SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings SHMS Community!

Congratulations to our students and families – you have finished the first quarter of the school year! I hope that this milestone also marks high levels of engagement, academic success, and joy for your student. While students finished up the academic term our volleyball team claimed a second place finish after playing in the championship game on Wednesday and we had a ton of fun dressing up for our Fall Spirit Week themes, culminating in Picture Day on Friday. Thank you to everyone who supported and participated in these community building events.

Our teachers and staff will spend Monday beginning to enter term one marks and engaging in professional learning to make sure we are preparing for the next term and everyone is best equipped to support our students and meet their current needs. While the second term is no longer than others in terms of instructional days it often feels like the longest as it stretches through the end of January and has quite a few interruptions for holidays and the winter vacation. Athletic seasons will transition, mid-year showcases and performances will occur, and our recruitment events for future families will ramp up. All of this combined can make things feel very busy around school and we will work to keep students moving forward with learning while engaging in all of the additional activities.

Please remember that any late, missing, or revised work must be turned in by 11:59 PM on Monday night to be considered for Term 1 gradebooks. Additionally, we expect to mail report cards home just before the Thanksgiving recess so families have something to discuss and celebrate over the holiday break. We have a short week of instruction after Election Day and let’s use it to get students off to a strong start in the second term.

Remember, you can always contact the front office at 202-671-6010 or email me directly at eric.fraser@k12.dc.gov with any other questions or needs.

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

You can add additional preferred e-mail addresses to the distribution list here.

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

You can unsubscribe by scrolling to the bottom of any newsletter and pressing 'Unsubscribe'

Weekly Calendar

Monday, 11/4

• PD/Records Day for Staff: No school for students
• End of Term 1 - All outstanding assignments due to teachers before midnight

Tuesday, 11/5

• Election Day - No school for students and teachers
  
  

• The first day of term 2 and a great Instructional Day at Stuart-Hobson!
  
  

Thursday, 11/7

• Jazz Ensemble Performance at US Patent Office Veterans' Day Event
• Field Trip - 8th Grade to Laugh over Losing, Howard University
• Field Trip - DramaPlayers - Trip 1 to NYC

Friday, 11/8

• Field Trip - 6GA Incentive Trip to the Spy Museum
• Attendance Excuse Note Deadline: Please submit all outstanding notes and documentation for term 1 absences by 5 p.m. to stuart-hobsonms@k12.dc.gov.

Saturday, 11/9

• Children's National Community Health Event, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Children's National THEARC, 1801 Mississippi Ave, SE

Upcoming Dates

• November 4, End of Term 1 Records-Keeping and Professional Development Day, no school for students
  
• November 5, Election Day, no school for students or teachers
• November 7, 8th Grade Family Night 6-7 p.m. (virtual)
• November 7 - 11 Double Good Fundraiser
• November 11, Veterans Day observed, schools closed
• November 12, Attendance Incentive - Dress Down Day for 95% Attendance in October
• November 14, Fall Family Literary Night 6 - 7:30 p.m.
• November 15, DCPS Study Abroad Summer 2025 Program Application Deadline
• November 18, National Junior Honor Society Application deadline
• November 27 - 29, Thanksgiving Break, schools closed

National Junior Honor Society Application

The application to join the SHMS National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) will open on Monday, October 21, 2024. The application deadline is Monday, November 18, 2024 by 3:30pm.

Please click the following link to be directed to the application: https://tinyurl.com/SHMSNJHS2425

Why join NJHS?

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is an organization that recognizes middle school students who excel in scholarship, character, citizenship, leadership and service. Stuart-Hobson middle school students who are eligible must be current 7th or 8th graders AND have a minimum of a 3.5 cumulative GPA (calculated on final grades for the prior school year SY2024-2025). Applicants must complete the required application, and must demonstrate leadership skills, good character, and excellent school citizenship.

For questions, please contact either Ms. Schimmerling (jessica.schimmerling@k12.dc.gov) or Ms. Wilson (alexis.wilson@k12.dc.gov)

Every student deserves a world of possibilities! That's why DCPS developed a study abroad program. DCPS Study Broad ensures that our global citizens have access to global experiences, so that travel becomes the expectation rather than the exception for students. All DCPS 8th grade students who are studying a World Language are eligible for short-term study abroad programs on language immersion, cultural immersion, STEM, or service learning. DCPS Study Abroad trips are fully funded, including passport and visa fees, airfare, meals, supplies, and lodging. DCPS is going places! For more information and to apply, go to: https://www.dcpsglobaled.org/global-programs/dcps-study-abroad

Application Opens: October 15, 2024

Application Deadline: November 15, 2024 (11:59pm)

Families are invited to join a virtual study abroad information session at the dates/times below (links to join the virtual information sessions can be found on the DCPS Study Abroad website):

• Virtual Information Session 1: October 22, 2024 - 5:00pm to 6:00pm

• Virtual Information Session 2: October 29, 2024 - 4:30pm to 5:30pm

• Virtual Information Session 3: November 6, 2024 - 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Families! Please share this information with your SHMS scholar:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year - time for the Scripps National Spelling Bee! The first round of our spelling bee is online. It will be a multiple-choice test that interested students take on a computer. Students will listen to a word and select the correct spelling. If you would like to participate, the first step is to register for the Scripps National Spelling Bee's online testing platform by visiting https://online-test.spellingbee.com You will need Stuart Hobson's zip code to register - 20002. The deadline to register is midnight December 2nd, 2024.

Please see the linked study lists for:

6th Grade Spelling Words

7th Grade Spelling Words

8th Grade Spelling Words

Please use these lists to help your scholar prepare for our first round spelling bees which will occur the week of 12/9/24.

Also, students can play spelling and vocabulary games with all 450 words from the 2025 School Spelling Bee Study List for free! More information is available on how to download this from the App Store and Google Play when you register.

The Final SHMS Bee will be in person this year, in early January.

Please reach out to Ms. Abou-Samra with any questions: Nancy.abou-samra1@k12.dc.gov

2024 Archery Home/Practice Tournament Schedule

Practice Time: 3:30-5pm

Coaches Contact Information: maalston0563@gmail.com

Practice for third tournament (10/15 Away) will be on: 9/30,10/7, 10/9, 10/11

Practice for this tournament will be held on: 10/14,10/18

Tuesday 10/22/2024 4:00 pm @ Stuart-Hobson

Practice for this tournament will be held on: 10/25

Tuesday 10/29/2024 4:00 pm @ Stuart-Hobson

Practice for final two tournaments (11/7, 11/12 Away) will be held on: 10/31, 11/5, 11/11

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.

Due to low participation in the supper service, Stuart-Hobson is reinstating afternoon snack service on Wednesday, November 6. After dismissal, all students are welcome to go to the cafeteria to pick up a snack. The snack menu is included with the breakfast and lunch menus below.

In addition, OSSE has identified Stuart-Hobson as a school that would benefit from a "grab-and-go" breakfast option. Also starting on Wednesday, November 6, students will be able to pick up a grab-and-go breakfast right outside the morning arrival screening area. The menu for this new breakfast option is included with the menus below.

Below please find food service menus for breakfast and lunch for this week!

The Mental Health Team at SHMS is wrapping up the annual suicide prevention program, Signs of Suicide, with all students. This has been an opportunity for students to learn about depression, warning signs of suicide, and how to help themselves or a friend. There are two opportunities with TRAILS, a suicide prevention organization, for caregivers and communities to learn about suicide awareness and prevention. The presentation offered is the same each day. See attached flyers for more information as well as the dates and registration links below.

Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Caregivers and Communities

• Wednesday, October 23 from 5:30-7pm. Discussion will take place via Zoom: https://bit.ly/TRAILS_10-23_training
• Thursday, November 7 from 6-7:30pm. Discussion will take place via Zoom: https://bit.ly/TRAILS_11-7_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 information below is new or an updated version of something announced previously! **

You can find previously released newsletters and information here.

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