Family Newsletter
October 24, 2025
A Note From Dr. Hooks
Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,
Thank you to all of the families who joined us for our “Final Friday” student presentations. We hope you enjoyed seeing the creativity, growth, and hard work students have been putting into their learning this term. Your presence and engagement mean so much and help strengthen the partnership between home and school.
As a reminder, per DCPS, please ensure that your child’s permission slip for the Harvest Parade is signed and returned, in accordance with the deadline shared by your classroom teacher.
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
NEWS & UPDATES
Math Night, November 10th from 5:30-7:00pm
If you've been avoiding your child's homework like a word problem about trains leaving stations, we have good news. Join us for Math Night on Monday, November 10th from 5:30-7:00pm and we'll show you how we teach math today!
You'll see strategies your kids are learning, understand why we teach them this way, and finally know what to do when your child asks for help with their homework. Bring your questions, your confusion, and your dusty memories of long division. We promise to make you feel smarter than a fifth grader!
Childcare and dinner (pizza, carrots, and apples) will be provided and will open at 5:15pm. Everyone must sign their child up (including students who are in Champions) using this link, Math Night Child Care Sign-Up.
PTA: The Great Envelope Race: A 30-30-30 Challenge!
We’re down to just 7 days left in the 12th Annual Great Envelope Race — and we’re so close!
💛 $43,000 raised — only $7,000 away from our $50K goal!
💙 23% participation
To help us get to 30% participation, a generous donor is matching all donations of $30 or less(up to $2,000) until October 30th (A 30-30-30 Challenge)! That means even small gifts can make double the impact.
We know this is a challenging time for many — especially with some families affected by the furlough— so please only give if it's within your means. Every bit truly helps, and participation in any amount makes a difference--no minimum amount required to participate. 💙
Donate now at www.hydegift.com
Let’s hit 30-30-30 together, Hyde-Addison!
PTA: Hyde-Addison Annual Movie Night – A Huge Success!
Thank you to everyone who came out for our annual Hyde-Addison Movie Night last Friday! We had an amazing turnout, and it was a night to remember — walking the Hyde-Addison Walk of Fame to see the Hyde Hollywood stars of everyone who contributed to the Great Envelope Race and enjoying pizza, burgers, popcorn, glow sticks, friends, and family under the stars. The student-voted movie Minecraft was a hit — and so was the community spirit! Thank you to all who helped make it happen! 💛💙
PTA: Parent & Teacher Night Out — Thursday, November 6
Join us for a fun evening of connection and community at L’Enfant Gallery (1442 Wisconsin Ave NW) from 5–7 PM!
Enjoy light refreshments, beer, wine, and music while mingling with fellow Hyde-Addison parents and teachers.
🎟️ Tickets: $30 per person; Extended Champions Aftercare: $7 per child
👉 Purchase your tickets here: https://app.moonclerk.com/pay/16i0zg7zgj0r
✨ All proceeds benefit the Hyde-Addison PTA. Adults only — we can’t wait to see you there!
PREVIOUS UPDATES
Important: Field Trip Form Required for Harvest Festival Participation
This year, we will be sending home permission slips for students to participate in the Harvest Festival. Since the event takes place off campus, DCPS requires a field trip form for student participation.
If you have not yet received a copy, please reach out to your child’s teacher. A signed form is required for your child to participate.
Reminder to Label Belongings & Check Lost & Found
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.
Label your gear, support our school and help keep the lost & found pile a little smaller this year!
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:
- Go to campaigns.mabelslabels.com.
- Search for and select "Hyde-Addison PTA (Washington)"
- Start shopping! It's that easy!
COMMUNITY EVENTS & RESOURCES
Community Event: Grace Covenant Church Georgetown
Fall Festival
Saturday, October 25, 2025
1pm-3pm
Hardy Middle School Open House Dates for SY 2025-2026
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:
November 17, 2025 from 5-7pm
January 28, 2026 from 5-7pm
February 5, 2026 from 10-11:15am
Champions Aftercare Enrollment is Open for SY25-26
If you need help or have questions, email: ch002523@discoverchampions.com
To enroll your child in Champions aftercare for SY25-26:
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/
Fill out the attached Enrollment Packets [STEP 2]
Ensure to have your REQUESTED SCHEDULE completed.
Ensure you fill out all 3 OSSE forms.
Ensure you fill out a separate form for each of your students.
Ensure there is contact information for primary and secondary payer (email and number).
Ensure you are putting your child/children grade on the enrollment form.
When finished please email a copy to CH002523@DISCOVERCHAMPIONS.COM.
Active Play Scholarships
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
Community Resource - Girls in Gear
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.
PTA ANNOUNCEMENTS
💛 PTA Ongoing Fundraisers — Support Hyde-Addison!
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!
Get Connected on Konstella!
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
RESOURCES AND REMINDERS
A Note From DCPS
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.
Morning Supervision & Breakfast Reminder
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.
Late Pick-up Reminder
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.
Medications and Allergies
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.
DCPS Calendar and Student Attendance
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.)
Self-Dismissal Requirements & Form
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.
Volunteer in Our Schools
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 SY25-26 Feeder, Middle School, and High School Booklets
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.
Message to Hyde-Addison families about sibling phase-in feeder rights
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.
SY25-26 DCPS Student Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy
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
DCPS Help Desk Support Guidance
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).
Anti-Discrimination within DCPS
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.
Hyde-Addison ES SY25-26 Family Handbook
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.
Family Newsletter Features
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.
KEY DATES
October 31: Harvest Parade
November 3: Half-Day Records & Half-Day Wellness / No School for Students
November 11: Holiday for Students, Teachers, and Staff
November 26-28: Thanksgiving Break, No School for Students or Teachers
First Tuesday of Each Month: LSAT