Staff Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Team,

Thank you to all of the staff who stepped up to support coverage for colleagues who were absent this week. We recognize how challenging it can be when call-outs occur and leave is not submitted in time to secure substitute coverage. Your willingness to step in without complaint truly means a great deal. Thank you for being such dedicated team players!

The 2025 OSSE School Report Cards are now available at https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/home. Next week, we plan to share some key, school-specific data points with our school community. There are several highlights worth celebrating and clear areas for growth.

IMPACT Reminder:

We are in the midst of IMPACT evaluations and part of that process includes your "Commitment to School Community". Please share evidence of your great work, utilizing the attached CSC Self-Assessment template. Your input will provide us with additional insight, as final determinations are made. Please be mindful that your reflections are not necessarily your final scores. Self-Assessments should be emailed to Dr. Hooks and AP Payton by 3:30pm on January 2, 2025. Please include your name on the title of your attachment. Brief bullet points are preferred. Longer responses do not necessarily equate to higher scores. Please do not feel compelled to reiterate an overview of the goals into your self-assessment. You may want to think elevator speech over dissertation. But, if you are more comfortable with a longer response, feel free. If you have any questions, please reach out to administration.

Holistic Self-Assessments are also due by 3:30pm, on January 2, 2025. Holistic Self-Assessment information was shared in an email.

Articles that may be of interest:

• Teachers have the 6-7 trend well in hand. Here are their tips

• What's the secret to managing today's classrooms? Teachers weigh in

• 4 ways to guide disengaged students to try again

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

As always, please feel free to reach out to me or Assistant Principal Payton, with any inquiries.

Warmest regards,

Dr. Calvin Hooks, Principal

Hyde-Addison Elementary School

Halfway through each advisory, classroom teachers should identify any students who are at risk of receiving a 1 or 2 at the end of the term. Progress reports for these students must be emailed individually to their parent(s)/guardian(s). Families must be notified by December 19, 2025.

End of Term 2:
January 23, 2025

A huge thank you to our PTA, parent volunteers, staff, and students for making our first Turkey Trot a tremendous success. Your teamwork, enthusiasm, and support helped create a joyful and memorable event for our school community. We are grateful for everyone who contributed their time and energy to bring this tradition to life.

The attendance team is encouraging all classroom teachers to hold their Winter classroom celebrations on Friday, December 19th, to help support strong in-seat attendance on the final day before Winter Break.

Additionally, please encourage students to wear their festive winter attire on Friday to help build excitement leading into the break.

The following information was shared in this week's family newsletter. Please feel free to include it in your grade-level or classroom newsletters as well.

Hyde-Addison Winter Concert

Hello Families!

Our annual Hyde-Addison Winter Concert is scheduled for Thursday, December 18th. Please review the arrival times for your child’s performance. It takes time for all visitors to park and sign in with security, so arriving on time will help us begin each show promptly.

Performance Schedule

• PreK–1st & 5th Grade

  • Arrival: 1:15 PM

  • Showtime: 1:30 PM

• 2nd–5th Grade

  • Arrival: 2:15 PM

  • Showtime: 2:30 PM

    
    

If possible, we would love for students to wear coordinating colors or themes:

• PreK: Bright colors with hats, mittens, and gloves

• Kindergarten: Red

• 1st Grade: White

• 2nd Grade: Red

• 3rd Grade: White

• 4th Grade: Blue

• 5th Grade: Festive attire of their choice

  
  

We look forward to celebrating the season with you!

Our first DIG Inn fundraiser in September was such a success — and families raved about the food — that we’re bringing it back by popular demand!

Why DIG Inn is a great choice:

• 🍽️ Healthy, delicious meals at reasonable prices with a great kids menu!

• 🚶 Just one block from Hyde-Addison on Wisconsin Ave

• ⏱️ Perfect for a quick after-school dinner (no cooking!)

• 🍎 A great option if you want to treat your teacher to lunch

  
  

How it works:

• DIG Inn donates 30% of participating sales all day on Dec. 12

• Mention the Hyde-Addison PTA Fundraiser for walk-ins

• Or use code DIGFUNDRAISER when ordering on the DIG app or website

  
  

Let’s eat well and support our school—mark your calendars for Friday, December 12!

Upcoming Important Dates:

Panorama Survey Administration Window

• December 15–18

Please feel free to reach out to AP Payton with any questions.

Ms. Connolly and I are excited to announce that STEAM Day will be on January 23, 2026. Each grade-level will be using the same challenge as last year.

Problem: Our school garden, where students grow vegetables, flowers and herbs for science class, is facing problems as plants wilt and die. The concerned students want to save their cherished garden.

Challenge: We need to figure out why our garden is not thriving. Your mission is to use your science knowledge to investigate the problem and find a solution to save the plants.

Grade level missions:

• Pre-K/Kindergarten - Learn how water affects plants. Build a simple plant watering tool.
• 1st Grade – Learn how the environment affects plants and how they adapt. Build a mini greenhouse.
• 2nd Grade – Learn how seeds are dispersed (water, wind, animal, fire). Build a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.
• 3rd Grade – Learn how the environment and humans impact the plants. Build micro hydroponics.
• 4th Grade – Learn how animals adapt to different environments. Design a plant that can survive in a specific garden environment.
• 5th Grade – Learn how our actions affect the environment, and what we can do to reduce those effects. Build turbines.

There is no further action needed at this time—this information is simply to help you begin thinking about timing and planning. In a couple of weeks, we will ask each team to request any materials needed to complete your mission. You do not need to request seeds; we will order them. Shoutout to Ms. Kenagy for sharing the link to the seeds we used last year.

If you have any questions, please make sure you reach out to us directly.

Bryant & Connolly

Join us for a new twist on our favorite staff White Elephant gift exchange! This year we ask you bring one of your favorite things(budget $25-30) to share with a staff member. Please bring it unwrapped, so we can do our traditional White Elephant Exchange.

Join us on Wednesday, December 17th in the Library at 8:00am. Thank you!

Our Double Good Popcorn Sale is back December 1–5, and it’s one of the easiest (and tastiest!) ways to support our school. Last year, this fundraiser was a huge success—and we’re excited to bring it back in a way that works for every family.

Whether your child wants to help by selling popcorn or you’d simply prefer to purchase some delicious treats for gifts, gatherings, or cozy movie nights at home, Hyde receives 50% of all sales. Get a sneak peak at all of the great flavors and offerings here: https://popup.doublegood.com/s/xb723z7s. More details to come! 💙🍿💛

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

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!

SY25-26 Math Professional Development Sessions: In-Person for District-Led PD Days (9/5)

All Math teachers, including special educators who support mathematics instruction, will be required to attend in-person professional development for District-Led PD Days on October 10 and February 13.

Staff Reminder: Review AUP with Emphasis on AI Guidelines

As we begin device distribution, all staff are expected to review the DCPS Student and Staff Technology and Network Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Please pay particular attention to the section on Artificial Intelligence (AI) use, which outlines clear expectations for responsible, ethical, and instructionally aligned AI integration. Reviewing this policy ensures consistent messaging to students, reinforces our commitment to safeguarding data, and supports equitable, safe, and effective use of technology across DCPS learning environments.

On June 23rd, DCPS will launch the Energy Conservation Standards (ECS) initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the City Administrator (OCA) and developed in collaboration with the Department of General Services (DGS). This initiative is a critical step in ongoing efforts to maintain a comfortable, safe, and healthy learning environment for our students, staff, and families—while also reducing energy and water consumption across our schools. The primary focus of this initiative, however, is energy conservation.

The Energy Conservation Standards (ECS) set clear guidelines for temperature and humidity levels, aligning with industry best practices, nearby school districts, and ASHRAE Standards 55-2020.

All staff, students and partners are expected to follow the Energy Conservation Standards to conserve electricity, water, and gas use.

Please see the linked resources below for more information:

Energy Conservation Standards Fact Sheet and FAQs

Energy Conservation Standards Signage

As part of ongoing compliance safety efforts, we want to highlight the importance of ensuring that any lock modifications comply with District fire code regulations. Please note that lock enhancements and child locks violate compliance and safety standards and are not permitted for use on classroom doors in any classroom (including ECE and Special Education settings). These types of locks can pose serious safety risks during emergencies and are in violation of both local fire codes and ADA accessibility standards. Lock Enhancements refer to added modifications or upgrades to a standard door locking system. More information is available in this presentation.

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

For staff:

• Aspen Help Desk – Supports school staff with Aspen-related issues. Can be reached via phone at: 202-442-9281 (Option 1) or email at: DCPS.Aspen@k12.dc.gov.
• Systems Support Help Desk – Supports school staff with DCPS applications, including Canvas, Clever, Office 365 (Teams), Adobe, and Lightspeed. Can be reached via phone at: 202-442-9281 (Option 3 and Option 4) or email at: Systems.Support@k12.dc.gov.
• SEDS Help Desk – Supports school staff with PowerSchool Special Programs access requests and issues. Can be reached via phone at: 202-442-9281 (Option 2) or email at: Spedoda.DCPS@dc.gov.
• OCTO Helps for staff – Provides technical support via call center and onsite technicians for equipment troubleshooting, password resets, printer mapping, approved software installation, Windows updates, SSL certificate installations, SMART Board support, warranty support, and device provisioning. Contact number is: (202) 442-5715 or staff can submit a ServiceNow ticket.

New Educator PD Opportunity (12/9)

Discover practical strategies to create positive learning environments and support every student’s success. This virtual session will be held on Tuesday, December 9, from 3:30–4:00 PM via the NEN Teams channel. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your classroom management toolkit and connect with fellow educators! Click here for more information.

POC: pl.dcps@k12.dc.gov

Ready to Take the Next Step in Your DCPS Journey?

If you’d like to learn more about the Principal and Assistant Principal application process for SY26–27, join an upcoming virtual information session to explore the DCPS School Leader Selection Process, including what to expect, how to apply, and the ways we support our leaders throughout each stage.

The Principal Pool will accept applications during the following application windows:

• Window 1: Tuesday, December 2 – Friday, January 2
• Window 2: Tuesday, January 20 – Thursday, February 19
• 
  

The Assistant Principal Pool will open on Friday, January 30 and close on Friday, May 15.

Register for an upcoming information session here.

POC: Rout.Asefa@k12.dc.gov

The Sunshine Committee is back in action and excited to continue our tradition of spreading joy and sunshine to the Hyde Addison family. To help us with this, we are requesting your help.

Please contribute $30 to our team so we can spread lots of sunshine this year. You can Venmo or Zelle Amanda via her phone number 551-574-7479 or give her cash. Thanks!

Please note that we have reached our leave threshold for the following date(s). We will need all remaining staff on site to safely operate in the school setting. Medical related leave is an exception. Please reach out to administration, if that is the case or if you would like to discuss.

Please prepare yourself for the possibly of needing to supervise students from "split" classes on these days.

9/2/25 ~ 9/8/25 ~ 9/11/25 ~ 9/19/25 ~ 9/26/25 ~ 9/29/25 ~ 9/30/25

10/1/25 ~ 10/14/25 ~ 10/15/25 ~ 10/16/25 ~ 10/17/25 ~ 10/20/25 ~ 10/23/25 ~ 10/27/25 ~ 10/28/25 ~ 10/30/25 ~ 10/31/25

11/25/25

December 22-January 1: Winter Break, No School for Students or Teachers

January 2: PD for Staff / No School for Students

The Hyde-Addison ES Staff Operations Handbook and School Climate and Culture 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.

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

When you receive the Staff 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.

For copies of previous Hyde-Addison ES staff announcements and updates, please visit the Hyde-Addison ES website at https://hydeaddisondc.org/staff-comms. The password is Staffcomm (case sensitive).

Email: hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov
Website: https://www.hydeaddisondc.org/
Location: 3219 O St NW, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202-282-0170
Facebook: facebook.com/hydeaddison/
Twitter: @DrCalvinRHooks