Mayor Bowser to Launch 2019-2020 School Year, Celebrate New School Openings

Washington, DC – On Monday, August 26, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Lewis Ferebee will celebrate the first day of school with students, educators, families and community members across DC. In the morning, the Mayor will lead a Slow Down Campaign at Lincoln Park and then cut the ribbon on the fully modernized Maury Elementary School. Then, she will host a roundtable discussion with students attending the new Bard High School Early College (Bard DC), the District’s first early college program East of the Anacostia River. The Mayor will end the school day with a ribbon cutting and community celebration at the fully modernized Kimball Elementary School.

Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget includes $1.79 billion for education services for the 95,820 students in DC’s public schools. Those investments include opening early college programs at Coolidge High School in Ward 4 and Bard DC in Ward 7; launching the Connected Schools initiative that will make 10 DCPS schools hubs of community resources; expanding access to laptops and tablets in grades 3-12; and modernizing school buildings.

When:
Monday, August 26

Who:
Mayor Muriel Bowser
Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee, Chancellor, DCPS
Keith Anderson, Director, Department of General Services
Helena Payne Chauvenet, Principal, Maury Elementary School
Vanessa Anderson, Principal, Bard High School Early College DC
Johann Lee, Principal, Kimball Elementary School
 
Where:
8:15 am Slow Down Campaign
Lincoln Park
*Closest Metro Stations: Eastern Market and Stadium Armory Stations*

9 am Maury Elementary School Ribbon Cutting
1250 Constitution Avenue, NE
*Closest Metro Station: Stadium Armory Station*

11:30 am Roundtable Discussion with Bard High School Early College Students
4430 H Street, SE
*Closest Metro Station: Benning Road Station*

3:30 pm Kimball Elementary School Ribbon Cutting and Community Celebration
3375 Minnesota Avenue, SE
*Closest Metro Station: Minnesota Avenue Station*
 
All reporters and other media interested in attending the event are asked to RSVP to press@dc.gov. To view the event online, visit mayor.dc.gov/live or tune in on Channel 16 (DCN).