August 2021 Newsletter

In this newsletter you’ll find:
*Ward 7 Backpack Giveaway: 1000 Students Served
*SBOE August Update
*News You Can Use: 3 min Survey on School Reopening
*Back to School Events
*What’s Happening in Ward 7: Upcoming Community Events & Info
*Grants & Community Resources
*COVID-19 Resources

I look forward to continue working with the Ward 7 Community to continue supporting our students, families, and schools. I hope the resources and updates below are helpful.

Please reach out to me at eboni-rose.thompson@dc.gov if there are resources you’d like to share in future newsletters or if there are questions and concerns.

Yours in Service,

Ward 7 Backpack Giveaway: 1000 Students Served

We were able to equip more than 1000 students with backpacks filled with the supplies they needed to start school. Even more importantly, this Saturday’s event was about more than giving away backpacks. We connected residents to resources & COVID vaccines.

I would like to thank our partners for making it possible to provide backpacks, school supplies, and uniform vouchers. We even had over 70 families walk away with laptops and one lucky family with a new tv!

If you did not have a chance to participate in our back-to-school event, I’ve included a few you can attend this weekend below.

SBOE Updates

Full Letter

I join my DC State Board of Education colleagues in sharing these reopening recommendations with the mayor based on the dozens of public testimonies at our last public meeting.
In response, Mayor Bowser & OSSE announced changes to the COVID testing in schools today.

According to the OSSE website, effective Monday, August 30, consent for student COVID-19 testing will take place via an “opt-out” process. Parents, guardians, and students age 18 and older can revoke consent through the opt-out form below. The form allows for electronic signature so parents and guardians and/or students 18 and older can email the form to their school.

We are in conversation with the mayor to push for what is best for our community, and until the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the conversation continues.

Families, educators, & community members I ask for your continued feedback through this quick survey.

3 Min ReOpening Survey