SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings Stuart-Hobson community,

Even though students do not have school tomorrow, they do have until the end of the day to submit any late, missing, or revised assignments to count for term three. We begin PARCC testing and the final quarter of the year on Tuesday morning.

More than 10% of families have already enrolled for the upcoming school year. If your student is joining us next year, please complete your enrollment online or by contacting the main office for support as soon as possible. We hope to have at least 75% of our students enrolled for next year by May 1st! Also, enrolled students and families will be eligible for upcoming raffles which will include gift cards, early enrollment to after-care for next school year, SHMS yard signs, and more!

Only four school days until Spring Break, let's have a great kickoff to PARCC testing and the fourth term!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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As a reminder, all current and past newsletters are posted on our website for your reference.

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Monday

• End of Term 3, Records-Keeping and Professional Learning Day, no school for students

Tuesday

• First day of Term 4!
• PARCC Testing: Algebra

Wednesday

• A great instructional day!
• PARCC Testing: Algebra

Thursday

• A great instructional day!
• PARCC Testing: Science
• National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony, 6:30-7:30, Auditorium
  

Friday

• A great instructional day!
• PARCC Testing: Science

Upcoming Dates

• April 17, DC Emancipation Day observed, schools closed

• April 18-21, Spring Break, no school for students or teachers

• April 25-27th, 2023: 6th Grade Math; 8th Grade ELA

• April 28, Last day of GW tutoring

• April 29, Enrollment Saturday, 9:00-12:00

• April 29, Cluster Kickball Tournament, 2:00-4:00, Stuart-Hobson MS field

• April 30, Last day of GW tutoring

• May 2-4, 2023: 7th Grade Math, 8th Grade Math
  

• May 3, Bike and Roll to School Day

• May 9-10, 2023: 6th Grade ELA, 7th Grade ELA
  

• May 21, Capitol Hill Classic 10K, 3K, and Fun Run

• May 29, Memorial Day observed, schools closed

• June 19, Juneteenth observed, schools closed

• June 21, 8th Grade Promotion

• June 22, Last day of school, students

• June 23, End of Term 4, Records-Keeping and PD Day, teachers & staff

Participation Forms

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

Boys' Cross-Country: DCIAA 2nd Place

Girls Soccer: Advanced to the DCIAA Semi-Finals

Volleyball: Advanced to the DCIAA Semi-Finals

Archery: Advanced to the DCIAA Semi-Finals

Girls Basketball: Advanced to the DCIAA Semi-Finals

Boys Basketball: Advanced to the DCIAA Semi-Finals

* (May 13) Student-Athlete Awards Cermony @ SHMS 11:00am - 1:00pm .

Football

Tuesday: 3:45pm - 6:00pm (Strength & Conditioning)

Wednesday: 3:45pm - 6:00pm (Strength & Conditioning)

Thursday: 3:45pm - 6:00pm (Strength & Conditioning)

Head Coach: Stanley Stancil

Email: sstancil1@gmail.com

Baseball

Tuesday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)

Wednesday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)

Thursday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)

Friday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)

* April 25 (First Game) Stuart-Hobson vs. Hardy @ Taft Field

Head Coach: William Harrison

Email: williamh696@gmail.com

Outdoor Track & Field

Wednesday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice)

Thursday: DCIAA Developmental Meet @ Spingarn HS 1:00pm

Head Coach: Taurus McGhee

Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov

Head Coach: Mark Smith

Email: Mark.smith3@k12.dc.gov

Athletic Coaches Vacancies

Head Boys Soccer Coach

Head Softball Coach

Candidates interested in coaching or volunteering. Send your resume to Richard.Strong@k12.dc.gov

It's time to enroll in DCPS for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year! Visit https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/ to complete enrollment and the lottery-match enrollment deadline is May 1.

Updated calendars for DCPS are available at this link.

SY 2022-23 Calendar

SY 2023-24 Calendar

School meal menus can be found here: dcps.dc.gov/menus

Thank you to SHMS parent, Ms. Tucker, for connecting Ms. Gordon and Mr. Frail with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland who stopped by SHMS on Monday to speak with some of our 8th grade students!

Stuart-Hobson MS had an amazing year at the district-wide National History Day competition. This year, our scholars took home prizes in almost every category. The Social Studies Department congratulates all of our NHD participants! Below is a list of our incredible representatives:

• 1st Place Individual Performance: “This Life Shall Reign”
• 1st Place Group Performance: “The Crisis”
• 1st Place Documentary: “The Great Obfuscation: Fossil Fuel Companies’ Climate Cover-up”
• 1st Place Individual Website: “Mary Edwards Walker: Expanding Frontiers for Women”
• 1st Place Group Website: “Belles of Baseball: The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League”
• 2nd Place Documentary: “Modal Jazz”
• 2nd Place Paper: “The Chernobyl Disaster: Learning from a Tragedy”
• 2nd Place Individual Exhibit: “Motown Sound”
• 2nd Place Group Exhibit: “The Galluccio’s Fight for Family”
• 3rd Place Documentary: “Thelonious Monk: Forging a New Sound in Jazz”
• 3rd Place Group Exhibit: “The Creation of the Internet and the Impact on Our Daily Lives”

Dear DC Public Schools (DCPS) Parents and Families:

It is our commitment at DCPS to ensure that our school environments are safe for students and conducive to teaching and learning. A large part of that commitment is providing timely communication around operations issues. This letter is to provide information regarding the recent high temperatures in several of our buildings.

Each year, DCPS works closely with the Department of General Services (DGS) to switch over our buildings from heating to cooling. This process, which occurs on a rolling basis around the city and on our school campuses, began on April 1 and will conclude mid-May. With the recent, unseasonably warm weather impacting our building temperatures, I want to recognize the discomfort of our students and staff.

For schools that have not already switched over, our DCPS Facilities and Operations Teams are working with school maintenance staff to implement temporary cooling solutions wherever possible.

For additional context on the annual switchover process and best practices for managing high temperatures, please see the attached one-pager from DGS. We look forward to the completion of this switchover on May 15.

Sincerely,

Ely Ross

Chief Operating Officer

DC Public Schools

As you may know, PARCC is coming up for our students, and we very much are looking for parent volunteers to assist on testing days. Please use this link to register if you are available to assist one of the days. We are looking for help with monitoring hallways, assisting with technology, and helping with materials.

The link is here for the sign-ups:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F4FAEAC2AA3FF2-shms

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Ms. Schimmerling

School Counselor

Applications are now open for the DCPS Chancellor Ferebee’s Parent Advisory Board for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Applications are available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese and Amharic (see attached flyers). For more information, visit: bit.ly/dcpschancellorparentboard.

Amharic: https://bit.ly/amhdcpsparentadvisoryboard23

Chinese: https://bit.ly/chidcpsparentadvisoryboard23

English: https://bit.ly/dcpsparentadvisoryboard23

French: https://bit.ly/fredcpsparentadvisoryboard23

Spanish: https://bit.ly/spadcpsparentadvisoryboard23

Vietnamese: https://bit.ly/vietdcpsparentadvisoryboard23

The 8th grade class of 2023 is seeking a keynote speaker for their promotion ceremony in June. We seek to maintain a tradition of identifying a SHMS, Cluster, and/or DCPS alumnus to connect with and inspire our students on the big day. We love for our students to hear from people who have walked in their footsteps and gone on to impressive achievements.

Students, staff, and families are encouraged to share any recommendations or nominations with AP Turner (katherine.turner@k12.dc.gov).

Dear DCPS Community,

I am writing to share updates to the DC Public Schools (DCPS) calendar for the upcoming 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, including an adjustment to the first day of school.

At DCPS, we work to develop a calendar that reflects the needs and preferences of families and staff, honors agreements with our labor partners, and adheres to the requirements of local regulations. To learn about our community’s calendar preferences, we engaged over 1,300 community members representing every DCPS school to provide feedback on the calendars that were released last spring.

Thank you to those who participated!

The recently passed Elections Modernization Amendment Act of 2021 necessitates a shift in the upcoming school year calendars as it requires DCPS to close on DC’s primary election day in June. As we explored options for this adjustment, we prioritized the feedback from the initial development of a calendar that included ending school prior to the Juneteenth holiday and minimizing the number of partial weeks.

Please note the following adjustments:

School Year 2023-2024

• School will start on Monday, August 28, 2023, instead of Tuesday, August 29.

• Tuesday, January 2, 2024, will be a professional development day for staff. There are no changes to the announced student schedule for winter break; classes will resume on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.

• Schools will be closed for teachers and students on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, for DC’s primary election day.

School Year 2024-2025

• School will start on Monday, August 26, 2024, instead of Tuesday, August 27.

• Friday, January 17, 2025, will be a professional development day. School will be closed for students.

• There is no DC primary election day in June 2025.

We also anticipate adjustments to the School Year 2025-2026 calendar, and we are working with city leadership to finalize those updates. It is our hope that sharing this information supports your planning for the years ahead with DCPS. You can review updated school calendars at dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-calendars.

Sincerely,

Lewis D. Ferebee, Ed.D.

Chancellor

Thank you for being a part of DCPS this school year, and we look forward to welcoming your family again next year. If you haven’t already, be sure to first learn about your in-boundary school and feeder school. If you received a lottery match – congratulations! To secure your seat at your matched school, you must complete enrollment by Monday, May 1.

Enrollment can be completed in the following three steps:

1. Complete the DCPS enrollment packet.

2. Provide proof of DC residency.

3. Submit your completed enrollment packet to your DCPS school.

We want to support you with enrollment, so if you need assistance, please contact your school or the DCPS Enrollment Team at enroll@k12.dc.gov.

Fiscal Year 2024 school budgets were recently published for all DCPS schools. Our recruitment and hiring processes are underway for the positions listed below. Some of these positions will be added to our budget this year, others reflect expected staff shifts and transitions. Please share this list of opportunities with colleagues and acquaintances who would be a great fit for our school community. In addition to applying to the DCPS pool of applicants by following the links below, interested candidates can express their interest in an opportunity by emailing our hiring team and/or Principal Fraser.

Aide, Administrative

Assistant Principal, 6th Grade Academy

Coordinator, Special Education (shared with Peabody-Watkins ES)

Custodian, RW-5

Social Worker (shared with Peabody-Watkins ES)

Teacher, Social Studies

Teacher, Special Education - Inclusion

Thanks everyone for spreading the word about these opportunities!

All students and all school-based staff — including partner staff, school-based service providers, and Early Stages team members — will be expected to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school on April 24 by uploading results to the centralized database. All schools have received COVID-19 tests to support this endeavor. Schools will send COVID test kits home with students on Thursday, April 13

More information about testing will be shared as the exams approach. Our current test plan schedule is as follows:

April 11 & 12, Algebra

April 13, Science (8th grade only)

April 25-27, 6th Grade Math & 8th Grade ELA

May 2-4, 7th Grade Math & 8th Grade Math

May 9-10, 6th Grade ELA & 7th Grade ELA

Make up testing will take place weekly on Mondays and Fridays and students will not have access to their DCPS devices (except for PARCC testing) beginning Wednesday March 22 through the end of PARCC testing.

Zearn Completion Rates (% of students completing 3+ lessons per week, last 4 weeks):

6th Grade: 21%

7th Grade: 18%

8th Grade: 22%

Reading Plus Completion Rates (% of lessons completed, last 4 weeks):

6th Grade: 26%

7th Grade: 13%

8th Grade: 18%

Research shows that students who complete at least four (4) Reading Plus lessons at 80%+ mastery and three (3) Zearn lessons are very likely to demonstrate more growth on benchmark assessments. Students who regularly meet/exceed these thresholds are likely to grow more on iReady and Reading Inventory (RI) by the end of the year. Further, performance on these assessments is likely to improve growth and performance on PARCC.

Math and literacy teachers will find different ways to build in time for students to complete Reading Plus and Zearn lessons and we encourage families to push their students to find time to complete the following on a weekly basis:

1. Students should complete at least four (4) Reading Plus lessons per week and aim for 80% or better on post-reading assessments.

2. Students should complete at least three (3) Zearn lessons per week.

Zearn and Reading Plus, which are both available on Clever, adjust the challenge level to student abilities so are one of the best ways that we can individualize challenges and supports for students. Please contact your student's Math or ELA teacher if you would like recommendations about other challenges and practice they could take on to accelerate their performance in math and literacy.

After a COVID hiatus, the Stuart-Hobson Yearbook is back! See below to order yours today. Select your student's first period teacher when completing the order form. Reach out to Molly Smith molly.smith@k12.dc.gov with any questions.

Every summer, DC Public Schools (DCPS) offers summer learning opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students. Students who take part in summer programming can form new friendships, strengthen academic skills, and prepare for the year ahead. There is no cost to attend a DCPS summer program!

From acceleration academies for elementary students, career exploration for middle schoolers, or credit courses for high school students—there is something for every DCPS student this summer.

Most programs will take place on weekdays between July 3 to August 4 for full or half-days and include breakfast and lunch.

There is also a focused English Learner Summer Academic Program for students learning English, an Extended School Year opportunity for students named by Individualized Education Plan (IEP) teams, and credit accelerators and credit recovery for high school students. Students eligible for these summer programs will hear directly from their school.

Additionally, rising 6th and 9th graders will have the opportunity to attend a “summer bridge” week at their new middle or high school this August. Please take time to check out the DCPS Family Guide for Summer Learning and explore the options available to you.

Registration for students currently in PK4 to 8th Grade is now open.

Click the registration button at dcpsstrong.com/summer, and you can complete the sign-up form on a phone, tablet, or computer.

Did you know all District residents who access healthcare services via DC Medicaid, Alliance, or the Immigrant Children’s Program must start renewing their health coverage again? Don’t miss out on important information- take time today to update your address, phone number, and email at districtdirect.dc.gov so the Department of Health Care Finance knows where to send your Medicaid renewal letter. If you need help, please call the Public Benefits Call Center at (202) 727-5355.

Throughout February and March, schools are being asked to administer brief online surveys of DCPS students and families about their perceptions of school behavioral health services.

We appreciate the perspectives of families and students in helping all schools better understand the experiences of students, families, and school staff when it comes to behavioral health.

We ask that families and students complete the survey (directions below) by March 31st. Families can take it on their own time and students will take the survey during advisory in school.

Take the School Strengthening Survey: survey will take 10 minutes in support of our learning community!

• Student survey (students can choose English, Spanish, or Amharic): STUDENT SURVEY
• Parent survey (parents can choose English, Spanish, or Amharic): FAMILY SURVEY

Thanks in advance for finding 10 minutes to help us gather some actionable data regarding our supports for families, students and staff alike! Below is additional information including QR codes to family and student surveys!

This is a reminder that the school's Lost and Found is located in the main lobby. We will soon donate anything that was not claimed after Term 2 and Term 3 items are already piling up (photo above). Per our school policy, we collaborate with the PTA to donate any unclaimed clothing at the end of each term.

If your student is missing anything, or you recognize any clothing in the recent photos below, please stop by or encourage your student to check the lost and found and retrieve their belongings.

Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC is a free bereavement camp for youth who are grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. Campers enjoy a full day of traditional camp activities and grief-focused workshops to help them explore a variety of ways to express themselves while developing skills in a safe, supportive environment. All the activities are specially designed to help campers express themselves and develop bonds with others. The Wendt Center believes that grief impacts the entire family system, therefore a portion of each session is dedicated to intentionally integrating caregivers and family members.

**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.

We have limited spaces available for our GW Math Tutoring Program this Spring. Students who participate will attend tutoring twice per week from 3:30-4:30pm and work on math skills to prepare for PARCC and other grade level tests. We have spaces available on the following sessions:

• Tuesday/Thursday
• Tuesday/Friday

Students who attend GW tutoring are expected to attend both days each week, and must be able to attend 90% or more of the sessions in in order to successfully complete the program. Tutoring will last from the end of January until the end of May.

Please email our math department head Ms. Rosera directly at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov if you are interested in signing up for tutoring.

It brings us great pride to announce that one of our school’s signature programs will be returning. Because of the hiatus that the pandemic put on this tradition, we are collaborating with the PTA to offer students in all grade levels the opportunity to participate in Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama in 2023. Typically, we take our incoming 6th grade class, but we want to accommodate students who missed this great opportunity during the past two years. Below is some information for interested families so you can begin planning for your students participation:

Space Camp Dates:

• April 10 to 12, 2023 6th Grade
• May 22 to 24, 2023; 7th and 8th Grades

How can I participate?

• All grade levels are invited for this year’s Space Camp Trip
• The 6th grade trip has a capacity of 90 students
• The 7th and 8th grade trip has a capacity of 90 students (45 per grade level)
• Chaperones: Please reach out to Ms. Lovelock or Mr. Howard if you are interested in chaperoning this trip. All chaperones, must be DCPS employees and/or have passed the clearance process for school-based volunteers

Criteria for Attending Space Camp:

• Students shall not have accrued 9 or more unexcused absences from start of school until November 2022
• Students shall have not received 4 or more behavioral referrals
• Students shall meet general criteria for field trip eligibility

Space Camp Payment Schedule and Process:

• Payments must be made as money orders, payable to "Stuart-Hobson Middle School"
• Families will receive a receipt after each payment.
• Funding will go towards transportation, food, and admission to Space Camp
• Our goal is to fundraise as much as possible to help offset costs for trip participants
• Payments can be received by Ms. Lovelock before school from 8:30 am to 9:30 am and evenings 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday

1st Payment of $250 due Nov. 14th

2nd payment of 250 due Dec. 2nd

3rd and final payment $205 Jan 6th

Spots will be reserved on a first paid basis and failure to meet subsequent payment deadlines may result in the loss of a student's spot on the trip roster.

Scholarships Available:

• 8 scholarships will be available for both trips
• 4 scholarships for 6th grade
• 4 scholarships for 7th and 8th grade (2 per grade level)
• Scholarships are available to families that demonstrate an economic hardship/need and whose student qualifies otherwise

Questions can be directed to Ms. Lovelock (tamara.lovelock@k12.dc.gov) or Mr. Howard (devin.howard@k12.dc.gov)

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Space Camp interest meeting last week! If you missed it or would like to see the slides, you can find all the information in the slide deck by clicking here or you can view the whole presentation by clicking here.

Any family that is interested in registering for Space Camp can sign up via this link, or reach out to Ms. Rosera at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov for more information. Financial assistance is available on a limited basis, and registrations will be accepted until the trip is full.

Note: If you would like a version of the video with closed captions/transcript, for whatever reason the downloaded video would not save them but please reach out to Ms. Rosera and she will send the "Stream" version directly.

Current NJHS students were invited to meet during their designated lunch periods on December 1, 2022 to discuss upcoming membership season, service projects, etc.

We are excited to kick-off the SY 22-23 recruitment period. Students who have earned a 3.75 GPA or better in all core courses for Term 1 are invited to attend an information session on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 during their designated lunch periods. During this meeting students will view a presentation outlining the requirements for membership. Each student will be allowed 48 business hours to discuss this information with parents and either accept or decline the invitation for membership.

7th grade students who decline the invitation will be eligible to receive an invitation next school year.

8th grade students who decline the invitation are encouraged to seek out the National Honor Society at the high school of their choice.

We look forward to working with your scholar this school year.

Best,

D’Ambra Taylor (dambra.taylor@k12.dc.gov)

Tomicula Williams-Leary (tomicula.williams@k12.dc.gov)

Co-Sponsors, SHMS NJHS

Join us to craft (or just doodle!), chat, and have community with each other! Crafts provided!

When: Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm

Where: Office #117

Why: To have fun, relax, and craft!

Who: YOU! ALL students are welcome!

Questions? See Ms. Harrington (kimberly.harrington@dc.gov, office #221)

As the weather has cooled off, we want to remind everyone that students are not allowed inside the school building after 3:30 PM unless they are participating in supervised, school-approved activity. If students do not have practice until later in the afternoon they should not wait in the building unsupervised for practice to begin, instead, they should leave at dismissal and return for their practice. Activity sponsors are responsible for student supervision anytime students are on campus or in the building after-school and in the evenings.

Additionally, please remember that because of space and supervision constraints, students may only attend athletic events as spectators if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian who will be responsible for them while they attend the event.

Unless in use for athletic events, students and families should plan for after-school entry and pick-up to occur at the main entrance at 410 E Street NE.

Thank you all for working with us to maintain a safe school community and after-school programming.

Please use this link to register for the SHMS chapter of We The Girls!

Contact Ms. Rouse or Ms. Bonner with questions or requests for more information.

Stuart Hobson Debate Team Tournament Schedule 2022-2023

Tournaments start at 8:30 am and end (roughly) by 5:30 pm
Breakfast and lunch are provided
Participants are responsible for transportation to and from host sites. Should a last-minute change in location occur, every effort will be made to spread the information.

Questions? Contact Mr. Plaisted, kip.plaisted@k12.dc.gov

Each DCPS school conducts one fire and one alternate emergency drill during the first three weeks of each month. The Alternate Drill for March is 500-ft Evacuation (For use when conditions outside are safer than inside).

When notification is made, students and staff will practice moving to an evacuation site that is at least 500 ft. away from the school building and return once directed to do so by the emergency response team.

If anyone has questions about preparedness or emergency procedures they may contact Mr. Howard, devin.howard@k12.dc.gov

We encourage everyone to use the referral QR codes above to connect students with our school mental health team at any time throughout the year. Also, attached to the newsletter is a document outlining DCPS' approach to school mental health programs and support. If you have any questions please reach out to a school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or administrator.

We are excited for the return to frequent academic and incentive field trips and excursions with students! As communicated to students during our most recent Town Halls, field trips are a privilege and opportunity to deepen learning and community connections. As such, we expect students to meet certain criteria to maintain eligibility for trips. Please note that students may not participate in a trip if they do not meet all of the following criteria:

• Passing ALL classes
• In-seat Attendance (ISA) is 90%+
• Fewer than 5 tardies (late arrival) to class per month
• Zero Tier 3-5 behavior infractions
• Fewer than 3 behavior referrals in term (or previous month)
• Mandatory testing (e.g. iReady, RI, etc.) complete

Administrators and teacher teams will review student eligibility prior to any scheduled trips. Please reach out to a grade-level administrator or field trip organizer with any questions about your student's participation or eligibility.

This SY22-23 Impact Aid Survey is available starting November 1, 2022. Each year, DCPS asks all families to complete the Impact Aid survey to generate additional federal funds for DCPS. This year, the surveys will be fully electronic using the Seamless platform. All eligible applications received by December 22 will be submitted as part of the initial application due on January 31, 2023. Using the surveys linked below, all DCPS families should complete one survey per child, not household, in their preferred language. While December 22 is our initial deadline, families will have until April 30, 2023 to complete the survey. All additional eligible surveys will be included in our application amendment due June 30, 2023. Please refer to this FAQ document for additional guidance.

• ​​​​​English
• Spanish
• Amharic
• Chinese
• French
• Vietnamese

If you have questions, please contact us at DCPSImpactAid@k12.dc.gov.

Lost/Stolen DCPS Technology

If your student's DCPS laptop is lost or stolen, email Ms. Tomlinson at jennie.tomlinson@k12.dc.gov immediately. Notification of lost or stolen technology must be provided to the school in writing. Phone calls or a conversation with a teacher or other staff member does not count as official notification of a lost or stolen item.

For stolen devices, you must file a police report and send a copy to jennie.tomlinson@k12.dc.gov. After the police report is received, DCPS will activate location tracking on the stolen device.

For lost devices, there is a waiting period before the school issue a replacement. Starting from the date the school receives written notification that a device is missing, the waiting period is 10 business days for a replacement laptop and 5 business days for a replacement charger or keyboard. During the waiting period, the student must diligently search the school each day, including in classrooms and common spaces like the gym and cafeteria. Most missing laptops turn up after a proper search. If the missing items have not been located after the waiting period, the student's parent or guardian must out to Ms. Tomlinson to schedule an appointment to sign the paperwork for a replacement.

Damaged Devices

Most accidental damage is covered under warranty. If a student's laptop is damaged, they should see Ms. Tomlinson in the library during first period or after school.

Technology Support at School

Ms. Tomlinson is available for technology support during first period (9:00 am - 10:10 am) and after school from 3:30 - 3:45 pm. Students must obtain a pass from their teacher in order to visit the library for tech support.

Technology Support at Home

Students and parents may call the DCPS Help Desk at 202-442-5715 for assistance outside school hours.

School uniforms are required while on school property, field trips (before or after school day hours), while attending After School All Stars and school-approved activities after 3:30 PM, unless athletic, dance or other specific apparel is required by the coach/leader.

Uniforms include:

o Long or short-sleeved solid red polo shirt/t-shirt. SHMS logo optional. Any non-SHMS logo on uniform shirts or sweatshirts must be the size of a $1 bill (1 dollar) or smaller

o Plain black cotton sweatshirts (front zip or pullover) and knit vests. No hoods.

o Khaki pants, skirts/shorts, worn at waist level.

o Comfortable closed-toed shoes or sneakers covering the entire foot. No sandals, slippers, or Crocs.

o Tops like crewneck t-shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts (no hoods) that show school pride (e.g. SHMS or CHCS logos).

While students may wear some of the following to and from school, they are expected to avoid wearing all of the following during the school day, on trips, and in after-school activities:

• Hoods over student's heads while inside school,

• Outerwear like jackets, fleeces, parkas, windbreakers, etc.,

• Metal studs on headbands and other accessories

• Khaki-colored leggings/ tights (worn in place of Khaki pants).

• Small purses or fanny packs

An SHMS logo is NOT required for any uniform attire. School uniforms may be purchased via Lands End, Target, Old Navy and other retailers. More information regarding our school uniform policy will be shared via our school handbook.

Uniform Non-Compliance Policy

Students should comply with the uniform policy daily. Uniform policy violations can be documented in Live School. Some uniform deficiencies can be remedied by the support team but the loss of instructional time should be avoided when supporting students in complying with the policy. If for some reason a student is out of compliance in your classroom you may reach out to a grade-level administrator or dean for support or remedy. Patterns of infractions should be handled like other Tier 1 and 2 infractions outlined above in the “Disciplinary Policy” section.

Teachers, staff, and administrators will be monitoring adherence to the following policies as students return from the Winter Recess:

1. Crewneck / V-Neck sweaters and sweatshirts: Students may wear crewneck / V-neck sweaters or sweatshirts that are solid RED, BLACK, or WHITE. Sweaters and sweatshirts in those colors with a logo smaller than a dollar bill are also acceptable.

2. School gear: Students may wear sweaters, sweatshirts, t-shirts (long / short sleeved), and polos that display the school logo. The dollar-bill size logo is waived for clothing showing school / Cluster pride.

3. Not Allowed: There is no change to the policy on other colors, outerwear, or hoodies. Outerwear, hoodies, and shirts that are not red/black/white are NOT ALLOWED to be worn during the school day.

4. Lockers: Students are expected to visit their lockers four times a day - before school, before lunch, after lunch, and at the dismissal bell. Outerwear (may be retrieved for outdoor recess before lunch and returned after lunch) and backpacks should remain in lockers throughout the day.

Failure to adhere to the above policies will result in redirections, student conferences, parent conferences, and the temporary confiscation of belongings that are out of compliance with the policy.

Aspen Family Portal

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.

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

We strongly recommend that families using iOS devices also download the "Grade Corner" app, which allows you to login to Aspen and monitor your student's grades and attendance in a streamlined app. The app was actually developed by an SHMS parent a few years ago.

Additionally, we will discuss student schedules during the family information sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday and hope you can join us for one of those virtual meetings!

DCPS is an inclusive school community and makes every effort to support all students. Below and attached are resources for LGBTQ+ youth, their families, and allies. We are grateful that Mr. Thrift is our liaison for this work at SHMS. Our Panther Pride club has resumed their meetings and you should expect more information in upcoming newsletters.

Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Thrift (contact information below) to support a student in building a relationship with this support network.

Email: john.thrift2@k12.dc.gov

Mobile: 202.703.4131

Office Hours: Mondays – 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Schedule a Conference with Mr. Thrift @ https://calendly.com/john-thrift2/30min

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

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