SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings Stuart-Hobson community,

What a weekend to celebrate as we wrap up the school year! I hope that the extra day off this weekend allows everyone to fully celebrate Juneteenth and Father's Day! We only have four more days of classes before the end of the term and will promote our 8th grade class on Wednesday morning!

Everyone should note that grade books will close and grades for the year will finalize at the close of business on Friday. Please make sure students take every opportunity to resubmit assignments eligible for revision and to turn in any late or missing work before the end of the week. We want everyone to finish on a strong note this term so we have momentum for the beginning of next school year.

70% of families and students enrolled for next school year and our rising 7th and 8th graders are in a tie for first place! As a reminder, we have staff available to assist with enrollment in-person and you can re-enroll online anytime and in just a few minutes. Thanks to everyone who has chosen SHMS again for the upcoming school year and please reach out if we can help you finish your enrollment! To those who have not enrolled, we hope you can help us reach 100% of our goal by the end of the week!

Next weekend will signal the official start of summer for students, families, some staff, and the newsletter. moving forward, the newsletter will become more intermittent and will include information about summer programs and preparation for the upcoming school year.

I hope everyone continues to have many reasons to celebrate in the days ahead and here's to a strong week and finish to the school year!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

This Week:

'The 3-week DCPS meals menu can always be found here.

Monday

• Juneteenth Observed, School Closed

Tuesday

• A great instructional day!

Wednesday

• A great instructional day!
• 8th Grade Promotion, 10:00 AM

Thursday

• A great instructional day!

Friday

• Last day of school for students!

Upcoming Dates

• August 19 & 22-26, Pre-Service Week for Teachers and Staff
• August 29, First Day of School for Students

Football

Tuesday: (Practice) 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Thursday: (Practice) 4:00pm-5:30pm

***We are accepting athletic forms for SY2022' - 2023'***

Participation Form: All students must complete a participation packet every school year. Additionally, the medical forms must be completed within the prior 365 days. We encourage you to have your healthcare provider complete these forms before the school year and attach them to your participation packet.

1. MS/ES Participation Packet

Click on the link below to submit the athletic forms online.

https://dcgov.seamlessdocs.com/f/0cnnnbhmck7h

***March 25, 2022 UPDATE***

After further consultation with the OSSE, we have determined that we have met the full threshold of required instructional days and can end the school year for our students on that Friday, June 24 barring any unplanned school closures. The last day of school for staff will be the Monday, June 27 Records/PD Day. Updated calendars are available at this link.

Thank you to Coach Smith and Coach McGhee for organizing and facilitating the 1st Annual Panther Track Invitational here at SHMS last Monday afternoon. Athletes from all three of our feeder schools competed and mingled during an afternoon of friendly competition!

Thank you to the Cluster PTA for organizing Thursday night's Summer Send-Off Soiree! Although the weather report tried to scare us away, we still had many families, students, and staff come together for a summer meal, socializing, and some games. Thank you to our caterer and parent of an SHMS alumnus, Ms. Valerie Woods, for preparing a delicious meal!

Thank you to our staff, students, and families for participating in some very fun end of year trips. Students in 6th and 7th grade had the opportunity to spend a day at Six Flags while our 8th graders had their end of year dinner & dance cruise on The Odyssey!

Use this form to shout out a staff member or team. Shout-outs will find their way into staff meetings, newsletters, and mailboxes. Thank you!

You can find the latest edition of our student paper, The Panther Gazette, online for easy access anytime and on-the-go!

In light of the past week's events, I want to remind everyone of the many protocols and policies that are in place to maintain our safety as a school community. Here are a few essential structures that keep us safe:

• Daily presence of contract security and school-based behavior support team to assist with supervision of students and visitors, including conducting weapons abatement screening.
• Maintenance of a school-based Emergency Response Team (ERT) that maintains our Emergency Response Plan, facilitates monthly emergency drills, and is prepared to respond in real emergency situations.
• Staffing multiple mental health providers and partners to support staff, students, and families who are in crisis or in response to a crisis.
• Collaboration with other DC government agencies (e.g. MPD, DGS) to address safety concerns and vulnerabilities swiftly and comprehensively.

We will continue to conduct safety drills during the last month of school, including a fire drill evacuation and Severe Weather Safe Area drill.

Please reach out if you have any questions or would like additional information about our policies and procedures related to emergency response and general safety.

Thank you for helping us move to almost 70% of our enrollment goal in the opening months of enrollment season! We aspire to enroll 90% of families for next school year by the end of next week! See below for ways that you can help us hit that target!

The Stuart-Hobson Middle School team looks forward to welcoming your rising 6th, 7th and/or 8th grade student into our diverse and dynamic Capitol Hill Cluster School community. You can also learn more about our school by viewing our school's recorded Open House webinar.

Enrolling can be quick and easy for families, and we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. For your convenience, visit this website to complete your enrollment online: dcpsenrollment. Families are also invited to complete enrollment by visiting our SHMS main office between 8:00 am-4:30 pm Monday through Friday. See above for extended Friday night hours.

Our signature enrollment events will be our Special Saturdays. We are excited to invite interested Watkins, JO Wilson Ludlow-Taylor and in-boundary students with a completed DCIAA medical waiver to join us for our Cluster Basketball Clinics on Saturdays. Bring your children for engaging athletic practice and skill building while family members are invited to complete enrollment in our school main office. See the graphic below for details. Contact Athletic Director Mr. Strong or Basketball Coach Troy Henderson for more information

We welcome all parents to make the school choice that best suits their child and family needs. If your student will not be joining our SHMS community, please contact the main office informing our team of your student's new school. We will provide you with appropriate documentation to be removed from our school roster and mailing list.

We look forward to supporting our families through this enrollment season and welcome you to contact AP Turner with questions.

**The information below is new or an updated version of something announced previously! **

You can find previously released newsletters and information here.

The most current version of the Student & Family Handbook is linked on our website.

See the flyer above and detailed position descriptions attached at the end of the newsletter. We hope you will consider joining the PTA or nominating another parent for one of these positions!

Spanish 1A

This Spanish course is the first part of Spanish 1 and is intended for middle school students. Learners develop the ability to communicate about themselves and their immediate environment using basic language structures and vocabulary. They begin to study the following themes in order to function in a variety of real-world situations: student life, social life, family life, community life, and the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. The expected proficiency level by the end of the course is Novice Mid-High, as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines.

Credit Value: 0.5

Registration Period: April 25 – May 27

Program Dates: July 5 – August 5, 2022

Summer Site: Sousa MS

Eligible Students: Rising 7th and rising 8th grade students (Current 6th – 7th graders promoted at end of SY21-22). Student must have not already earned a passing mark in Spanish 1A.

Point of Contact: Elizabeth Sauler, elizabeth.sauler@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Spanish 1B

This Spanish course is the second part of Spanish 1 and is intended for middle school students. Learners continue to develop the ability to communicate about themselves and their immediate environment in Spanish using basic language structures and vocabulary. In order to function in a variety of real-world situations, they continue to study the following themes: student life, social life, family life, community life, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. The expected proficiency level by the end of the course is Novice Mid-High, as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. This course will help ensure that rising 9th graders are leaving Middle School with 1 full World Language credit and are prepared to enroll in a Level II World Language course in High School (2.0 WL credits total needed for graduation requirement).

Credit Value: 0.5

Registration Period: April 25 – May 27

Program Dates: July 5 – August 5, 2022

Summer Site: Sousa MS

Eligible Students: Rising 9th-grade students (Current 8th graders promoted at the end of SY21-22). Students must have already earned a passing mark in Spanish 1A.

Point of Contact: Elizabeth Sauler, elizabeth.sauler@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Algebra I Original Credit Accelerator

A limited number of incoming/rising 9th-grade students will have an opportunity to be scheduled in one (1) high school credit-bearing course in which if successfully completed, will count towards DCPS’s graduation requirements but will not count towards or against the student’s GPA upon officially becoming a high school student. Students must be incoming/rising 9th graders (9th grade during the 2022-23 school year).

Credit Value: 1.0

Registration Period: May 2-May 27, 2022

Program Dates: July 5-August 5, 2022

Summer Site: Jefferson MS

Eligible Students: Eligibility Criteria: Students must satisfy all criteria below:

• Performing Mid/Late/Above grade level based on 8th Grade iReady MOY Score (541+)
• Average student performance on ANet is 50% or above
• Student earned an “A” in their SY 2021-2022 math course

Technology: Students who are accepted into the program will need access to laptops. Students who receive a seat in the program and do not have access to technology should contact their current school directly.

Point of Contact: Gabe Cartagena, gabriel.cartagena@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Art for Original Credit

This Art course is a foundational study of art content integrating the areas of artistic perception, structure and function of design; American and world art historical and cultural context; art criticism; connections to other disciplines, technology, and careers; and the artist's role in society. It is designed to provide students with the tools to interpret and communicate about works of art, as well as learn the skills and knowledge necessary to produce each art form​. The intended outcome is artistic literacy. This standards-based course provides students with a greater understanding of historical and cultural perspectives, enabling a celebration of cultural diversity and global views. As citizens of Washington, DC, students will benefit from gaining a broader perception of their environment through architecture and design education. To facilitate comprehension of art concepts, meaningful hands-on learning experiences allow for personal growth and creative expression. A variety of art forms and media are developed in drawing, painting, sculpture, digital technology, printmaking, and advertising design, among others, leading to a reflective portfolio. As students apply the principles of aesthetics and art criticism, they begin a lifelong appreciation of the arts.

Credit Value: 0.5

Registration Period: March 28-May 27, 2022

Program Dates: July 5-August 5, 2022

Summer Site: Dunbar HS

Eligible Students: Rising 9th graders (current 8th grade students promoted at the end of SY2021-2022)

Point of Contact: Mary Lambert, mary.lambert@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Health for Original Credit

This course provides learning experiences related to health concepts and safety practiced in the maintenance and improvement of body efficiency, including health skills in coping with life situations, sexual behaviors that result in HIV, AIDS, or other STDs; consumer concerns, environmental health, family life; mental and emotional health; prevention and control of disease, alcohol, drugs, and tobacco; and an introduction to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills. Students will be able to analyze their own eating habits and make recommendations for improvement; explicate the impact of drug use and abuse on the body, create a plan for home safety, and investigate issues related to human sexuality.

Credit Value: 0.5

Registration Period: March 28-May 27, 2022

Program Dates: July 5-August 5, 2022

Summer Site: Dunbar HS

Eligible Students: Rising 9th graders (current 8th grade students promoted at the end of SY2021-2022)

Point of Contact: Miriam Kenyon, miriam.kenyon@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Outdoor Pursuits (NEW!)

Involving children in hands-on learning outdoors provides them strong links to the natural world and encourages healthier lifestyles. Outdoor Pursuits will engage students in outdoor and indoor activities over three weeks. The hands-on and experiential learning techniques students will engage in have also been shown to increase student interest and learning in all areas. Outdoor Pursuits Programs involve hands-on activities outdoors in nature. These programs also encourage action and leadership in students by exercising their critical thinking and creative skills and giving students the knowledge and confidence to make their own decisions and try new and exciting physical adventures outdoors.

Outdoor Pursuits is an all-encompassing summer enrichment experience. Students will participate in all the activities listed below:

Hiking and Orienteering: There are several intriguing and fun trails in DC for students to explore, where they learn map reading and compass skills. While hiking, students will get the chance to truly immerse themselves in the natural world. The experiential learning-based hikes along various trails will bring DCPS students up close to amazing flora and fauna, all of which is literally in their own community and will gain an appreciation of the kind of outdoor physical experience they can have so close to home.

Parkour: Each school site will have a Parkour course built out. Students will learn how to safely move using a variety of jumping and landing techniques, rolls, and vaulting. Students will improve their skills through safe progressions so that they will be able to use the outdoors as a creative way to exercise.

Rock Climbing: Students will travel to a specially equipped gym where through rock climbing, they will develop essential decision-making skills to ensure the safety of self and others. Students will learn rock climbing basics on a variety of traverse walls with progressive challenges improving their muscular endurance and flexibility.

Adventure and Cooperative Challenges: During the afternoon, students will then hone their outdoor pursuits skills and further develop lifelong physical activity and communication skills while experiencing in depth and challenging team building and outdoor education-based physical activities.

Registration Period: April 11-May 27, 2022

Program Dates: July 11-July 29, 2022, 9:00 am-3:30 pm

Summer Sites: Jefferson MS Academy; McKinley MS; & Sousa MS (Students enrolled in Outdoor Pursuits will be scheduled for the full day and all activities)

Eligible Students: Rising 6th – Rising 8th grade students (Current 5th – 7th promoted at the end of SY21-22)

Point of Contact: Miriam Kenyon, miriam.kenyon@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DCPS Band Camp (New!)​​

Band Camp will provide current traditional public school students who attend District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) the opportunity to begin or continue their instrumental musical learning. Students will develop the needed skills to become proficient in playing an instrument, reading music, learning the necessary skills and etiquette to become a successful musician, and prepare them to perform at the high school level.

This opportunity will conclude with a final performance for the community.

​Registration Period: April 11-May 27, 2022

Program Dates: July 5-August 5, 2022

9:00 am-3:30pm

Summer Sites: Jefferson MS Academy, MacFarland MS, McKinley MS, Kelly Miller MS

Eligible Students: Rising 6th, 7th & 8th graders (Current 5th, 6th, & 7th graders promoted at the end of SY21-22)

Point of Contact: Mary Lambert, mary.lambert@k12.dc.gov

Registration: Register here

SHMS Summer Opportunities for Math Acceleration

We are excited to share some emerging plans for summer learning and support at SHMS. Please see below for some in-person offerings that we have planned for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in Math. Please note that these are not mandatory and are aimed at supporting students in getting a jump start with content that they will encounter during SY 2022-23.

Session 1 (w/Mr. Broome): 2 weeks, 7/11-7/22

• Math 7 Readiness (9am-11am)
• For rising 7th graders and rising 6th graders interested in taking Math 7
• Math 6 Readiness (12pm-2pm)
• For rising 6th graders

Session 2 (w/Ms. Rosera): 2 weeks, 7/25-8/5

• Math 8 Readiness (9am-11am)
• For rising 8th graders and rising 7th graders interested in taking Math 8
• Equations Boot Camp (12pm-2pm)
• For Algebra 1 students

Please note that students must be enrolled for SY 2022-23 to participate in these opportunities. Please complete this interest survey so our team can begin planning for these sessions. Lastly, should we have any capacity challenges we will use date of enrollment / re-enrollment to prioritize students for participation.

If you have any questions about SHMS Summer Math, please reach out to Ms. Rosera at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov .

​DCPS Summer Pre-Algebra Opportunities

If you're interested in a more intensive experience, here is a summer math option for students provided at the district level who are interested in pre-algebra topics. Successful students will be more prepared to tackle grade level math content and continue towards an accelerated path to build a strong foundation that will better prepare them for Algebra I by the end of their 8th grade year.

The course will run from July 5th to August 5th at Jefferson Academy. If parents or anyone would like to sign students up for the course, the link is here. Space is limited for this opportunity, so please sign up ASAP if you are interested.

This summer, DCPS CTE is offering a new and exciting summer enrichment program for middle school students. Students will have a chance to explore four types of tech including Apple coding, Raspberry Pi, Robotics, and graphic arts at three different middle schools across the district. We look forward to hosting your young scholars this summer and are excited to give them this opportunity! Please see the flyer below for more information as well as course descriptions.

There are only a limited number of slots available, so encourage your students to sign up soon using this link, https://bit.ly/3KTp7iY. or they can visit https://dcps.dc.gov/summer.

As we are all aware, middle school is a period of incredible development. Students are busy exploring and making sense of the world and much of that learning is influenced by the diverse communities they belong to in and outside of school. We also aspire to maintain a safe school environment that is free from any discriminatory, biased, or hateful language or interactions with and among students. Thus, it is important for us to teach students about acceptable and appropriate language, especially as they begin to explore and make sense of new aspects of their own and classmates' identities.

We have been incorporating opportunities for students to learn about appropriate language into our daily advisory lessons. We expect that these lessons will help students learn about ways that their communication and exploration of new subjects can be done safely. We encourage all adults in our school community to support students in learning and using language that is free from any harmful -isms, e.g. racism, sexism, ableism, genderism, etc. Attached to this newsletter you should find two brochures that outline DCPS' approaches and policies for supporting our LGBTQ+ community. We will continue this work throughout our time with students and thank everyone for supporting us outside of the school day too!

As a reminder, Mr. Thrift facilitates our Panther PRIDE group and is our school point of contact for LGBTQ+ programming and questions. You can reach him at john.thrift2@k12.dc.gov

We will be reviewing our school's mission and vision statements this Spring and summer and are planning opportunities for all members of our school community to participate in that work. Students will do this work during the school day and staff will have opportunities during our professional learning time.

Because of the generous donation of an anonymous member of our school community, we will be able to engage with parents and families with a specific focus on how race and equity show up and influence our work with students. Using the affinity group format, we will have three facilitated discussions where we will discuss how our mission and vision building, with race and equity in mind, can improve all students' sense of belonging and well-being at SHMS. We are so excited to begin this work and hope you will save these dates so you can join us:

March 30, 6:00-7:30

April 27, 6:00-7:30

May 18, 6:00-7:30

We are so excited to begin this work and are grateful to the PTA, our anonymous donor, and the Race & Equity Committee for supporting us here. We will share more details in upcoming newsletters.

Starting Monday, February 7, 2022, DC youth 18 years and younger or parents or guardians on their behalf, are eligible to receive multiple-day meal kits from one of 10 DCPS open meal site locations every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

Launching the New Assessment Guide for Families!

The DCPS Assessment Guide for Families is a resource to assist families with understanding their student’s assessment results. This guide provides an overview of the uses of diagnostic and curriculum-based assessments.

Aspen Family Portal accounts have been available since the week of August 23rd. Returning families should be able to access their account using their username and password from last school year. New families will receive an email from Aspen Family Portal when their family portal account is available to use (check your junk and spam folders for the invitation).

The Portal allows you to keep up with progress in school - including grades, assignments, attendance, and more. The goal of DCPS' new digital portal is to create an open line of communication between home and school.

To Access the Portal:
1. Visit https://aspen.dcps.dc.gov
2. Make sure pop-up blocking is disabled for your browser
3. Your user name will be provided via email
4. Your temporary password will be provided via email
NOTE: Both user name and password are case sensitive
5. Click Log On to access the system. You will be prompted to fill out some information to change your password so that in the future you can click "I forgot my password" to receive a new password.

How to Navigate the Portal:
This flyer gives you the Parent Portal basics:

• What you need to know about the Parent Portal
• Lo que necesita saber sobre el Portal de Padres

Also, we recommend that families download the Grade Corner app to their smartphones or other devices. This app was created by an SHMS parent, requires an Aspen login, and allows you to see all of your student's grades in one place. In addition to seeing report cards, it is a quick and easy tool for keeping tabs on your student's progress.

Social distancing doesn't mean fashion gets thrown to the wind. Show your Panther pride during your next class, meeting, or virtual friend meet-up. Check out the clothing and gear that are available at our new school store!

Families, staff, and students will be able to buy custom Stuart-Hobson Panther gear. You can find the latest name brands on your custom SHMS gear.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Howard, devin.howard2@k12.dc.gov

Attendance Corner:

Welcome to the Attendance Information Corner for Stuart-Hobson Middle School. My name is Ms. Hargrove and I will be providing attendance updates to families in this corner. Parents, it is crucial that you get your child to school on-time and attending all classes. Please take a moment and read the 80/20 rule below. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me and I will be able to discuss it with you.

80/20 Attendance Rule:

This rule states that a student must not miss more than 20% of their day to be marked present. If a student misses 2 classes in a day, that student has missed 20% of the day and will be marked absent without a valid excuse. Please do your best to have your student present and on-time for school. If your student has a valid excuse for being late, please provide documentation to Ms. Hargrove by email:Clara.Hargrove@k12.DC.Gov, by text: 202-494-9747 or by calling the main office at 202-671-6010. If you need additional information on DCPS Attendance Policies, please go to the see the attached website: https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/Attendance-and-Truancy-Policy-SY%202021-22.pdf.

Attendance Celebration:

At Stuart-Hobson Middle School, we like to celebrate our students’ achievements for attendance. We will host a monthly attendance celebration for perfect and improved attendance by our students. Perfect attendance is described as no tardies or absences from classes for the month. I want to thank the students that had perfect attendance and participated in the Jeans & Jersey Day on November 1, 2021. Our next attendance incentive will be our Annual Perfect Attendance Pancake Celebration on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

While some students regularly receive scheduled counseling and support from the many members of our mental health team, we want to remind everyone that all students are eligible to check-in with a social worker or counselor on an as needed basis too. If at any point in the school year you think that your student would benefit from the opportunity to meet or speak with a member of our team, please reach out to them directly or connect with a grade level administrator. We often help students navigate hardships like loss, grief, and change individually and in groups. Please reach out to a member of the team at any time if you would like to learn more!

Molly Smith, Social Worker, molly.smith@k12.dc.gov

Jessica Thompkins, Social Worker, jessica.thompkins@k12.dc.gov

Kimberly Harrington, DBH Social Worker, kimberly.harrington@dc.gov

Montrice Williams, CIS Social Worker, mwilliams@cisnationscapital.org

Jessica Schimmerling, Guidance Counselor, jessica.schimmerling@k12.dc.gov

Tomicula Willams, Guidance Counselor, tomicula.williams@k12.dc.gov

Kristin Dezen, kristin.dezen@k12.dc.gov

Craft and Chat started in Spring 2020 during distance learning and continued strong last school year. We are ready to start in-person and are excited for any and all students to join us! No art or craft experience necessary! Students are welcome to bring their own project but we will have art supplies available. This is an opportunity to slow down after the school day, be creative, and have community with others at Stuart-Hobson MS.

Craft and Chat will meet on Tuesdays from 3:45-4:30pm in classroom #G03 (Ms. Kensey’s room) starting Tuesday, 9/21/2021.

Any questions? Contact DBH Social Worker Kimberly Harrington (kimberly.harrington@dc.gov). See flyer above for more information.

Students can drop in as they can and we look forward to growing a joyful and creative community of students as the school year continues.

Email: eric.fraser@k12.dc.gov
Website: www.stuart-hobson.org
Location: 410 E Street Northeast, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: 202-671-6010
Twitter: @StuartHobsonMS