sparks your interest. You can indicate committees of interest or general skills you hope to contribute to the school and we will reach out.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to volunteer@lafayettehsa.org.

Please click here for more detailed information 2025-2026 SY Vacancies

May 3, 2025 7 PM to 10 PM

All proceeds will support the Lafayette HSA. Adult only event. More details coming soon. Thank you to Auction Headline Sponsors Donovan Wye Mandle and Julie Roberts Home Team!

●Please notify the school every time your student is absent by emailing Lafayette.dcps@k12.dc.gov

●Excuse notes must be emailed to Lafayette.dcps@k12.dc.gov within 5 school days after the student’s return to school for the absence to be excused. (Classroom teachers cannot excuse absences.)

●Additional documentation is required for 5 or more consecutive absences.