Team Kathmandu: Week 31

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

April students of the month, Olivia and Joaquim, are open minded! The IB Learner Profile states that open-minded students “critically appreciate (their) own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. (They) seek and evaluate a range of points of view and are willing to grow from the experience.”

Team Kathmandu is requesting boxes of snacks for testing (starting April 28)! We need four variety-boxes of snacks each day (one per room). We are asking for snacks that are nut free, have gluten free options, and vegan/dairy free/egg free options. In the past, the variety packs of chips are helpful, a variety pack of Nature's Valley granola bars are also great. Students should eat breakfast before school and will have a snack when the test is finished. Students may not eat during the test. We are also calling for large bags of mints (individually wrapped) for students to have during testing. If you’re able to contribute, please send them in with your child the week before testing (starting April 20) through testing May 8. We are also in need of four large plastic bins (with lids) to keep snacks safe from any pests. If you order anything from Amazon, please have it sent to Amy Trenkle, Team Kathmandu at Alice Deal MS (3815 Fort Drive, NW WDC 20016). We will distribute to the entire team (students in all testing groups).

During CAPE we will offer daily incentives for students who are able to do the following:

• arrive on time to school and are in their testing room by 8:45 am
• have two pencils each day for their test
• Have a book that they will read after they are finished testing (not an e-book) that they will keep under their desk
• Have no violations or disruptions during the test.

Students will earn one ticket each testing day and at the end of the week there will be drawings for prizes. Please encourage, and help, your student to test with success!

This week in Geography students started Unit 7: Europe. This week, we have explored Europe through the 5 Themes of Geography, mapped it physically, politically, and thematically. On Friday students wanted a Discovery Atlas video on France. Students should be studying for their map quiz which will be on Tuesday, 4/21. All links for studying are in Canvas and students have been instructed to take home their paper copies of their maps, vocabulary, and thematic maps graphic organizer. On Tuesday, during 6th period, the 6th grade had the Geography Bee! Team Kathmandu Geo Bee participants were: Niamh, Zachary, Amelia, Xander, and Fredrik. All did a great job in answering local, national, and global geography questions!

When we return from spring break, students will review for their map quiz (Monday) and take their map quiz on Tuesday. We will then begin the next part of our unit which will explore economic systems. In class, students will have background readings, graphic organizers, and a simulation. CEA #24 will be due on Friday, 4/24.

Thank you to Term 3 Job holders—new jobs for Term 4 have been announced! Update on the class garden: our jalapeño peppers are almost ready for harvesting. We will enjoy a treat with them the week we return.

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 statistical questions and measures of central tendency. This week, students will work on having big fun and relaxing during Spring Break. Upon returning, students will work on DCCAPE preparation.

This week in 7th Grade

This week students worked on calculating statistical questions and measures of central tendency This week students will work on having big fun and relaxing during Spring Break. Upon returning students will will work on DCCAPE preparation.

Both Classes
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 Students received Spring Break Packets (on paper) which is due upon their return. They will receive two scores in Aspen (1. Completion 2. Accuracy).
It is recommended that students break down the completion of the packet into a few completed questions per day, to not interfere with the fun times that students have planned during their Spring Break.

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

This will be updated weekly:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dlKT87dltchVgOxxhaxD9eaRYbNpu2isofxLnvk3opA/edit?usp=sharing

Hello scientists!

We made it to spring break, woohoo! I hope you have lovely weather wherever you are next week. This past week was all about weather. Students enjoyed presenting their weather forecast presentations and finished the week showing their knowledge of how sea and land breezes work.

After spring break, students will begin to study for their Weather and Water summative scheduled for Thursday, April 23rd. The Weather and Water review blookets are posted in Canvas and they will receive their study guide after spring break. Roots 4.2 quiz will take place on Friday, April 24th.

Their roots include:

Anthropo = human (think anthropogenic, anthropology)

Insula = island (think insulate, peninsula)

Auto = self (think automatic, autobiography)

Toxic = poison (think toxin, toxicity)

Biblio = book (think bibliography, bibliophile, bible)

Shanishka.Johnson@k12.dc.gov

Ms. Johnson's list SY25-26

Book time to meet with me

This week students worked with partners to work on a Research Simulation Task in which they read two articles and watched one video about what scientists can learn from fossils about Earth's history. On Friday, we previewed our focus question (see below) for Unit 4 and students had to chance to share what they already know about the topic.

When we return from break, we will begin Unit 4: Our Changing Oceans. This unit focuses on nonfiction texts and environmental issues. Our essential question is How are changes in the world's oceans affecting people and animals? How can we be better stewards of our oceans and waterways.

The first two texts of the unit are a personal essay by Javier Bardem entitled, "I've Seen the Antarctic's Untouched Beauty: It's Not Too Late to Save It" and "Tiny Plastic, Big Problem" by Alison Pearce Stevens.

Over Spring Break I expect that students can find a little bit of time to read EACH DAY. :) My to-read stack is perhaps unrealistic for one week, but I'll see what I can do.

Beginning April 24, we will be watching the movie version of The Giver and completing some compare/contrast work. While we are done with this unit, we saved the movie to watch during the ELA class period in the afternoons following their morning ELA CAPE testing. This movie is rated PG-13. Please check your email for an OPT-OUT form that you only need to complete if you do not want your child to watch the movie.

Showcase of Student Work:

(I haven't updated these in the last week, but if students did not finish their Term 3 reflections, they will need to access these links.)

Term 3 Reading Projects: https://tinyurl.com/Term3BookPoems

Student Writing: https://tinyurl.com/WritingWallofFame

Katy Byrns

katy.byrns2@k12.dc.gov

This week, we continued to practice with calculating volume and reviewed concepts for the DC Cape exam. Once we return from Spring Break, we will have one week of DC Cape review to practice all the concepts we’ve learned this year. DC Cape Math will happen the week of April 27th.

By Monday April 20th, students should have passed 32 iReady lessons. Students should be working on the “Teacher Assigned” path, not the “My Path” section, as I’ve assigned specific lessons to review Geometry and learn about Statistics. 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

Re-enrollment for SY 26-27 begins on Friday. ALL families must complete the re-enrollment process. Information about the DCPS re-enrollment process is available HERE. Additional enrollment information is available on the Deal website.

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

It is busy season at Deal! Students are eager for Spring Break and upcoming holidays! Before they go, the library has some excellent resources to prepare for our big upcoming test and more! Here are some of this month's highlights!

• The upcoming Battle of the Books competition update and links!
• A special TinkerCAD challenge for the Beauty and the Beast production!
• A Spring writing contest with cash prizes!

• Test Prep resources for DC CAPE!

Newsletter link: https://app.smore.com/n/9vgcx

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. We were pretty indecisive about what to read next and ended up picking THREE books and students can read as many as they can before our May 13th meeting.

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.