Dorothy Hamm Middle School PTSA

PHOENIX POST

Monday, November 14th, 2022

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming DHMS Dates
  • Tuesday, November 15th - DHMS Pupatella Night, 5-9pm
  • Thursday, November 17th - DHMS Band Concert, 7pm (Auditorium)
  • Wednesday-Friday, November 23rd-25th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)
  • Friday, December 2nd - DHMS School Picture Re-take Day *Rescheduled*
  • Tuesday, December 6th - DHMS Orchestra Concert, 7pm (Auditorium)
  • Wednesday, December 7th - Early Release (12:05pm Dismissal)
  • Thursday, December 8th-Wednesday, December 14th - DHMS Book Fair
  • Tuesday, December 13th - DHMS Parent Chat/PTSA Meeting, 8:30am (Virtual)
  • Tuesday, December 13th - Grade 8 We Are Writers Event, 6pm (Third Floor)
  • Wednesday, December 14th - DHMS Chorus Concert, 7pm (Auditorium)
  • Monday, December 19th-Friday, December 30th - NO SCHOOL (Winter Break)
  • Monday, January 2nd - NO SCHOOL (New Year's Day Observed)


Please visit the online master DHMS Calendar for all 2022-23 school year dates.

DHMS News & Announcements

Tomorrow! 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. 

Donate to the DHMS PTSA Phoenix Fund


If you didn’t have a chance during One DHMS One Week, you can still donate to the Phoenix Fund.  This year’s contributions will be used to support a variety of student and teacher activities throughout the school year.   Every contribution helps, no matter how small. Thank you for your contribution to help make DHMS the very best experience for our middle schoolers.

Donate to the DHMS PTSA Phoenix Fund

November DHMS PTSA Meeting Follow-up


Thank you to everyone who attended our November DHMS PTSA Meeting last Tuesday, November 14th. If you missed the meeting, visit dorothyhamm.apsva.us/ptsa/ptsa-meetings for the draft meeting minutes. Mark your calendar for our next Virtual DHMS PTSA Meeting on Tuesday, December 13th at 8:30am, following the DHMS Parent Chat with DHMS Principal, Ms. E. Smith.

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 deliver your gift cards no later than Tuesday, November 22nd:

  1. Drop off your gift cards at the DHMS office in a labeled envelope or mail them to DHMS PTSA (Attn: Holiday Gift Card Drive) 4100 Vacation Lane Arlington, VA 22201.
  2. Drop off your gift cards at the home of Christa Mansur (2115 N. Quinn Street, Arlington 22209) in a labeled envelope or mail them to the same address.


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.

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.

Order Your DHMS Yearbook for 2022-23


Remember to order your 2022-23 DHMS Yearbook before November 25, 2022: Order Your 2022-23 DHMS Yearbook

Coming Soon! DHMS Book Fair

Thursday, December 8th-Wednesday, December 14th


The DHMS Library will be hosting a book fair from December 8 through 14. Your student will visit the book fair during their Reading (6th grade) or English (7th/8th grade) classes. They will also be able to visit the book fair before school from 7:40-8:10am, during lunch, during Phoenix Time, and briefly after school (until 2:45pm).


There will be one evening event on Tuesday, December 13 from 6:00-8:00pm (time subject to change). It will take place the same evening as the 8th grade writing celebration.


We do need volunteers, so if you are able, we'd love for you to sign up!

Congratulations, DHMS Reflections Winners


The following students have advanced to the Arlington County Reflections contest after anonymous judging. County results will come out in December.

  • Film: Bailey Bergan
  • Literature: Isabella Choi
  • Photography: Egshiglen Ganbat
  • Visual Arts: Oynzul Otgonbayar


Congratulations! In the coming weeks, we will recognize all the students who have entered the DHMS Reflections this year and celebrate their creative artwork!

RECYCLE YOUR PLASTIC FILM WITH DHMS!


To kickoff National Recycling Day (Nov. 15th), DHMS is once again recycling plastic film through our partnership with Trex, a Virginia-based company that uses plastic film to produce composite decking products. Last year, we diverted over 500 pounds of plastic film from the trash! Here's how it will work this year:



  1. Collect plastic film listed on the acceptable list.
  2. Weigh your plastic film. (Kids on a bathroom scale with and without the plastic film is a great way to weigh!)
  3. Email the weight of your plastic film to green@dhmsptsa.org. Note: a 64-gallon bag of plastic film typically weighs 6 pounds, so your film may be just a pound or less. But it all adds up!
  4. Bring your plastic film to the Cherrydale Safeway, 3713 Langston Blvd, and place it in one of the two white plastic film collection boxes located just outside the store.


We are competing for a chance to win a Trex composite bench, and to educate our community about recycling plastic.  


Plastic recycling insider tip: only limited types of plastic are recyclable, and all plastic degrades. You can only recycle what can be cost effectively broken down and reused by private markets. A lot of single-use plastic, like chip bags, contain multiple layers of plastic that cannot be seen by the human eye, and cannot be broken down after they have been chemically bound together. Try to eliminate your use of as much single-use plastic as possible. For the plastic stuff you can't eliminate, try to buy stuff that does have a market for reuse, such as the plastic film that is accepted for reuse by private companies, like Trex, which uses plastic film on the acceptable list to make composite decking materials, which are intended to last a long time.


List of Acceptable Materials: https://nextrex.com/view/educate#materials1

Video: Plastic bag and Film recycling with NexTrex!

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

APS News & Announcements

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:

OR

  • 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.

Community Updates

Save the Date! KidsGiving Fair - Saturday, December 3rd


Mark your calendar for the first annual KidsGiving Fair on Saturday, December 3rd from 10am-Noon, located at Arlington Science Focus School (1501 N. Lincoln St.) Join us for a family-friendly event for our entire community to learn about local nonprofits and show your support this holiday season! Every donation will receive a greeting card you can decorate and give on behalf of a loved one. See the KidsGiving Fair Flyer or visit kidsgiving.org/fair for details. We hope to see you there!

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

Cherrydale Farmer's Market

Saturdays 8am-Noon @ DHMS


Visit the Cherrydale Farmer's Market at Dorothy Hamm MS every Saturday from 8am-Noon (through November). Check out the latest Cherrydale Farmer's Market Newsletter or visit cherrydalefarmersmarket.org for more details.

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

Donate: Phoenix FundAmazon Smile (Search for "Dorothy Hamm Middle School PTSA)

Stay Connected: DHMS Calendar / DHMS Website / DHMS PTSA Directory / Morning Announcements

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 EOD Thursday for inclusion in the following Monday's Phoenix Post.

DHMS PTSA Website
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