June 29, 2020

Dear families,

We hope that summer, although unprecedented in so many ways, still affords an opportunity to create invaluable memories that are full of meaningful exposure and experiences for our scholars.

We thank you for adhering to social distancing and wearing your masks during the exchange last week. It was wonderful to see so many of you in person. Within the bags that each of our scholars received, their summer learning experiences were enclosed. Please make sure they work on these assignments. The summer experiences will help our scholars avoid the summer slump and keep them sharp and ready for next school year.

Thank you to our rising 8th grade families for allowing our new 8th graders (adhering to social distancing) to take the Pre-HSPT. The results will arrive by mail to your home in about 2 weeks. We will send recommendations and test strategies after we receive the results. We will continue the tradition of teaching Test Prep in the fall.

We are excited to work with the ADW and our in-house task force with expert guidance from local scientists to create our reopening plan. This collaborative effort will work to help our community-scholars, faculty and families stay safe. Our reopening plan will adhere to ADW, DC and CDC guidelines. However, this does not mean we have to open in the same way that DCPS does. At this moment, we intend to open with all students in our brick and mortar daily. We are small and this allows us to have a plan for reentry that will differ from other larger schools.

We are pleased to announce that we are the only school approved in the Archdiocese of Washington to operate a 100% digital remote campus. The Annunciation Catholic School Global Campus Initiative will serve 3rd -8th graders. We will be able to begin to advertise the platform on July 1st. This is an option for families who are unable/unwilling to attend the brick and mortar due to being immunocompromised, relocating or for a myriad of other reasons. It provides live instruction and the same support offered in our traditional campus.

As the year has ended, we wanted to again thank our HSA led by Mrs. Shayla Atkins, room parents and those who served on the board this year. In these unprecedented times, you kept our families engaged and your efforts are much appreciated. We have HSA positions that are open for next year, please contact us if you are interested in serving our awesome community in this way.

We have begun summer hours in the main office, opening from 9:30am – 2:00pm, Monday- Friday. The office will be available to parents by appointment only for in person visits. The office will be closed Friday, July 3rd and Monday, July 6th in commemoration of the Independence Day holiday.

Please find attached to this email a timely resource. “The Elephant We Don’t See: A Diversity Dialogue” series hosted by the PG County Memorial Library System. There are also helpful resources on race, racism, and antiracism attached. These books and dialogues are full of opportunities for diversity discussions to help both adults and young people navigate the world through this difficult time. Thank you, Mrs. Artis, for sharing the resource with us.

We will keep you updated regularly on our work to prepare for our scholars. Thank you for your commitment to our school. We are grateful for each and every one of you. May God bless you and keep you and your family safe.
Constant Blessings,

Nicole Peltier Lewis
N. Peltier Lewis
Principal, Annunciation Catholic School

The Elephant We Don’t See

Michelle Hamiel (COO for Public Services, PGCMLS) and Kyla Hanington (Outreach Coordinator, Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission) present a new monthly diversity dialogue series on the last Tuesday of the month. Read the books in advance and tune in for these important discussions.

• June 30 at 7 pm | “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi – Register here | Borrow on OverDrive
• July 28 at 7 pm | “What If? (10th Anniversary Ed): Short Stories to Spark Inclusion Diversity Dialogue” by Steve Robbins – Register here | Borrow on OverDrive
• August 25 at 7 pm | “Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People” by Mahzarin R. Banaji – Register here | Borrow on OverDrive

NMAAHC Talking About Race Portal

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture recently launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture.

The online portal provides digital tools, online exercises, video instructions, scholarly articles and more than 100 multimedia resources tailored for educators, parents and caregivers—and individuals committed to racial equality.