Dear DCI School Community,

As we step into November, we’re filled with gratitude for the joy, teamwork, and the sense of community that continues to bring DCI together. This fall season has given us so much to celebrate — from our incredible athletic achievements to inspiring moments of learning and connection. Congratulations to our Varsity Girls Soccer Team, earning their fourth straight PCSAA title, and to our Varsity Boys Soccer Team for earning their fifth straight PCSAA title! We’re also proud to celebrate our Varsity Girls Volleyball Team, who brought home their eighth PCSAA Championship! We are also supporting our families this month with extra food distribution at our food pantry today and our monthly Grab and Go Community Market on November 20th. Our students, staff and families also welcomed three of our four Voyager Program partner schools to campus this season, with one more visit to come in December. Looking ahead, we can’t wait for the Middle School Fall Ball this Friday, our Multicultural Potluck on November 13th, the DCI Theatre production of Alice by Heart Nov. 13-15th, and Homecoming on November 15—all opportunities to come together, celebrate, and to continue an amazing fall here at DCI!

Shout Outs!

DCI Athletics Excel; Win Championships This Season!

Congratulations to our athletes who have competed (and won titles!) this fall season! Here are a few recent highlights: 

• Varsity High School Girls Soccer Team: Fourth straight PCSAA Champions
• Varsity High School Boys Soccer Team: Fifth straight PCSAA Champions
• Varsity Girls Volleyball Team: Eighth straight PCSAA Champions
• Middle School Girls Volleyball Team: 25-26 PCSAA Champions
• Middle School Cross Country: Boys 4K earned a PCSAA Championship
• ALL 36 student-athletes ran season bests!

Please come out and support the Boys Varsity Soccer team as they make a run for the State Title!

• When: Friday, November 7th
• Game Time: 2:45 p.m.
• Location: Washington International School (WIS) – 3100 Macomb St NW, Washington DC

DCI Teachers and Students Participate in the Greater Washington Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages (GWATFL)

This past Saturday, November 1, 2025, teachers, parents, and students from DCI participated in the Greater Washington Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages (GWATFL) Fall Conference—an event that celebrates innovation, language advocacy, and educational excellence across the D.C. metropolitan area. DCI’s session, titled “Telling Our Stories: Language as Empowerment Through Bilingual Storytelling,” featured DCI Spanish students presenting the first-ever student-created Spanish short story book in our school’s history: Cuentos Cortos por Alumnos de DCI (2024–2025). Click here to read more about DCI’s accomplishments!  

Shout out to DCI’s Debate Team!

This past weekend, Washington Urban Debate League (WUDL) kicked off its local debate season and DCI had 5 teams (10 students) competing for the first time ever with some amazing results! Congratulations to our competitors on their first debate this season!

In Varsity:

• Adeline Worsley & Claudia Hyman-Jimenez won all three rounds and placed 2nd overall in the tournament with both receiving top speaker awards
• Marianne Pagan & Ella Ross won all three rounds and placed 5th overall in the tournament
• Toumani McCurty & Snowy Larsen Brown obtained some high points (29 & 28 out of 30) for their public speaking skills
• Jackson Griffith & Abe Rodberg obtained some high points (30 & 29 out of 30) for their public speaking skills

In JV:

• Carlos Sousa & Naivasha Mendenhall-Miller won a round

Teacher / Staff Shout Out!

Check out this week’s student to staff shout outs:

I want to shout out Bao Laoshi or Ms. Bao because even though I haven't known her for that long, she is so nice and her class is not only educational but super fun!

I want to shout out Chi Laoshi or Ms. Chi because she is SO SO SO nice and during office hours she helps us a lot with our work and she teaches us a lot about history. She is also really fun to talk to about dancing and stuff.

Please consider submitting a “shout out” to recognize your students’ teachers, staff or one another. These will be included in each bi-weekly edition of the Dispatch. Thanks!

What is Happening at DCI?

Thanks for Attending our Dialogue with Dr. Davian Last Week!

Thank you to our families that came out last week in person and attended virtually to join Dr. Davian Morgan for a meet and greet – Dialogue with Dr. Davian! During the session, Dr. Davian shared his vision for middle school and his priorities for this school year. If you were not able to attend, please see the recording here and the slides shared here.

Winter Athletics Tryouts

Get ready, Dragons! 🐉 High School winter athletics tryouts begin November 10th, and Middle School tryouts begin November 13th. For details on completing the required athletic paperwork, submitting the 2025–2026 Winter Athletics Sign-Up Form, and reviewing all tryout dates, please check out:

• This Middle School–specific message
• This High School–specific message

Check Out DCI’s Environmental Sustainability Society Pottery Auction!

DCI’s Environmental Sustainability Society’s pottery auction is taking place now through November 14th! They are auctioning beautiful handmade pottery, donated by a member’s grandmother and designed with creative input from our members. Each piece is completely unique and crafted especially for this auction. By placing a bid, you’ll not only take home a one-of-a-kind work of art, but you’ll also be supporting the Society’s mission to promote environmental sustainability. Don’t miss out on the chance to support this DCI club and take home something beautiful! Visit the auction site today and start bidding! 

Join Us for Purple Day on Thursday, November 14th 💜 

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and this year, DCI is focusing on the theme “Rest, Reset, and Raise Awareness.” On Thursday, November 14, we invite all students, staff, and families to wear purple to show support for those living with epilepsy. Purple symbolizes courage, strength, and hope, and wearing it helps start essential conversations about understanding and inclusion. Throughout the day, students will learn more about epilepsy and how we can all support one another through awareness, empathy, and kindness. Let’s fill our school with purple and purpose this November! 

Support the Annual Robotics Team Fundraising Raffle!

DCI's Robotics program hosts a fundraising raffle every year to help support the cost of our team. We are selling $10 raffle tickets for a chance to stay at houses in Ireland, Spain, West Virginia, or Bethany Beach. Please consider buying tickets and/ or sharing the link to the raffle across your networks. Every little bit helps the team compete in competitions, tournaments and the like. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

NEXT WEEK! Multicultural Potluck on November 13th 

Let’s give thanks and celebrate our diverse DCI community by sharing our favorite dishes! Join us next Thursday, November 13th, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 p.m. in the Main Cafe for an evening of food, fun, and togetherness. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect and enjoy a variety of flavors from different cultures. If you’d like to bring a dish, please fill out this form by Monday, November 10th to let us know what you would like to share. Please RSVP here so we can get a sense of headcount by Friday, November 7th. Connect with Brian Garcia with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

Support DCI Theatre’s Production of Alice by Heart Next Week!

DCI Theater presents Alice by Heart on November 13,14, and 15! A spin on the well known story “Alice in Wonderland,” this show is fun and unique, and will likely tug on your heartstrings. The Cast and Crew have worked tirelessly since the first week of school to make this show absolutely fantastic. Tickets are now public, but with significantly less seats than usual, shows will sell out fast! Make sure to check which cast you are going to see as different people perform on different days. As usual, concessions will be available before showtime and during intermission. Come support DCI Theater!

Book tickets now (IT'S FREE!): Ticket Link!!

Visit our donation website: Donate!

Virtual Family Information Session: How to Support Your College-Bound Student

Navigating the college journey can be both exciting and overwhelming for students and families. We’re hosting a virtual session on Tuesday, November 18th, both from 5:30–6:30 p.m. to help parents and guardians support their college-bound students. Please complete the RSVP form by Monday, November 17th to confirm your attendance. If you have any questions, please contact our Family Engagement Liaison, Brian Garcia.

Join Us for Upcoming DCI Grab & Go Community Markets!

Come by next Thursday, November 20th, and Thursday, December 18th from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Main Café (enter through 14th and Aspen). We’ll have fresh fruit, canned goods, rice, beans, and more — all free! It’s a wonderful way to stock up on groceries and connect with our DCI community. For more information, please reach out to Brian Garcia, DCI’s Family Engagement Liaison.

“Nace Space” Monthly HS Virtual Town Hall Set for November 20th 

The third session of HS Principal Chris Nace’s monthly virtual High School Town Hall will take place on Thursday, November 20th to share timely updates with high school families. 

• Date/Time: Thursday, November 20th, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
• Where: Zoom — Join the meeting here.
• Submit a question in advance: If there’s a topic that would benefit the whole group, please share it here: Question Form.

Spanish interpretation will be available. We look forward to seeing you virtually!

Sign Ups Are Now Available: Student-led Virtual Conferences Take Place Nov. 24th and 25th

Please note that this fall’s Student-led Conferences (SLCs) will take place virtually on Monday, November 24th and Tuesday, November 25th. Click here to sign up! Please reference this full message for more details and instructions on how to sign up for a time slot by Thursday, November 19th. Reminder that there will be no classes for students on these days. 

Volunteers Needed: DCI Robotics Tournaments

DCI is hosting two robotics tournaments, one on December 6th and a second on December 7th, in the DCI gym. Twenty-four teams from all over DC, MD, and VA will showcase their engineering skills in competition and tremendous fun. We need volunteers for all sorts of roles to help our event run smoothly. If you are willing and able to volunteer, please sign up here for December 6th and here for December 7th. Thank you!