Special Presidential Visit Edition
• Autumn 2006
Honoring Excellence in Education On October 5, 2006, U.S. President
George W. Bush President of the United States
George W. Bush, along with Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, visited Friendship’s Woodridge Elementary
Salutes the Students and Faculty of Friendship Public Charter School Woodridge Elementary and Middle School Campus
and Middle School Campus in recognition of the school’s record of academic excellence. Woodridge was selected for this presidential honor from among 191 public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia. During the Woodridge visit, President
Donald L. Hense, Founder & Chairman
Bush and Secretary Spellings talked
Friendship Chairman Donald Hense, Edison Schools CEO Chris Whittle and President Bush celebrate school excellence.
with students in Mr. Brown’s Math Class and Mr. Brook’s SmartLab™ Class. With broad smiles and school pride, students shared their knowledge of robotics, engineering, science and algebraic concepts. The President
Inside this
concluded his visit with a nationally broadcast education address held in the
issue:
campus gymnasium that highlighted
Honoring Excellence in Education
In the 2005-06 academic year, Wo-
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one of only four District public charter
Woodridge as a public school making a positive difference.
odridge was the only Ward 5 school and schools to achieve Annual Yearly Prog-
President Bush Tours the Woodridge Smart Lab Technology Center
ress (AYP) as defined by the federal No
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DC CAS, a more rigorous assessment
Child Left Behind legislation. That same year, the District introduced the test to measure AYP. Not only did Wo-
Photos from the visit
odridge students achieve DC CAS pro-
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ficiency standards in math and reading, they exceeded those standards by 11 percent in both subject areas.
“Too many believed that our children could not learn to high standards. And that belief ran through all segments of the community including the educational community. Friendship has always had high performing schools but with NCLB we had to prove it publicly. We used NCLB to bring everyone on board to chart a course for the future of our campuses that was centered around student academic performance first and foremost. We are proud that our hard work is paying off at the Woodridge campus.” –Friendship Chairman Donald L. Hense
Secretary Spellings introduces President Bush to the Woodridge community. President Bush salutes Woodridge students, faculty and parents.
Woodridge School Leader Mary Dunnock, Mr. Lakis’ 5th Grade Class and President Bush.
8th grader Asia Goode and family with President Bush. In his address, the President credited Asia’s honor roll status to Woodridge’s academic intervention program.
“I’m glad to be at Woodridge, as well. I’m here because this is one of America’s fine public charter schools. I’m here to remind people that charter schools work, and they can make a difference in the lives of our children. So I want to thank you for letting me come.”
“I want to thank the teachers, the administrators and the principal for setting high expectations…A center of excellence is always a place of learning where people believe the best. And I want to thank the folks here for setting high expectations. I want to thank you for achieving results.”
“Meeting the President of the United States is an amazing opportunity and our students earned it! We made AYP for the 2005-06 year, and we will do it again. My, oh my, what an amazing year this will be.”
President George W. Bush
Woodridge Principal Mary Dunnock
President Bush Tours the Woodridge Smart Lab Technology Center
Left: 7th graders Caleb Gray and Se’Vaughn Carter demonstrate motorized Fischertechnik model. Below: 7th grader Casim King and 8th grader Joy Green demonstrate their LEGO Robots.
Above: Secretary Spellings joins President Bush at the Pneumatics computer station. Right: 8th graders Jazzmen Coghill and Qitorah Washington construct models of everyday machinery at the LASY computer station.
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Above: 7th grader Se’Vaughn Carter and 8th grader Bijan Smith analyze data at the Sensible Science computer station. Right: 7th grader Se’Vaughn Carter in awe as he shakes the President’s hand at the Fischertechnik building station.
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Left: Chairman Donald Hense and Edison Schools CEO Chris Whittle share in the day’s events.
Right: Friendship Chief Academic Officer Michael Cordell
Left: Woodridge Principal Crystal Clark greets President Bush
Right: Woodridge 8th graders greet President Bush
Woodridge Elementary & Middle Campus
Southeast Elementary Academy Campus
Junior Academy at Blow Pierce Campus
Grades Pre K-5 1345 Potomac Ave., S.E. (202) 547-5800
Grades K-6 645 Milwaukee Pl., S.E. (202) 562-1980
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Grades Pre K-8 2959 Carlton Ave., N.E. (202) 635-6500
Grades 6-8 725 19th St., N.E. (202) 572-1070
Collegiate Academy at Carter G. Woodson Campus
Grades 9-12 4095 Minnesota Ave., N.E. (202) 396-5500 Design: CEDC (www.cedc.org)
Chamberlain Elementary Campus