A Note from the Principal’s Desk – 3.11.2022
Dear Hillside Parents/Caregivers:
On March 1, 2022 Superintendent Dr. Ponds updated the MPS masking requirements. As anticipated, additional COVID-19 Protocols have been updated. The most recent updates have been posted to our district website for your review and adherence.
Updated COVID-19 Protocols – FAQ as of March 7, 2022
NJDOH/CDC K-12 COVID-19 Quarantine/Isolation Guidance As of March 9, 2022
School-wide News…Be in the Know
HILLSIDE Cycle 3 Aesthetics
Please note that while Cycle 3 begins on Friday, March 18th, students will not begin their Cycle 3 aesthetic and CI courses until Monday, March 21st.
News from the PTA
Fireball Volunteers Needed
Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer!! We need your help to make Fireball 2022 a success. We are looking for a wide variety of volunteers to help out. Please review our Fireball Committee Sign Up Form and sign up if you can donate your time or talents.
Explorers Committee Volunteers needed NOW
Programming for the spring session will begin soon. This is the last chance to shadow the team and learn the ropes. Without volunteers, the program is in danger of not running next year. If you are interested in volunteering, please email explorershillside@gmail.com.
Middle School 101, Kids Edition
Calling Middle school siblings from Glenfield, Buzz and Renaissance!! You are invited to participate in our Middle School 101, Kids Edition panel on 3/22 at 7pm via zoom. Middle school panelists in 6th, 7th and 8th grade will answer questions from our 5th graders about middle school. The discussion will be facilitated by Hillside parent Jon Fortt. Please email your middle schooler’s full name, grade and school to ptapres@hillsidepta.org by 3/15. 3 student panelists from each school will be selected to participate.
Hillside PTA Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee of the Hillside PTA invites all parents and caregivers to submit nominations to serve as officers on the Hillside PTA Executive Committee for the 2022-2023 term. There are 5 open Officer positions for the 2022/23 school year in the Hillside PTA. They are President, VP Events, VP Communications, Treasurer and Recording Secretary. Please email nominatingcomm@hillsidepta.org for more information or to be considered for these positions.
In addition to the executive board positions, there are myriad volunteer opportunities with the Hillside PTA. Please reach out if you’d like to serve as a committee chair. The Nominating Committee will host a Zoom information soon later in March for those who are interested. Stay tuned for details.
SEPAC News
Hillside SEPAC Parent Liaison Group
If you have special education issues, concerns or disability focused topics you would like the Hillside SEPAC group to explore, please email us at sepac@hillsidepta.org. You can also follow SEPAC at (3) Montclair SEPAC | Facebook or check out SEPAC’s website at https://montclairpta.org/sepac/
Also, the following free SPAN events may be of interest:
Mon, Mar 21, 2022 7:00 PM EDT and Tues, Mar 22, 2022 7:00pm EDT – two night event.
Parent Involvement in Special Education: Overview of Rights
Parents will begin to identify dreams and goals for their children, gain knowledge of the special education process and learn advocacy strategies in this two night event.
SATp News
Skate Date is TONIGHT!
We’ll see you tonight at Clary Anderson Arena, located at 41 Chestnut Street Montclair, NJ, 6:30pm-8:30pm. Tickets required for entry! Montclair PD will be assisting our families with area safety and street crossings.
Women’s History Month: Inspiring Woman
This month is Women’s History Month. We are planning a creative activity called Inspiring Woman. This project will involve the women of the families of Hillside. We invite the women in the Hillside community to participate in a Flip Grid. Each woman will have a 30 second (or less) opportunity to tell us about an inspiring woman that gave them and/or their family influence or impacted them in some way. You may also reference a book/resource where more information about this individual can be found. Teachers and staff are also invited to participate.
Directions for ‘Inspiring Woman’:
1. State your name, name of your child, and what class/grade they are in.
2. What woman in history inspired you and why.
3. Share/reference a picture or resource of the woman (book, channel, location, etc.)
4. Keep it to 30 seconds or less.
5. Flip Grids due on 3/22 to be sent in eblast 3/25. The Flip Grid link will be going out to you all in the next couple of days! Stay tuned!
What’s New, Fun, and Exciting?!
SATp has a new, exciting after school event in the works that will be amazing for the spring. Coming this May, this free event is called Double Dutch and Soccer Stuff. Organized with SignUp Genius, we will have teams of Double Dutch led by parent volunteers. We will also have the Hillside soccer field set up for a couple of teams also led by parent volunteers. No experience necessary! Come, learn, jump and play! More details to come!
We Need YOU!
In the coming months SATp will be looking for volunteers to participate in events and activities such as our AAPI celebration and our Jewish American Heritage celebration. If you would like to participate, pitch and idea, or would like to see a particular custom highlighted, let us know by contacting hillsidesatp@gmail.com.
Looking Ahead!
Have you seen all of the amazing initiatives and events Hillside has? First Day of School Celebration, Bike Walk to School Day, Hillside Cares Events, and many more! We are proactive and would like to start to recruit some new faces for the upcoming school year. It takes a team of us to make these things happen. Ask us about participating and what you might want to sign up for. We’re always available for questions. Email us at hillsidesatp@gmail.com.
Thank you to everyone who joined the PTA meeting today for the Hillside Social Justice presentation today. If you missed that presentation, please click on the link below to watch the recording. It’s only 15 minutes long! Hillside Social Justice Presentation – March 11, 2022
We are actively seeking 3rd and 4th grade parents who would like to keep these activities going for next year. If you are interested in learning more about how the HSJ Initiative works, please contact Parent Administrator Jenn Di Lullo at jenndilullo@gmail.com.
Message from Ms. Scott (School Counselor)
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 at 973.509.4200 x4297. Additionally, please ask your child to join Ms. Scott’s Google Classroom (class code jzelps7) where they will be able to access the I Need to See Ms. Scott Google form. Lastly, here is the In Need of Counseling Survey parents can use to let me know if your child could use my help. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns about your child’s social-emotional well-being.
Note from Nurse Boyle
Hello Hillside Families! New guidelines have been posted on our Montclair homepage regarding Covid-19. Please check the district homepage. If you or a family want to get a Covid vaccine you can do so at the old Kmart in West Orange. Go to https://www.essexcovid.org/vaccine/vaccine_availability
to schedule an appointment. You can go to the old Kmart Tuesdays through Fridays from 2PM-7PM for Covid testing and on Saturdays from 8AM-2PM. Have a great weekend! Nurse Boyle
Important Dates:
Friday 3/11: Skate Night Event 6:30PM
Tuesday 3/15 & 3/16: Into the Woods Theater Showcase
Thursday 3/17: Early Dismissal 2:10PM
Friday 3/18: End of TR2
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