Dorothy Hamm Middle School PTSA
PHOENIX POST
Monday, November 15th, 2021
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming DHMS Dates
  • Wednesday, November 17th - One DHMS One Week Snack Bar (6th Grade)
  • Monday, November 22nd - Parent Chat (in Spanish)
  • Wednesday, November 24th-Friday, November 26th - No School (Thanksgiving)
  • Wednesday, December 1st-Tuesday, December 7th - DHMS Book Fair
  • Monday, December 6th - Parent Chat (in English)
  • Tuesday, December 7th - DHMS Winter Orchestra Concert, 7:00pm
  • Wednesday, December 8th - Early Release (11:54am)
  • Thursday, December 9th - DHMS Winter Band Concert, 7:00pm
  • Monday, December 13th - Parent Chat (in Spanish)
  • Wednesday, December 15th - DHMS Winter Chorus Concert, 7:00pm
  • Monday, December 20th-Friday, December 31st - No School (Winter Break)

Visit the online DHMS Master Calendar for the complete 2021-22 calendar of dates.
DHMS PTSA News & Announcements
One DHMS One Week 6th Grade Snack Bar Party
Wednesday, November 17th

Congratulations to our 6th graders who won the SNACK BAR PARTY prize from our One DHMS One Week event! Parents/guardians, please join us to help serve snacks to this deserving bunch. We need volunteers between 1:15-3:15pm on Wednesday, November 17th. We could also use some folding tables as well as yard games for the kids to enjoy.

Please sign up here if you can help out and/or provide tables and yard games to make this a fun afternoon for our awesome 6th graders!
Upcoming DHMS Parent Chats

Mark your calendar for the next Parent Chats with DHMS Principal, Ms. E. Smith! Stay tuned for the start times; the MS Teams links will be sent out via School Talk beforehand:

  • Monday, November 22nd - Parent Chat (in Spanish) *Focused on High School information*
  • Monday, December 6th - Parent Chat (in English) *Focused on High School information*
  • Monday, December 13th - Parent Chat (in Spanish)
Coming Soon! DHMS Book Fair
Wednesday, December 1st-Tuesday, December 7th

The DHMS Book Fair will be here from Wednesday, December 1st through Tuesday, December 7th! Students will be able to shop during the day, and stay tuned for family shopping hours and teacher wish lists. Proceeds from the book fair will support the purchase of books, author visits, and other library needs.

Book Fair Volunteers Needed: We need many volunteers to make this a success! You can sign up for a time slot that works for you using this link.

IMPORTANT: All volunteers must be approved through the APS Volunteer Application Process; click here to fill out your application. 

Please contact DHMS Librarian, Jenny Shanker, with any questions.
Help Our DHMS Phoenix Family - Holiday Gift Card Drive

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 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, we ask that you sign up below to assist with the administration of your kind gifts:


  • Please drop your gift cards off at the home of Kristen Shattuck (2918 26th St N, Arlington, VA 22207) or mail them to the same address so that they are received by no later than Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
  • 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, Kristen Shattuck, or Christine Katcher with questions.
Order Your 2021-22 DHMS Yearbook

The 2021-22 DHMS Yearbook is available to order! Click below to purchase yours today. Contact DHMS Yearbook Advisor, Abbey Gwydir, with any questions.
Online 2021-22 DHMS PTSA Directory

Visit the online DHMS PTSA Directory for 2021-22 to connect with DHMS families. Login with your email, and search by teacher or grade. (First time users, or if you forgot your password, click the 'need your password' link.) You can opt into the DHMS PTSA Directory via ParentVUE at anytime, and your information will be included in the next update. Contact directory@dhmsptsa.org with any questions.

You will be required to complete your Annual Online Verification Process (AOVP) before you are able to access any available features in ParentVUE. 
DHMS Lost and Found

Looking for something? Maybe a sweatshirt, water bottle, lunch bag, etc.? If so, we have a bookcase in the stairwell under the stairs on the first floor diagonal from Ms. Dabney’s office where students can check if they have lost something (door 14).
Check Your Plastic Bags Before Donating!

Thank you for collecting and dropping off your CLEAN AND DRY plastic film bags* as part of the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge to help DHMS earn the chance to win a Trex composite bench for our school!

Our Phoenix mom volunteers have noticed quite a bit of contamination in the plastic film that is being dropped off in the recycling boxes. As a reminder, before donating, please check the flyer for what can be recycled and show some care by respecting these guidelines in particular:
  • No receipts, packing slips, napkins, online mail receipts
  • No food residue (such as leaky sauce in take out bags), no dirt

We appreciate your enthusiastic participation, but remind you that this kind of contamination can ruin an entire box of plastic film. So, please take care and remember you are dropping off a commodity, not leaving a problem for someone else to solve. Thank you!
DHMS Drop-off Locations:
  • 2115 N. Quinn Street
  • 3500 21st Ave North
  • 4324 17th Street North
*Click here for the list of acceptable items. Please contact green@dhmsptsa.org with questions. Thank you for your help to reduce waste!
DHMS Library Volunteers

Want to volunteer in the DHMS Library? Please complete your APS Volunteer Application and then sign up for hours here. We welcome volunteers for a couple hours each day. Currently, we have morning hours, but if these do not work for you, please email Ms. Tsai to see if another time can be accommodated.
APS & Community News
Tonight: Emotionally Naked Truth About Suicide
Presented by the NoVa District PTA
Monday, November 15th at 7pm
Virtual & Free: Pre-register here
 
Based on the book, Emotionally Naked: A Teacher’s Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk, this presentation will empower parents, educators and the community to reduce this threat to life. Attendees will learn the cryptic and often veiled ways youth cry for help, how to respond and what to do.

Speaker and Advocate Anne Moss Rogers will offer suggestions and resources to help people recognize what's normal teen angst versus what might be a warning sign as well as tips to help teens develop coping skills during and after the pandemic. The conversation will include topics on substance misuse, mental health, suicide prevention in teens/young adults including insight into those times when young people are more vulnerable.

Learning outcomes:
  • Real life signs of suicide in youth and what to say/do
  • Lesser-known periods when adolescents are more vulnerable
  • How to build relationships that help adolescents develop resilience

Audience: Parents, educators, educational leaders, policy makers, coaches, advocates, community members. Contact Jenna White at vp.communications@fccpta.org with questions.
APS Student Services Newsletter
November 2021

The APS Student Services Department publishes a monthly newsletter. This month’s newsletter shares information on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) focus for this month: Social Awareness. Check it out: apsva.us/student-services/student-services-newsletters
COVID-19 Vaccinations 5-11 Year Old Students

Every student aged 5 or older is now eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine! Appointments can be made at nearby pharmacies and clinics by visiting Vaccines.gov (www.vacunas.gov), or by checking with your pediatrician's office. Make your appointment online by visiting VAMS and clicking the “Schedule a Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine appointment" icon or by calling the County’s COVID-19 hotline at 703-228-7999. 
  • In these early weeks, vaccine supply may be limited. But as supplies increase, so too will appointment availability. Check Vaccines.gov regularly to see updated appointment availability and make an appointment for your child’s free vaccine as soon as possible. Vaccination is key to keeping our schools open and our students safe. 
  • The vaccine is FREE and has been rigorously tested for safety. APS and Arlington County can help families with making appointments: View details and contact information.
High School Options & Transfers Information for SY 2022-23

For the 2022-23 secondary options and neighborhood transfers application process, there will be two separate application timelines for high school option programs and neighborhood transfers, as follows:
  1. Option High Schools & Programs: Families interested in attending an option school or program will be able to apply between Nov. 1, 2021 - Jan. 21, 2022. 
  2. Neighborhood Transfers: After the Superintendent’s Annual Update on enrollment is published in January, the availability of neighborhood transfers will be shared with families. If there is availability for neighborhood transfers, families will be able to apply between Feb. 21, 2022 - March 11, 2022. 

All options and transfers applications are available through the online application portal. Additional information on the application timeline and process is available on the options and transfers webpage.

Middle School Information Night Follow-up 

Virtual Middle School Information Night was held on Monday, October 25th. Select the following links to view:

Visit apsva.us/school-options/middle-school-choices for details, including middle school options & transfers application information and school information sessions.
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
Engage With APS: APS Engage / Online Form / Open Office Hours / Meetings / Agendas​​
APS Health & Safety: COVID Testing / Health Screening
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.