SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings SHMS community,

Thank you for joining us for Back to School Night on Tuesday evening. It was invigorating to see our community coming together to learn about the school year and firm up relationships as our work gets underway. With beginning of year testing completed and many of our after-school programs underway we are finding our rhythm for the weeks ahead. We are proud of the volleyball and football teams who both won matches this past week and the SHMS jazz ensemble which has already performed at DC JazzFest, Back to School Night, and the DCPS Block Party this weekend!

In two weeks we will hold our first pep assembly and while 6th and 7th grade are neck and neck for first place it is still any grade level's dress down week to earn. Thank you to our teachers and staff for recognizing students for showing their P.R.I.D.E. during the school day by meeting expectations and living our values.

We have another exciting week of school ahead and let's keep the positive momentum propelling us onward and upward together!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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Weekly Calendar

Monday, September 15

• Volleyball at Hardy MS, 5:30 PM

Tuesday, September 16

• A great instructional day!

Wednesday, September 17

• Volleyball vs. Jonson, at Kramer MS, 5:30 PM
• Football vs. Sousa, at Woodson HS, 6:00 pM
• PTA Welcome Meeting at Watkins ES, 6:00 PM

Thursday, September 18

• A great instructional day!
• Soccer (girls & boys) vs. Ida B. Wells at SHMS, 4:00 PM

Friday, September 19

• A great instructional day!

Upcoming Dates

• September 25, End of Term 1 Progress Report Marking Period (all work due)
• September 26, Term 1 Pep Assembly (pep assembly schedule)
• September 26, Mock Trial begins, after-school
• October 7, Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences (1 of 2), 4:00-7:00 PM
• October 9, SHMS Closed (Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 7 & 15)
• October 10, Professional Development Day for teachers & staff, no school for students
• October 13, Indigenous Peoples' Day observed, schools closed
• October 15, Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences (2 of 2), 4:00-7:00 PM
• October 19, Renovators' House Tour (Cluster PTA event), volunteer opportunity
• October 27-31, Fall Spirit Week
• October 31, End of Term 1 (all work due)

SHMS partners with GW University for students to receive free math tutoring 90 minutes per week​ through their Math Matters program. Programming is available to interested 6th and 7th graders!

​About Math Matters​

Based out of the Nashman Center at George Washington University, Math Matters collaborates with DCPS to provide high-impact math tutoring to middle school students in Washington, D.C.​ Math Matters recruits and trains GW undergraduate and graduate students to be effective mentors and tutors.

Tutoring Details​

- Tutors provide small group tutoring throughout the school year to groups of 3-4 students

- Students attend two days per week, Mondays & Wednesdays or Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:30-4:30pm​ (snack included)

- Tutoring curriculum is skill based, and is geared towards accelerating students towards grade level proficiency​

- Tutoring starts the week of September 22 for all students.

Want to sign up?

Click the link below or use the QR code to fill out the interest form and Ms. Rosera will reach back out to you with a tutoring date!

SHMS Math Tutoring Sign Up Link

Questions?

Reach out to Ms. Rosera directly at Bethany.Rosera@k12.dc.gov or 401-837-0470.

Big Shout Out to all of the families that could come out to Stuart Hobson Instrumental Music Program’s Back to School Night!

If you couldn’t make it out, no worries at all! All the information and links are included below!

YouTube link of Back2School Night Presentation

https://youtu.be/vTyqS5jcm6Q

Please help increase our funds and support the music program activities with a donation via our Greater Giving donation link. We encourage each family to donate $50.

https://capitolhillclusterschool.ejoinme.org/MyPages/MusicFundatStuartHobson/tabid/1497975/Default.aspx

Volunteer via Sign Up Genius to help with an upcoming event!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C45AFAE22AAFD0-58490472-volunteer

Sign up to communicate and get up-to-date notifications via What’s App:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Eb2nfSBhnkmBbsOoZ3OTb5?mode=ems_copy_h_t

Follow us on Instagram

@ shms_inst_mus

https://www.instagram.com/shms_inst_mus?igsh=djJmeTNxNGZ6bGwy

If you have questions please reach out to Mr. Simmons at Robert.Simmons@k12.dc.gov or

Stacey Yonkers @ stuarthobsoninstrumentalmusic@gmail.com

Thank you and we look forward to a great year!

-The Stuart-Hobson Instrumental Music Program

The Stuart-Hobson mental health team will collaborate to deliver Signs of Suicide lessons in social studies classes over the next three weeks. All students will be presented with this opportunity to learn about this subject and what they can do to get support from school staff and partners if they know of anyone who needs help. The flyer below shares more information with families about the curriculum and annual set of lessons. Please reach out to a member of the mental health team with any questions or requests.

To ensure staff, students, and families receive the right technological support, DCPS IT and OCTO provide dedicated and differentiated support to each group.

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).

Please join me in welcoming the new teachers and staff who have joined us in advance of school year 2025-26!

Mr. Kevin White will serve as a Custodian, RW-5.

*Correction* Ms. Cierra Branch-Harris is our School Psychologist. We omitted an "r" in her first name during our previous announcement

As mentioned previously we are still seeking qualified candidates for the following positions:

Teacher, English Language Arts

Teacher, Special Education - Inclusion

Custodian, RW-3

Please encourage anyone you know who may be qualified and interested to reach out to Principal Fraser to learn more or express their interest in an opportunity working with our school community.

Students interested in joining teams this season please complete the interest forms below to help us prepare for the upcoming season. All athletes must also submit a participation packet annually to be cleared for participation.

Cross Country interest form

Football interest form

Cheerleading interest form.

The 2025-2026 Athletics’ Participation packet has been released. 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. If your student’s UHC has been updated recently, you are encouraged to complete the participation packet as soon as possible.

English Participation Packet

Spanish Participation Packet

Universal Health Certificate (UHC).

Students with certain medical conditions may also need to complete an Asthma Action Plan or an Anaphylaxis Action Plan

Please note that it is not necessary to submit a new participation packet for each season. A complete packet includes the DCIAA forms filled out in their entirety along with a Universal Health Certificate that was completed within the last year. ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BEFORE PARTICIPATION.

SHMS Athletics is seeking to hire coaches for the following teams. Professional and coaching résumés can be sent directly to Coach Drakeford.

Coaching Vacancies for SY 2025-26 Teams:

Boys Cross Country

Boys Indoor Track Head Coach

Girls Indoor Track Head Coach

Co-ed Archery

Please direct any questions about athletics to our Athletic Director, Coach Drakeford, latavia.drakeford-allen@k12.dc.gov

Below please find food service menus for breakfast, lunch and snack for this week here.

For five years running, SHMS has been the largest and BEST middle school debate team in the Washington Urban Debate League. We have been National Champions and runners-up in all of the last four years!

Students can learn more about participation through daily announcements and flyers around the building, by visiting Mr. Plaisted in room 219 and families can email him at kip.plaisted@k12.dc.gov

Parents, if you wish to help judge a tournament, please see the link: https://urbandebatewashingtondc.org/get-involved/

The Sign-Up Request form for after-school programming with After-School All-Stars (ASAS) during the upcoming school year is open!

This year, ASAS is reserving approximately 50 spots for 6th graders and roughly 15 spots each for 7th and 8th grade in after-school programming. Again next year, we expect programming to run daily from 3:30-6:00. We are also excited that ASAS will continue to be 100% free for students who attend. The limited spots will be filled on a first come first served basis and enrollment is completely managed by ASAS. While some exceptions can be made for participation in other school-based activities (e.g. sports, tutoring, clubs) students are expected to sustain high levels of attendance and engagement in the program in order to hold their spot throughout the year.

Please note that after completing the registration form you will likely receive an automated message that your enrollment was "received". This does NOT mean that you have secured a spot but that your application is on file with After School All Stars. ASAS will follow-up with families on/after August 8th to confirm who has a seat and who has been waitlisted. ASAS also manages any waitlists and requests for technical support with the request application.

Lastly, we hope to have a representative from ASAS at our Panther Pride Academy family orientation and Back to School Night events to answer questions and connect with families. Please visit the ASAS website or reach out to Mr. Evroy Marrett with any questions or requests for more information at evroy.marrett@afterschoolallstars.org.

Do you have questions about mental health and behavioral health services at Stuart-Hobson? Would you like to talk to one of the counseling staff about support services for your student? Submit a request via https://bit.ly/referralSHMS or contact SHMS Social Worker Bernadette Wittschen at bernadette.wittschen@k12.dc.gov.

September is appropriately identified as Attendance Awareness Month! As students return to school and school routines it is important to keep daily attendance front and center for everyone. This year, DCPS is changing some procedures related to attendance. Specifically, there is a new process for sharing excuse notes and messages with the school.

Moving forward, Aspen GO should be the platform used to share excuse notes when your student misses school for all/part of the school day. Additional information can be found here, in the flyers below, and will be shared during Back to School Night.

Thank you all for helping us keep our students in school and remember that attendance matters and every day counts!

The Cluster is a strong community of families, and the PTA strengthens that community by working together to support our students and campuses. Joining the PTA is a great opportunity to learn more about our school, enrich the student experience, and meet new people. PTA dues help fund critical programs, as well as supplies for music, art, library, and athletics.

Email: stuart-hobsonms@k12.dc.gov
Website: www.stuart-hobson.org
Location: 410 E Street Northeast, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: 202-671-6010
Twitter: @StuartHobsonMS

Important Links

Aspen DCPS Student and Family Login

Attendance Excuse Template

Capitol Hill Cluster Website

DCPS School Calendar SY24-25

DCPS School Mental Health Resources
Stuart-Hobson Special Education and 504 Plans

Stuart-Hobson Communications Plan - SY2024-25
Stuart-Hobson Uniform Policy

Stuart-Hobson Food Service Breakfast-Lunch-Supper Menus
Stuart-Hobson Behavior Expectation Matrices
Stuart-Hobson Student and Family Handbook