Greetings Stuart-Hobson community,

Thank you to the staff and families who attended the first PTA meeting of the school year last week. It was invigorating to see everyone in person as we talked about the beginning of the school year and all of the ways the PTA will organize engagement and support opportunities this year. I hope to see even more members of our community during Tuesday evening's virtual LSAT meeting and Wednesday's in-person Back to School Night events.

I am very proud of our staff and students for their focus during our first safety drills of the year. We have already completed two evacuation drills and both times in under four minutes! We will have another evacuation drill soon and will also practice an "alert status" drill later this week. These, and all other, safety drills and procedures are outlined in the SY 2022-23 Student and Family Handbook.

Lastly, students continue to work through their beginning of year assessments and we will be using the recent data from reading and math tests to finalize course changes and recommendations. We also have two staffing situations that will impact student and teacher assignments in the short-term. We will communicate directly with impacted students and families about the plans for these classes. Please note that we will finalize these changes in batches, releasing updated schedules to students and teachers in batches, the first of which will occur early this week.

I am still very excited about our school opening and looking forward to another fantastic week connecting with everyone!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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Monday

• A great instructional day!

Tuesday

• A great instructional day!
• LSAT Meeting, 6:00-8:00
  

Wednesday

• A great instructional day!
• SHMS Back to School Night (BTSN), doors at 5:30, classroom visits 6:00-7:30 PM
  

Thursday

• A great instructional day!
• Hispanic Heritage Month begins
  

Friday

• A great instructional day!

Saturday

• DCPS Back to School Block Party at Eliot-Hine MS
  

Upcoming Dates

• September 21, Grade Level Town Halls (periods 2, 3, and 4)
• September 28 & 29, 6th Grade trips to African-American History Museum
• September 30, Pep Assembly!
  
• October 1, Bullying Prevention Month begins
• October 2, Custodial Workers Appreciation Day
• October 4, Girls in Aviation trip
• October 6, Parent-Teacher Conferences, 9:00-4:00 PM
• October 7, Professional Development for Staff, No School for Students
• October 10, Indigenous Peoples Day observed, schools closed
• October 20, 6th Grade Trip to Terrapin Adventures!

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

SAVE THE DATE DC Public Schools: 8th Annual FREE Athletic Physical Day

When & Where: Saturday, September 24 Eastern HS (1700 East Capitol St. NE) Gymnasium 9:00AM-1:00PM

Who: Open to all returning and incoming student-athletes for the 2022-2023 school year.

Grades 4-12 ONLY What: Athletic Physicals – Please find documents on DCIAA website – www.thedciaa.com • Signed Universal Health Certificate (UHC) (Must be signed & dated by Parent in Part 1 of UHC (page 1))

Cost: FREE for DCPS student-athletes ONLY Registration: No pre-registration nor appointment necessary Questions: Please contact (202) 729-3288

Fall Sports Season

Archery

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

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

Head Coach: Myron Alston

Email: maalston0563@gmail.com

Football

Monday: 4:30pm - 6:00pm (Practice)

Tuesday: 4:30pm - 6:00pm (Practice)

Wednesday: 4:30pm - 6:30pm (Practice)

Thursday: Stuart-Hobson vs. Jefferson @ Eastern HS 6:00pm (Game) *Date change from 9/14/22

Head Coach: Stanley Stancil

Email: sstancil1@gmail.com

Boys' Cross-Country

Monday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm ( Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Wednesday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Thursday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Head Coach: Taurus McGhee

Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov

Girls' Cross-Country

Tuesday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm ( Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Wednesday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Thursday: 3:45pm - 5:00pm (Practice) Meet on the front steps.

Head Coach: Mark Smith

Email: Mark.smith@k12.dc.gov

Girls' Soccer

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

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

Head Coach: Dexter Batts

Email: Dexter.Batts@dc.gov

Boys' Soccer

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

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

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

Head Coach: Richard Strong

Email: Richard.Strong@k12.dc.gov

Volleyball

Tuesday: 3:45pm - 5:45pm ( Practice)

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

Thursday: 3:45pm - 5:45pm ( Practice)

Head Coach: Ronald Dorsey

Email: Rondorseyjr@gmail.com

Winter Sports Season

Boys Basketball

Interest Meetings: September 22 @ 3:45pm- 4:00pm in room G-04 (Health Room)

Try-Outs: November 1 - November 4 @ 5:00pm - 6:30pm

Head Coach: Sylvester Robinson

Email: Sylvester.Robinson@dc.gov

Girls Basketball

Interest Meetings: September 22 @ 3:45pm- 4:00pm in room G-04 (Health Room)

Try-Outs: November 1 - November 4 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Head Coach: Troy Henderson

Email: Troy.Henderson@k12.dc.gov

Cheerleading

Team Interest Meeting: September 21 @ 3:45pm - 4:00pm in room G-04 (Health Room)

Boys Indoor Track & Field

Head Coach: Taurus McGhee

Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov

Girls Indoor Track & Field

Head Coach: Mark Smith

Email: Mark.smith@k12.dc.gov

Swimming

Head Coach: Leonard Booker

Email: acebooker@yahoo.com

Adaptive Bowling

Head Coach: Tomicula Williams

Email: Tomicula.Williams@k12.dc.gov

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

Assistant Coach: Volleyball (Fall Season) - $1000

Head Coach: Cheerleading (Fall Season)

Head Coach: Girls Bowling (Winter Season)

Head Coach: Wrestling (Winter Season )

Head Coach: Co-Ed Lacrosse (Spring Season)

Interested candidates or volunteers should send a resume to Athletic Director Strong, Richard.Strong@k12.dc.gov

Thank you to Mr. Strong for organizing and facilitating our first Pep Assembly for students! We are excited to bring this SHMS tradition back on a monthly basis and congratulations again to the 8th graders for earning their dress down day this past Monday!

Thank you to Mr. Surprenant, Ms. Rosera, and the Math team for organizing Friday's trip to the Building Museum for students taking Math 8. This trip aligned with the curriculum for that course and offered students a community building opportunity as well!

You can find the latest edition of our student paper, The Panther Gazette, online for easy access anytime and on-the-go!

We are excited to welcome families into SHMS on Wednesday evening for our annual Back-to-School Night. Please see the schedule below for details about each portion of the evening.

5:30, Doors open - Families are invited to join us in the lobby and auditorium. Some of our staff and school partners will have tables set up in and around the main lobby to share information about resources and supports for students and families.

5:45, Welcome Address - Principal Fraser will give provide a brief welcome to families in the auditorium.

6:00, Class Visits - Parents will follow their student's schedule to visit their classrooms, meet teachers, and experience the overall flow of their student's school day.

Student Lunch Periods - Principal Fraser and the administrative team will share grade-level specific updates and a summary of our Title I programming at 6:26 (6th grade), 6:40 (7th grade), and 6:54 (8th grade) in the auditorium.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday night and encourage you to follow-up with any teachers that you are unable to connect with then. Please remember that parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for October 6 and families should expect to learn more about their student's academic performance and progress at that time.

Most student schedule changes are complete and should be visible to students, teachers, and families in Aspen. Schedule updates for math acceleration, drama/theater participation, other elective preferences, and some IEP/ESL changes are complete. We are still gathering reading data from students and will make another small batch of changes as we identify students for reading support classes in the next week. We encourage families to check their student's schedule in Aspen to review any changes. Please find more information about Math acceleration below and please do not hesitate to reach out to a guidance counselor or grade-level administrator with any questions about your student's schedule.

Math Acceleration

At SHMS, we offer math acceleration opportunities to all students who are interested in challenging themselves academically and who wish to take Algebra 1 in middle school. While about 10% of 6th grade students test into Math 7 right away based on their diagnostic data, we also know that a single test data point does not define the success or academic trajectory of a student.

During the fall, the Math 6 teachers will work with individual students to get to know them as learners, strengthen their grade level skills and push them to achieve rigorous learning goals. Teachers will then make further recommendations about who may be a good candidate for math acceleration opportunities, and those students will be provided additional opportunities to learn the major Math 7 content in the Spring.

Both pathways, whether students start the year in Math 6 or Math 7, will result in a placement of Algebra 1 by 8th grade:

Pathway 1: Math 7, Math 8, Algebra 1

Pathway 2: Math 6 + Acceleration Opportunities, Math 8, Algebra 1

If you have any questions about how your child is progressing in math throughout the year or topics your child could work on at home, please reach out to your child's math teacher. We are so excited to help your child develop their skills in math this year!

As shared previously, we are excited to have started the year with staff in place to cover all classes for the long-term. Because of some recent updates about staff leave, delays with onboarding, and a teacher not returning unexpectedly, we do have some short-term plans to cover different teacher vacancies. Below are some updates and a list of positions where we are actively recruiting qualified candidates.

Teacher Updates

Science - We have selected a candidate and are waiting for them to finish the onboarding process with DCPS. We expect this person to begin reporting in the next month.

Spanish - We have selected a candidate and expect them to begin reporting in the next 1.5-3 weeks after finishing the onboarding process.

CES (self-contained Special Education) - We have communicated directly with families in this class about plans to deliver instruction while working to fill a teacher vacancy.

6th & 8th grade Social Studies - We have communicated directly with families in some 6th and 8th grade classes about plans to continue delivering instruction while a teacher is on leave.

Vacancies & Hiring

Behavior Tech - We are seeking qualified candidates to serve as a Behavior Tech and work with our 6th grade team

Teacher, Special Education (CES) - We are seeking a special educator to work with students in our CES self-contained class for students with autism spectrum disorders

Social Studies / ELA / Intervention - We are seeking a teacher who is licensed in social studies, ELA, and/or reading intervention. This position would provide relief and flexibility in our master schedule.

Substitutes - We are seeking substitute teachers to report and cover teachers on leave and/or to assist with daily coverage needs.

Please connect any interested candidates directly with Principal Fraser (eric.fraser@k12.dc.gov) or an assistant principal.

We are excited to partner with George Washington University Math Matters again this year for Math tutoring! 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. Our tutors include GW undergraduate and graduate students who receive training on being effective math mentors and tutors.

Tutoring Details

• Tutoring will occur two days a week in several sessions, we have the following available: Tuesday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Friday, Wednesday/Friday, or Thursday/Friday
• Tutoring groups meet twice a week for 45-minute sessions either during or after school.
• Tutoring curriculum is a skill based designed to elevate students’ mathematical understanding and skills to be successful in middle school and high school mathematics courses (not homework help)
• Tutoring is available on a first come, first serve basis until all sessions are full

If you are interested in signing up for math tutoring, feel free to reach out to your child's math teacher or Ms. Rosera at bethany.rosera@k12.dc.gov.

Thanks!

You are invited to the annual DCPS Back to School Block Party at Eliot-Hine Middle School on Saturday, September 17 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.! Enjoy free food, fun activities, and student performances as we celebrate the start of a new school year. Be sure to tell your colleagues, school community, and neighbors to attend, too.

Registration is not required, but we'd love to know if you plan to attend. RSVP on Facebook and visit bit.ly/dcpsblockparty2022 to learn more.

**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.

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

We are delighted to remind everyone that school meals are free for all students at SHMS again this year! School menus can be found here: dcps.dc.gov/menus.

If your student needs any dietary accommodations, please complete the Dietary Accommodation Forms. Any student that requires a different meal than what is being served (due to medical, food allergy, or philosophical reason) must complete the appropriate form and submit it to dietary.forms@k12.dc.gov or to the cafeteria lead. Please note that a new form is no longer required each year; only when the student requires a new accommodation or a change to their accommodation. Dietary accommodations from SY 19-20 and later will carry forward.

Adults, including teachers, school staff, and parents can purchase meals by creating an Adult Meal Account.

Follow us on social media to stay tuned with our latest events on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter using @DCPSEats.

More Helpful Links:

SY22-23 FARM Application

Join the School Food Collaborative!

Dietary Accommodation Forms

DCPS Local Wellness Policy
DCPS Website | Food and Nutrition Services

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.

Student schedules have been posted in Aspen and should be visible to anyone with an Aspen account. Students or families without an account should soon receive an invitation to set one up by email. We will provide students with copies of their schedule during the first week of school as well.

Aspen Family Portal

Aspen Family Portal accounts will be available the week of August 22nd. 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!

If your student is an English language learner (ELL), has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan, or you are interested in learning about these different supports, please know that our team is ready to connect with you to answer questions and connect you with supports.

Please see the points of contact for each type of inquiry below:

Tamara Lovelock (tamara.lovelock@k12.dc.gov): Special Education and IEPs

Molly Smith (molly.smith@k12.dc.gov): 504 Plans

AP Rennie Taylor (rennie.taylor@k12.dc.gov): English language learners, IEPs, or 504s

DC Public Schools works closely with DC Health to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, and community. District law and regulations require all schools to ensure students are fully immunized to attend school, and we know that childhood immunizations are critical to keeping our community safe. Now is the time for families to schedule an annual wellness visit with your child’s doctor or attend a neighborhood or school-based vaccine clinic.

New for the 2022-2023 School Year, all students ages 12 and older are required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to attend school. If you need a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, visit your local COVID Center.

Where to Obtain a Vaccine

The best place for DC families to access childhood immunizations is at their primary medical provider. If a family does not have a health care provider for their child or has difficulty securing an appointment before the first day of school, they can select one from a list of pediatric locations, located in every ward. There are DCPS School Based Health Centers to consider on that list, and mobile units that will visit schools through August and September.

• DC Health – Religious Exemption Seeking Process
• OSSE – COVID-19 Compliance Steps
• OSSE – Best Practices for School Leaders

For more information on obtaining immunizations by the first day of school, visit dcpsreopenstrong.com/vaccines.

MORE INFORMATION

The Kids Ride Free (KRF) program allows students to ride for free on Metrobus, Metrorail, and the DC Circulator while traveling within the District. The SY22-23 KRF cards will be delivered to schools starting 8/9 through 8/16 and will be activated as soon as they are assigned to a student. Please note that:

• SY22-23 KRF cards will be assigned to students without KRF cards first
• SY21-22 KRF cards will remain valid through September 30th
• Always tap the KRF card before rides
• Don’t leave home without the KRF card
• There is no fee for replacement cards
• For more information, visit KidsRideFree.dc.gov or call (202) 673-1740.

Please reach out to our Attendance Counselor, Ms. Clara Hargrove, with any questions or requests for support.

The following general school supply list will support your student in a successful start to the school year.

General School Supplies

• Headphones (microphone optional)
• Black or Blue Pens
• Pencils and Pencil Sharpener
• 2-4 Composition Books
• 2-4 Spiral Bound Notebooks
  
• Crayons, Color Markers, and Color Pencils
• Black Sharpie Marker
• Scissors
• Glue Sticks
• 3 ring binder(s) are recommended to help students organize for multiple classes

When planning to organize your student and their supplies, please remember that students will have 4 core classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, and ELA) and 2 electives (e.g. physical education, band, Spanish, etc.).

*Please contact school leadership or a member of the student support team for support with procuring school supplies*

Additional supplies may be required based on individual courses. These supply lists will be provided by teachers directly to their students/class.

There are many ways that you can stay connected with the PTA and other families at SHMS. Here are a few popular spaces in our community:

CAMPUS LISTSERVE

Families can sign up for individual campus listservs (Peabody, Watkins and/or Stuart-Hobson) through our school website. Our listservs are designed to be open forums for Cluster parents to connect with other Cluster families and stay updated on school-related issues.

https://www.capitolhillclusterschool.org/listservs

CAPITOL HILL CLUSTER SCHOOL WEBSITE

www.capitolhillclusterschool.org

The Cluster School website has general school information, school news including weekly newsletters and the school calendar with events for all three campuses.

SOCIAL MEDIA

INSTAGRAM: @capitolhillclusterschoolpta
Follow us on Instagram! Photos of our Cluster community including Peabody, Watkins and Stuart-Hobson events.

TWITTER: @CHCSPTA

Follow us on Twitter! The best way to see frequent posts and reminders of upcoming school events at all three campuses.

FACEBOOK: Capitol Hill Cluster School

Follow us on Facebook! General information and photos of recent and upcoming school events.

LINKEDIN: Capitol Hill Cluster School Parents Group

Join us on Linkedin! Network with other Peabody, Watkins and Stuart-Hobson parents. Lend your professional expertise to help the Cluster!

Check out the clothing and gear that are available at our new school store!

Families, staff, and students will be able to buy customizable Stuart-Hobson Panther gear. You can find the latest name brands on your custom SHMS gear.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Howard, devin.howard2@k12.dc.gov

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 will soon start meeting again and you should expect more information in upcoming newsletters.

Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Thrift to begin building a relationship with this support network in the mean time. He works out of room 111 and can be reached at john.thrift2@k12.dc.gov

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