September 2, 2022
Dear Washingtonians,
I want to thank everyone who helped make the first week of school such a success – our educators, principals and assistant principals, front office staff, construction and custodial teams, mental health teams, coaches, cafeteria teams, school resource officers, bus drivers and crossing guards, and, of course, our students and families.
Yesterday, as I toured the new Historic Randle Highlands Early Learning Center in Ward 7, I witnessed the love and joy that our educators bring to the classroom — it is palpable and inspiring. And all week, across the city, I saw students excited to be back in school.
We know how important this school year is for our students. The PARCC scores that were released earlier today reflect national trends in student learning over the past several years – significant learning loss in math and reading, especially for our students who are often furthest from opportunity. By the summer of 2020, we already knew that our students would require significant support to overcome the social, emotional, and academic effects of being out of school and living through a global pandemic. Over the past two years, we have made big investments in accelerating learning and addressing the needs of our young people, including investments in high-impact tutoring and increased access to extracurricular programming. Now, the work continues.
We already know what our teachers and students are capable of — over the past 15 years, we have witnessed not only the transformation of our facilities, but also of our classrooms. Our students are challenged and taught through hands-on learning opportunities that take advantage of all our community has to offer. Our free Pre-K program is the best in the nation. Our high school programming continues to evolve so that every year our students graduate better prepared for school and life.
After a successful first week, let’s keep the momentum of our comeback going. Remember to check out our Back to School Guide to learn more about resources that can help your child and family.
Have a safe, fun weekend, and see you back at school next week.
 DC Health is encouraging DC residents to receive their annual flu shot and the new bivalent COVID-19 booster – also known as the Omicron booster – at the same time. These vaccines will be available at pharmacies and clinics throughout the District of Columbia beginning next week.
- The annual flu shot is recommended for anyone six months and older.
- The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 12 years of age or older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose.
- The Moderna bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 18 years of age and older if it has been at least two months since they have completed their primary vaccination series or at least two months since they received a booster dose.
Beginning Wednesday, September 7, both the flu shot and the bivalent booster will be available at COVID Centers in all eight wards.
Learn more HERE.
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 RSVP to join Mayor Bowser and the Mayor's Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives at this year's National Maternal & Infant Health Summit on Thursday, September 15. The summit will feature panel discussions, community spaces, breakout sessions, and a virtual resource expo dedicated to connecting attendees with local and national resources and supports.
The day will begin with a networking breakfast and include a fireside chat luncheon. Free onsite childcare and pumping stations will be available
Learn more and RSVP at maternalhealthdc.com.
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 This week, Mayor Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced that all stand-alone spray parks throughout the District will remain open seven days a week through September 30. Traditionally, Labor Day is the last day that spray parks are open in the District.
Starting Tuesday, September 6, stand-alone spray parks will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., every day through September 30. Langdon Splash Park, which operates as part of the Langdon Park Pool, will close on Labor Day as scheduled.
Find a DPR spray park near you HERE.
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