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Maya Angelou High School Assistant Principal Steven Foster Talks On Sirius Radio XM
Maya Angelou High School Assistant Principal Steven Foster was a guest of the Morning Show with Pete DominickÃÂ on Sirius Radio XM.
Click the link below to watch/listen to Mr. Foster’s talk:
Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools and See Forever Foundation Announce New Staff Appointments and Promotions
For immediate release
Contact: Eileen Bramlet
ebramlet@seeforever.org
571.228.1906
Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools and See Forever Foundation
Announce New Staff Appointments and Promotions
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 10, 2013 ââ¬â The Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools (MAPCS) and See Forever Foundation (SFF) announced a number of key staff appointments and promotions today.
Chris Tessone, COO for the organization, noted ââ¬ÅWe are very excited to welcome some old friends back in senior leadership roles and congratulate some newly promoted leaders too.ââ¬Â
With outgoing Chief Executive Officer Dr. Lucretia Murphy departing this summer to relocate her family to Florida after a very successful five year tenure, Dr. Heather Wathington has been appointed as the new CEO following an extensive national recruitment process. Dr. Wathington will succeed Dr. Murphy starting July 1. Dr. Wathingtonââ¬â¢s background includes working with the Maya Angelou Schools over the past decade as a volunteer, board member, and as the chair of the Maya Angelou School Board.
Dr. Wathington, who has worked as a professor at the University of Virginia for the past seven years, is also a broadly published researcher and sought after speaker. She has a repertoire of experience that includes leading several large scale research projects with the National Center for Postsecondary Research funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Project TrEMUR (Transitions in the Education of Minorities Underrepresented in Research) funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Wathington earned a BA from Wellesley in Religion and English (Cum Laude), an MSEd in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from the University of Michigan.
Michael Walker joined the organization this month as director of postsecondary success. Michael is returning to See Forever after nearly ten years in a number of higher education positions. He originally served as a technology coordinator and dean of students for the Maya Schools during the early 2000s. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland with a double major in Criminal Justice and African American Studies and his Masterââ¬â¢s degree in Educational Administration from Trinity University.
The organization also appointed Eileen Bramlet as its new director of development and communications. Eileen has served on the See Forever Foundation board, as well as worked as a volunteer and school supporter, for the past decade. A former AOL senior executive, Eileen holds a Masterââ¬â¢s degree in English, Journalism and French from Radford University, and an undergraduate degree in Political Science, and brings strong communications and development – as well as technology and business – expertise to her new position.
Finally, three of the Maya Angelou Schools will have new leaders starting July 1, all promoted from within the organization.
Sarah Navarro, formerly dean of evening programs at the Maya Angelou High School, will be the new Director of the Young Adult Learning Center (YALC) and will lead the new program into a year of major growth and development. Sarah holds a Masterââ¬â¢s degree in Public Policy from the Ford School at the University of Michigan and brings a wealth of experience to her role in areas such as social policy, juvenile justice and working with disadvantaged young people.
Rennie Taylor has been tapped to lead the Maya Angelou Academy at a crucial point in its life as a national model program and an important support for scholars at New Beginnings. Rennie, who holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Andrews University and a Masterââ¬â¢s degree in Teaching and Learning from Liberty University, is a dedicated educator who is committed to working with special needs students and at-risk populations.
Harold Miles, who will step up to the role of Acting Principal of the Maya Angelou Middle School, holds a Masterââ¬â¢s degree in Educational Administration from Trinity University and has taught for more than seven years. He has also served as the Dean of Academics at the Maya middle school and is an enthusiastic educator who enjoys helping scholars excel in all academic areas.
Dr. Wathington stated that ââ¬ÅAll of the promoted and newly-appointed staff will add highly relevant skills and knowledge to our already-impressive family of Maya professionals. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated team that wants to see our students and young adults learn and succeed to their fullest potential.ââ¬Â
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Maya Angelou Public Charter School Named Winner of the Fourth Annual We the People Constitution Challenge
Washington, D.C., June 4, 2013 – The U.S. Capitol Historical Society and the We the People Consortium are pleased to announce that Maya Angelou Public Charter School (Ward 7) is the winner of the We the People Constitution Challenge. This competition was open to those Washington, D.C. middle schools that took the We the People Constitution Tour during the 2012-13 school year. The tour is for 8th grade public and public charter school students in the District and is centered on the U.S. Constitution and its three branches. Sites visited include the U.S. Capitol, Lafayette Park, the Lincoln Memorial, the Supreme Court and the National Archives, where students viewed the Constitution and spent the day discussing it. The Constitution Challenge is a contest where teachers have the chance to showcase activities they focused on with their students throughout the school year to further reinforce what they learned on the tour. Eleven schools participated in the Challenge this year.
The Challenge Review Committee was impressed with the body of work submitted by MAPCS according to its sources. Teacher Gerald Duncan created thought-provoking opportunities for his students to get involved with and better understand the U.S. Constitution and our representative form of government. Students completed different types of activities, working both individually and in teams. Among the activities were participation in the We the People ââ¬ÅThe Citizen and the Constitutionââ¬Â Simulated Congressional Hearing Citywide Competition; creation of a mock student government that mirrored a system of Federalism; playing the ââ¬ÅState of Natureââ¬Â game where students learned to collaborate and create rules in order to ââ¬Åsurvive;ââ¬Â and understanding the role of the executive branch through examples of ââ¬Åbossesââ¬Â including their principal and a record label executive.
As winner, Maya Angelou PCS will receive a $1,000 award for educational resources provided through a special grant from the Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation, as well as a plaque for the school and a special recognition for students and teachers. Al Wallis, executive director of the Foundation, noted: ââ¬ÅTeachers in our nationââ¬â¢s capital work daily to instill an appreciation of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in their students so the students will be engaged, knowledgeable adults. D.C. offers a perfect teaching environment to do this and we are pleased to be encouraging the teachers and students.ââ¬Â
Maya Angelouââ¬â¢s award presentation will take place on Friday, June 14, 11am-12:30pm at the schoolââ¬â¢s promotion ceremony at Howard University. Paul Public Charter School (Ward 4) received an Honorable Mention, and will be awarded a plaque at Paulââ¬â¢s year-end Teacher Luncheon on June 17. Cesar Chavez PCS Capitol Hill (Ward 6) also received an Honorable Mention; their presentation will be on June 11.
The We the People Constitution Challenge is sponsored by the Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation. Sponsors of the We the People Tours include the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Verizon, International Paper, and the Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation. The We the People Consortium that developed and conducts the tour includes: the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, the National Archives, the White House Historical Association, the National Park Service, the Federal Courts, Childrenââ¬â¢s Concierge, Old Town Trolley Tours, and IL Creations.
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Maya Angelou Public Charter School & See Forever Foundation Announce Groundbreaking Ceremony for New School
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 20, 2013 â The Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools (MAPCS) and See Forever Foundation (SFF) announced that they will host an official Groundbreaking Celebration in honor of their new school on May 23, from 1-3pm, at the Maya Angelou Evans Campus, 5600 East Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC.
The Groundbreaking Ceremony follows a very successful Capital Campaign that raised more than $5 million. The total renovation budget is anticipated to be $17 million, with the rest of the funding coming from public and private sources.
The new campus will house the Maya Angelou PCS High School and the Young Adult Learning Center (YALC), as well as offices for the See Forever Foundation staff, and will feature a renovated auditorium, media center/library, gymnasium, Art Rooms, Computer Labs, Science Lab, and much more.
According to Lucretia Murphy, Executive Director of MAPCS/SFF, âWeâre pleased to celebrate the completion of our Capital Campaign and the beginning of our building renovations. We will soon have our students in a renovated building that enables them to learn and grow in a beautiful and inspiring environment.â
Jack Davies, See Forever Foundation board member and Capital Campaign co-chair noted, âI am very excited that our renovation will provide the state of the art facilities that our students deserve and that will enhance their education. I am grateful for the broad base of support from individuals, foundations, and DC government to help us exceed our capital campaign goal.â
According to David Domenici, one of the original founders of the See Forever Foundation and Maya schools, âWe have come a very long way in the past 15 years and itâs remarkable to see the type of learning environment we will soon be able to offer to our students. We are thankful for the generosity of all who are supporting these initiatives.â
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About See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Schools
Founded in 1997 as a multi-faceted, comprehensive educational program for Washington DC-based, at-risk teens, the See Forever Foundation provides pathways to a high school credential and post-secondary success for hundreds of students who previously struggled with school. The Maya Angelou Schools include three public charter schools: a Middle School, High School and Young Adult Learning Center. The YALC provides academic and workforce development to youth and young adults who are in need of GED supports, career training, internships, and pathways towards career employment. Their fourth school is for adjudicated youth at the New Beginnings Youth Development Center. The core mission of the See Forever Foundation is to create learning communities in lower income urban areas so students who have not succeeded in traditional schools can reach their potential. For more information, please visit www.seeforever.org
Message from MAPCS and SFF Regarding the Middle School Closing
On Wednesday, May 1, 2013, we hosted a meeting for parents to share very important news about the future of the Maya Angelou Middle School campus ââ¬â informing them that the Maya Angelou Public Charter School Board has voted to close the Middle School campus following the 2013-2014 school year.
What this news means is the following:
- Effective fall semester 2013, we will only serve 7th and 8th grade classes for one more academic year, concluding all classes in spring 2014.
- There will be not be a 6th grade class beginning fall 2013.
- The Maya Angelou Middle School will close in spring 2014.
This decision was a very difficult one for our board of directors to make. But on a positive note, as we look toward the future, students will be able to attend the MAPCS Middle School campus next year. Again, the school will be open for both 7th and 8th graders-only, but will have all of the program offerings that are currently available for our students.
We remain very committed to the Maya Angelou Middle School students we have served over the past five years and will continue to advocate for outstanding options that serve them into the future.
We are also excited to continue focusing on both our high school and Young Adult Learning Center (YALC), both of which have been core to our mission since the inception of MAPCS/YALC.
As we move forward, anyone with questions is encouraged to contact Eileen Bramlet at 571.228.1906 or via email: ebramlet@seeforever.org.
Announcing our new Chief Executive Officer
See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Schools announce a new Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Heather Wathington, Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Virginiaâs Curry School of Education, to head foundation and schools focused on changing the lives of young people by reconnecting them to education opportunities that lead to a high school diploma and post-secondary education and employment.
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2013 â See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Schools announced today that, Dr. Heather Wathington who has served as Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Virginiaâs Curry School of Education since 2005, will become its new Chief Executive Officer and lead the See Forever Foundation and the Maya Angelou Schools in its next stage of growth.
Wathington, who is currently also the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools (MAPCS) will take up her new post on July 1, 2013. At that time, a new Chair will be elected to lead the MAPCS Board.
She succeeds Dr. Lucretia P. Murphy, who will be leaving the organization at the end of her contract in June and relocating to Florida to be closer to her family. âI will truly miss the See Forever/Maya Angelou family,â Murphy said; but I am thrilled that Heather will be my successor. Her expertise and unwavering belief in the transformative work that we are in engaged in with our students and their families will continue to elevate our organization.â
âHeather will be a tremendous asset to the See Forever Foundation,â said David Domenici, co-founder and chair of the See Forever Foundationâs Board of Directors. âWe were pleased to find such an outstanding candidate from within our family. In addition to already being engaged in our work, sheâs a visionary leader and we are excited that she will be bringing her vast experience, from philanthropy, program evaluation, research, and policy, to our organization.â
Wathington was chosen after a national search process conducted by a committee of staff and board members led by Mr. Domenici. âDuring the interview process, Heather impressed us with both her clarity of strategic thinking and how she would manage the dayâtoâday and yearâtoâyear activities of our four schools and foundation,â Fred Bollerer a member of the search committee and Vice Chair of the See Forever Board.
âWhen she spoke, I could see that she would focus on broadening our impact by working closely with community leaders, staff and students. Iâm confident that sheâll leverage these relationships and its resources to create change in our community,â he said.
Wathington, who will leave UVAâs Curry School of Education in May, has led several national research projects with the National Center for Postsecondary Research funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Project TrEMUR (Transitions in the Education of Minorities Underrepresented in Research) funded by the National Institutes of Health. Her research interests include access and equity for minority students in postsecondary education, with a focus on understanding what supports students need to transition into and through higher education to advance and earn degrees.
“I’m very committed to this region and the young people being served by our schools in the District of Columbia,” Wathington said. “I am committed to our partnerships and plan to continue to build upon these relationships to support our students and schools to ensure that our students develop the academic, social, and employment skills they need to build rewarding lives and promote positive change. I also look forward to working with a remarkable staff and board to expand our reach and programs to make a real transformational difference in the lives of the students entrusted to usâ.
Domenici said the search committee was impressed by Wathingtonâs ability to talk about how small changes can have a big impact and how being focused on our mission should always be the âwhyâ we do what we do for our young people.
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About See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Schools
Founded in 1997 as a multi-faceted, comprehensive educational program for Washington DC-based, at-risk teens, the See Forever Foundation provides pathways to a high school credential and post-secondary success for hundreds of students who previously struggled with school. The Maya Angelou Schools include three public charter schools: a Middle School, High School and Young Adult Learning Center. The YALC provides academic and workforce development to youth and young adults who are in need of GED supports, career training, internships, and pathways towards career employment. Their fourth school is for adjudicated youth at the New Beginnings Youth Development Center. The core mission of the See Forever Foundation is to create learning communities in lower income urban areas so students who have not succeeded in traditional schools can reach their potential. For more information, please visit www.seeforever.org
Maya Angelou Students & Build Featured on WJLA ABC7
Build is a four-year program for at-risk high school students. They are an incredible partner and serve many of our Maya Angelou Public Charter School young people!
Check out the link below to hear from our young entrepreneurs!
Build helps D.C. students build business skills
Maya Rebels Heat Up the High School Spirit Rally
On a bizarrely hot and humid day in January, Mother Nature joined forces with the Maya Rebels for a sweltering Spirit Rally. The students of MAPCS High School filled the bleachers of the gymnasium, sorted proudly into their classes. The dress code was “Blackout,” and any students committed to wearing black from head to toe had a subtle flash of red on their wrist in the form of a Rebels bracelet.
The Spirit Rally kicked off with a cheering contest led by student MCs. Each grade represented themselves admirably, but the 11th grades screams proved to be the loudest.
The first act of the spirit rally was a pair of student-performed poetry slams, and the well-executed rhymes showed off the diverse talents of the Maya scholars. Next, a high-octane performance from the Dance Team, who earned their right to break the all-black dress code in favor of hand-crafted red shirts, frays flying to accentuate their dance moves. The Anime Club stepped up and surprised us all with a demonstration of their Samurai skills. Maya Rebels are true warriors.
The Rebels basketball teams, both boys and girls, took center court to show their collective Rebel pride and announce their upcoming games. Their competitive nature infected their classmates, who were able to put that energy to good use in a relay race across the gymnasium floor. 4 representatives from each grade lined up to compete against each other. Chaos seemed to ensue as runners sprinted across the gymnasium and raucous cheers echoed off the walls. The commotion died down in less than a minute, and the 9th grade was deemed victorious.
After another riveting performance from the dance team, the Maya Seniors had a chance to prove themselves as top dog. Another multi-round cheer-off produced impressive screams from each grade, but ultimately the seniors came out on top. The Spirit Rally showed the pride that the Maya family has for its school, traditions, and diversity of brilliant successes.