Greetings Stuart-Hobson community,

We are just two weeks away from the first day of classes for school year 2022-23! The school has been abuzz lately and all staff and teachers will return on Friday to prepare for the students' return on August 29th.

Thank you to the students, staff, families, and school partners who participated in another successful Panther Pride Academy this past week. We welcomed about 75 rising 6th graders in to learn about and practice school routines, build community, learn a bit, and have some fun with SHMS and After-School All-Stars staff. We look forward to welcoming everyone else back and reiterating much of this work in the first days of school.

As with the learning that students engaged in, we held an orientation for our new families. While we will cover much of the same content and more during our school-wide virtual orientation on August 23rd, you can find the slide deck here to review or preview. The Student & Family Handbook will be available next week after we finalize updates to DCPS health and safety protocols. If you have any specific questions or content that you would like us to address during the orientation you can share that on this form.

We hope you find the updates below helpful as you continue to enjoy your summer. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or requests during the next few weeks.

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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

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Monday

• Enjoy summer break!

Tuesday

• Enjoy summer break!

Wednesday

• Enjoy summer break!

Thursday

• Enjoy summer break!
• Telephone Town Hall w/DCPS Chancellor Ferebee, 5:00 PM

Friday

• Teachers & Staff Return for Pre-Service!
• After-School All-Stars (ASAS) confirms SY 2022-23 student enrollment and waitlist for families

Upcoming Dates

• August 19 & 22-26, Pre-Service Week for Teachers and Staff
• August 23, School Year 2022-23 Family Orientation, 6:00-7:30 PM (virtual)
• August 29, First Day of School for Students
• September 5, Labor Day Observed, Schools Closed
• September 14, SHMS Back to School Night (BTSN)

SAVE THE DATE: DCPS AND DCIAA FREE Athletic Physical Day

Date: Saturday, August 20, 2022 @ Columbia Heights Educational Campus/Bell HS (3105 16th St. NW) Gym

Time: 9:00am-1:00pm

Who: Grades 4-12 ONLY

What: Athletic Physical- Please find documents on DCIAA website- www.thedciaa.com

Cost: FREE for DCPS student-athletes ONLY

Registration: No pre-registration nor appointment necessary

DCPS Athletics

The DCIAA is a youth sports league administered by DCPS Athletics. Access games schedules, scores, standings, and more.

www.thedciaa.com

***We are accepting athletic forms for SY2022 - 2023 and the Fall Sports listed below***

Participation Form: 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: MS/ES Participation Packet.

Click on the link below to submit the athletic forms online.

https://dcgov.seamlessdocs.com/f/0cnnnbhmck7h

Archery

Head Coach: Myron Alston

Email: maalston0563@gmail.com

Football

Tuesday: 8:30am - 12:00pm

Wednesday: 8:30am - 12:00pm

Thursday: 8:30am - 12:00pm

Head Coach: Stanley Stancil

Email: sstancil1@gmail.com

Cheerleading

Head Coach: TBA

Boys' Cross-Country

Head Coach: Taurus McGhee

Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov

Girls' Cross-Country

Head Coach: Mark Smith

Email: Taurus.mcghee@dc.gov

Girls' Soccer

Head Coach: Dexter Batts

Email: Dexter.Batts@dc.gov

Boys' Soccer

First Practice: Tuesday, August 23 ( 4:00pm-5:00pm)

Head Coach: Richard Strong

Email: Richard.Strong@k12.dc.gov

Volleyball

Try-Out Dates: August 30 - September 1 ( 4:00pm 5:30pm)

Head Coach: Ronald Dorsey

Email: Rondorseyjr@gmail.com

Questions? Know someone who is interested in one of our coaching positions? Please email our physical education teacher and Athletic Director, Mr. Strong, at richard.strong2@k12.dc.gov

Head Coach: Volleyball (Fall Season)

Head Coach- $2,000

Assistant Coach- $1,000

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 all of our 12-month staff and summer teachers for delivering multiple in-person opportunities for our students and/or for giving your time to plan for the upcoming school year! Your engagement and leadership this summer make our school community a great place for students, staff, and families! Thank you!

Thank you to Ms. Hunter, Ms. Kensey, Ms. Latagan, Ms. Macneil, Ms. Pergerson, Mr. Strong, and Counselor Williams for facilitating or stopping by to help out with this year's Panther Pride Academy (Summer Bridge)! We had around 75 6th graders join us for practice and community building over four days last week!

Thank you to the custodial team for working through the summer to get the building ready for all students and staff to return!

Use this form to shout out a staff member or team. Shout-outs will find their way into staff meetings, newsletters, and mailboxes. Thank you!

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

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.

Thank you for helping us move to more than 85% of our enrollment goal in the opening months of enrollment season! We aspire to enroll 100% of families for next school year by August 22nd! See below for ways that you can help us hit that target!

The Stuart-Hobson Middle School team looks forward to welcoming your rising 6th, 7th and/or 8th grade student into our diverse and dynamic Capitol Hill Cluster School community. You can also learn more about our school by viewing our school's recorded Open House webinar.

Enrolling can be quick and easy for families, and we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. For your convenience, visit this website to complete your enrollment online: dcpsenrollment. Families are also invited to complete enrollment by visiting our SHMS main office between 9:00 am-3:30 pm Monday through Friday.

We welcome all parents to make the school choice that best suits their child and family needs. If your student will not be joining our SHMS community, please contact the main office and inform our team of your student's new school. We will provide you with appropriate documentation to be removed from our school roster and mailing list.

We look forward to supporting our families through this enrollment season and welcome you to contact AP Turner with questions.

**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.

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.

Uniform Policy

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:

• 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
• Plain black cotton sweatshirts (front zip or pullover) and knit vests. No hoods.
• Khaki pants, skirts/shorts, worn at waist level.
• Comfortable closed-toed shoes or sneakers covering the entire foot. No sandals, slippers, or Crocs.
• 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.

We’re excited to welcome your child back for the new school year in just under 40 days. Please see this important update and reminder on the steps all families must take to attend school this year.

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.

Put Vaccines on Your-Back-to-School List

To attend school, families are required to submit their student’s up-to-date immunization record by the first day of school. Vaccinations are critical for preventing disease and reducing the dangers that can come with being exposed to certain diseases. You can find a list of required immunizations for your child according to their age by viewing this helpful flyer from DC Health.

If you have not already submitted your child’s immunization records to your school, here is what you need to do now: 1. Make an appointment with your child’s doctor. DC offers resources to help you find a health provider if you do not have health insurance. 2. Have the doctor complete DC’s Universal Health Certificate, available here. Your health provider may also provide a different proof of immunization document or an exemption explanation.

3. Submit your immunization paperwork to your child’s school. You can drop it off at your school or call the school’s main office if you have questions about how to submit your form.

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.

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

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping our schools and students safe.

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!

Starting July 5, 2022, DC youth 18 years and younger or parents or guardians on their behalf, are eligible to receive meals from any of the in-person summer school sites. More information will be posted here in the coming days.

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 (check your junk and spam folders for the invitation), likely in late August or early September.

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

Also, we recommend that families download the Grade Corner app to their smartphones or other devices. This app was created by an SHMS parent, requires an Aspen login, and allows you to see all of your student's grades in one place. In addition to seeing report cards, it is a quick and easy tool for keeping tabs on your student's progress.

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

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