Kindness Closet

All families have access to the Kindness Closet to receive or donate items. This includes shelf-stable food, toiletries, activities for children, clothing, and even bags to carry your items home in! Ask the main office team to show you where it is located and they will take you to you its private location.

MTSS

Students who are not yet performing at or above grade level academically, who are demonstrating social and emotional challenges, or who have barriers to regular attendance may be eligible for Tier 2 or Tier 3 MTSS supports. In this process, the team of staff members who support the child collaborate to create a plan of support that includes evidence-based interventions. Families will be informed of what their child’s goal is, who their child’s “champion” is, and how they can support them at home. As Lafayette staff members work with students, they collect formative data that allows progress towards the goal to be monitored to inform whether, at the end of the planned intervention, the approach needs to be adjusted, continued, or if the child is no longer in need of the support.

Special Education

Lafayette offers specialized instruction through Special Education teachers, with students participating in general education classrooms when possible and receiving pull-out services as needed. The school has three self-contained Special Education classrooms:

• Early Learning Support (ELS): Serves K-2 students with various disabilities, capped at 10 students with one teacher and an aide.
• Specific Learning Support (SLS) & Independence & Learning Support (ILS): Serve 3-5 grade students, capped at 12 students, with one teacher and an aide.

Related services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, adaptive PE, and more are available for eligible students. Students may qualify for special education services or a 504 plan, and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed for each qualifying student.

For more information, contact the Special Education coordinator at genevieve.markey@k12.dc.gov or the 504 coordinator at justin.hargrove@k12.dc.gov.

Mental Health Services

Speak

Act &

Move

Mindfully

Multilingual Learners (MLs)

Lafayette has a significant population of students who collectively speak more than 15 languages. Our English as a Second Language (ESOL) program supports students with:

1. Language Acquisition: Helping students develop proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English, with an emphasis on building their vocabulary, grammar, and overall communication skills.
2. Academic Success: Ensuring that students can understand and participate in the general curriculum, often by providing extra support so they can keep up with the grade level expectations while improving their language skills.
3. Cultural Integration: Assisting students in adjusting to the culture and norms of the school and broader community, helping them feel comfortable and valued, and fostering an appreciation for diverse cultures.
4. Social and Emotional Support: Providing a safe and supportive environment where students can build confidence in their language skills and feel comfortable interacting with their peers and teachers.
5. Parent and Community Involvement: Encouraging communication with families and supporting them in helping their children succeed, including providing information in multiple languages or through other means to ensure parents are engaged in their child’s education.
6. Language Development for All Areas of Life: Supporting students in learning English not just for academic purposes, but also for daily communication, so they can succeed in social situations and thrive in the community.

The ESOL program focuses on building the language foundation needed for students to succeed in school and later in life, while also addressing their unique needs as language learners.