WARRIOR WEEKLY February 15-19 |
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Dear TMA Families,
Greetings from Team TMA. We hope that you and your scholars enjoyed the extended weekend. As mentioned last week we are now extending limited seats for In-Person Learning opportunities to students. If you believe that your student is in need of this service, please complete the survey listed below. Also, parents of seniors, we are aware that this is an exciting time for your students. In less than six months they will be high school graduates. We are in the process of finalizing activities for our seniors. Please make sure you click on the 12th Grade link to stay abreast of upcoming activities and events. As always, enjoy the week and stay warm.
Quote of the Week:
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What’s Ahead:
- Tuesday, Feb. 16 Civil Rights Trip
- Thursday, Feb. 18 Family Elective Extravaganza Day
- Friday, Feb 19 Senior Game Night
- Tuesday, Feb. 23 Law Firm Tutoring (11)
- Tuesday, Feb. 23 DC TAG/Financial Aid Night
- Wednesday & Thursday, Feb 24-25 African American Heritage Month - Panel #1/#2 College Success Foundation-DC 2021
- Thursday, Feb. 25 Admissions Meet and Greet
- Saturday, Feb. 27 Mentor Day
- Monday, Mar. 1 First Day of Women's History Month
- Friday, Mar. 5 9th Grade, Howard Law Day
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Brief Senior Year Activities Update:
Families, senior year is winding down. With that said, we would like to share some things with you.
The Senior Activities Committee has been working diligently to create remote activities that seniors can do together. The goal is one activity a month.
February 19th @ 7:30 pm: Game Night (Name That Tune 90’s & 2000’s music).
March 13th & 20th: Senior Pictures
Please look for the upcoming events in the senior bulletin link (listed below) in this Warrior Weekly. As always if you have any questions please email sstewart@tmapchs.org
Parent Small Group Survey:
SY 21-22 Enrollment: Registration is a two-step annual process for all TMA students.
Step 1 (Intent to Return) opens on February 5, 2021. Families must complete this Intent to Return form -->SY 2021-22 Intent to Return Form <-- by March 1, 2021 to notify the school of their plans to return for the 2021-2022 school year. Failure to submit the form by the deadline may result in the loss of your child’s enrollment seat for the 2021-22 school year.
Step 2 (Registration) will open to all families on April 5, 2021. Families must complete the registration process (completing annual forms, providing required medical/dental forms and submitting valid DC residency documentation ) during the month of April. Documentation will be provided electronically at the beginning of April to complete this process.
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It's Warrior Family Activity Night!
February 18th at 5:30
1 Night. 2 Amazing Skills to Learn!
Learn to Code with TMA's elite AP Computer Science crew! Families will be able to create a Black History Month coding program. Then head over to TMA's music teacher extraordinaire and learn how to record your own music track from start to finish.
You do not want to miss this!
**Additional details will be shared at registration**
**No coding experience is necessary**
SY21–22 Recruitment Season
Each year, we welcome new students and families into the TMA community, and you can help us to do this by spreading the word about Thurgood Marshall Academy! Please help us by sharing your family’s experience at TMA with others and by inviting parents you know to come to apply to TMA through myschooldc.org.
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TMA Facilities Video
Our Operations Team recently composed a short video to summarize the steps we've taken since the start of the pandemic to ensure building safety for students, faculty/staff, and visitors.
To view our safety updates, please click here.
Thank you to the Operations team that stood-up and maintains these measures.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have questions or concerns.
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Spanish Students and Parents
The Spanish department will offer students who failed quarter 1 and quarter 2 the opportunity to make up quarter 2 and pass with a 70%.
These are the requirements:
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Students/their parents should sign up for this class via this form
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Students must complete work in an extra canvas course between 2/1 and 2/26
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All assignments must be completed with a passing grade by 2/26. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade for quarter 2.
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Students must attend one office hour per week. Failure to do so may result in a failing grade
- They will receive support and teachers will make sure they are on track
- If the student can prove that he /she is able to complete work on their own, attendance can be a quick check-in
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For convenience, students can attend any office hour of a Spanish teacher.
Office hours are:
- Alvarado-Sieg: Tuesdays 3:00- 4:00 PM & Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:00 PM
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You can access the Zoom link here.
- Stevens : Mondays 3:30 - 4:30 PM & Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:00 PM
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You can access the Zoom link here
- Whitaker: Wednesdays: 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM & Thursdays 3:00 - 4:00 PM
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You can access the Zoom link here.
- If students are unable to attend any office hour in a certain week (for example due to illness), their parent/ guardian should confirm that via email to their Spanish teacher.
We will reach out to parents/ guardians who signed up via the form after two weeks to inform them of their student’s progress.
Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Whitaker if you have any questions!
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Student Opportunities
College Success Foundation -DC African American Heritage Month - Panel #1/2
Please join the CSF-DC’s 2021 African American Heritage Month Celebration (AAHM Celebration). Attached please find their Announcement/Flyer. As you will note, their AAHM Celebration will take place over two days (Feb. 24th and Feb. 25th ) and each session will begin at 6:00 PM EST. Guests can access each session by clicking on “Part I” or “Part II” in the announcement. Please RSVP your participation to attend by responding to this email/evite and clicking “Accept”. Please share with your scholars and encourage them to attend and RSVP as well. They are asking for RSVP’s to help us keep track of planned participation. Please email nbanks@collegesuccessfoundation.org or bjacob@collegesuccessfoundation.org if you have any questions or concerns.
2021 Cherry Blossom Festival Student Art Gallery
While the National Cherry Blossom Festival will look different this year, we are happy to announce an exciting opportunity for students to safely continue some traditions from home. The National Cherry Blossom Festival and DC Collaborative jointly invite grades K-12 students from DC public, public charter, and Japanese schools to participate in the annual Cherry Blossom Festival Student Art Gallery by submitting an artwork entry that depicts the theme "Home is Where the Blossoms Are", with a special focus on Friendship. In an effort to encourage participation among as many students as possible, in partnership with Chase the festival will provide art supply kits to 250 participants.
We have adapted some aspects of the Student Art Gallery given the circumstances of the pandemic. Instead of a contest, this year all artworks submitted will be exhibited online and in public. We will not be accepting group submissions due to the pandemic. The deadline to submit artwork is March 12, 2021. All artwork will be exhibited on the National Cherry Blossom Festival website, displayed on a large screen in Gallery Place, and showcased on screens at several Chase Bank branches in the DC area.
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Attendance:
Students must log in to their scheduled Zoom/Canvas sessions for synchronous classes to be considered present for the class period. Please email your student’s teachers, advisor, and rshort@tmapchs.org, when your student will miss any synchronous classes.
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Community Service Opportunities
All Warriors should be working to earn 100 hours of community service by the end of their senior year to meet graduation requirements. Volunteer hours must be completed at either a 501c3 non-profit organization or government agency. Students may not receive any pay for volunteer hours.
- Service Opportunity Spotlight: TMA Community Service Ambassador Program
This is a virtual community service opportunity where TMA students meet weekly to brainstorm on internal/external community service opportunities, establish partnerships with nonprofit/government organizations, create sample videos of community service opportunity expectations, and help students navigate X2VOL. Community service hours will vary depending on the assignment. We currently have nine (9) students across all grade levels (9th - 12th) serving as Community Service Ambassadors!
Interested in this opportunity? Reach out to Ms. Ames, zames@tmapchs.org, to learn more!
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College & Counseling Updates
Greetings Juniors and families:
Disclaimer: I encourage you to please take the time and read through this email very carefully. It contains important information and action items pertaining to SAT testing. Please anticipate about 10 minutes to read throughly and respond to the required items. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out directly to Mr. Mitchell.
As you know, due to the pandemic, there has been a lot of changes in the college admissions landscape. You may have been hearing a lot of buzz around test-optional and the relaxing of standardized testing requirements at many colleges and universities. These policies mostly affected applicants enrolling in college for the fall 2021 (current seniors), but many of these policies are rolling over to impact applicants for fall 2022 college admission (current juniors).
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More than 75% of 4-year colleges/universities in the United States have adopted a test-optional policy for incoming college freshmen. And, while the college board has discontinued its SAT Subject Test product, and has discontinued the essay section of the SAT, many colleges are still moving forward with providing juniors with the flexibility to not test or submit any testing in the application process.
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To see an evolving list of colleges/universities that are test optional for fall 2022, please click HERE.
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How does this impact you? TMA will be offering the opportunity for interested juniors to take the SAT exam on Tuesday, April 27, in person. Please note this is NOT mandatory and NOT a requirement for you to take the test. Please complete this FORM to indicate your preference for taking the test or not.
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Please note: This will not be your only opportunity to take the test before applications open in August.
- Students, please discuss this with your family before making a decision. Families, please discuss with your students before making a decision. I encourage you to review the list of test-optional colleges and determine what is the best course of action for you. Our counseling office is ready and able to support whichever choice you feel is best.
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For our current seniors, the ability to not have to submit test scores has boosted their confidence in the application process and yielded tremendous results. On the other hand, the deficit of not having test scores has limited some scholarship and admission options. The goal is to present you with as much information as possible to make a safe and informed choice. Please complete the form by Friday, Feb. 26, 2021.
Other business:
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Thank you to those who have completed the junior parent and student profiles. Mr. Bruno and Mr. Mitchell will work on creating a meeting schedule and you should anticipate starting to sign up for a 60-minute session in early March. Please stay tuned as this timeline may shift.
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We are encouraging you to consider participating in summer enrichment experiences. The summer is an awesome time to visit college campuses, spend a few weeks being a college student or learning more about whether or not this is the right space for you. We have compiled a list of summer enrichment opportunities. Please check the list out and let us know if you are interested in participating in any of the opportunities.
Thank you for your attention to this and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Mitchell.
Scholarships to focus on for the next few weeks:
The Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund, Inc.® (KSEF) and the Washington Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. are pleased to announce the annual KSEF scholarship program for DC Public High School and Public Charter High School Seniors graduating in 2021. Since our establishment in 1982, we have awarded over $2.0 million in scholarships to outstanding DC Public and Charter High School seniors. In 2020 we awarded $176,000 in scholarships.
The deadline for submissions of the completed application is March 31st of the current year.
For more information about the following scholarships, please see the attached pdfs, hyperlinks, scholarship spreadsheet, website, or email Ms. Jackson (gjackson@tmapchs.org).
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Programs Updates
If you are interested in enrolling your student in Homework Help, email Ms. Schwarz at cschwarz@tmapchs.org. If you want to sign your student up for the Mentor Program, email Ms. Jean at pjean@tmapchs.org.
Athletics:
Attention all Warrior Athletes and prospective Athletes:
Virtual meetings and conditioning sessions are now taking place. If you are interested in being a part of one of our athletic teams, you are required to attend these sessions to prepare for the upcoming season. Please contact the following coaches for information on when and where to attend:
If you have any questions regarding athletics, please contact: Michele Thompson, Director of Athletics, - mthompson@tmapchs.org or 410-921-9047.
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Technology & Online Resources
Canvas Tutorials for Parents: Below are some helpful tutorials for our parents and guardians who are helping their TMA student navigate Canvas.
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How do I create a parent account in Canvas? (video here)
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How does my child submit assignments in Canvas? (video here)
If you have questions about Canvas, please contact any of the following TMA team members.
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Erica Culbreath (technology teacher), eculbreath@tmapchs.org
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Malika Mays (Associate Head of School), mmays@tmapchs.org
- You can also contact your student’s advisory teacher.
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Resources and Support Information
Prospective Athletes
Although we are not at the phase on re-starting high school athletics, we want to make sure that all potential athletes have the necessary paperwork on file. Therefore, all prospective athletes must have a current physical on file at the school clearing them to play, and all immunizations must be up to date before a student will be allowed to participate in sports. Please CLICK HERE to find the Universal Health Form.
General Resources
If your family needs any resources (like food, clothing, school supplies, etc.) or support during this time of distance learning, please reach out to Ms. Moore at nmoore@tmapchs.org.
Parking Change
Our neighbor, Bethlehem Baptist Church, let TMA know recently that they have begun real estate development of the field next to their church. It is therefore no longer available to parents or visitors for parking while visiting the school. This school year there will likely be space for visitors in the paved lot next to TMA’s building, and we are working with the Church on alternate arrangements for the future.
Job Opportunity
Thurgood Marshall Academy has learned that Curative Inc. seeks Test Site Specialists--a part-time job paying $20.00/hour. We thought this might be of interest to families of our students--if interested, contact Samantha Viotty of Curative Inc. at samanthaviotty@curative.com. Note that Curative Inc. is entirely independent of Thurgood Marshall Academy--we are simply sharing information.
Kids Ride Free Cards
Kids Ride Free cards are now available for pick up at the school. Please email Ms. Moore at nmoore@tmapchs.org for additional information and pick-up hours.
Free Meals for DC Students
DC Public Schools are now offering no-cost meals to all DC youth ages 18 and under at 47 schools across Washington, DC. This program began on September 24. During this period, youth are not required to be enrolled in DC Public Schools to receive meals. Youth or parents/guardians on their behalf may receive up to 3 breakfast and 3 lunch meals daily. The meal sites will operate through December 31, 2020. DCPS meal sites can be found here.
Also, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is currently offering free grab-and-go afternoon meals for DC youth 18 and younger at ten sites. These meals are available for any child that visits a site. DPR meal sites can be found here.
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Internet Resources
If you received an email regarding free Internet services from the District of Columbia. You should receive a text message, phone call, and/or email from the DC Government soon asking if you want to opt-in to free Internet from DC—please respond “yes” (even if you have enrolled in Comcast via Thurgood Marshall Academy). The attached flyer provides additional details regarding the Internet Services Program: DC Government Free Internet.
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Special Education, Student Wellness & Interventions
Caregivers Empowering EachOther Virtual Gathering
Calling all caregivers and parents! The WISE Center, TMA's community partner at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, will soon begin hosting Caregivers Empowering EachOther (CEO) virtual gatherings. All caregivers and parents are welcome to participate. The purpose of these gatherings will be to connect and share stories, problem-solve challenges, and learn new strategies to support your students at home. Topics can include self-care, supporting self-regulation, and discussing difficult topics; though we want to hear about specific topics you are interested to address. If you would like to participate, please contact Dr. Megan Polanin (mpolanin@tmapchs.org) to get connected and learn more.
Supporting Families through Transitional Living Circumstances:
Know your rights! Please see link below to learn more about the Educational Rights of Parents and Students Experiencing Homelessness: Click here.
If you have any questions, concerns or need support connecting with community resources please don't hesitate to reach out to Yolanda Hayden, School Counselor at yhayden@tmapchs.org.
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Faculty & Staff Directory:
Are you Looking for One of Our Team Members?
If you need to contact a TMA Faculty or Staff member, you can find their email address listed HERE: Faculty & Staff Directory
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Other Items
Capital Bikeshare for All
Capital Bikeshare for All is a new financial assistance program for low-income and disadvantaged residents of the DC area called Capital Bikeshare for All. This program allows for any residents who participate in certain state or federal assistance programs to sign up for an annual Capital Bikeshare membership for only $5. Here is a listing of the qualifying assistance programs:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Women Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- SSI/SSDI Supplemental Security Income
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Medicaid
Here is a link to the Capital Bikeshare website with more information about it. For questions, contact Lester Wallace at lester.wallace@godcgo.com.
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