Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

As we gear up for the upcoming holiday break, we look forward to a full week of school next week. Thank you to everyone who has supported our attendance initiatives. Your partnership has increased the time students spend engaged in instruction and, as the data shows, will contribute meaningfully to their growth and achievement.

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

Our second General Body PTA Meeting (of 4 this year) will be held Monday, November 17 from 7–8 PM via Zoom.

This month will feature the Student Support Team, who will share how Hyde-Addison supports students’ academic, social, and emotional growth.

All families are encouraged to attend. See below for the Zoom meeting link & details (can also be found on Konstella): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83470671928?pwd=eDBNQmRHenZiNFlUYXVhYTY0SmJ2QT09

Meeting ID: 834 7067 1928
Passcode: Hurricanes
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,83470671928#,,,,*4509739777# US (New York)
+13017158592,,83470671928#,,,,*4509739777# US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 834 7067 1928
Passcode: 4509739777

Photo viewing links were sent out to families this week — and for one week only, enjoy special lower pricing on school portraits (see graphic for details).

Last year, the PTA worked closely with Freed Photography to negotiate more affordable options so every family can access these cherished memories.

Don’t wait — order your photos within these first 7 days before prices go up, and remember that each student receives a free 5x7 class photo or digital image during this limited-time offer (you must order it to receive it)!

A huge thank-you to all the families, teachers, and staff who joined us last week at L’Enfant Gallery for our annual Parent & Teacher Night Out! The evening was a great success!

Special thanks to Hyde parent Peter Colasante of @lenfantgallery for hosting our event again this year, the talented Quentin (@idk.quentin) for the beautiful music, and to Mezeh for providing food for the event. It was a truly special night made possible by our incredible Hyde-Addison community. 💙

Join us Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 8–11 a.m. at Call Your Mother’s Georgetown location and enjoy your favorite bagels, coffee, breakfast/lunch sandwiches and sweets — all while supporting Hyde-Addison!

Use code HYDE online or in-store on this day, and 25% of your purchase will go directly back to our school. To place online orders with the promo code, use this link: https://callyourmother.olo.com/menu/georgetown

It’s the perfect excuse to treat yourself — and maybe treat a teacher or staff member with breakfast or lunch, too!

We’re collecting canned and non-perishable food items from November 10th–21st to support local families in need this Thanksgiving. Please send donations with your child to give to their teacher. All collected items will be donated to a local food pantry before the holiday.

Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!

With the holiday season fast approaching, we acknowledge that some families may require additional assistance. To indicate if you would benefit from some support, kindly click on the provided link below.

Holiday Outreach - Parent Referral SY2526

While completing the form does not guarantee selection, we aim to support as many families as possible. This information will only be shared with our Student Support Team.

As we get ready for our first Hyde-Addison Turkey Trot, please remind students of the following:

• No sprinting or running – this event is meant to be a light jog or brisk walk around the route.

• Dress comfortably – students should wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes.

Hyde-Addison will celebrate the day before Thanksgiving break with our first Turkey Trot on Tuesday, November 25th! To help make the event run smoothly, we’re looking for a few grown-up volunteers to help with setup, snack distribution and cleanup. If you’re available to help, please sign up at the link below — even a partial shift makes a big difference! 🦃

Sign up: https://www.konstella.com/activity-details.html?activityId=69094fcdf6bae3f1680d32d8

We are currently gauging interest in a potential club starting in January. If this is something your scholar would be interested in, please complete the form below.

Feel free to explore the organizations's website for more information about the program: https://earlygirls.org/

Families, please remember to label all of your child’s belongings (jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, etc.). This helps us return items quickly and ensures they don’t end up in the Lost & Found.

Our Lost & Found bins will be placed outside on Fridays only, during arrival and dismissal for easy access.

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!

During the 2025-2026 school year, Hardy MS will be hosting several Open Houses for families with prospective students.

SY 2025-2026 Open House Dates:
January 28, 2026 from 5-7pm
February 5, 2026 from 10-11:15am

If you need help or have questions, email: ch002523@discoverchampions.com

To enroll your child in Champions aftercare for SY25-26:

1. Create a parent portal [STEP 1]

   a. Your parent portal will give you access to billing, scheduling and many more things that will assist you.

   Link: https://connect.klcschoolpartnerships.com/

   
   

2. Fill out the attached Enrollment Packets [STEP 2]

1. Ensure to have your REQUESTED SCHEDULE completed.

2. Ensure you fill out all 3 OSSE forms.

3. Ensure you fill out a separate form for each of your students.

4. Ensure there is contact information for primary and secondary payer (email and number).

5. Ensure you are putting your child/children grade on the enrollment form.

6. When finished please email a copy to CH002523@DISCOVERCHAMPIONS.COM.

Active Play has a combination of parent donations and Active Play scholarships for enrichment programs at Hyde that Active Play would love to put to use. Please contact Active Play if you are in need of support. sarah@activeplayllc.com

Girls in Gear is back with a full line-up of fall programming across Washington, DC, with bikes and helmets available for anyone in need.

Please see the attached flyer for additional information.

We’re excited to share that after the success of our June event, Clare V. Georgetown is once again partnering with the Hyde-Addison Elementary PTA to host a shopping event on Thursday, November 20th from 6–8 PM.

📍 Clare V. Georgetown – 1238 Wisconsin Ave NW
🛍️ Light bites & bubbly will be served for shoppers

If you’ve been thinking about holiday gifts or adding a timeless piece to your wardrobe, this is a great opportunity to shop with purpose — 15% of all sales that evening will be donated back to Hyde-Addison Elementary School.

We understand that times are tough, but if you are planning to shop, your purchase makes a real impact for our students and teachers. This event is open to the public, so please share with friends, family, and neighbors who may want to support our school while shopping locally.

Please RSVP on Konstella so our hosts can plan accordingly: https://www.konstella.com/app/school/5f3ec103b63aaba471bba1f9/events/68efcd8df6ba848457585977

Hyde-Addison will celebrate the day before Thanksgiving break with our first Turkey Trot on Tuesday, November 25th! To help make the event run smoothly, we’re looking for a few grown-up volunteers to help with setup, snack distribution and cleanup. If you’re available to help, please sign up at the link below — even a partial shift makes a big difference! 🦃 Sign up: https://www.konstella.com/activity-details.html?activityId=69094fcdf6bae3f1680d32d8

The PTA is seeking at least 2 members to join the Audit Committee to support the PTA non-profit audit process and continued financial oversight. Join in Konstella at this link or email pta.hydeaddison@gmail.com for more information.

Follow Us on Instagram @HydeAddisonPTA & Never Miss a School Moment!

Click here: https://www.instagram.com/hydeaddisonpta/?hl=en

This year, we’re striving for robust, diverse, and active committees that truly reflect our Hyde community—and we need YOU! 💛

Take a moment to:
💬 Join your child’s classroom group (room parents use this for class events, birthday parties, playdates and more!)
🤝 Sign up for committees that interest you
📍 Connect with social groups like your DC Ward

Being on Konstella helps keep our community strong, connected, and informed. If you still need to join Konstella- click here!

https://www.konstella.com/?action=request-to-join&schoolId=5f3ec103b63aaba471bba1f9

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)
🌮 Taco Tuesdays at Los Cuates (1564 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!

Safety Reminders when Traveling To/From School

Ahead of the school year, please remind families to talk to their children about safety when traveling to and from school. Specifically, they should remind their children to:

• Travel in a group or with a friend, neighbor, or other trusted adult whenever possible.​
• Avoid distractions while traveling, like using phones, headphones, or other technology.​
• Walk along main roads, avoiding alleys or other low-visibility paths.​
• Arrive at school on time.​

If your child arrives at school before 8:10 a.m., they must be supervised by a parent or guardian.

Students may enter the building beginning at 8:10 a.m. for breakfast. Students choosing to eat breakfast should go directly inside instead of playing on the playground. This helps to ensure a smooth and timely start to the school day.

Please be mindful that students should be picked up each day by 3:25 p.m. We ask that every effort be made to arrive on time, as the tour of duty for most staff concludes at 3:30 p.m. If you require extended care, please contact one of the aftercare or enrichment providers to arrange enrollment in an after-school program.

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.

November 26-28: Thanksgiving Break, No School for Students or Teachers

First Tuesday of Each Month: LSAT