Your advocacy is urgently needed. For many schools across DCPS – including Lafayette – the Mayor’s proposed budget is woefully inadequate. It leaves schools without funds to cover their current staff and having to cut positions.
Costs have gone up, and this years’ budget does not cover those greater costs. The proposed DCPS budget therefore contains cuts — small increases in funding provided in the Mayor’s budget do not come close to covering the new required costs — for a majority of schools. If nothing is done, hundreds of DCPS’s our best teachers will be laid off at a time when we need to be working to retain teachers and staff.
For Lafayette, this could mean the loss of eight positions across all teams and at least three classroom teachers. You can read more about anticipated impacts at our schoolhere.
Your advocacy now could help influence the budget process. Pleasesign the petition and share with other concerned parents/neighbors/citizens. We have an opportunity to change the trajectory of school funding, butwe need everyone’s voice! Together we can help ensure a bright future for all DCPS students!
For more ways to advocate for sensible school budgets, see our Advocacy page.
Preparing for Enrollment Season, Celebrations, and Other March Updates
Dear Lafayette Families –
Enrollment season for 2024-2025 is coming soon (March 29th)! This year’s online enrollment requires parents to have access to the Aspen Parent Portal. Please take 3 mins to complete the survey to indicate if you do/don’t have access to the Aspen Parent Portal: Aspen Parent Portal Enrollment Survey
**This is not the online enrollment, but a critical first step in being sure that all families can access the online enrollment platform.
Don’t forget there is a community meeting this evening hosted by DGS, DCPS Facilities,and DPR to discuss the storm water management plan, including decision making about the surface of the field behind Lafayette (turf or grass). Want to learn more? Share your thoughts on the surface? Join the meeting in person at Lafayette at 6 pm
I also want to take moment to celebrate and honor the members of our mental health team – our school counselors (Shakirra McKinley and Jillian Diesner) and our school social workers (Erin Ayers, Sophia Carre, and Marjorie Jean). This team is invaluable to the work we do every day with our students. National School Counselor’s week was Feb. 3rd – 7th and March is National School Social Worker Month. I know we all share the same gratitude and appreciation for the work they do all year round! Please join us in sending our appreciation and gratitude to our amazing Social Workers and School Counselors, all of whom fully embody the National Association of Social Workers motto of “Inspiring Action, Leading Change”. Please click here to find the MHT newsletter with links to learn more through other resources.
Congratulations to our Boys’ Basketball team who won the semi-final championship game Tuesday evening vs. Murch by one point at the buzzer!!!! Well done to our players and coaches!!! Join us for the City Championship game on Monday, 3/18 at HD Woodson High School at 5 pm.
A huge shout out also goes to Ms. Diesner and our ASL Club. Last week’s “Signing Town” event was an enormous success. It featured over 50 participants who moved around “town” to different areas and learned to sign and communicate in sign language. It was a terrific evening in learning, understanding, and fellowship.
Students, parents, and grandparents are invited to attend Lafayette’s first Mindful Monday in the Peace Room from 8:15-30am on Monday, March 25th. We’ll start with a mindful moment led by a student. Then, we’ll personally reflect on how mindful we were during March, so we can each set intentions for the month of April. Mindful Mondays will occur at this time on the final Monday of every month and are open to the entire Lafayette community. Questions? Contact
Upcoming Dates and Events
Wednesday, 3/13 – DGS/DPR Meeting about the Field Surface,
Monday, 3/18 – Boys’ City Championship Game, 5 pm @ HD Woodson High School
Here’s to a great long weekend! Thursday, 3/14 is not only Pi Day, but also Parent Teacher Conferences, and Friday, 3/15 is a day off of school for students and staff. We’ve all survived Daylight’s Saving time and are looking forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday, 3/18.
Enjoy the beautiful weather and the extra days off,
Dr. B
March 20th LSAT Meeting
The Lafayette LSAT will meet on Wednesday, 3/20 from 7:30 am – 8:30 am via Teams. The link is below. The agenda is as follows:
March 20th LSAT Agenda
– LSAT election process
– Discuss Middle of the Year data
– Enrollment Season: deadlines, strategies and approach
As a reminder, all LSAT meetings are open to the public. However, the only meeting participants are the elected parents, staff, and community members.
Would you like to have a question or issue addressed by the LSAT? Drop your question here.
Lafayette Archer Club News
Congratulations to everyone on the team for this achievement. The archery club is comprised of 4th and 5th grade students. We practice during school lunch and recess times as well as some after school. All students in these grades participate in PE class and then some choose to participate in the club. As a club we instill the core values of perseverance, integrity, caring and responsibility.
Here is a sampling of some of our archers scores for the tournament. Most of the archers had personal bests or scored close to their previous score!
Top 10 Scorers:
Nava Zwerdling (5th grade) – 219
Nia Fabrikant (5th grade) – 216
Gabe Kline (5th grade) – 208
Audrey Ponchione (4th grade) – 205
Parker Healey (5th grade) – 205
Elisabeth Okada–Vanze (5th grade) – 204
Alice Colligan-Zullow (5th grade) – 197
Sam Hyde-Parish (5th grade) – 194
Graham Healey (4th grade) – 193
Ana Huggins (4th grade) – 173
“Build-A-Cellar” Parent Party Sign Up
An auction item that tops the rest is the Lafayette Wine Cellar, a collection of luxury wines donated by the Lafayette community. In exchange for donating a bottle, you (and a guest) get a ticket to the best party of the year: an evening sampling wine and beers with friends and neighbors.
This year’s Build-A-Cellar” wine party will be held on April 5, 2024 at the home of Catherine & Phil Bye.
The Lafayette Mental Health Team (MHT) is excited to share this month’s MHT Newsletter discussing Women’s History Month and Social Emotional Learning Day. And did you know…dun-nah-nah…it’s also National Social Work Month! So please join us in sending our appreciation and gratitude to our amazing Social Workers and School Counselors, all of whom fully embody the National Association of Social Workers motto of “Inspiring Action, Leading Change”.
Please visit lafayettehsa.org to find the MHT newsletter with links to learn more through other resources.
The Mental Health Team has many supports for students up and running. These include lunch bunches, targeted individual and group supports per IEP/504 plans, and the following general education support groups:
Banana Splits (for students of parents who are divorced or separated, grades 1-5)
Pride/SPARK club (diversity and social justice, grades 4-5)
Book Club (grades 2-5)
ASL Club (grades 2-5, in conjunction with Brianne Burger, parent volunteer)
SEL Legos Club (grades 3-5)
She Reigns (Girls of color grades 3-5)
KING (Boys of color grades 3-5)
We are enjoying having fun with students and interacting with them via these groups. If you have questions or would like more information about a group please reach out to any member of the Mental Health Team:
It’s spring volunteer recruiting season! There are a lot of great HSA leadership roles open for next year and we need your help! Check out this survey for more information about openings. There are big, small, in-person, and remote roles. The Lafayette HSA’s efforts are more important than ever to build community and fundraise to offset costs that will allow for more funding for staffing. Please consider joining us.
Mindful Moment Monday – March 25
Students, parents, and grandparents are invited to attend Lafayette’s first Mindful Monday in the Peace Room from 8:15-30am on Monday, March 25th. We’ll start with a mindful moment led by a student. Then, we’ll personally reflect on how mindful we were during March, so we can each set intentions for the month of April. Mindful Mondays will occur at this time on the final Monday of every month and are open to the entire Lafayette community. Questions? Contact
Host a Parent or Kid Party for the 2024 Lafayette Auction
One of Lafayette’s beloved auction traditions is providing a variety of parties for kids and adults. These parties take place throughout the spring and the following fall and are a great opportunity to mix with other Lafayette families. In the past, adult parties have included events like a North Carolina bluegrass and BBQ, wine and whiskey tasting, crab feast, and a murder mystery party. Kid parties have included a paddle playdate on the Potomac, a tea party, and a backyard barnyard party. If you are interested in sponsoring a party, complete this form.Deadline for party submission is March 29th. Questions? Reach out to Rachael Overcash at .
Cheers!
Lafayette Auction Party Planning Committee
Lisa Luse, Beth Maglione, Rachael Overcash, and Emilie Williams