Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

Thank you to all of the families who continue to prioritize student attendance. Our year-to-date chronic absence rate is 9.18%, compared to 12.94% at this time last year. We are grateful for your partnership and are encouraged by the continued improvement.

As always, please feel free to email hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov with any school specific inquiries.

Warmest regards,
Dr. Calvin Hooks, Principal
Hyde-Addison Elementary School

The yearly survey helps us learn what DCPS and Hyde-Addison ES are doing well and how we can improve. The 2026 survey is also part of DC’s citywide school climate survey for families, DC SAYS. The survey will open on Monday, March 2 and remain open through Friday, April 3.

We need your help to ensure your voices are represented! Please take the survey today at dcsays.dc.gov.

Every voice counts. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your feedback! See last year’s survey results at bit.ly/dcpsresults.

You can also visit dcps.dc.gov/surveys to view survey questions and other information for families. If you have any questions about this survey process, please feel free to contact hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov.

Coping Skills Café is back! We invite you and your family to join the Student Support Team on March 26th, 2026, for a fun and interactive event. Parents and students will work together through engaging activities designed to build metacognition skills, strengthen problem‑solving, and support emotional growth. We look forward to spending this time with you! Please RSVP by March 23rd, 2026, if you plan to attend.

Coping Skills Cafe 2026 RSVP

As you begin making plans for Spring Break, we would like to share a friendly reminder that Spring Break will take place April 13–17.

As families plan travel and activities, please be mindful that students should attend school in the days leading up to the break so they do not miss valuable instructional time. We look forward to students returning to school Monday, April 20, ready to continue learning together.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting strong attendance for all students.

Help us kick off our first Gardening Day of 2026 and give the Hyde playground a little spring refresh! Families are invited to stop by for a fun afternoon of planting, cleanup, and painting colorful Kindness Rocks to add to our growing rock garden near the front entrance.

📅 Sunday, March 29
⏰ 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 Hyde Playground

We’re also excited to welcome incoming 2026–27 families, so it’s a wonderful chance to meet new members of our community and show them what makes Hyde so special!

Helpful to bring if you have them:

• Closed-toed shoes
• Gardening gloves
• Yard bags
• Leaf blowers
• Sunscreen!

Join the Hyde-Addison PTA and fellow Hyde families for youth night at Audi Field--a fun evening at a Washington Spirit soccer game — our Southwest Playdate of the season!

📅 Saturday, May 30
⏰ 6:30 PM Kickoff
📍 Audi Field – Section 115
100 Potomac Ave SW, Washington, DC

Watch the Washington Spirit take on Seattle Reign while connecting with other Hyde families for a great night of professional soccer in DC.

🎟 Early Bird Tickets: $25 per person
• Early bird pricing available for the first 50 tickets sold
• After that, ticket prices may increase — buy early!

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE: https://app.moonclerk.com/pay/5cy7uy0r8qoa

⭐ Bonus for Kids:
The first 20 kids’ tickets purchased will receive access to a pre-game field experience starting at 5:00 PM.

Important Notes:
• Parking is not included
• Seats are together in Section 115

If your family needs financial assistance, please contact:
📧 hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov

Below you will find the 2026 Chancellor’s Family Notification Letter regarding state-mandated assessments. This letter includes a message from Chancellor Ferebee about mandated assessments, the DCPS assessment windows, and links to helpful resources for families.

The initial Impact Aid application was submitted on Monday, February 2. The amended application, due in June, will ensure DCPS receives the federal funding necessary to support our students. It is important that every family completes the Impact Aid survey

Registration for Summer Learning 2026 opened on Monday, February 2. Students and families can learn more about Summer 2026 at this site. Please note that K-8 sites will hold programming 5 days a week (Program Dates: Monday, June 22 to Friday, July 31). High schools will hold programming Monday-Thursday, with no programming on Fridays (Program Dates: Monday, June 22 to Thursday, July 30).

Hyde Families,

Registration for our final "summer" enrichment season opens this Monday at 9:00 AM! To assist with your planning, you can explore the full catalog, detailed course descriptions, and the registration link directly on our website here.

Key Dates & Information:

• Registration Opens: Monday, March 9th at 9:00 AM
• Cancellation Notices: We will notify parents of any class cancellations by April 10th.
• Registration Closes: Friday, April 17th

Please note that registration will remain open throughout Spring Break. However, classes with insufficient enrollment will be canceled the week prior, so we strongly encourage you to register early to secure a spot in your preferred programs. If you have any questions, need assistance with registration, or have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help! Thank you and we look forward to having your child join us this summer!

Sincerely,

Active Play

Details

• August 4th-6th, from 8:30am-12:30pm
• Summer Bridge enrollment opens March 27th, and your student MUST be signed up to participate
• Hardy Bridge Sign Up

Ticket sales are officially live for the Hyde-Addison PTA’s annual spring gala, Jazz After Dark, taking place Saturday, April 25 from 7–10 PM at St. John’s Episcopal Church (across the street from school). Lock in your sitter now and grab your tickets before the event sells out because we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Our incredible team of parent volunteers has been meeting every week to plan an unforgettable evening for the Hyde-Addison community. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming together:

🎶 LIVE JAZZ BAND ANNOUNCED!
We’re thrilled to share that Donvonte McCoy & CP Time will be performing live at the gala! This outstanding DC jazz band has played on Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, and we’re so excited they’ll be bringing their music to our community for this special night. Check them out here!

🍸 Great Food
🏷️ Live + silent auctions with exciting items
🎷 A lively night of music, community, and celebration in support of our school
🏫 All funds raised go directly to the Hyde-Addison PTA to support teachers, classroom resources, enrichment programs, and student opportunities.

📅 Saturday, April 25 | 7–10 PM
📍 St. John’s Episcopal Church
🎟 $100 per person
👥 Adults only

🎟 Secure your tickets here: https://hae.schoolauction.net/jazzafterdark/register/ticket_sales

⭐ Check out our website for more info: hydeaddisonpta.org/jazzafterdark

Planning is well underway for our Annual Spring Gala, and we are actively seeking event sponsors to help make this special night possible. While many sponsors are businesses, anyone can sponsor — families, social groups, local organizations, or anyone who wants to support Hyde-Addison. When purchasing your Jazz After Dark tickets, be sure to check out the Gala Family Sponsorships available exclusively to Hyde-Addison families!

Sponsorships are available at multiple levels with great perks and are a fun way to directly support the programs, resources, and experiences that benefit every Hyde-Addison student.

👉 View sponsorship opportunities:HydeAddisonPTA.org/sponsorjazzafterdark
👉 Confirm your sponsorship: https://hae.schoolauction.net/jazzafterdark/register/ticket_sales

Thank you for helping us make this cornerstone community event a success!

The lost & found pile is already growing! Help keep track of water bottles, jackets, and more by labeling everything. Through Mabel’s Labels, you can purchase durable, waterproof labels in fun designs — and 20% of proceeds go directly to Hyde-Addison!

👉 Visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com, search for Hyde-Addison PTA (Washington), and start shopping.

We also have ongoing restaurant fundraisers each week at Georgetown favorites:
🍕 Manny & Olga’s Mondays (1641 Wisconsin Ave NW)
🍗 Wingo’s Wednesdays (3207 O Street NW)

✨ 25% of your order comes back to Hyde — just mention Hyde-Addison at checkout! No online delivery apps- in-person dining or takeout only!

For more information and a full catalog of our ongoing fundraisers, visit our website:https://hydeaddisonpta.org/ongoing-fundraisers. Thank you for supporting our school community!

With back-to-school around the corner, we have an easy way to help you avoid the lost & found and support our school at the same time!

Mabel's Labels are waterproof, dishwasher and washing machine-safe, durable, and come in a wide variety of sizes, colors and kid-favorite graphics. They're perfect for water bottles, lunchboxes, headphones, jackets and more!

Extra Perk! 20% of every purchase goes right back to Hyde-Addison to support our students and staff.

How to order:

1. Go to campaigns.mabelslabels.com.
2. Search for and select "Hyde-Addison PTA (Washington)"
3. Start shopping! It's that easy!

We’re excited to share that our Minted fundraiser is back! When you use code FUNDRAISEHYDEADDISON, you’ll save 20% on your order—and Minted will donate 10% back to the Hyde-Addison PTA.

This code works all year long, so whether you’re ordering holiday cards, change of address cards, baby announcements, graduation invitations or announcements or personalized gifts, every purchase gives back to our school!

Minted offers beautiful, high-quality designs, easy address collection, and free recipient address printing on envelopes, making any large send-out a breeze.

Thank you for considering supporting Hyde-Addison while checking a few things off your to-do list! Happy Shopping! --> https://www.minted.com

If your child needs to take medication or requires medical treatment during school hours, please have your medical provider complete the appropriate forms, which may include the Medication and Treatment Authorization Forms, the Asthma Action Plan and the Action Plan for Anaphylaxis. Please email forms to hyde.Addison@k12.dc.gov and ask them to be submitted to the nurse. We will confirm receipt.

If your child needs a dietary accommodation, your provider should also complete the Dietary Accommodations Form. Please submit the completed form to dietary.forms@k12.dc.gov and cc hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov.

Attendance is a top priority for both DCPS and Hyde-Addison ES, as consistent, on-time attendance is essential to student achievement, growth, and overall success. We encourage families to review the DCPS Academic Calendar below or directly on the dcps.dc.gov website, to plan vacations, appointments, and events in a way that supports uninterrupted learning throughout the school year.

During the school year, please notify the school every time your student is absent. Excuse notes must be emailed to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov within 5 school days after the student’s return to school for the absence to be excused, in alignment with DCPS Attendance policies. (Classroom teachers cannot excuse absences.)

All students in grades Kindergarten–5 must have a signed permission form on file each school year in order to:

• Be dismissed to the Jelleff aftercare program

• Walk home

• Take public transportation home alone

• Leave with an underaged sibling

No student will be permitted to leave school alone or with an underaged sibling until the attached form is signed and returned to the main office or emailed to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov.

All volunteers, including parents, must complete the DCPS Clearance process before volunteer services can be provided. Please send a proof of your completed clearance status to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov.

DCPS is pleased to announce the release of the SY 25-26 Feeder, Middle School, and High School Booklets. These comprehensive booklets provide essential information including school overviews, programming details, geographic and programmatic feeder patterns, and much more.

Please find attached a message from DC Public Schools Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee regarding changes to sibling phase-in policies for students enrolling in 9th grade in School Year 2026-2027 and later.

Continuing this school year, Hyde-Addison’s cell phone policy will remain in effect. If families choose to send their child to school with a cell phone or other personal technology, it must be kept in the student’s backpack and turned off or set to airplane mode for the duration of the school day as referenced in the Family Handbook.

Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, a new DCPS policy will prohibit students from accessing a cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day while on DCPS school grounds, aligning with our school’s current cell phone policy.

DCPS Student Cell Phone and Personal Electronic Device policy

To ensure students and families receive the appropriate technological support, DCPS IT and OCTO will provide dedicated assistance.

For students and families:

• OCTO Student & Family Call Center – Assists parents and students with technical and password issues. Contact number is: (202) 442-5885 (Option 1).

DCPS is committed to creating a discrimination-free environment for all students. To meet this commitment, DCPS is focused on creating an environment in which we eliminate opportunity gaps, interrupt institutional bias, and remove barriers to academic and social success, particularly for students of color. Please review the following policies regarding anti-discrimination within DCPS.

DCPS Anti-Discrimination Policy

The Family Handbook for the 2025–2026 school year is attached below for your review. Please take a moment to read through it to familiarize yourself with important school policies and procedures.

When you receive the Family Newsletter by email each Friday, as well as most other school-wide communications, you will have the option to view it in a web browser. Accessing the newsletter this way allows for automatic translation into over 20 languages and provides enhanced accessibility features, including high-contrast display settings and adjustable font sizes for improved visibility.

All Family Newsletters will also be archived on the Hyde-Addison website https://hydeaddisondc.org/home throughout the year for your ongoing reference.

April 6: Half-Day Records & Half-Day Wellness / No School for Students

April 13-17 (Spring Break): No School for Students or Teachers

First Tuesday of Each Month: LSAT