A Note from the Principal’s Desk – 6.17.2021
Dear Hillside Community,
Words cannot begin to express all of the challenges and rewards of this school year. I would like to extend a thank you to our teachers, secretaries, paraprofessionals, related service staff members, custodians, operational aides that did the unthinkable…thank you. Parents and caregivers, PTA members, and SATp members, thank you for your dedication to our school community. You stepped up and volunteered when we needed you and you collaborated on initiatives to enrich our students’ experiences. Additionally, an extra special shout-out to our Related Arts Teachers, as they organized virtual concerts, showcases, a special science day, field day, and just last week the Festival of the Arts. These teachers managed the virtual learning curves in order to deliver instruction to students who so passionately wanted to participate in visual and performing arts classes! Thank you for helping me maintain the integrity of who we are, Hillside ~ the Gifted and Talented magnet!
We are all beyond impressed with the video performances that have been developed for this year’s first ever, Festival of the Arts. Our programs have been taken to the next level. During this unbearably challenging year everyone worked beyond all expectations developing skills and platforms to showcase their learnings and abilities.
School-wide Mentions:
Aesthetics
6/21/21-6/24/21 B1 Week/Bulldog Wednesday
Final Weeks of the Related Arts Rotation
Minor changes were made to the Rotation Schedule for the last two weeks of the school year.
Related Arts Rotation Schedule- 6/14 & 6/21
Wear it Wednesdays: Hillside Pride Day: Let’s finish the year strong with some Hillside gear or colors!
Returning Chromebooks:
District Process for Collecting Chromebooks
2021-22 Aesthetic and CI Courses and Registration for Rising 4th and 5th Graders:
Hillside’s course offerings for the 2021-22 school year are now available for rising 4th and 5th graders on Hillside’s website. Take some time to review these courses with your children. Please note that we have a handful of courses that will be receiving new/updated course descriptions by next week.CI and Aesthetic Courses 2021-22
CI Eligibility letters are also available on Genesis through Parent Access. We recommend reviewing and printing a copy of this letter in preparation for registration.
Registration for CI and aesthetic courses will open on Monday, June 21st. An email will be sent out with specific instructions Monday morning.
5th Grade Mentions:
5th Grade Moving-Up Day will be held on June 21 at 11:00 am
- Moving-Up Ceremony will be outdoors at Woodman Field (10 Essex Ave, Montclair).
- EVERYONE in attendance must wear a mask.
- The district will be streaming the ceremony and the link to this will be published as soon as we receive it from the tech department.
- Fifth grade students (Monday Mountie Day) will NOT report to Hillside on this day. ALL fifth grade students will log-in remotely at 9:10am for attendance to be taken.
- ALL participating fifth grade students are to be dropped off at Woodman Field at 10:30am.
- 4 Tickets have been issued to each family. In-person students have received their tickets. All virtual families will receive their ticket at Woodman Field (will call).
- Families (groups of 4) will sit together, each family will socially distance by 3ft.
- After the ceremony, children will depart the event with their parents/guardian.
- All students who attend the ceremony will receive credit for a full day’s attendance.
Parking:
Please be advised that we have been in communication with the Montclair Parking Utility regarding the Moving Up/Graduation ceremonies. We were advised that they would NOT enforce the time regulated parking, and parking CAN occur on both sides of the street. However, they can NOT excuse, and WILL enforce ticketing/summons for vehicles that are parked illegally, such as: (These are a few examples of “illegal parking”)
- Blocking drive-ways
- Blocking fire hydrants
- Parked too close to the corner
Program:
Scan the QR code to view live streaming of the ceremony
Additional Items for Your Review:
Juneteenth Family Activities and Presentations Juneteenth flyer.pdf
All Juneteenth events are FREE. For more information, visit www.montclairmndc.org
Year-End Teachers Gifts due 6/18
Please join us in celebrating our teachers and staff who supported our children and families throughout this rather challenging year. In keeping with this gift giving tradition, the PTA is organizing 2 collections.
1) Classroom collections (80% goes to “In Class” teachers – homeroom/switch/inclusion teachers; 20% pooled from all will go to Paraprofessionals). Class parents are organizing this collection for each homeroom.
2) Special Ed, Related Arts, Curriculum Support teachers fund collection. Please use either Zelle, Paypal or Memberhub to donate to the Special Ed, Related Arts, Curriculum Support teachers collection.
Zelle or Paypal use Email ptatreasurerhillside@gmail.com
Memberhub – https://hillsidepta.memberhub.com/store/items/119084
Thank you for your generosity and for making your donations to your class parents and to the Special Ed, Related Arts, Curriculum Support teachers fund by Friday, 6/18
MFEE Teachers Toast and Tributes
Each spring, The Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE) launches Teacher Toasts, a time when families and staff gather to celebrate the end of another successful school year and thank our teachers. Class parents are organizing teachers toasts and will provide all the information for your teacher(s) toast and tributes. All funds raised by toasts and teacher tributes will go right back to Montclair classrooms in Fall 2021 in the form of teacher grants awarded for innovative ideas. A core priority for MFEE has always been to fund teacher innovation in the classroom, and the single biggest source of this funding is Teacher Toasts. www.MFEE.org
MFEE Toast to the Kids – 6/24 @ 2pm
MFEE’s Toast to the Kids: This past year, we have honored the first responders, the teachers, the countless people who kept working and kept our world going. But, what about the kids? Let’s kickoff the summer with a party for them…about them…with them! A Toast to the Kids! While our seniors are celebrating their graduation, The Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE) invites the rest of our school community to party at Nishuane Park on the last day of school – June 24th from 2-4pm.
There will be music, snacks, community, and joy! Bring a blanket and bring a friend. School spiritwear encouraged. All are welcome! RSVP strongly encouraged. Suggested family donation $5. 100% of proceeds boost classroom innovation by funding MFEE’s Educational Excellence grants!
Kids Toast RSVP link: https://givebutter.com/ToasttotheKids
Order School Supplies for 2021-2022 now!
There will be a 1st day of school next year, and 1st Day Supplies is here to help Hillside families! Why not cross back to school shopping off your to do list? It is super easy… click, pay, done! The supplies will be shipped directly to your home. To buy your Hillside teacher approved school supplies, CLICK here to place your order: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=66394
Questions about school supplies orders? Contact Jen Hand at Jennyjohand@gmail.com
Happy Father’s Day to all our Fathers and Father figures!
Important Dates
Friday 6/18– Schools Closed Juneteenth
Monday 6/21– 5th Grade Moving Up 11AM
Wednesday 6/23 & Thursday 6/24– Early Dismissal, no PM classes
Friday 6/25– Schools out for Summer!
Kind regards,
Samanthaa
Samanthaa Lennon Anglin, Ed.D.
Principal
Hillside Elementary School ~ Gifted and Talented Magnet
54 Orange Rd., Montclair, NJ
Phone: (973) 509-4200
Fax: (973) 509-1448
Follow us on Twitter: @Hillside_MPS