LT Families:
Thank you all for the support over the past couple weeks with many student days off; the good news is that there is a full week upon us!  Please see the updates below, with a few key announcements regarding support for families during the federal government shutdown and a couple key event dates that have been modified.

​Support for Families during the Federal Government Shutdown:

• Temporary Free Meals: DCPS families who are affected by the partial federal government shutdown or have experienced a recent change in income are encouraged to resubmit a Free and Reduced Meal application to determine eligibility for temporary free meals. Please contact food.dcps@dc.gov with any additional questions. 
• Temporary Afterschool Support: Please contact Mrs. Thomas directly at Brenda.Thomas@dc.gov for any family that might need support for afterschool fees for the months of January and February
• Community Resources: Please see the “resources” attachment for a variety of support throughout the DC area.

Key Events Modifications:

• Student/VIP Spring Fling Dance – In years past we have had two separate nights for family member/student dance/date nights, but are planning to move to one dance for all students at Sherwood Recreation Center (640 10th St NE, Washington, DC 20002), tentatively planned for Friday, March 29th.  For this evening, each Ludlow-Taylor student can bring one Very Important Person (family member) – music, light snacks, and deserts will be provided for a $10 donation.  This event will replace the two previously scheduled dances
• Pancakes and Literacy has been moved to Thursday, March 7th (the night after the original night it was scheduled)

Volunteer Support: If anyone is interested in volunteering, please visit our school support spreadsheet to see teachers who need help with various tasks. Contact them directly to work out a time to come in and help –https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IWJfYvE4GN6QTpg1wDDAZ2HJef-ahjG2k9T7kedloNk/edit?usp=sharing​**

Building Updates: Over the upcoming summer, we will be receiving mobile classrooms/trailers out on our field to accommodate our growing student enrollment.  In essence, we will need three extra classrooms over the next three years to ensure we have “three classrooms” per grade level.  For any facilities specific questions, please reach out to the project lead, Amanda Ou, at Amanda.Ou@dc.gov.  Furthermore, there will be a community feedback session on Wednesday, February 13th in our multipurpose room at 6:15 p.m.

LT Food Allergy Policy: Per our health and wellness policy, please help us in ensuring that LTES remains a nut-free school.  Over the past few weeks, we have had a few potentially dangerous scenarios that were luckily avoided as nuts were accidentally shared.  Please support us in the following key points of the policy:

• Nut-free policy extends to after-school and field trips
• Avoid the following foods we continue to see: granola bars, peanut-butter and jelly (field trips mostly), reeses pieces/peanut butter cups, almond packs
• For student birthdays, we have a monthly celebration with snacks for all kids coordinated through teachers at the end of the month.  Parents are more than welcome to send non-food items on the actual day of birthdays. 
• For those students missing peanut-butter and jelly, many families have found sunflower seed butter a great replacement for school lunches
• If any special accommodations are needed for students to eat specific nut-based products, please ensure that is cleared with the classroom teacher and principal

For any questions regarding this policy, please reach out to Principal Smith.

2019-2020 School Calendar – If interested, DCPS has opened a feedback form for various calendar options for the 2019-2020 school year at https://dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-calendars

Lost and Found – Our collection of lost and found items seem to be growing (please see if any items might belong to your family) in the front atrium.  We do our best to get coats/hats back to students, so please make sure that student names are in all coats!

Upcoming Events: Visit https://www.ludlowtaylor.org/calendar.html to see all upcoming events.

• Thursday, January 31st – Summer Camp Fair at JO Wilson Elementary (660 K St NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA) , 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 13th – LT Summer Expansion Community Meeting, 6:15 – 7:15 p.m.
• February 18 – 22 – February Break – no school for students
• March 7th – Pancakes and Literacy
• March 29th (tentative) – LT Family Spring Fling at Sherwood Rec Center

Thank you all for your continued commitment to Ludlow-Taylor ES!

Sincerely,

Principal Smith

LT Families:
 
Thank you all to the great start to 2019 and for working with us though the snow and cold weather! Please see below for updates:

Volunteer Support – Attention furloughed workers, or those that are looking to volunteer around school! Have more time on your hands than you know what to do with? Would you like to put that energy to work? We could use you! Visit our school support spreadsheet to see teachers who need help with various tasks. Contact them directly to work out a time to come in and help. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IWJfYvE4GN6QTpg1wDDAZ2HJef-ahjG2k9T7kedloNk/edit?usp=sharing​**

Building Updates – Over the upcoming summer, we will be receiving mobile classrooms/trailers out on our field to accommodate our growing student enrollment.  In essence, we will need three extra classrooms over the next three years as we currently have “three classes” from PK3 – Grade 2,  and “two classes” from Grade 3 – Grade 5, which will grow to three classes in 3rd grade next year, and so onto 4th and 5th grade.  As a school community, we want to ensure that every student that gets a seat at Ludlow-Taylor has ample space through 5th grade, while also allowing for our early childhood and special education programs to continue.

The good news is that the classrooms themselves are state of the art, and they will be placed along the fence on the opposite side of the garden, not interfering with any portion of our playground or garden, while also allowing for the baseball field to be re-located and updated, moving home plate to the corner of Morris St. and 6th St.   This summer project is also currently slated to include an update to our multipurpose room, allowing for a cafeteria side and a physical education side.  For any facilities specific questions, please reach out to the project lead, Amanda Ou, at Amanda.Ou@dc.gov.  Furthermore, there will be a community feedback session on Wednesday, February 13th in our multipurpose room at 6:15 p.m.

LT Food Allergy Policy: Per our health and wellness policy, please help us in ensuring that LTES remains a nut-free school.  Over the past few weeks, we have had a few potentially dangerous scenarios that were luckily avoided as nuts were accidentally shared.  Please support us in the following key points of the policy:

• Nut-free policy extends to after-school and field trips
• Avoid the following foods we continue to see: granola bars, peanut-butter and jelly (field trips mostly), reeses pieces/peanut butter cups, almond packs
• For student birthdays, we have a monthly celebration with snacks for all kids coordinated through teachers at the end of the month.  Parents are more than welcome to send non-food items on the actual day of birthdays. 
• For those students missing peanut-butter and jelly, many families have found sunflower seed butter a great replacement for school lunches
• If any special accommodations are needed for students to eat specific nut-based products, please ensure that is cleared with the classroom teacher and principal

For any questions regarding this policy, please reach out to Principal Smith.

Lost and Found – Our collection of lost and found items seem to be growing (please see if any items might belong to your family) in the front atrium.  We do our best to get coats/hats back to students, so please make sure that student names are in all coats!

Recess/Morning Recess – Even with the snow, we will continue to go outside as long as temperatures are above freezing, so please be sure to send students in with hats, gloves and winter coats, as needed. The mornings have been on the colder side, but we have been able to get students out in the afternoons most nights this week.  If any winter apparel is needed, please let the main office or one of our social workers know (Ms. Parker or Ms. Thompkins), so that we can be sure every student is bundled up for colder temperatures.
 
Upcoming Events: Visit https://www.ludlowtaylor.org/calendar.html to see all upcoming events.

• Wednesday, January 2nd – first day of school back from break
• Monday, January 21st – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – no school
• Tuesday, January 22nd – ½ day records day, ½ day school based professional development – no school for students
• Wednesday, January 23rd – Professional Development Day – no school for students
• Thursday, January 31st – Summer Camp Fair at JO Wilson Elementary (660 K St NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA)
•  , 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 13th – LT Summer Expansion Community Meeting, 6:15 – 7:15 p.m.

Thank you all for your continued commitment to Ludlow-Taylor ES!

Sincerely,

Principal Smith