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I want to start this newsletter
with a big thank you to everyone who came out for the return of Ward 6
Week after a two-year hiatus! It was great to connect with you all and
get out into the Ward to celebrate our wonderful neighborhoods. It’s
hard to say what my favorite event was, but I loved that so many of
you could join us at Artechouse, and having our littlest Ward 6-ers along
for a firehouse tour on Barracks Row was pretty special. I’m already
looking forward to doing it all again next year for Ward 6 Week
2023!
With school right around the corner
(and even starting this week for a few schools), I’m going to focus
this newsletter on lots of back-to-school resources and information
for parents and families. I’ll also, of course, touch on other things
like my usual public safety update, the status of some neighborhood pools, and proposed locations
for voting sites for this November’s election.
Quick Links: Back-to-School Readiness
| Back-to-School Vaccines |
SWS Modernization | Backpack
& School Supply Giveaways |“Back-to-School” Payment for Families Enrolled
in TANF |“Kids Ride Free” SmartTrip Cards
| Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity
Fund | Pools |Public Safety Update | Monkeypox Update | Ward
6 Day at Nats Park | W6W Recap | Bicycle Advisory Council Nominations | BoE Vote Center Proposal | DC
State Fair | Great Zucchini & "Found You"
Bunny Sculptures | American Roots Concert
Series | NE Sewer Repairs
Back-to-School Readiness Visits & DGS Issues
Last Friday, I made several
unannounced
visits to some of our Ward 6 DCPS schools to check in on
their readiness to welcome everyone back this fall. I found teachers
setting up their rooms and excited to see the kids again, but also
some buildings that were not ready and have urgent needs that must be
addressed. We focus oversight on this year-round - and I’m talking
with teachers, parents, and students throughout the year to solve
problems that come up. But understandably, the last few weeks of the
summer become crunch time to get ready for the new year. And there’s
still a lot of work to do. My office has been
escalating
repairs at several schools over the summer and working with DGS on a
backlog of work orders. Earlier, I also sent a letter to DGS Director
Anderson and DCPS Chancellor Ferebee to highlight some of the more
urgent, outstanding repairs. As a DCPS parent as well, I understand
the frustration waiting to get these things fixed. Please know that
I’m continuing to push DGS to get these addressed as soon as possible,
and thanks to our school communities for bringing many of these issues
to our attention.
Back-to-School Immunization Requirements
Parents and guardians, your
children are required to be up-to-date on a variety of immunizations before school starts, including the COVID-19 vaccine for kids 12 and older.
If they’re not within the first
20 days of school, they won’t be allowed to attend school or school
activities until proof of immunization is provided. This is more than
just a public health priority; it’s also an important education issue.
We all know how much the pandemic impacted our students’ learning -
and led to significant learning loss for some. Nobody should be
missing school and losing out on vital classroom time. You can visit
your family pediatrician or any of the DC Health mobile vaccination
sites, which provide free back-to-school vaccines to District
students. Note: you must register ahead of time. Visit https://dcpsstrong.com/vaccines/ to learn more about back-to-school
immunization requirements.
** I’ve had some parents ask me
about DCPS masking policies for this upcoming school year. DCPS has
announced that masks will continue to be optional. You can find more
details from DCPS about their COVID protocols and policies here:
https://dcpsstrong.com/sy22-23/#covid-19-health-safety.
** In addition, please note that
every DCPS student and teacher is REQUIRED to show a negative COVID
test to return. Free tests will be distributed by schools and at all
COVID Centers. For K through 12 students, the test must be taken on
Sunday, August 28th. For preK3 and preK4, the test must be taken on
Wednesday, August 31st. More information and how to upload test
results are found here: https://dcpsstrong.com/testing/.
SWS Modernization
As a part of our work to modernize
every school in Ward 6, School-Within-School @ Goding is wrapping up
its full modernization - scheduled to be completed soon to welcome
kids back for the first day. And check out this beautiful mural
outside the school by local DC artist MISS CHELOVE!
Upcoming Backpack &
School Supply Giveaways
I had a great time talking to kids
and families this
weekend at a Back to School celebration helping hand out free
backpacks and supplies. So many smiling
faces! There are two more backpack and school supply giveaways coming
up in Ward 6 that I want to flag for
families:
-
The DPR King-Greenleaf Community Backpack
Giveaway this Friday,
August 26th, at the King-Greenleaf Recreation Center (201 N St. SW)
from 1-3pm. *Note: you have to register ahead of time on the DPR website. You can
reserve up to four tickets.
-
Join me at the Ward 6 Mutual Aid/Serve
Your City Back to School Bash and Youth Festival this Saturday, August
27th, at Audi Field from 11am-4pm.
One-Time “Back-to-School”
Payment for District Families Enrolled in TANF
Last week, the Mayor and Department
of Human Services announced that families enrolled in the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program will receive a one-time “back-to-school”
payment of about $1,000.
The funding is from pandemic emergency funds the District received
from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan. These
payments will be a big help for families to offset back to school
costs like supplies, uniforms, and more that can add up, especially
for families already struggling.
“Kids Ride Free” SmartTrip
Cards for Students
The Kids Ride Free SmartTrip cards
for the 2022-23 school year will be available next week for pickup.
New students get priority, and the 2021-22 school year cards from last
year will remain valid until September 30, 2022. Make sure to pick
yours up to take advantage of free Metro, bus, and circulator rides
that can get your kids to school, sports, and internships and save
your family money on travel this school year. Learn more on the Kids
Ride Free website.
Apply for the Early
Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund
Last year, I helped lead the Council to pass
the “Homes and Hearts” Amendment to the District’s annual budget, funded by
a modest tax increase on the District’s wealthiest earners. We all saw
how unevenly and inequitably the pandemic hit our city (and our
country) and this crucial amendment we passed went straight to that
issue. By asking just a little (for example, just $35/month for an
individual earning $300,000/year), we’re doing big things for those
hardest hit. My Homes and Hearts Amendment created several
transformational programs (like a monthly basic income) that will help the District recover from
the pandemic and residents continue to live and thrive in a city
that’s getting increasingly harder to get by in.
And another one of those programs
is the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity
Fund, which recently opened
for applications. Our early childhood educators aren’t paid nearly
enough and these positions are predominantly filled by Black and Brown
working women - already facing inequitable pay in the workplace. These
pay increases are yet another part of the overall Birth-to-Three
effort to grow and expand excellent early childcare for every family
in DC. Eligible early childhood educators can now apply for a
supplemental payment of up to $14,000 - a very big deal! There is informational
webinar tomorrow at 6pm if you want to learn
more. The deadline to apply is September 20, so if you or someone you
know is a childcare worker, spread the word about applications! If you
need assistance completing an application, please reach out to my team
or check out the FAQs and info sessions at the link above.
Neighborhood Pools Updates
Many neighbors have reached out
about the state of several of our neighborhood pools, so here are some
of the latest updates on repairs and funding for future design and
construction.
The latest closure at Rumsey Pool
was due to an HVAC issue – parts came in two weeks ago, repairs have
been made, and Rumsey has reopened. But long term, Rumsey’s on its last legs.
I’ve worked at the Council to provide funding for a major renovation,
to begin with design work in the budget for next fiscal year ($3
million in FY23 and $12 million in FY24). The emergency closures for
quick patches and repairs just aren’t cutting it - the pool needs a
significant overhaul, as so many rely on it. I’ll share more as those
bigger plans move forward in the coming months.
The status of East Potomac Pool,
which has been closed since 2018 for renovations, has suffered from a
serious lack of communication. After redistricting, this pool is now
in Ward 6 and I’m trying to get a more comprehensive handle on what’s
happening, but in short, there are complications and disputes with the
assessments needed for repairs. I’ll be sure to keep you apprised as
soon as I have firmer details and updates.
I also secured funding for
renovations to the Rosedale Pool in the budget ($1.1 million in FY23
and $5.7 million in FY24). While it’s no longer technically in Ward 6
post-redistricting, so many of us still love and use it. The main
issue is that the capacity isn’t enough for the high demand. Planning
hasn’t yet begun, but the idea is to expand the pool on the south side
to increase the number of lanes and pool size. Construction should be
scheduled to take place in the “off season” for outdoor
pools.
And let’s not forget about Randall
Pool in Southwest. While I generally hear good things about the
operations there, I know DPR needs to work on providing more lap
swimming opportunities there and more shade options on the deck! I’ll
work with DPR on these and other improvements.
Public Safety Update
Earlier this month, the Office of
the Attorney General had a major win in the effort to keep dangerous and
untraceable “ghost guns” out of our community. I’ve worked
legislatively at the Council, and in partnership with MPD and OAG, to
ensure our laws recognize the harm and danger these guns represent in
the community. And the AG’s efforts are a big deal. The District won a
$4 million lawsuit against Polymer80, a manufacturer and distributor
of gun parts, including those that can be used to make AR-15s. The
rise of ghost guns in the District and throughout the region and East
Coast has been dramatic and concerning - MPD recovered three ghost
guns in all of 2017, and 439 in 2021. They’re just as deadly as
fully-manufactured guns, and do-it-yourself gun kits and parts sold by
Polymer80 are much easier to get and harder to track. While this suit
won’t solve the District’s ghost gun problem by itself, it helps stop
the flow into the District and hold bad actors accountable. I’m
grateful to Attorney General Karl Racine, his team, and law
enforcement for their partnership in getting illegal guns off our
streets and keeping District residents safe.
Updated Monkeypox Data
& Vaccine Availability
Last week, my colleagues and I sent
a letter to DC Health requesting expanded data and better public
communication about monkeypox in the District. DC Health responded by
publishing an online dashboard breaking down case numbers by various
demographics. While this is a great step to help us determine how to
better approach vaccine and treatment equity and target the most
impacted populations, there is more to be done when it comes to
expanding communication to lower-risk groups and those who don’t use
social media, and providing more details on vaccine distribution. It
was also announced last week that DC Health has shifted to a new intradermal injection
strategy to increase
availability for residents to get both doses. Those who received a
first dose should begin receiving emails with an option to schedule
their second dose.
DC still has the highest per capita
number of cases in the country, with 350 as of last Wednesday (data is
updated every Wednesday), so comprehensive public awareness is
critical right now. I’ll be sure to share more information as we
hopefully receive more data and guidance from DC Health. As a
reminder, eligible residents can now pre-register for a vaccine appointment or go to any of
the three walk-up clinics on Fridays.
Ward 6 Day and Summer Reading at Nats Park!
If you know me, you know that two
of my favorite activities are watching baseball and reading. Come join
me this Sunday for both! My office has 150 tickets for Ward 6 families
for the Summer Reading Sunday read-along with Sean Doolittle at 12:15pm,
followed by the Nationals vs. Reds game at 1:35pm. RSVP on my website. Hope to see you there!
Ward 6 Week Recap
Thank you again to our neighbors
who came out to events last week to mark the return of Ward 6 Week, as
well as to the organizations that partnered with us! This year was
particularly special given our two-year hiatus due to COVID. My team
and I had a great time safely celebrating Ward 6’s best summer
activities and getting to connect with you across the Ward.
Nominations Open for Ward
6 Member of the Bicycle Advisory Council
Are you a cyclist who cares about
biking issues in the District and Ward 6? The DC
Bicycle Advisory Council is an official government commission that
advises the Mayor, Council, and District agencies on the interests of
cyclists. Each Councilmember appoints one member, and our Ward 6 seat
is open. My office is accepting nominations, so if you or someone you
know is a good fit, please
fill out this form.
Board of Elections
Proposal for the General Election
The November 8 General Election is
approaching. In preparation, the Board of Elections has posted proposed
locations for 25 Early Vote Centers, 90 Election Day Vote Centers,
and 55 Ballot Drop Boxes. The proposal includes the same Ward 6
locations for Vote Centers and ballot drop boxes as the Board used in
the Primary Election. As a reminder, Vote Centers are city-wide
polling places, and voters can use any location regardless of their
home address within the District during both early voting and on
election day. Early Vote Centers will also be used as Election Day
Vote Centers.
DC State Fair
After a two-year hiatus, the DC
State Fair is returning next month on Sunday, September 11! Come
down to the FREE
event for family fun, music, art, workshops, competitions, and of
course plenty of food! Enter one of the many
contests, and if you’d like to lend a hand, the State Fair is also
seeking
volunteers to help out with a variety of events.
The Great Zucchini & Unveiling of the "Found You"
Bunny Sculptures
Join me on Saturday, September 10
for two fun activities at our beautiful Eastern Market Metro
Park:
- Renowned
children’s entertainer, The Great Zucchini, will be performing a
colorful magic show!
-
Join us at the Eastern Market
Children's Playground Park for the official unveiling of the new
"Found You” bunny sculptures, created by artist Beth Nybeck. There will
also be a competition to name each of the bunnies.
American Roots Concert
Series
Looking for some musical family fun
to kick off the fall? The Hill Center is hosting three upcoming free
concerts as a part of the American Roots Concert Series. Featured
artists are I Draw Slow (September 11), Kaia Kater (September 18), and
The Revelers (October 2). Tickets are free but must be reserved
online.
DC Water Sewer Main
Replacement Project
Northeast neighbors, I want to make
sure you’re aware of a new DC Water construction project that’s
started between the 200 blocks of 8th and 9th St. NE. DC Water has
been addressing some sewer-related issues in the alley that were
identified during routine maintenance. They have been cleaning and
removing sediment from the grates in the alley, as well as conducting
inspections on the sewer lines. The inspections revealed the need for
a more extensive repair than originally planned, including replacement
of the two sewer lines in the alley. The work has been turned over to
a contractor, and the project is expected to continue through this
week. Affected residents should have been notified of this project by
DC Water.
I hope our Ward 6 students are
getting excited to return to school (or at least to their friends
again), and that you all enjoy these last few days of summer fun. I
hope to you at Ward 6 Day at Nats Park, the Back to School Bash, DC
State Fair, or any of the other exciting events happening in Ward 6
and around the District in the next few weeks!
Charles Allen
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