Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

Please be reminded that students will not have school on Monday, February 16, 2026, in recognition of Presidents' Day. Please review the DCPS update below, regarding the calendar for the remainder of this school year.

Congratulations to Abigail E., for placing 6th in the Cluster Spelling Bee. She will now be representing Hyde-Addison ES in the Citywide Spelling Bee. We are so proud of her and everyone who represented Hyde-Addison ES.

Additionally, congratulations to the basketball team! They won their recent games against Cleveland ES and Tubman ES.

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

Last month’s winter storm brought significant snow and ice to our city, and DCPS closed schools on Tuesday, January 27 and Wednesday, January 28. In order to meet the instructional day requirements outlined in the DC Municipal Regulations (DCMR), DCPS is making the following modifications to the SY 2025–2026 calendar:

• Thursday, March 12 previously scheduled for Parent-Teacher Conferences, will shift to an instructional day for all students and teachers.

  
  

• Friday, March 13 will remain a Wellness Day with no school for students or teachers.

• Thursday, June 18 will be the last day of school for students.

  This one-day extension ensures students receive the full instructional time needed to finish the school year before the Juneteenth holiday.

  
  

• Monday, June 22 will shift to a Records/Professional Development Day and be the final day for teachers and staff.

We invite you to fill out one slideshow slide sharing a little about yourselves—your job or career, accomplishments you’re proud of, hobbies or interests, and a few photographs if you’d like.

We will compile all of the slides into a school- wide slideshow to show our students the many ways women contribute, lead, and inspire every day. Thank you for helping us celebrate the incredible women who make our community so special!

Please use this link to fill in a slide: https://dck12-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/julia_nelson_k12_dc_gov/IQDuycOeCGF3QL6zjoh3I4RhAexwvBX38qVZiXNU5wNEGUc?e=k2cbvA

Ms. Bryant is looking for 12 parents /guardians with a professional STEM backgrounds to help be judges for the Science Fair (6 for K-2, and 6 for 3-5) in early March. Please email her directly at melissa.bryant@k12.dc.gov if you're interested.

👉 Register in under 2 minutes:

https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/GdxXBQ/1?utm=email

Steps:
1. Search for your child’s teacher
2. Click “I can’t find my reader”
3. Follow the quick prompts

-Tip: Enter phone numbers without spaces or symbols.
-Multiple kids? Don't forget to register each of them! It’s easy to toggle between readers on the site.

Why Join?
📖 Builds reading skills
💙 Supports Hyde-Addison
❄️ Fun, cozy February activity
🎉 Kids earn prize money for the Read-A-Thon prize store (arcade-style — fun and motivating!)

Our Goals:
🖐️ Register every possible reader — because every reader truly matters.
📚 Reach 50,000 minutes of reading as a school community!

This Read-A-Thon is designed to be simple for families and motivating for our young readers.

Thank you for helping us make our first Read-A-Thon a success!

The wait is over — ticket sales for the Hyde-Addison PTA’s Jazz After Dark Gala are officially open! Join us on Saturday, April 25 from 7–10 PM for an unforgettable adults-only evening supporting our school community.

🎟️ Purchase your tickets now:
https://hae.schoolauction.net/jazzafterdark/register/ticket_sales

Here’s what to know:
✨ The first 50 tickets sold receive a VIP Fast Pass for priority bar service
⏳ Limited capacity — this event will sell out, so don’t wait to secure your spot
💡 A portion of each ticket is tax deductible (details provided on your receipt after checkout)

Want to make an even bigger impact?
❤️ Consider sponsoring a teacher or staff member’s ticket
⭐ Explore our Family Sponsorship Package, which includes special perks — details available on the ticketing page
🤝 Can’t attend? You can still sponsor a teacher or make a general donation to help keep event costs low and maximize the funds that go directly back to our school (option on ticketing page!)

Share this information on your classroom WhatsApp and text groups to help us spread the word! We can’t wait to celebrate with our Hyde-Addison community at Jazz After Dark! 🎶

🗓️ Save the Date: The 3rd PTA General Body Meeting- Wed. Feb 25 | 7-8 PM via Zoom

We’re excited to launch a new initiative in collaboration with school administration designed to welcome more parents and caregivers of Hyde students into the day-to-day life of Hyde-Addison while supporting our incredible teachers and staff. It’s a win-win for our entire community!

Volunteer roles may include:
• 📚 Library Helpers (Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:00–8:30 AM) — assist Ms. Connolly with organizing and shelving books
• 🍎 Lunchroom Helpers — support students during lunchtime mid-day
• 🌞 Recess Helpers — help supervise outdoor play mid-day
• 👕 Lost & Found Organization — flexible timing before or after school

Interested? Join the Virtual Info Session with Dr. Hooks

🗓 Date: February 20 at 12:00 PM via Zoom
✔ Learn more about each role ✔ Ask questions ✔ Understand expectations

👉 Complete the Interest Form to receive the Zoom link and future updates.

A few important notes:
• Volunteers must have an active DCPS clearance on file with the school.
• We are primarily seeking volunteers who can commit to a consistent schedule, as reliable coverage helps the school run smoothly.
• The info session is required for those who are interested.

We recognize that midweek volunteering isn’t feasible for every family — and that’s okay! The PTA offers many additional ways to get involved throughout the year—please check Konstella or our website for the latest needs.

Thank you for helping strengthen our community and for showing up in ways that make Hyde such a special place for our students 💙

The Hyde-Addison PTA has officially released our Second Quarter Newsletter, and it’s packed with helpful updates for our community.

Inside this issue, you’ll find:

✨ A spotlight on our incredible Annual Business Sponsors- Let's show them our support!
📘 Our Preferred Vendor Handbook — a go-to resource for trusted local partners featuring all GER participants!
🙌 Ways to volunteer and get involved both in-school and through the PTA
📅 A look ahead at upcoming events, initiatives, and opportunities
➕ And much more!

👉 Take a moment to click through and read the PTA-specific newsletter— it’s different from the Friday Family Newsletter you’re reading now and designed to keep you informed, connected, and engaged with the PTA and our school community.

As always, we welcome any questions, comments, concerns or involvement--reach out to us via the options above!

Registration for Summer Learning 2026 opened on Monday, February 2. Students and families can learn more about Summer 2026 at this site. Please note that K-8 sites will hold programming 5 days a week (Program Dates: Monday, June 22 to Friday, July 31). High schools will hold programming Monday-Thursday, with no programming on Fridays (Program Dates: Monday, June 22 to Thursday, July 30).

Please drop in to meet Principal Westover and the Hardy Middle School team on March 5th from 8:10–8:35 a.m. This will be an opportunity to connect, build relationships, and learn more about Hardy’s programming and transition supports.

Later that morning, the Hardy Middle School team will present to 5th grade students, giving them an opportunity to learn more about the Hardy Middle School experience and ask questions. This presentation is for students only. Families are welcome to join us during the coffee session.

Details

• August 4th-6th, from 8:30am-12:30pm
• Summer Bridge enrollment opens March 27th, and your student MUST be signed up to participate
• Hardy Bridge Sign Up

Learn about all your amazing DCPS middle school options. Use this guide as a tool to learn about DCPS middle grade schools, the amazing programs offered, and how your student can enroll.

To support families with long-term planning, we have attached the academic calendars through the 2028–2029 school year. We are sharing these calendars in advance to help with scheduling travel, appointments, and other commitments.

This school year, one of the most common factors contributing to chronic absenteeism has been extended travel during the school year. Having access to future calendars may help families plan trips during scheduled breaks whenever possible, supporting consistent student attendance and learning.

Thank you for your partnership and continued support in helping our students be present and engaged every day. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

View the academic calendars for School Years 2026 through 2029 below.

As a reminder, per DCPS , “A cold weather advisory is announced when cold weather conditions have a high risk of bodily harm. Children should be indoors under temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit including the wind chill index, which is the temperature the body feels when exposed to wind speed. Teachers should exercise caution at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Dangers to children under these weather conditions include frostbite and hypothermia.” This is in addition to the requirement for a safe playground, that would need to be clear of slipping hazards, such as water, snow and ice.

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

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)
🍗 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!

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!

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

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.

March 13: Wellness Day - No school for students or teachers

April 6: Half-Day Records & Half-Day Wellness / No School for Students

April 13-17 (Spring Break): No School for Students or Teachers

First Tuesday of Each Month: LSAT