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  • State of the Cluster: Principal's Report for SY 2012-13

    Dear Cluster Families,

    This has been a very productive year at the Cluster and I would like this opportunity to outline our accomplishments over the last nine months.  Please take the time to review our “State of the Cluster” outline below and feel free to email me with your comments.  Above all, I hope that you come away with a sense of the major strides we have made this year and the important academic work your children are doing as well as the community we have created through work with the PTA.

    Also, please note that Stuart-Hobson was featured last week on the front page of Ed Week Magazine for our work on the Common Core.   Our eighth grade ELA Chair, Dowan McNair Lee was shadowed for the past six months by Ed Week reporter Catherine Gewertz, resulting in a series of four articles to continue throughout the summer.  Good work is being done at the Cluster.  The link to this article is (http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/05/22/32common_ep.h32.html)

    Thanks and have a great summer!

    Principal Clemens

     

     

    STATE OF THE CLUSTER

    SY 2012-2013

     

     

    WATKINS

     

    Academics

    • Piloted Read 180 in preparation for SY 2013-2014
    • Purchased $27,000 Leveled Reading library ensuring all students will be challenged and met at their level
    • Continuation of Winter Reading Incentive Program
    • Fifth grade participation in Project Based EdLab’s $200,000 grant through the Smithsonian
    • Math curriculum/manipulative materials purchased for use at all grade levels (Envision Math, Accelerated Math, First in Math)
    • Major gains in number of children using Math Buddies before and after school
    • Major gains in working toward math fluency at all grade levels through fidelity to First in Math
    • New Dean of Students resulting in proactive approach to discipline resulting in dramatic reduction of suspensions and disciplinary referrals creating a climate conducive to learning
    • Parent Curriculum Nights at all grade levels to ensure small groups and encourage parent participation/education of school goals
    • Use of Reading extension guides at various grade levels
    • Math lab for struggling Math students
    • Second Grade Math Nights (2) for parents
    • Fidelity by entire faculty to Guided Reading to ensure student achievement in reading at every level supported by the Leveled Reading Library
    • $42,000 Responsive Classroom professional Development for Faculty
    • Piloted STEM program sponsored by the Boston Museum of Science- Engineering is Elementary at second Grade
    • Implementation of the Differentiation Bloc three times per week
    • Four Classroom Aides at First grade to support academic achievement paid for by PTA
    • Smaller class sizes at second grade to support learning
    • Teacher fidelity to Bursting, DIBELS and TRC progress monitoring
    • Family Math night, ELA night, Principal Meet and Greets and Differentiation night to support family academic engagement
    • Doubled instructional technology in less than 2 years, 34 lap top computers, one for every faculty member to support academic achievement, 10 Thin client computers for library use
    • Purchase of document cameras and LCD projectors for every staff member to ensure availability of on-line leveled teaching materials
    • Significant strides in Central office support of technology implementation
    • Extension of Food Prints to 5th grade
    • Teacher participation at the 4th grade in the Harvard Math Study
    • Teacher fellowships to participate in writing Common Core Curriculum at the District Office this summer

    Watkins Operations and Community engagement

    • Three lunch periods to ensure enhanced environment
    • Work with Cafeteria staff to ensure quality preparation of meals
    • Working groups for PTA, Building representatives, parent-organized lost-and-found, running club, Reading and Math Buddies, First Cluster Wide Auction
    • Robust communication with parents/community- monthly calendars, weekly Robo’s and fidelity to back pack fliers
    • Multiple OST enrichment offerings
    • Robust Music program
    • OSSE Garden grant
    • BOKs exercise program daily before school
    • Family Nutrition Nights through OSSE Nutrition Grant
    • ELA night Featuring Author Katie Kelly May 23rd


    STUART-HOBSON

    Academics

    • Common Core Math Textbook series purchased, New Spanish textbooks purchased with on line capabilities
    • Extended day program for Technology, PE, and Music
    • Read180 double periods for struggling Readers
    • MAC’s for all students (Academic Conferences with the Administration each quarter to review grades and individual progress)
    • Saturday tutoring sessions six weeks prior to the DC CAS
    • New Dean of Student position with proactive approach to discipline resulting in dramatic reduction of suspensions and disciplinary referrals and a climate conducive to learning
    • Seventh grade participation in Project Based EdLab’s $200,000 grant through the Smithsonian
    • $42,000 Developmental Designs professional Development for all Faculty
    • Use of Reading extension guides at various grade levels
    • Student Science project chosen for NASA International Space Station
    • Continuation of Winter Reading Incentive Program
    • Awarded six medals at city-wide STEM fair
    • Major gains in working toward math fluency at all grade levels through fidelity to First in Math
    • Math lab for struggling Math students
    • Family Math night, ELA night, Principal Meet and Greets and Differentiation Night to support family academic engagement
    • Robust Music program including Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced and Jazz band
    • 20 students participating in the City Vision Partnership with the Building Museum
    • 15 Students to state National History Day Competition, 7 students to National Competition

     

    Operations and Community engagement

    • OSSE Garden Grant partnership with Lands and Waters
    • BOKs exercise program daily before school
    • ELA night Featuring Author Katie Kelly May 23rd
    • Suspensions decrease of 79% over SY 2011-2012
    • PIA parent nights (2) to review and explain interim assessment data to parents
    • Monthly Pep Assemblies
    • Robust Sports program including award winning teams:  1st place Ski Team, Football quarter-finals, Volleyball 2nd place, Girls Soccer 2nd place, Baseball this year for boys, Basketball for both boys and girls, Track
    • Use of Engrade by all staff allowing for progress monitoring by parents
    • Marketing done at six elementary schools to enhance community awareness of the SH program
    • Grade-level parent meetings throughout the week with staff members
    • Restructured Parent Teacher Conferences allowing for more time for parent meetings
    •  Adopted Uniforms for entire student body
    • Parent Curriculum Nights at all grade levels to ensure small groups and encourage parent participation/education of school goals
    • BOKs exercise program daily before school
    • Modernization of the Gym, first floor and infrastructure of the building
    • Four Students chosen to attend City-wide Diversity conference
    • Introduction of Common Core, Complex text and Close reading at all grade levels.
    • Introduction of the House System and Advisory at all grades

     

     

    Peabody

    • 45% of students met literacy the end of year benchmarks at middle of year
    • Five teachers working with the $200,000 Ed Lab grant through the Smithsonian
    • OSSE Nutrition Grant
    • OSSE Garden Grant
    • General Mills Grant
    • ANC Grant
    • Capitol Hill Community Foundation Grant for Scholastic Leveled Readers
    •  Modernization summer of 2013
    • Library transition to Center based curriculum
    • Cooking Coordinator to ensure participation of Story or Food each month
    • Gardening Coordinator
    • Half time Music Teacher paid for by PTA
    • Parent Curriculum Nights at all grade levels to ensure small groups and encourage parent participation/education of school goals
    • Initiation of Parent Teacher Book Club

     

     

     

     

  • Peabody Handprint Day! Featuring SH Student Helpers

    PK3 students pose in front of the new hand print wall.

    Peabody students had a full-day event following up on the Election Day vote to decorate the Garden Shed with hand prints.

    In November 2012, Peabody students held a special election, not to vote for Obama or Romney but to vote on an issue more tangible and relevant to their every day lives: they voted on whether to decorate the plain and boring blue garden shed with hand prints or with painted bugs. There were voting booths, ballots, “I VOTED” stickers and everything!! While the final outcome was close, the hand print design won.

    On April 3rd, the students all were able to participate in putting their own hand print on one of three walls of the garden shed. A dozen volunteer helpers from Stuart Hobson Middle School were instrumental in getting the students’ hands clean, ushering them from station to station and promoting fun play on the playground.  The Peabody students also put hand prints on Stuart student shirts.
    The hand print project was spearheaded by Art Teacher Katie Cushman.
    Enjoy the pictures!

    SH student volunteers worked with Peabody students. The shed wasn’t the only thing that got handprinted by the Peabody kids!

  • PTA Meeting & Family Reading Night Tues May 28th

    PTA MEETING DOCUMENTS>>

    - 2013-14 PTA Board Nominees (pdf)

    - 2013 – 2014 Budget Proposal (word) and Draft budget proposal_May22 (xls)

     

     

    Also see Post about Summer Reading>>

    Find suggested reading and websites to check out from our amazing Cluster librarians: Ms. Bloom, Ms. Renwick, and Ms. Ledford, and download this Summer’s Reading log.

     

     

  • Stuart-Hobson Book Fair @Politics & Prose Sat. June 8th

    Help support Stuart-Hobson’s library and books for classroom libraries!

    On Saturday, June 8th, Politics & Prose Bookstore will donate 20% of it’s in-store sales to Stuart-Hobson Middle School’s library and literacy fund.  Purchases must be made in the store and customers must ask that 20% of their purchase go to Stuart-Hobson.   Stuart-Hobson volunteers will be in the Children’s Section of the store from 9am – 5pm with Classroom Library Wish Lists and more information about Summer Reading to prevent the infamous “Summer Slip” in reading ability. Please stop by, visit and support literacy at Stuart-Hobson.
    Politics and Prose is located in Tenleyton at 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC 20008 between the Van Ness and Tenleyton Red Line Metro stops. For directions, visit http://www.politics-prose.com/.

    Stuart-Hobson students – purchase your Shannon Draper books to help meet your summer reading goals!!!

    SH Administration has set a goal for every Panther to read a Sharon Draper book over the summer to prepare for her visit this October.  Download this sharondraperbookorder form, which allows students to order books from P & P and 20% of proceeds goes back to Stuart-Hobson.

    More Politics & Prose

    https://twitter.com/politics_prose
    https://www.facebook.com/politicsandprose
  • DCPS Revises End of Year Calendar: Last Half-Day June 21st

    DCPS Announces Updates to the School Year to Make Up Cancelled School Days

    New Last Day of ’12-’13 School Year Will Be June 21

     

    In order to fulfill the requirement of 180 instructional days in the school year, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) will need to restore two instructional days lost due to inclement weather. DCPS will extend the originally scheduled half-day on Thursday, June 20 into a full-day and add a half-day on Friday, June 21, making it the new last day of the 2012-2013 school year. DCPS will also convert the scheduled Parent-Teacher Conference Day on June 3 into a regular school day.

     

    “Our obligation is for our students to have at least 180 days of instruction. We take an abundance of caution before we cancel the school day, but this year because of the weather, we had to cancel three days,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “To meet that obligation, we are extending a previously scheduled half day, extending the school year by a half-day and converting a parent-teacher conference day into an instructional day.”

     

    The school cancellations occurred on October 29 and 30 related to Hurricane Sandy and additionally on March 6.  DCPS builds 181 instructional days annually into the school calendar with a requirement to provide 180 days for students. DCPS will work with schools to ensure activities previously scheduled to occur during the parent-teacher conference day, will take place accordingly in other ways.

     

  • Stuart-Hobson and Theatre Lab Present: The Odyssey

    The Odyssey

    The Theatre Lab, Washington D.C.’s largest and most comprehensive theatre school, comes to Stuart Hobson to bring Homer’s classic to the stage in a new, updated, action-packed adaptation! Please turn out to show your support for Stuart Hobson’s young actors.
    Saturday, 4/27 at 7:30pm
    Sunday, 4/28 at 3pm
    in the Stuart Hobson Middle School Auditorium
    Doors will open twenty minutes before curtain, and tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. A donation of $5 per ticket is suggested.
    More about our wonderful partner, Theatre Lab>>

     

  • PTA Budget Priorities for 2013-14, Meet Tues 3/26

    Please join the PTA this Tuesday, March 26th from 6:30 to 8:00 at Stuart Hobson to discuss what priorities the PTA should invest in for the 2013-2014 school year.

    Thanks to everyone’s participation, our fundraisers have been very successful this year. Now is our chance to make sure those funds are invested for the greatest benefit of our scholars and our school.

    Free childcare will be provided with arts, crafts and games.
    Pizza will be available at $1.00 per slice on a first come first serve basis.

    Make sure you’re also making your voice heard by participating in our budget survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PTA_Budget_Survey.

    I look forward to seeing you all Tuesday at Stuart Hobson.

    Caryn Ernst
    PTA President

  • Cluster Gardens: SH Scholars Build and Plant New Garden Beds

    Stuart-Hobson scholars work with volunteers to plan out the new garden beds.

    While the Stuart-Hobson campus awaits its full renovation on the inside, SH scholars aren’t wasting any time getting the outdoor gardens into top shape for Spring.

    Four of the six garden beds were installed and planted on Wednesday March 13th. You can see all the pictures here>>

    In addition, volunteers and staff created a rudimentary compost bin, using wood pallets. They are working on a better design that will be more pleasing for the community, and plan to install it on March 25. Composting is an essential part of gardening!

    Have feedback on the gardens or want to get involved? Contact Kris Unger at krisunger at gmail dotcom

    Like what you are seeing at Stuart-Hobson? Help us get full funding for a much needed renovation. Watch and share this video, or contact DC Government. We need your help!

  • Differentiated Instruction at the Cluster

    At the PTA Meeting on February 26th, Principal Dawn Clemens and Instructional Coach Vanessa Drumm presented on the topic of Differentiated Learning and how it is implemented at the Cluster.

    For an overview of Differentiation, What it Is and What it is Not, start with these slides (ppt, 1.4MB)

    Differentiation: What It Is and What It Is Not

    For a look at how Differentiation is applied in Math, download these slides (ppt, 2.7 MB)

    Cluster Differentiation Math

     

  • Stuart-Hobson Students Tell Us Why We Need to Finish Stuart's Renovation!

    The Stuart-Hobston Student Government Association under the guidance of Ms. PRatt, Librarian Ms. Ledford and technologist Ms. Helm filmed and edited this documentary-style video, which captures interviews and comments from teachers, staff, administrators and students who care about the future of Stuart-Hobson.

    Check out their work in the video below.  To learn more about the Stuart-Hobson Renovation and how you can help voice support for FULL FUNDING of the renovation, visit this post>>

  • Stuart-Hobson Parent Education Nights

    In case you missed the last parent information session at Stuart-Hobson, you can still download the content of the presentation here. We hope you find these presentations useful and applicable.

    Healthy Boundaries presentation (ppt, 2.4 MB) – February 2013

    - help your child understand, and establish, healthy boundaries for themselves

    - read through examples to provide context for how it applies in your child’s life

    - get links to more resources

    Healthy Relationships presentation (ppt, 1.1 MB) – March 2013

    - what makes a relationship healthy, or unhealthy

    - how social media and technology impact your child’s relationships

  • Stuart-Hobson Jazz Band and Wynton Marsalis

    Guess which DCPS Middle School had the only two musicians who sat in with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra last week…………………Stuart-Hobson!

    The Stuart-Hobson jazz band experienced an amazing field trip to the Kennedy Center, where two members performed with professional jazz musicians!

    Louis and Lilly’s performance was a highlight, but all of our students impressed the professionals with their understanding of skills and concepts they were demonstrating.  One highlight was when the audience was asked to define scat singing.  One of our 6th grade band members quickly responded with” “It’s a musical thought without words”. His answer drew a response of “Wow” from the musicians on stage.

    A small group was also able to hear Wynton Marsalis and the full Lincoln Center Big Band that evening at the Kennedy Center and were stunned  by the sound and level of skill they experienced. It was a fun night as the students ran into several of the musicians that work with them on the way into the concert hall.  The Pros recognized them and went out of their way to speak with them.

    All in all, an incredible musical experience for our SH band members.

  • Clusterwide Winter Reading Incentive Program Underway

    The Capitol Hill Cluster scholars LOVE to read, and they are proving it with the Winter Reading Incentive Program (funded by the PTA ).  Reading Around the World in 90 Days has everyone excited to read, from Peabody, to Watkins, to Stuart-Hobson. Scholars track every 20 minutes read on a “trip around the world”, until they have visited all 7 continents and their home of Washington DC.

    We have final numbers from Peabody, Watkins and Stuart-Hobson below…all told the CLuster Scholars have read 640,000 minutes this winter, and they keep going!

    PEABODY – final tally

    Almost 11,500 books or 172,500 minutes!!! Congratulations to our young readers.

    Watkins – final tally

    467,200 minutes!!!
    1st  Ms. Bowers with 35, 600 minutes
    2nd Ms. Wertheimer with 42,800 minutes
    3rd Ms. Heffelbower with 31,200 minutes
    4th Ms. Ewart with 18,400 minutes
    5th Ms. Harris with 28,400 minutes
    Special praise goes to all the second grade classes who, together, read a whopping 152,600 minutes!!

    STUART-HOBSON – final tally

    The Winter Reading Incentive Program officially ended on Friday.  7th grade won both for most minutes read by a grade and highest percentage of participation.  Way to go House of Franklin!  We will announce the dates for the week of recess and three dress down days after the DC CAS.  Mr. Plaisted’s advisory won for most participants and mins read, and will therefore have a pizza party.  Mr. LaRue’s advisory came in 2nd for most minutes read and will also have a pizza party.  Thank you all for your support of the program.  Altogether students read 96, 019 mins and 106 students participated.  This is a huge improvement over last year.  THANK YOU!
    6th grade
    35,795 mins
    30% (39 students)
    Star reader: Natnael Abate 3,082 mins
    Top Advisory:
    Aikman 6,061 mins, 8 advisees
    7th grade
    35,837 mins
    36% (47 students)
    Star reader: Toian Jenkins 4,408 mins
    Plaisted 10,543 mins, 10 advisees
    LaRue 8,560
    8th grade
    24,387 mins
    17% (20 students)
    Star reader: William Witt 6,510 mins
    Top advisories:
    McGrath 6, 510 mins
    Woodard and Ledford 5 advisees

    Let’s reach our goal of one million minutes – KEEP READING and traveling the globe. Need something to read? Visit the SE Library for more books.

    Watkins will be holding a Scholastic Book Fair during Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday February 25th and through Friday March 1st…check it out>>

    Peabody is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair beginning Thursday, March 21st and will run through Friday March 29th.

  • The Cluster Rocks Gala and Auction - It Really Rocked!

    Thank you to the amazing auction committee and all the wonderful volunteers who made the Cluster’s first auction TRULY ROCK!

    Please send your favorite photos from the event to Shayna Rudick, shaynarudick at gmail dotcom

     

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    We hope you saved the Date!  For full information about the auction, see the auction home page>>

    Tickets are on sale NOW for The Cluster Rocks Gala and Auction!
    http://cloud.bidpal.net/Portal/bpe25620

    Tickets are at their lowest price until February 15 so get them now!
    Feel free to share this link with friends or family who would like to purchase tickets or make a financial contribution.

    We are starting to get some great donations from families, teachers, and businesses. Please remember that we need donations from all of our Cluster families for a successful auction.  Need help brainstorming? Click HERE

    Item Donation Forms can be turned in on each campus in the silver auction box.  Or you may scan completed forms and email to chcsauction@gmail.com.  If you need a letter to present to a business or any potential donor, you can download our Potential Donor letter.

    Our Item Solicitation Committee needs help!  Please sign up today http://vols.pt/N98vBP
    or email Lisa Raymond at chcsauction at gmail dot com.

    I want to thank everyone for their help and contributions thus far.

    Please contact me with any questions.

    Amy Bryan
    Auction Chair
    wrightandamy at gmail dot com

  • Stuart-Hobson Modified Exterior Design January 2013

    Update March 11, 2013: The March SIT meeting for SH has been canceled. Please plan to attend the next scheduled SIT Meeting on Thursday April 11th @ Stuart-Hobson at 6:30 pm.

    What can you do in the meantime? Voice your support to fund the remainder of the renovation to make the Museum Magnet Program an excellent one. Visit this link to find out what you can do to help and make this a reality for our kids >>

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    SH Rendering, Updated 1/2013

     

     

  • The Cluster Rocks Gala & Auction - Donate an Item Today!

    Dear Cluster Parents,
    The first ever CHCS Auction will be here before we know it!  The Auction committee has been working hard but we need EVERY CLUSTER FAMILY to help make this Auction a success by donating at least one item. Please download the Auction Donation Agreement (pdf).  Over the winter holiday we hope you will think about items or experiences that you may be able to donate, or a friend or relative that you might want to ask to donate to the Auction.  Auction donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. The deadline to turn in the Auction Donation Agreement is March 1st; however, it would really help our awesome parent volunteers if you turn in your donation agreement form as soon as you can (I’m sure you can imagine how tough it would be to coordinate all of the auction items in just a 2 week period).
    Not sure what to donate? Successful school auctions usually receive
    •    donated sports tickets
    •    restaurant gift certificates
    •    DC experiences (museums, nights on the town packages, etc.)
    •    get away packages,
    •    cultural events,
    •    services (photography sessions,  catering, etc.),
    •    artwork,
    •    electronics (ipads, laptops, etc.)
    •    baked goods (maybe your hobby is making spectacular birthday cakes, or you have a repertoire of soups , breads or other food items that you would be willing to make for someone for  a set time period)
    If you can’t think of an item to donate  than maybe you’ll consider hosting a Cluster Hosts Community Socials Event (CHCS Event).  What is a CHCS Event?  A fun event you would like to host for other members of the Cluster community!  A themed dinner party, a mardi gras party, a sushi making class, a Belgian Beer tasting, a progressive dinner party with some of your neighbors, a chocolate and champagne soiree – whatever you would like to host.  If you would like to host a CHCS Event, please provide a brief description on the Auction Donation Agreement under the ITEM/SERVICE DONATION heading of the type of event you would like to host and someone will follow up with you to discuss pricing and parameters to be set for the event .

    Auction Donation Agreement (pdf)

    If you have any questions, please feel free to email Amy Bryan  at wrightandamy@gmail.com or Shayna Rudick at shaynarudick@gmail.com.
    Sincerely,
    Amy Bryan             Shayna Rudick
    Auction Chair       PTA Fundraising Co-chair

  • Stuart-Hobson Modernization Plan 2013: Raise Your Voice

    Stuart Hobson SIT Meeting  Thursday 4/11 at 6:30pm at Stuart Hobson. Meeting location will be in one of the new classrooms to the right as you walk in from the main entrance. Please note that the meeting will start promptly at 6:30.

    1)      Philip to update all on the status of additional project funding.

    2)      HGA to present the new Addition elevations/floor plans and Cafeteria/Kitchen.

    3)      Tom to update all on the project schedule.

    4)      Tom to update all on the status of boiler and cooling tower noise mitigation efforts.  Also, update on the timing for the vibration monitoring of adjacent homes.

     

    Update March 11, 2013: The March SIT meeting for SH has been canceled. We will have our next SIT meeting on Thursday April 11 at Stuart-Hobson.

     

    UPDATE  March 1, 2013:

    The design for the planned addition to Stuart-Hobson is going before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) this week. This hearing is important, because the addition has to receive HPRB approval before it can be built.
    We need people to testify in favor of our addition so HPRB does not reject it!
    The date of our HPRB hearing is
    Thursday, March 7 at 3:45 pm at 441 4th St. NW, Room 200 South

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    So far we’ve seen overwhelming community support, as well as vetted and voted approval from the ANC commission. Thank you to our Capitol Hill friends, families, and neighbors who have voiced their support for the Stuart-Hobson modernization and renovation. But we still need your help to give our Stuart-Hobson kids a great, safe, and beautiful building. And time is of the essence…

    PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL THE MAYOR’S OFFICE NOW and ask him to support Stuart Hobson’s full modernization.  By the end of January, the Mayor’s budget will be complete, and it CURRENTLY DOES NOT INCLUDE NEEDED FUNDS FOR STUART HOBSON.

    Mayor Gray, (202) 727-6300, eom@dc.gov OR Start with the Budget Office directly to avoid being transferred: 202-724-7700.

    Jennifer Leonard, Interim Deputy Mayor for Education, (202) 727-3636, jennifer.leonard@dc.gov

    Marc Bleyer, Capital Program Manager, (202) 727-9543, marc.bleyer@dc.gov

    The Cluster School community is urgently requesting that the Mayor and City Council allocate the additional $12 million, as identified by DGS, to complete the modernization. 

    A minimum of $6.1 million is needed in 2013 just to make the building fully functional and to allow the Addition to be built as planned.  This would include funding for the following:

    • The Museum Program Addition is currently funded for FY2014, but deep foundations are now required to support the Addition structure per recent soil investigations and are not currently funded.
    • Provide access to the building Lower Level by constructing elevator and stairs and finishing 3700 sf of space under the Gymnasium that currently exists, but is inaccessible and unfinished.  It is planned for use as classrooms, physical training rooms, as well as required storage and custodian offices.  There is no other designated storage space in the building.  Without access to the lower level, current classrooms or the new gymnasium will need to be repurposed to store books and curricular material, as well as custodial supplies.
    • An improved sound system, lighting and other finishes required for the Auditorium.  The auditorium is currently used by the entire Cluster School as well as the community, for theater and music productions, as well as special events.  The donated mobile sound system and old lights currently in use are woefully inadequate for the space.
    • The Museum and Arts Integration Program of the school requires construction of the enclosed Museum Exhibit Atrium.  The Exhibit Atrium is fully designed, but is currently unfunded.  SHMS is a museum program school, yet has no dedicated exhibit space in the school. The open air atrium is currently abandoned space.  Once enclosed, as planned, it will serve as the exhibit space for the school and the heart of the school’s museum program.
    • Removal of the original chimney, which was damaged during the earthquake, and streetscape improvements, including sidewalk and lighting repair and replacement.

    The additional $5.9 requested for 2014 is needed to expand the outdoor recreation facilities on the north side of the lot.  Stuart Hobson has significantly less outdoor space per student than any other similar DCPS Middle School – and 30% of our limited space is dedicated to cars, not kids.  Funds are needed to move the cars to a lower level, allowing the full use of the school’s limited outdoor space for student recreation, physical education and sports.

    Please also contact YOUR CITY COUNCILMEMBER, as well as our at-large councilmembers to urge them to fund Stuart Hobson’s complete modernization in the 2014 budget, to be set this spring.

    Councilman Tommy Wells, Ward 6, twells@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8072

    Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, pmendelson@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8032

    Councilman David Catania, Chair, Committee on Education, dcatania@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-7772

    Last year the Mayor and the City Council made a substantial investment in the modernization of Stuart Hobson’s facilities.  Only one year into a three-year modernization, the changes have already had a tremendously positive impact on the learning environment at the school.

    Unfortunately, the budget, which was established long before completing a full assessment and master plan, has proved insufficient to address the extent of the school’s needs.  Although major building components are being addressed with current approved funding, substantial needs still exist for the school.

    As you know, Stuart Hobson is one of the top performing public middle schools in the city and has been at full enrollment for years. Its sports, music, art and theater programs are some of the best in the city despite the failings of its facilities.

    Providing an incomplete school by not allocating the additional funds needed RIGHT NOW would be a travesty, completely undermining one of the highest achieving public middle schools in DC.  Over half of Stuart Hobson’s students are low-income and 80% are African Americans from Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.  Our students need and deserve a fully functioning facility.

    The additional investments requested for Stuart Hobson would bring us on par with investments made in Hardy Middle School, and are comparable to the additional funds that were approved in previous years to finish Janney, Wheatley, Stoddart and Savoy.

    YOUR VOICE MATTERS!  Please take a moment to reach out to the Mayor and City Council.  Keep in mind that one phone call is worth 10 emails, so consider picking up the phone.  Let them know you care about Stuart Hobson and feel strongly that the city must FINISH WHAT IT STARTED and complete Stuart Hobson’s modernization.

    Sincerely,

     

    Caryn Ernst, PTA President

    Helen Searls, LSAT Chair

    Clayton Witt, LSAT

     

    [Updated 1/8/13]

  • Stuart Hobson Faculty Unveil New Gym!

    The Stuart-Hobson faculty proudly unveiled the new gym at the recently renovated Stuart Hobson. Find more pictures of the renovation here>>

     

  • Get a Closer Look! Attend a Cluster Open Classroom
  • Stuart-Hobson Jazz Program Kicks Off 2nd Year

    Stuart-Hobson Band Program Kicks Off Year 2 of The Capitol Jazz Project

    November 14th marks the return of The Capitol Jazz Project to SHMS.  The Capitol Jazz Project is a joint effort of the Washington Performing Arts Society and D.C. Public Schools, in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center.  Band members will be working along side professional Jazz artists on selected dates during the year, honing their listening, performing, and improvisational skills.  Students will learn Jazz Standards, and Improvisation, along with the history of this uniquely American musical style.  They will have the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in several exciting performances including taking the stage on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center.  The program falls under the direction of Mr. Edwards, the MS Band Director.

    Stuart-Hobson will welcome Jeff Antoniuk and the Jazz Up Date Band on November 21st in a special performance for all SHMS students to celebrate this amazing opportunity for our Band members.