1. Dear Creative Minds International Families,
It was great to see so many of you at our New Families Event on June 25th.
We are fortunate to start our school with such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of parents.
I am confident that with your support, we will offer our students an enriched educational
experience that inspires them to become life-long learners.
Many of you, especially those who are parents of our three and four-year-old students,
expressed concerns regarding your child’s transition to school. I know from personal
experience how difficult it is to leave your child at school on the first day. We will be sure
to have a transition plan for our youngest students (and any other students who need to
ease into a full time schedule), by starting with an option for half-day attendance. We will
send you more information regarding our Preschool and Pre-K transition plan in our next
newsletter. Attending our upcoming events will also help your children get to know other
families and staff prior to the first day of school: the Family Picnic at Yards Park on Sunday,
July 29th and the Creative Families Juice and Cookies Social on Saturday, August 25th,
where a classroom parent will host a get together so children and families in each class can
meet each other.
The administrative team is working hard to prepare for a successful opening. Many of you
kindly offered your help in setting up our school during the last couple of weeks of August
before our opening date (August 27th). We appreciate your offer and will be in touch if we
need additional support.
I hope to see you at our next event, the Family Picnic on July 29th from 10am to 1pm at
Yards Park.
Sincerely,
Golnar Abedin, Ph. D.
Upcoming Event
Come And PlayWith Us!
Creative Families Picnic at Yards Park
Sunday, July 29th/10:00am – 1:00pm
Pack your picnic blankets and basket, swim-
suits, towels and sunscreen for a waterfront
picnic at DC’s newest urban park, Yards Park.
Located a short walk from Metro Green Line
station, Navy Yards/Ballpark, this new park is
the perfect place for new families to meet
each other. We will be meeting at The Over-
look, a tented pavilion where you will be able
to sign-in and learn about all the activities
planned throughout the day. This will be a
casual event designed to let the kids start to
play with one another and for parents and
guardians to get to know each other. Tradi-
tional outdoor games and activities will be
happening throughout the day so join us for
an hour or for all three! And of course, the
whole family is welcome to come.
For a more detailed map of Yards Park please
go to yardspark.org/plan/park-map. We will
be located to the right of the Bridge at The
Overlook. Yards Park is located at 10 Water
Street Southeast, Washington, DC 20003. Lim-
ited street parking is available and some park-
ing lots are within walking distance of the park.
Don’t forget to pack these items with you!
(including plenty of water)
(there’s a huge wading pool)
Please note that dining options are limited in the
area so it’s best to pack something yourself.
If you are interested in volunteering
at the event please contact:
Dawn Goodloe (dawngoodloe@gmail.com)
Summer Issue Vol. 2 July 6, 2012www.creativemindspcs.org March Issue: March 8, 2013
Upcoming Events
• Friday, March 15
Teacher Professional
Development: NO SCHOOL FOR
STUDENTS
• Monday, March 18
Parent Workshop
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
• Wednesday, March 27
School Picture Day
• Monday, April 1 - Friday, April 5
Spring Break: Students return
Monday, April 8
• Friday, April 12
CFA Meeting
8:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Dear Creative Minds International Families,
Spring is around the corner with the promise of new beginnings. We are
working hard to maintain all the positive experiences from this year while we
add to, and enhance various components of our program.
With the support of Monica Sanjur (2nd grade parent) and Jake Greenspan, we
began the Creative Minds Parent Workshops last month. Thanks to all who
attended and filled out the survey. We are going to continue these workshops
on a monthly basis. Please see the Workshop announcement in this
newsletter. Notice that the date was changed from March 26th to Monday,
March 18th from 5 PM - 6:30 PM to avoid conflict with religious holidays.
Childcare will be available, free of charge, to facilitate your attendance. We
really hope that you can join us so we can strengthen our home-school
connection as we support our children’s growth.
We have also begun our weekly Community Meetings led by our Director of the
Arts, Ashton Conklin. The Meetings have been a great success and provided a
wonderful opportunity for the children and staff to come together as a larger
community. At the first meeting our own creative musicians, Sebastien and
Ashton, played music for the students. Subsequently we held our Chinese New
Year Celebration in which Ms. Jessica explained about the new year and the
Kindergarten class shared their dragon with the other students. Finally, we
celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday at our last meeting (pictures of the Community
Meetings are included in this newsletter).
Classrooms have been going on field trips to the National Zoo, the Air and
Space Museum, the National Building Museum, Giant supermarket, and
Eastern Market. We will be adding field trips to International Embassies in the
near future.
I want to thank you all for your support and involvement. You have chaperoned
field trips, supported our teachers and administrative team by participating in
classroom activities and volunteering at school-wide events, holding
fundraising events, as well as donating your time and resources to the school.
Thank you for helping us create a positive learning experience for our students.
Sincerely,
Golnar Abedin, Ph.D.
Executive Director/Principal

2. UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 11
What led you into teaching? How long
have you been doing this?
I was led into teaching after working at a day
camp during a summer break from college.
There was a little girl with Downs Syndrome
who quickly found a special place in my
heart. Her positive outlook on life really put
things in perspective for me. That summer
was so rewarding personally that I knew that
I wanted to work with children in some
capacity. Time has truly flown by and it is
hard to believe that I have been teaching
for 10 years!
What attracted you to Creative Minds
International PCS?
There were several components of the
program that attracted me to Creative
Minds International. I was intrigued by
children being taught through the theme
based International Early Years and Primary
Curriculum, which encourages international
awareness. I was happy to learn that Dr.
Stanley Greenspan’s developmental
approach to education will be incorporated
to support various learning styles. The low
teacher- student ratio and foreign languages
being offered were added bonuses. I have
enrolled my own daughters at Creative
Minds International for this fall!
What methods do you use to inspire
students to be active in learning?
To inspire students to be active in learning
I intend to establish a safe environment that
is predictable and nurturing. I want students
to be comfortable taking academic risks.
The classroom will be thought- provoking
and challenging yet provide students with
the support necessary to be successful.
How do you make learning fun? Provide
an example of what you have in store for
the 2nd graders.
One important step to make learning fun is
to set a positive example. I have to show
that I am having fun learning and it will
spread to others. Learning does not have to
be just hours of sitting, writing, and reading.
I incorporate hands- on experiences and play
all sorts of learning games. Another way to
make learning fun is to create incentives. We
will set a goal and have a‘prize’once that
goal is met. Students may be asked to add a
tally mark to a chart in the room each time
they come across dialogue in their reading or
to add any compound word that they know
to a chart. These two examples really
encourage students to continue to think
about a concept even after it is introduced.
How do you make sure you meet the
needs of a student with an IEP?
Having a background in early childhood
special education and experience working
with students with a variety of learning
styles has prepared me to meet the needs
of a student with an IEP. I also plan to work
closely with the inclusion teacher, Hannah
Shedrick, to make sure that students are
receiving the support and services they need
to be successful in school.
What are you most looking forward to in
2012-2013?
As we embark on the 2012-2013 school
year, I am most looking forward to making
Creative Minds International PCS one of the
best schools in the area. I want it to be a
place that everyone raves about!
2
Reminders:
National School Lunch
Program forms due
Creative Families
Picnic - 10:00am – 1:00pm,
Yards Park
Health and
Immunization forms are due
Creative Families
“Juice and Cookie Social”
Spotlight on 2nd GradeTeacher, Nayamka Long
Hello, my name is Nayamka
Long. I am a Washington D.C.
native who lives here in North-
west with my husband and our
two daughters. I have a large
extended family and feel fortu-
nate that so many of them live in
the area. I enjoy spending time
with them and traveling.
2
Hi Creative Minds Families! My name is Sara Kovacs. I am originally
from Indiana. I love to see new places and travel, and I've been lucky
to live in several cities in the last few years. I finished college while
living in France. Then I moved back to the United States and ended
up in Denver. Life brought me to Charlottesville, Virginia. Finally, I've
recently settled in Washington, D.C! I'm currently working on a
Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction through George
Mason University. My program specifically focuses on international
education, so Creative Minds is a perfect fit for me! When I have free
time, I love to take advantage of our amazing city and take long
walks! When it's warmer, I'll start biking again, and probably running
too... but only when it's warmer!
What led you into teaching? How long have you
been doing this?
I became interested in teaching when I volunteered to tutor children
while I was living in France. Once a week, I helped elementary
students with their English homework. I absolutely loved this
experience and learned a lot from it! Since then I have been tutoring
and teaching part time for about 4 years. This is my first full time job
in a school, and so far, so good!
What attracted you to Creative Minds International PCS?
Since I have some international experience myself, I loved that there was an international focus here. I was also
attracted to the child-centered approach that is part of the school mission.
How do you make learning fun? Provide an
example of how you’ll integrate the arts in
classroom learning.
I try to make learning fun by incorporating unique and creative
activities into lessons. I have always loved to create. I feel that
learning through the creative process really maximizes an
educational experience for a child. I use the knowledge I have
from my art history degree to integrate the arts into lessons.
What methods do you use to inspire
students to be active in learning?
First and foremost, I feel that for students to be active in their
learning, they must be having fun. Especially with the younger
students, I try to make lessons active. I also try to get to know
my students' interests as much as possible. I can use that
knowledge to create more personal lessons.
Spotlight: Sara Kovacs

3. What led you into teaching? How long
have you been doing this?
I was led into teaching after working at a day
camp during a summer break from college.
There was a little girl with Downs Syndrome
who quickly found a special place in my
heart. Her positive outlook on life really put
things in perspective for me. That summer
was so rewarding personally that I knew that
I wanted to work with children in some
capacity. Time has truly flown by and it is
hard to believe that I have been teaching
for 10 years!
What attracted you to Creative Minds
International PCS?
There were several components of the
program that attracted me to Creative
Minds International. I was intrigued by
children being taught through the theme
based International Early Years and Primary
Curriculum, which encourages international
awareness. I was happy to learn that Dr.
Stanley Greenspan’s developmental
approach to education will be incorporated
to support various learning styles. The low
teacher- student ratio and foreign languages
being offered were added bonuses. I have
enrolled my own daughters at Creative
Minds International for this fall!
What methods do you use to inspire
students to be active in learning?
To inspire students to be active in learning
I intend to establish a safe environment that
is predictable and nurturing. I want students
to be comfortable taking academic risks.
The classroom will be thought- provoking
and challenging yet provide students with
How do you make learning fun? Provide
an example of what you have in store for
the 2nd graders.
One important step to make learning fun is
to set a positive example. I have to show
that I am having fun learning and it will
spread to others. Learning does not have to
be just hours of sitting, writing, and reading.
I incorporate hands- on experiences and play
all sorts of learning games. Another way to
make learning fun is to create incentives. We
will set a goal and have a‘prize’once that
goal is met. Students may be asked to add a
tally mark to a chart in the room each time
they come across dialogue in their reading or
to add any compound word that they know
to a chart. These two examples really
encourage students to continue to think
about a concept even after it is introduced.
How do you make sure you meet the
needs of a student with an IEP?
Having a background in early childhood
special education and experience working
with students with a variety of learning
styles has prepared me to meet the needs
of a student with an IEP. I also plan to work
closely with the inclusion teacher, Hannah
Shedrick, to make sure that students are
receiving the support and services they need
to be successful in school.
What are you most looking forward to in
2012-2013?
As we embark on the 2012-2013 school
year, I am most looking forward to making
Creative Minds International PCS one of the
best schools in the area. I want it to be a
place that everyone raves about!
Reminders:
National School Lunch
Program forms due
Creative Families
Picnic - 10:00am – 1:00pm,
Yards Park
Health and
Immunization forms are due
Creative Families
“Juice and Cookie Social”
Spotlight on 2nd GradeTeacher, Nayamka Long
Hello, my name is Nayamka
Long. I am a Washington D.C.
native who lives here in North-
west with my husband and our
two daughters. I have a large
extended family and feel fortu-
nate that so many of them live in
the area. I enjoy spending time
with them and traveling.
3
School Photos
It’s class photo time! Stone Photography
will be onsite Wednesday, March 27th.
The ‘Memory Mate’ Program is the school
portrait package which includes:
• One 5x7 group photo in an 8x10 mount
• One 3x4 individual photo in the 8x10
mount
• One additional 4x6 individual photo
• 4 wallet-size individual photos
All students will be photographed,
whether you are planning to purchase a
package or not.
The cost of the package is $33. All
checks and/or money orders should be
made payable to 'Stone Photography' at
time of purchase. The portrait packages
will be shipped 2-3 weeks after the photo
shoot. You will have an opportunity to
view your child’s photos once they arrive,
but packages will not be released without
payment. Parents will have the option of
ordering additional photos directly from
the vendor.
A friendly reminder and tips on dressing
your child for picture day will be sent
home in backpacks closer to the date.
Sample portrait packages will be available
in the lobby.
If you have any questions, please contact
Dawn Goodloe dawngoodloe@gmail.com.
Women’s Social & Jewelry Fundraiser
On Sunday, February 24th, Kara Gotsch
(PS3 mom to Oliver) hosted a fundraiser
featuring the popular line of Lia Sophia
jewelry. The event was a great success,
raising $740 to help fund field trips,
teacher training, and parent education.
Thanks to everyone who attended the
social and supported the school. A very
special thanks to Kara and her family for
pulling this together and opening their
home to us.
Many in attendance expressed interest in
participating in future events like this. If
you would like to host a similar type of
fundraiser on behalf of the school, please
contact Dawn Goodloe
dawngoodloe@gmail.com.
Climbing Wall for The Sensory Room
In our efforts to offer more gross motor
activities for our students, the sensory
room will soon have a 8ft x 10ft climbing
wall. We appreciate your ideas and
donations and will continue to add
opportunities for our students’ gross
motor development.
Powell Park Improvement Efforts
Thanks to everyone who joined us on the
letter campaign to the ANC. We
appreciate your participation and support!
Due to your efforts and those of Mundo
Verde’s, Sacred Heart’s, and local
community members, we were able to
get a commitment for a temporary gate
for the park. We will continue to push for
a higher fence that can be locked at night
to make our playground a safe and a
clean environment for our children who
use the park daily. In the meantime the
DC Parks and Recreation has indicated
that they will gate the area until a higher
fence is built.
The second graders took this community
effort to heart and students wrote their
own personal letters addressed to our
local representative. They did very good
work expressing their thoughts about the
park, its usage, safety and cleanliness.
Hopefully their requests will be
responded to by city officials and the
community. Taking "ownership" of the
park as a community is an important step
in the improvement process and we are
proud of our students’ involvement. We
will soon have a cleaner, safer park
across the street!
Earth Day Park Clean-Up
We need your help and support once
again for a park clean-up day at the
Powell Playground on the corner of 16th
and Lamont Street, NW. We will be
joining our friends from Mundo Verde,
Sacred Heart Church and other
community members on Saturday, April
13th, with a possible rain date of April
14th. Please mark your calendars to join
the Friends of Powell Park. This can be
your Earth Day clean up message to the
children. There will be more details to
follow, with planned activities and events
for that day.
Announcements:
Parent Workshop: Monday, March 18th 5pm-6:30pm
The Morning Routine, Challenging Behaviors, and Setting Limits
At our first parent workshop, Jake Greenspan presented from his father’s book Great
Kids, highlighting ways to support a child’s healthy development by identifying the
qualities that make us call a child a “great kid.” Qualities such as empathy, curiosity,
and logical thinking, are fundamental and underlie all the academic, athletic, and
social talents that a child might develop.
We would like to continue this conversation by discussing your individual concerns
and challenges, such as the morning routine and transition to school, working through
challenging behaviors and setting limits to support our children develop the qualities of
great kids. We would also like to discuss future topics of interest for Creative Minds
International Parent Workshops.
There will be coffee served directly after the workshop.
Please RSVP to let us know if you will attend so we can plan accordingly.
Contact Noel Rodriguez to RSVP: noel.rodriguez@creativemindspcs.org.

4. 4
Announcements Continued...
Adult Classes
Creative Minds is proud to offer Guitar and Yoga Classes for Adults. These are great personal
development opportunities for everyone. The guitar class is full at the moment but you can email Ashton
Conklin with any questions you may have at: ashton.conklin@creativemindspcs.org.
Yoga Classes
Tuesdays from 5 PM to 6 PM with Sara Curtin. $12 drop-in or $40 for 4 classes. To reserve your spot,
please email Sebastien Durand: sebastien.durand@creativemindspcs.org.
NEW Zumba Family Classes
Come with your little one, move, get healthy, dance together! Thanks to 5 Flavors of Chi (www.
5flavorsofchi.com), Zumba Family classes will be held every Thursday starting on March 14th from 5
PM to 6 PM. $12 drop-in or $40 for 4 classes (for 1 adult and 1 child). For more information email
Sebastien Durand: sebastien.durand@creativemindspcs.org.
Radius Pizza
To date, Radius Pizzeria has donated the following amounts:
January 26th: Ms. Molly’s class earned $55.00
February 9th: Ms. Annie’s class earned $85.00
February 23rd: Ms. Julie’s class earned $60.00
March 2nd: Ms. Janina’s class earned $25.00
The money each class raises will go a long way toward funding the purchase of
point and shoot cameras for each classroom.
Radius is open to continuing this relationship with the school and has agreed to host
classes that would like to return for additional dates. If there's interest, please let Ellen
Beares (pre-school mom to Gordon) know and she can help facilitate. Ellen’s email is:
ellenbeares@gmail.com.
Upcoming Dates:
March 9th: Kindergarten (Ms. Becka)
March 23rd: 1st grade (Ms. Shoshi and Ms. Wendi)
March 30th: 2nd grade (Ms. Nayamka)
Please come out and share a meal with your class in support of our school and neighborhood business.
Radius Pizzeria is located at 3155 Mount Pleasant Street NW.
Relay Foods
Thanks to Nadira Clarke (pre-kindergarten mom to Nigel), Creative Minds International
Public Charter School is excited to now be partnering with Relay Foods!
Relay Foods is Metro DC's favorite local online grocery store and farmers market. You'll
find everything from grass-fed beef, organic eggs and dairy to delicious specialty foods.
They also carry all the conventional grocery items you need, like diapers and paper
towels, at affordable prices.
In addition to convenient home delivery, Relay Foods is offering a pick up option at the
school on Thursdays between the hours of 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM. Simply order your groceries
online, and select Creative Minds International Public Charter School as your pick up spot.
There is no fee for using the pick up spot - all you pay for is your delicious groceries!
Save $10 on your first order of $50 or more (home delivery or pickup) by entering
promocode CREATIVE10 at checkout, RelayFoods.com.
radiuspizza.com

5. 5
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!
If you never did, you should.
These things are fun and
fun is good.

6. New Families Reception a Success!
We had a great turnout for our New Families
Reception on June 25th. The event was an
opportunity for parents to get acquainted, talk
to staff and teachers, and see the school building.
Dr. Abedin introduced several faculty members
including Ashton Conklin, Director of the Arts
Program and Music & Movement Teacher, who
gave a brief introduction to the music program
and highlighted the school’s aspirations to raise
enough money to purchase a set of adjustable-
height steel drums (for use by all ages) and a set of
xylophones. Board member and parent, Dr. Patricia
Steele talked about the newly-formed Creative
Families Association and told parents how to get
involved. Dr. Abedin also the led an in-depth
Q&A session, fielding questions from parents on
a range of subjects including curriculum, the
after-care program, plans for the physical plant,
among many others. The evening ended with
parents meeting in smaller groups by grade.
We were excited by the number of enthusiastic
parents in attendance in what is shaping up to
be the start of an engaged Creative Minds
community! As always, if you have any questions
that were not covered or would like further
information, please do not hesitate to contact
the school at: golnar.abedin@creativemindspcs.org
or by phone at .
Dr. Golnar Abedin introduced
faculty and gave updates
on preparations for opening
the new school.
Many parents attended the first school-wide event.
Ashton Conklin spoke about the school’s arts program.
Parents gathered for the Q&A session.
6
新年快(Xīn Nián Kuài Lè)
Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday, also known as the Spring
Festival. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally start on the last day of the last
month of the Chinese calendar and run through the Lantern Festival which is on the
15th day of the first month. This Chinese New Year, the year of the snake, was
celebrated by our kindergarten through a traditional Dragon Dance.