Dear Hillside Parents/Caregivers:

 

The past two days have been filled with GLOWS and GROWS. We will continue to establish routines and rote understanding for how the school day works. Over the past two days Mr. Adamo and I visited 29 Zoom meetings having the opportunity to see and personally welcome back EVERY CHILD and every staff member. The message of our discussion was about asking questions when you are unsure or don’t know the answer. Our reality is unlike anything we have ever experienced and it’s important us all to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. I told the students the number one golden rule is that we will not get upset, become overwhelmed, or frustrated when we don’t know…we promised to stay calm and ask for help. We’re going to take this one step at a time, one foot in front of the other…We Got This!

 

At this time I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the tragic events of the September 11, 2001 attacks that changed the United States and the world forever.  On that day, we promised to never forget.  Please take some time out of your day to reflect on the events of the 9/11 attacks and to honor the civilians and first responders who lost their lives during this tragic event. September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day Americans across the country are called to volunteer in their local communities in tribute to the individuals lost and injured in the attacks, first responders, and the many who have risen in service to defend freedom.

 

4th/5th Grade Period 4 & 5 Aesthetics/Lunch:

4th Grade Fully Remote Schedule.docx

5th Grade Fully Remote Schedule 2020.docx

We want to clarify any confusion about the 4th and 5th grade period 4 & 5 Aesthetics/Lunch schedule.  Please refer to the attached schedules and read the descriptions below:

• If your child has lunch during period 4, lunch runs from 11:35-12:25 for 50 minutes.

• If your child has aesthetics during period 4, they have a movement/snack break from 11:35-11:50 for 15 minutes.  The aesthetic period listed in Genesis will run from 11:50-12:25 for 35 minutes.

• If your child has lunch during period 5, lunch runs from 12:25-1:15 for 50 minutes.

• If your child has aesthetics during period 5, they have a movement/snack break from 12:25-1:40 for 15 minutes.  The aesthetic period listed in Genesis will run from 12:40-1:15 for 35 minutes.

Material Distribution – TBD:

In the wake of COVID-19 we are experiencing shipment delays on our consumable materials. We have not received all materials for distribution and will need to postpone material pick-up until next week. We will communicate a schedule for material pick-up as soon as the consumable materials are in hand. 

 

4th & 5th Grade Aesthetic Classes:

• Week of Monday, 9/14: B-day aesthetics for 4th & 5th graders

 

3rd Grade Aesthetic Rotation: 

The 3rd grade rotation schedule for related arts is attached.  This schedule is based on your child’s homeroom teacher as listed on Genesis.  Please note the following:

• Your child will have 2 related arts courses a day- one during period 3 and one during period 7.

• Be sure to take note of the dates at the top of the chart. Homerooms will rotate to different courses each week.

• You will see that for some related arts courses, the homeroom will be split into two groups.  This is indicated by Group 1 and Group 2 on the chart.  Your child’s homeroom teacher will alert you as to which group your child is a part of.

• Each related arts teacher has a Google Classroom dedicated to your child’s homeroom and group.

• The schedule was created to reflect the weeks of the first cycle.  The rotation will repeat after Week 7.  Cycle 1 ends on December 11th.

• To help keep this organized, I recommend printing the chart, finding your child’s homeroom teacher, highlighting the row, and hanging it on a refrigerator or bulletin board.

Message from the Hillside PTA:

Hillside Parent Social Connect – Please join the Hillside PTA for an informal e-meet and greet this Friday 9/11 at 6pm-8pm, via Zoom. We hope to see you there! The Zoom link for the Parent Social is https://zoom.us/j/94083014214

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Hillside Explorers – thank you for responding to the Explorers survey. There will be no Hillside Explorers classes this Fall. We look forward to resuming classes in the Winter/Spring sessions. More information will be forthcoming.

SEPAC – The Hillside School PTA Executive Board is seeking a volunteer for the position of “School SEPAC Liaison”. Montclair Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a parent-led group of parents, caregivers, professionals and concerned community members working to improve the educational process and experience for students in need of special education and related services through advocacy, education, resources and support to its members. Each district board of education is charged under the New Jersey Special Education Code to ensure that a special education parent advisory group is in place to provide input to the district on issues concerning students with disabilities. 

The School SEPAC Liaison will attend monthly PTA meetings with a mindset toward assuring the appropriate consideration and inclusion of students with special needs and their families in PTA programs, events and initiatives. The School SEPAC Liaison will also attend monthly SEPAC meetings and share back information regarding SEPAC programs, events and activities, as well as areas of concern, to the school PTA. Additionally, the SEPAC liaison will be available as a resource to the PTA Executive Board for consultation on issues and concerns relating to the interests and welfare of students with special needs and their families. It is anticipated that this role would require approximately 4 to 6 hours per month between meetings and consultations.

Hillside Elementary School PTA: Join and stay connected through the Hillside PTA! Visit the Hillside PTA’s new website at montclairpta.org/hillside/, where you can apply for membership, shop for spirit wear and find other key contacts and information. And make sure you join the Hillside PTA’s Facebook group “HillsideElementary School – Montclair, NJ”. You can also contact Hillside PTA President Brian Fleischer with any questions at ptapres@hillsidepta.org. Make sure you “opt-in” through Genesis to receive PTA e-blasts.

 A Message from Ms. Scott

Happy Friday!!! Congratulations to the children and their families on finishing the first week of the 20201-21 school year! This time last year none of us could have predicted we would be opening school remotely but here we are, doing just that. If ever there was a lesson about living in the moment, this is one. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. So, instead of stressing out or feeling anxious about how the rest of the year will play out, make a decision to move through one day at a time. Knowing that in each moment of the day you will give, be, and do your very best. Move through each day with the confidence of knowing that, when you are giving your best, you’ve left it all on the table. This way it won’t matter what tomorrow brings because today was the best it could be!

Please know I am here to support our Hillside families in any way I can. In addition to email (sscott@montclair.k12.nj.us), I can be reached via call or text at (908) 671-1163 during remote learning. Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns about your child’s social-emotional well being.

I wish you an absolutely amazing year!