At DCI, we are here to support our parents and students! From our recent Toddle family information sessions to our first Cafe y Charla last week, we want to ensure that we continue to share and provide information to you, and organize family engagement events when there are opportunities to engage with you. We also encourage feedback and recommendations to continue to improve how and when we reach out to you. Reminder to reach out to Brian Garcia, Family Engagement Liaison, with suggestions. Timeliness is key and we want to keep you informed of key dates, times and decisions associated with DCI. 

This week and next week are a critical time to ensure that all our eligible families who qualify for free or reduced price school meals (FARM) based on household income for the 2024-2025 school year complete the FARM application by Wednesday, October 30th. It is not too late! 

In addition to students receiving a nutritional and balanced lunch meal at no cost, families certified as FARM-eligible also receive access to the following benefits: 

• Waiver of college test fees 
• Waiver of college application fees
• Reduced price internet services
• SUNBucks benefits for the following summer
• Reduced price athletic and after school programming
• Reduced price on select field trip fees

Take these next steps:

1. Complete the FARM Application Linked Here (English) with instructions linked (here); and 
2. Submit the completed application. You can do so in person at DCI (1400 Main St NW) with our reception team or you can submit by email to reception@dcinternationalschool.org by Wednesday, October 30th. 

We’re here to help! Reach out to Jania Washington, reception@dcinternationalschool.org or Brian Garcia if you need additional assistance.

Updates and Reminders 

Let’s Welcome Our New CFOO: Avi Sethi

DCI is excited to announce that Avi Sethi will become our CFOO (Chief Finance & Operations Officer) starting in early November. Avi is a dynamic education leader with over 15-years of strategic-finance experience, primarily in the K-12 sector. He has a wealth of experiences across roles in both finance & operations; Avi also started his career as a HS math teacher!

During his interview process, Avi was praised by the hiring team for his ability to build strong relationships, his deep financial knowledge, and his focus on results. The team also felt that his time in the classroom and his tremendous preparation and deep research about DCI make him an especially strong fit for the role and for DCI more broadly.

Avi is thrilled to be joining DCI and has shared the following:

"I am incredibly proud to become the new Chief Finance & Operations Officer for the District of Columbia International School. I couldn’t be more excited to get started, as there are so many things about DCI that resonate with me.

Beyond the facts that DCI is a highly regarded tuition-free public charter school, an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and one of the only IB-for-all schools in the country, I am heartened by DCI’s commitment to championing student agency and allowing students to pursue their interests and passions! As a person of color and first-generation-American, I am especially drawn to DCI’s multicultural and multilingual education (I speak two languages; my wife speaks three).

I am incredibly thankful to the leaders at DCI who have entrusted me with the responsibility of leading and scaling DCI’s capital planning & deployment work, ensuring that DCI’s finances and operations are seamlessly executed so that teaching and learning are maximized. My wife, Talia, and I look forward to becoming active members of the DCI community once we touch down in Washington D.C. soon.

Lets Go Dragons!!"

Welcome to DCI, Avi!