Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
At the start of this week, I was proud to introduce legislation alongside Chairman Mendelson that will elevate school support as an urgent priority for DC – the School Improvement Amendment Act of 2023. As I shared with the Washington Informer, this legislation is a game-changer for our schools—disrupting inequities that have allowed some of our schools to remain low-performing for decades—through greater accountability for the Office of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE).
The Chairman will hold a hearing for this bill on November 20 at 11:00 a.m., and I look forward to ensuring that it is funded in this year’s budget cycle, as well as working with OSSE and stakeholders over the next year to establish this office and disrupt inequities for students in Ward 5 and across the District. While there is needed discussion around public safety, I have been and will continue to focus on solutions that get at the root causes of the desperation which leads to violence. If we are to truly put all young people on a path towards success, we must improve the quality of learning that they’re receiving.
At the end of the day, I am and always will be an educator. This legislation holds a level of personal significance to me and I’m excited for the opportunity to work towards transformative growth for our young people. You can read the full bill at ward5.us/schoolimprovement, or in Kendra’s Corner below, which also includes a recap of this week’s public roundtable on the confirmation of a new director at the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and details on several upcoming hearings on the Council.
This edition of the Ward 5 Weekly newsletter also shares information on my office’s new Ward 5 Monthly Public Safety Call starting next Wednesday, lots of Halloween events to look forward to at DPR facilities, an upcoming community meeting for the Langdon Community Center Redevelopment, and tomorrow’s very full day in Ward 5 including Ivy City’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, Eckington Day, ANC 5A03 Fall Community Day, Brookland Manor Residents’ Appreciation Day, and more events across the city including the Northeast Boundary Tunnel Completion Celebration and DC Community Wealth Building Day. Keep reading for more!
