Team Paramaribo

📝 Supplies 📓

Thank you to everyone who has donated supplies over the past few weeks - your children's sniffly noses and no-longer germy desks appreciate all of the tissues, disinfecting wipes, paper towels, and more!

Please continue to check in with your student about their pencils. Too often, we as teachers have the following conversation with students:

Student: Can I borrow a pencil?

Teacher: Alright, sure, but where is your pencil?

Student: I lost it :(

Teacher: Do you have an extra one in your locker for later?

Student: No, I ran out in October

Teacher: Why haven't you asked your people at home if they have any extras you can bring in?

Student: *shrug* I forgot, I guess?

Please ask your student if they have a stash of pencils in their lockers because they will forget to ask you for extras!

Attendance and Absences

Families may submit student absence excused notes by:

Submitting information electronically via AspenGO (preferred method)
Submitting a hard copy excuse note to the Attendance Counselor
Emailing DealAttendance@k12.dc.gov

We can once again accept absences excuses via email, as this is the only way to electronically attach documents. Please note information received via email may be processed more slowly than excuses submitted via AspenGo.

Save The Dates!

January 23rd: Last day of the 2nd Quarter
January 24th: International Night (information at the bottom)
January 26th: Professional Development Day, no school for students
January 27th: First day of the 3rd Quarter

Classroom Supplies Wishlists

We are so incredibly thankful to everyone who has sent in supplies so far - you are all truly appreciated!

If you would like to donate to your student's classrooms, here are the Amazon wishlist links:

Ms. Wesselhoft's Wishlist

Mx. Gomez's Wishlist

Mr/x. Winston and Ms. Clark's Wishlist

Ms. Patsalos' Wishlist

Ms. Sagan's Wishlist

Ms. Sun's Wishlist

Any donations can be sent to the school with this format:

ADCA c/o Teacher Name

3815 Fort Dr NW

Washington, DC 20016

English and Language Arts with Mr. Winston

We had a wonderful close to the second term in English class this week. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to you at home for helping our scholars reach this point. I know the independent reading projects required significant time and effort outside of school, and I truly appreciate your support in helping students stay focused, organized, and committed to their work.

Next week, we will continue reading our unit novel, The Giver. A PDF copy of the text has been uploaded to Canvas for scholars to access outside of school. All students should complete reading through Chapter 6 before returning to class next Tuesday. At the end of the week, students will submit a CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) paragraph based on Chapter 9.

MAP Testing

This week, our extended first period classes focused on Middle of Year (MOY) English testing. Students completed MAP testing (Measures of Academic Progress), a short, computer- based assessment used across DCPS to measure student growth in reading. The test is adaptive, meaning questions adjust based on each student’s responses, allowing teachers to see what students know and what they are ready to learn next. This is the second of three times students take MAP during the school year.

MAP results include RIT (Rasch Unit) scores, which show a student’s current learning level and growth over time. This evening, by 8:00 p.m., I will post instructions on Canvas explaining how you can access your scholar’s scores. Generally, scores of 210 or higher indicate that a scholar is reading on grade level. There is no need for alarm if a score is below 210, as this information simply helps identify the skills we should focus on strengthening in class. Please feel free to reach out via email if you have any questions.

Math with Mx. Gomez

6th Grade Accelerated Math

The beginning of Term 3 will start with exploring inequalities on a number line to precede our unit on rational numbers. This will include a day where we are working on GEMDAS(PEMDAS) to build students skills with Order of Operations. Please ensure your student completes their 2 iReady lessons over the weekend!

7th Grade Math

We will be wrapping up Unit 5 over Rational numbers. Students will have a Formative D next Wednesday (assuming the snow does not hinder classes). Please ensure your student completes their 2 iReady lessons over the weekend!

Please encourage your child to stay on top of their assignments and reach out if they need support.

Summer Math Acceleration Camp (SMAC) Information

🔎Please direct all questions to DealSummerMath@k12.dc.gov.

As you may know, Deal offers an in-person math acceleration program each year for students who are currently taking Math 6 or Math 7. Students who demonstrate mastery of standards on the Middle of Year (MOY) i-Ready and the End of Year i-Ready (EOY) i-Ready by earning the required score will be invited to participate in SMAC 2026.

We will also offer a summer online asynchronous opportunity for students who will not be available for SMAC. To be invited to participate in the online asynchronous acceleration program students must earn the required score on the MOY i-Ready assessment and share the reason why they are not available for SMAC.

SMAC Boost | June 22 - 25; 9:00 - 12:00 noon (must attend all dates)

SMAC Dates | June 29 - July 23; 9:00 - 12:00 noon (must attend all dates)

Asynchronous Math Acceleration Program (Zearn) | June 22 - July 23

📎 Follow Along at Home

Families and students can explore the curriculum, preview lessons, and access resources using the link below:
🔗IM Accelerated Math Curriculum

🔗IM Grade 7 Math Curriculum

World Geography and Cultures with Ms. Wesselhoft

This week, students transitioned to the theme of the unit, Access to Education. Students defined four barriers to education: physical geography, poverty & child labor, gender inequality, and conflict. Students started case study investigations first by analyzing a photo of journeys to school and determining why their trip created a barrier. Next, they completed a Nearpod investigation about the Taliban and Malala. (For students in 1st period who did not get that assignment AND anyone who did finish that assignment on Thursday, please complete it over the weekend – Nearpod code: WE7MN.

Next week, we will continue our barriers to education case studies before starting our United Nations Simulation.

Here is the new wishlist link if you would like to donate to the Geography classroom.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/O9VNS5ZC4A1S?ref_=wl_share

Earth and Space Science with Ms. Sagan

Hello scientists!

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend! This past week students explored the size, scale, and age of the universe through a sorting activity. We then prepared for and conducted a lab about dimness and distance, to better understand how scientists use the light from stars to determine things like their age and distance.

Next week we will continue our journey through space and learn more about stars! We’ll start with constellations, followed by an investigation of the life cycle of stars along with a reading about the same.

Roots!!

Next week we will begin our Term 3 Roots! Your student should have their new Roots organizer stapled in the back of their agenda. Studying root words is homework each week that we have a Roots quiz!

Next week’s Roots are:

Prima/primo = first (think: primary, primitive)

*deci = 1/10 or 0.1 (think: deciliter, decimate)

*centi = 1/100 or .01 (think: centimeter, centigrade)

*milli = 1/1000 or .001 (think: millimeter, milliliter)

mega = large, million (think: megalodon, megaphone)

Notes from MLL Support

Last week we continued with HMH and iReady in independent stations and student workbooks, Code 1, 2 and Comprehension in Teacher-led stations. Additionally, students used a Frayer Model as their exit ticket along with their independent stations. The goal is to learn at least one new word a day. Next week we will continue with the stations. Students are encouraged to practice/review higher-tiered vocabulary at home and complete HMH segments to get ready for ACCESS.

Ms. Sun’s Amazon Wishlist

World Languages Newsletter

Read the weekly Deal World Languages newsletter to find out more about the happenings in Chinese, French and Spanish classes, including units of study and upcoming assignments and assessments.

https://app.smore.com/u/emily.bullock5

Library Corner

Read the library newsletter for February! Check out great opportunities for reading challenges, using DCPL databases, Black History Month resources, and more at the link below:

https://app.smore.com/n/x3k0a

International Night

Students and families from all grades are welcome and encouraged to join us for International Night on Saturday, Jan 24 from 6-8pm! This time-honored Alice Deal event brings together the community as we celebrate the many cultures and nations represented among our student body. The event includes "Taste of the Nation" tables where families share sample size offerings of foods from around the world.

Wear your dancing shoes - we will have a DJ! Join us for this festive night of celebration! Buy your tickets here or make a donation to contribute to the fund. Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for students.

Students and parents can also click here to volunteer.