August 22, 2017
To Our DC Community,
We are extremely excited about the back to school season! Schools are places where our students grow as individuals – where they learn more about themselves, how to relate to others, and important lessons about our nation.
We also recognize that the events in Charlottesville, Virginia have stirred strong emotions in our District and nationwide. It is difficult to watch these horrific events unfold mere hours away from where we live. Over the past week, we’ve heard concerns and fears from residents of all ages, races, and backgrounds, fears that are justified by simply watching local news or listening to your local radio station. We, like many others, are frustrated by the race-based hatred we see in our country. As DC education leaders, we are writing today to affirm that we are unequivocally committed to protecting our schools and our young people from hatred.
Let us be clear: All public schools in DC are safe places not just for students, but also for parents, families, educators, staff, and community members. Our schools are places of inclusion that value diversity in all its forms, including race, ethnic background, religion, immigration status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, language, and family’s income level. The diversity throughout the city doesn’t just make us stronger – it is something to celebrate.
As educators, it is not only our responsibility to develop students academically, but also to help them grapple with the world around them. It is our hope that we can use these events to have deep and productive conversations about inclusion and respect so that everyone in our schools feels loved, valued, and supported.
We stand in solidarity, as one city of educators, against the idea that any human being is less valuable because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the religion they practice, or any other aspect of their identity. As we move forward, we know that you will help us ensure that our schools are welcoming and supportive environments to all who enter our doors. No matter who you are, you are safe with us.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor, District of Columbia
Jennifer Niles
Deputy Mayor for Education
Antwan Wilson
Chancellor, DC Public Schools
Darren Woodruff
Board Chair, Public Charter School Board
Scott Pearson
Executive Director, Public Charter School Board
Hanseul Kang
State Superintendent, Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Cosigned by:
Lecester Johnson
Academy of Hope Adult PCS
Shantelle Wright
Achievement Preparatory Academy Public Charter Schools
Malaika Golden
Aiton Elementary School
TaMikka Sykes
Amidon-Bowen Elementary School
Eric Fraser
Anacostia Senior High School
Anne Zummo Malone
AppleTree Early Learning PCS
Dr. Yetunde Reeves
Ballou High School
Cara Fuller
Ballou STAY High School
Arthur Mola
Bancroft Elementary School
Grace. A. Reid
Barnard Elementary
DeAnna Rowe
BASIS DC PCS
Gwendolyn Payton
Beers Elementary School
Anita M. Berger
Benjamin Banneker Academic High School
Keith Whitescarver
Breakthrough Montessori PCS
Norah Lycknell
Brent Elementary
Olivia Smith
Bridges PCS
Maurice Kennard
Brightwood Education Campus
Christie McKay
Briya PCS
Kerry Richardson
Brookland Middle School
Dwight Davis
Browne Education Campus
Alethea Bustillo
Bruce-Monroe Elementary School @ Park View
Kara Kuchemba
Bunker Hill Elementary School
LeVar Jenkins
Burroughs Elementary School
Tui Roper
Burrville Elementary School
Heather Hairston
C.W. Harris Elementary School
Karen Dresden
Capital City PCS
Brandon Eatman
Capitol Hill Montessori School
Tanya S. Roane
Cardozo Education Campus
Allison Kokkoros
Carlos Rosario International PCS
LaTonya Henderson, Ed.D
Cedar Tree Academy PCS
Russ E. Williams Jr.
Center City Public Charter Schools
Emily E. Silberstein
Chavez Schools
Lanette Dailey-Reese
City Arts & Prep PCS
Anna Krughoff
Cleveland Elementary School
Maria Tukeva
Columbia Heights Education Campus
Connie Spinner
Community College Preparatory Academy PCS
Semanthe Bright
Coolidge High School
Golnar Abedin
Creative Minds International PCS
Daniela Anello
DC Bilingual PCS
Mary Shaffner
DC International School
Emily Lawson
DC Prep Public Charter Schools
Avise Hayes
DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Elementary
Rachel McClam
DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Middle
Maura Englender
DC Prep PCS - Benning Elementary
Erin Waldron
DC Prep PCS - Benning Middle
Maria-Teresa Duvall
DC Prep PCS - Anacostia Elementary
Jennifer G. Leonard
DC Scholars PCS
Diedre L. Neal
Deal Middle School
Shukurat Adamoh-Faniyan
Democracy Prep Congress Heights PCS
Masi Preston
Dorothy I. Height Elementary School
Naimah Salahuddin
Drew Elementary School
Sandi Logan
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Abdullah Zaki II
Dunbar High School
Hilary Darilek
E.L. Haynes PCS
Brittany Wagner-Friel
E.L. Haynes PCS - Elementary School
Myron Long
E.L. Haynes PCS - Middle School
Emily Hueber Stoetzer
E.L. Haynes PCS - High School
Joe M. Smith, Ph.D.
Eagle Academy PCS
Wendy S. Edwards
Early Childhood Academy PCS
Sah Brown
Eastern High School
Dale E. Mann
Eaton Elementary School
Eugenia Young
Eliot-Hine Middle School
Erika Bryant
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS
Deborah Lockhart
Excel Academy PCS
Patricia A. Brantley
Friendship Public Charter School
Khabria Hundley
Friendship PCS - Armstrong
Jeffrey Grant
Friendship PCS - Blow Pierce
Morrise Harbour
Friendship PCS - Chamberlain
Curtis Lawrence
Friendship PCS - Collegiate Academy
John Sloane
Friendship PCS - Online
David Lawery
Friendship PCS - Southeast Academy
Khalil Graham
Friendship PCS - Tech Prep Middle School Academy
Peggy Jones
Friendship PCS - Tech Prep High School Academy
Felicia Owo
Friendship PCS - Woodridge International
Kennard Branch
Garfield Elementary School
Brigham Kiplinger
Garrison Elementary School
Catherine Meloy
Goodwill Excel Center PCS
Katie Larkin
H.D. Cooke Elementary School
Darrin Slade
H.D. Woodson High School
Lucas Cooke
Hardy Middle School
Emin Cavusoglu
Harmony DC PCS
Nadine Smith
Hart Middle School
Charlette E. Butler
Hart Middle School
Jen Thomas
Hearst Elementary School
Sundai M. Riggins
Hendley Elementary School
Dr. Chloe Marshall
Hope Community PCS (Tolson and Lamond Campus)
Roxane Rucker
Hope Community PCS
Rembert Seaward
Houston Elementary School
Kathryn Procope
Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science PCS
Elizabeth Namba
Hyde-Addison Elementary School
Justin Rydstrom
IDEA PCS
George H. Rutherford
Ideal Academy PCS
Aaron Cuny
Ingenuity Prep PCS
Deborah Dantzler Williams
Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS
Soncyree Lee
Inspiring Youth Program and Youth Services Center
Heidi Haggerty
J.O. Wilson Elementary School
Alysia Lutz
Janney Elementary School
Greg Dohmann
Jefferson Academy Middle School
Courtney Taylor
Johnson Middle School
Kortni Stafford
Kelly Miller Middle School
Maisha Riddlesprigger
Ketcham Elementary School
David Landeryou
Key Elementary
Johann Lee
Kimball Elementary School
Angel Hunter
King Elementary School
Shannon T. Hodge
Kingsman Academy PCS
Susan Schaeffler
KIPP DC
Abe Clayman
KIPP DC - LEAP Academy PCS
Aliesha Maye
KIPP DC - AIM Academy PCS
Allison Artis
KIPP DC - Arts & Technology Academy PCS
Amy Witherspoon
KIPP DC - Connect Academy PCS
Andhra Lutz
KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS
Caitlin Maxwell
KIPP DC - Northeast Academy PCS
Donny Tiengtum
KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS
Erin Huseby
KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS
Gaelan Gallagher
KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS
Gillian Conner
KIPP DC - Valor Academy PCS
Jerry Jellig
KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS
John Barnhardt
KIPP DC - KEY Academy PCS
John Petersen
KIPP DC - Quest Academy PCS
Lauren Ellis
KIPP DC - Grow Academy PCS
Mekia Love
KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS
Michael Cordell
KIPP DC - The Learning Center
Sommer Wynn
KIPP DC - Discover Academy PCS
Roman Smith
Kramer Middle School
Carrie Broquard
Lafayette Elementary School
Kemi Husbands
Langdon Elementary School
Vanessa Drumm-Canepa
Langley Elementary School
Justin Ralston
LaSalle-Backus Education Campus
Diane Cottman
Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS
Nicole Hanrahan
LAYC Career Academy PCS
Andrew Smith
Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School
Niyeka Wilson
Leckie Education Campus
Chris Pencikowski
Lee Montessori PCS
Jada Langston
Luke C. Moore Opportunity High School
Mark Sanders
MacFarland Middle School
Zara Berry-Young
Malcolm X Elementary School
Liz Whisnant
Mann Elementary School
Katie Lundgren
Marie Reed Elementary School
Carolyne Albert-Garvey
Maury Elementary School
Linda McKay
Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS
Heather D. Wathington, Ph.D
Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation
M. Louise Jones
McKinley Technology High School and Middle School
Candice Bobo
Meridian PCS
Bruce W. Jackson
Miner Elementary School
Emily Bloomfield
Monument Academy PCS
Akela Stanfield-Dogbe
Moten Elementary School
Kristin Scotchmer
Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS
Chris Cebrzynski
Murch Elementary School
Kim Adutwum
Nalle Elementary School
Jennifer L. Ross
National Collegiate Preparatory PCHS
Kermit Burks
Noyes Elementary School
Carolyn Jackson-King, Ed.D.
Orr Elementary School
Mayra Canizales
Oyster-Adams Bilingual School
Victorie L. Thomas, Ed.D.
Patterson Elementary School
Dr. Tracy L. Wright
Paul PCS
Stephanie Byrd
Payne Elementary School
Elena Bell
Peabody and Watkins Elementary School
Rachel D. Crouch
Perry Street Preparatory PCS
Willie Jackson
Phelps ACE High School
Terri Fuller
Plummer Elementary School
O’Kiyyah Lyons-Lucas
Powell Elementary School
Kristie Edwards
Randle Highlands Elementary School
Natalie Hubbard
Raymond Education Campus
Dr. Marco Clark
Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts
Aimeé Cepeda, Ed.D.
River Terrace Education Campus
Jacque D. Patterson, Sr.
Rocketship Schools
Benjamin Williams
Ron Brown College Preparatory High School
Aqueelha James
Roosevelt High School
DeWayne Little
Roosevelt STAY Opportunity Academy
Bernida Thompson, Ed.D.
Roots PCS
Holly Searl
Ross Elementary School
Lisa Rosado
Savoy Elementary School
Richard Trogisch
School Without Walls High School and Francis-Stevens
John E. Burst
School-Within-School @ Goding
Kim Jackson
Seaton Elementary School
Mecha Inman
SEED PCS of Washington, D.C.
Joy King-Pike
Sela PCS
Jenifer Moore
Sela PCS
Jade L. Brawley
Shepherd Elementary School
Regina Rodriguez
Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS
Sharon Holmes
Simon Elementary School
Kiana Williams
Smothers Elementary School
Lauren Catalano
Somerset Preparatory Academy PCS
Courtney Wilkerson
Sousa Middle School
Sharon Raimo
St. Coletta Special Education PCS
Carlie John Fisherow
Stanton Elementary School
Don Bryant
Stoddert Elementary School
Kristofer Comeforo
Stuart-Hobson Middle School
Natasha Warsaw
Sustainable Futures PCS
Loren Brody
Takoma Education Campus
Nakia Nicholson
The Children's Guild DC PCS
Julie Meyer
The Next Step/El Proximo Paso PCS
Davia L. Walker
Thomas Elementary School
Carmen Shepherd
Thomson Elementary School
Richard Pohlman
Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS
Mary Ann Stinson
Truesdell Education Campus
Amanda Delabar
Tubman Elementary School
Eric Bethel
Turner Elementary School
David Nitkin
Two Rivers PCS
Mitchell Brunson
Tyler Elementary School
Cynthia Robinson-Rivers
Van Ness Elementary School
Clinton Turner
Walker-Jones Education Campus
Elizabeth Torres, Ed.D.
Washington Global PCS
Howard Mebane
Washington Global PCS
Peter Timothy Anderson
Washington Latin PCS
Sttacy Kane
Washington Leadership Academy PCS
N'Deye Diagne, Ph.D.
Washington Mathematics Science Technology PCS
Michael Alexander
Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Academy and CHOICE Academy
Maquita Alexander
Washington Yu Ying PCS
Megan Vroman
West Education Campus
Shenora N. Plenty, Ed.D
Wheatley Education Campus
Tenia Pritchard
Whittier Education Campus
Kimberly Martin
Wilson High School
Andrew Touchette
YouthBuild PCS
