September 3, 2016 - September 9, 2016, The Afro-American
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WASHINGTON-AREA
D.C. Public Schools
D.C. Students Show Gains in Math and English Language Arts
Ubiquitous Expo
Views on New Chancellor By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com D.C. Chancellor Kaya Henderson will be leaving her job at the end of September and the administration of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to make sure that the public has input into the selection of her permanent successor. On Aug. 30, 139 residents from throughout the District gathered into the atrium of the Roosevelt High School in Ward 4 to tell city leaders what they want in a new D.C. public schools leader. The deputy mayor for Education, Jennie Niles, said that public feedback and participation in
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Benjamin Banneker High School improved its PARCC scores significantly. By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com
Photos by Rob Roberts
A host of entertainers gathered in D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the Ubiquitous Beauty, Hair and Health Expo Aug. 27-28 to learn about tips for Black beauty and health. The event included workshops, seminars, panels, contests and live performances by Yolanda Adams (center), Chante Moore, Glynn Jackson, Comedian Marcus D. Wiley and others.
Prince George’s County
Edwards, County Leaders Disturbed by Head Start Brush Courtesy Photo
Deputy Mayor of Education Jennie Niles led a recent chancellor search community forum. the process is crucial. “This is the first of three events that we are doing to find out what you, the residents, want in a new chancellor,” Niles said. “Mayor Bowser (D) is committed to education. Good schools are key to the health of our city.” Niles said the second forum will take place at Eastern High School on Sept. 7 and Savoy Elementary School on Sept. 14, both from 6:30-8 p.m. Henderson first served as a top deputy under D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee and was appointed by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D) in 2011 as the chancellor. While as chancellor, Henderson Continued on B2
By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards recently articulated her views on the ongoing flap regarding the loss of federal funding for the Prince George’s County Head Start program. Edwards, a Democrat, represents a large portion of Prince George’s County and part of Anne Arundel County in the U.S. House of Representatives. The representative made her comments on Aug. 26, a day after the Prince George’s County Board of Education decided not to appeal the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to terminate the county’s funding for Head Start. “For more than 50 years, Head Start programs have given our most vulnerable children a true head start in Courtesy photo life,” she said in a statement Rep. Donna Edwards obtained by the AFRO. (D) along with other “This program is one of our government officials in nation’s best investments in Prince Georges County early education, providing are troubled by the Health children with quality Department’s termination education in a nurturing, of funding for Head Start.
supportive environment, and connecting them and their parents with health, nutrition, and social services. However, the partnership between federal funding and local coordination relies heavily on the oversight and accountability of our local school systems and its leaders on behalf of the children and families they serve.” Two weeks ago, it was reported by the media that the funding loss due to the Prince George’s County public school system’s inability to address child abuse practices by Head Start staff such as making a child clean up his urine, ordering preschoolers to hold heavy books above their heads and a child walking home from school not accompanied by an adult or an older minor. Prince George’s County Board of Education member Edward Burroughs III (District 8) told the AFRO that he, and four of his colleagues, Verjeana M. Jacobs (District 5), Sonya Williams (District 9), Zabrina Epps (District 1), and Beverly Anderson (county executive appointee), have publicly called for the resignation of the board’s chairman Segun C. Eubanks (county executive appointee) and vice chairman Carolyn M. Boston (District 6). “The leadership of our board didn’t tell us anything substantive about what was going on with Head Start when we first got the letter in April,” Continued on B2
Prince George’s County
Students in the District of Columbia public and charter school systems are showing improvement in math and English Language Arts, according to results of a standardized test in the second year of use. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), joined by Deputy Mayor
“It shows that we are making great improvements in our schools….” – David Grosso for Education Jennie Niles, D.C. State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang, D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, and Deputy Executive Director of the Charter School Board Naomi DeVeaux, trumpeted the improving scores on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) on Aug. 30 at Banneker High School in Northwest D.C. “The gains we are seeing in these results highlight that more students in our public schools are learning the real-world skills that they will need for future success,” the mayor said. “We will continue to work hard to ensure that more and more of Continued on B2
D.C. Crime
Business Delegation Heading to Cuba Search On for Double Homicide Suspects By Lenore T. Adkins Special to the AFRO Prince George’s County, Md. officials and businesses will embark on a 5-day exploratory mission to Cuba in November. The goal is to uncover current and future businesses opportunities that could emerge if Congress lifts the longstanding embargo against the communist island. The inaugural trip, which starts Nov. 15, gives local entrepreneurs and county leaders a chance to meet Cuban officials and lay the groundwork that could lead to business deals later. County officials will also learn about and meet leaders from Cuba’s education and art scene for future exchanges and collaborations. The trip will target the following industries: information technology,
hospitality, engineering, construction, and medical/life sciences. County Executive Rushern L. Baker III will lead the delegation of approximately 20 business people and an
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Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III will lead a delegation on an exploratory mission to Cuba in November.
undetermined number of county officials. The trip costs $5,850 per person, a hefty price tag that includes round-trip airfare from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to José Marti International Airport in Havana, five nights at the historic Hotel Nacional, meals, security, transportation, entertainment, and more. Entrepreneurs are responsible for their own costs. Meanwhile, sponsorships will cover county employees’ expenses, said Lori Valentine, director of communications at the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation. They’ll spend the first full day getting face time with Havana Mayor Martha Hernandez, representatives of ProCuba, which promotes Continued on B3
By Briana Thomas Special to the AFRO The Metropolitan Police Department is searching for suspects involved in a shooting in Northeast D.C. on Aug. 26 that resulted in a double homicide, according to police reports. Around 11:33 p.m., police responded to the scene of a fatal shooting in the 300 block of 34th Street, NE. Police said Raeshard Blue, 40, and Treyvon Johnson, 27, were found on the sidewalk out front of a Northeast residence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both victims were unresponsive and received medical treatment, according to police reports. One of the victims was transported to a local hospital where he died, the other died at the scene of the incident, police said. No arrests have been made. “This is still an ongoing investigation,” Alice Kim, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department, told the AFRO Aug. 29. A third victim survived after being stabbed multiple times in the upper body. Police said the victim was found near the scene and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. In addition to the stabbing and shooting the shots fired damaged property in the surrounding area including three vehicles, according to the police. There have been three homicides in the immediate area as of Aug. 30. However, even with the recent incident, the District has seen a 2 percent decrease in homicides from 105 homicides at this time in 2015 to 90 homicides as of Aug. 30. D.C. has also had a five percent decrease in property-crime from 20,068 incidents in 2015 to 19,007 incidents as of Aug. 31, according to data provided by the department.