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www.dcprep.org preschool – 8th grade

DC Prep is the highest-performing network of public charter schools in Washington.

Get to know our schools DC Prep serves over 1,300 students in preschool through 8th grade on multiple campuses. Our award-winning schools are located in the most traditionally under-resourced neighborhoods in the nation’s capital. n

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In our early childhood program, students develop the social, emotional, and cognitive competencies that lead to a love of school and learning.

During the elementary years, they master foundational Reading and Math skills, while developing the independence, curiosity, and focus to thrive in a college-prep environment.

Middle school students dive into increasingly rigorous content, develop higher-order thinking skills, and internalize the personal attributes and study habits essential to success.

The End Result Students with the academic preparation and personal character to succeed in competitive high schools and colleges.

Edgewood Elementary Campus EEC, opened in 2007 Preschool – 3rd grade 707 Edgewood Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 T 202.635.4411 F 202.635.4412 Edgewood Middle Campus EMC, opened in 2003 4th – 8th grade 701 Edgewood Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 T 202.832.5700 F 202.832.5701 Benning Elementary Campus BEC, opened in 2008 Preschool – 3rd grade 100 41st Street, NE Washington, DC 20019 T 202.398.2838 F 202.398.2839 Benning Middle Campus BMC, opened in 2013 with 4th grade and “growing up” a grade each year through 8th grade 100 41st Street, NE Washington, DC 20019 T 202.396.3780 F 202.396.3781 Anacostia Elementary Campus AEC, opening in Fall 2015 with preschool and pre-k and “growing up” a grade each year through 3rd grade c/o Home Office 707 Edgewood Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 T 202.635.4590 F 202.635.4591 Home Office 707 Edgewood Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 T 202.635.4590 F 202.635.4591

DC Prep’s Mission To bridge the educational divide in Washington, DC by increasing the number of students from underserved communities with the academic preparation and personal character to succeed in competitive high schools and colleges.

DC PREP’S

PAST, PRESENT,

AND FUTURE

DC Prep is committed to improving public education in the nation’s capital and helping to turn one of the lowest-performing public school districts in the nation, into one of the best.

The Need In spite of one of the highest per-student education expenditures in the nation, test results for students in DC are among the lowest.

According to the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress, the average 4th grade Math and Reading scores place DC’s low-income students near the very bottom of 51 states and jurisdictions (ranked 51st and 50th, respectively).

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By 8th grade, student achievement is no better.

Only 17% of DC students are proficient in Math and 18% are proficient in Reading — again, among the lowest proficiency rates of any students in the country.

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High school and college matriculation rates tell a similar story. Only 58% of DCPS students graduate from high school and just 12% complete college within six years.

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This pattern of educational inequity is even more pronounced in Wards 7 and 8, DC’s poorest areas, where only one student in three finishes high school, and only one in 20 graduates from college.

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Washington’s public education system has been performing poorly for decades and is generally regarded as one of the worst in the country.

In 2003, Emily Lawson and a group of other Washingtonians founded DC Prep to address the dire need in their hometown. Over the last decade, DC Prep has grown to serve over 1,300 students on multiple campuses and has become a national example of high-quality urban education.

DC Prep’s talented teachers and school leaders, challenging academic program, and emphasis on building and maintaining a strong school culture have continually produced exceptional results for students.

DC Prep is Poised For Growth Over the next five years, DC Prep will open four additional schools in DC neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of low-income families and the fewest educational options. In time, DC Prep will grow to ten campuses enrolling 3,500 students.

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Edgewood Elementary Campus Edgewood Middle Campus

Possible Future Sites

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Benning Elementary Campus Benning Middle Campus

As we scale up, we remain true to DC Prep’s unique culture and to our educational model that has been continuously refined over the last decade resulting in ever-increasing levels of student achievement. This growth-with-quality strategy, grounded in sound fiscal management, informs all aspects of DC Prep’s expansion plan.

“I am in the unique position of supporting students and their families as they prepare for high school. The academic focus, persistence, and self-confidence they developed at DC Prep makes my job easy and inspires me every day.”

Julie Moeller, Director of High School Placement, EMC

DC Prep at a Glance DC Prep operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools open to any child in Washington.

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By the 2015–16 school year, DC Prep will serve over 1,500 preschool through 8th grade students on five campuses in Wards 5, 7, and 8.

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Historically, 98% of DC Prep students are African American and 2% are Hispanic; more than 80% live in poverty, as measured by eligibility for free and reduced price meals.

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Over 275 students have graduated from DC Prep — the oldest of whom are preparing for their senior year in college.

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PrepNext, DC Prep’s alumni support program, works with students once they leave DC Prep to ensure a successful transition to and through high school and college.

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DC Prep is growing to ten schools and at scale will enroll 3,500 students.

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Over 200 teachers, school leaders, and staff work in, and support, DC Prep’s campuses.

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High School Placements at a Glance Benjamin Banneker Bullis School Choate Rosemary Hall Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School

100% of DC Prep’s 8th grade graduates have been accepted by a college-prep high school, with over 60% offered admission to selective independent and public magnet schools.

Duke Ellington School of the Arts The Field School Georgetown Visitation Holton-Arms School Maret School Phillips Academy Andover St. Albans School St. Margaret’s School Without Walls Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Woodberry Forest School

Our goal: at least 95% of our alumni will graduate from high school and 50% will earn college degrees — more than four times the college completion rate of DCPS students.

“I thank DC Prep for everything — from giving me a great and formative middle school education, to supporting me through the college application process.”

MARIA, DC Prep Class of 2007

Gettysburg College Class of 2015

The DC Prep “Each year we found that DC Prep was a whole lot more than what we had expected.

It is a place where the staff and the administrators have an overwhelming and unwavering commitment to the success of every child and every family.”

Michelle Carthen, Parent

Respectful Intelligent Genuine Hardworking Team-oriented

The Beliefs, Principles, and Practices That Set Our Schools Apart Learning is sacred. Hallways are quiet, and transitions are quick and purposeful. Classrooms are lively, engaging places where students are challenged and inspired. Joy in learning is coupled with urgency and rigor; every member of the school community is committed to student success.

More time on task. DC Prep students spend 25% more time in school than their peers in other DC public schools. School begins promptly at 8AM, and students are dismissed at 4 or 5PM depending on their grade level. Punctuality and attendance are critical elements of The DC Prep Way. “If it’s 8, you’re late!”

An unapologetic focus on academics.

Internally-created unit plans and assessments aligned with Common Core standards guide instruction at all campuses. DC Prep’s departmentalized approach to instruction in 1st – 8th grade allows teachers to focus their curriculum planning and lesson delivery on targeted curricular areas — and provides students with expert instruction from the earliest years.

A distinctive school culture. We believe that character counts and we teach it explicitly.

Beginning with our 3- and 4-year olds, our students are supported to develop Prep Skills — the essential qualities of successful students and good citizens. All members of the DC Prep community strive to live up to the school motto, Do the RIGHT Thing.

Elite talent. DC Prep’s teachers are smart, passionate, and uncompromising. We hire the best and provide a collegial learning environment where good teachers become great ones.

Exceptional professional development. Weekly professional development sessions, quarterly Data Days, targeted instructional coaching, and weekly departmental and grade-level meetings provide collaborative opportunities to analyze student data, share best practices, and increase instructional effectiveness. Overall, faculty are given more than 300 hours of professional development annually.

Data, data, data. Lumos, DC Prep’s customized data system, gives teachers real-time, 360-degree information on students’ academic progress and character development, providing the analysis that leads to smart teaching.

A plan for each student. Student data informs instruction and ensures that every child is being taught at the appropriate level. Daily Prep Sessions provide small group, skill-based instruction cementing mastery of grade level standards, and offering enrichment to students performing at accelerated levels.

Shared expectations and aspirations between home and school. Frequent informal and formal communication with families creates trust and parent/teacher teamwork to achieve the best outcome for every student.

Way A Snapshot of Our Schools DC Prep schools are positive, purposeful places that reflect respect for the students and teachers who learn and work there. Pride, energy, and a shared sense of mission are palpable. Classrooms buzz with focused energy. Teachers are dedicated, determined to provide the best for their students and to continuously improve their craft. Students are greeted upon their arrival every morning, and upon entering their classrooms. In turn, visitors are warmly received. Student greeters welcome visitors to the classroom with a firm handshake, good eye contact, and a “Loud and Proud” explanation of the lesson being taught.

“Part of what makes DC Prep great is its commitment to adult learning and professional development as a tool to ultimately help students learn more.”

Katie Severn, Chief Academic Officer

Prep Skills An example of DC Prep’s character education program in action Prep Skills — a set of developmentally appropriate interpersonal and study skills — are the centerpiece of DC Prep’s character education program. They are taught as part of the daily academic lesson and fully integrated into each teacher’s daily lesson plans. Early childhood and elementary-age students focus on the basics: following instructions, doing good-quality work, accepting “no”, communicating honestly, and showing sensitivity to others. As students move into middle school, the Prep Skills become more sophisticated and include coping with conflict, asking for help,

expressing feelings appropriately, and advocating for oneself. Beginning in 1st grade, students are given responsibility for monitoring themselves and are rewarded with incentives for living up to the schools’ high expectations. They keep real-time track of their own behavior with a Prep Note, a tally sheet on which they record their positive (and sometimes negative) demonstrations of Prep Skills. Each day students “total up” their points which are entered into Lumos, and sent home in the form of a bi-weekly “bank statement.”

meaningfuL Assessment

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Differentiated

Instruction

Student Achievement

Armed with timely and actionable data, DC Prep teachers are equipped to differentiate instruction, re-teach when necessary, and target intensive academic support to all students who may need it. We have developed multiple approaches that allow for individualized instruction.

In Prep Sessions, which meet once or twice daily depending on the grade level, students are placed into small groups — and regrouped as appropriate — based upon interim assessment results, classroom performance, and teacher observations and recommendations. Students who meet and/or exceed grade level standards participate in academic enrichment activities, while those who have demonstrated deficits in Reading and in Math receive targeted intervention around their specific needs. Prep Sessions’ small, leveled groupings allow teachers to make optimal use of assessment data and deliver tailored instruction to ensure that all DC Prep students achieve mastery.

Prep Hour, which includes time for homework help, takes place after school from 4 to 5PM and provides another opportunity for middle school students requiring academic intervention to receive individualized support.

Lumos DC Prep’s “Triple A” Data Tool, the Lumos data system, provides teachers with real-time information on students’ academic progress on formative and summative assessments. It also includes data on adherence to the school’s codes of character and discipline, attendance, and punctuality, allowing teachers and leaders to cross-analyze trends in order to better plan for student-specific solutions. One founding faculty member describes Lumos as DC Prep’s “Triple A” tool because it presents “accessible,” “accurate,” and “actionable” data — better equipping teachers and leaders to plan individually-tailored instruction based on unique student needs.

Why work

at dc prep?

Answer the need in Washington for schools that work.

Join DC Prep and be part of turning one of the lowest-performing public school systems in the nation into one of the best.

Work with talented, like-minded colleagues.

Be part of a team that is committed to excellence in all things. Our teachers constantly strive to improve their craft and put student learning at the center of all they do.

Come to a place where good teachers become great teachers… and tomorrow’s school leaders.

Talent is cultivated and grown from within at DC Prep. Through Prep LEAD, DC Prep’s sophisticated leadership development pipeline, a career pathway in place at each campus supports the continued growth of teachers and school leaders.

Inspire your students to reach their highest potential.

The teachers at DC Prep are changing lives. Our students and alumni are proof points for their impact.

Earn rewards and recognition.

DC Prep provides a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package, and makes every effort to structure teachers’ schedules to accommodate their life circumstances, including parenthood.

Want To See A Typical Teacher’s Day? To learn more about a typical teacher’s day, go to the Careers section of the DC Prep website, www.dcprep.org

Home Office Behind the scenes is DC Prep’s Home Office, which provides support and expertise to the DC Prep campuses. The Home Office is responsible for finance, real estate, and school operations; for managing compliance, technology, and student and organizational assessment data; for recruiting faculty and students; for fundraising, communications, and public relations; and for the development, documentation, and continuous improvement of the educational program. Home Office team members carry out their roles always mindful of the central vision of DC Prep: every child will be prepared academically and socially for a successful future.

DC Prep In The News DC Prep’s local results have had a national impact.

Scan the QR code to see recent coverage or visit the URL listed below.

“Even when DC Prep is celebrated for its progress, the staff is always looking for ways to make things better.

The kids do a cheer — ‘good, better, best, never let it rest — until your good is better and your better is best.’

That’s DC Prep!”

Lisa Dixon, Parent

www.dcprep.org/news/ dc_prep_in_the_news

DC Prep Core Values DC Prep Core Values

Results for students, first and foremost.

Every action and every decision is examined through for Results thisstudents, lens. If wefirst follow and this foremost. path, will it leadaction Every our students and every to adecision great destination? is examined If we make through thisthis lens. choice, If we follow will it give this them path, awill brighter it lead our future? students to a great destination?

If we make this choice, will it give them a Good minds and good hearts — brighter future? inextricably linked. We believe that character Good minds counts. and We good teach hearts it and — we model it. We maintain inextricably linked. integrity We in believe all matters that and are genuine character counts. in all We interactions. teach it and We we treat model our students, it.

We maintain their families, integrityand in alleach matters otherand with honesty, are genuine kindness, in all interactions. and respect.We treat our students, their families, and each other with honesty, kindness, and respect.

Excellence, always. We strive to do our very best, to give the most we can. We are committed toalways.

Excellence, excellence We strive in every to do task, our no matter very best, howtolarge give or thesmall. mostWe we know can. We thatare we will not always committed to excellence hit the in mark, every but task, we no will always matter howaim large high. or small.

We hold Weourselves know that accountable we will not always for ourhitfailures the mark, as well but as weour successes. will always aim high. We hold ourselves accountable for our failures as well as our Reflection and refinement — every day. successes.

We are continuous questioners, always seeking to improve.

Reflection and refinement Is what we — every are doing day. working?

We are continuous Is there a questioners, better way? We always never rest on our seeking to improve. laurels. Is what we are doing working? Is there a better way? We never rest on our laurels.

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Optimistic determination. We know this is hard work, but we are confident that we can achieve the determination.

Optimistic goals we have for Weour know students this is and for hard work, ourbut organization. we are confident We believe that we in can persistence, achieve the goals daily effort, we have and forstrive our students to be purposeful and for our and organization. strategic. We Every believe day we in are inspired by our persistence, daily students, effort, and theirstrive potential, to be and our responsibility purposeful and strategic. to them.Every day we are inspired by our students, their potential, and Generosity and humor. We trust and our responsibility to them. support each other. We believe in having fun, celebrating Generosity and often, humor. and Welaughing trust anda lot. support each other. We believe in having fun, celebrating often, and laughing a lot.

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