A Note from the Principal’s Desk – 3.5.2021
Dear Hillside Community,
I hope this message finds you well. Here are a few lessons to be learned and experiences to be had for our students this month, Women’s History Month 2021.
Women’s History Month share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUujjBqpxOg&feature=youtu.be
Please see school-wide information and updates below:
Aesthetics
3/8/21-3/12/21 B Week
Registration for 3rd Grade Cycle 3 Aesthetics
3rd Grade Aesthetics and CI registration will remain open until Monday, March 8th. Please use the included link to register your child: Third Grade Cycle 3 Registration Form
4th and 5th Grade Aesthetics and CIs Update
Due to limitations of the remote and hybrid schedules, a number of CI and aesthetic courses needed to be cancelled for Cycle 3. We understand that this means some students will not receive their desired choices. We apologize for this inconvenience. We are working to schedule students into their 2nd and 3rd requested choices.
If your child is placed in a class they dislike, you can always request a change during our Add/Drop Period. We will open the Cycle 3 Add/Drop period on Monday, March 29th. At this time, you will be able to request changes to your child’s aesthetic and CI schedule. We strongly encourage you to consider registering your child for a World Language. We currently have openings at every level. Please see the list of cancelled courses below:
CI Law and Order
3D Design
CI Math Part 2
Solar System
Mythology
Problem Solving
CI Printer’s Paradise
CI Creative Writing
Fantasy Island
Simple Machines
Young Entrepreneurs
CI Problem Solving
CI Mathletics
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!
Science Day 2.0
VIRTUAL SCIENCE DAY 2.0
Who knew we would be offering Virtual Science Day 2.0?!?! Based on the tremendous success for version 1.0, we are currently crafting version 2.0 for our students.
Save the Date: April 23, 2021
One of our favorite components (well, we really love them all) is the Career Panel. We have always had a wonderful group of parents/relatives/community members participate in this part. This year, we will have one career panel, consisting of 3-4 panelists, for each grade level. A live ZOOM meet will happen from 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.. If you are interested in serving on the panel, please complete the Google Form by March 26, 2021.
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
Musical Theater Production Update:
Hopes and Dreams: A Hillside Broadway Revue will be available for families to view on March 26th. We’re excited to see all of the hard work the students have put into the production! More information will be provided in the coming weeks.
Hillside Talent Show Movie
The Virtual Talent Show Movie is here! Please use the link below to view the movie at your convenience. We would like to congratulate all our very talented performers. We thank the Talent Show team who made this possible: Tinu Joseph, LaNa Jones-Jules, Denise Owens, Dee Thompson, Eyal Dimant, Sam Schaeffer, Joby Abragan, Raphael Lee, Gerardo Capo, and Sherlana Forgenie.
Talent Show Movie Link: https://vimeo.com/519730584
PW: hillside_2021
PTA/SATp meeting 3/11
Our next PTA/SATp meeting will be on 3/11 @ 6:30pm via zoom
Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83171811433?pwd=WDI0NEw3c1cvSTNpdWltNkxXQjlUUT09
Meeting ID: 831 7181 1433 Passcode: F77YE2
Per our PTA By-Laws, our Nominating Committee of five members are Dee Thompson, Shaviece Osborne, Sheila Boyd, Christina Robinson, Justin Taylor, and one alternate member, Brian Fleischer. The committee will 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 thank our Nominating Committee volunteers for stepping up to identify a diverse slate of nominees.
Hillside Peer Socialization Clubs
The Hillside PTA, along with the Hillside School Pandemic Response team, are thrilled to kick off our first ever Hillside Peer Socialization Clubs. In the last few weeks, Hillside students completed a survey to indicate their interest(s) in various club options. The options are, to name a few, Star Wars Club, Pet Club, Cooking Club, Nerf Battle Club, Gymnastics Club, Movies Club, etc. We need YOU, parent volunteers/Group Leaders to help us run these clubs. If you are interested in supervising our HS and Middle School student volunteers, coordinating some or all of the activities of the clubs, please sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054EA9AF29A4F58-hillside6
Montclair PTA Council (PTAC) announcements
Montclair Public School District 101
The Montclair PTA Council (PTAC) is pleased to launch “Montclair Public School District 101” for parents, caregivers and families. The guide consolidates some of the most critical information about the school district in one place, is easy to read, and provides links to other resources and documents. We anticipate this document will be revised and updated over time, and we look forward to your feedback.
Montclair Kids News
A group of Montclair parents are trying to organize a student newspaper. They are hoping to put together a sort of “special issue” (in print) that will allow the kids to write in a journalistic way about their experience during the pandemic. Here is a recent article about the project from the Montclair Local (https://www.montclairlocal.news/2021/02/16/news-by-montclairs-kids-for-montclairs-kids/). The organizers are hoping to coordinate article submissions from interested Hillside students of all ages. If you have a child who might have interest in participating, you can let the organizers know by writing montclairkidsnews@gmail.com and they can share some guidance for submissions.
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
Message from School Counselor Ms. Scott: