Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

Thank you to all of our families who joined our sneak peak! We look forward to welcoming our Kindergarten - 5th grade families back to school on Monday, August 28, 2023. Pre-Kindergarten begins on Thursday, August 31, 2023. Back to School Night is also quickly approaching. Please be sure to hold September 7, 2023, 5:30pm-7:00pm on your calendar.

Earlier today, you should have received a communication regarding various after school enrichment opportunities. It is also linked here. As more activities become available, we will share that information with families.

The Family Handbook is a great resource for general information about Hyde-Addison ES policies and procedures. It is linked in this newsletter. Also be sure to review the expectations for visitors.

The DCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) team is excited to invite our students back into the cafeteria for SY23-24! Help us ensure that students are ready for the first day of meal service. Please share the SY 23-24 Meal Charge Policy, dietary accommodations process, and the Free and Reduced Meal application process with your school communities. Additional information and guidance can be found on the Food and Nutrition Services DCPS Way page.

Please see the initial 2023 PARCC data, shared below. As additional data becomes available, including student specific data, it will be shared, as applicable. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is the District of Columbia's annual “State Assessment” of Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA), based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The PARCC was administered in spring 2023, for students in grades 3-12. The PARCC has performance levels 1-5, with levels 4 and 5 “indicating readiness for college and career”. (Terms such as proficient and advanced have also been used.)

As always, please feel free to email hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov, with any school specific inquiries.

Kindest Regards,

Dr. Calvin Hooks, Principal

Hyde-Addison Elementary School

• At Hyde-Addison ES, there was an increase of 8.2 percentage points, for students scoring at levels 4/5 on the ELA PARCC assessment, from 2022 to 2023.

• Hyde-Addison ES students scored 30.7 percentage points higher than the DCPS average, on the 2023 ELA PARCC assessment.

• At Hyde-Addison ES, there was an increase of 9.6 percentage points, for students scoring at levels 4/5 on the Math PARCC assessment, from 2022 to 2023.

• Hyde-Addison ES students scored 43.2 percentage points higher than the DCPS average, on the 2023 Math PARCC assessment.

Each year, a family handbook is provided to share guidelines and information with families. Please find the SY2023-24 family handbook below, which specifically outlines arrival and dismissal procedures, which may be helpful as the first day of school approaches!

Please see the updated guidance from DCPS regarding expectations for school visitors here.

Per DCPS, all students in grades Kindergarten through 5 must have a signed permission form on file in order to walk or take public transportation home alone or with a sibling, for each applicable school year. No student will be allowed to leave school alone or with a sibling until the attached form has been signed and returned to the main office or emailed to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov. Before returning this form, please:

• Walk or review with your child on the route(s) they will use to travel to and from school.

• Be sure that your child knows their address, your phone number, and where to go or who to contact if there is an emergency.

• Discuss safe walking behaviors with your child, including crossing streets safely at intersections with crossing guards, marked crosswalks, or other safe locations. (For more pedestrian safety tips please visit https://www.safekids.org/walkingsafelytips.)

Please also keep in mind that the Hyde-Addison playground is NOT available for student use after school dismissal because it is reserved for the Champions after-school program. This form is only required for students who are walking or taking public transportation home without their parent, guardian, or another adult who is authorized to pick them up.

Please return a separate signed form for each of your children, for the SY23-24 school year.

We are thrilled to announce that DCIAA has approved Hyde-Addison to have girls and boys cross country teams (fall), boys basketball (winter), and boys and girls track teams (spring).

All forms must be completed and submitted for each student in advance of trying out for a team. We encourage you to go ahead and schedule your doctor appointment to complete this over the summer if your 4th or 5th grader may be interested in playing sports.

Information about how to sign your child up will be forthcoming.

There is no cost to families for a child to be on a DCIAA team. All students who wish to compete on a DCIAA team must complete a participation packet every school year which includes a physical by a medical professional. Additionally, the medical forms must be completed within 365 days of the end of the athletic season.

1. Elementary School Participation Packet

2. Universal Health Certificate (UHC). Students with certain medical conditions may also need to complete an Asthma Action Plan or an Anaphylaxis Action Plan

As you know, one of our High 5 priorities is working with families as our academic partners. Below are just some of the engagement opportunities you can look forward to participating in this school year!

As we prepare to launch into school year 2023-24, we would like to invite new and returning families to join us for the engagement opportunities outlined below. Together, we will share important information, ask questions, and build connections as a school community.

Speaking of Konstella, if you're new to Hyde or haven't already, download Konstella, a virtual platform for Hyde-Addison families. It’s a great way to connect with other families, including those in your child(ren)’s class(es) once school starts, ask for recommendations, volunteer for one time activities or on an ongoing basis, and keep up to date on events and activities happening at school! We've created social groups by grade-level and Ward to allow for broader connections. More info on Konstella is in the flyers below.

Finally, we're looking for a Swag Manager (or Managers)! If you love apparel and have an eye for graphic design, we could use your help to manage current inventory, fulfill online orders once a week, and help design new swag. Please email pta.hydeaddison@gmail.com for more details.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for things you'd like to see this school year, please don't hesitate to email us at pta.hydeaddison@gmail.com or share your thoughts in the All Families chat on Konstella! You can also find us on Instagram at @hydeaddisonpta.

At DCPS schools, students may automatically qualify for free meals through 'direct certification' which means the student or family meets one of the following criteria:

• Students in households receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or

• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, or

• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, migrant status.

If your student does NOT meet the above qualifications and attends Hyde-Addison ES, then a Free And Reduced-price Meal (FARM) Application is required to qualify for free meals based on family income. If you need support filling out this application or have additional questions, please call 202-299-2159 or email food.dcps@k12.dc.gov.

More information about Free and Reduced Meals can be found here.

Any student with dietary restrictions should review the following from DCPS and fill out the applicable forms: Dietary Accommodations | dcps. Remember: We are a nut-free school!

If you would like a Kids Ride Free Card for your student, please fill out this short form. They will be sent home in students' backpacks on Mondays once the school year begins. If you need yours prior to the start of the school year, call the main office after filling out the form to schedule a pickup time this summer.

Attendance is a priority of DCPS and Hyde-Addison, as we know regular school attendance is integral to student success. Please find the DCPS calendar, linked here and shown below, so that your family can plan events and vacations accordingly.

August 28, 2023: First day of school for K-5 students

August 31, 2023: First day of school for PK students

First Tuesday of the Month: LSAT Meeting (Beginning in October)

Fourth Tuesday of the Month: PTA General Body Meeting on Zoom

Last Friday of the Month: Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force Meeting on Microsoft Teams (beginning in August)

For copies of previous Hyde-Addison ES newsletters, please visit the Hyde-Addison ES website at https://hydeaddisondc.org/updates2233

Email: hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov
Website: https://www.hydeaddisondc.org
Location: 3219 O St NW, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202-282-0170
Facebook: facebook.com/hydeaddison/
Twitter: @DrCalvinRHooks