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November 2014 Letter to Parents

National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School

4600 Livingston Road, SE

Washington, DC 20032

(202) 832-7737

  

November 10, 2014

Dear Parents:

We are pleased to announce that we have received the recommendation for Middle States Accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. This is a process that has taken over two years to accomplish. We would like to extend our sincere thanks for those parents who worked on our Planning Team and/or met with the visiting team: Ms. Dogan, Ms. Frangel, Ms. Holley, Mrs. Renaud, and Ms. Sherman. This accomplishment was a collective effort (students, staff, faculty, Board of Directors, and executive leadership), and it certainly demonstrated the value of team work. It was seamlessly managed by our Internal Coordinators, Ms. King and Mrs. Waldon). The visiting team left us with a quote by one of our students: “This is where the magic begins.” You should take pride in knowing that your child’s school is authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma and it is recommended for Middle States Accreditation.

The first marking period ended with over 130 students on the Honor Roll. We were also able to announce those senior students who are eligible to participate in our Annual Sankofa Ball which will be held in February 2015. The list of students follows: Garry Anderson, Rehmika Anderson, Zykeira Beach, Salbrina Bell, Diamond Carter, Ian Christian, Diamond Clark, Antonio Dawes, DeArrean Dawkins, Iyonna Dease, Coby Dogan, KeVia Dudley, Devin Dupree, Tatiyana Ellis,  Brandi Ennis, Cierra Flowers, Kennith Ford, Markel George, Tiyonna Haley, Khalil Harris, Maurice Holton, Nadia Jefferys, Diamond May, Derrick McGhee, Leon Mills, DeAndre Mitchell-Taylor, Miracle Morse, Toni Parker, George Rambert, Ayanna Rucker, Jahanz Sherman, Michael Thomas, Nia Walton, Chanel Watson, DaWayne Walker, Jasmine Wilson, Russell Woodberry

To assure academic success at NCP, please make certain that your children have submitted any missing class and/or homework assignments. In addition, they are responsible for any missed examinations. Losing credit for missed assignments and/or tests will have a negative impact on their grades. Parent Teacher Conferences for the second marking period will be held on December 10, 2014 from 4pm to 7pm.           

                                       

Every school is required to review each child’s attendance and report truancy to the DC Superior Court. Truancy is considered 10 or more unexcused absences. In addition, students who have accumulated 20 or more unexcused absences will be involuntarily withdrawn from National Prep.

National Prep is now required to monitor the number of hours each student spends in school on a daily basis. It is a new requirement that all children spend at least 6 hours in school. Therefore, all students need to report to school no later than 8:00 am on a daily basis. Any time after 8:00 am is considered late. Late students are required to attend detention for lateness. In addition, we will make every effort to discourage releasing students from school before 2:10 pm.

Please Note

There are a significant number of students who are not wearing their complete uniforms on a daily basis. Students out of uniform will be required to attend detention. Please make certain that your child reports to school wearing the school uniform (gray pants, National Prep shirt, black belt, black shoes, and white, black, or blue socks). There are a number of young ladies who continue to wear tight stretch pants/tights to school. Stretch pants and/or tights are not part of the school uniform. In addition, nose rings and facial piercings are not allowed to be worn at National Prep. If you need additional information, please refer to our Student and Family Handbook.

The following is a list of important dates in the month of November and December 2014:

DAY	ACTIVITY	NOTES
Nov 17-21	Project Week
26	School closed half day	Students dismissed at 12:30
27-28	Thanksgiving Holiday	School closed
Dec 3	2nd Marking Period Mid-point
3	Senior Picture Make-up Day
5	Cross Roads
6-8	ANET Interim Assessments	9th and 10th grade students
10	Parent Teacher Conferences for Progress Reports	Students dismissed at 12:30. Conferences are held from 4pm to 7pm
15-19	Spirit Week
17	Homecoming Luncheon
18	Homecoming Dance
22-31	Winter Break	School closed

We are pleased to announce that two of our students have been identified as finalists for the POSSE Scholarship. Please join me in congratulating the following: KeVia Dudley and George Rambert. POSSE provides a full scholarship for all four years of college. Our students compete with students from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Final selections will be announced in the near future.

College acceptance has begun! The following students have been accepted to Delaware State University during our on-site admission process: KeVia Dudley, Diamond May, George Rambert, DaWayne Walker, and Nia Walton. They will receive their official acceptance letters within two weeks.

I trust this information proves helpful. Please feel free to contact me if there are any questions and/or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dianne G. Brown, Ed. D.

Chief Academic Officer

Cc:           Jennifer L. Ross,

                Founder and Executive Director

National Prep’s Mission

The mission of National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School is (1)  to provide a rigorous  9^th- 12^th grade standards-based college preparatory curriculum, (2) to provide an interdisciplinary curriculum which integrates international studies themes across the academic curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and (3) to prepare our students to be self-directed, life-long learners equipped to be engaged  21^st century citizens of their school, community, country and world.

National Prep will host STEM Invention Convention

National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter School (National Prep) host the upcoming Invention Convention in conjunction with the Metro Warriors STEM Organization (MWSO) and IT Computer Wiz Kids.  The event will be held at National Prep on November 12, 2014, from 5-7 PM, at 4600 Livingston Road SE, Washington, DC 20032.

The National Prep STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Program invites middle school students and their families to participate in this interactive experience which will involve robotics, as well as kid inspired inventions. 

Two exciting projects that involved National Prep STEM students will be on display: 

Stem Remote Control Car – Two years ago, National Prep was introduced to a STEM Remote Control Car program, designed for project-based learning and cross-curricular teaching working in teams, students organized, operated and established their own companies. Currently, as participants in this program, young men and women are supported by a community of mentors who partner with them to create a program that mirrors best practices of business and marketing executives, engineers, technicians, and professional sports teams.  Through advanced engineering techniques, the ultimate goal is to increase performance and realize a 1:10 scale electric, radio-controlled car.In March 2015, National Prep STEM students will travel to California to participate in the national championship competition at the National Society of Black Engineering Conference. 

GameHawk Application - Students at National Prep beta tested this new game application that helps people find and play online games with their actual friends.

National Prep offers disadvantaged youth in D.C. an opportunity to rise above theircircumstances and to receive the encouragement they need to obtain a world classeducation. Student comments often reflect feelings of belonging and caring at NationalPrep: “It feels more like a family at my school!” This solid staff/student partnership haspredictable results: National Prep young men and women enjoy a 100% High SchoolGraduation and College Acceptance Rate!  National Prep is committed to partnering with interested students to succeed in STEM; there is an urgent need to bridge and close the achievement gap for students in this academic area. 

"STEM is life, so everything we do involves STEM. That is the model we have for our program here and we look forward to engaging interested students”

          Melvin Stallings,  STEM Coordinator 

 MEDIA CONTACT: Christina Eaglin (301) 758-2482 -c(301) 384-2120 -o, christina@mmppllc.com

National Prep at #EdFest | Saturday, November 22, 2014 at the DC Armory

Join National Prep at EdFEST! | Saturday, November 22, 2014 | DC Armory | #EdFEST

My School DC is excited to bring you EdFEST, DC’s only citywide public school fair! Come and explore the city’s many public school options (PK3-12) for your child. Representatives from more than 150 DC public schools (DCPS) and DC public charter schools will showcase their programs. With the launch of the My School DC application on December 15, 2014 for the 2015-16 school year, EdFEST is the perfect opportunity to ask questions about schools and their related services and programs from those who know first-hand. EdFEST also will have recreational activities for all so bring the whole family! Admission and parking are free.

Save the date! Saturday, November 22, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at DC Armory, 2001 East Capitol St SE. To learn more go to: www.myschooldc.org | FB: My School DC | Twitter: @MySchoolDC | #EdFEST

Middle States Accreditation Information

An important message from our Chief Academic Officer:

Dr, Dianne G.  Brown, Ed.D.

As you may be aware, National Prep will undergo a site-visit from November 4 through November 7, 2014 to determine if our school meets the criteria for Middle States Accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation is an improvement process and an accountability system. It uses twelve internationally recognized standards and requires an institution to compare itself through a comprehensive self-study (Designing our Future) and submit to a rigorous peer review process. 

Accreditation:

• Encourages and facilitates continuous growth and improvement by providing an organizational structure for defining a preferred future

• Generates the details and data necessary for making informed decisions and developing sustainable plans for growth and improvement by managing the improvement process through regular assessment, planning, implementation, and reassessment

• Provides a means for greater accountability by ensuring to the public the integrity of our programs and outcomes.

If you would like to participate in the parent component of this process, please contact Ms. Shay King, Internal Coordinator, at 202-832-7737. 

Beyond The Classroom | New Four Part Video Series

 

Our Students Want You To Know..

Beyond The Classroom is a four part series we will be sharing with you over the upcoming weeks. This series focuses on our students' personal life stories and their life at National Prep. You will hear from our students in their own words.

We encourage you to share these stories and support all we are doing to create positive and productive global citizens at National Prep. These are the stories that are not being told and need to be understood. It is our hope you will have a greater appreciation for our amazing students and support the work we are doing. Thank you.

View: Beyond The Classroom: Stephany's Story

Back to School Shopping Tips

It’s that time again…when the all the stores are featuring items for the back to school shopping

season.  Luckily at National Prep, wearing a uniform makes it easier to budget for clothing.  But, you still might need a few things and this is a great time to save, so here are some shopping tips just for the National Prep Family.

•    Shop Maryland Tax Free Week – Sunday August 10 – Saturday August 16, 2014.  Qualifying apparel and footwear at $100 or less can be purchased tax free in Maryland during that time.  So you can save 6%. You can check out the list of Maryland Week tax exempt items here: http://tinyurl.com/q7mhgwz. You can buy shoes, boots, sandals, dresses, raincoats, socks, jeans and so many more apparel items minus the 6% sales tax!

• National Harbor Tanger Outlet Coupons and Discounts – Unfortunately the Tax Free Week isn't available in D.C., but you can still get some great deals nearby at the National Harbor Tanger Outlets.  You can get a 20% off savings coupon for the Tanger Outlets at National Harbor here: http://www.tangeroutlet.com/nationalharbor/ and use that on a tax free day and save up to 26% off.   (Read the coupon fine print carefully – it’s not valid on clearance merchandise.) You may even be eligible for a Free Coupon Book with more discounts from the Tanger Management Office– Check it out here: http://www.tangeroutlet.com/coupons/.

•  Join Amazon Student - 6 month trial membership FREE! – Try out the Amazon Prime Student Membership for FREE for 6 months.  You’ll get FREE 2-day shipping, exclusive offers and discounts and earn a $10 credit when you refer a friend.  After 6 months if you decide to join, the price is half off for student members and they add unlimited instant streaming, borrowing Kindle Books for FREE, and Unlimited Music Streaming. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/odu6knm.

At National Prep we are a family and we care about one another.  We are sharing tips with our families and friends to help them save.  If you have a great back to school tip, please share it here in the comments.   

National Prep Reaches Out to Area Youth to Become Part of Their Family

PREP FEST was a huge success!

National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter School (National Prep) designed a new creative campaign to attract area students who may still be undecided.  This year for the first time we reached out to neighboring families by going door to door in our surrounding community AND invited potential students to our first annual PREP FEST event on Friday August 1st, 2014.  We enjoyed seeing our returning students, meeting new students, and enrolling those who were undecided.

Returning students with Mr. Samuel Korpoi,
 Physical Education and
Health Teacher/ Basketball Coach

PREP FEST had interactive stations which assisted families with learning about National Prep’s successful 97% graduation and college acceptance rate, the My School DC enrollment process/requirements, uniforms, immunization requirements, extracurricular activities and FREE food.  Enrolled National Prep students received FREE backpacks with school 

supplies.  Prospective students and their families mixed and mingled with staff and current students.

Jennifer L. Ross, Executive Director/Founder and
Dr. Tonya Featherston, Deputy Director of Operations

National Prep is one of the only DC Public Charter schools offering the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma AND they offer it to disadvantaged youth living in one of the poorest section of Washington, DC.  Special attention is given to the needs of disadvantaged youth at National Prep: from beginning their school year in the summer to ‘jump-start’ their program to extending the length of the day to allow for more instructional time. Many of our students come to us at the 3rd and 4th grade reading level and go on to graduate high school and attend college. This year alone we received over 3.7 million dollars in scholarship and grant monies for our students to go to college.  

Currently we are still enrolling 9th and 10th grade students.  Interested families can enroll by going to www.myschooldc.org and requesting National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School.  

We're looking for motivated 9th and 10th grade college-bound individuals!

3 Great Reasons to Enroll:

1. National Prep's first founding graduating class in 2013 included 53 students who had a 100% college acceptance rate and received scholarship/grant monies totaling over $700,000. This year's number is nearly 5.5 times higher totaling an estimated $3,749,680.

2. The 2014 graduating class included students who received the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, a two-year program that was launched at National Prep during the 2012-2013 school year. Of note, IB is predominantly found only at private schools and in high socioeconomic communities.

3. Niko Darby graduated in June 2014, and is the first National Prep student to receive the prestigious full four-year POSSE Scholarship. POSSE provides the opportunity for high school students to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams or “Posses” of 10 students. Darby competed with over 20,000 students across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia during the course of several months. He was cited for his academic abilities and extraordinary communications skills. Darby will attend The University of the South, also known as Sewanee, on a full scholarship and major in Biochemical Engineering; this is one of the nation’s top ranked liberal arts colleges.

 “I love NCP because it has an environment where success can be attained. Our teachers and students form such successful phenomenal alliances that I believe will someday revolutionize the realm of education.”

-Niko Darby, Class of 2014 

Our Mission:

To provide a rigorous 9th-12th grade, standards-based college preparatory curriculum to maximize our students’ academic achievement.

To provide an interdisciplinary curriculum which integrates international studies themes across the academic curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.

To prepare our students to be self-directed, life-long learners equipped to be engaged 21st century citizens of their school, community, country and world.

Enroll Now: https://apply.myschooldc.dc.gov/Login.aspx 
Watch Video: www.tinyurl.com/DiscoverNCP

Sankofa Speaks Spring 2014 Newsletter

Happy Spring!

Dianne G. Brown, Ed.D., Chief Academic Officer

 Enjoy our latest Sankofa Speaks Spring Newsletter, and please share with your friends and family.
http://tinyurl.com/SankofaSpring2014 !

Party with a purpose (THIS FRIDAY) with National Prep DC!

Join us this Friday at Oxon Hill Manor as we celebrate and raise funds for National Prep!  We are thrilled to have NBC4 Anchor Aaron Gilchrist as our Honorary Chair and Emcee!  Dance the night away, eat great food and be entertained by Grammy nominated MAYSA LIVE IN CONCERT!
Buy your tickets now.

National Prep Welcomes Danish Students!

Today we welcomed our international students from Denmark as part of our global, academic focus.  We spent the day learning about what life is like in Denmark, and, in return, we taught our Danish guests what life is like in the United States.  Our student visitors attend the Risskov Gymnasium; in Denmark, high schools are called gymnasiums.  Their school is located in the suburb of the second largest city in Denmark, Arhus. Risskov Gymnasium offers a three year upper secondary education; all students take international trips abroad to learn about other cultures.

There is an interesting difference in our two cultures: children do not go straight to college from high school in Denmark. After gymnasium (high school), students take a minimum one year sabbatical to explore and travel the world.  Some of the students live on farms, while others live in the city and/or suburbs.  During gymnasium, students must do well; there is no allowance for returning to school to get better grades.  How students perform academically determines whether they can pursue a degree in medicine or psychology, two of the highest paying fields.  We also learned they do not typically have or use business cards; they found our system to be a very efficient way of sharing information to stay in touch.  Like us, they have a facebook page, and we are looking forward to “liking” their page and sharing pictures from today.

We’d like to thank teachers Louise Kaae Soerensen and Birgitte Madsen for sharing their engaging students with National Prep for the day.  Dr. Brown addressed the students by welcoming them to the school, and sharing her own stories about her own educational journey.  Each student interviewed another about their life and what was unique to them.  Today was an internationally exquisite day at National Prep!

Join us for a private concert with Maysa benefiting National Prep!

2014 Grammy nominated R&B Singer Maysa

Join us April 25th, 2014 as we PARTY WITH A PURPOSE! Bring out your family and friends to this private concert benefiting National Prep. Space is limited, so be sure to get your tickets sooner than later on the link below.


http://www.ncpfundraisergala2014.myevent.com/

Discover National Prep Video Debut!

We wish to thank all our students, families, and staff who made this video possible.  We thank you for sharing this video with those people you know would love to be involved in our continued success!  Thank you for considering making a donation to National Prep.

Sankofa Ball 2014

Thank you to all the parents, staff, students and supporters that assisted in making our 2nd Annual Sankofa Ball a complete success! -Miss Ross & Dr. Brown

NCP Seniors Prepare for R.O.P.E.S Graduation

Part of our instructional program for seniors includes R.O.P.E.S, Rites of Passage Empowering Students. This is the opportunity for our students to experience firsthand cultural relevance, as well as their historical significance. They are exposed to the following: Financial Literacy, Etiquette, Genealogy, the Middle Passage, The Civil Rights Movement, and Public Speaking.

The Sankofa Ball is National Prep’s culminating senior class activity. Our seniors are learning and rehearsing the fundamental aspects of DC Hand Dancing, the District of Columbia's official dance.  They will introduce themselves and share their dreams, aspirations, and celebrate their success with us as they prepare for college.  

We invite you to leave a comment celebrating our phenomenal seniors and all they continue to accomplish at National Prep!

Food For Thought...

“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives - choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”  --  Aristotle

Basketball Season is SLAMMIN' at NCP!

National Collegiate guard Danzel Wright piling up points -Source: The Washington Post

• BY ROMAN STUBBS

• January 16 at 4:06 pm

The surprise of the year for National Collegiate came on Jan. 4, when the team bus got a flat tire on the way to a game against Forestville in Hagerstown. The game was pushed back, and by the time the Panthers had arrived, there was no time to warm up. That wasn’t a problem for National Collegiate guard Danzel Wright, who scored 22 first-quarter points. Forestville had just 11 in the first eight minutes.

“What he did that game, that first quarter, I’m not going to lie to you,” National Collegiate Coach Sam Korpoi said, “that opened up my eyes, like, ‘Wow.’”

National Collegiate guard Danzel Wright is averaging 30.4 points per game this season, and has scored 78 in his last two appearances. (Photo courtesy of National Collegiate Yearbook staff)

Wright finished with 40 points and five assists in the 77-53 win. It was a career high in points for Wright, but it was a scoring burst that has become commonplace the past two seasons at National Collegiate (7-4). He averaged 22.3 points per game as a junior, and poured in 25 points or more in 12 games. He’s averaging 30.4 points per game in 10 games this season — with 78 points in his last two games, including a 38-point performance in a 91-64 win over Perry Street Prep on Tuesday.

Wright has hit 12 three-pointers in his last two appearances, including seven in the win over Forestville, and his outside shooting opens up his most effective offensive move. He calls it “the hesitation,” a move that most of his opponents expect, but struggle to stop. He floats in front of his defender as he is about to shoot, then attacks the basket as the defender bites. Long workout sessions over the summer to perfect his three-point shot and pull-up mid-range game has only made the move more effective.

“I gash people with that move every game, even people that know,” said Wright, who has gained interest from Fairfield, Delaware State and Bowie State. “As soon as my junior year was over, the season was over, I didn’t even wait until the summer. I just got right to work. Every day I was working on improving my jump shot. I feel like that’s what took my game to another level.”

Wright is getting to the line a lot, too. He’s averaging nearly eight free throw attempts per game and is shooting 85 percent. National Collegiate is 4-0 in Public Charter Athletic Association play, a league that Wright is confident his team can win and eventually make a run in the DCSAA playoffs. Like so many area players, Wright has paid his dues at several schools before finding a comfortable fit. he started his career at Carroll, then played his sophomore year at Perry Street Prep before transferring to National Collegiate.

“I felt like I could always score like I’m scoring [now],” Wright said. “Coming to National Collegiate, it just gave me a chance to show my true ability.”

(Sarah L. Voisin/ The Washington Post) - Javon Treadwell, center, a senior at National Collegiate Preparatory public charter high school, is the head drum major entertaining the audience

As seen in The Washington Post!

Thousands of parents attend D.C. schools festival to shop for educational opportunities.

By Emma Brown, Published: January 11 E-mail the writer

Thousand of parents descended on the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday for the D.C. Educational Festival, a one-stop school shopping event meant to help families navigate the city's growing—and  sometimes overwhelming—number of school choices. 

The city's increasingly popular charter schools have long marketed themselves at this annual event, but this year, for the first time, traditional D.C. middle and high schools were on hand to sell themselves, too.

National Prep’s Amazing Victory 

Over Forestville HS!

DMVelite West HS Showcase: Recap

BY EDGAR WALKER and ZACH PARNES

Game 3 - National Collegiate 77, Forestville 53
A flat tire on their bus ride and a very short warm-up period did not discourage National Collegiate, as they came out of the gates energized and passionate, en route to a blowout win over Forestville.

Senior guard Danzel Wright put on an absolute show, scoring 22 points in the first quarter alone (yes, twenty-two) and finishing with 42 points in all. We’ve seen this before from Wright, who scored 38 points against Suitland in December’s DMVelite Holiday Tip-Off Classic.

Junior wing Kennith Ford got hot in the second half, finishing with 16 points and four made 3-pointers. 

Source: http://www.dmvelite.com/news/dmvelite-west-hs-showcase-recap