Dorothy Hamm Middle School PTSA
PHOENIX POST
Summer Edition - August 16th, 2021
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming DHMS Dates
  • Monday, August 16th - Virtual DHMS Back to School Town Hall, 7:00-8:00pm
  • Thursday, August 26th - DHMS Orientation Day
  • 6th Grade – 8:00-9:45am
  • 7th Grade – 10:00-11:45am
  • 8th Grade – 1:00-2:45pm 
  • Monday, August 30th - First Day of School
  • Friday, September 3rd - No School (Labor Day Holiday)
  • Monday, September 6th - No School (Labor Day)
  • Tuesday, September 7th - No School (Rosh Hashanah)
  • Friday, September 10th - Back to School Driveway Party, 5:00-7:00pm
  • Tuesday, September 14th - Back to School Night
  • Thursday, September 16th - No School (Yom Kippur)
  • Tuesday, September 21st - DHMS PTSA Meeting, 7:00pm
  • Wednesday, September 29th - Early Release Day (11:54am)

Please visit the DHMS Master Calendar for all 2021-22 school year dates.
Greetings from DHMS Principal, Ms. E. Smith
Greetings, DHMS Students and Families! 

The DHMS Staff is so looking forward to meeting students and welcoming them back into classrooms on August 30th.  While the last two years have been incredibly difficult, we are channeling our school mascot ~The Phoenix~ and will RISE this year to meet all challenges that come our way.  
 
Here at Dorothy Hamm Middle School, we seek to create a place in which every student feels like they belong and learns the skills needed to become whatever they dream (#dhmsbelongandbecome).  We honor Dorothy Hamm and the history of this building by actively working to create an inclusive and welcoming school community.  If you are new to our school, please know that we look forward to getting to know you and are so happy to support you in achieving your dreams.  
 
I hope we see many of you at Orientation on August 26th – drop in to visit your student’s TA teacher and walk around our new building.  Many thanks to our amazing PTSA for their tireless support of families, students, and staff.
    
Sincerely,  
Ellen 
Ellen Smith (Ms. E. Smith) 
Principal, DHMS 
Tonight! Virtual DHMS Back to School Town Hall @ 7pm
Join Us Tonight (Monday, August 16th) at 7pm via Zoom! The DHMS PTSA is hosting a Virtual DHMS Back to School Town Hall with DHMS Principal Ellen Smith from 7:00-8:00pm to learn more about the return to school and get your questions answered.

Zoom Meeting Details - Monday, August 16th 7:00-8:00pm
  • Meeting ID: 879 8240 3633
  • Password: Phoenix!
DHMS Orientation Day - Thursday, August 26th
On Thursday, August 26th, we will welcome all students and families to visit Dorothy Hamm Middle School, get to know their TA Teacher, and walk the building. Drop by anytime during the grade level window(s) listed below. There is no formal presentation, so you and your DHMS student(s) can come anytime during your designated time.
DHMS Orientation Day Schedule
  • 6th Grade – 8:00-9:45am
  • 7th Grade – 10:00-11:45am
  • 8th Grade – 1:00-2:45pm 
If you can’t make this event, don’t worry. This will be repeated the first week of school with students. Stay tuned for more information later this month.
Letters are being mailed home on Tuesday, August 17th with your student(s)' TA teacher name and room number, as well as a map of the building and bell schedule.
Dorothy Hamm MS Driveway Party - Friday, September 10th
Mark your calendar for the Back to School Driveway Party, September 10 from 5pm-7pm! We will welcome our new 6th graders and new students, and get everyone BACK TO SCHOOL! Teachers, administrators, parents, caregivers, siblings and students all welcome. We will have food, selfie station, music and fun. We'll need some volunteers. Please sign up below to lend a hand with setup, cleanup, and/or activities during the event, or email Caroline Holt to help out.
Introducing the DHMS PTSA Buddy Program
Entering middle school is exciting and can also be nerve-racking at the same time! We are looking for a few (ok, hopefully, more than a few!) current students to buddy up with some new-to-DHMS students. Student buddies will get an opportunity to hang out together during Back-to-School week as well as throughout the school year. Current students can show their new DHMS student buddies their favorite parts of the school, provide tips on managing multiple classes and teachers, and what's good for lunch for a start. Everyone involved is also encouraged to come up with fun ideas of their own both buddies might enjoy! 

Please click below to sign up your DHMS student to serve as a current DHMS student buddy or if you would like a buddy for your new-to-DHMS student:


Contact DHMS VP Community, Danusha Chandy, with any questions.
Get Engaged With the DHMS PTSA
Join the Dorothy Hamm MS PTSA for 2021-22 Today!
You and your family are invited to join the DHMS PTSA for 2021-22! DHMS PTSA members must renew each year (beginning July 1st) in order to vote on PTSA matters and join our community. DHMS PSTA annual dues are $10 per adult member, and $5 per student. Sponsorships are also available so that all DHMS community members may join the PTA.

Please consider a donation to the DHMS PTSA Phoenix Fund! All donations go to support the students, teachers and staff at Dorothy Hamm Middle School.
Open DHMS PTSA Committee Chair Roles for 2021-22
The DHMS PTSA is seeking volunteers to lead the following Committee Chair positions for the 2021-22 year. A great way to get involved, meet fellow DHMS parents, and support our school!

  • Phoenix Fund: We are looking for 1-2 parents to coordinate our annual PTSA fundraising drive this fall.
  • Teacher & Staff Appreciation: We'd love 1-2 additional parents to help plan events throughout the year, including Teacher Appreciation Week.

More ways to help! Here are other open DHMS PTSA roles to consider:
  • CCPTA Representative (all year; 1-2 volunteers)
  • PTSA Hospitality (all year; 1-2 volunteers)
  • Science Fair/STEM Lead (One event in January 2022; 1-2 volunteers)

Please contact Kristen Shattuck, DHMS PTSA President, if you are interested or have any questions. Thank you for your support!
Volunteers Needed: DHMS Back to School Events
We'd love your help with upcoming back to school events! Parent volunteers will be needed on:
  • Tuesday, August 31st and Wednesday, September 1st during the school day to provide support in classrooms and hallways for our Special Activities
  • Thursday, September 2nd in the afternoon to help serve ice cream to all DHMS students
  • Friday, September 10th - DHMS Back to School Driveway Party from 5-7pm. Click here to volunteer!

Details on how to sign up for the first week of school events at DHMS coming soon!
New DHMS Family & Rising 6th Grade Reminders
Sign Up for the DHMS PTSA Phoenix Post
If you haven't already, sign up for the weekly DHMS PTSA newsletter by texting PHOENIXPOST to 22828. Remind your friends to sign up as well!

Follow Us on Social Media
DHMS Student Reminders & Opportunities
2021-22 DHMS School Supply Lists

Getting ready for the new school year? Remember to take a look at the DHMS School Supply Lists for 2021-22 now available on the DHMS Website!

DHMS Math Packets & Summer Reading

Math packets for students are posted on the APS Website. Students should complete the math packet associated with the grade level they just finished, and bring the completed packet to their math teacher in the first week of school.

From Ellen Smith's Phoenix Flyer (7/26/21), students should be reading for pleasure at least 30 minutes every day during the summer. There is a great summer reading program through Arlington County Library that might provide extra motivation.
2021-22 Dorothy Hamm MS Sports

Middle School Sports will return for the 2021-2022 school year! There are a variety of sports, including: Ultimate Frisbee, Girls/Boys Soccer, Tennis, Cheerleading, Girls/Boys Basketball, Wrestling, Swim, Dive and Track and Field.

If your DHMS student intends to try out they will need a completed physical form on file with Unika Dabney, our Activities Coordinator. Take a look at the Sports Page on the DHMS Website for more information.
2021-22 National PTA Reflections Contest Theme
The National PTA Reflections Contest Theme for the 2021-22 school year is "I Will Change the World By..."

Visit the National PTA Reflections website to learn more. We encourage all DHMS students to consider submitting entries in any (or all) of the categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts. Stay tuned for more details this fall!
APS News & Announcements
APS Town Hall and Updated FAQs

If you missed last week's Community Town Halls with Superintendent Dr. Durán to provide back-to-school updates for students and families, you can click here to watch the recording.

Review the updated Health and Safety Information on the APS website for more details as well as the updated Return to School FAQs.
APS iPad iOS Upgrade

The APS Dept. of Information Services has asked all families to help ensure student devices are ready to support learning on the first day of school. All student iPads need to be updated to the current iOS, 14.7.1. This upgrade is necessary to support upgraded apps the students will be using this fall. 

Upgrading the iOS is something you or your student can do at home, simply follow these step-by-step directions to upgrade the iOS.

Keys to success:
  • Plug the iPad in and keep it plugged in during the upgrade
  • Some iPads are pretty full. If the upgrade fails due to running out of space you can offload some of the documents, here’s how.
  • If you are having any troubles, contact your school’s ITC.
New APS ParentVUE URL

From the APS Dept. of Information Services, the ParentVUE link has been updated and the URL has changed. To access the new ParentVUE URL, visit the APS Family Access Center website.

Families will encounter an error message when opening the ParentVUE app which is pointing to the old URL. To access step-by-step instructions on how to access the new URL, visit APS URL Change for ParentVUE App.
DHMS PTSA Reminders
DHMS Basics: Office: 703.228.2910 / Clinic: 703.228.2940 / Attendance: 703.228.2911
​​​Get Involved: Join the PTSA / PTSA Directory / PTSA Meetings / Volunteer
Stay Connected: DHMS Calendar / DHMS Website / DHMS on Twitter
Engage With APS: APS Engage / Online Form / Open Office Hours / Meetings / Agendas​​
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 Thursday at 10am for inclusion in the following Monday's Phoenix Post.