New Families

Welcome to Hoffman-Boston!

Your family and young All-Star are welcome in our vibrant, diverse, and caring community. We hope this page serves as a warm welcome to our newest All-Star families and a source of reminders for All-Stars already a part of what makes our school special.

More information will be coming below soon from the Family and Community Engagement Team (FACE Team), and we will update the page as we receive ideas from families, staff, and community members. To share ideas for what could be added to this page, please reach out to our FACE Action Team Coordinator (FACE ATC) and Exemplary Project Educator Jennifer Burgin at jennifer.burgin@apsva.us. Your ideas and expertise are welcome!

About Hoffman-Boston

Hoffman-Boston Family Handbook 24_25

Our School Mission Statement – Hoffman-Boston Elementary School is dedicated to providing authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences that encourage students to collaborate, experiment, and create solutions to real-life problems. We dare to use innovative techniques and technology to enhance lifelong learning. Hoffman-Boston Elementary School staff use differentiated instructional practices that promote critical thinking and embrace diverse learning styles. As a community, we demonstrate respect, integrity, perseverance, and self-worth.

Our School Beliefs –

At Hoffman-Boston:

We are a community of learners.
We explore, question, and seek answers to understand our world.
We value, celebrate, and embrace our many cultures.
We respect ourselves, others, and the environment.
We model integrity, dignity, and self-worth.
We strive to develop innovators, problem-solvers, independent thinkers, and risk-takers.

The Three R’s –

We respect ourselves.
We respect others.
We respect the surroundings.

Our Mascot – Twinkle the Star

Our School Colors – Blue and Yellow

We call our learners – All-Stars

School Supply Lists for 2023-24

Specialty Programs at our School –

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) led by Ms. Fields

Project Edison (an exemplary project focusing on communications) led by Mrs. Burgin

Our Daily School News Show – HFBTV on YouTube and Vimeo

Our Twitter Account – @HFBAllStars

Our School History

Our Big Suggestion for New Families

Learn how to use ParentVue, which is how families report absences and connect with the school on records and reports.

Attendance information – See above about ParentVue. Classes begin at 9:00 AM, and 9:15 AM is when classroom educators take attendance. Students who arrive after 9:00 AM receive a late pass from the front office staff.

Opt-Out Information – When you opt out of your learner from school photos and images being used, this also means they will not show up on the school news, the school yearbook, or the Hoffman-Boston homepage. To change your learner’s opt-out status, reach out to Ms. Clavel Love in the front office at elizabeth.clavellove@apsva.us.

Homework policies – These vary by grade level. Be sure to contact your learner’s homeroom teacher for details and expectations.

Gifted Services – On Monday, October 17, 2022, Mr. Clarke led a family coffee for those interested in learning more about Gifted Services at Hoffman-Boston. See this link for a video with more information, and reach out to Mr. Clarke with questions (contact info can be found here).

Dismissal – On regular school days, dismissal begins by 3:45 PM. On Early Release days, it begins at 1:30 PM. If there is a change in your learner’s usual method of transportation, share this information with the classroom teacher and front office as soon as possible. This includes if someone different is helping your learners leave the building, such as a playdate with another family or a relative in town who is unfamiliar with our school. Families are encouraged to update their contact information in ParentVue (see above) and include emergency contacts.

Our Amazing Cafeteria – learn what’s cooking for breakfast and lunch each day! Think your family might qualify for free or reduced lunches? Fill out this form form

Tech Support – If there are issues with school-issued devices, email 2847@apsva.us to submit a help ticket. Explain the issue and your learner’s name, classroom teacher, and grade level.

Our School Nursing Staff –

School Nurse –

Ms. Karen Hartzler RN, 703-228-8605, khartzler@arlingtonva.us

School Health Aide: –

Ms. Houda Fakkar Phone, 703-228-8605, hfakkar@aringtonva.us

Our Amazing Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Visit the website for our PTA. All families and staff are welcome to join! You can also follow them on Twitter @hfbPTA. The PTA meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of each month in-person and online starting at 6:00 PM.

Our PTA Board is seeking new members! See below for details on the open positions.

Start Volunteering!

Join the PTA – visit their website here to learn more
- Sign up to be a Room Parent with our PTA! We need family members to care for many classrooms. Contact Ms. Laura, our PTA Membership Liaison, for more details at laura.anduzecabrero@apsva.us!
- See the current available PTA Board Positions on the Title 1 & FACE page!

Volunteer in a classroom or with students – contact Ms. Jennifer Bream (formerly Jennifer Fellows) at jennifer.fellows@apsva.us to discuss volunteering options. Sign up to volunteer – click here for English and here for Spanish. All volunteers must complete paperwork with APS to become eligible for volunteering in a school with minors – click here for details.
Join the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team – email Mrs. Jennifer Burgin at jennifer.burgin@apsva.us to join, and go here to learn more!
How are FACE, Title 1, and the PTA different and alike? Watch this video on YouTube or Vimeo! Slides for the above video can be found by clicking here: 101 on Title 1 School-Family Partnership and FACE 2022-2023.

Family Survey 2023 -2024

Please link here to support and give feedback for the 2023-24 school year!

Current PTA Announcements