A Warm Welcome to 2024: Navigating the Path Forward Together

Dear Local School Advisory Teams,

Happy New Year! As we step into 2024, the Office of Engagement and Partnerships extends heartfelt greetings to the dedicated Local School Advisory Teams (LSATs) that play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of our community. The past year has brought its share of triumphs and challenges, and it is with gratitude that we acknowledge the unwavering commitment each of you has demonstrated in ensuring the success of our schools. This new year is a beacon of hope, and we are excited about the possibilities it holds for continued collaboration, growth, and excellence.

In the spirit of collaboration, we also want to draw your attention to the upcoming DCPS budget season. Your input has been instrumental in steering the course of our educational priorities, and we invite you to actively participate in the discussions at your school that will influence the allocation of resources for the upcoming academic year. Your perspectives and insights are invaluable, and as we collectively navigate the intricacies of budget planning, we look forward to working hand in hand to ensure that our schools receive the support they need to thrive. 

Thank you for your dedication, and here's to a year filled with shared accomplishments and the continued success of our educational community.

 

In Partnership, 

DCPS Family and Community Engagement Team

In This Newsletter:

LSAT Budget Support

January Meeting Topics and Suggestions

 

Important Upcoming Dates:

January 9 - DC LSAT Collective Meeting

January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (No School, Central Services Closed)

January 16 - DCPS FY25 Budget Engagement 6:00pm-7:00pm

January 18 - Open Meetings Act Training 6:00pm-7:00pm

January 26 - End of Term/ Half Day PD & Half Day Records day (No School for Students, Central Services Open)

 

We know the budget is top of mind! Expect to hear more soon about upcoming Webinars and Office Hours for LSATs.

Join us on January 16 at 6:00pm for the FY25 DCPS Budget Engagement event. This is an opportunity to learn more about the budget development process as you engage with your LSATs about priorities for SY24-25 this upcoming budget season.

For your January meeting consider:  

1. Finalizing your conversation on how to engage your community about the budget.  

- What are the school priorities in the Comprehensive School Plan? How will you gather parent and teacher priorities? 

 

2. Understanding flexibility in the budget.

- What positions are flexible? Which are mandatory? Where did your school use its past flexibility funds? How did that impact your school community work out?

 

As a reminder, you and your LSAT can find more resources about the DCPS budgeting process at https://dcpsbudget.com.  

 

Agendas 

 

Templates/ Suggestions: Please see here for an example scope and sequence of meeting agendas for the entire school year. See here for an example January agenda