Team Kathmandu: Week 32

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

Our daily schedule looks a bit different during CAPE. Here's what the next two weeks will look like:

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!

What a full week in Geography! This week students took their Europe map quiz on Tuesday and on Wednesday we dove into the economics part of our unit. Students participated in two different simulations—about market and command economies on Wednesday, and traditional economies on Friday! Be sure to ask them what they experienced and what are the characteristics of each economy! :) Students also peppered the week with vocabulary, Flocabulary, and annotated a reading about market and command economies.

Students will have more activities next week to help them understand these economic concepts including stations where they will work in groups to practice their understanding, be introduced to several case studies, and take two formatives on their understanding of vocabulary and market systems.

Students do have a CEA (#25!) next week! :) Shine on!! :)

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!

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

Amy Trenkle

amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov

Classroom Wishlist

We want to remind you that statewide testing will take place next week for all 6th grade students. These assessments are an important opportunity for students to show what they’ve learned this year and to demonstrate their growth.

To help your child feel confident and prepared, please make sure they:

• Get a good night’s sleep before each testing day

• Arrive to school on time

• Eat a healthy breakfast

Your support makes a big difference. Students are encouraged to review notes taken in class and concepts posted in the virtual classroom (www.framevr.io/brownmath) Thank you for helping us set students up for success — we’re proud of their hard work and excited for them to show what they know.

Students will receive instructions for and begin their “Statistical Questions” Project, culminating with their presentation on Friday. IRecess will be dedicated solely to those requiring extra group meeting time on their project. Groups are encouraged to utilize the immersive collaborative space provided by the virtual classroom to meet with group members outside of the time provided by the school day hours.

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

Hi scientists,

I hope you had a fun week back from the break! This past week, we reviewed our Weather and Water content to prepare for end of unit summative which was held on Thursday and Friday. Students learned about water pollution in recognition of Earth Day and explored how humans can affect the water cycle.

Next week, we will begin CAPE testing! Students will transition into our Climate and Human Impacts unit by learning about extreme weather and completing an engineering project. They will be challenged to design and build a structure that can withstand at least three different types of extreme weather. Structures will be tested using wind, water, and more!

For this project, we need your help with materials! We are asking for donations of CLEAN recycling that could be made into a building. This could include:

• Cardboard

• Egg cartons

• Clean, empty plastic bottles

• Clean, empty milk/juice cartons

• Mesh bags from tangerines/cuties

• Tinfoil

• Other recyclables that could be useful!

Additionally, we could use:

• Pipe cleaners

• Tape

• Glue

• Popsicle sticks

Please DO NOT send

• Glass-too breakable

• Tin cans-too sharp/hard to work with

Thank you!!!

Next week's roots quiz is on Friday, May 1st

*psych=mind (Psychology, psychic)

osteo=bones (Osteopathy, osteoporosis)

hemo=blood (Hemoglobin, hemophobia)

*derm=skin (Epidermis, dermatitis)

*cardio=heart (Cardiologist, cardiopulmonary)

Shanishka.Johnson@k12.dc.gov

Ms. Johnson's list SY25-26

Book time to meet with me

This week, we began 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. Students read and discussed a personal essay by Javier Bardem about the need for a marine sanctuary in the antarctic and an informational text about the impact of plastics in our oceans.

Next week, we will read and complete a short media study on the topic of Sea Level Rise. In the second half of this unit, students will pick one of the three issues introduced in this unit (Sea Level Rise, Plastic Pollution, Overfishing) to focus on for further research and to use as the focus of a presentation.

Beginning April 30, 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.

Unrelated to ELA, this week we played a short trivia game based on the pop culture of 1995 (the year I was in 6th grade). Student scores ranged from 0 points to 7 points. Feel free to play at home and see how you do. https://canva.link/2iy2hii9qvtoj95

Katy Byrns

katy.byrns2@k12.dc.gov

This week we reviewed concepts from the entire year as we get ready to take the DC Cape starting next Tuesday. Next Tuesday – Thursday students will take the Math CAPE exam and will begin their statistical research project.

By Monday April 27th, students should have passed 33 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

Our names are Priya, Sophie, and Saara. The three of us went to Deal for all of our middle school years. For our 8th grade community service project we successfully hosted a 5k Fun Run to raise money and awareness for STEM for Her. While we are now 9th graders we are thrilled to announce the race is returning on May 3rd in Fort Reno Park!

This project means a lot to us. STEM for Her empowers young women and girls to change the world by providing scholarships and financial support to programs that foster interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related careers. As young women who want to pursue careers in STEM we felt very lucky to have the opportunities to continue that learning.

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

The Battle of the Books in-school competition is happening on May 12th during the advisory period. Students can sign-up with Mr. Reichlen, ELA teachers, or by filling out the form at the link below. The link also has quizzes that students can take, and study materials for each of the books on this year’s list. Check it out if you are interested in participating this year.

BOB Link: https://bit.ly/DealBOBresources

In addition to the linked resources, Mr. Reichlen will be hosting informal meetings after school starting next week on Mondays and Wednesdays until the competition! At these meetings, students can hang out with other participants to discuss the books, take individual quizzes on library computers, and participate in group KaHoot sessions with peers!

Meeting details:

When: Mondays and Wednesdays - 3:30pm-4:15pm starting April, 27th - May 29th.

Where: Deal Library

Contact: Mr. Reichlen for more details (Stephen.reichlen@k12.dc.gov)

Thanks,

Stephen Reichlen

Library Media Specialist

Deal MS – DC Public Schools

stephen.reichlen@k12.dc.gov

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.

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.”

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.