Family Newsletter

Dear Hyde-Addison ES Families,

The 2020-2021 school year is upon us. Although virtual, I am still extremely excited to welcome students back to Hyde-Addison ES, on August 31, 2020. I am encouraged that this virtual learning experience will allow us to collaborate, grow, and support as a school community. We remain in the midst of a pandemic and must grant each other the grace and understanding, worthy of such an astronomical undertaking. We are in this together and will make it through this together. This is new for us all, and with our collective strengths and areas of expertise, I truly believe we can overcome any hurdle. I believe in the Hyde-Addison ES staff, students and families.

We understand that there are levels of anxiety that come with unprecedented times. Please know that the Hyde-Addison ES team is committed to supporting families through this process, while sharing and implementing the DCPS guidance and protocols. Our team is not looking for perfection from students or families next week, as we work to navigate Canvas and Microsoft Teams. We recognize and respect the learning curve. As a support, you may download the DCPS new Family Guide to Learning at Home, for key information and tips or watch a DCPS brief video about how to use Canvas. You may also visit dcpsreopenstrong.com or the DCPS our Family FAQ. We understand that getting acclimated to a new system will take time. Thank you in advance for your patience and efforts.

Below, you will find tools to support managing the first day and first week of school, in addition to other pertinent resources. Please be advised that DCPS has not delivered all of the curricula materials, as of yet. When those items arrive, we will schedule supplemental pick-up dates for families.

Also, as a gentle reminder, families who borrowed DCPS/Hyde-Addison ES computers or hotspots, should be aware that any device that is lost, stolen, or broken directly results in the loss of a device to be used by a Hyde-Addison ES student, upon return to in person learning. Please report any such occurrences to Hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov immediately, for support.

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

Please have your child practice logging in to prepare for the first day of school. You can find a one pager from DCPS with information on how to log in to the 3 most important online portals for your child: Canvas, Microsoft 365 (which includes Teams), and Clever.

Canvas: dcps.instructure.com
Username: studentID#@students.k12.dc.us
Password: mmddyy (child's DOB)

For further support, families can visit http://dcps.tech/help or call the DCPS hotline at 202-442-5885.

Wednesdays operate off of a different schedule. You can find a detailed description and schedule for Wednesdays in the Family Handbook (emailed out last week and available on the Hyde-Addison website) but here are a few of the opportunities available to students:

• Optional SEL and Mindfulness Workshop for all students at 9:00 (link found in Canvas)
• Lunch Bunch and Mystery Reader for PreK students at 12:00 (link found in Canvas)
• Optional Virtual Field Trip for all students at 1:00 (link found in Canvas)
• Wonder Clubs for K-5 students (times vary- begins Week 2 of school- more info to come)
• Optional School-Wide Meeting at 3:00 to celebrate our core values with Families (link will always be provided in the Newsletter by clicking the Wonderful Wednesday banner shown below)

By this time, you have already received a class assignment, class schedule, an introductory email from your child's teacher, school supplies, requested technology and opportunities to meet virtually as a class and schedule individual conferences.

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.

An overview of the class schedule can be viewed below. Your child' teacher will remain the first point of contact for any instructional questions. You will also be able to ask questions and hear more about the schedule specifics and curricula during Back to School Night, on September 9, 2020, at 3:00pm.

The Hyde-Addison Family Handbook for Virtual Learning, which was also shared in a previous email this week, is attached below for your reference along with the DCPS Grading Guidance and Attendance Policy.

With just a few days left until we're officially back in school, the Executive Board is reviewing the PTA's priorities for the unusual 2020-21 school year. Given the challenges of holding events or fundraising in a virtual environment, we would appreciate input from all our families to make sure we focus our efforts on issues that are important to YOU!

Please take a few moments to fill out this survey (it's not as long as it looks!) to let us know which events, initiatives, and goals you are most likely to support. Thank you!

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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 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!

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It's clear that maintaining connections and making new friends is now - In the absence of those impromptu chats with other families at dropoff, pickup, and school events - not just harder but also more important than ever. In that vein, we’re excited to introduce Konstella, a new, secure, and private communication platform to replace the Hyde-Addison Families listserv on Groups.io! You can find more information, including instructions on joining, here.

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.

For families that are looking for affordable internet, please click the link below for more information. https://connect.dc.gov/affordable-internet

• 8/31: First Day of School for K-5th Grade Students (Virtual Learning)
• 9/02: School-Wide Meeting at 3:00pm (linked above)
• 9/03: First Day of School for PreK Students (Virtual Learning)
• 9/07: No School (Holiday)
• 9/09: Back to School Night at 3:00pm
• 9/25: Equity and Anti-Racism and Hybrid Learning Task Force Meetings

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