The Hyde Pride Quarterly

Dear Hyde-Addison Families,

It's hard to believe we're already wrapping up the first quarter of the school year! From welcoming new families and hosting community events to launching fundraisers and supporting our teachers and staff, it's been an exciting start to the year!

We're excited to introduce the first edition of our quarterly PTA e-Newsletter, designed to keep families informed about what we've accomplished, what we're working on, and what's coming up next. Below, you'll find upcoming events, fundraising updates, school improvement initiatives, and opportunities to get involved.

As always, every Hyde-Addison parent and guardian is a member of the PTA—no dues or registration required. Whether you volunteer, donate, share an idea, or simply show up, your participation makes a difference. Revisit our Welcome Letter sent home the first week of school if you're new to our community or want a refresher!

Thank you for helping make Hyde-Addison such a special community. We look forward to another wonderful quarter together!

⭐ Friday, October 23 | Final Friday Happy Hour

3:30–6:00 PM | Tai Chi Bubble Tea (Downstairs Bar)

Kick off the weekend with fellow Hyde-Addison families! Kids are welcome, and 20% of purchases will support our school when you mention the Hyde-Addison PTA. Learn more here!

⭐ Thursday, October 29 | Outdoor Movie Night (rescheduled date)

Doors open at 6 PM | Hyde-Addison Playground | Minions & Monsters

Bring your blankets, jackets and anything you need to get cozy on the hardtop. The event is free to attend, bring the whole family, but every child MUST be accompanied by an adult. The PTA will have concessions available for $1 per item, swag sales and families are also welcome to bring their own picnic food and drinks — just please, no glass.

⭐ Saturday, October 31 | Great Donation Race Ends!

The final stretch is here!

We're racing toward our fundraising and participation goals! If your family hasn't joined the Great Donation Race yet, there's still time. Every donation counts, no matter the amount! Help us finish strong! Join the Race: One-time contribution -OR- 10 Recurring contributions

⭐ Saturday, November 7 | Gardening & Schoolyard Clean-Up

10:00 AM–12:00 PM | Hyde-Addison Schoolyard

Roll up your sleeves and help keep our school beautiful! Families are invited to join us for a morning of gardening and schoolyard clean-up. Please bring: Shovels, gardening gloves, yard bags, and leaf blowers if you have them. Be sure to wear closed-toe shoes! Learn more here!

⭐ Thursday, November 19 | Parent-Teacher Night Out

5:00-7:00 PM | L'Enfant Gallery (1442 Wisconsin Ave. NW)

A Night Out for Our Hyde-Addison Community! Join fellow parents, caregivers, teachers, and staff for a fun evening of socializing and community building. Don't miss this chance to connect outside of school! 👉Purchase Your Tickets Here!

It's been a busy start to the 2026–27 school year! From delivering 265 school supply kits and beautifying our school to welcoming families, supporting teachers and staff, and launching our annual fundraising initiatives, our PTA community has already been hard at work.

We also held our first General Body Meeting of the year, where members approved the 2026–27 PTA budget, setting the stage for another great year ahead.

Take a look at what we've been up to—and thank you to everyone who helped make it happen!

From community events and fundraisers to General Body Meetings, school support activities, and quarterly newsletters, the PTA has a busy year ahead. Below is a look at many of the key moments planned for the remainder of the 2026–27 school year so families can see what’s coming up and stay engaged all year long.

Our standing Executive Board meetings are usually held virtually on the second Friday of each month at 12 PM. Exact meeting dates can be found on our website and Konstella calendars. Meetings are open for anyone in the general body to attend, please email us 24-48 hours prior to the meeting to request the Zoom link. General body remarks are held at the beginning of the meeting and then the meeting proceeds per the planned agenda. All monthly Board Meeting Minutes can be found on our website here, and are a great way to stay updated on all the PTA details!

**Events & dates in the graphic below are subject to change.

A huge thank-you to our 14 businesses already committed to supporting Hyde-Addison through our 2026–27 Annual Business Sponsorship Program! These generous partnerships help fund classroom enrichment, school programs, community events, and more. Meet Our 2026–27 Business Sponsors!

Exciting things are coming in November! We'll be unveiling our new Annual Business Sponsor banner along O Street NW, prominently recognizing sponsors at the Partner level ($1,000) and above. We'll also be releasing our updated Preferred Vendor Handbook, featuring businesses that support our school community. Be sure to check it out and show these businesses some love!

Own a business or know someone who does? There's still time to join! Sponsorships start at $500, with recognition opportunities throughout the school year.

While businesses are welcome to become sponsors at any time, October 31 is the deadline to secure full annual benefits, including eligible printed recognition.

Help us spread the word! Share this opportunity with your favorite local businesses, employers, and community partners.

Additional sponsorship opportunities will be available for our annual gala so stay tuned!

The Hyde-Addison PTA has set an ambitious fundraising goal of more than $200,000 for the 2026–27 school year! These funds help bridge the gap between DCPS funding and our school's needs, supporting academic programs, classroom resources, teachers and staff, and the community events and initiatives that make Hyde-Addison special.

Our annual fundraising needs and budget were presented, discussed, and approved by PTA members at our first General Body Meeting in September. The graphic below summarizes the information discussed on fundraising and the approved budget. Interested in learning more? Explore the September General Body Meeting Minutes and presentation slides.

Throughout the year, additional fundraising initiatives will help us reach our annual target. You can spot past and upcoming fundraisers highlighted in red on our annual calendar above.

Our largest direct annual appeal to families is underway! This year's Great Donation Race aims to raise $60,000 with 100% family participation. Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a difference and brings us closer to our goals.

There are individual perks at every participation level, and new this year--the top three classes by participation—and every class that reaches 100% participation—earn an ice cream party! Donations of any amount count toward participation for all of your students, and the Great Donation Race continues through October 31.

Thank you for investing in our students and school community!

Following the removal of trees and vegetation from the neighboring vacant property west of our playground earlier this year, the PTA made restoring shade to our schoolyard a top priority. We immediately formed a Playground Shade Task Force composed of Hyde-Addison parents, and led by Alex Mady and Crystal Rosario. In August we submitted a comprehensive shade proposal to school administration outlining both immediate solutions and longer-term improvements, including temporary shade structures, outdoor classroom shade sails, and mature tree plantings.

Since then, the PTA has been working collaboratively with Hyde-Addison Administration, DCPS, DGS, and the neighboring developer, Dilan Homes, to address the loss of shade.

We're excited to share that the developer has agreed to repair the damaged retaining wall and fully fund the planting of five mature American Elm trees, approximately 26–28 feet tall at installation, along the western edge of our playground by O St.

The trees will be installed by Ruppert Trees, with installation targeted for November, pending issuance of a Right of Entry permit from DGS. American Elms are indigenous and native to Washington, DC, and were selected for their disease-resistant varieties and their long-standing historical significance as iconic shade trees throughout the city.

Once installed, these trees will provide much-needed shade, greater privacy between the playground and neighboring homes, and potentially some added protection for the new home's windows from stray playground balls.

We're thrilled to see progress on this important priority and will continue advocating for additional shade solutions throughout our schoolyard!

Pictured above: Proposed rendering of the five mature American Elm trees along the western playground boundary.

We're introducing a new way to celebrate the people, programs, and traditions that make Hyde-Addison special!

Look for our new Hyde Pride Tree mural in a central location at school, where parents and guardians can add a "Leaf Shout-Out" highlighting something they love about Hyde-Addison.

Whether it's a favorite school tradition, a wonderful teacher or staff member, a PTA event, or something our school does particularly well, we want to hear about it! Your positive feedback helps school administration, teachers, and the PTA understand what's working, what's valued, and what families want to see continue.

Our tree will change with the seasons—from colorful fall leaves to winter snowflakes and spring blossoms—giving families new opportunities to share their appreciation throughout the year.

Help us grow a tree full of Hyde Pride, one shout-out at a time!

Our PTA is strongest when it reflects the diverse voices, perspectives, talents, and priorities of our entire school community. That's why we're encouraging more parents and caregivers to join our PTA committees and play an active role in shaping the programs, events, initiatives, and traditions that make Hyde-Addison special.

Whether you're passionate about community events, fundraising, school beautification, communications, teacher appreciation, or something else entirely, there's a committee for you!

We even have a General Volunteers Committee for more one-off requests for helping hands at PTA events, Lost & Found organization, re-shelving of books in the school library and countless other projects!

And don't worry about the time commitment! Opportunities range from sharing ideas and helping with occasional projects to taking on more active planning and leadership roles. Every contribution matters, and you can participate in a way that works for your schedule.

Most importantly, joining a committee gives you a seat at the table. We want to hear what matters to your family, what you'd like to see more of, and your ideas for making Hyde-Addison even better.

Explore our PTA committees and learn more about getting involved with the PTA here!

If you've made it this far, congratulations—you've officially earned your Hyde Pride newsletter endurance badge! Thanks for sticking with us. We hope to give your scrolling finger a break until next quarter!

In all seriousness, a heartfelt THANK YOU to the many parents, caregivers, teachers, and staff who make our PTA community so special. Whether you've served on a committee, volunteered at an event, stepped up as a Room Parent, helped tackle big initiatives like our Playground Shade Task Force, donated, or simply shown up to support our school, you are what makes Hyde-Addison such an incredible community.

Have a question, suggestion, concern, or a great idea? We genuinely want to hear from you. Your feedback and involvement help us build a PTA that reflects and serves our entire school community. Reach out anytime at pta.hydeaddison@gmail.com.

Until next quarter, keep spreading that Hyde Pride—and wearing it, too! (Shameless plug: our Hyde Pride swag shop is always open!).

With gratitude,

Crystal, Toi, Emerald, Alexis, Zeina, Motrya, Nina, Chelsea, Ebony, Chris, Phil, Gelila, Maaden & Farrell

Your 2026–27 Hyde-Addison PTA Executive Board

Stay connected & get PTA updates from:

Friday Family e-Newsletter • Konstella • Instagram • hydeaddisonpta.org • PTA Bulletin Board