Team Kathmandu: Week 28

Fri. April 3: Last Day of Term 3

Mon. April 6: NO SCHOOL, Records Day

April 13-17: Spring Break

March 28-April 30: Math CAPE Testing

May 4-6: ELA CAPE Testing

Mon. May 25: NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day

Tues. June 16: NO SCHOOL, Juneteenth

Thurs. June 18: NEW LAST DAY OF SCHOOL*

*Change due to missed snow/weather days

This week in Geography we have been talking about culture! To kick off our week we had our pre-visit lesson with the National Portrait Gallery to discuss portraiture and global citizenship. We learned about the Roots of the Americas (Indigenous, European, and African Descendants), and read an article about the Nacirema (If you don’t know them, ask you child about them! ;) ). We also discussed a cultural iceberg to further study visible and hidden aspects of culture.

Students’ US States Quiz will be on 4/1. Students should be practicing now. Links for studying are in Canvas, and each student has a map that they can also fold in half and practice with at home!

Next week we will have an exploration day to practice our elements of portrayal (foundation work was laid in our pre visit with the NPG), have a formative on our terms, and a post visit with the NPG. Then, students will start work their portraits of Americans and their letter to their chosen global citizen. This will all be done in class with resources, but students may take them home if they want to do further research and/or work on it home.

Thank you for the awesome postcards—both virtual and via snail mail! We are continuing to read them and post them on our map! So fun and impressive! Thank you for sharing the project with your family and friends and bringing the world to us!

Be sure to check out our GeoNewsletter, written by our own GeoScribes! It is also recently updated with information and photos from a friend in Nepal! Follow along and see the class through your students’ eyes! https://secure.smore.com/n/nbc3t

On Orientation Day students shared a song they would like to add to our class playlist. This Spotify playlist can be found here.

Pictures that are on our Kathmandu Can Do Attitude board can also be found here.

Amy Trenkle

amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov

Classroom Wishlist

This week in Accelerated 6th Grade Math

This week students worked on calculating volume and how many cubes can fit in a prism. This week students will work on solving surface area and volume in solving related word problems
. Please encourage your child should take advantage of iRecess (a quiet space to work and get help during recess MWF), our Virtual Classroom (www.framevr.io/brownmath after school help available upon request), and our Parking Lot (an in class means to submit requests, reminders, and questions) which are amongst various resources available to students outside of their normal class periods (and Advisory) to help towards success. Students should see me about any makeup opportunities. and those Students more than 4 lessons behind on iReady assignments (or multiple grade levels behind at MOY testing) are REQUIRED to report to iRecess to complete multiple lessons weekly (Mon/Wed voluntary on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those not reporting will have the parents contacted to make them aware. Students reporting with receive incentive opportunities. Students and Resources available from Illustrative Mathematics to assist families with the curriculum we are following can be found at https://im.kendallhunt.com/MS/index.html.

This week in 7th Grade

This week students worked completed RCT assessments and finding the distance between coordinates with and without a coordinate plane. This week students will work on calculating area and surface area and volume in solving related word problems
Please encourage your child should take advantage of iRecess (a quiet space to work and get help during recess MWF), our Virtual Classroom (www.framevr.io/brownmath after school help available upon request), and our Parking Lot (an in class means to submit requests, reminders, and questions) which are amongst various resources available to students outside of their normal class periods (and Advisory) to help towards success. Students should see me about any makeup opportunities. and those Students more than 4 lessons behind on iReady assignments are REQUIRED to report to iRecess to complete multiple lessons weekly (Mon/Wed voluntary on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those not reporting will have the parents contacted to make them aware. Students reporting with receive incentive opportunities. Students and Resources available from Illustrative Mathematics to assist families with the curriculum we are following can be found at https://im.kendallhunt.com/MS/index.html.

Summer Math Acceleration Camp (SMAC)

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

Please direct all questions to DealSummerMath@k12.dc.gov.
Attached is Deal’s Math Acceleration Policy

Thank you for your support

-Mr. Brown marcus.brown@k12.dc.gov

Hello scientists!

It seems like the weather knew that we were starting our Weather and Water unit! With the massive temperature changes last week and the tornado watch on Monday, we have experienced several exciting weather phenomena that students will be able to explain by the unit. This past week we reviewed heat transfer and phase changes and then began exploring the water cycle. Students interacted with examples of water cycle processes like melting, evaporation, and percolation, and then simulated the journey of a water molecule with a dice game which gave each student a unique path through the water cycle. Next week we will continue learning about the water cycle and will begin to learn how wind is created and how air parcels with different temperatures and humidity interact to create weather. We will also complete the Amplify Critical Juncture Assessment at the end of the week to show student growth so far in the unit. There will be no new Roots until the start of term 4.

Shanishka.Johnson@k12.dc.gov

Ms. Johnson's list SY25-26

Book time to meet with me

This week we finished reading The Giver and worked on our poetry analysis skills. Students completed the second Unit Skills Assessment on Friday. The multiple choice score for this will be a PA grade and the written response will be a Summative for Analysis skills.

Next week, students will get to put all the growth they've made as readers and writers on display as we plan and write full literary analysis essays exploring how Jonas changed throughout the novel. Students will have plenty of time to work on this in class and will get feedback from me on their writing throughout the process. They should not do this writing at home, but are welcome to share their ongoing work with you.

Due to lost class time on Monday with the tornado-that-wasn't early dismissal, we did change the due date for The Giver Evidence Collector from Thursday to Monday 3/23.

Showcase of Student Work:

While we have had a physical bulletin board in class featuring student writing, I find that my printing cannot keep up with their writing and that families never get to see it. So, check out our brand new digital Writing Wall of Fame here: https://tinyurl.com/WritingWallofFame. Our first entries include work by Misa, Iban, Liam, Whitley, Nicky P., Rosie, Audrey, Xander, Nick C., An, Ingrid, True and Natasha.

Term 3 Book Projects are due by Friday, March 27. You can see projects students have turned in here: https://tinyurl.com/Term3BookPoems.

Katy Byrns

katy.byrns2@k12.dc.gov

This week we introduced our geometry unit by exploring right triangles and rectangles. We learned vocabulary related to area, base, height, and polygon. We have also been practicing for DC cape with fifteen-minute practice sessions daily for our warm ups. Next week we will learn about volume and move onto three-dimensional shapes.

By Monday March 23rd students should have passed 28 iReady lessons. Please reach out to me if there is any issue with students completing the iReady lessons at home; students always have the opportunity to work on iReady during their recess. Pear assignments are opened on Mondays and Wednesdays and due Wednesday and Friday. Please check Pear to see students’ missing assignments.

brandon.shufelt@k12.dc.gov

The National Cherry Blossom Festival, in conjunction with Events DC, presents Blossom Kicks for Kids! We invite young designers residing in the District of Columbia in grades 5-8 to submit unique soccer cleat designs inspired by the National Cherry Blossom Festival springtime celebration. The top selected designs are then transformed into artistic creations on a cleat by the youth artists themselves, culminating in in a special showcase of the designs. Join this vibrant art initiative today!

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

Read the library newsletter for March! Learn about the new Deal archive project, using DCPL databases, Women’s History Month resources, updates about the Battle of the Books competition and more…

https://app.smore.com/n/2bhpw5

Thanks,

Stephen Reichlen

Library Media Specialist

Deal MS – DC Public Schools

stephen.reichlen@k12.dc.gov

Deal students will have the opportunity to sign up for our Deal Battle of the Books team in April this year. Until then, they can read the books! They have learned about the program from Mr. Reichlen during ELA library visits. They can borrow physical copies of the 10 books from ELA teachers and the library. They can borrow e-books and audiobooks from SORA and Libby (DC Public Library) or purchase personal copies. More information about the district competition and a list of the books can be found at the following link:

https://dcla.org/DCLA-Battle-of-the-Books

We meet once a month in my room, afterschool.

Learn more here: tinyurl.com/bcy5wea7

I did not learn how to do this until my son was in 8th grade, and man I wish I had figured out this trick sooner. You can change your settings on Aspen to send you an email whenever a grade is input for your child below a certain threshold. My husband and I use this function because we don't regularly check Aspen, but we do check email! So every now and then, we can ask our son what happened with a particular assignment or what his plan is for making up missed work. See attached document.

-Ms. Byrns

Beginning this year, families are required to submit excuse notes for students in Aspen GO—the mobile-friendly version of Aspen Parent Portal. The previously existing online system we used has been disabled.

Instructions on how to submit an excuse note are available below.

Submitting an Excuse Note in Aspen GO (Parent Portal).pdf - 443.2 KB (pdf)

Envío de una nota justificativa en Aspen GO (Portal para padres).pdf - 543.4 KB (pdf)

Soumettre une note d'excuse dans Aspen GO (portail parents).pdf - 489.0 KB (pdf)

በ‘Aspen GO’ (የወላጅ ፖርታልParent Portal) ላይ፣ ፈቃድ-ማግኛ ማስታወሻ (Excuse Note)ን ማስገባት.pdf - 504.7 KB (pdf)

在 Aspen GO（家长门户）中提交请假条.pdf - 507.6 KB (pdf)

Nộp Giấy Xin Phép Nghỉ học Trên Aspen GO (Cổng Thông Tin Phụ Huynh).pdf - 315.5 KB (pdf)

Additional information on how to use the Parent Portal can be found at dcps.dc.gov/page/parent-portal.

Congratulations to our IB Learner Profile Students of the Month, exemplifying THINKER: Natasha & Dane. Thinkers use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. They exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Chloe & Gregory

As reflective students, they thoughtfully consider the world and their own ideas and experience. They work to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to support their learning and personal development.

Congratulations to our December IB Learner Profile Students of the Month for Principled: Andrew and True. The IB Learner Profile states that a person who is principled is someone who respects the dignity and feelings of others, is honest and accountable, and accepts both responsibility for their decisions and the consequences that accompany them.

Congratulations to our IB Learner Profile Students of the Month, exemplifying CARING: Diosmar and Max. Students who are caring show empathy, compassion, and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and the world around them. From helping a friend, to picking up garbage after lunch, if you care, it will show!

Congratulations to our IB Learner Profile Students of the Month: Inquirers Amelia and Julian. The IB Learner Profile aims to develop students who are inquirers. Students who are inquirers nurture their curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. They know how to learn independently and with others. Inquirers learn with enthusiasm and sustain their love of learning throughout life.

Congratulations to our IB Learner Profile Students of the Month. This month Team Kathmandu teachers are highlighting the RISK TAKER learner profile: Matlida and Jairo. Risk takers approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; they work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. They are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.