Communication
Home-School Communication will come in many forms. Email is primarily used, so it is very important the main office has a current email address that families check regularly. During the instructional day it is challenging for staff to respond to email as our focus is on your child. Our goal is to respond to all emails within 48 business hours. Communication from Hearst will include:
- Weekly bulletin from teacher which includes current standards being covered
- Weekly update email from Ms. Thomas
- Ongoing Robo emails and phone calls regarding upcoming events
- Website updates
- First Friday Chats with Ms. Thomas
- PTA Meetings held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month
- Individual Parent-Teacher Conferences, Academic Parent Teacher Team (APTT) Meetings, and Student-led Conferences
Local School Advisory Team
The Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team (formerly the Local School Restructuring Teams) consists of parents, teachers, non-instructional school staff, a community member, and in some cases students, to advise the principal on matters that promote high expectations and high achievement for all students. These teams were initially established to serve in an advisory capacity to the principal for the purpose of improving student outcomes.
Local School Advisory Teams are tasked with advising the principal on matters such as: allocation of school resources; organization of the school; curriculum options, including special or supplementary course offerings and specialized research-based instructional strategies; budget decisions; priorities and considerations for staffing patterns and the selection of personnel; monitoring overall student progress; school culture, and family engagement.
If you have concerns about any of the above matters, please feel free to raise them with any of the LSAT members so they can discuss them with the group and with Ms. Thomas at their next LSAT meeting. All LSAT meetings are open to observers.
Meeting with the Principal
If you would like to meet with Ms. Thomas, please email her at [email protected] to arrange a mutually agreeable date and time.
Parent Conferences
Conferences between parents and teachers and/or other personnel are welcomed and encouraged. It is extremely difficult for staff to give you the uninterrupted non-instructional time needed during the school hours or when students are entering and/or leaving school. Please email the teacher in order to schedule an individual conference. Teachers will not be able to conduct a parent-teacher conference during instructional times (8:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.), unless specific arrangements are made ahead of time with the teacher.
Parent Teacher Association
The Parent-School Association works to enhance the educational experience of all Hearst students. The PTA strives to reinforce a strong sense of community within our small, but growing, school through events like the Spring Fair, Fall Festival, and service activities such as our neighborhood E-cycle. Additionally, the Hearst PTA works to raise much needed funds for our after school enrichment programs, teacher professional development, supplies, computer equipment, field trips, and to support our excellent school library. We hope you will join us as well as, take part in the many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year! Please see the Hearst website (www.hearstes.org) for more details.
Parent Visits
Parents are welcome to observe their children in a classroom setting at any time after the first six weeks of school, but must give classroom teachers 24 hours-notice. Classroom visitations are limited to two hours at a time and are for observation purposes only. All classroom visitors must sign a confidentiality agreement prior to observing. If you need to discuss specific issues about your child, please make an appointment with the teacher for a conference.
Volunteers
A wide range of volunteer opportunities is available at Hearst, from tutoring students to helping with administrative tasks to beautifying our campus. We are always excited when talented and motivated individuals want to use their skills, resources, and knowledge to serve our school. In order to volunteer in our schools on a regular basis, individuals need to follow our volunteer application process:
1. Complete the volunteer application (http://dcps.dc.gov/page/volunteer-our-schools).
2. Complete a tuberculosis test.
3. Bring the completed application, TB test result, and photo ID to the district office to be fingerprinted.
- The office is located at 1200 First Street, NE, 10th floor.
- Fingerprinting is available Tuesdays 9 am-4 pm or Thursdays 9 am-12 pm, or by appointment.
4. In about two weeks, you will receive a letter verifying that you have completed the process.
Please note those volunteers for Beautification Day or other weekend or one-day service events do not need to complete the process.
Phone: (202) 442-5447
Email: [email protected]