"But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word 'tension.' I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood."
So said Dr. King in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, written as he awaited his fate after being arrested for marching without the proper permits -- a political ruse devised by the aristocrats of the time to silence King's message and minimize his purpose. An interestingly similar situation faced many years prior by the one he referenced, Socrates, who for his own efforts in his own community, faced a fatal end in his cell. In both cases as we well know, quite the opposite was accomplished by their arrests and deaths.
There are so many famous quotes to be shared from this philosopher and intellectual. I chose this specific one today, however, firstly to remind us of the importance of Dr. King's legacy to American and world history, and secondly to remind us of how, through our classical mission, we are connected to a deeply rich history with impact well beyond Greece and Rome. We consider it an integral responsibility to share this knowledge and ancient wisdom with our students, as we prepare them to go out and create their own "nonviolent tension" and to agitate and grow their own communities.
While we aim always to highlight and celebrate diversity, we are tasked with constantly recollecting the universality of our humanity; and we must be prepared to embrace the simple fact that as a race -- a human race -- we all yearn, on some level, for upliftment and liberation beyond the veil. This is what Dr. King fought and died for, and it is what we firmly stand in now at Washington Latin. This is what it means to us to be a classical school. And as we follow bravely in the steps of Dr. King and Socrates alike, today and every day, we doubt neither the loftiness of our goals, nor the greatness of our efforts, nor the necessity of our purpose.
I hope you have had a good long weekend, including a chance to consider the legacy of the great Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sincerely,
Khashiffa Roberts
Principal
THE COOPER EXPLAINER
Re-Accreditation Process
The Re-Accreditation Process
By DC law, all DC public charter schools must be accredited by an approved organization, with a review process at least every seven years. Washington Latin is currently in the process of re-accreditation through a global nonprofit called Cognia. The process is aimed at ensuring schools offer a quality education that meets a set of standards agreed to by a common body, in this case the North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement.
Washington Latin will submit a wide range of data and analysis on student performance, our instruction, and our current efforts to improve teaching and learning at Latin.
Stakeholder feedback is also a required and important part of the accreditation process. We must survey our students, families, and faculty regarding our work.
We need your input to be re-accredited!ALL parent/guardians are asked to respond to Cognia's survey (use the red button below) by no later than January 25!
The Google form from Cognia is brief, and your answers are anonymous. Please take the survey ASAP!
Mid-year reading inventory for all Cooper students coming up next week during Auxillium
All students will take a reading inventory during Auxillium on 1/23 and 1/24.
This "inventory" is a short assessment to measure students' current reading levels. All Cooper students took the same assessment back in September, and we are gathering our mid-year data. The assessment is neither difficult nor graded, but it is important! We encourage all students to take it seriously so that we have data that most accurately measures their present reading level, so we can compare it to the start-of-the-year data and get an accurate picture of their reading growth.
The Latin Way
Classical Reading Group for Parents
January 23
6:45 - 8:00 pm
at the Anna Julia Cooper Campus
Join the second session of the parent classical reading group, led by Diana Smith with other members of our faculty.
Ever wish you could jump into a class and discuss the enduring ideas of the Latin Way and our classical education? Here's your chance! Join our second Classical Reading Group of this year to discuss a work of ancient literature: Sophocles' Oedipus the King with members of the Latin faculty and your fellow parents. Known usually as the play about the man who marries his mother and kills his father, this play is far more than this popular synopsis. It introduces several enduring ideas: How free are we? What does it take to pursue the truth? What are we blind to?
This is the first of two sessions on the play; we will read the play aloud and then discuss as we go. There is no need to have read the play beforehand!
If you want to get started anyway, please be sure to find a copy of Robert Bagg's translation (pictured above and available on Amazon and other booksellers (ISBN # 9780062132086), Please try to get that one, if possible. We will have copies available that evening, as well.
Please visit The Latin Way page to RSVP for this next reading group at the Cooper Campus. You can also view the recording of the first two virtual discussions, see the full calendar of discussions this year, and RSVP for our next virtual discussion on February 16.
Help us get the word out about our Cooper Campus around DC as part of our family & faculty team!
Join our Canvassing Team!
The Student Recruitment team, led by Director of Admissions Crystal Eleby-El, is again fanning out across the city to post flyers, talk to families, and sprinkle Latin swag along the way in hopes of making more families familiar with our schools so that they apply through MySchoolDC.
You're invited to join us! Benefits include getting some steps in while contributing to the common good, spending time with Latin friends, a snappy volunteer tee shirt, and the satisfaction of spreading information so that Latin continues to attract a diverse student body from across DC. We have several upcoming dates for this work - starting on January 28! Parents, students, and faculty are welcome!
To join and read more about the dates and places, click the blue button and complete the form. Questions? Please reach out to admissions@latinpcs.org!
We will share the full calendar (breaks, conference days, etc.) very soon, but we want to make sure you are aware of the important dates for the end of this year and start of the next.
COOPER CAMPUS SUMMER SCHOOL - July 2023
This year, Summer School at Cooper will run in the month of July ending on July 28th (exact dates to be confirmed and announced in the coming days). It will be remedial in nature and geared towards students who will benefit from more individualized instruction. As Cooper grows, we will expand our repertoire, but in this inaugural summer session we are focusing on building existing skills in students as we continue to work to bridge academic gaps. All students will be assigned summer reading and math practice to be completed throughout the summer, to maintain and challenge their academic skills.
Please note that neither campus of Washington Latin can matriculate students from the other for Summer school.
Summer School questions? Please contact Principal Roberts.
First Day of School for 2023-24:
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Advisor conferences will be scheduled for earlier that week - details coming soon on these activities and other key 2023-24 dates.
The Inaugural Cooper Yearbook!
Pre-order your copy!
yb.pay.com
Yearbook ID code: 14949523
Cost: $25
Washington Latin
Anna Julia Cooper Campus
Cooper Events
Friday, January 20 - End of Q2/Semester 1
Monday, January 23 -
Start of Q3/Semester 2
Students take Reading Inventory in Auxillium (Monday or Tuesday)
The Latin Way - Classical Reading Seminar @ 6:45 pm, Cooper Campus
Wednesday, January 25 - Submit your family survey for re-accreditation!
Friday, January 27 -Professional Development (PD) Day - No school for students
Friday, February 10 - Asynchronous Day
Monday, February 20 - President's Day -No school for students
Tuesday, February 21 - Faculty PD Day- No school for students
