Congratulations to all of our student performers on their amazing performances at the Winter Concert. Great job!!
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Message from the Principal
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With a 12-day winter break about to begin, READING comes to my mind first as I think about keeping kids engaged in learning during the school holiday. Whether it's a book picked up at one of the District's many excellent public libraries, something assigned by a teacher, or an electronic adventure story -- all are great ways for students to spend some of their free time.
As I noted in an earlier message, DCPS has adopted the national Common Core Standards in English Language Arts, which are designed to ensure that all students are "college and career ready" in literacy when they finish high school. According to the authors: "Being able to pick carefully through the staggering amount of information available today and in the future, both in print and digitally, is a critical reading skill." The more kids read, the better they will be at deciphering complex texts.
If your child is having difficulty finding a book the websites below, which are some of my favorites for middle school students, include great suggestions for young people with various interests.
http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/
http://www.boysread.org/
http://www.yalit.com/
Oprah Winfrey once said: "books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three and soon discovered that there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi." It is my hope that regardless of their travel plans over the break, all Hardy students will find an armchair and curl up and go somewhere!
Wishing the entire Hardy community a wonderful winter break.
Peace... Dr. Mary |
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Dear Fellow Hardy Parents:
As 2011 comes to a close, we give thanks to the growing number of families who have joined the PTA, shared their email address in order to receive this newsletter, and/or volunteered to work on a PTA-sponsored service. And how about the performance of our student musicians at the Sounds of the Holiday Concert? WOW!!
At a well-attended general PTA meeting in December, we agreed to apply to the Glover Park Citizens Association for a $3500 grant to equip a new Hardy soccer team that will take the field in the spring.
Thanks to Dee Lofton and Stephen Frum for raising over $400 by selling Hardy bumper stickers at the holiday concert. (Let's all proudly display one.) Our PTA treasury is still quite small, so our Development/Fundraising Committee leaders are assembling a parent meeting this month to create a schedule for additional fundraisers. Contact Brian Cohen (brian.a.cohen@gmail.com) if you can to join in that important work.
As our last PTA meeting was well attended, we will again meet on a band practice morning: Tuesday morning, January 17 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in the school library. At that time we will receive reports and recommendations from our major committees: Communications, Hospitality and Development/Fundraising. We will also continue to strategize on how to make athletic fields in the vicinity of Hardy more accessible to our school teams. Please join us if you can!
In closing, we again urge all readers to reflect on how you might make a commitment of time or financial resources to convert our plans into accomplishments. If you have not done so already, please take a moment to officially join the PTA by simply filling out a membership form (available at the school office). The form gives you options to sign up for a PTA activity and join our team.
Best wishes,
Your PTA Executive Committee
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DCPS UPDATE:
DC One Card Required To Access Transit Subsidy Benefits at All DCPS Middle Schools Beginning January 1
Attention students and parents: an important change is about to take effect that will impact the way you receive benefits under the School Transit Subsidy Program. Beginning January 1, 2012, eligible students at all DCPS high schools and middle schools will need a DC One Card to access transit subsidy passes. The same requirement will also apply to all DCPS K-5 schools and all DCPS educational campuses beginning on January 16.
The school transit subsidy program provides reduced fares for District students who use Metrobus, Metrorail or the Circulator to travel to and from school. Students can begin applying online for the Transit Subsidy Program beginning on December 16, 2011. Please do not wait until school resumes after the holidays as this may delay your benefits.
For more information, including how to apply for benefits,
click here. PROPOSED 2012-2013 DCPS CALENDAR: DCPS has released a proposed schedule for the 2012-2013 school year; to download the calendar and/or make comments on the calendar, visit the DCPS website. Of note, a proposed later start date (Aug. 27) and a two week winter break.
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High-School Application Alert for Eighth Graders: The Common High School Application
REMINDER: For the 2012-2013 school year, students will be able to apply to all specialized high schools with the Common High School Application. Those schools are: Banneker AHS, Columbia Heights EC, Ellington School of the Arts, McKinley Technology HS, Phelps HS, School Without Walls and Washington Metropolitan HS. The applications should be available online this week and all are due January 6, 2012. Students can apply to multiple schools using the same online form. Additional information is available on the DCPS website at http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/commonapp.subject. For more information, contact any of your child's teachers.
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THANK YOU CORNER
The Hardy PTA owes a thank you to three D.C. Council Members who contributed to the PTA through their constituent service funds. Councilmember Cheh made a $200 donation to the PTA, Councilmember Catania made a $50 donation, and Councilmember Mendelson made $75 donation. We thank them for their support!
And we want to give a huge thank you to Michael Sussman, who is the proprietor of the Georgetown Flea Market, which has been located at Hardy on Sundays for 24 years. Mr. Sussman recently made an incredibly generous $1,000 donation to the Hardy PTA. With his donation, Mr. Sussman included a note that said, in part: "As a lifelong DC resident and the parent of two children who attended DC Public Schools, I know how much hard work the PTAs do and how much time and energy parents put in to these organizations. I hope that this contribution helps further your goals and adds to the education experience of every student." Thank you!!
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Important Dates
12/20 - LSAT Meeting in the Hardy Library, 7 - 8 a.m. 12/20 - Hardy Open House for prospective parents, 9 - 10:30 a.m. 12/20 - School Without Walls HS Open House for prospective students and parents, 10 a.m. - noon and 6:00 - 8 p.m. 12/22 - Winter Break begins. 1/3/2012 - Students return to school. | |
Upcoming Sports Dates and Times
Basketball:
12/22 - 3:30 (girls), 4:45 (boys) v. Ron Browne Middle School, at Browne (4800 Meade Street, NE)
1/4 - 3:30 (girls), 4:45 (boys) v. Ron Browne Middle School, at Browne (4800 Meade Street, NE)
1/7 - 11:45 (boys) v. Lincoln, site TBA
1/9 - 3:30 (girls), 4:45 (boys) v. Sousa, at Sousa
Indoor Track:
No track events scheduled until January 11.
For more information about these or other sports, contact Ms. Hester, Hardy Athletic Director, at lucille.hester@dc.gov.
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HEY HAWKS:
Show your
Hardy Pride!
Now's your chance to support the PTA and show your Hardy pride! We're selling Hardy MS bumper stickers for $5 each, with all proceeds going to the PTA. Buy one for your car and let everyone know about the great things going on at Hardy Middle School.
Contact Brian Cohen at brian.a.cohen@gmail.com to purchase a bumper sticker (or two!).
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How to Reach Us
PTA Executive Committee Members: Greg Mize, PTA Co-President
gemproductions@ mac.com
Barry Hudson, PTA Co-President
blehudson@gmail.com
Hudson Primus, Vice President
hfprimus@msn.com
Stephen Frum, Treasurer
sfrum@mac.com Doug Kendall, Co-Secretary
doug@theusconsti- tution.org
Mesha Moody-Pratt, Co-Secretary
mpratt3318@aol.com
Brian Cohen
Development
brian.a.cohen@gmail
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Hardy Middle School
1819 35th Street, NW
Wash DC 20007
(202) 729-4350
Dr. Mary Stefanus, Principal
mary.stefanus@dc.gov Loren Brody, Assistant Principal loren.brody@dc.gov Sah Brown, Assistant Principal sah.brown@dc.gov | | |
Want to receive the
Hardy newsletter?
Send us an email at HardyMiddleSchool
PTA@gmail.com and we'll add you to the list | |
Follow us on Twitter @HardyPTA
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