While Langley students throughout the school were churning concepts and making discoveries Friday morning, second-graders  in the science lab were churning butter and making waffles.

Foodprints teacher, Sarah Gaudreau, walked down the hall to fetch the children from their homeroom. When the kids realized it was their day to participate in the special gardening and cooking program, a  cheer rose up from the group. Because, yes, second breakfast! Nothing wrong with that. But also, hands-on learning, making messes, working together and accomplishing a big goal - delicious food for everyone. 

The kids were divided into several groups and each given a different task: some ground wheatberries into a fine flour, others shook jars of heavy cream to make butter. A group of children  used kid-safe knives to cut up apples for a sweet compote, as another composed a few sentences describing what they know about butter; what does it look like, where does it come from, what is it used for? "It looks like a rectangle!" one shouted out, "We get it at Wal-Mart," said another. "Write it down," replied educational aide Ronnie Johnson. 

The flurry of excitement throughout the room was also packed with learning opportunities. Math was done as ingredients were measured out. Chemistry was observed as those ingredients were combined and heated. Kids debated the efficiency of a low-tech antique mixer verses an electric one.

Hi Tiger Families, 

Principal Drumm-Canepa & I want to address with you the STAR (School Transparency and Reporting System) scores that came out Friday - ranking Langley a 1 STAR out of 5.

This number is not a surprise to us.  

Why? What’s important to remember about the STAR / Report Card scoring system:

75% of that score is based on PARCC scores.

PARCC scores only reflect 3-5th graders test results in Math & English Language Arts from *LAST YEAR*

We are only 2 years into Principal Drumm-Canepa's 5 year plan to improve our school.

For the past 5 years our scores were declining. Last year they plateaued. This year we expect increases due to the new academic programming and improved school culture (a.k.a Conscious Discipline).

Last year we exceeded ALL our K-2 student achievement goals.  Which means we have a strong cohort of students moving up into those testing grades that will change our PARCC scores & STAR rating in years to come.

The good news:

Because of our 1 STAR rating we will receive 1 MILLION DOLLARS through OSSE’s Comprehensive Support Schools Initiative.

This funding will come immediately and be implemented over the next 2 1/2 years.

No, this money cannot build our garden or renovate our bathrooms.  But it WILL help us in these categories:

People/Instruction/Structures.

Principal Drumm-Canepa & her academic leadership team (made up of teacher leaders) will be working with DCPS to determine how this will specifically be implemented but we know it will include intense intervention with students who need a boost & strengthening academic programs where needed.

All this to say we are growing and now we have more funds to do it quickly!

Questions?  Want more details?

Come to our ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) discussion that Principal Drumm-Canepa & her leadership team are hosting on Thursday, Dec. 13th from 6p-7p at Langley. 

Come and bring your questions! 

All the best,
Christina Robbins
Langley Elementary PTSA President

A group of determined Langley parents, staff and community volunteers spent a muddy Saturday clearing out the garden in front of the school. Friendship and kid-baked pumpkin bread made an ambitious project manageable, and after a few hours we saw great progress. Only the safety enclosure for our hibernating rescue turtle was left standing.

Why?

As little kids grow and develop, so do schools. We’ve welcomed more students, growing to three PK-3 classrooms and a larger total enrollment. Conscious Discipline is in its second year, and our partnership with FRESHFARM’s Foodprints is teaching gardening, cooking and nutrition to more and more kids. The rooftop beehives, the butterfly garden, the little turtle and flourishing plants - all these things bring our children learning and joy. And with your support, the PTSA has grown from a dogged startup to a small but fierce Tiger parent organization. All of this has been made possible with the support of our community—volunteers, neighborhood businesses, generous donors, and everyone who wishes us well.

We couldn’t be prouder of Langley’s growth! But we have a challenge this year. The garden needs a full overhaul to accommodate our growing school and our ambitious plans. We’re hoping to install permanent seating for an outdoor classroom so classes can easily gather and learn in the space. It’s important to have accessible garden beds and pavers between them so that we can welcome all of our children, parents and grandparents, even those with limited mobility or wheelchairs. The garden will need an irrigation system so it can be managed efficiently and we’d love to have a space where we can host chickens too.

A garden should be built to last, and all of these things have a cost. We have set a fundraising goal of $20,000--- several times more than the PTA has raised in any previous year. Grant applications are underway, and we’ll have a Parents Night Out at Spark on January 11th as a general fundraiser. Please come! But we’re also asking you to consider us in your year-end giving. The PTSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and would be thrilled to receive your donations. We use PayPal at LangleyPTApayments@gmail.com, receive mail at 101 T St. NE, and can make other arrangements for your convenience.

A thriving neighborhood school is possible only with your support. Thank you so much for believing in us and sharing our dream for an inclusive and effective learning garden!

Langley Kindergarteners were treated to a special field trip on Friday.

For the third year in a row, the PTSA secured a grant from the Kennedy Center for a free performance for our Kindergarteners. They went to see 'How to catch a star.' Based on the book by Oliver Jeffers, it is the story of a boy chasing his dream to catch a star - a story of persistence, curiosity and friendship. 

The kids truly enjoyed the experience; they were engaged, entertained and stayed focused throughout the duration of the show! The ride on the school bus, also generously provided by the Kennedy Center, brought the excitement to another level. For many of the children, it was their first time at the Kennedy Center, and they said they cannot wait to come back again. Thank you, Kennedy Center, for this great opportunity to introduce our kids to the world of art and musical performance!

Sandra Vijn
Grants Committee