A Note from the Principal’s Desk – 2.19.2021
Dear Hillside Community,
I hope this message finds you well. Please see information and updates below.
Hybrid In-person Requests
If a parent who selected remote now wishes to switch to hybrid in-person, then they must notify myself and Mrs. Mazur by February 26, 2021. Your child will then participate in hybrid in-person instruction at the start of cycle 3, which begins on March 19th.
Aesthetics
2/22/21-2/26/21 B Week
Registration for 3rd Grade Cycle 3 Aesthetics
3rd Grade Aesthetics and CI course offerings will be available to view next week. 3rd Grade Registration for Cycle 3 will open on Thursday, February 25th. An additional email will be sent out the morning of the 25th when registration is open with specific instructions.
MFEE Annual Appeal: Fund Public. Fuel Community. For Them.
Your gift to MFEE fuels programs that support Hillside teachers, parents, and students. Hillside teachers have boosted their learning through out-of-the box Professional Development grants; families have participated in MFEE Programs like America to Me, the Healing Huddles, the You Got This! Conference; and students benefit from the innovative grants funded below. Hillside, we are $382 short of our goal. Please click here to support today!
Introducing Charlene Scott- Hillside’s New Spanish Teacher
Charlene Scott comes to Hillside Elementary from Denville Township Public Schools where she has worked for the past three years. As a native Spanish speaker, a music aficionado, and a travel enthusiast, Mrs. Scott aims to immerse your child(ren) in the amazing culture from the many Spanish-speaking countries around the globe. She believes strongly in open lines of communication in order to create a partnership which ultimately benefits the students. She looks forward to meeting your children, building their Spanish vocabulary, and sparking curiosity about the world around them. Señora Scott will begin teaching on March 1st. Please join us in welcoming her to the Hillside Community!
Attention Grade 5 Parents/Caregivers
New Jersey Administrative Code requires all children entering Grade 6 in September 2021 be in compliance with the following vaccinations for school attendance:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap)
- Meningococcal Vaccine
There will be no grace period for students who have reached age 11 by August 15, 2021. Students with birthdates between August 15th and December 31st must have documentation of these vaccinations submitted to their middle school nurse within two weeks of their 11th birthday.
It is strongly suggested that you submit the vaccination documentation to Nurse Boyle as soon as the vaccination is received. Please send them via email to rboyle@montclair.k12.nj.us or fax (973) 509-1882. If you have questions or concerns please contact me at 973-509-4200 ext 4192.
Hillside Drama Department
Our Hillside students are busy preparing for their upcoming virtual production of Hopes and Dreams: A Hillside Broadway Revue. The Drama students are working extremely hard to make every line, every song, and every dance, as perfect as can be.
To keep our Drama department going strong, we have partnered with Chipotle (235 Prospect Ave. in West Orange) to host a fundraiser on Saturday, March 6th, between 5pm and 9pm. During those 4 hours, for any menu item ordered online or in person, using the code R9N8EBL, Chipotle will donate 33% of the proceeds to Hillside Elementary School Drama Program.
All our welcome, so tell your family and tell your friends to come out and support Hillside’s Drama department. Help us to continue to deliver the magic of performing arts to our students. Fundraiser Flyer AND Fundraiser Online Ordering Instructions
Traveling Troupe Auditions: CURTAIN UP! LIGHT THE LIGHTS!
For those 4th and 5th grade students who wish to be a part of Hillside’s Spring Traveling Troupe, please click on this LINK for more information. There you will find instructions on how to submit an audition video, as well as audition materials. All audition videos must be submitted by Monday, March 1st.
Black History Month Events for Families
Black History 365 Days: The Pan-African Edition 2/26
This is a Nishuane/Hillside event. Save the date! Please join for a fun Game Show + prizes for the winners
2/26 @ from 6:30pm – 8pm.
HARRIET TUBMAN & THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD – A Virtual Performance by Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, Stages of Discovery. Performances are available from February 8 – March 8, 2021. Families can register here.
PSE&G True Diversity Film Series: Educational Justice, American Promise
This event took place on February 15th. You can watch the recording online.
NJPAC: Standing in Solidarity – Resources
Lunar New Year Events for Families
Museum of the Chinese in America (MoCA)
Lunar New Year Family Festival 2/11-19
https://www.mocanyc.org/event/lunar-new-year-family-festival/
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Lunar
New Year Celebration Concert (recorded)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xBaLYCtBYX
NYC area events with China Institute, Flushing Town Hall,
Children’s Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum
https://www.newyorkfamily.com/how-to-celebrate-the-lunar-new-year-families-new-york/
Ms. Li will provide a deeper dive into the Chinese New Year with trivia and games on Feb 26 4-5pm, the day before the Lantern Festival which marks the end of this holiday period. We invite the entire family to join us to find out more about this family-centered holiday and its wonderful traditions. Please use this link below to sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EAFAB2DA6F9C34-chinese
Montclair Food and Music Festival @ Glenfield Park
Free food and music Glenfield Park, Montclair Sunday February 21, 2021 from 12-2pm. Montclair neighbors and the public are invited. FREE food bags for families in need. Music for fun, family, and the community. Food and Music Festival 2.21.jpg
Volunteers Needed – PTA Nominating Committee
Per our PTA By-Laws, we need to elect a Nominating Committee of five members and one alternate to solicit interest and propose a slate of candidates for next year’s PTA Officers/Executive Board. The Nominating Committee will be elected at the PTA’s General Meeting on March 11, and will propose a slate of candidates for announcement at least one month in advance of our annual election meeting in June. We would ideally like to have a diverse Nominating Committee to identify a diverse slate of nominees. Please contact ptapres@hillsidepta.org or any current member of our PTA Executive Board if you would like to serve on our Nominating Committee this year.
Nishuane/Hillside/Glenfield Trivia Night #3– Saturday 2/20 @ 5pm
Join here: https://zoom.us/j/94545434043?pwd=Y1R0amhTNGtMQWdYYkltZHd3Ulkrdz09
Meeting ID: 945 4543 4043 Passcode: MovEup2!
How well do you know Montclair?
A Trivia Trifecta! We welcome Glenfield into the trivia competition! Let’s see who knows their town the best as we battle on “How well do you know Montclair?”
Join us Saturday, February 20 at 5:00 pm for some family fun playing trivia! We will use Zoom and Kahoot for the trivia.The trivia questions this month will be focused on Montclair – the history, geography, and notable people, places and things. Don’t forget to show your Montclair spirit and wear your Montclair garb!
Please RSVP for Trivia Night by completing the short form on CheddarUp. We are requesting donations however they are not required to play and you can go directly to the RSVP form. (suggested donation is $5 but any donation value is greatly appreciated.)
Proceeds raised from our Trivia Night will be split between the three schools for 2nd, 5th and 8th grade moving up/graduation ceremonies.
https://my.cheddarup.com/c/february-family-trivia-night-trifecta-2021
Hillside Talent Show – New date 3/5
The Virtual Talent Show Movie date has been changed, the new date is Friday, 3/5 @ 6:30pm
There is still time to purchase an ad for the Talent Show Movie or to dedicate a message (with pictures!) to your child and/or friends, see CheddarUp link below. Your support is greatly appreciated!
https://my.cheddarup.com/c/hillside-talent-show-booster-ads
For information or questions about the Talent Show, please contact:
LaNa Jones-Jules (lalajojul@gmail.com) OR Denise Pignato (denisepignato@yahoo.com)
Montclair SEPAC
Join SEPAC for our virtual February 23rd meeting (7-8:30pm) — all about preparing for life in and after high school for students with IEPs! No matter what age your student is, this will be helpful and important information for planning for the future.
7-7:30pm – Leslie Wallace and Kate
Stanton Paule, co – directors of the Montclair High School’s Community Based Transition program, will talk about the process of transition planning (beginning for all students with IEPs at age 14), what transition looks like at
MHS, and important things for parents and students of any age to think about while preparing for life in and outside of high school.
7:30-8pm – Carolyn
Corbran is the director of disability support services at Seton Hall University (and a parent of a Kindergarten student at Nishuane) and has been supporting students with accommodation needs in higher education for almost 11 years. She will talk about identifying differences between accommodations in K-12 and college environments, as well as how to prepare students early for how to advocate for their accommodation needs when they get to college to help them be as successful as possible. She will also address common pitfalls first year college students experience when learning to advocate for and use accommodations and how parents can help support their children’s accommodation needs in an environment where staff don’t communicate with caregivers in the
same ways they have from K-12.
8-8:30pm – Q&A period
Time: Feb 23, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88386762080?pwd=OGxWZmsvNVpzOXRwUEJZVXlkR1UxZz09
Meeting ID: 883 8676 2080 Passcode: 233851
Hillside Spirit Wear Committee volunteers
Are you looking for a way to get involved in the Hillside Community but not feel overwhelmed or overworked? The Hillside Spirit Wear Committee is looking for a 3rd or 4th grade parent (or two, or three) to take over for next year. Please let us know your interest ASAP so that the transition can begin this year – work alongside Tessa Vining so you can hit the ground running next school year! Please contact ptapres@hillsidepta.org if interested. Thank you!
PTA Membership: https://hillsidepta.new.memberhub.store/store?category=Memberships. Join us.
Hillside Spirit Wear and Gear: https://hillsidepta.new.memberhub.store/store
PTA website: montclairpta.org/hillside/
PTA Facebook group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/2527911263932164/
PTA Email: ptapres@hillsidepta.org