The DC Scholars Way

PATH Core Values

At DC Scholars, our mission is to prepare students to achieve academically and socially in high school, college, and beyond. We provide scholars with access and opportunities that put them on a PATH to becoming change agents for our global community. Our student PATH values include: being Prepared, Attentive, Thoughtful, and Hardworking. 

Academics

PS/PK: 

At DC Scholars, we offer a robust academic early childhood program. Each scholar gains a strong foundation in early literacy and math skills as well as a passion for learning! 

Based on the DC Early Learning Standards, our early childhood instructional team designs engaging learning modules. Some learning themes include: Transportation, Community Helpers, Living Things, and Water. 

Students in preschool and Pre-K enjoy: 

• Morning Meeting
• Thematic Centers
• Math Whole Group Lessons
• Math Small Group Lessons
• Read Aloud
• Phonics and Phonemic Awareness (Heggerty) Whole Group
• Small Group Reading
• Special subject classes: Art and Dance 

Students in preschool and Pre-K are assessed throughout the year. Based on their learning strengths and opportunities for growth, teachers provide tailored small group instruction to meet the needs of each scholar. 

K-8 Math: 

DC Scholars offers rigorous, Common-Core aligned math instruction. Following the Eureka Math program, students develop conceptual understanding and mathematical fluency. In addition, students have the opportunity to apply their learning in real world mathematical tasks. At DC Scholars we believe our students deserve the best mathematics education possible, one that allows them to meet their personal and career goals in an ever-changing world. 

DC Scholars provides students with: 

• A balance between conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application
• Math Tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving
• Meaningful math discourse that improves student’s ability to analyze and compare various math approaches and arguments
• Multiple opportunities for students to engage in mathematical writing
• Opportunities for students to grapple with math ideas and relationships 

All students experience: 

• Whole group Eureka math lesson:
• Fluency Practice
• Math Tasks involving mathematical writing
• Core Lesson
• Small group math instruction tailored to their strengths and opportunities for growth with a focus on Math Task involving writing 

In addition, each child has access to iReady, a personalized, online learning program that students can access at home and at school. 

K-8 ELA:

DC Scholars offers a rigorous, Common-Core aligned English-Language Arts program. DC Scholars provides each student with: 

• A solid grounding in foundational reading skills,
• Opportunities to develop vocabulary and world knowledge,
• Close reading experiences that allow student to gain greater skill and confidence tackling complex text,
• The ability to express thoughts clearly through speaking and writing, and
• The capacity and motivation to read long texts. 

DC Scholars is an Expeditionary Learning (EL) school. All students have the opportunity to develop deep knowledge in science and social studies while honing their reading and writing skills. Students write fiction stories, persuasive essays, and informative pieces. We are intentional about selecting texts that represent diverse people and characters and offer students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of history and cultures around the world. 

Modules include engaging topics, such as: 

• Weather Wonders (Kindergarten)
• Schools Around the World (2nd Grade)
• Adaptations and the Wide World of Frogs (3rd Grade)
• Stories of Human Rights (5th Grade)
• Working Conditions Then and Now (7th Grade)
• Refugee experience during the US Intervention in the Vietnam War (8th Grade) 

At the end of each module, students complete performance tasks and have the opportunity to share their work with their peers. 

Our ELA blocks are broken down into unique components: 

In addition, each child has access to iReady, a personalized, online learning program that students can access at home and at school. 

Social Studies: 

In grades 6-8, scholars take a Social Studies course.  We are excited to inform you that our school offers World History as part of our Social Studies curriculum. World history is a fascinating and essential subject that plays a crucial role in your scholar’s education. It complements other subjects such as English Language Arts by providing historical context for Literacy Modules and topics. It also aligns with our educational goals of promoting critical thinking, cultural competence, and global awareness.

Pillars in the Social Studies Curriculum:

• Cultural Awareness: World history exposes students to a variety of cultures and traditions, fostering a sense of cultural appreciation and empathy for people from diverse backgrounds.
• Critical Thinking: Studying world history encourages critical thinking skills as students analyze historical events, consider their causes and consequences, and evaluate the actions of historical figures.
• Global Perspective: It helps students develop a global perspective by understanding how historical events in one part of the world have influenced others, shaping the modern world we live in today.
• Relevance: Learning about historical events and their impact on society provides valuable context for understanding current events and global issues.
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Science: 

We offer a science course in grades 3-8. DC Scholars follows the Amplify Science curriculum. Through a blend of hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools, students learn to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers.

Specials:

DC Scholars offers Health, P.E., Art, and Dance. 

Socio-Emotional Learning

Every morning, students have the opportunity to develop their social skills through interactive activities and lessons led by their homeroom teachers. Together with their classmates, students learn key social skills, such as: empathy, making friends, problem solving, and emotional management.  

We also have additional after school electives and programs. DC Scholars offers a variety of extracurricular activities and youth leadership opportunities. Students can participate in cheerleading, basketball, track, yearbook, coding, drumming, coding, student government, and National Junior Honor’s Society.

Staff Values

HIGH BAR We are accountable to our students and their families. We want (and expect) the best for them so we seek excellence and set a high bar in everything we do.	PASSION + PERSISTENCE We are driven by our passion to see our students succeed. Therefore, we forge ahead and persist through challenges knowing that our students are worth the hard work.	HOPE We are unwavering in our optimism. We see realities for what they are while never doubting what can be achieved. Our hope enables us to overcome moments of apprehensions and fear.
HUMILITY & GROWTH We do not have all of the answers. We must operate with humility and a growth mindset to approach our work with confidence and improve continuously.	TRUST We are a diverse and trusting team. We respect one another and push each other to be better. We believe in each other’s unique potential and act in accordance with this conviction.