WARRIOR WEEKLY November 9-13
Dear TMA Families,
 
Our mission is to prepare students to succeed in college and to actively engage in our democratic society.

Our mission has two buckets: succeed in college and actively engage in our democratic society. The end of the quarter and last week’s election presents ample space for us to reflect on how we try to live our mission each day.

Engage in our democratic society
This week, fall, and the year is what democracy looks like! Each of you, our community, is the key to our democracy and the community in which it leads. 

No matter what candidates say or do when they tell the truth or blatantly lie, you are the backbone of our community. It doesn’t matter who you support in your local ANC, city council, or national election; your voice is as important as any other citizen.

Thank you for your leadership and service to our community. You took the time this fall to vote and modeled its importance. A special shoutout to our senior class, who voted for the first time. We are proud you had the opportunity to start a lifetime habit. 

Voting is a right that our namesake fought in courts to ensure all citizens had the opportunity. TMA believes that engagement is what our students are expected to do. We are thankful for you and our young leaders to help shape the future of our county. Thank you for using your ballot to elect who will represent our community. 

Prepare students to succeed in college.
No matter who they are, what middle school they attended, or the neighborhood they live in, TMA’s simple goal is to ensure that each student succeeds in college. As a non-selective high school, we take on the task of being open to all D.C. students, no matter their academic ability, social or emotional well-being.
 
A prospective family asks why TMA is a college prep school. Our answer is clear; we believe successful college completion allows everyone to have more opportunities and choices in their adult life. College, as it stands now, is as much of a gateway towards options, if not more than who you grew up with or what your parents’ jobs are. 
 
As you reflect on your student’s progress in the first quarter this weekend, ask your child what worked in the first quarter? Talk to your student about what the college could do for their future and ask what they need to remind everyone that quarter was the start of the year. 


Quote of the Week: 
What’s Ahead:

  • November 10th: Junior College Night--6:00-7:30 pm
  • November 11th: No School (Veterans Day)
  • November 13th: Howard Law Day--10th Grade
  • November 17th: Law Firm Tutoring--11th Grade
  • November 18th: Open House #2--5:30pm
  • November 19th: Admissions Meet and Greet
  • November 23rd-24th: Asynchronous Learning 
  • November 25th-27th: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Open House: 

Our next Virtual Open House event will be held on the 18th of November via Zoom at 5:30pm. During this event we will provide you with school-wide updates and information on in-person learning opportunities as we move into the 2nd quarter of the school year. In addition, you will have the opportunity to schedule 1:1 meetings with your student’s teacher throughout the day on the 18th. 
Attendance

Please notify your student’s teachers, advisor and rshort@tmapchs.org when your student is going to miss any synchronous classes.
Class Announcements

Click on your grade level to see assignments and announcements from your Dean and teachers:

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. We have broken it down to make it manageable. We suggest the following:

  • By May 15th of 9th grade, students must have completed 20 hours 
  • By May 15th of 10th grade, students must have completed 40 hours 
  • By May 15th of 11th grade, students must have completed 70 hours

Students must complete one hundred (100) hours by May 15 of their graduation year

Below you will find some virtual approved community service opportunities.


Please contact Ms. Ames, zames@tmapchs.org, if you need additional assistance or have questions about community service. 
College & Counseling Updates

So, you have applied and want to know where your application stands?: 
 
Just a few quick things.
 
1. Congrats on submitting applications over the weekend. 

2. Please note that after you submit an application, a decision or transcripts does not happen instantly. 
  • Here is the process: Once you have applied, it will take about 24-48 hours for the college to receive and process your application. Once it has been processed, then you will start to receive emails regarding missing transcripts and other items. 
  • PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PART:  It MAY take 2-3 or even 4-6 weeks AFTER I HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR TRANSCRIPTS for the college to receive it, process it and then match it to your application. 
  • PRO TIP: The quicker you request your transcripts, the shorter that time will take. And please make sure you log in to your colleges and track your application status. 
 
3. Decisions will come in a variety of ways:
  • ADMIT - pretty self-explanatory.
  • DEFER - They are waiting on your mid-year transcript/record (senior year Quarter 1 and 2) which won't be available until February.
  • DENY - pretty self-explanatory.
  • If a college says they need, "official transcript with mid-year grades", it is the same as being deferred.
 
4. Lastly, if you have received an admission decision from a college...PLEASE SEND IT TO US AS WELL!
 
Seniors: We are excited to offer this opportunity to you and other charter school students in D.C. Each year, we host this event to expedite the decision process at a group of colleges who participate in such on-site or instant decision programs.
 
The colleges listed below are participating on Wednesday, 18 November. There are 15 colleges participating, several in the morning from 9-12 p.m. and the rest from 1-4 p.m. Those in bold font are eligible for DC-TAG funding. A (*) means the institution is part of the DC-CAP University Partnership Scholarship Program. (see the email I sent last week and the email from Mrs. Hurley)
 
  1. Guilford College, NC
  2. Harrisburg Univ. of Science & Technology, PA
  3. Lincoln University of PA
  4. Livingstone College, NC
  5. *Marshall University, WV
  6. Radford University, VA (late addition)
  7. Shepherd University, WV
  8. Tennessee State University
  9. Trinity D.C. (women’s college)
  10. UDC
  11. Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore
  12. Virginia State University
  13. *West Chester University, PA
  14. Winston-Salem State University, NC
  15. York College of PA
 
Please refer to this spreadsheet to determine the eligibility requirements for each institution as well as what documents to submit and where to apply. (A few colleges will require an essay.)
 
You must sign up for an appointment slot to meet with the colleges to which you are applying. The sign-up sheet will close at 6 p.m. on Sunday, 8 November.  
 
Applications must be completed and submitted no later than Monday, 9 November, and Naviance must be updated to reflect the school(s) to which you applied, and transcripts must be requested. (Most of these schools use the Common App.) 
 
If we do not see that you have submitted the application and updated Naviance, you risk losing your appointment with that college.
 
If you have already applied to the schools, YOU DO NOT need to apply again!
 
If you have received a decision from one of the schools, YOU DO NOT need to participate with this school.
Technology & Online Resources

Creating a Parent TMA Canvas Account
TMA parents and guardians can now create Canvas accounts to view their child’s courses in Canvas. If you’re interested in creating a parent account, watch this video. You will need access to your child’s TMA email address and Canvas password to create your account. Reach out to Ms. Mays (mmays@tmapchs.org) and Ms. Culbreath (eculbreath@tmapchs.org) if you have any questions.
Programs Updates

Dear parents and guardians,

We would like to know more about the children and youth who come to our after school programs so we can better help them learn and develop. Your child may be invited to complete a brief after-school survey. The survey will ask questions about what your child thinks of the program and about some of the ways he or she may be benefiting from attending the program. The information your child provides will be extremely valuable in helping us to improve our programs.

All information collected will be kept confidential. Your student’s name will not appear on any documents outside of the TMA Programs Department. No individual student will be identified. We do not see any risks to you or your student associated with participating.

The information gathered will be used to improve our afterschool program and to generate greater support for afterschool programs in the community.

Your participation is voluntary. We encourage all parents to agree to allow their children to participate so that we can have the most complete information possible about how our program is affecting children and youth. Please email Ms. Schwarz (cschwarz@tmapchs.org) if you wish for your student to NOT participate in the programs survey.

After school programming is LIVE! To view our club & athletic offerings, follow this link. To sign your student up for a club, have them fill out this form!

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.
Resources and Support Information

Library Corner--Sail Through Exams with BrainFuse HelpNow
To help you accelerate your learning experience, DC Public Library has an all-in-one suite of tutoring services, BrainFuse HelpNow! HelpNow is designed for a wide range of academic needs for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Access to this resource for DC Public Library cardholders is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 
 
HelpNow services include:
  • Expert Help with Tutors
  • Live Tutoring in English and Spanish.
  • Writing Lab
  • Skills building with SkillSurfer
  • Chat with Tutors with Send Question
  • Language Lab for language learners
  • Study Tools
  • Diagnostic test center with the LEAP Learning Platform
  • Create flashcards, tests and games with Flashbulb
  • College and career prep with eParachute
  • Virtual Collaboration
  • Schedule virtual study rooms with MEET
  • Create and share movie-like notes with Brainwave
Sign in with your Library card to start checking out HelpNow today!

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.

Kids Ride Free Cards
Parents, please pick up your student’s Kids Ride Free Card this Monday-Wednesday between 9 am-3:30 pm.

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.
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.

In general, if you have technology needs reach out to Mr. Schlossman, dschlossman@tmapchs.org
Special Education, Student Wellness & Interventions: 

Pandemic support group: Parents, we are starting a pandemic support group which provides students with peer support during the pandemic and teaches them how to identify needs and coping skills in relation to the current crisis. If your student requires support and you believe that they will benefit from this group, please let us know. We plan on starting this group within the next 2 weeks so please reach out to eroberts@tmapchs.org if you are interested in this opportunity. 

Self-Care Choice Board: 

If you are opting for self-paced work time today, please choose one of the following. 

Objective: 
I can notice and reflect my own emotions, and determine what I need to take care of myself. 
Video Links:



Wellness Tips for the Week
Self-Regulation
The Why and the Cans

Why?
Your Warrior has a lot on his/her plate as they manage high school virtually, during a time of uncertainty. While we cannot change the fact that stressful things happen, we want our students to feel empowered to manage inevitable stress flexibly and in healthy ways. Our goal is for every student to feel confident that they can RESPOND to stress by recognizing that stress exists, identifying how it impacts their bodies/brains, and preventing typical reaction patterns by pausing and putting a coping skill into action.  
Last week we used the statement, “I can recognize when I experience stress.” Were you able to recognize a time when you were feeling stress? This week we will introduce our second “I Can” statement.

I CAN IDENTIFY HOW STRESS IMPACTS MY BODY AND BRAIN.
Upon recognizing that something is stressful, it is important to observe how the stressful thing makes us feel. For example, does it make me feel nervous, anxious, apprehensive, timid? What thoughts am I thinking about this stressor? For example, “This is the worst thing ever!” or “I can’t handle this!” How does this feeling show up in my body? For example, do you notice the following: heart racing, hands shaky, fidgety, giggly, distracted, feeling lethargic or agitated?
Be aware of those feelings that are showing up in your body. Write down the thoughts you are having that are connected to those feelings.

I CAN NOTICE HOW I TYPICALLY REACT TO STRESS. 
When we experience stress, our bodies and brains respond -- whether we are aware of it or not! Paying attention to our first reaction to stress helps us to be more aware of typical patterns. For example, perhaps you just got an assignment back with a poor grade. Your friend sitting next to you asks you a question, and you snap back. You immediately feel badly when you see your friend looking confused and hurt. This is an example of a REACTION -- it happens without a pause, without thought. Noticing how we react is the first step to shift to a response -- when we do pause to think -- that feels better.

Behavioral Health Supports for Parents: 
Families if you require tools, resources, and consultation to support your own mental well-being as well as that of your family members, the Department of Behavioral Health has developed coping tools for families. Please view this list of tools and the flyer for Wellness Wednesdays with families. If you have questions contact Audrey Williams at awilliams@dcpcsb.org.
Faculty & Staff Directory:

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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