Principal Collazo’s Back to School Top 7
As I begin my first full year at WSG, I am so excited about how our students, families, faculty, staff, and volunteers have shown up over the past five weeks. The energy, the commitment, and the joy are palpable, and our community has truly hit the ground running. I am confident that this is just the beginning of a meaningful journey together as a school, and there is so much more to look forward to. Here are my Top 7 highlights from the start of the school year:
ONE All-School Mass
Students pray several times throughout the day, including all-campus Morning Prayer, but having two locations means it is special when we can all get together. We celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Mary at Our Lady of Perpetual Help on August 15, and Father Cornelius also ushered in our new school year during the Mass.
I was especially happy to welcome so many families and OLPH parishioners to celebrate with us!
TWO Red Carpet Rollouts
Two campuses means two Red Carpet Rollouts on the first days of school! With the help of volunteers from Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Alpha Beta Upsilon Omega Chapter, Carr Properties, WSG’s Board of Trustees, and other friends of the school, we welcomed our girls back to the new school year with joyful energy.
You can see more moments from our first day on Instagram.
THREE Houses Welcomed New Members
Last week we drafted all our new students from both campuses into their House, which will be their extended support system for the rest of their time at WSG.
Students gather regularly for House Meeting, where they have an opportunity to share sisterhood, celebrate one another’s success, develop leadership skills, and compete with other houses. Each house is named for one of our Core Values: Faith, Perseverance, and Confidence, and our House system is designed to help students have a strong sense of belonging, practice using their voices, and develop a strong sisterhood across grade levels.
You can read more about our houses in a blog post from last year.
FOUR New Educators
Ms. Allen joined the middle school team as a Reading/Language Arts teacher, allowing Dean Moore to transition full time to her role as Dean and increase her ability to support teacher and student growth. Ms. Allen has previously taught in DC area charter schools.
Ms. Tarectecan (Ms. T, for short) joined the WSG staff as the 4th and 5th grade Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. She will work closely with returning teacher Ms. Rushing, who will be teaching 4th and 5th grade Math and Science. Ms. T. launched her education career in Prince George’s County public schools.
Ms. Lowe-Kelley is serving as the Out of School Time Coordinator, collaborating with our many community partners and volunteers to offer robust activities for students through Extended Day Clubs, Saturday School, and Intersession programs.
Ms. Huff comes to WSG through the Americorps program and supports students and teachers at The View Campus as a teaching assistant.
FIVE Weeks of School in the Books!
Because WSG follows a balanced calendar model, we complete five weeks of school before Labor Day. By shortening the summer holiday and extending our breaks throughout the school year, we increase content-knowledge retention and reduce student and teacher burnout. In our first five weeks, we have built community in our classrooms, acclimated our new students to daily schedules, norms, and expectations at WSG, and have completed our baseline evaluations using tools like iReady and the MAP assessment, which guide teachers in providing individualized instruction and student support for the rest of the year.
SIX Members of the Class of 2024 Started at Archbishop Carroll High School
Our students often choose Catholic or other faith-based schools. This year, six students selected Archbishop Carroll matching the record for most students from a single class to attend Carroll. In total, 78% of the Class of 2024 selected a faith-based school, including Bishop McNamara High School, Cornerstone Schools of Washington, DC, Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, Elizabeth Seton High School, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Additionally, students are attending Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Bard High School Early College, Dunbar High School, and Thurgood Marshall Academy.
SEVEN Parent-Centered Events
We know the key to a successful school year is a positive relationship with the parents and guardians of our students. So far, families have had seven direct opportunities to connect with school leaders, teachers and staff, and each other. Events have included Coffee and Conversation with me and Dr. Reaves, two Back-to-School Nights to meet teachers, technology access training, our Opening Mass, Progress Report Conferences, and some grade-level meetings which will continue to take place throughout the year.
