SHMS Family Newsletter

Greetings SHMS community,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend and excited for the week ahead.

We are looking forward to connecting with families on Thursday night for our annual Back to School Night event. A schedule and logistics reminders are included below.

Additionally, After-School All-Stars begins tomorrow afternoon and additional activities will continue to launch in the coming weeks. Please see some reminders about after-school policies and procedures below to make sure that you and your student have a smooth experience.

Let's have a great week together on purpose and I hope to see you on Thursday night!

Warm regards,

Eric Fraser

Principal

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Monday

• Labor Day observed, schools closed

Tuesday

• First day of After-School All-Stars

Wednesday

• A great instructional day!

Thursday

• Lockdown drill
• Back to School Night, 5:30-7:30 PM (doors at 5:00 PM)

Friday

• A great instructional day!

Upcoming Dates

• September 15, Deadline for caregivers and staff to apply for DCPS Technology Advisory Committee
• October 18, Renovators House Tour (PTA fundraiser), 12:00-5:00 PM

DCPS SY 2026-27 calendar

After-school activities are underway and we want to share some reminders with families about after-school routines and procedure that ensure a safe and engaging experience for all students.

1. All students report to the cafeteria between 3:30-3:45 where their after-school activity sponsor (coach, club facilitator, tutor, or ASAS staff) will meet them. Students will have the opportunity to eat a snack, provided for free by the cafeteria, and will be escorted to the location of their activity.
2. No re-entry. Students should not exit the building and re-enter for after-school activities. Re-entry will be allowed on a case-by-case basis and repeated attempts to exit and re-enter will result in family contact and the possible exclusion from after-school activities.
3. Students who are not participating in an after-school activity should not be on school grounds, or in the building after the 3:30 dismissal. Students waiting for transportation after-school are encouraged to wait on the front steps.
4. The E Street entrance is open for pick-up/dismissal, and guest entry until 4:30 PM. At 4:30 the main office end E Street entry close and all guests should enter through the 4th Street student entry area, where security is located until 6:00 PM. Students should be dismissed through this exit beginning at 4:30 every day.
5. Activity sponsors are responsible for ensuring and supervising the safe dismissal of all activity participants and can assist with family communication as needed. Under no circumstances can school staff or volunteers arrange or provide transportation for students (e.g. taxi, Uber, purchase of Metro fare, ride in personal vehicle, etc.).
6. Cell phones and personal devices will be returned to all students at 3:30. Activity sponsors may recollect phones to store while students are participating in an activity. Please check with your student's activity sponsor for their policies and procedures.

If you have any questions about the routines and procedures above please reach out to an activity sponsor or school administrator and thank you for helping us to ensure that all students have a safe and joyful experience after-school.

We are excited for families to join us for Back to School Night on Thursday evening. Please make note of the information below to help you make the most of the evening.

1. All families and students will enter through the student entrance at 4th Street and pass through security screening (x-ray machine of belongings and walk-through metal detector) To help keep this process quick for everyone, please limit the items that you bring into the school and plan additional time for this. We will open the doors at 5:00 and will begin classroom visits promptly at 6:00 PM.
2. Download the Grade Corner app or screenshot your student's schedule to help find your way during classroom visits. We will have hard copies available for families who need one as well.
3. Plan for brief presentations from teachers followed by open Q & A in each classroom visit. These visits are not intended to provide individualized feedback about students but to help you understand general expectations for courses and meet teachers. Prepare your questions ahead of time so you can make the most of your time with each teacher.

We look forward to seeing many of you on Thursday evening!

NetSmartz: Internet Safety for Parents, Caregivers & Communities (Virtual) on Thursday Sept 10th

Developed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Netsmartz: Internet Safety for Parents, Caregivers & Communities Virtual training - 1.5 hours This training assists adults—such as parents, caregivers, and teachers—in safeguarding children's online safety. It offers best practices for managing online safety issues and provides resources to help adults handle the risks children encounter online.

📅 Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026

🕧 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

📍 Location: Zoom

• Pre-register for the Virtual NetSmartz Internet Safety Training here!

Stewards of Children® Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training (In-Person with free dinner) on Thursday Sept 24th

This evidence-informed training teaches adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Through interviews with child sexual abuse survivors, experts, and treatment providers, Stewards of Children® teaches adults practical actions they can take to reduce instances of child sexual abuse in their organizations, families, and communities.

📅 Date: Thursday, September 24th, 2026

🕧 Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

📍 Location: The Bundy Building - 429 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

· Free dinner will be available starting at 5:15 PM and the training will begin promptly at 5:30 pm.

· Pre-registration is required. Registration closes at noon on Monday, 9/21.

· Pre-register for the In-Person Stewards of Children Training here!

Monday, September 7

-No Athletic Events

Tuesday, September 8

-Football Practice, 7:00a-8:15

-Volleyball Practice, 3:45p-5p

-XC Practice, 3:30p-5:30p

-Girls Soccer Practice, 3:45-5p

-Boys Basketball Interest Meeting, 3:45-4:30p

Wednesday, September 9

-XC Practice, 3:30p-5:30p

-Volleyball Game @ Johnson MS, 4:30pm

-Football Game @ Cardozo EC, 6p-8p

Thursday, September 10

-Football Practice, 7a-8:15a

-XC Practice, 3:30p-5:30p

-Girls Soccer Practice, 3:45p-5p

Friday, September 11

-No Athletic Events

To practice, tryout, or join an athletic team, you must submit the participation packet every school year. If you updated the UHC/Physical during the end of the previous school year, you still must submit new paperwork for SY 26-27.

https://www.thedciaa.com/participation-forms

Fall Athletics

Cross Country (co-ed)

Football

Soccer (boys & girls teams)

Volleyball

Follow us on Instagram: Stuarthobsonms_athletics

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.

The 2026-2027 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 Universal Health Certificate (UHC) has been updated recently, you are encouraged to complete the participation packet as soon as possible.

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 2026-27 Teams:

TBA

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.

Students may visit the office for SY 26-27 Kids Ride Free (KRF) cards, before school, during their assigned lunch period (6th and 8th grades), or after school. The SY 25-26 KRF card will work through September 30th if it has not been replaced beforehand.

School leaders, instructional staff, technology POCs, and DCPS families are encouraged to apply here by Tuesday, September 15 to join the Technology Advisory Committee (TAC). The purpose of the Committee is to gather candid feedback before the district determines a final course of action and communicates it more broadly. Together, we'll discuss, identify, and solve challenges, revolutionizing technology integration.

Sometime on or after August 8th, all students and families who have Aspen access should be able to login and see their draft schedule for the upcoming school year. All enrolled students should have completed schedules that will be distributed as students arrive to school on the first day of school. Please do not print or send your student to school with a hard copy of their schedule, we will distribute the most current version of it, reflecting any changes, on the first day of school.

If you or your student notice an error or have other questions about their schedule in Aspen, please reach out to their School Counselor by email. Schedule changes will be prioritized for scheduling errors, e.g. students who are missing a core class or need a change to their schedule because of their IEP. Elective and teacher schedule changes will occur on a case-by-case basis. Please note that counselors return from summer break on Monday, August 17th which is when they will begin catching up on queries about student schedules.

Please note that the scheduling and administrative teams will not be available much during the first days of school so please email any schedule-related questions to the team members below to get your request in the queue and/or to schedule time to meet with someone.

6th Grade:

School Counselor: Alexis Wilson (alexis.wilson@k12.dc.gov)

7th Grade:

School Counselor: Jessica Schimmerling (jessica.schimmerling@k12.dc.gov)

8th Grade:

Last Names A-J: Jessica Schimmerling (jessica.schimmerling@k12.dc.gov)

Last Names K-Z: Alexis Wilson (alexis.wilson@k12.dc.gov)

Assistant Principals: Ingram (6th), Gerima-Rogers (7th), and Hossain (8th)

Students may see a member of the Counseling staff in person during lunch or after-school, and will not be able to request schedule changes during class time.

Some families have reported temporary challenges with the Grade Corner app (popular for monitoring student performance by syncing with Aspen). Families have also recommended re-installing the app or installing updates to resolve this issue.

Please reach out to the front office or a guidance counselor for assistance with resetting an Aspen password.

The following school supply list will support your student in a successful start to the school year. Please note that we have separated this year's list into supplies that students should manage personally and those that will be pooled and shared across classrooms. If you would like to drop off any of the shared supplies prior to the first day of school they can be dropped off in the office between 8:00-4:30 PM, Monday-Friday.

General School Supplies (send with your student)

Pencils (24 pack) and pencil sharpener

Pens (blue/black)

Colored pencils

Highlighters

3 ring binder(s) / Case-Its are recommended to help students organize for multiple classes

Binder dividers

Two-pocket folders

Lined loose-leaf paper

Pencil pouch / tote

Shared Supplies (may be dropped off in main office)

Dry-erase markers (wide) & eraser

Markers (1 pack)

2-4 Composition notebooks

2-4 Spiral bound notebooks

Glue sticks (2-4)

Index cards

Post-its

Cleaning/disinfecting wipes

Hand sanitizer

Tissues

When planning to organize your student and their supplies, please remember that students will have 4 core classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, and ELA) and 2 electives (e.g. physical education, band, Spanish, etc.).

Additional supplies may be required based on individual courses, some are posted below. These supply lists will be provided by teachers directly to their students/class.

If your family needs support in purchasing or locating school supplies, please contact the main office at 202-671-6010.

Course-Specific Supplies

Please note that purchasing the recommended supplies for students listed above will cover some of the course-specific requests below.

8th Grade Science: Colored pens & pencils, pencil pouch, 1 box of latex-free nitrile gloves in your child’s size (these will be used during laboratory investigations), safety goggles (optional - students are welcome to bring their own pair if they prefer not to use the classroom set).

All ELA Classes: Composition notebook(s)

6th Grade Math: One 1-inch binder & a set of binder dividers/tabs (at least 4).

Student Uniform Policy & Dress Code

The SHMS uniform policy is designed to maintain school pride and traditions while contributing to a safe and predictable school experience for students and families. School uniforms or other apparel that identifies our school are required while on school property, field trips (before or after school day hours), while attending After-School All-Stars and school-approved activities after 3:30 PM, unless athletic, dance or other specific apparel is required by the coach/leader.

Uniforms include:

· Long or short-sleeved solid-color polo, button-up collared shirt, or T-shirt. An SHMS logo is optional. Any non-SHMS logo/branding on uniform shirts or sweatshirts should be minimal and the size of a $1 bill (1 dollar) or smaller. Grade levels are assigned shirt colors as follows:

• 6th Grade: Red
• 7th Grade: Gray (jersey or other light/medium shades preferred, avoid darker shades to stand out from 8th grade)
• 8th Grade: Black

· Plain red, black, or white crewneck sweaters/sweatshirts (front zip, button up, or pullover) and vests. No hoods.

· Long sleeved, plain color, crew/V-neck shirts may be worn underneath uniform shirts.

· Chino ("khaki") pants, skirts, or shorts (no cut-offs), worn at waist level and without tears or rips. Jumpers are also acceptable. All should be solid khaki/tan or black in color. No jeans/denim or leggings on their own.

· Comfortable closed-toed shoes or sneakers covering the entire foot. Shoes and sneakers should lace-up or fit snugly. No sandals, slippers/slides, or Crocs.

· Any clothing that identifies our school community by name or logo (e.g. Stuart-Hobson MS or the Capitol Hill Cluster School) may be worn in place of uniform components. SHMS/Cluster hoodies are allowed but students should not wear hoods during the school day. Jerseys/tank tops should be accompanied by an undershirt that meets dress code expectations outlined below.

*Because of the uniform policy expectations outlined above, it is assumed that any shirts/tops students wear will cover their shoulders and torsos and any pants/bottoms will cover their thighs to just above the knee.

Dress Code

While students may wear some of the following to and from school, they are expected to avoid wearing all of the following during the school day, on trips, and in after-school activities:

• Hooded coats, shirts, and sweatshirts,
• Outerwear like jackets, fleeces, parkas, windbreakers, etc.,
• Hats and other head/face coverings (e.g. winter/baseball hats, ski masks, bonnets, goggles, scarves, surgical masks, etc.),
• Metal studs on headbands and other accessories,
• Crop tops, halter tops, jerseys, tank tops,

• Khaki/black leggings/tights worn in place of khaki/black pants (note that leggings/tights may be worn under skirts/shorts that meet other dress code and uniform requirements), and,
• Purses or fanny packs

Religious, medical, or other personal exemptions/exceptions to any of the above expectations should be made by parents/families and documented with the school culture and/or administrative teams prior to taking effect.

Uniform Non-Compliance

Students should comply with the uniform policy daily and will be recognized for compliance with Live School points, eligibility for trips and other activities, and other rewards. Uniform policy violations will be documented in Live School. Some uniform deficiencies can be remedied by the support team, but the loss of instructional time should be avoided when supporting students in complying with the policy. Incidents and patterns of infractions will be handled like other Tier 1 and 2 infractions.

As we get ready to kick off a new school year, please take a moment to read about the Renovators House Tour, one of the three fundraisers throughout the year that raise important funds for CHCS students and teachers: https://www.renovatorstour.org/

The 2026 Renovators House Tour will take place on October 18, 2026. Volunteers are needed to staff houses, help sell tickets, write copy for the program book, and help with weekend of logistics (and more!).

You can mark the date on your calendar and sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D48AEAE2CA3F58-63815147-renovators#/

We are also hoping to build our volunteer bench with caregivers who want to help get sponsors for the event, manage ticket and ad sales, and manage volunteers for the event. Please feel free to reach out to Heather, Liz or I directly about any of those roles and we'd love to share some more details!

While we've got it all covered for this year, we'd love to build a bench of people who want to learn more about the behind the scenes planning to help make sure the event is a success into the future.

Happy last week of summer (unless you're a teacher in which case happy back to school week!)

Your 2026 RHT Co-Chairs,

Laura (lauraodato at gmail)
Heather (heather.cunningham at gmail)
Liz (epegnato at gmail)

We are excited to continue our partnership with After-School All-Stars (ASAS), our after-school enrichment provider, this coming school year. Registration for the school year after-school programming with ASAS is open! As always, the limited spots are open to students who are enrolled in Stuart-Hobson for the upcoming school year and are filled on a first come, first served basis. The after-care enrollment process is completely managed by ASAS. 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. ASAS also manages any waitlists and requests for technical support. We are also excited that ASAS will continue to be 100% free for students who attend.

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 in early August to confirm which students were awarded a seat and who has been waitlisted.

Please reach out to Mr. Evroy Marrett with any questions or requests about ASAS, the interest form, or for more information at evroy.marrett@afterschoolallstars.org.

Monitoring Attendance in Aspen: You can track your child’s daily and weekly attendance by following these steps:

1. Log in to aspen.dcps.dc.gov.
2. Select your student’s name.
3. Click on the Attendance side tab.

In this view, you can see daily, weekly, and overall attendance. By clicking on individual classes, you can view specific dates for absences or tardies. If the daily or weekly attendance view says "no records," this indicates your child was present and on time for the entire period.

Attendance Codes Reference:

• T: Tardy
• A: Unexcused Absence
• A-E: Excused Absence (some common types of excused absences are coded below)
• IL: Illness
• SA: School Activity (Athletics, Drama, Band)
• SV: School Visit

How to Submit Absence Documentation: If your child is absent, please use one of the following two methods to submit documentation:

• Send an email to Stuart-hobsonMS@k12.dc.gov with the absence note attached. Please be sure to CC me on this correspondence.

If you or anyone you know is interested in getting involved with volunteer or substitute work at a fantastic DCPS middle school, please consider these two ways to support our students. At this moment the most helpful positions are family and community members with DCPS clearance who can chaperone field trips and substitute teachers to assist us when teachers are absent or some students remain at the school during special events or trips that teachers chaperone.

1. See here to learn more about the clearance process to volunteer in DCPS. Once you are cleared, please inform the principal and grade-level administrator of your clearance and to clarify where you might be able to help.

2. Apply to be a substitute teacher (note that only Option 1 on that application page will make you eligible at Stuart-Hobson MS). Please contact Principal Fraser once your application is submitted so we can help usher your application through the review process and get you cleared to pick-up jobs as quickly as possible. If you would like help with the application and/or are interested in learning more before applying please complete this interest form.

Thank you for considering these opportunities to get involved and support our school community!

Stuart-Hobson MS partners with the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to provide school-based mental health services to students. Please see attached letter for more information about the services offered or contact DBH Clinician Kimberly Harrington, LICSW at kimberly.harrington@dc.gov.

During the school year, you can also request mental health and counseling support via our referral link (note: referrals are not checked during the summer break): https://bit.ly/referralSHMS. We look forward to partnering with your family to support your student’s wellbeing and success while at SMHS!

Mental health resources that are always available:

DBH Access Helpline: 1-888-793-4357

Child and Adolescent Mobile Psychiatric Service (ChAMPS): 202-481-1440

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call, text, or chat 988

Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741

LiveLongDC: Residents in DC can access NARCAN (Naloxone) through delivery by texting LiveLongDC to 888-811. There are also areas throughout the District where residents can pick up NARCAN for free. A prescription is not needed to pick up and carry NARCAN.

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).

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 Mental Health Resources

Stuart-Hobson Special Education and 504 Plans

Stuart-Hobson Uniform Policy

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