WARRIOR WEEKLY December 21-25 |
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Dear TMA Families,
"A man can make what he wants of himself if he truly believes that he must be ready for hard work and many heartbreaks." ~Thurgood Marshall
I saw a tee-shirt last week which gave 2020 one-star! In many ways, I understand that rating. We haven’t been with our community in-person in over eight months. We lost family, neighbors, and friends due to a virus that very few of us knew existed this time last year. It's hard to remember, but in January, our government was impeaching our President, the country was punched in the gut and put a spotlight on the racial injustice our Black community has fought against for years, and let’s not forget the District surpassed the homicide number of 2019 by mid-fall.
With all of those and many more items, when we look back on the year, we have many reasons to grumble, be angry. But with every moment of disappointment, there are countless occurrences of hope and excellence.
Our community, the TMA Community, pushed through! Without a guidebook or plan, we decided to make a path to ensure each student had the tools and resources to be successful. You, our co-teachers, took time to tutor, sit with and sometimes just talk to our young leaders. We refused to let moments of darkness diminish our hope.
I can not guarantee that 2021 will be better, but the signs are looking positive. No matter what. I know WE, students, families, partners, and our team will persevere and move barriers for one another to serve the greater good.
Thank you for your leadership. WE hope you have time during this break to rest and spend quality time with your family near and far (even if virtually).
We look forward to seeing you all in 2021!
Quote of the Week:
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What’s Ahead:
- Monday & Tuesday, December 21st & 22nd: Student Asynchronous Work Days
- December 23rd-January 3rd: Winter Break
- Monday, January 4th: Classes Resume
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Student Opportunities:
MLK Jr. Holiday DC Student Essay Contest Now Open! Deadline January 8, 2021
The Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday DC Committee, in partnership with the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute Alumni Association, and Total Sunshine, Incorporated are sponsoring the MLK DC Student Essay Contest.
The essay contest is a part of the activities leading up to the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Virtual, Peace Walk and Parade, which will be held on Monday, January 18, 2021. The essay contest is open to Elementary (5th & 6th grade), Junior (7th & 8th grade), and High (9th – 12th) School students.
This year’s overall theme for the Holiday Events is; 2021 "Now Is The Time…” The essay topic poses the question- How can youth leaders begin to use their power of influence to achieve sustainable local and national social change.
In your essay, explain what you think is the most important inequality that COVID-19 exposed within your community? The author should not only answer the question, they should also incorporate the overall theme into their essay.
There will be three (3) prize winners for each division that includes a cash prize.
- Elementary Division (5th - 6th grades) 250 - 500 words
- Junior High Division (7th - 8th grades) 500 - 700 words
- High School Division (9th – 12th grades) 700 - 1,000 words
The deadline for essay submission is Friday, January 8, 2021. Submit essays by visiting our website at: WWW.MLKHOLIDAYDC.ORG ; click the “Get Involved Tab” then “Essay Contest”. Make sure to read essay contest rules and submission instructions before getting started. All questions and concerns should be emailed to: ESSAYS@MLKHOLIDAYPARDEDC.ORG.
D.C. youth art competition: Artists v. Hate, Standing Up for Humanity
The D.C. Office of the Attorney General, in partnership with Project Create, has launched a D.C. youth art competition called Artists v. Hate, Standing Up for Humanity. This competition, which is a part of Attorney General Racine’s larger counter hate initiative, is designed to empower D.C. youth to stand up against hate, to promote social justice, and to inspire change through art. All program details can be found here and some background material below.
What is it?
We want to empower D.C. youth to design artwork that counters hate, promotes social justice, and inspires change. The Office of the Attorney General and Project Create designed this competition to generate dialogue in and outside of the classroom about taking a stand against hate and standing up for the common humanity we all share.
Who can participate?
Any District resident ages 11-19.
What art form is accepted?
Any! Spoken word, poetry, paintings, drawings, mixed media, graphic design, video, photography, etc. The rules and restrictions:
- All artwork submissions must be accompanied by an artist statement, not to exceed 150 words.
- JPEG, PNG, PDF, and MP4 files accepted.
- MP4 files should not exceed 2 minutes.
How are the winners decided?
A panel of judges will vote on first, second, and third place winners.
What will the winners receive?
1st place $250, 2nd place $100, and 3rd place $50. Five honorable mentions will receive $20 gift cards to Blick Art Materials.
Note: All winners and honorable mentions will be asked to complete a media release form provided by the Office of the Attorney General in advance of the virtual ceremony held in January 2021. Adult consent will be required for minors.
When is it due?
All art is due by 11:59PM ET on Monday, January 8, 2021! The virtual ceremony will be held in January 2021. Check back on this website in January for further details on that event.
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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. Volunteer hours must be completed at either a 501c3 non-profit organization or government agency. Students may not receive any pay for volunteer hours.
TMA has several internal opportunities available for students to earn community service hours. Students can reach out to Ms. Ames, zames@tmapchs.org, to learn more.
Service Opportunity Spotlight: TMA Activist Spotlight Program
Description: TMA students can earn up to five (5) service hours interviewing people who are working on the front lines or doing activism work! Interviews can be both video and audio recordings. Students build research and communication skills while participating in the program. This program is coordinated by J’Ayana Jenkins, one of our 12th grade Community Service Ambassadors.
TMA Student Participant:
" I have some great news for you, Ms. Ames! The interview went very well and I am thankful that you recommended Ms. Lee for me! This will be my first successful interview at TMA. I also would like to thank you for having one of the seniors check in with me (it has kept me on my feet)! Again thank you so much!"
-Joshua Davis
10th Grade, TMA Student
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College & Counseling Updates
The focus of this week's announcement is all about scholarships!
Included in this email is a bevy of scholarships available for ALL seniors. If you have any questions, please let me know; but please make sure you click and READ through the website before you ask. These scholarships are NOT created by us, but by the respective organizations.
Please remember: We are wrapping up the college application process on the 18 December. Please ensure that you have updated your Naviance student with ALL transcript requests, submitted applications, and any decisions you have received from colleges. We need to know the decisions from colleges so that we can support and celebrate you.
Please also ensure that you have completed your FAFSA! and if your school requires it, the CSS PROFILE.
Make it a great week!
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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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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.
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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.
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.
Meal Service Over Winter Break
During Winter Break 2020 (12/23/2020 - 1/3/2021), Thurgood Marshall Academy will continue home delivery of meals to students whose families have requested it, with the following exceptions:
- Meals will not be delivered on Christmas Day (12/25/2020) or New Years Day (1/1/2021), but multiple meals will be delivered in advance of those holidays.
- Meal service administration (new enrollments; changes to service; customer service response, etc.) will not be available 12/23/2020 - 1/3/2021.
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Families who are traveling or otherwise have different needs over Winter Break should reach out by Wed. 12/16/2020 to Nora Moore, 202-563-6862 x181, nmoore@tmapchs.org.
If your student is not currently on the meal delivery schedule and you want to receive meals during Winter Break, please contact Ms. Moore before 12/16/2020.
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
Wellness Wednesday with the Department of Behavioral Health
Weekly series topics include relationships, resiliency, self-care, knowledge and communication. For the month of December the remaining sessions will be offered:
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Join the meeting by phone:
Call-in toll number: 202-860-2110 Access Code: 172 761 9215
Wellness Tips for the Week
2020 has taken a toll on all of us. One way we can build resilience, our ability to bounce back from difficulties, is by focusing on our relationships. Most children who develop resilience have at least one stable, consistent relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. Adults need these supportive relationships, too!
During COVID, the limitations of connecting with people we love can be frustrating. Finding creative ways to check-in and spend time with family and friends helps us enhance our emotional wellbeing and manage stress.
Even though we’re all required to maintain physical distance over the holidays, we encourage you to make time for phone calls, video chats, emailing, or writing letters (or other creative ways you’ve found!) to stay connected with the people you and your family care about.
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:
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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