PHOENIX POST

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's virtual DHMS Back to School Town Hall with DHMS Principal Ellen Smith! If you missed the live event, click below to watch the Zoom recording. (Answers to the additional chat window questions will be posted next week.)

This 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 window(s) listed below. There is no formal presentation, so you and your DHMS student(s) can come anytime during your designated time.

We are excited to kick off the 2021-22 school year. The DHMS PTSA is eager for your feedback on communications and programming. Please complete this brief survey to help us make this the best school year yet!

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.

Contact DHMS VP Community, Danusha Chandy, with any questions.

DHMS School Picture Days are Friday, September 24th and Monday, September 27th! Stay tuned for more details, including the student schedule. In the meantime, click below for more information, including Jostens photo package options:

With just over a week until school begins, make sure to take a look at the DHMS School Supply Lists for 2021-22 posted on the DHMS Website!

From APS Food and Nutrition Services, the USDA has extended free breakfast and lunch to all APS students for the entire 2021-2022 school year. Students will be expected to go through the serving line this year. In secondary schools, students will have the option of a lunch tray or a bag. Click below for a flyer with more information and frequently asked questions about breakfast, lunch, and applying for meal benefits:

Families will be able to start completing the Annual Online Verification Process (AOVP) TODAY, Monday, Aug. 23rd. When families log into ParentVUE, they will be required to complete their AOVP before they are able to access any available features in ParentVUE, including class schedules and transportation routes. 

Please visit the following link to access ParentVUE: https://vue.apsva.us

DHMS PTSA Directory: Opt into the directory as part of the AOVP process: For each of your APS students, select Student Info. Under Release of Student Information 1: PTA Directory Information, select ‘Yes, Please provide my student/family information’ to be included in the ASFS PTA Directory.

APS Registration & AOVP Assistance Day: Wednesday, August 25th at all APS schools from 12-4 p.m. Staff will also be available at the APS Welcome Center (2110 Washington Blvd.) from 4:30-8 p.m. to assist families with registering students. See the flyer for more details. 

Final bus schedules will be posted in ParentVUE on Tuesday, Aug. 24. Schedules are located in the Student Information Tab in ParentVUE, under Instructional Choice. Under Instructional Choice, scroll down to pick-up and drop-off information. Click here for details on how to access ParentVUE. A School Talk will be sent next week to notify families when the schedules are available.

To check your student’s eligibility for bus transportation, please view our bus eligibility zones and maps online. If you have additional questions about eligibility, please call the transportation call center for assistance.

For more information, including what to expect on the school bus, please see the APS School Talk message (8/17): APS Transportation Updates for the 2021-22 School Year.

Visit the DHMS Technology page for additional resources and how to request technology assistance if you run into any issues.

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

We'd love your help to kick off the school year! Students will participate in "Phoenix Con" during the first few days of school for team building, getting to know the school, their teachers, and one another. Pending APS health and safety guidelines, we could use parent volunteers to help support this event:

The DHMS PTSA is looking forward to participating in the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge again this year! We are looking for one more volunteer to host a collection box at your house, weigh the plastic and deliver it to the Cherrydale Safeway throughout the year. Please contact Liz Rugaber if you are able to help out, and stay tuned for more details this fall!

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.

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.

We are looking for a parent lead to coordinate this year's DHMS competition. Visit the National PTA Reflections website to learn more, and email Kristen Shattuck if you are interested. Students may submit entries in any (or all) of the categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts.