SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings SHMS community!

Students are done with the first half of the school year's classes and have until the end of the day tomorrow to turn in any late, missing, or acceptable revision work in order for it to count for their Term 2 marks. While students do not have school tomorrow our teachers and staff will be working to prepare for the launch of the third term and second semester on Tuesday morning. Please encourage your student to take advantage of the fresh start when they return to school.

I am excited that the beginning of the new term also marks a return to (mostly) normal weeks of school with fewer short weeks on the horizon. During the second half of the year we will work hard to prepare students for the DC CAPE exams and the next grade level. Speaking of preparation, we are fortunate that our counselors and 8th grade team are well-versed in preparing students and families for high school. I hope that the family night events, high school fair, and more recent high school help events with mock interviews have set all of our students and families up with confidence as the DC School Lottery application deadline for high schools approaches.

I hope to see you all at Wednesday night's Cluster Family Game Night where we can build community and have fun with the support of our neighborhood partner, Labyrinth Games & Puzzles. Let's have a great week together to kick off the second half of the year!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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Weekly Calendar

Monday, 1/27

• End of Term 2 Records-Keeping & PD day, no school for students
• Last day to turn in late, missing, or revised work for Term 2

Tuesday, 1/28

• First day of Term 3!
• High School Application Help Night, 5:00-7:00 PM

Wednesday, 1/29

• SHMS hosts annual Cluster Game Night, 6:00-8:00 PM

Thursday, 1/30

• A great instructional day!

Friday, 1/31

• A great instructional day!

Saturday, 2/1

• J.O. Wilson Elementary School PTA annual DC Camp Fair! Saturday, February 1, 2025 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM @ SHMS Gym

Upcoming Dates

• February 3, MySchoolDC Application Deadline for 9th-12th
• February 4, LSAT meeting, 6:30-8:00 PM
• February 5, Pupatella Pizza Night (8th Grade fundraiser), 4:00-7:30 PM
• February 5, NJHS Induction Ceremony, 2:00-3:00 PM
• February 12, Open House for Prospective Families, 6:00-7:30 PM
• February 14, District Professional Development Day, no school for students
• February 17, Presidents Day observed, schools closed

8th Grade Mock Interview and Application Nights

8th grade students and families applying for the My School DC Lottery for high schools are welcome to receive support in reviewing their high school essays and participating in mock interviews with members of the Stuart-Hobson Middle School community (including SHMS alumni and SHMS parents!)

Date(s): Tuesday, January 21, 2025 and Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Location: Stuart-Hobson MS Library

Questions? Please contact the SHMS Counseling Team at jessica.schimmerling@k12.dc.gov or alexis.wilson@k12.dc.gov.

SHMS partners with GW University for students to receive free math tutoring 90 minutes per week through their Math Matters program. Programming is available to interested 6th and 7th graders!

About Math Matters

Based out of the Nashman Center at George Washington University, Math Matters collaborates with DCPS to provide high-impact math tutoring to middle school students in Washington, D.C. Math Matters recruits and trains GW undergraduate and graduate students to be effective mentors and tutors.

Tutoring Details

- Tutors provide small group tutoring throughout the school year to groups of 3-4 students

- Students attend two days per week, 3:30-4:30pm (snack included)

- Tutoring curriculum is skill based, and is geared towards accelerating students towards grade level proficiency

- Tutoring starts as early as January 28 as soon as your child gets matched with a tutor

Sign Up

https://forms.microsoft.com/r/WmKaLCu2uy

Questions? Reach out to Ms. Rosera at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov

As a reminder, the total cost of the trip has been confirmed to be $250- congratulations and thank you for the great fundraising efforts!

• Payment 1: $100 (if new to the trip, pay ASAP only a few spots remain!)
• Payment 2: $100 due January 31
• Payment 3: $50 due February 28

We will re-run eligibility and invite any students who become eligible after Term 2 grades post in a few weeks.

If you have questions about payments, eligibility, or anything trip related please reach out to Ms. Rosera at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov.

As we enter the budget season, we are excited to hear from you—our valued community members—about your priorities for our school. Your voice is critical in shaping how we allocate resources to best support our students, staff, and programs.

Our Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) has created a Budget Priorities Survey to gather your input. This survey is an opportunity for you to share what matters most for your child’s learning experience and overall school environment.

We encourage all families to participate by completing the survey linked below. It should take no more than 10 minutes, and your feedback will directly inform budgeting decisions.

The survey will remain open until Friday, January 31.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping us make informed decisions to support our students’ success.

Eastern High School has organized a blood drive to take place at Eastern High School. Please register to give the gift of life.

Who is eligible: Anyone 16 year or older (students will need parental consent form signed)

When: Thursday, February 6, 2025

Time: 10:00am - 4:00pm

Where: Eastern HS East Capitol Street Entrance (Mobile Van)

For everyone thinking about childcare and enrichment options for next summer, please save the date for the annual DC Camp Fair, hosted by the J.O. Wilson PTA in partnership with HillRag. The wide variety of activities ranging from traditional camps to academic, arts, music, sports, early childhood, and special interest camps.Camps attend from in and around Capitol Hill and the DC-metro area, as well as some representatives from sleep away camps farther afield.

WHAT: DC Camp Fair
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Stuart-Hobson Middle School (410 E St NE Washington, DC 20002)

**Please note the venue change from previous years; J.O. Wilson is under construction.

This event is free and open to all; please help spread the word to neighbors and other interested families.

Please visit DCCampFair.com​​​​​​​ for more information, including a list of participating camps.

Stuart-Hobson’s Lost & Found is quickly filling up with jackets, hoodies, coats, and other belongings!

If your household is missing any items, please check the Lost & Found located in the cafeteria. All unclaimed items will be donated on Friday, February 7.

Let's get those lost items back where they belong!

Help us show future families why Stuart-Hobson is the place to be! Join us in representing our school at the Final In-Person Open House on Wednesday, February 12, from 6 - 8 p.m.

This is our last chance to welcome prospective families, share what makes our school special, and showcase our Panther pride! Whether you’re a student, parent, or staff member, your presence can make a difference.

Let’s come together to celebrate and support our amazing school community. We hope to see you there! Email Denise Diggs at denise.diggs@k12.dc.gov if you are able to support this important effort!

Join us for Pizza Night at Pupatella 301 Massachusetts Ave. NE to support our final 8th grade end of year activities fundraiser on Wednesday, February 5th all day. Order pizza or food from Pupatella and help us earn 20% of sales to reduce the cost of our Dinner, Dance, and Cruise and enhance our end-of-year experience. Order online or in-store.

ORDER ONLINE FOR PICKUP OR DELIVERY Use code GIVEBACK before checkout in the “Promo” field. Orders placed on Pupatella.com for pick up or delivery will be counted towards the fundraiser.

Contact AP Turner with any questions. Thank you for your support.

DCPS Family Guide for Summer Learning – Open Registration Begins Monday, January 27

Every summer, DCPS offers enriching summer learning opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students. These programs provide students the chance to build new friendships, enhance academic skills, and prepare for the upcoming school year—all at no cost to families. Breakfast and lunch are included for all participants, and programming will run from late June through late July for full or half days.

Key dates to remember:

• January 8: Priority invitations sent to families
• January 13 - January 22: Priority registration window (seats are not guaranteed)
• January 22 at 5:00 p.m.: Priority registration closes
• January 27: Open registration begins for grades K-12

Summer learning is only available to current DCPS students. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity! For more details and to register, visit https://dcpsstrong.com/summer/

The 2024-2025 Athletics’ Participation packet has been released. 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. If your student’s UHC has been updated recently, you are encouraged to complete the participation packet as soon as possible.

English Participation Packet

Spanish Participation Packet

Universal Health Certificate (UHC).

Students with certain medical conditions may also need to complete an Asthma Action Plan or an Anaphylaxis Action Plan

Please note that it is not necessary to submit a new participation packet for each season. A complete packet includes the DCIAA forms filled out in their entirety along with a Universal Health Certificate that was completed within the last year. ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BEFORE PARTICIPATION.

SHMS Athletics is seeking to hire coaches for the following teams. Professional and coaching résumés can be sent directly to Coach Drakeford.

Coaching Openings:

Indoor Track (Winter), and Track and Field (Spring), Head and Assistant Coaches

Please direct any questions about athletics to our Athletic Director, Coach Drakeford, latavia.drakeford-allen@k12.dc.gov.

Below please find food service menus for breakfast, breakfast grab and go, lunch and snack for this week!

The Mental Health Team at SHMS facilitated the annual suicide prevention program, Signs of Suicide, with all students in the beginning of the school year and wants to continue to provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to learn about this important topic.

TRAILS, a suicide prevention organization, is offering a free training for caregivers and community members to learn about suicide awareness and prevention.

Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Caregivers and Communities, Thursday, February 6 from 4:30-6pm. Discussion will take place via Zoom: https://bit.ly/TRAILS_2-6_training

If you have any questions about the mental health services offered at SHMS, you can submit a referral to the Mental Health Team and a team member will be in touch with you: https://bit.ly/referralSHMS

Do you have questions about mental health and behavioral health services at Stuart-Hobson? Would you like to talk to one of the counseling staff about support services for your student? Submit a request via https://bit.ly/referralSHMS or contact SHMS Social Worker Bernadette Wittschen at bernadette.wittschen@k12.dc.gov.

The Cluster is a strong community of families, and the PTA strengthens that community by working together to support our students and campuses. Joining the PTA is a great opportunity to learn more about our school, enrich the student experience, and meet new people. PTA dues help fund critical programs, as well as supplies for music, art, library, and athletics.

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

Important Links

Aspen DCPS Student and Family Login

Attendance Excuse Template

Capitol Hill Cluster Website

DCPS School Calendar SY24-25

DCPS School Mental Health Resources
Stuart-Hobson Special Education and 504 Plans

Stuart-Hobson Communications Plan - SY2024-25
Stuart-Hobson Uniform Policy

Stuart-Hobson Food Service Breakfast-Lunch-Supper Menus
Stuart-Hobson Behavior Expectation Matrices
Stuart-Hobson Student and Family Handbook