We are looking forward to an amazing first day of school on Monday, August 28th and to ensure students are prepared for success, I wanted to share some important information in advance.  

Staggered Start Monday, August 28th & Tuesday August 29th 

To support students in getting acclimated to arrival procedures and the building, arrival for students will be staggered by grade level.  

• Arrival for 9th & 10th Grade students will begin at 8:10 a.m. and students will report to their first period class which starts at 9:00 a.m. 
• Arrival for 11th & 12th Grade students will begin at 9:35 a.m. and students will report to their second period class which starts at 10:25 a.m. Please note, 11th and 12th grade students will be excused from their first period class on Monday, August 28th and Tuesday, August 29th.  

Entrances include the Main Lobby/Atrium or the DPR Pool Entrance. The regular arrival time of 8:10 a.m. for all students will resume on Wednesday, August 30th. Staff and Faculty members will be present at all entry points and throughout the building during arrival to answer questions, clarify student schedules and make sure students are comfortable once they arrive.  

Student Schedules  

As you may know, student schedules are available in the DCPS ASPEN portal. To access ASPEN, 

• Parents: Go to ParentPortal.dcps.dc.gov.  
• Students: Go to aspen.dcps.dc.gov/aspen.  
• Use the Login ID and Temporary Password provided in the account confirmation email. 
• For ASPEN-related questions, please contact Mr. David Thompson: david.thompson@k12.dc.gov.

Please note that student’s schedules posted on Aspen are not final; Jackson-Reed school counselors are still balancing classes and may make changes. Therefore, we encourage you to check your schedule just before the first day of school in case changes have been made. 

Our counseling team is working to ensure schedules reflect graduation requirements and proper pathways. If you believe that your student has a schedule discrepancy, such as they are enrolled in a course they have already taken and passed or have an incomplete schedule, a change request can be made using an online form. More details about this process will be sent later this week.