SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings SHMS Community!

Thank you to everyone who has been helping to organize, support, and celebrate our students during the first term and a half. The fruits of everyone’s labor have been on display recently. It seems as though we have endless causes for celebration. Whether it is our athletic teams, clubs, academics, or arts programs, students and adult sponsors have been hard at work and earning accolades.

The debate team is off to a hot start, both basketball teams earned wins in the first week of the season, our SHMS DramaPlayers brought us four incredible productions of “Matilda”, and the 6th Grade Academy outperformed all other 6th grades on a recent Math assessment earning a visit from Chancellor Ferebee on Friday! The celebrations will not end there as this week our Band Director, Mr. Simmons, has organized a Winter Concert to showcase all that our various ensembles have been learning in the first part of the school year. We hope you can join us on Wednesday night for that event!

We only have 2 days of classes left before the Term 2 progress report marking period closes. Please encourage your student to finish up and submit any late/missing work assigned before the end of the day on Tuesday to meet that deadline. In addition to tying up academic loose ends, the lost and found (located in the cafeteria) is overfull with winter coats and other warm weather gear (sweaters, hoodies, sweatshirts, etc.). If your student is missing something please encourage them to stop by during lunch to see if they can find it before we donate any unclaimed items over the winter break which is just 10 school days away.

I am excited to wrap up the week with our Term 2 Pep Assembly on Friday, it’s a tight race and any grade level could still win the coveted dress down week next week. Let’s make the most of these remaining days in 2024 and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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Weekly Calendar

Monday, 12/9

• A great instructional day!

Tuesday, 12/10

• End of Term 2 Progress Report Marking Period - all missing/late work due
• SHMS Home Basketball SH Hosting Girls Sousa vs Excel at 4:45 p.m., SHMS Boys vs Wheatley at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, 12/11

• SHMS Middle School Winter Concert 6 p.m., Auditorium.
• SHMS Hosting Peabody Winter Showcase @ 5 p.m.

Thursday, 12/12

• SHMS Home Basketball Games vs Browne Girls at 4:45 p.m., Boys at 6 p.m.
• SHMS hosting Ludlow-Taylor Holiday Concert - Auditorium

Friday, 12/13

• Pep Assembly 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, 12/14

• EdFEST , 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., DC Armory, FREE admission and parking

Upcoming Dates

• December 16-20, Dress Down Week for Pep Assembly winners!
• December 17, 8th Grade Chipotle Night fundraiser
• December 20, Finish Fly & Holiday Spirit Dress Down Day!
• December 23-January 1, Winter Recess for students and teachers
• January 2, First Day of School in 2025 & Pajama Day!
• January 3, New Year, New Outfit: Show off your freshest look!
• January 7, LSAT Meeting, 6:30-8:00 PM (virtual)
• January 17, No school for students, professional development day for teachers
• January 20, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day observed, schools closed
• January 24, Last instructional day of Term 2
• January 27, End of Term 2 Records-Keeping & PD day, no school for students
• January 28, First day of Term 3!

We are thrilled to share that Stuart-Hobson’s 6th-grade students achieved the highest performance in the entire district on the most recent Math Required Curricular Task (RCT)! This incredible accomplishment was recognized by Chancellor Ferebee and Senior Director Dohmann, who presented us with the coveted victory belt in celebration of our success.

This achievement is a testament to the dedication and talent of our teachers, students, and parents who work together every day to make our community exceptional. Thank you all for being part of this amazing journey and contributing to our shared success. Let’s keep striving for excellence, Stuart-Hobson!

We are still sweeping up the popcorn from a weekend of four incredible performances of Matilda. Check back next week for pictures, videos, and a recap that will attempt to capture the magic. Congratulations to all!

As we gear up for the Term 2 Pep Assembly on Friday afternoon please encourage students to uphold the school's P.R.I.D.E. core values throughout the day so they can help their grade level to earn points before our competitions in the gym. A reminder that whichever grade has the most points after Friday's Pep Assembly gets a full week to dress down next week!

The SY 24-25 Impact Aid Survey went live on Friday, November 1. Every year, DCPS asks families to complete this survey to generate additional federal funds. This year’s survey will be fully electronic using the Seamless platform and will be open through Sunday, December 22. Please complete one survey per child, not per household, in your preferred language. The electronic surveys and our FAQ document can be found on the Impact Aid webpage.

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

While we were excited to kick-off the winter sports season last week, we are reminded of the need to work together to remind our students about the level of sportsmanship and positivity that we promote and project in our school community. We ask that everyone work to remind scholars of our expectations and why they are important to our reputation as individuals and a school community.

Below you will find some general expectations that we share with students at SHMS. More specifically, please remind students that the following behaviors are unacceptable at school events and during competitions with other schools, for competitors and spectators alike.

- Booing and jeering

- Taunting or antagonizing opposing players, fans, or staff/coaches

- Organizing disruptions or unsanctioned performances during scheduled events or competitions

During pep assemblies specifically, students are reminded that we all uphold the following expectations:

- Stay in your seat unless scheduled to perform or participate

- Do not cross the (base/side) line in front of assigned bleachers

- Remain in seats until prompted to leave/dismiss from the gym and walk out calmly

We remain confident that upholding these expectations will ensure that SHMS remains a place where students are known as scholar athletes and our community is one that is joyful and safe, even during intense competition. Thank you in advance for having conversations with our students about these expectations.

To maintain everyone's safety, maintain safe gym capacity, and align with other DCPS middle school's we maintain a policy that spectators under the age of 18, including SHMS students, must be accompanied by their parent/guardian. Unaccompanied students will not be allowed to attend indoor sporting events at SHMS or most other DCPS schools. Further, staff and other families cannot be responsible for supervising or escorting another student to any games/events.

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 and lunch for this week!

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.

Winter weather (and Matilda!) greetings, Stuart-Hobson community!

We’re well into the season of gratitude, and there’s no one more deserving of our thanks and appreciation than our amazing SHMS teachers and staff!!

Contribute to the Stuart-Hobson Winter Gifting Fund via PayPal and we'll ensure every SHMS is recognized and receives thanks for their tireless work caring for our kiddos, day in and day out. You can note “SHMS Winter Gift” in the notes if you'd like. We’ll take contributions through Wednesday, December 18, and distribute gift cards prior to Winter Break.

Every contribution, of any size, is welcome. And, of course, you’re always welcome to give directly to a special teacher or staff member — handwritten notes are often the most meaningful gifts of all!

Warmly,

Sarah C.

P.S. That link again: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GSSA84WNXFWA6

——————————————————————

Sarah Cissna, mom to Ellie (5th grade) and Stewart (2nd grade)
President, Capitol Hill Cluster School PTA

703-855-8364

president@chcspta.org

**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