Dear DCI School Community,

As this is the final newsletter before Thanksgiving, we want to extend our appreciation to our students, staff, families, and community. This time of year offers an important opportunity to reflect on and acknowledge the many contributions that strengthen and enrich our community.

Thank you to all the families who contributed to and attended last week’s Multicultural Potluck! With more than 100 attendees, the event was a wonderful success and a powerful reminder of the strength and diversity of the DCI community. Sharing a meal together created meaningful moments of connection, celebration, and joy.

Given the recent and understandably unsettling increase in law enforcement activity around our campus, we also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Safe Passage volunteers for their steady presence and commitment to student well-being, and to our families for reinforcing safety expectations and partnering with us to support students as they travel to and from school. We are equally grateful to our Grab & Go Community Market volunteers and to everyone who helps spread the word so more families can access this important and free resource. Our next Grab & Go Community Market takes place today from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. – join us!

Key Reminders:

• No school for students Nov. 24th-25th for virtual SLCs; DCI closed Nov. 26-28. 
• Winter ACE Registration: Opens this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Full details about schedules and policies are included below and were shared in this week’s “save the date” email.
• Student-Led Conferences: Virtual SLCs will take place next Monday and Tuesday (November 24–25). School will be closed on those days, as well as Wednesday–Friday for Thanksgiving Break.
• Stay Connected with DCI
• Download the school year calendar and add our Google Calendar to stay up to date.
• Text “yes” to 67587 to opt into DCI text alerts (including urgent updates).
• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
• Join the DCI Parent Listserv using this link.

Thank you all for being essential partners in keeping our community safe, supported, and connected. Wishing all members of the DCI community a safe and restful holiday week.

Shout Outs!

DCI Model UN Team Attends National Conference; Wins Back-to-Back Best Small Delegation Award!

Last weekend, DCI’s Model UN Team attended William and Mary’s prestigious national conference where our delegates spent three days participating in committees – debating, collaborating, and designing innovative resolutions. 

At the end of the weekend, six of our delegates received awards for their outstanding performance. 

• Maxwell Cohen won fourth in his Council of the Gods committee
• August James and Reese Oberson won fourth in the World Trade Organization
• Ahava Wu and Helen Alexander-Fettus won first in the United Nations Security Council
• Cooper Calis won third in his Akbar Council committee

DCI also won, for the second year in a row, the award for Best Small Delegation, one of the most prestigious conference-wide awards. Competing against public and private schools across the country, our delegation stood out for its talent and diplomacy, securing this award. 

We are incredibly proud of all of our delegates and this was all made possible through the support of the DCI parent community. Please help maintain what makes DCIMUN special by donating to our fundraising campaign through this link.

Teacher / Staff Shout Outs!

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?

Winter ACE Registration Opens Saturday, November 22nd at 10:00 a.m.!

Interested in registering for Winter ACE? Please refer to this Winter ACE Registration Guide, that includes the schedule, and this week’s community message for more details. To register for Winter ACE, a functional account on the CommunityPass System is required. Please check your CommunityPass account before the opening day of registration. If you cannot get into your CommunityPass account, please email acedci@dcinternationalschool.org and the ACE Team will assist you. 

Upcoming Middle School Musical + String Ensemble Auditions

Performing and Tech for the Middle School Musical and strings ensemble are by audition only and you will not see them as options when ACE opens for registration this Saturday, November 22nd.. Students interested in performing or tech crew should plan to attend our information session Friday, November 21st at 1:30 in 1D02 to learn about the application process and join our google classroom using this link. Students who are unable to attend the meeting on November 21st should email andy.stoffel@dcinternationalschool.org and meghan.monroe@dcinternationalschool.org. If you want to get involved in the strings ensemble, please email xiaohang.yu@dcinternationalschool.org.

DCI Business Directory – Sign Up Today!

We’re building a directory of businesses owned or operated by DCI parents/guardians and staff—so our community can spotlight and support these businesses! If you’re a parent/guardian, alum, or staff member who owns or helps run a business, please complete this form to be featured in the DCI community directory. This form has three sections: 1. Your Information 2. Business Information 3. Confirmation. This form should take about five minutes to complete. All submissions are reviewed for eligibility before being added. Questions? Contact Grace Benson at grace.benson@dcinternationalschool.org.

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

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 December 4th 

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, December 4th, 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 Up TODAY: Nov. 24th and 25th Student-led Virtual Conferences 

If you have not done so already, please click here to sign up for a conference! Please note that this fall’s Student-led Conferences (SLCs) will take place virtually on Monday, November 24th and Tuesday, November 25th. Please reference this reminder message for more details and instructions on how to sign up for a time slot by TODAY! Reminder that there will be no classes for students on these days.

Understanding IB Programs: Career Program (CP) & Diploma Program (DP) Family Sessions

We will be hosting two sessions on the IB Career Programme (CP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP). The first session will be virtual, held on December 2nd from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The second session will be a Café y Charla, taking place in person on December 9th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in the inner library. Please complete this form to RSVP for one of the sessions. If you have any questions, reach out to our Family Engagement Liaison at brian.garcia@dcinternationalschool.org.

RSVP Today: Mundo Verde Founder Celebration Tuesday, December 2nd

The 2025-26 school year marks Mundo Verde’s fifteenth year of serving DC students. In this milestone year, Mundo Verde is inviting alumni families to join us a celebration on Tuesday, December 2nd, 5-7 p.m. at the Cook campus in honor of Mundo Verde's founders, Kristin Scotchmer and Dahlia Aguilar, and their extraordinary leadership in launching Mundo Verde. Please RSVP here by November 24th to secure your spot, as space is limited. Whether or not you can attend, we also invite you to post a written or video message to share your appreciation and memories on our Kudoboards for Kristin and Dahlia.

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!