
Family Newsletter
October 16, 2020
A Note from Dr. Hooks
Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,
Thank you for the outpouring of kindness, for National Principals Month. Your heartfelt messages of gratitude and support are tremendously uplifting, during these challenging times.
As we continue to prepare for some students and staff returning to the school building for in-person learning, beginning November 9, 2020, please see the DCPS Term 2 updates, below. We will continue to provide Term 2 information with families, as it becomes available, remaining mindful that the timeline is DCPS driven.
Please keep you and your loved ones safe. For resources and information about the District of Columbia Government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) response and recovery efforts, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov. Please visit dcpsreopenstrong.com or backtoschool.dc.gov for DCPS virtual learning resources.
Kindest Regards,
Dr. Calvin Hooks, Principal
Hyde-Addison Elementary Schools
NEWS & UPDATES
Learning from Home
Preparing for Term 2
Families do not need to take any action to indicate their preference for either in-person learning, a CARE classroom, or learning at home. Families will be notified if their child has been selected for an in-person learning classroom by October 23.
- If an in-person learning spot is offered, you will have two business days to make a decision on whether your family will accept or decline this spot. We hope to offer one in-person learning class per grade level with class sizes of 8 students in PreK3, 10 students in both PreK4 & Kindergarten, and 11 students in 1-5 grade classrooms.
- We will most likely not be able to share who the in-person learning teacher for the grade level is at the time of your decision. The in-person learning teacher will be a Hyde-Addison classroom teacher.
Any family that accepts an offer for in-person learning or a CARE classroom will complete a daily health screening for their child before arriving at school. More details are provided below.
Health and Safety
When we reopen school buildings in Term 2, DCPS will require students and staff to practice safe routines.
- Parents and guardians are asked to proactively identify when their student exhibits COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed by using the Ask, Ask, Look protocol (shown above) prior to arrival each day.
- Personal protective equipment such as masks will be available to all students and staff in a school building.
- There will be enhanced cleaning protocols
- Students will be grouped in cohorts that do not have close contact with other cohorts.
- Students will eat breakfast and lunch in their classroom.
- Classrooms will have scheduled, staggered arrival, recess, and dismissal times to limit interactions between classrooms.
Wondering what the start of the school day will look like as we reopen? Watch a brief video for elementary school students about what arrival procedures will look like.
--For a comprehensive list of Term 2 FAQ, please visit dcpsreopenstrong.com/faqs--
Immunization Information for Families (OSSE)
All students must be up to date on their immunizations to take part in any in-person learning, including CARE classrooms. The following documents offer more information and resources for families:
Email completed forms to hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov
Attention Students in Grades 3 and Up
An Update on the Baby Chicks!
Ms. Connolly thinks the eggs may start to hatch as early as this Wednesday! Be sure to join this week's virtual field trip to check out any updates and travel to a new place! Also thanks to Jeanne in PreK-4 for the wonderful drawing of the baby chick and egg, shown here!
PREVIOUS UPDATES
Digital Report Cards: Opt-In Today!
The Aspen Parent Portal will provide families who opt-in an expedited experience for sharing digital report cards at the end of Term 1 and moving forward, in addition to sharing up-to-date attendance data. The week of November 2nd you will receive an email from Aspen welcoming you to the Parent Portal along with user guides and video links to complete the next steps and access your account.
PTA ANNOUNCEMENTS
Support the PTA!
KONSTELLA. To stay informed about all these events and initiatives, make sure to sign up for Konstella, a new, secure, and private communication platform for Hyde-Addison families to message other families, access the family directory, form or join social groups!
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ROOM PARENTS. Below is the update list of room parents for the 2020-21 school year:
PK3 - Dania Sharief
PK4: Bailey - Geetha Shanmugam
PK4: Gibbons - Cristina Iftimie
K: Alsop - Elizabeth Crowley, Farrell Barnes Quigley
K: Malloy - Allyson Coyne, Matt Dewberry
K: Stachowski - Miraf Bisetegne
1st: Cooke-Nesme - Sara Macauley, Geetha Shanmugam
1st: Nelson - Katie Kamara, Nicole Smith-McDermott
1st: Severs - Charlette Woodard
2nd: Boyd - Elizabeth Crowley
2nd: Franklin - Allyson Coyne
2nd: Walsh - Nancy Rehman
3rd: Gardner - _____
3rd: Link - Kea Taylor, Kristi Whitfield
3rd: Taylor - _____
4th: Spada & Walter - Tzili Mor, Reva Schwartz
5th: Roth & Spikes - Gi-Hyun An, Rizki Wagner, Laila Winborne
As you can see, we still need at least one (preferably two) room parents for Mr. Gardner's and Ms. Taylor's third grade classes, and one more for 4th grade with Ms. Spada and Ms. Walter. We promise it's not a lot of work! It's mostly about communications this year, and Nicole Smith-McDermott, the VP for Room Parent Engagement will provide room parents with prompts, reminders, and even scripts so no one has to reinvent the room parent wheel (unless they want to). If you're interested, please contact Nicole or register and sign up in Konstella. Thank you for supporting our teachers and students at Hyde-Addison!
RESOURCE LINKS
Free Meals for Students
DCPS Parent University
Teams Workshops for Parents
Internet for DC Students
Tech Support for Families
For tech support, families can visit http://dcps.tech/help or call the DCPS hotline at 202-442-5885.
KEY DATES
October and November 2020
- 10/21: Schoolwide Meeting
- 10/23: DCPS will have emailed families with the option of in-person learning
- 10/27: General PTA Meeting at 5:00pm
- 10/30: Families will have been notified of the option of a CARE classroom
- 11/09: Term2; In-Person Learning Classrooms open
- 11/16: Student CARE Classrooms open for Grades PK-1
- 11/30: Student CARE Classrooms open for Grades 2-5
Stay In Touch
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