Hello Neighbors:
The days of summer are drawing to a close and back-to-school season is here. As our DC Public Schools students and educators get ready to return to the classroom on Monday – and many DC Public Charter Schools students are already enjoying their first weeks of learning – I want to share resources to help you and your family prepare for success and tell you about some of the things I and other Councilmembers have been doing to ensure our schools are ready to serve as the stable, secure, and productive environment our kids need to grow and shine.
The District’s Back to School Hub has all the information you need on enrollment, health record and vaccine requirements, and more.
Students can travel to school and school-related activities for free on Metrobus or Metrorail through the Kids Ride Free program. Students can continue to use their Kids Ride Free SmarTrip card from last school year through September 30. Distribution of new cards will take place at schools in the coming weeks.
Parents and community members are again welcomed to #ClapThemBack on Monday morning at schools in Ward 1 and across all eight wards as we wish our students a happy first day of school. This is a great way for friends and neighbors to help kick the year off with positive energy and encourage our students.
The first step toward helping our kids reach their potential is making sure they are in school. And we know that without investments in the mental, emotional, and financial well-being of our educational community, our kids will struggle to succeed.
That’s why in this year’s budget process, I worked with my Council colleagues to secure meaningful investments in the people who teach our children and the schools where our students learn.
When our kids don’t have working water fountains or bathrooms or are learning in an environment with rats and roaches, they don’t want to be in school. When safety issues like non-working cameras, broken locks and doors, and broken railings or bleachers aren’t addressed, it undermines student morale, educator effectiveness, and student and educator safety.
Our investment in the District government’s school readiness and HVAC repair funds will go toward making sure our schools are clean, well-maintained, safe environments so our students can focus fully on learning and being kids.
I firmly believe that every family in D.C. should have the necessary resources to ensure their children can achieve their full potential. And part of that means giving our teachers and other educators the support they need to help students achieve.
This year my Council colleagues and I once again restored cuts the Mayor made to the Pay Equity Fund for early childhood educators, which supports childcare providers to increase compensation for their staff and creates stability for a traditionally underpaid workforce. As one of the original authors of the legislation that established the fund, this was a top priority for me.
And it’s not just what happens inside the classroom that plays a pivotal role in the overall development and well-being of our students. As a mother of two young girls, I know and value the importance of engaging and enriching activities for youth.
That is why in 2016, I introduced the legislation that established the current Out-of-School-Time program and have fought to protect and expand it since then. My aim was to ensure access to high-quality learning opportunities beyond the traditional school day, preparing our children and youth for success in education, careers, and life. And now, parents and families can find all the options for before-and-after-school programming and enrichment activities in a centralized portal (MOST-DC).
In my final months on the Council, I will continue to advocate for community voices and experiences to inform how we move toward real, workable solutions to the problems that keep kids out of the classroom and see teachers walk out the door year after year. Chronic absenteeism and teacher retention are not issues we will solve overnight. It will take collaboration. It will take courage. We have more work to do as a Council and as a District to give our students the tools they need to succeed and our teachers the support they need to help them thrive.
I look forward to cheering on our students and educators as the school year begins.
Root for the home team with Ward 1!
Join your neighbors (and me!) to watch the Nationals take on the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, August 27 at 1:05pm as we celebrate Ward 1 Day at Nationals Park. Thanks to the generosity of the Nationals, our office has a limited number of free tickets for Ward 1 fans.
Tickets and are available on a first come, first served basis. You may request up to four tickets. We will keep a waitlist should there be cancellations or an opportunity to fulfill additional requests.
For more information or if you have questions about the tickets, please contact Niccole Rivero at nrivero@dccouncil.gov.
COUNCIL UPDATES
Collaborating to serve Ward 1
When I was first sworn in as a Councilmember, I pledged to do this work in partnership with you, the residents of Ward 1 and of the District. The people of Ward 1 are collaborative and caring, and there are few places where that is more apparent than in our constituent services work. Our team has built relationships across the ward that power this work and help us best serve residents on everything from trash pickup to construction to utility bill support and more. We wanted to share some recent highlights of our collaboration in the community.
- Prioritizing public safety: Public safety is top of mind for residents and for our team. We attended the North Shaw Alley Community meeting with MPD, the 3rd District Community Citizens Advisory Council, ANC 1B, and residents to address concerns including drug use, soliciting, and accumulation of bulk trash T, 7th, and 9 ½ streets. We attended a walkthrough with DPW, MPD, the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services, and the Department of Behavioral Health about ongoing public safety concerns in Mount Pleasant, and we provided information to constituents on gun violence concerns in Columbia Heights.
- Helping us help you: Our team attended sessions to learn more about the latest services that D.C. government agencies can provide so that we in turn can better serve residents. We heard from the Office of Unified Communications on improvements to the 311 app and the Department of General Services on its work to maintain District-owned properties.
- Talking trash: Summer heat can mean smelly trash and thriving rodent populations! We have worked with our partners at DPW and the Clean and SWEEP teams to make sure alleys are kept free from illegal dumping and bulk trash. And we’re working with our ANC colleagues to educate property managers and tenants on how to take care of waste to reduce rodents.
To submit a ticket for trash pickup, visit the 311 website or mobile app. For more information about rodent control, visit the DC Health website.
Our constituent services team is here to listen and to help. You can reach out and request assistance on our website.
Recess reminder
While the Council remains in recess until September 15, my office is open and ready to address constituent services issues and answer your questions as we prepare for legislative activity to resume.
During recess, our office is open 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Learn about Lead Free DC
Join DC Water for a virtual community meeting on lead water service line replacement on Wednesday, August 26 at 7 pm. Learn about expected replacement timelines, what happens when construction begins on your block, and how yards and public spaces are restored after work is complete.
Connect with employment resources for veterans
The Mayor’s Office for Veterans Affairs will host its monthly Veteran Resource Symposium on Thursday, August 27 at 12 noon at 899 N Capitol St NE. This month’s symposium will focus on employment resources for veterans, connecting attendees with career opportunities, workforce development programs, and services designed to support their professional goals. The DC Department of Employment Services will share information about employment programs, workforce resources, and opportunities available to District veterans.
Beautify your neighborhood with ANC 1E
Meet your neighbors in Bruce Monroe Park on Saturday, August 29 at 11 am to beautify neighborhood tree boxes. Expect to do some cleaning, mulching, and planting.
Give feedback on services for residents with disabilities
DC’s Rehabilitation Services Administration invites community stakeholders, advocates, or business networks who serve residents with disabilities to share their experience in the 2026 Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment. Your feedback will help identify service gaps and strengthen supports for residents with disabilities.
Take the survey here. If you need an alternative, accessible format, send a request to rsa.vrcsneedsassessment@dc.gov.
Become a student leader on climate issues
Sierra Club DC is accepting applications for its Climate Leaders Program, an environmental training and mentorship program for students in their freshman, sophomore, or junior year in the 2026-27 school year. Students will learn from local climate experts with peers from all eight wards. Participants in the program can earn community service hours or a $700 honorarium. The deadline to apply is Monday, August 31.
Freedom 250 Grand Prix Road Closures
This weekend the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will take place in the District. In conjunction with the buildout, security requirements, and cleanup for this event, there will be parking restrictions and street closures now through September 3.
Learn more here and view a full map of impacts here.
IN THE NEWS
ABC7
One year since President Trump took control of DC police, city leaders react
“Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau held the first council roundtable so that D.C. residents could document [the potential human rights violations resulting from the coordination]. ‘It was a really dark moment a year ago when we found out that President Trump planned to take over our police force and send the National Guard to our city,” said Nadeau. ‘We’ve weathered it.”
SUNRISE ON THE HILL
Washington grapples with a National Guard deployment extended until 2029
Councilmember Nadeau’s interview appears at the 04:30 mark in the video.
CALENDAR
Council is on recess
July 15 to Sept. 15
Council offices are open and staff are available
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, September 2, 7 pm | online
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B Monthly Meeting
Thursday, September 3, 6:30 pm | online
Council offices are closed in observance of Labor Day
Monday, September 7
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, September 15, 7 pm | online and in-person at Mt. Pleasant Library (3160 16th St NW)
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, September 16, 7 pm | online and in-person at LAYC (1419 Columbia Road NW)
Council Legislative Meeting
Tuesday, September 22, 12 noon | online and in-person at the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW)
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E Monthly Meeting Wednesday, September 23, 7 pm | online
CONTACT US
Brianne K. Nadeau | Councilmember | bnadeau@dccouncil.gov
Abigail Boshart | Deputy Committee Director | aboshart@dccouncil.gov
Nicole Bramstedt | Senior Legislative Assistant | nbramstedt@dccouncil.gov
Amanda Chulick | Senior Legislative Assistant | achulick@dccouncil.gov
David Connerty-Marin | Communications Director | dconnertymarin@dccouncil.gov
Sean Cuddihy | Committee Director | scuddihy@dccouncil.gov
Kara Dunford | Communications Manager | kdunford@dccouncil.gov
David Meni | Deputy Chief of Staff & Legislative Director | dmeni@dccouncil.gov
Maricela Nava | Deputy Chief of Staff & Scheduler | mnava@dccouncil.gov
Sabrin Qadi | Deputy Legislative Director | sqadi@dccouncil.gov
Norma Rivera | Constituent Services Specialist | nrivera@dccouncil.gov
Niccole Rivero | Chief of Staff | nrivero@dccouncil.gov
Eliza-Roche Robinson | Constituent Services Specialist | errobinson@dccouncil.gov