Parents

Mayor Vincent C. Gray's 2012 One City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is a locally-funded program administered by the DOES Office of Youth Programs that provides summer jobs and work readiness training to District youth ages 14-21. Many of you work hard each year to contribute to SYEP in some way--- either by participating as a Host Employer; assisting youth with their applications; or referring youth to our office. We thank you for your on-going support and hope that you will work with us again this year to ensure a successful, safe, and productive summer for District youth.

On Friday, January 27, 2012 at 3:15 pm, the application for the 2012 SYEP goes live for District residents between the ages of 14 and 21. Applications can be accessed from any computer with a working Internet connection by visiting www.summerjobs.dc.gov.

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and all applications must be received by Friday, February 17, 2012 in order to be considered. Space is limited, so please encourage youth to apply early and comply with all posted deadlines.

Anyone needing assistance with his or her application or a place to access the Internet is encouraged to attend Midnight Madness -- the official SYEP application kick-off event. Midnight Madness will take place on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 3:15 pm until 12:00 midnight at the DOES Headquarters located at 4058 Minnesota Avenue, NE, adjacent to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station. DOES staff will be on hand all night to assist youth and their families, and to answer any questions.

I have attached a flyer and an information packet to this message. These documents along with additional information about the program can be found at our website www.summerjobs.dc.gov.

Finally, if your office is interested in providing youth with work experiences or programming this summer or if you know someone who may be interested, please complete or direct interested employers to the SYEP 2012 Host Employer Application which is also available at www.summerjobs.dc.gov. Applications for employers are due Friday, March 23, 2012.

For more information, please visit our website www.summerjobs.dc.gov. Please help us share this information by forwarding to your constituents!

All the best,

Gerren Price

Associate Director, Office of Youth Programs

DC Department of Employment Services

www.youthjobs.dc.gov

Follow us on Twitter – @OneCitySYEP (https://twitter.com/#!/OneCitySYEP)

We need your support!

A parent-led effort to show support for CAPCS is underway. A petition has been created to allow CAPCS parents, teachers, and staff to send a clear message to the Public Charter School Board (PCSB) that we need CAPCS for our children. This campaign gives us an opportunity to voice our views publicly to our community leaders, future CAPCS families, and the DC educational community. The petition will be available to everyone in each campus main office this week. To further make our case, we invite you to also drop off a personal letter telling PCSB what CAPCS has meant to you and/or what it is doing for your child. These letters will be collected from each main office at the end of January and passed along to PCSB. Help us save our school!

If you want further information on how you can help, please contact Charlene West Thomas at 202-322-4213.

We are a family, we are a community, and we are excellence.

CAPCS Uniforms

CAPCS students are easy to spot in their distinctive red shirts with the CAPCS logo and khaki bottoms.  Our uniforms create a sense of unity and pride which is why students are required to wear their uniforms every day.  The CAPCS staff also proudly wears the CAPCS logo on their clothing.  Others have expressed an interest in obtaining CAPCS merchandise.  There are several ways you can obtain the items you need and want. 

School Uniforms – Risse Brothers (formerly Campus Outfitters) is our uniform supplier.  You can:

• Visit the CAPCS School Store at Amos 3, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and order uniforms online through the store’s computer.  Samples are available for sizing.

• Order online through the CAPCS website.  Go to CAPCS Store and click on the Risse Brothers link.

• Order online directly from the Risse Brothers site at www.rissebrothers.com/capcs.cfm

• Visit the Risse Brothers retail store at 5112 Berwyn Road, College Park, MD

• Call the Risse Brothers Customer Service line at 1-888-923-0700

• Attend our “road show” on Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Risse Brothers sales staff will be available to help with sizing.

The CAPCS code is CA 1554.  Please use this code when ordering.

CAPCS Staff and others:  A selection of CAPCS logoed items for adults is available from both Risse Brothers and Land’s End.  You can check out the selections and order online by:

• Visiting the CAPCS School Store and clicking on either Risse Brothers or Land’s End on the store computer.  A limited number of samples are available in the store.

• Going through the CAPCS website.  Go to the CAPCS Store and click on either link.

The CAPCS code for staff at Risse Brothers is ST 1554.

You also may purchase clothing items yourself and have the CAPCS logo embroidered on the tops by G-Land, 1516 Wisconsin Ave., NW.  

 

Opening Convocation

The opening convocation for the 2011-2012 school year was held on Wednesday, September 7, in the Eckstine-Ellington Theatre at the Amos 3 campus. This schoolwide event brought together students, parents, faculty and staff from all CAPCS campus to celebrate our 14th year of operation. The convocation opened with a welcome from the Board of Trustees by Lynne Cowan. Noting that the Board always has at least two parent representatives, Ms. Cowan invited any parent interested in serving on the Board to contact her.

CAPCS Founder Kent Amos introduced Peter L. Robinson, Jr. to deliver the convocation address. Mr. Robinson, a 1939 graduate of Armstrong High School, spoke of the excellent teachers he'd had, the value of education and the hard work that prepared him and his classmates for productive careers. An outstanding illustrator and graphic artist, Mr. Robinson played a pivotal role in NASA's space program. Long before advanced computer technology, Mr. Robinson's visual imagery made art the medium through which managers could communicate with engineers and with the physicists, scientists, Congress and the Defense Department. He created a common language that helped put man on the moon. Mr. Robinson rose to be NASA's Director of Graphics and Management Presentations Division. In retirement, he has continued his work as an artist, conducting exhibitions and playing a role in the expansion of art and cultural programs throughout Washington, DC.

Chief Academic Officer Sadia White described the goals and priorities for the school year and called on parents to become partners in preparing CAPCS students for success. Goals included

• All preK students will read by kindergarten

• All students will be reading and writing on grade level by 3rd grade

• 100% of 8th graders will be prepared for high school

She listed the school's priorities as

• Highly qualified teachers delivering curriculum, instruction and assessment

• Building a system of great school with standards taught the same way at each campus

• Creating a safe and welcoming environment in partnership with the community to make each school a success

• Being held accountable for results.

Ms. Vida Thomas, CAPCS parent and Butler Office Manager, led parents in reciting the Parent Pledge, after which students joined music teacher Wilbur Belton on stage to end the convocation with the singing of the School Song. The new school year is off to a rousing start.