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Dorothy Hamm Middle School PTSA
PHOENIX POST
Monday, November 7th, 2022
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Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming DHMS Dates | |
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Monday, November 7th - End of 1st Quarter
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Tuesday, November 8th - NO SCHOOL for students (Grade Prep for Staff)
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Tuesday, November 8th - DHMS PTSA Meeting, 7:00pm
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Friday, November 11th - NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day)
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Tuesday, November 15th - DHMS Pupatella Night, 5-9pm
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Wednesday-Friday, November 23rd-25th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)
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Friday, December 2nd - DHMS School Picture Re-take Day *Rescheduled*
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Wednesday, December 7th - Early Release (12:05pm Dismissal)
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Tuesday, December 13th - DHMS Principal Chat & PTSA Meeting, Time TBD
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Monday, December 19th-Friday, December 30th - NO SCHOOL (Winter Break)
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Monday, January 2nd - NO SCHOOL (New Year's Day Observed)
Please visit the online master DHMS Calendar for all 2022-23 school year dates.
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DHMS News & Announcements | |
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Thank you to our wonderful DHMS School Psychologist, Brooke Zeller, for supporting our students!
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One DHMS One Week Winners
We are thrilled to share our final results of One DHMS One Week - thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised a total of $12,520 for the Phoenix Fund!
Overall class winner is the 6th grade class with 16.54% class participation, and the top TAs with the most class participation towards the Phoenix Fund are:
- 6th - Daviel Cruz
- 7th - Todd Eiholzer
- 8th - Jenny Shanker
The winning TAs will receive a special breakfast today, Monday, November 7th, and stay tuned for the date of the 6th grade class party.
It's not too late to donate to support the DHMS PTSA! You can still donate anytime to help us reach our fundraising goals for the year: Donate to the Phoenix Fund
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Virtual November DHMS PTSA Meeting
Tomorrow! Tuesday, November 8th 7pm
Join us via Zoom for the November PTSA General Membership Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, starting at 7:00 p.m. It's also Election day, so we encourage virtual attendance via Zoom so everyone can perform their civic duties and also hear what the PTSA has in store for our students. Visit dorothyhamm.apsva.us/ptsa/ptsa-meetings for the meeting agenda and draft October PTSA Meeting Minutes for approval.
Zoom Meeting Details:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87365099993?pwd=MUV0N1BYbUZaZlZVWkJORmVlTjNEQT09
- Mobile +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
- Meeting ID: 873 6509 9993
- Passcode: 958264
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DHMS Halloween Costume Contest
We closed out the month of October with a Halloween Costume Contest on Monday, October 31st. There were so many cool and unique costumes. Thank you to ALL students and staff that participated, and congratulations to our three winners! Ms. Kennedy's TA had the most participation in the contest, and will earn a pizza party to celebrate!
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Help Our DHMS Phoenix Families
Holiday Gift Card Drive (through 11/22)
This holiday season, the DHMS PTSA and our school Social Worker, Christine Katcher, are organizing a gift card drive to support DHMS families in need who may not be able to afford gifts or meals. These DHMS families will enjoy a much brighter holiday because of your generosity! Our goal is to collect $25 gift cards from grocery stores (Giant or Safeway preferred), or general gift cards like Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX.
If you would like to support this important cause, please drop your gift cards off at the home of Christa Mansur (2115 N. Quinn Street, Arlington 22209) in a sealed envelope labeled DHMS, or mail them to the same address, so that the gift cards are received no later than Tuesday, November 22nd.
Once all cards are collected, Ms. Katcher will deliver the gift cards to the appropriate families with a holiday greeting. Thank you in advance for your contribution. Please contact PTSA President, Khal Monaro, or Christine Katcher with questions.
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DHMS School Picture Re-take Day
JostensPIX, our vendor/partner for Picture Day, had to reschedule Picture Retake Day at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. They truly apologize for the inconvenience this change caused our students and staff. The new Retake Day will be Friday, December 2. Mark your calendar if you missed the first Picture Day or you’d like your picture retaken.
If you don’t need your picture retaken, you can view and order photos at https://shop.jostenspix.com.
- Find your student using event code FE5622.
- You can personalize your photos with a variety of backgrounds and text.
- Photos are shipped directly to your home.
- High-res digital downloads are available.
Don’t hesitate to contact DHMS PTSA Picture Day Chair, Jennifer Meder, with any questions.
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Support Dorothy Hamm MS!
DHMS Pupatella Night - Tuesday, November 15th at Pupatella Pizzeria (5104 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA) from 5:00-9:00pm
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 15th for DHMS Pupatella Night! We are excited to partner with Pupatella Pizzeria to support Dorothy Hamm MS. Come dine out, order to go, or delivery directly from the Pupatella website https://pupatella-on-wilson-blvd.square.site/ and don't forget to mention DHMS. See https://www.groupraise.com/events/235176 for details.
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Provide your input to the Advisory Council on Teaching and Learning (ACTL)
The ACTL met on October 12 to discuss the topic of school climate and culture, with a focus on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Kristin Devaney, Supervisor of Counseling Services at APS, shared the following key points: (a) every school has at least one staff member designated as that school’s SEL Lead to guide SEL curricular resource development at their school, analyze their schools’ data, and develop action plans; (b) secondary schools should have 30 minutes twice a week focused on SEL instruction. The lessons should follow the Virginia SEL Guidance Standards and emphasize areas of focus identified by survey data (2022 Your Voice Matters survey and 2022 SEL Survey); (c) APS will again conduct SEL surveys for students in grades 3-12 to inform curriculum that builds and reinforces prosocial skills. The surveys will be conducted in late Oct 2022 and April 2023. More information about Social-Emotional Learning at APS
The middle school representatives gathered during the ACTL meeting and identified the following key topics for your feedback:
- Do you feel you are provided with information and/or resources that help you support your child in the SEL topics?
- What does your child find helpful about the SEL lessons?
- What would your child find helpful in addition to, or instead of, the formal SEL lessons?
- What does your family think about your school's cell phone policies and how those policies impact social-emotional development and engagement at school?
If you would like to provide feedback on these questions or other issues related to school climate and culture, with a focus on Social-Emotional Learning, at Dorothy Hamm, please send them to DHMS ACTL Representative, Erik Johnson and he will share them with the ACTL and Arlington Public Schools.
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DHMS Library Volunteers Needed
Volunteer to help out in the DHMS Library! See details in the link below and volunteer for as many days as you'd like. Feel free to come between 9am and 12pm for an hour or two (you can let Ms. Tsai know in the comments), and contact Ms. Tsai with any questions. Reminder: Make sure to submit your APS Volunteer Application BEFORE you volunteer.
DHMS Library Volunteer Sign-up - Fall 2022
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2023-24 School Year Calendar Survey
APS is seeking feedback from students, staff, families, and community members related to the development of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar. The survey will be available to complete between October 25 – November 8. This is the second year the School Year Calendar Survey process has happened early in October because it allows ample time for students, staff, and families to plan for the next school year. The School Board will take action on the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-24 School Year Calendar at the School Board Meeting on December 15.
The survey will be available to be completed between October 25 – November 8. The survey will be available in both English and Spanish. Please visit the following link to access the survey: Complete the 2023-24 School Year Calendar Survey
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Monthly SEPTA Meeting
Thursday, November 10th 7:30pm
Guest speakers Beth Poss and Chris Bugaj are educators, speech/language pathologists and authors who are passionate about making education inclusive and accessible for ALL learners! Please join them at the Arlington County SEPTA meeting on November 10th at 7:30pm to hear them share ideas for nurturing an inclusive mindset, along with strategies to support access to education at school and at home, based on their book, Inclusive 365 EdTech Strategies for Every Day of the Year. Their book is available for purchase on Amazon and other online retailers. Go to https://inclusive365.com/ to order or for more information. They will be available to sign books after their presentation. Google form to sign up is here: https://forms.gle/RDun3VVkGftJmAJf7, and click here for details.
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Enter the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Literary and Visual Arts Contest
Arlington Public Schools students are invited to take part in the annual “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Literary and Visual Contest.” Entries are due by 5 p.m. Friday, November 19.
This Year's Topic: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke up for people who were being treated unfairly. Dr. King explained that it is our responsibility to do something when we see someone being treated unfairly because of their race, skin color or other identity, even if those people are not like us. He believed we should care about fairness for everyone. In his renowned essay “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere…Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” If we don’t speak up for all people who are treated unfairly, it has a negative effect on us all.
Prompt: Describe in writing or visual art a time where you saw someone treated unfairly because of what they looked like or who they were; OR an event in history where people were treated unfairly because of what they looked like or who they were.
Eligibility: You must be a resident of Arlington County or enrolled in APS.
- You must be in grade Kindergarten through 12.
Awards: Two awards will be given in each group:
- Grades K, 1 and 2
- Grades 3, 4, 5
- Grades 6, 7, 8
- Grades 9, 10, 11, 12
Each group will have two first place winners and two runners up in each category: Literary Arts Achievement (Writing or Poetry) and Visual Arts AchievementWinners will be announced on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Students will be recognized by the Superintendent and members of the School Board on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the beginning of the School Board meeting.
Submissions:
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- Drop off your entry with this form attached at an APS school in the front office, or at the Syphax building 1st floor Welcome Center, 2110 Washington Blvd.
For more information please contact Dawn Smith, Volunteer, Partnership and Events Manager, at 703-228-2581 or at mlkentries@apsva.us.
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Save the Date! KidsGiving Fair - Saturday, December 3rd
Come learn about thirteen local Arlington nonprofits and all they do to support our community! Donate to nonprofit(s) of your choice, and for every donation you make, select a greeting card to decorate and send on behalf of a loved one this holiday season.
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Mom's Organic Market Denim Drive
Through Monday, November 7th
Cleaning out your closet? Consider dropping off denim in any condition to MOM's Organic Market annual denim drive now through Monday, November 7th. All denim donated will be made into home insulation. Visit momsorganicmarket.com/denim-drive/ for details.
Wondering why this might be a better alternative to just bringing your stuff to Goodwill? The answer is donation centers are flooded with discards, and can't sell everything. Sometimes they ship textiles to countries that don't need them. Click here to learn more.
The more specific your reuse or recycling target is, the more likely your stuff won't ultimately end up in a landfill. This denim drive is an excellent way to ensure that your stuff is actually repurposed. Click here for more details.
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Yorktown HS Crew Holiday Wreath Fundraiser
Please consider ordering your holiday wreath through the Yorktown High School Crew's annual fundraiser. and consider Funds will go toward equipment and operations for the team. Local orders will be delivered by one of the crew to your address by December 1. Please list the Rower Name as 'DHMS' on the order form to help us group deliveries. Order your wreath here!
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The DHMS PTSA Phoenix Post is a weekly newsletter that informs the DHMS community about DHMS, PTSA, and relevant APS and community news. Please send any newsletter submissions to newsletter@dhmsptsa.org by EOD Thursday for inclusion in the following Monday's Phoenix Post. | | | | | |
