Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

Thank you for joining us for Back to School Night! Your presence, questions, and partnership set a strong foundation for a wonderful year of learning and growth.

We would also love to keep the momentum going at Art All Night on Friday, September 12, 2025. Come join us for an evening of art and creativity. Please see additional information below, in the newsletter. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to seeing you there!

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

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.

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).

If you would like to volunteer for Art All Night, please complete the interest survey linked below.

Parent/Guardian Volunteers for Art All Night Interest Form

DC bike ride is giving away 30 free passes for students and their families to attend a 20-mile bike ride event through the city, this weekend.

What is DC Bike Ride? DC Bike Ride is the only way to see the nation's capital completely car free and on two wheels. Enjoy 20 miles of landmarks and iconic views on a route strategically designed for all ages and skill levels. The ride is completely recreational, welcoming riders the ability to enjoy the rest stops, entertainment, and photo zones along the way. Celebrate after at the post ride Finish Festival, right on Constitution Ave., featuring food/drink, entertainment, and vendors. See you there!

READY TO REGISTER?

If you are a parent/guardian looking to ride with a student, email hello@dcbikeride.com with your name, the student's name, and their school/grade. The DC Bike Ride team will then respond promptly with a promo code for you to use while registering.

📣The 12th Annual Great Envelope Race is ON!📣

Help us reach our goal of $50,000 & 100% family participation by Oct 31st.
Every dollar counts—whether it’s 🌱 Growing the Pride, 💙 Hyde Pride, or 🌟Leading with Pride.

Funds provide critical support to our school for classroom enrichment, teacher retention & more—helping every Hyde student thrive. Learn more about it here: (Insert GER Flyer PDF HERE)

Give online at hydegift.com or use the blue envelope that came home in your student’s backpack. Let’s show our Hyde Pride together!

The first PTA General Body Meeting of the year will be held on Friday, September 12, 8:45–9:30 a.m. right after the weekly school-wide meeting in the auditorium.

Agenda highlights:

Review & vote on the proposed PTA budget

Meet the Executive Board

Discuss our mission & goals for the year

We hope to see you there! If you can’t make it, meeting minutes will be posted on HydeAddisonPTA.org and don’t worry—we’ll have 3 more General Body Meetings throughout the year at varied days/times to accommodate different family schedules. Let’s kick off the year together—your voice matters!

Join us for a special Art All Night fundraiser on Friday, September 12th at Tai Chi Bubble Tea (O St. & Wisconsin Ave.). Bring your family, enjoy delicious food + drinks, meet other Hyde families, and support our school at the same time!

Hyde-Addison Happy Hour: 3:30–6:00 p.m. in the downstairs dining room — the perfect spot to grab a bite with friends and your kids between school pickup and Art All Night fun back at Hyde-Addison! 20% of proceeds go directly to our school— just mention Hyde-Addison PTA at checkout.Applies to dine-in, walk-in, or phone orders all night long (no app/online orders).

Looking for a costume (or have extras to donate)? Thanks to a great parent idea on Konstella, we’ve created a Costume Swap Spreadsheet!

✨ Post costumes you’re willing to donate (infant–adult sizes).
✨ No costume to give? No problem—you can still reserve one!

📑 Please review the simple rules & instructions at the top of the spreadsheet before adding or reserving items.

🎁 Any costumes not claimed at outdoor Movie Night will be donated to charity.

👀 Take a peek at what’s available today and find something fun for your family:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UO5CMjzaMh_skXSA5VT0IRiUO9o8R9x9P1UMG-pcao4/edit?usp=sharing

Did you catch Rainbows Over Hyde-Addison? It was a magical evening filled with learning and community spirit. Check out the attached pictures of the beautiful rainbows captured during the event!

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.

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

• Be dismissed to the Jelleff aftercare program
  
• Active Play enrichment activities held off school campus
  
• Walk home / Take public transportation home alone
  
• Leave with an underaged sibling (Sibling must arrive by 3:30pm)
  

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.

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 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.

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.

Does your employer have philanthropic funds or want to market to Georgetown residents or the greater DC community? Become a Hyde-Addison PTA Annual Business Sponsor!

Support education, connect with our vibrant community, and gain year-round visibility while making a meaningful impact.

Sponsorship levels start at just $250. Together, we can create a stronger, more enriching experience for every student.

Learn more: hydeaddisonpta.org/sponsor

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 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.

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

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 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.

September 4: Back to School Night @ 5:30pm