Washington, D.C

D.C.’s career prep program offers a solution to its attendance problem

Published

2 years ago

January 7, 2024

D.C.’s career prep program offers a solution to its attendance problem

With just about 200 students, D.C.’s career and technical high school is not usually a bustling place. But on a recent school day, as a busload of students arrived for their afternoon classes, the small Northeast Washington campus livened up — music blared from a speaker in the common room and teens chatted excitedly over trail mix.

The Advanced Technical Center, now in its second year, is not like most high schools in the District — or even the country. Teens practice taking vitals on medical dummies and coding in computer labs. Its entire curriculum is designed to provide a training ground for students pursuing high-demand careers in cybersecurity and nursing.

But the school also offers a possible solution to D.C.’s attendance crisis: students who took classes at the ATC last year attended nearly 13 more days of school than their peers who did not, according to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The teens — who split their time between the ATC and their primary high schools — said they appreciate the school’s climate, their relationships with teachers and staff, and the chance to study their interests.

Those factors are not only motivating students to show up for their career prep classes, but also the courses at their regular high schools, the data suggests. The ATC has advisers who closely monitor each student’s attendance, as well.

Officials noted the analysis isn’t perfect — enrollment at the ATC is small and teens elect on their own to attend. But it remains a promising sign for officials desperate for ways to get students to come to school. Chronic absenteeism, which hit a high during the pandemic, has inched downward in recent years. But it remains particularly concerning at the high school level; 60 percent of D.C. teens missed at least 18 days of school last year.

D.C. faces an attendance crisis. Its leaders are struggling to solve it.

“It’s really clear for them why they’re here. And when they start to lose sight of the ‘why,’ we have our support systems here to help bring them back on track,” said Andrea Zimmermann, the school’s administrator. Students said they see an obvious benefit to investing the extra time and work, including industry credentials, paid internships and scholarships. They earn college credits that are aligned with the cybersecurity program at the University of the District of Columbia or nursing track at Trinity Washington University.

Those perks are what drew Charlie Irizarry, a ninth grader who is studying nursing.

“It’s a privilege and an honor to be able to work here with all these incredible students and get to learn about something I’m passionate about before going on to pursue it, to get a little bit of a head start and some background knowledge to help me out when I do get to college and maybe some help with scholarships,” she said. Students who finish the program and then attend Trinity after graduation can receive $15,000 each year in scholarships.

Just like at a normal high school, the teens are expected to show up every day. Students spend part of the school day at the ATC — sessions are offered in the morning, midmorning and afternoon — and spend the rest of the day at their primary high schools. The ATC provides taxi or bus transportation during the day.

There are few entrance requirements so that more students are encouraged to apply, Zimmermann said. They mainly need to be on track for graduation and have space in their schedules. Most of the students come from Bell, Dunbar and Eastern high schools, and Friendship Collegiate Academy, Paul and Sojourner Truth public charter schools.

Students said they come to school because they like environment at the ATC, which feels more supportive than the average high school. Teachers and students treat each other with respect.

“School is supposed to be a safe space and a lot of these kids do not feel like school is a safe space at all,” said Christa Cummings, an eleventh grader on the cybersecurity track. “The way that they treat you here … feels like a family. It feels way more intentional and personal with everything that they do. I feel like, if we had more administrators that cared like how they do at ATC, a lot more kids would be more involved in the things that happen in the school, in their school environments.”

Chris Nelson, also a junior studying cybersecurity, said he likes the challenge the ATC offers.

“When you come here, it puts you in a mind-set of setting high expectations for yourself and just like becoming the best version of yourself,” said Nelson, also a student at Paul Public Charter School. “This is what I want to do. This is what I want to be. This is going to help me become the person that I want to be in the future. This is going to help me provide for my family.”

Two in five D.C. students were chronically absent last year, data show

The ATC is part of a larger effort by the city to improve high schools and offer students more opportunities to explore their interests before college. Officials have poured $30 million in pandemic recovery dollars into internship, dual-enrollment and career training programs. Many leaders hope such investments will pay off in improved attendance.

Forty-three percent of students across D.C. were chronically absent from classrooms last school year, down from 48 percent during the 2021-22 school year. There are myriad reasons students are missing chunks of school, but teachers have noticed more students — particularly older ones — just don’t think being there is important.

Schools, as a result, are under growing pressure to make classrooms places where students want to be.

“It is our job to ensure that schools are welcoming and are engaging for kids,” Paul Kihn, D.C.’s deputy mayor for education, said in a December interview about attendance. “We’ve just got to make sure schools are the best possible environments for them to be in, so where they’re actively choosing, they choose to be in rather than out.”

Too few D.C. students finish college. This program aims to change that.

That is part of the formula at the ATC, according to Clifton Martin, state director of career and technical education at the superintendent’s office. The student body is small, so adults in the building know every child’s name. Teachers, administrators and staff frequently check in on students and ask them how they are doing.

“I think a lot of students feel like they get lost and they don’t have someone who’s going to keep an eye on them, so they can miss five days in a row,” he said.

Zimmermann added that if a student starts to miss classes, ATC staff are in touch with the child’s primary high school and family — not only to get the student back, but also to understand why they aren’t getting there. After she learned some students lived more than an hour on public transit from the ATC, officials set up a morning pickup service so they could get to school on time. Rides are provided in the afternoon, as well. “So there’s interventions in place, kind of speed bumps to catch kids and get them back on course, support them.”

Martin added that understanding what students want in school is also an important driver of attendance.

“Student voice is important. So, all schools can’t have a cybersecurity program, they all can’t have a nursing program,” he said. “But there are things that they can do inside the school, you know, talking to the students, figuring out what they want in the building that will bring them in there.”

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Washington, D.C

Road closures, parking restrictions for DC’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon – WTOP News

Published

4 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Road closures, parking restrictions for DC’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon – WTOP News

Saturday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5k will have thousands of runners rocking through D.C. But drivers will want the party to end as fast as possible.

This year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5K run will have thousands of runners rocking through D.C. on Saturday. But drivers will want the party to end as fast as possible, as the race will bring a slew of road closures and parking restrictions to the District.

The 5K begins at 7:30 a.m. and the half marathon starts at 8 a.m. The finisher concert wraps up at 1:30 p.m. The routes for both races are below:

Click to expand

The following streets will be closed from 3 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Constitution Avenue from 9th Street to 15th Street NW

The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic Saturday from 6 a.m. to noon.

Constitution Avenue from 15th Street 23rd Street NW
10th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
12th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
14th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Virginia Avenue from 18th Street to 19th Street NW
18th Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
1800 block of C Street NW
E Street from 18th Street to 19th Street NW
19th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
27th Street from Virginia Avenue to Whitehurst Freeway NW
I Street from 27th Street to Virginia Avenue NW
Calvert Street from 24th Street to Columbia Road NW
Adams Mill Road from 18th Street to Calvert Street NW
Columbia Road from 18th Street to 16th Street NW
Harvard Street from 16th Street to 5th Street NW
5th Street from Harvard Street to Bryant Street NW
Bryant Street from 4th Street to North Capitol Street NW
North Capitol Street from Bryant Street to K Street NW
K Street from North Capitol Street to 5th Street NW
4th Street from K Street to E Street NW
E Street from 4th Street to 6th Street NW
6th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Parking will be restricted on the following streets from noon Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Constitution Avenue from 6th Street to 7th Street NW
Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 4th Street NW
6th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue NW
Madison Drive from 3rd Street to 4th Street

Parking will be restricted on the following streets from 4 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Pennsylvania Avenue from 4th Street to 7th Street NW
Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to 6th Street NW
3rd Street from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue SW
4th Street from Madison Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Parking will be restricted on the following streets Saturday from midnight to 2 p.m.

Constitution Avenue from 7th Street to 23rd Street NW
10th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
12th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
14th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Virginia Avenue from 18th Street to 19th Street NW
18th Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
1800 block of C Street NW
1800 block of Virginia Avenue NW
E Street from 18th Street to 19th Street NW
19th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
27th Street from Virginia Avenue to Whitehurst Freeway NW
I Street from 27th Street to Virginia Avenue NW
Calvert Street from 24th Street to Columbia Road NW
Adams Mill Road from 18th Street to Calvert Street NW
Columbia Road from 18th Street to 16th Street NW
Harvard Street from 16th Street to 5th Street NW
5th Street from Harvard Street to Bryant Street NW
Bryant Street from 4th Street to North Capitol Street NW
North Capitol Street from Bryant Street to K Street NW
K Street from North Capitol Street to 5th Street NW
4th Street from K Street to E Street NW
E Street from 4th Street to 6th Street NW
6th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW

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Washington, D.C

Could DC see one last blast of winter? Polar vortex could potentially bring late March chill

Published

16 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Could DC see one last blast of winter? Polar vortex could potentially bring late March chill

After chilly week, warmup ahead for DC region

It’s the last day of winter tomorrow and it sure felt like it on Wednesday, though a timely warmup is expected as we prepare to start spring! FOX 5’s Mike Thomas has the outlook for the rest of the week.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Don’t pack the winter coat away just yet. Forecasters say a potential polar vortex split could send colder air into the Washington, D.C. region before the end of March, bringing one last reminder of winter as spring begins to take hold.

What we know about the potential cold blast

Long-range forecast models suggest the polar vortex — a mass of cold air typically locked near the North Pole — could split by the end of March.

If that happens, colder air may shift into parts of the northern U.S., including the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Forecasters with FOX Weather say this setup could bring below-average temperatures to areas like Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia late in the month.

Polar Vortex (FOX Weather)

What local meteorologists are saying

While long-range models point to a possible late-month cooldown, FOX 5 DC meteorologists say a warmup is expected in the near term.

“It’s the last day of winter tomorrow and it sure felt like it on Wednesday, though a timely warmup is expected as we prepare to start spring!” FOX 5’s Mike Thomas said while outlining the forecast for the rest of the week.

That outlook underscores the uncertainty in longer-range projections, with warmer spring conditions expected before any potential shift later in the month.

What we don’t know yet

It remains uncertain exactly where the coldest air will settle.

That uncertainty will determine whether the D.C. region sees a noticeable cooldown or only a slight dip in temperatures.

How this could impact the D.C. region

The D.C. area may see a return to cooler conditions just as spring begins, though impacts could be less intense if the coldest air stays farther north.

While widespread snow is not currently expected, temperatures could still dip enough to bring a brief reminder of winter.

Polar Vortex (FOX Weather)

Is this winter’s final blast?

The polar vortex has been a key driver of cold outbreaks this winter.

Forecasters say this could be the last time it plays a significant role this season as warmer spring patterns take over.

What’s next in the forecast

Meteorologists will continue to refine the forecast in the coming days as models better determine how far south the cold air will travel.

Even if a cooldown arrives, temperatures are expected to trend warmer into April.

Polar Vortex (FOX Weather)

The Source: This article was written using information from FOX Weather and FOX 5 DC meteorologists.

WeatherWashington, D.C.VirginiaMaryland

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Washington, D.C

Man who coordinated series of 7 robberies of Chinatown Walgreens sentenced to over 10 years – WTOP News

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2026

Press Room

Man who coordinated series of 7 robberies of Chinatown Walgreens sentenced to over 10 years – WTOP News

The man prosecutors say planned and coordinated a series of seven inside-job robberies of the Walgreens in D.C.’s Chinatown was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years and six months in prison.

The man prosecutors say planned and coordinated a series of seven inside-job robberies of a Walgreens in D.C.’s Chinatown was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years and six months in prison.

Gianni Robinson, 28, of D.C., conspired with two store managers — one of them his uncle — and another man who posed as a masked gunman, 26-year-old Kamanye Williams, to carry out the string of robberies between July 2023 and February 2024.

All four pleaded guilty in early 2025 to charges related to their roles in the robberies, which culminated in a special police officer shooting Williams during the final job.

“After police posted surveillance footage of his co-conspirator robbing the Walgreens, Gianni Robinson sent the YouTube link to the gunman with a laughing emoji. He thought the crimes he conspired on were funny,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a release. “Now, after seven robberies, countless traumatized employees and one man shot in the chest, Robinson isn’t laughing anymore.”

Robinson, prosecutors said, served as the “operational hub” for the robberies, funneling information from the conspiring store managers to Williams so he could access the manager’s office where a safe was located.

According to prosecutors, Robinson also coordinated getaway arrangements and dividing the stolen money. In their plea agreements, prosecutors said the group of four admitted to stealing and splitting at least $28,983 from the string of robberies.

Robinson’s uncle, Michael Robinson, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Williams was sentenced to more than 16 years behind bars. The other store manager, London Teeter, is scheduled for sentencing April 23.

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