Summer Program 2022 - Final Products
Checklist to Get Ready For the New School Year
AcademicsFamily Handbook
NEW! Welcome Meeting With Your Teacher: What to Expect
Class Lists
Are You A New Family? Remember to Sign Up for the Infinite Campus Parent Portal!
Events & ActivitiesWelcome Back! Meet and Greet - Monday, August 22
Playdates
Communications, Information & QuestionsNEW! Parents Portals Across the Mundo Verde Systems
The Families Portal In The School Website Is Your Resource - OJO! NEW Password
Contact Information / Emergency Contact Update & Authorized Pick Up
School Communications
Health & SafetyNEW! Mundo Verde Statement on Covid-19 and Updated Policy
Medical and Dental Forms - MUST be Submitted Via Email by August 24
No Shots No School - Take Action Now!
School ServicesUniforms
School Supplies
How to Order School Meals
Free and Reduced Meals (FARM) - Everyone Should Complete the Form!
Special Meals and Allergies
Transportation - Kids Ride Free (KRF) Program
UPDATED! Shuttle Bus Service Under Review
Extended Day Program Registration
School Calendar and Upcoming EventsSY22-23 School Calendar
Checklist to Get Ready For the New School Year
To facilitate the access to forms, fees, instructions, and make sure your family is ready for the new school year 2022-23, you can find a checklist in the Family Portal for viewing and to get a printable version here. Please keep in mind this checklist will continue being updated daily until the new school year starts.
**OJO!** The Family Portal now has a NEW password: crew
ACADEMICS
Premised on the foundational concept of crew, that none of us are passengers along for the ride, but rather all active participants, this Family Handbook explains in detail the school rules, norms, protocols and procedures. In English and Spanish, it speaks to our collaborative vision for learning; teachers, students, and parents/caregivers, all working together as a synchronized crew to support students to grow more than they think possible.
As members of the Mundo Verde community, we all strive to embody the characteristics of Community Stewardship by practicing six community-building values and virtues in our everyday operation (known by the acronym ESPICA). We understand that we matter; our actions, attitudes and priorities today will leave an imprint on generations to come. We are charged with caring for the world around us so as not to sacrifice the needs of others in the present or those in the future.
Please note the content highlighted in grey indicates activities, celebrations, services, and others that were impacted by the pandemic and that for SY22-23 may continue to be adjusted due to residual impact during recovery. There are few pieces of content in the family handbook that are in the process of being updated. An updated version will be published in time for Back to School Night.
What to Expect
Mundo Verde teachers and staff take pride in partnering with families to create relationships that are positive and collaborative. To begin cultivating important connections between home and school, you can expect a letter from your child’s teachers by Friday, August 19. with an opportunity to schedule a Welcome Meeting with at least one of your child’s teachers.
We’re looking forward to getting to know our families on a deeper level. Thank you in advance for engaging with communications from your teachers!
We know many families are eager to learn who their child’s teacher will be as well as other families in the class. Class lists will be published to the website the evening of Monday, August 22 after the Meet and Greet sessions.
The Infinite Campus parent portal allows families to pay for meals and other school services, re-enroll next school year, retrieve the attendance record of their students, and more. New families should have received on Friday, August 5, an email with their username and password to sign up for the parent portal in Infinite Campus. If you haven’t received your credentials, please send an email to platforms@mundoverdepcs.org.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Monday, August 22
Mundo Verde will host a casual “meet and greet” on each campus during the afternoon of Monday, August 22. This is a time for families to meet teachers, meet classmates, receive free T-shirts, finalize enrollment, sign up for meals, and more! It will be held outside, with brief classroom tours available for new families. It is a time for students and families to meet and mingle with each other as well.
Please find the schedule per grade below:
Times are the following for both the J.F. Cook and Calle Ocho campuses:
PK3, PK4 & Kinder new families - 1:00-2:00pm
PK3, PK4 & Kinder returning families - 2:00-3:00pm
1st-5th grade new families - 3:00-4:00pm
1st-5th grade returning families - 4:00-5:00pm
For those families that are unable to join us, class lists will be published to the website the evening of Monday August 22.
Because social/emotional development is the critical underpinning for academic progress, as we come back to school, it’s important to have time to connect with old friends and meet new ones, too! Our family groups at each campus have been organizing playdates at different DC parks throughout the summer.
Calle Ocho Campus (All Grades)
Tuesday, August 16 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm- Michigan Park Community Playground 1200 Varnum St. NE
COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION & QUESTIONS
We understand that it can be confusing for families when we make reference to the “Parent Portal”. We use three different platforms as a resources for families.
The school website offers a Families Portal, a password protected webpage. (New password: crew)
Infinite Campus, our student information system, also includes a Parent Portal. (Individual username and password)
ParentSquare, the new platform to center communications between the school and families is also a space for families to find resources. (Individual username and password)
To help you understand what each of the portals offers, we invite you to review this comparative table, with details on what information can be found in each of the platforms.
**OJO!** NEW password: crew
Our website is your source for information and is being updated throughout the summer. You can find the Family Portal on the top bar of the school website.
School communications can be found here as well as the current and previous Family Updates.
In the unlikely event of an emergency, it is essential that we have multiple ways of reaching parents and caregivers for every enrolled student. If your contact information changes at any time, please be sure to update the school immediately.
All contact information and emergency/authorized pick-up information MUST be updated through the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus. After requesting any change, we will review them for accuracy. Once it's been reviewed, you will receive a message through the parent portal confirming the change has been made. Please allow five business days to process your requests.
To find the instructions to update your information in Infinite Campus, please visit the Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
Starting the new school year, the school will launch ParentSquare (English & Spanish), a new communication platform that will allow families, teachers, and staff to be in touch with each other. ParentSquare is a single platform that unifies all school-home communications. As soon as the platform is ready for families, in the next few weeks, you will receive a welcome letter with more details.
Whatsapp Groups have been a great tool for families this past year since this was the only tool families had to keep in contact with other families in the same grade and campus. We listened to your feedback and needs, and are excited that ParentSquare will be a tool with more features for our school community to be connected!
HEALTH & SAFETY
As of August 12
Click here to find the SY22-23 Covid-19 Policy in English / Spanish.
Mundo Verde’s layered approach to limiting the spread of Covid within our community is grounded in our values; guided by science and data; informed by professional in-depth and periodic opinion research; and respectful of the diversity of individual medical histories, living situations, and perceptions of risk. It takes account of the age of our students; the movement across grades, classrooms and campuses; results of student and staff testing; confidential vaccination status of students and staff; and local regulations and guidance from the D.C. Department of Health, the CDC, as well as data and practices of other local schools.
Proof of mandatory vaccination is required of all staff and families are strongly encouraged to have children vaccinated to the greatest extent possible, pending guidance from health care professionals. Because our school population is composed almost entirely of children under the age of 12, most of our students cannot be required to vaccinate. The risk of students thus bringing the virus into the school is higher than would be the case among a more fully vaccinated population.
Therefore, to reduce transmission of the Covid virus (specifically variant BA.5) as we return to school, students and adults are required to wear properly fitted masks when inside Mundo Verde buildings. Initially, and so that we can establish a baseline profile of our community, masking will be enforced during the first trimester of the school year (October 14, 2022) unless CDC lifts its guidance for mandatory isolation of 5 days for anyone testing positive. Individuals seeking to enter school buildings without a mask will be stopped and provided a high quality mask at no charge.
As we learned over the past two years, mandatory isolation periods significantly disrupt teaching and instruction. To limit as much as possible the need to immediately begin shifting responsibilities, and finding substitutes to ensure 100 percent on campus instruction, we are enforcing a masking policy for the first few months of school. In addition, test to stay protocols will allow students or staff identified as a close contact of someone with Covid to remain in school pending serial testing and being asymptomatic, while also supplementing baseline data.
These and other important safety layers form our plan for a strong reopening with a healthy staff and student population. To learn more about the above strategies as well as others such as ventilation, cleaning protocols, Covid testing, please see our SY22-23 Covid-19 Policy in English / Spanish.
Thank you in advance for understanding that in addition to protecting the health and safety of everyone in our community, our core focus is on providing the best possible education and support to our students for their academic progress and social/emotional development.
NOTE: Our Covid policies and procedures are subject to periodic review for which community input is welcomed. We regret that we are not able to accommodate individual requests or respond to all comments on our policy and approach – although all are read and evaluated.
MUST be Submitted Via Email by August 24
Ensuring the health and safety of everyone in our school community is our top priority, especially today. Families are a critical part of our integrated safety system – to protect yourself, your family, and our community. The health and dental forms, including very important immunization records, are an important layer for school safety.
These forms MUST be submitted by email the first day of the school year, August 24:
J.F. Cook Campus CookHealth@mundoverdepcs.org
Calle Ocho Campus C8Health@mundoverdepcs.org
OJO! New Families: If you sent your Medical and Dental Forms to admissions@mundoverdepcs.org as part of the enrollment process, you do not need to send the forms again. They will be shared internally to your child’s campus.
To find the Medical and Dental Forms, please go to the Checklist in the school Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
Take Action Now!
In order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, it is vital that all students are fully immunized before entering school. Immunizations are the best defense against some of the most common and sometimes deadly infectious diseases. The District of Columbia implemented regulation stating that all students MUST have up to date immunization certification on file with the school within the first 20 school days or they will not be allowed to attend school. Make appointments with your health care providers and provide the proper documentation. See here for a list of required immunizations.
SCHOOL SERVICES
Although what we look like and what we wear doesn’t tell us about who we are inside, school spirit is something to celebrate. Show that you are part of the Mundo Verde community and show-off our rainbow of school colors!
Place your T-Shirt orders on the Infinite Campus School Store! - click here. There is a cap of 6 shirts per order per month.
Free T-shirts!
As needed, families can also receive one free t-shirt at each campus on August 22 as well as one extra by filling out a FARM application at the front desk or in advance via Infinite Campus. There will also be a donation station to select used t-shirts, and/or drop off any outgrown uniforms.
To find the fees and the How To guide for details on how to purchase t-shirts, visit the Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
Like preparing our community gardens before planting, preparing to learn is an important skill. And having the needed tools is also an important part of developing self-reliance and is often exciting, a tangible marker that the school year is upcoming.
To help ensure all students can make the most effective use of their time during outdoor play and learning, please make sure your child/ren has the following items:
For the first day of school: water bottle, raincoat, and rain boots
For the first day of November: winter coat, snow boots, gloves or mittens, winter hat
To ensure the comfort and safety of your child, please also bring or have your child wear:
Close-toed shoes/ tennis shoes to walk to the park
Sweaters / layers for inside and outside
PreK and Kinder Families
While every student is unique and special, our littlest learners have some special needs in common. We ask that you come prepared on the first day of school with the supplies listed below. On ALL supplies, please write first and last name in permanent marker.
Extra clothing (Mundo Verde shirt, pants, underwear) in a ziplock bag
A fitted crib sheet, pillow, and blanket (PreK Only)
Regular sized backpack- at least 12” wide x 6” deep x 15” high (Kinder Only - PreK may use smaller backpacks)
Mundo Verde is committed to serving healthy meals to children that contain plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The school meal program aims to improve the diet and health of students, helps to mitigate childhood obesity, models healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns, encourages variety and exposure to new foods, and supports healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs. Mundo Verde offers breakfast, lunch, and a snack each day for students.
We truly appreciate your help in registering your child with meals. This helps ensure the kitchen team has adequate numbers to prepare and serve healthy food to each student every day. Meal orders can be placed in the School Store, inside the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. By signing up for meals, you agree to receive meals for the entire school year (unless you cancel the service). Written instructions on how to order meals, add funds to your Infinite Campus account, and guidelines for bringing food to school, are available in the Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
This school year, breakfast will continue to be free for all DC students. There is a fee for lunch: $4.85 at J.F. Cook Campus and $4.50 at Calle Ocho Campus. This fee applies to all families unless you qualify for free and/or reduced meal (FARM). A fee for daytime snack is automatically applied for full pay families at $20/month, and families who qualify for FARM are offered daytime snack at no charge.
Students can bring additional snacks and lunch from home. All food brought into the school must comply with the Mundo Verde Wellness Policy (English / Spanish). If you need a meal for only one day due to a forgotten lunch, please call the front desk to request one.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email Jack Leng, Food Program Manager, at meals@mundoverdepcs.org.
Everyone Should Complete the Form!
Hunger in America is an injustice and affront to human dignity. We may not be able to vanquish hunger in America, but it has no place at our school.
To participate in the national program to provide free or reduced-price meals to all children who need it, families must complete a FARM application. Families who do not need this support are also required to complete the opt-out form. ALL FAMILIES must complete one or the other FARM application.
To find the instructions to complete your FARM application in your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account and the FARM Application Opt-Out Form, please visit the Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
The school has a record of each student’s allergies that were submitted as part of enrollment; families do not need to re-submit these. If you aren’t sure whether your child’s allergies are up to date, email Jack Leng, Food Program Manager, at meals@mundoverdepcs.org.
Special meals and milk (vegetarian, Lactaid, etc.) can be selected as an option when you place your meal order in the school store.
Kids Ride Free (KRF) Program
The KRF program allows students to ride for free on Metrobus, the DC Circulator, and Metrorail within the District. To be eligible, students must meet the following three criteria:
Be a resident of the District of Columbia,
Be ages 5 through 21, and
Be enrolled in an elementary or secondary public, private, charter or parochial school located within the District; or a ward of DC through the Foster Care System.
Complete this form to request an SY22-23 KRF SmarTrip card for your child, an initial supply of SY22-23 KRF SmarTrip cards will be delivered to schools in August for School ID Administrators to assign to students, upon request.
OJO! The SY21-22 KRF SmarTrip cards are valid only through September 30, 2022.
For more information on the program please visit the District Department of Transportation website, or send an email to Office Managers:
J.F. Cook Campus - Iris Rojas at irojas@mundoverdepcs.org
Calle Ocho Campus - Indigo Ferdinand at, iferdinand@mundoverdepcs.org.
We appreciate the interest among some families in knowing when we may revisit the bus topic. We are not able to adequately staff the bus service at this time, either in terms of monitors, daily scheduling adjustments and other related operational issues. Relying on the bus vendor for bus monitors proved unworkable. In addition, to keep transportation fees relatively modest, the school general operating budget has been subsidizing the service annually by at least $120,000. We anticipate revisiting this question this fall and welcome family participation in identifying creative solutions to this issue. At-risk families requiring special services are asked to please contact the front desk so that suitable arrangements can be made (202-750-7060 or info@mundoverdepcs.org).
Many of our learners and their caregivers need a little extra time to transition from school to home and we make valuable use of that time through our Extended Day Program. Anticipating that some additional families will participate in Extended Day, we nonetheless expect to be able to accommodate all interested families.
First Day of Extended Day Program: August, 29, 2022
To find the registration form and fees, please visit the Family Portal here (NEW password: crew)
Upcoming Events:
Aug 16: Playdate Calle Ocho (All grades) - 4:00pm
Aug 22: Meet and Greet
Aug 22: T-Shirts PickUp - 1:00-4:30pm
Aug 24: First Day of School for grades Kinder through 5th
Aug 24: First Day of School for PreK3 (No School for PreK4)
Aug 25: First Day of School for PreK4 (No School for PreK3)
Aug 26: PreK3 & PreK4 combined
Aug 29: First Day Extended Day Program
Sep 5: Holiday, School Closed