Dear Innovate Families,
This week, we are proud to celebrate American Education Week, a special time dedicated to honoring the incredible partnership between students, families, and educators. At Innovate, we are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us each day, and we are excited to recognize the hard work, curiosity, and resilience our students bring to their learning. More information about our daily American Education Week activities can be found below.
We are also thrilled to announce our December Middle-of-Year Testing Incentive. As our students prepare to engage in their MOY assessments, upon their return from Fall break, we want to celebrate their growth, encourage their perseverance, and recognize the tremendous progress they are making. We cannot wait to honor their accomplishments, both as individual scholars and as a school community. Please review the detailed information below to learn more about our incentive, our testing goals, and how we will be cheering on our students throughout December as they meet their goals and make gains.
As we approach our fall break, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for each of you. It is a true privilege to serve your children and to partner with you in their educational journey. Thank you for your ongoing support, your communication, and the care you show every day. Our community is stronger because of you.
We wish all of our families a restful and joyful break, and we look forward to welcoming our students back on December 1st as we continue the school year with purpose, pride, and positivity—finishing 2025 strong together.
Sparks Shine, All the Time! ✨
With gratitude and pride,
Ms. Casagrande
Director, KIPP DC Innovate Virtual Academy
Upcoming Events
Here's a look at what's happening at our school in the coming weeks:
Nov 17, 2025- Nov 21, 2025 American Education Week!
Nov 18, 2025 - Nov 20, 2025 DIBELS Testing
Nov 19, 2025- Grade 7 SOS
Nov 24, 2025- Nov 30, 2025 Fall Break
Dec 1, 2025- Students return
Sparks Shine, All the Time!
Spark Points Leaderboard
Sparks Shout Outs!
Shout out to our 8th Grade for 100% participation in small group
NOVEMBER VALUE OF THE MONTH: RESPECT
At Innovate, we believe respect means recognizing the value in yourself and others through your words, actions, and attitude. Respect builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates a positive learning environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.
What Respect Looks Like:
Listening actively when others are speaking.
Using kind and professional language in class chats and discussions.
Taking care of your learning space and materials.
Honoring teachers’ directions and peers’ ideas, even when you disagree.
What Respect Sounds Like:
“I appreciate your perspective—here’s what I think.”
“Thank you for helping me understand that better.”
“I’ll wait my turn to share.”
“Let’s encourage each other to do our best.”
When we practice respect, we strengthen our community. We show others that we care, we value differences, and we are committed to making Innovate a place where everyone belongs and thrives.
Community Events and Activities
American Education Week
This week we are excited to celebrate American Education Week and highlight the power of learning, growth, and future opportunities!
This year’s theme invites students to reflect on their futures through our Essay Contest:
Prompt: What do you aspire to be when you complete your education, and in what ways has Innovate and your learning experience helped you move toward that goal?
Parent Corner
MOY Testing!
SOS Family, Student, and Teacher Training
Ms. Lohoury will be leading SOS (Signs of Suicide) Training and sessions for students, families and teachers.
Kids Ride Free Cards
Kids Ride Free Cards can now be requested for our new school year. Please use this form to complete your request.
KIDS RIDE FREE CARD REQUEST FORM
Once you have completed the form, please wait to receive confirmation regarding pickup. All cards will be available for pick up at the Shaw Campus.
Additional Supports:
Scheduling for IEP and 504 meetings is currently underway. If you have an upcoming meeting, please watch for an email invitation. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to the following individuals for further support:
SPED (SWIEPS): Manager of Student Success, Candice Davis, (540) 202-1035
504’s: Mental Health Practitioner, Mary Lohoury, (301) 750-3767
SST (attendance): Director of Systems, Caitlin Maxwell, (708)-408-0399
SST (academic): Manager of Student Success, Candice Davis, (540) 202-1035
School Policies Reminders:
Attendance:
If your Spark is going to be absent, please complete the absence form located on our website (www.kippdcinnovate.com).
Website:
We are so excited to have our website to support you with all current information.
Remember some pages are password protected to protect internal information. It enter these pages please type the password:
Innovate2025!
Communication:
For any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher first.
Important Documents:
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.
