Back to School Health and Safety
Principal’s Message
You cannot imagine how excited we are to welcome our students back to school on Monday, August 30! Our teachers will spend the next week in meetings and professional development to ensure that we are prepared to provide a multi-tiered system of supports for all of our students. We know that fostering the social-emotional growth of our students will be a key element in accelerating academic progress. This year, we will focus on re-establishing strong adult-student relationships and fostering a supportive, responsive learning environment to facilitate students' learning recovery.
During Mayor Bowser's Back to School Update on August 18, Chancellor Ferebee shared the latest DCPS health and safety guidance for schools. An overview of these measures is available at https://dcpsreopenstrong.com/health/.
At Deal, our layered prevention strategies will also include:
using our grade-level teams as student cohorts to improve health and safety measures. Physical Education, Art, Music, and World Language courses are scheduled within grade-level team cohorts to the extent possible. Students will continue to have access to Deal’s large variety of courses and, with minimal exceptions, will have classes with only other students on their grade level team;
adhering to social distancing within classrooms to the maximum extent possible. This will be achieved by ensuring students are seated at least 3 feet apart, turning desks to face the same direction, and/or having students sit on only one side of a table (spaced apart);
marking stairs and hallways with appropriate signage to support social distancing and minimize crowding in the halls;
limiting the use of shared objects when possible. If materials are shared, they will be cleaned between use;
implementing a schedule for increased routine cleaning and disinfection of all restrooms;
assigning student seats in all classrooms and the cafeteria; and
implementing staggered times for transitions between class periods and during lunch/recess.
6th Grade Lunch (Period 3)
2 teams at recess, 2 teams in the cafeteria, and 1 team in the gallery
3 teams at recess, 2 teams in the cafeteria
7th Grade Lunch (Period 4)
2 teams at recess, 3 teams in the cafeteria
3 teams at recess, 2 teams in the cafeteria
8th Grade Lunch (Period 5)
2 teams at recess, 3 teams in the cafeteria
3 teams at recess, 2 teams in the cafeteria
Welcome Assistant Principal Murphy
We are excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Murphy to the Deal leadership team. Dr. Murphy is joining us after serving as the principal of Lititz Elementary School in the Warwick School District in Pennsylvania for the past nine years.
Getting Ready to Come Back to School
We realize the next few days may evoke a myriad of emotions for our students. Families are encouraged to begin supporting students in creating their own healthy routines that include prioritizing sleep and physical activity. In Six Ways to Help Kids Transition Back to School After Distance Learning, friend to Deal, Phyllis Fagell, shares additional strategies for empowering students as they prepare to return to school. Deal parent, Dr. Anisha Abraham, provided a few tips to help kids open up as they head back to school on Channel 4 News.
Please feel free to contact our student support team if your child needs additional support.
6th Grade
Assistant Principal - stacey.gathers@k12.dc.gov
Counselor - johnet.travers@k12.dc.gov (returning September 7)
Social Worker - michelle.marsh2@k12.dc.gov
7th Grade
Assistant Principal - jenyvonnemurphy@gmail.com (DCPS email address coming soon)
Counselor - camille.white@k12.dc.gov
Social Worker - hilary.katz@k12.dc.gov
8th Grade
Assistant Principal - patrick.rottman@k12.dc.gov
Counselor - joy.monkou@k12.dc.gov
Social Worker - peter.boccardi@k12.dc.gov
School-wide Psychologist | latashia.scott@k12.dc.gov
School Supplies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its K-12 school guidance to recommend that students, teachers, staff, and visitors wear masks regardless of vaccination status. You may want to consider having your child use a permanent marker to label their masks with their name. Students should bring the following supplies to school daily:
1 - 2 extra masks and a resealable bag or container (swap after lunch or recess if the mask gets wet or dirty)
tissues
hand sanitizer
water bottle - the water supply to all public drinking fountains has been turned off. Students will be able to request water from their classroom teacher.
Deal MS Student Supply List SY 21-22.pdf
Student Devices
Deal has devices for each student's in-school use beginning on August 30, 2021. If students would like to check out devices for home use, parents/guardians must submit a written request to alicedealtechnology@gmail.com.
New Student Welcome Session
New to Deal 7th and 8th graders are encouraged to participate in an information session and building tour from 10:00 to 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 25. Students must wear masks and check in with the health professional at the main door prior to making their way to the cafeteria. This brief session is just for rising 7th and 8th-grade students who did not attend Deal last year. We will use this time to introduce important support staff, answer questions, and learn more about your student.
If you have any questions, please contact our 8th-grade counselor, Ms. Monkou, (Joy.Monkou@k12.dc.gov) or 7th-grade counselor, Camille White (Camille.White@k12.dc.gov).
Virtual Family Orientations | August 24 and 25
All Deal families are encouraged to join us on Tuesday, August 24 or Wednesday, August 25 for our Virtual Family Orientations (Teams Live Stream) from 6:30 until 7:30 pm.
Tuesday, August 24 at 6:30 pm | Join live event
Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30 pm | Join live event
Student Orientation (In-Person) | August 27
This year we will host an in-person orientation for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students on Friday, August 27. During the orientations, students will meet their teachers and visit all of their classes. Students will not eat lunch at school on the day of the orientations. Students are permitted to bring water bottles.
6th Grade
9:30 | Arrive at Deal (front of the building)
10:00 am - 12:00 noon | Follow Student Schedule
7th Grade
9:30 | Arrive at Deal (gym entrance - Howard Road)
10:00 am - 12:00 noon | Follow Student Schedule
8th Grade
12:30 | Arrive at Deal (front of the building)
1:00 - 3:00 pm | Follow Student Schedule
Schedule for This Year
To accommodate the possibility of virtual learners, all DCPS middle and high schools are expected to adhere to prescribed bell schedules. The Deal Schedule is below.
PERIOD | TIME
1 | 9:00 - 9:49 am
2 | 9:53 - 10:38 am
3 | 10:42 - 11:27 am
4 | 11:31 - 12:16 pm
5 | 12:20 - 1:05 pm
6 | 1:09 - 1:52 pm
7 | 1:56 - 2:41 pm
8 | 2:45 - 3:30 pm
Students are encouraged to begin arriving at school by 8:20 and will be permitted to enter the building at 8:30. A "Grab and Go" breakfast will be available for students to enjoy outside.
Daily Health Screenings | Ask - Ask - Look
Families are expected to complete the Ask-Ask-Look health screening for their children daily.
Ask your child about the following symptoms consistent with COVID-19*: chills, cough, congestion, diarrhea, fatigue, fever (100.4+), headache, muscle or body aches, nausea or vomiting, new loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, or otherwise feeling unwell.
*If symptoms are related to a chronic medical condition and your healthcare provider has submitted written or verbal documentation that the symptoms are not COVID-19-related, the student should not be excluded from school because of those symptoms.
Ask whether your child has been in close contact with anyone who has COVID-19. Have you or your child traveled to a high-risk state or country for nonessential activities in the past 10 days?
Please keep in mind that the travel quarantine exceptions that may apply:
If an individual has had COVID-19 within the last 90 days, completed their isolation period, and does not have COVID-19 symptoms.
Any individual who is fully vaccinated and does not have COVID-19 symptoms.
Look for signs of illness. Visually inspect your child for signs of illness. Signs can include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.
The Deal Dress Code
Our partnership with the National Women’s Law Center is documented in Dress Coded II - Protest, Progress, and Power.
Deal students are not required to wear a school uniform. Students should use the following guidelines when making choices about what constitutes appropriate attire for our school community:
Students must wear (a) a shirt/top (with front, back, sides, and straps or sleeves); (b) bottom/pants/shorts/skirt; and (c) shoes. These required clothing items must cover the core of the student’s body, including private areas and midriff, with opaque fabric.
Students may be required to wear particular items for specific classes, assignments, or activities. For example, students are required to wear athletic clothing and shoes for physical education (PE). Students may also be required to wear protective clothing, shoes, or eyewear for activities such as science experiments.
Students may wear religious head coverings.
Students may not wear clothing that reveals undergarments.
Students may not wear non-prescription sunglasses, hats, hoods, swimsuits (unless required for class or other school-sponsored activity), or clothing or accessories that could be dangerous or used as a weapon (e.g., jewelry or shoes with protruding metal spikes).
Students may not wear clothing with language or images depicting hate speech, profanity, pornography, violence, criminal gang symbols/membership, drugs, alcohol, or other illegal activities.
The dress code will be enforced in a consistent, equitable, solution-oriented, non-punitive manner.
If possible, students will not be removed from the classroom or miss class time to address an actual or perceived dress code violation.
Questions or concerns regarding the interpretation or enforcement of the dress code should be addressed to the grade-level assistant principal.
Fall Sports
Please fill out the fall sports interest form here to indicate interest and be added to the contact list for your student-athlete's sport of choice. Each team's coach will email pertinent information in the upcoming weeks. Sign-ups will continue through the first week of school and we expect practices/try-outs to begin during the second week of school. In addition to the sign-up form, you will need to fill out athletic participation forms and upload your child's medical documents to our new digital platform, Seamless Docs, found here. The forms must be uploaded and certified by the Athletic Trainer before your child will be permitted to participate, so please submit them ASAP! Note: we are no longer accepting or processing paper participation forms.
New This Fall: Adapted Bowling
Adapted bowling is a middle school interscholastic sport that the DCIAA offers for students with disabilities to participate in sports. Adapted equipment, modifications to rules, and neutral settings can help with one or all elements of bowling and ensure the success of student-athletes. Adapted bowling will be held every Wednesday from October 6- Nov 17. Eligible athlete participants include individuals in the ILS or CES specialized programs or any student with a physical disability. Transportation home can be provided for the athlete, contingent upon IEP specifications.
Think Globally. Listen Compassionately. Act Inclusively.
Last year, DC Public School students were able to understand and process the experience of a global pandemic by engaging in the Living Through History Cornerstone. View student work here.
This year, we are looking for ways for our students to learn the importance of giving back and how their action and service impact their lives and the lives of others. Please feel free to share your ideas about potential service-learning projects.
I Am Because We Are.
Here we Grow!
