We serve one of the most diverse populations in Alexandria and we are in the midst of a perfect storm of conflicting education reform initiatives. We must provide our students with every possible tool to reach State-mandated goals in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Our students, teachers and staff work hard every day, including extended days from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. In addition, about 20% of our students attend a Super Saturday School from 9 a.m. – noon each week.
One of the challenges our students face in every subject is a lack of background knowledge. For example, a math problem asks students to determine what percentage of a population cast ballots, given certain data points. If the student does not understand what it means to cast a ballot, the math problem is that much harder to solve.
To address this problem, we in the PTA have a goal to provide the funding for meaningful field trips and enrichment activities for every student throughout the year. All field trips and activities are vetted by teachers and our administration to ensure that they are appropriate for the needs and ages of student participants. Examples might include:
· A trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown for all 4th graders, during their Virginia History unit.
· Trips to the National Building Museum to reinforce concepts of math, engineering, design, and history.
· Outdoor education opportunities for our middle school students to reinforce team-building skills and real-world biology and ecology studies.
· Clubs in art, engineering, literature, and sports.
These activities, and many others, are NOT funded by the public school system. Only private support can provide these experiences to students in Alexandria.
Alexandria students benefit from these experiences in many ways:
Positive interactions with adults from a variety of backgrounds
Improved self-esteem
Real-world experiences reinforce in-class lessons
Help us help our students!
Every dollar we raise through the Day of Giving will expand our Meaningful Enrichment Fund. Consider one of the amounts below, or surprise us with an amount that works for you!
Dollars:
15 Months until our new building opens. This level will send two or three kids to a Building Museum program.
33 Number of days (approximately) before Standard of Learning (SOL) exams begin. Show our kids we know they can succeed!
60 Number of children voluntarily attending Super Saturday school. Show them how much we appreciate their dedication!
155 Miles (one-way) from Alexandria to Jamestown, Virginia—Help our Fourth Graders get there next year!
