A Note from the Principal’s Desk – 6.10.2022
Dear Hillside Parents/Caregivers:
Hillside Field Day was a success! We had beautiful weather and the students showed good sportsmanship throughout the day’s activities.
Additionally, Mrs. Lever rallied the Hillside community to raise $5,455 dollars for a family displaced due to the war in Ukraine. The family was found through a connection from Mrs. Yeghiazaryan. Hillside Students watched a slideshow of the family that the money is being donated to. They got to see where they lived before the war started and where they are now. They also got to see the family. A huge thank you to Mrs. Lever and Mrs. Yeghiazaryan for collaborating to provide support to this family during such a challenging and traumatic time. We ended Field Day with a victory by Yellow!!
Juneteenth Observed on June 17 (District Closed): Juneteenth is also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day—a day that acknowledges the last days of slavery in the Confederate States (and some of the last days of slavery in the U.S.), in Texas on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is one of several days which celebrate the End of Slavery in the United States. Last year was the first time,New Jersey recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday. Please view Montclair’s Juneteenth activities in the link below.
School-wide News…Be in the Know
Wear it Wednesdays – Please join us with Beach Day, 6.15.22.
5th Grade Mentions:
5th Grade Moving-Up Day will be held on June 23 at 11:00 am
- Moving-Up Ceremony will be outdoors at Woodman Field (10 Essex Ave, Montclair)
- 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
- ALL fifth grade students will log-in remotely at 9:10am for attendance to be taken, directions will be given to students by their teachers
- ALL participating fifth grade students are to be dropped off at Woodman Field at 10:30am
- There are NO tickets for this outdoor event
- After the ceremony, ALL students will depart the event with their parents/guardian
- All students who attend the ceremony will receive credit for a full day’s attendance
- Please contact Ms. Best in the main office (973-509-4200) if you anticipate having a hardship with regard to transportation for your child.
RAIN CONTINGENCY PLAN – 5th Grade Moving-Up Day will be held on June 23 at 10:00am
- Moving-Up Ceremony will be indoors at Hillside Elementary School Auditorium
- If the Moving-Up Ceremony is to take place at Hillside, then you will receive notification on Wednesday, June 22nd
- 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
- ALL fifth grade students are to arrive to school ontime (9:10am)
- We have limited seating in the auditorium, 3 TICKETS per family will be issued, 3 guests per family will gain entry to the auditorium
- After the ceremony, ALL students will depart the event with their parents/guardian
- All students who attend the ceremony will receive credit for a full day’s attendance
Viewing the Program:
A QR code and link will be sent in the near future for live streaming of the ceremony
PTA News
Last PTA General Meeting June 15th @ 7:00pm
All are invited to join our final PTA meeting of the school year. Join us as we vote on our 2022-2023 PTA E-Board slate. Please note that only members of the PTA are eligible to vote for the EBoard. You can register in advance to attend or the same day, After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Fireball Postponed
Fireball has been postponed. Stay tuned for more information!
Spring Explorers
Please see the remaining Spring Explorers classes below. We hoped that your child(ren) enjoyed our final session of the school year.
Monday classes
Soccer, Show Cookies, Pottery – 2 classes remaining – 4/25, 5/9, 5/23, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20
Tuesday classes
**Correction for Beginning Crochet – 1 class remaining – 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 6/14
All other Tuesday classes ended
Wednesday classes
Basic Sewing – 1 classes remaining – 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 6/8, 6/15
All other Wednesday classes ended
Friday Classes
Drone Coding, Soccer, Chess – LAST CLASS 6/10 – 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 6/3, 6/10
Year End Teacher Collection
This year, the Hillside PTA will be collecting donations for ALL teachers and staff. Instead of individual classes collecting for their teachers, the Hillside PTA will pool all the donations together and disperse the donations accordingly. YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS MATTER and we thank you in advance for the support of our teachers and staff. Please make all donations by June 20, 2022.
Please click below to contribute to the Year End gifts for the Hillside Staff
5th Grade Celebration
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 our 5th graders will celebrate together at the Montclair Art Museum from 10am -2pm. All students should wear a swimsuit, bring a change of clothes and a refillable bottle. The celebration will have pizza, games, snacks, water slides, arts and crafts, sidewalk chalk, a quiet area and an ice cream truck
SATp News
Montclair Pride Fest
Montclair Pride will be a day filled with performances, art, culture, food, and music celebrated on two stages across Downtown Montclair, with special guest speakers and LGBTQIA+ talent, surrounded and supported by more than 150 renowned institutions and businesses as partners and sponsors in one of the largest Pride festivals in the state’s history. The festival is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ people and allies, raising awareness and strengthening ties in our community and for our friends and allies in the region.
Leading up to the main event on Saturday, June 11th, Out Montclair has scheduled nine days of other events and performances. Learn more at www.montclairpride.org
In the Works!
Rainbow Cupcake Sale Fundraiser, Tuesday, June 14th 3:45pm – 5:00pm
Our cupcakes will be topped with a rainbow design to show that we are proud that our inclusive community comes in all different colors of the rainbow! Ingredients will be listed. Funds raised to support future Hillside SATp initiatives and events.
Juneteenth Celebration, Thursday June 16th 5:30pm – 7:30pm
In collaboration with Nishuane School, we’ll be connecting students and families with the history of this groundbreaking holiday. Vendor and entertainment information coming soon. Stay tuned for more on this event!
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, Cultural Infusion participation, 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.
Message from Ms. Scott (School Counselor)
I am heartbroken that we keep having to have conversations about school shootings with our children. There are several news outlets online offering resources and advice about how to help children process this tragedy. I have listed a few links below that have resonated with me since Tuesday.
Psychologist on how to talk to talk to kids about the Texas school shooting
How should parents talk to their children about yet another school shooting?
How to talk to your children about shootings after Texas’ deadly elementary school attack
Regarding conversations with the children, my personal advice is to begin by asking what they know so far. Although conversations may be limited in your own home, their peers may share more details at school. Allow them to express themselves, validate their feelings, and then offer information in small doses. Don’t overwhelm them with information. Younger children should receive simple details and adjust accordingly as they go up in age. Allow them to ask questions as they are ready to receive more information.
Reassuring the children they are safe can be very difficult in the first days and weeks following a tragic event. Give them facts about all that is put in place to help keep them safe (i.e. drills, security officer in the building, limited access to getting in the building, any actions you and other adults in the family will take to help address mental health and gun control concerns, etc.).
Lastly, teach them to speak up if they see or hear something wrong, alarming, unjust, etc. So many of our children are concerned about “tattling” or “snitching”. They need to know that we need them as extra eyes and ears to help get ahead of situations that can be harmful to others.
As always, 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! Reminder for fifth grade parents and guardians. Your child needs to have the Tdap and Meningococcal Vaccines to enter sixth grade. If your child had these vaccines please send me a copy and I will add them to their medical records.
The district now accepts home COVID tests along with lab tests for diagnosis.. Please email the nurse if your child has a positive Covid test or send a copy of the lab test. Please indicate the date the symptoms started and what they were. If you or a family want to get a Covid vaccine you can do so at the old Sears in the Livingston Mall located at 112 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston. Click HERE to schedule an appointment. You can go to the old Sears Thursdays and Fridays from 2PM-7PM for Covid testing and on Saturdays from 8AM-2PM. Note the Kmart site has closed. Have a great, safe, long weekend! ~Nurse Boyle
Important Dates:
Monday 6/14: Flag Day/Cupcake Fundraiser 3:30PM
Thursday 6/16: PTA/SATp Meeting 630PM
Friday 6/17:School Closed/Juneteenth Observance