Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

Thank you to all of the families who engaged in the Differentiated Virtual Family Orientations, today. Information shared during the sessions will be available through Family Newsletters, the Hyde-Addison ES website or additional information sessions to be scheduled, including Back to School Night. The slides are also shared below, as an attachment.

This newsletter includes a schedule for families to pick up instructional materials, the DCPS grading policy, general class schedules and additional resources. Class assignments will be emailed separately.

In an effort to support families in preparing for virtual learning, please review the timeline below, with the understanding that the timeline may shift, based on DCPS guidance.

August 24-28, 2020: Teachers will share small group assignments and student specific schedules, with families (all virtual). These small groups may shift throughout the virtual learning experience, based on instructional needs. Hybrid learning cohort assignments will be shared, prior to DCPS transitioning to a hybrid learning model, if that occurs. Information and engagement opportunities will be provided to families, prior to final placements.

August 25-26, 2020: Instructional materials will be available for pick up, by families.

Please keep you and your loved ones safe. Continue to follow the guidance of Mayor Bowser and DC Health. For resources and information about the District of Columbia Government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) response and recovery efforts, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.

Kindest Regards,

Dr. Calvin Hooks, Principal

Hyde-Addison Elementary Schools

We are pleased to share your child's class assignment for School Year 2020-21 with you, today! Please note that you will receive it in a separate email.

As shared by DCPS, DCPS leaders and teachers remain unwavering in our dedication to equity and closing opportunity gaps. Due to the complexity of scheduling, DCPS school leaders and staff members will not be able to account for learning pods during the scheduling process, including in group arrangements or schedule times.

We know families are likely eager to reach out to their child's teacher with questions and information about their child, however we ask that you respect that teachers do not return to work until August 24. You can expect to receive an introductory email from your child's teacher and to schedule an individual, virtual Welcome Conference with them in upcoming weeks. We appreciate your patience!

An overview of the class schedules is shared in the attachment below. You will be able to ask questions and hear more about the specifics about the schedule and curricula during Back to School Night.

As we prepare for the first day of school, we want to make sure students have picked up the items they need from Hyde-Addison. Every child has materials that their family needs to pick up! Examples of these materials may include:

• Items left in the classroom from last year (labelled and organized by classroom)
• Materials the school is providing every child to support our curriculum, ie. science kits
• Supplementary school supplies provided by the PTA for families in need of assistance
• Technology devices provided by DCPS for those who indicated a need on the technology access survey (linked again under Previous Updates)

To ensure the safety of families and staff, we ask that you pick up your child's materials on the assigned date and time frame. The staggered times will allow us to more easily social distance. Weather permitting, materials pick up will take place outdoors and will only take a few minutes for each family. If you have more than one child, we would prefer you arrive during the time slot of your youngest child.

Any questions are best directed to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov.

DCPS is excited to share the grading policy for PreK-12 for SY20-21. DCPS believes that grades are in the service of ongoing learning, to provide timely feedback and plan personalized instruction, while making a record of growth and development over a student’s school career. This policy is rooted in the DCPS grading philosophy and values.

We know families are eager to begin preparing their children for the upcoming school year! A great way to start is by discussing and practicing the 4 virtual learning expectations that students in all grade levels will use. You can download the poster here!

• Focus on what we are learning
• Use words that build others up
• Mute myself when listening
• Make choices that keep us safe online

While instruction will be all-virtual for the first advisory, that does not mean all student learning will happen in front of a screen! There will be plenty of hands-on activities as well as project-based learning and we want to be sure that every student has the materials they will need readily available at home.

To achieve this, we will not be asking you to donate materials from grade-specific supply lists at this time. Instead, we are sharing general lists of materials that we would like your child to have available at home to support their learning.

To make it easier to purchase any of the materials you may not already have, we are sharing an Amazon Lists with examples of each item listed. It is not necessary for students to have the exact item listed. For example, if you already have extra pocket folders then please don’t feel obliged to purchase more. Additionally, if you have multiple children at home please use your judgement on which materials they are able to share (ie. colored pencils, loose leaf paper) and which materials students need their own set of so they can work at the same time (ie. composition notebooks, personal whiteboards).

We know that the cost of school materials adds up and we are committed to ensuring every child has the supplies they need to learn at home. The PTA is currently fundraising to purchase 50 sets of materials that will be available for families in need to pick up and take home free of charge. Please see their message below for more information about how to help donate towards those funds.

PreK-K Materials: Link to Amazon List

• Visual Kitchen Timer
• Pencils (jumbo and regular)
• Colored Pencils
• Pencil Sharpener
• Glue Sticks
• Folders
• Personal White Board
• White Board Markers
• Child Scissors
• Crayons (jumbo and regular)
• Markers
• Playdough
• White Copy Paper
• Colored Construction Paper

Grade 1-5 Materials: Link to Amazon List

• Visual Kitchen Timer
• Pencils
• Colored Pencils
• Pencil Sharpener
• Glue Sticks
• Folders
• Personal White Board
• White Board Markers
• Child Scissors
• Markers
• Pens
• Highlighters
• Loose Leaf Lined Paper (preferred wide-ruled for grades 1-4 and college-ruled for grade 5)
• 2-3 Composition Notebooks (preferred wide-ruled for grades 1-4 and college-ruled for grade 5)
• Post-it Notes
• Tape

In general, Canvas, our online, common learning management system, will be used by teachers and students to keep learning at home resources in one place. Canvas allows students to see daily and weekly schedules and keep track of assignments. From learning materials to Microsoft Teams live lesson links, everything will be on Canvas, as applicable. To learn more, sign up for the Canvas 101 session (link below) which will also talk about Microsoft Teams! All live lessons will take place on Microsoft Teams.

Mayor Bowser charged the District of Columbia Facilities and Commemorative Expressions (DCFACES) Working Group with evaluating named DC Government-owned facilities, including schools, and making recommendations as to what, if any, actions need to be taken if the person for whom the facility is named is inconsistent with DC values and in some way encouraged the oppression of African Americans and other communities of color or contributed to our long history of systemic racism. Please encourage your school community to complete the survey to provide their thoughts.

Schools are required to verify every student’s immunization compliance as part of enrollment and attendance. All students must be up to date on their immunizations or risk being removed from in-person attendance beginning in the 2020-21 school year. The following documents offer more information and resources for families:

· FAQs for Families (June 2020)

· One-Pager for Families

· Immunization Requirements

· Universal Health Certificate

· Pediatric Immunization Locations

· HPV Opt-Out Form

· Six Things YOU Need to Know about Vaccines

· Making the Vaccine Decision: Addressing Common Concerns

· Facts About HPV

If families need access to health insurance, please visit the DC Health Link website or contact the Citywide Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.

As we head towards the new school year, the PTA is providing funds for school supplies so that all Hyde-Addison families, no matter their situation, will be equipped with the needed supplies for every child to participate fully in virtual learning.

Will you join this effort to ensure a robust, rigorous, and joyful learning experience for every student every day?

Each kit costs $70, and so far we've received just 3 contributions. As always, donations of any amount are welcome and appreciated! The HA team will manage the logistics of purchasing and distributing the materials. All you have to do is click the link and donate today!

____________________

To stay connected to the PTA and informed about activities, events, and other important news, we invite you to sign up for the Hyde-Addison Families mailgroup, where we can ask questions, share information, and discuss issues relevant to our students and the school community.

eSchool News
With only a few weeks before schools are scheduled to reopen, there is still uncertainty about what this school year will look like. Many parents are feeling the stress of making the best decisions for their child, while also preparing them to return to school after the unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19. There is still much to be determined, but parents can begin working with their children now to get them ready for the upcoming year, regardless of whether they will return to the classroom or continue to learn at home. READ MORE

DCPS released the academic calendar for SY20-21! Pre-Service will start on August 24, and the first day for students is August 31. For additional details, you can review the updated calendar attached below.

• 8/10-8/13 and 8/17-8/20: Virtual Summer Bridge for 3rd Grade
  
• 8/25: PK3-2nd Grade Materials Pick-Up (staggered times)
  
• 8/26: 3-5 Grade Materials Pick-Up (staggered times)
• 8/28: Hybrid Learning Task Force and Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force Meetings
• 8/31: First Day of School for All Students (Virtual Learning from Home)

For copies of previous Hyde-Addison ES announcements and updates, please visit the Hyde-Addison ES website at https://www.hydeaddisondc.org/updates.

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