
SHMS Staff Newsletter
May 7, 2023
Principal's Message
Greetings Stuart-Hobson community,
Today marks the beginning of National Teacher Appreciation Week and we are excited to engage in a series of events and activities that help us celebrate all of our teachers and staff! Working in education, and teaching specifically, attracts people who are purpose-driven, empathetic, and seemingly tireless. This week we want to help our educators check their humility, selflessness, and self-deprecation at the door so they can celebrate one another with everyone else. Thank you to all of our teachers and staff for your contributions to our school community - we hope that this week's celebrations help you to re-energize as we enter the last few weeks of the school year!
I am excited for this week's kick-off event of the "Equity at the Capitol Hill Cluster School" series. I want to thank the CHCS PTA for organizing this event for our school community! in addition to joining us on Thursday night, I want to remind everyone to register for the upcoming Capitol Hill Classic 10K, 3K, and/or Fun Run, a major PTA fundraising event and opportunity to build community among staff, students, and families.
Thank you to everyone who helped us hit our first enrollment goal of making it at least 60% of the way to our target for next school year. If you have not enrolled, please let us know if you do not plan on returning to SHMS, complete your enrollment online, or contact the main office for support as soon as possible.
This is our final week of scheduled PARCC exams an we wish our 6th and 7th graders well on their ELA test. Any students who have missed an exam or exam section will continue to complete make-up exams on Mondays and Fridays this week or any school day the week after this through Memorial Day weekend.
Let's have another great week together!
Warm regards,
Eric Fraser
Principal
Calendars
Upcoming Dates: May 8-12
Monday
- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week: Catered Breakfast
- MTSS Leadership Team Meeting, 3:30-5:00 PM
Tuesday
- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week: Stock the Lounge (snacks & beverages)
- PARCC Testing: 6th Grade ELA, 7th Grade ELA
Wednesday
- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week: We Love You Wednesday!
- PARCC Testing: 6th Grade ELA, 7th Grade ELA
- Culture Committee meeting, 3:45-4:30 PM
Thursday
- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week: Staff Lunch
- PARCC Testing: 6th Grade ELA, 7th Grade ELA
- Community Discussion: Equity at the Cluster: Past, Present, and Future - Featuring Ayo Magwood of Uprooting Inequity, 6:00-7:30 PM (SHMS)
Friday
- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week: Inter-campus Staff Social at La Plaza (Pennsylvania Avenue)
- Grade Team meetings
Upcoming Datesd
May 18, Community Discussion: Structural Racism: Historical Roots & Contemporary Impacts, 6:00-7:30 PM (SHMS)
May 21, Capitol Hill Classic 10K, 3K, and Fun Run
May 22, iReady / MAP Algebra EOY Testing
May 25, End of IMPACT Cycle #2 Classroom Observations
May 25, Community Discussion: Remediating Structural Racism, 6:00-7:30 PM (SHMS)
May 26, Deadline for CSC and Holistic self-evaluation / evidence submission (all)
May 29, Memorial Day observed, schools closed
May 30 - June 2, Reading Inventory / Phonics Inventory EOY Testing
June 1, Community Discussion: The Origins of Race and Racism, 6:00-7:30 PM (SHMS)
June 5-7, SAGE EOY Testing (Social Studies)
June 5-9, College & Career Week
June 6, Student-Athlete Awards Ceremony (rescheduled), 6:00 pm
June 7-9, MAP Science EOY Testing
June 8, Deadline to submit TAS evidence
June 8, Community Discussion: Strategies for Remediating Racism - facilitated by the Cluster Equity Team, 6:00-7:30 PM (SHMS)
June 9-11, "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical"
June 13, 8th Grade Dinner Cruise & Dance
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
Athletics Schedule
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.
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
* RESCHEDULED DATE: June 6, Student-Athlete Awards Ceremony @ SHMS 6:00 pm
*Individual participation awards
*Most valuable player award
*Most improved player
*Newcomer of the year
*Academic scholar of the year
*Student-Athlete of the year
Football
Monday: 3:45pm- 6:00pm (Practice)
Tuesday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Study Hall)
Wednesday: 3:45pm - 6:00pm (Practice)
Thursday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Study Hall)
Head Coach: Stanley Stancil
Email: sstancil1@gmail.com
Baseball
Monday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)
Tuesday: Stuart-Hobson vs. Johnson MS @ Jackie Robinson Field 4:00pm
(Game)
Wednesday: 3:30pm - 5:00pm (Practice)
Thursday: Stuart-Hobson vs. Hart MS @ Jackie Robinson Field 4:00pm (Game)
Head Coach: William Harrison
Email: williamh696@gmail.com
Outdoor Track & Field
Monday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice)
Wednesday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice)
Thursday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice)
Head Coach: Taurus McGhee
Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov
Head Coach: Mark Smith
Email: Mark.smith3@k12.dc.gov
Assistant Coach: Tyler Smith
Email: Tyler.Smith@k12.dc.gov
Unified Basketball
Practice: TBA
Head Coach: Tomicula Williams
Email: Tomicula.Williams@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
DCPS Calendar
Updated calendars for DCPS are available at this link.
School meal menus can be found here: dcps.dc.gov/menus
Shout Outs and Celebrations
A big thank you to our PARCC Testing Team - AP Turner, Ms. Schimmerling, Ms. Williams, Ms. Tomlinson, and Ms. Grime - for organizing this year's test plan and making sure that staff received all necessary training, resources and accommodations were available, and students experienced focused testing environments throughout the last month. We appreciate your extra efforts and supports to make this happen!
Shout out to AP Turner and Ms. Dixon for leading us in surpassing our first enrollment benchmark of having 60% of families enrolled. We seek to make it 100% of the way to our target of 443 students by mid-June. Please help us by completing your enrollment soon!
Grade Level Enrollment (rising grades)
6th: 55%
7th: 65%
8th: 60%
Overall: 62%
Action Items
To Do
Daily
- Sign in and out upon arrival and departure.
- Teachers: Post attendance in Aspen for all classes by 3:30 PM.
- Deliver Advisory lessons during 1st period classes from 9:00-9:20 AM.
Weekly
- Read the weekly staff newsletter.
- Teachers: Enter two grades in Aspen every five class meetings.
- Submit any admin premium/overtime timesheets for timely and accurate payroll entry.
One-Time
- Contact Mr. Howard to schedule training to become certified to administer medication to students.
- Complete annual, mandatory, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training - Past due
Ongoing
- Check ASPEN for your schedule, rosters, and new enrollees in your courses.
- Request classroom/office supplies and PPE from the SHMS operations team.
- Use this reimbursement link for PTA and grants and stipends.
New Information & Resources for Staff
SY 2023-24 Department Chair Hiring
We are actively seeking a department chair (WTU members eligible) for the following positions:
Electives / Inner Core
English Language Arts & Reading (ELA-R)
Math
Science
Social Studies
Social Work / Counseling
STEM (Other)
Arts & Humanities (Other)
A description of the department chair role and responsibilities can be found here. Please note that department chairs and TLIs are compensated twice annually and an additional application will be required for each department chair when the DCPS application opens in Fall 2023.
JOIN US AT THE CAPITOL HILL CLASSIC - MAY 21!
The Capitol Hill Classic is a fun run, 3k, and 10k that raises money for Stuart Hobson Middle School and the other Cluster schools! This event is not just for runners! There are four ways to get involved and make a difference for our students!
- Donate directly to our Stuart Hobson Middle School pledge page. Panther Pride! Donate in honor of your favorite SHMS club or sport. The club or team that raises the most money wins a pizza party! Select which team or club you want to honor when donating.
- Set up your student's pledge page and share with friends and family to raise money for Stuart Hobson! If your Panther raises $50 they get to run the race for free! Individuals can also win fun prizes like off-campus lunch! Individual's can also raise money on behalf of their favorite club or team to win more prizes! Simply select "+add to group" on your individual page to add your favorite team/club to honor when soliciting pledges.
- Donate your time! Volunteer time slots are available before, during, and after the race!
- Register for the race - walk, run, sprint your way around Capitol Hill and have a fun Sunday with old and new friends!
Show your Panther Pride these next two weeks! There are four ways to win! Individual prizes, Team/Club Prizes, Grade Level Prizes...and Stuart Hobson and our students win with every dollar raised!
Get all the information here!
Equity at the Capitol Hill Cluster School Past, Present, and Future Showcase and Dialogue Series
Thursdays, 6:00–7:30 PM @Stuart Hobson Middle School and on Teams
Childcare and dinner will be available for younger children. SHMS Eighth Grade Students are encouraged to attend with an adult caregiver.
Registration: https://bit.ly/40OCVCH Registration is recommended but not required.
Session 1. May 11. Equity at the Cluster Showcase
● How did equity drive the Cluster School formation?
● What is the Cluster’s equity agenda?
● How is our equity work related to structural racism?
Hear from the CHCS Equity Team and join an expert-led discussion with Ayo Magwood of Uprooting Inequity LLC.
Session 2. May 18. Historical and Structural Racism
75-minute presentation + Q&A. What are the historical roots of structural racism? Why didn’t civil rights legislation end racism?
Session 3: May 25. Remediating Structural Racism
75-minute presentation + Q&A. How do we remediate structural racism? How do we foster the cross-ideological solidarity needed to do so? (Session 2 is a prerequisite for this session.)
Session 4: June 1. The Origins of Race and Racism
75-minute presentation + Q&A. Why did we invent races and institutionalized racism? Why do societies invent races?
Session 4: June 8. CHCS Dialogue
90-minute dialogue. How do we use the recommended principles and frameworks to remediate structural inequities in CHCS and our communities?
Ayo Magwood (Uprooting Inequity LLC) specializes in ideologically-neutral and empirically-based education on historical and structural racism. She breaks down scholarly research, primary sources, data, and abstract concepts into engaging narratives and diagrams. Analyzing these root causes allows us to work together ‘across difference’ to remediate structural inequities and unequal access to opportunity. Ayo was recognized as a leading expert on social justice teaching in an April 2023 Harvard Educational Review journal article.
Ayo has a B.A. in economics and international relations from Brown University and a M.Sc. in applied economics from Cornell University. She is the author of “Why ‘Elite’ Independent Schools Can’t Retain Black and Brown Faculty” in Anti-Oppressive Education in “Elite” Schools (2021), co-author of “5 Ways to Teach About Structural Racism in Polarized Times” in Psychology Today (2022), and co-author of “Using Conceptual Tensions and Supreme Court Cases to Increase Critical Thinking in Government and Civics Classrooms” in Social Education (2013).
Registration Open for Junior Great Books Advanced Training (5/17-5/25)
Great Books/Shared Inquiry is a great way to provide meaningfully differentiated instruction for students interested in an academic challenge. During the month of May, we are offering four different 2-hour Advanced Great Books training for teachers and staff who have completed the Introductory training. The topics and dates for these interactive trainings are Wednesday, May 17 (Poetry); Thursday, May 18 (Text Sets); Wednesday, May 24 (Non-Fiction); and Thursday, May 25 (Power of Student Questions). All courses are virtual and run from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Teachers can register here .
REMINDER: Lost & Found
This is a reminder that the school's Lost and Found is located in the main lobby. We will donate anything that is not claimed at the end of May and belongings continue piling up (photo above). Per our school policy, we collaborate with the PTA to donate any unclaimed clothing around 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.
REMINDER: Community Discussion Events: Equity in The Cluster
The Cluster is partnering with expert Ayo Magwood on a series examining structural racism in the US. The first of these events will highlight the Cluster's equity journey and feature a discussion with Ayo on structural racism.
These hybrid sessions will be hosted in person at Stuart-Hobson MS and virtually on Teams. SHMS eighth graders are encouraged to attend with an adult caregiver. Childcare and dinner will be available for younger children. All sessions from 6:00-7:30 pm. You can register here.
Thurs, May 11 - Equity at the Cluster: Past, Present, and Future - Featuring Ayo Magwood of Uprooting Inequity
Thurs, May 18 - Structural Racism: Historical Roots & Contemporary Impacts
Thurs, May 25 - Remediating Structural Racism
Thurs, June 1 - The Origins of Race and Racism
Thurs, June 8 - Strategies for Remediating Racism -Facilitated by the Cluster Equity Team
Culture Corner
Focus Areas
In the days ahead, let's work together to focus on...
LiveSchool Usage: Teachers and staff who have not used LiveSchool this year (about 30% of us) should have received an invitation to login on Wednesday afternoon. Let's all refocus on using LiveSchool and managing classroom and grade-level "stores" to allow students to redeem points. Please remember to maintain a 3:1 (minimum) ratio of positive to negative points for students.
Hall Sweeps: If you would like to assist with a hall sweep please let Mr. Walker (james.walker4@k12.dc.gov) know your availability and we will loop you in on any plans. Thank you everyone for assisting with our sweeps by closing your classroom and office doors and welcoming students back after they have been addressed and receive a pass from the culture team.
WTU Corner
SCAC Meets 5/5
Let any SCAC member know if you have concerns you want us to address with Principal Fraser.
SHMS WTU Elections coming soon!
Keep an eye out for your email with more information and get excited! I will send information about available roles as soon as I get them from WTU. If anyone is interested in the most fun job of being the building rep (or alternate building rep) let me know!
Beth
Analyzing maps in geography!
Stuart-Hobson Panthers
6th Graders Speaking for Social Justice!
Previously Announced for Staff & Families
***Everything below here has been announced in previous newsletters***
1st Period Attendance Challenge
The attendance team has organized an attendance challenge for first period classes for the next four weeks. Each week, the 1st period class in each grade level with the highest attendance will be eligible for awards like a pizza party, gift card raffle, and a Union Station lunch trip. Please remind students that on-time arrival to school and first period is essential for setting the tone and succeeding all day long!
Please contact Ms. Lovelock or Ms. Hargrove with any questions.
Speakers Needed: College & Career Week, June 5-9
Calling all parents, SHMS alums, and family friends!
We are planning to engage students with guest speaker appearances during the week of June 5-9. We would like to expose students to stories and learning about post-secondary opportunities. If you or someone you know is attending a post-secondary institution, has recently graduated, and/or works in a field that students would be interested in learning more about please contact Ms. Lovelock to schedule a time to visit one or more of our classes. Please email her at tamara.lovelock@k12.dc.gov
We are planning for speakers to join classes any day that week and anytime between 9:00-1:00 PM. The minimum commitment would be one hour and we can share more information and guidance once guests are registered to attend.
Thank you for considering!
May Emergency Drills: Evacuation & Lockdown
Lockdown drill procedures are as follows:
Using the RAVE notification system and/or the school's PA system, announce the Lockdown drill (Mr. Howard completes this, and other RAVE-related steps):
· Halls should be cleared.
· Teachers and staff should close and lock windows and doors, and all instruction or movement in the building should stop.
· If unable to lock a door, barricade it with chairs and desks (staff are encouraged to simulate this step during pre-announced drills)
· Pull down window shades and cover any room or door windows.
· Stay away from doors and windows. Move students to blind spots or interior walls and sit on the floor out of view.
· Shut off lights.
· Students in the halls should immediately report to the nearest classroom or find a hiding place.
· Students in bathrooms should, when possible, lock the door and remain in the bathroom perched on a toilet.
· Adults should assist those needing special assistance.
· Be quiet! And wait for further instructions.
· Immediately log all drills in the RAVE Application (Mr. Howard completes this step)
After the Drill, announce its conclusion to your school community. Then log the Drill on the RAVE Website in the Incident Log under “Lockdown Drill.”
Also, please see the message about our upcoming Lockdown Drill that is going out to families this weekend:
Dear Stuart-Hobson MS Parents and Families:
The safety of our students is always a high priority for us here at Stuart-Hobson Middle School. One of the best ways to ensure a safe school environment is to practice our emergency drills and procedures. District of Columbia law requires our school conduct several drills throughout the school year, one of which is a Lockdown Drill.
A Lockdown Drill is used to secure our school building and campus during incidents that pose an immediate threat of violence in and around the school. During a lockdown, teachers and staff quickly clear hallways and lock or secure classroom doors. Additionally, no one is allowed to enter or exit the building. Parents and/or guardians will not be permitted to enter and should not come to the school during a lockdown.
While we cannot always inform parents when we conduct a drill, this message is to inform you that our school will conduct a Lockdown Drill on Friday, May 5th at 2:45 PM. This routine exercise protects our school community from potential dangers in the building or campus. Please know that every school in DCPS is required to complete two lockdown drills per year.
We are sharing the information in advance so families will not be alarmed if they hear about the drill from their child during the day or when they come home from school. We encourage you to talk to your child about the exercise and reassure them that this is being done to help keep them safe and that they should not be scared or stressed about practicing these emergency procedures. We hope there will never be a time when we must face an actual emergency. However, by practicing drills, we prepare our students and staff to remain calm and take proper action if an emergency arises.
The safety of our students is our priority, and drills like this one help our school community prepare in case of an emergency. Please call the school office with questions at 202-671-6010 or contact me via email at eric.fraser@k12.dc.gov
I appreciate your support.
Teachers Needed: Summer DCPS Middle Grades Academic Recovery Program
With summer already in sight, I know many of you are looking forward to some much-deserved time off. However, for those of you who might be looking to extend your impact by working with students who need additional academic support (and earn extra money this summer), I'd like to invite you to apply to our DCPS Middle Grades Academic Recovery program! This program will provide our students with an interactive, cross-curricular, and fun experience that will allow them to gain and strengthen their academic skills.
We are looking for DCPS middle school teachers who would be interested in working from July 3-August 4 this summer at one of our five school locations in which DCPS middle grades students from across DCPS will attend: Eliot-Hine, Hart, Johnson, Ida B Wells, and Brookland. Specifically, we are looking for math, ELA, science, and social studies teachers who would earn $60/hour from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (note that this is a $20 an hour increase from last year's pay rate)!
I'm hoping you'll consider helping make a huge difference in our students’ lives this summer. If you’re interested, apply right away.
2023 Summer Learning Staffing Opportunities
We are now accepting applications to support DCPS students during the summer learning period, Monday, July 3 to Friday, August 4 (depending on program). We are hiring teachers, paras, school counselors, social workers, etc. WTU members can now earn $60 per hour which is a 33% increase over the previous rate. If your plans allow, please consider supporting our students, your students, this summer.
Applications can be submitted here.
Improve Your Commute to School in Five Minutes!
The commute to school is inevitable, but there are ways to make it more efficient. The District Department of Transportation wants to hear from you about what would make your trip to school easier.
Take their five-minute survey!
The survey is accessible on a phone, tablet, or computer, and your answers will be kept confidential.
Don’t miss your opportunity to tell DDOT how they can make your commute better here. The first 100 people to take the survey will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card! Thank you!
Reminder: Enrollment for School Year 2023-2024 is now open!
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:
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.
Field Trip QuickBase Application Updates
To streamline the application process, the following changes were made to the field trip application process:
- Trip Sponsor Access: Trip sponsors no longer need to request application access. To create their first trip, trip sponsors should go to the application using this link and request to be linked to their school using the form at the top of their dashboard. Please note that this applies to trip sponsors only. If you are hoping to create or add a new business manager or field trip point of contact (POC) for your school, please email dcps.field-trips@k12.dc.gov.
- Permission Slip Upload Requirements: Uploading permission slips is now optional for day trips under 50 miles – schools still need to collect and store these at the school level. Please note, that for overnight trips, trips over 50 miles, and international trips, permission slips must be uploaded for final approval.
- Reminder: Student Rosters: As a reminder, trip sponsors have the option of uploading a student roster under trip documents OR completing the student roster using the table included in the form.
Updated Trip Sponsor, Principal, and Business Manager guides are available in the Field Trip DCPS Way Folder.
Reminder: Hiring for SY 2023-24
Assistant Principal, 6th Grade Academy
Coordinator, Special Education (shared with Peabody-Watkins ES)
Social Worker (shared with Peabody-Watkins ES)
Teacher, Special Education - Inclusion
Thanks everyone for spreading the word about these opportunities!
Attention Medicaid Beneficiaries!
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.
Registration Open for DCPS Summer Programs
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.
Summer 2023: Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC
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.
2022-23 SHMS Yearbook - Order Now!
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.
Join the Interdisciplinary Curricular Redesign (ICR) Teacher Advisory Board
OTL’s Interdisciplinary Curricular Redesign (ICR) is a multi-year plan to develop project-based interdisciplinary learning curricula for Grades 3-8. Teachers can join the ICR Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) to inform the ICR development process, preview ICR curriculum, pilot early iterations, and receive coaching and professional development. To learn more about ICR please review this working deck. Interested teachers should complete this form.
Full Scholarships for Paraprofessionals and Educational Aides Available at the University of The District of Columbia
Do you have educational aides and other paraprofessionals in your building who are true rock stars? Would you love to hire them as full-time teachers-of-record? UDC has funding for undergraduate and graduate teacher certification.
Contact mastersedinfor@udc.edu for more information about their programs and upcoming Open House in February. You can also have interested candidates complete this interest form.
POC: Anika.Burtin@udc.edu
School Mental Health Supports
Field Trip Eligibility
- 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.
Book Talk Buddies
Interested in helping be a Book Talk Buddy? We’d love to get you “trained” on how to run a book talk with students! Sometimes our kids would rather talk with some one besides their English teacher and we would love some volunteers!
Email Kip and he was set up a “Book Talk 101” Session.
Canvas FAQs
All teachers are expected to maintain a Canvas page for their classes. This is a primary method of communicating and archiving expectations, assignments, policies, and key events with students and families.
Please refer to the Beginning of Year Canvas FAQs for answers to frequently asked questions including:
- When will I see my courses for this school year in Canvas?
- What if I don’t see my courses in Canvas?
- How do I get content into my new courses?
- What should I do if I need technical assistance?
The document also includes a Beginning of Year Checklist to ensure your Canvas courses are ready for the new school year.
SHMS Staff Reads Bulletin Board
Let's support a culture of literacy by sharing what's on our own reading list with students. Thanks to Mr. Plaisted and the ELA department for organizing this bulletin board for us. You can use the survey below to share up-to-date information about what you are reading with our students and colleagues.
Policies & Daily Operations
Action Needed: New Print & Copy System
As part of our ongoing commitment to data privacy and security, The Office of the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO) and the Office of Data and Technology (ODT) are introducing a new, more secure way to print, copy and scan documents at your school Stuart-Hobson MS. On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, DCPS IT will begin the remote installation of a secure print management solution called PaperCut on all DCPS-issued computers. PaperCut introduces several enhancements on all networked SHARP Multi-Function Printers (MFPs) managed by the DCPS Warehouse team by providing an easy and secure way to print, make copies, and scan documents while minimizing waste and promoting data security and privacy.
PaperCut introduces two new concepts to network printing in the district:
· 'Follow me' printing: You will now be able to submit a print job from your computer and securely release the print from any SHARP MFP in your building when you are ready. You are no longer required to add individual printers on your computer, and you do not have to wait or worry about mix-ups with other staff members’ printed documents.
· Secure printing: Every DCPS staff member will be assigned a unique, 5-digit Managed Print PIN. You must use your Managed Print PIN to log into any SHARP MFP in order to release your print job, make a copy, or scan a document. The secure PIN is a unique identifier mapped to your DCPS user account and should not be shared with anyone else. We highly recommend memorizing your Managed Print PIN as you will be prompted to enter it when you attempt to unlock and use any SHARP MFP in the district moving forward.
· Please note: Only the staff whose login is used on the computer to send the print command can view the print queue and release the print from any SHARP MFP. You must release the print job from the printer within 4 hours of initiating the print command. As a security feature, print jobs not released within 4 hours will be deleted from the SHARP MFP. You can view or change your Managed Print PIN anytime by accessing https://papercut-k12.dc.gov. Please use your DCPS email credentials to access this web interface.
Your secure Managed Print Unique code is in your email.
Unable to print? Please read this troubleshooting guide or contact OCTOHelps tech support (202-442-5715 / https://DCPS.Tech/support) for assistance.
MAC Users : Please note MAC devices will not be receiving automated printer driver push and should be installed manually. Please follow the MAC Papercut Mobility Print setup guide.
DCPS IT
Administration of Medication Certification
We are still in need of additional staff to get certified to administer medication to students. As a reminder, District policy requires that all schools have staff members trained in Administration of Medication (AOM). AOM staff should be available to administer medication to students if the school nurse is unavailable.
If you are interested in being a member of the SHMS AOM team, please email Mr. Howard, devin.howard2@k12.dc.gov, so you can be registered for the training. Thanks everyone!
DCPS Calendar Updates for SY 2023-24 & 2024-25
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
Reminder: MTSS Dashboard (Panorama)
At this time, all staff members at DCPS should have access to the Panorama Student Success platform. Teachers have access to the students rostered to them in Aspen and the grade levels that they teach and can log into the platform using their DCPS email address and their Panorama password. If they do not know or don’t have a password they should click “Forgot Password.” It is recommended that staff members view the Getting Started with the MTSS Data System webinar prior to exploring the system.
Additionally, we will be exploring the dashboard together in our staff meeting on Tuesday and will focus specifically on how to enter intervention plans for individuals and groups so we can track their progress and response to differentiated supports.
Leave Requests on High Demand Dates
SCAC met at the end of the summer and discussed the following leave approval policy for historically high demand days (e.g. before/after long weekends or vacations):
- Notification in advance of planned absences is expected so we can monitor the operational needs of the building, establish a coverage plan, and ensure that staffing will be adequate for instruction, operations, and supervision.
- We can guarantee that the first 2-3 requests for absence will be approved for high demand days, but subsequent requests may be denied if the operational needs of the building cannot be met.
- Teachers and staff will get confirmation their request is received and will be notified if it's approved, pending, denied.
- As in other situations, taking unscheduled sick leave after having a leave request denied for the same date may result in administrative and/or disciplinary action.
More general leave information can be found in the staff handbook. Please contact an administrator or your union representatives for information specific to our school, district policy, or your contract.
Operations Links & Reminders
Field Trip Form:
Admin Premium Folder:
Emergency Sub-Plans Folder:
Student Activities, Extracurriculars, Clubs, Etc.
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
Craft and Chat Club Returns!
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)
Supports for Students & Families
LGBTQ+ Resources & Supports
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
Stuart-Hobson Middle School
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