|
|
|
|
|
|
This Week
| |
Thursday, April 18
Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20
|
|
Looking Ahead
| |
Sunday, April 21
Wednesday, April 24
Thursday, April 25
Friday, April 26
Saturday, April 27
|
|
|
|
| ParentEd |
New Parent Book Club at Kepler's!
Please join Nicole Scott, MPCSD School Counselor and Jenny Ryan, MPCSD School Psychologist, for a weekly book club at Kepler's Books. We will be reading Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success by Madeline Levine.
Participants read portions of the book each week, then come to the book club to discuss what was read. The book club begins Thursday, April 18, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., and continues at the same time on the following dates:
- Wednesday, April 24
- Wednesday, May 1
- Wednesday, May 8
- Thursday, May 16
- Thursday, May 23.
******************************************
"Extreme By Design"
Special Preview of upcoming PBS film
by Kikim Media and Hawkview
Thursday, April 18
6:15 - 8:45 p.m.
Hillview Performing Arts Center
Keynote Talk by Erik Burmeister, Principal of Hillview Middle School
"Blazing a New Trail: How Hillview is Using Design Thinking to Redesign School"
Ralph King, Jr., filmmaker and Pulitzer Prize nominee, will introduce the film. The hour-long documentary follows a band of Stanford students who design and build products to solve seemingly intractable problems for the world's poor.
A panel discussion will follow to discuss ways our students are developing an innovator's mindset and answer questions from the audience.
Space is limited. Please register for this event online by Friday, April 12.
******************************************
Upcoming Events
Brad Sachs, Ph.D.
Tuesday, April 23
7 p.m., Crystal Springs Uplands School
or
Wednesday, April 24
7 p.m., Woodside Priory School
Common Ground Speaker Series
With compassion and intelligence, Brad Sachs, Ph.D. returns to our stage to explore the physical and psychological challenges of adolescence. He shares insights and practical guidance to help us enjoy, appreciate and better understand our teens. Dr. Sachs' books include The Good Enough Teen: How To Raise Adolescents with Love and Acceptance and Emptying the Nest: Launching Your Young Adult Towards Success and Self-Reliance. On April 24, he will devote his evening talk to parents of juniors and seniors and present strategies for guiding young adults toward independence.
Fee is $20; free for educators.
For a complete listing of all parent education events in and around our community, please visit the district's ParentEd webpage.
|
| Neighbors Thanked |
As Hillview's students, teachers, and staff will attest, the new Hillview campus is amazing. But every large-scale construction project is disruptive, especially when it spans almost three years. That's why 18 Hillview students and 10 parent volunteers gathered on Saturday, April 6 to thank the school's neighbors for their patience and understanding during the building process.
While parents assembled flower arrangements, the students drafted and decorated hand-written thank you notes for about 85 households closest to the school. Then, in small teams, they headed out in to the neighborhood to deliver the cards and flowers. Overall, reactions to the outreach were positive. As one neighbor on Politzer Drive expressed, "I don't think people realize how much the construction project affected the neighbors, so this really means a lot to us."
The project was sponsored by the Service Working Group of Hillview's Asset Team, with financial support provided by the Hillview PTO. Thank you to all of the student and parent volunteers, as well as Mr. Doroquez, for making it happen!
|
| Bike Swap and Rodeo |
Does your child need a new bike? Trade the one he or she has outgrown for the next size up! Bring bikes that your family is done with to the Safe Routes to Schools bike swap and rodeo at Laurel School, Sunday, April 21 from noon - 3 p.m. For more information, contact Nathalie Vasseur.
Hillview students can earn Block H points by volunteering at the bike swap and rodeo. Contact Kathy Schrenk to sign up for two hours or more.
|
| Transportation Survey |
Help students get to school more safely by filling out this brief survey about transportation. This is a follow up to the transportation survey many of you filled out in September -- but with fewer questions! This data is extremely valuable to the district's Safe Routes to Schools program.
For more information, please contact Kathy Schrenk, Traffic Safety Coordinator.
|
| Master Schedule and PTO Meeting |
Please come to the Hillview PTO General Meeting on Wednesday, April 24 at 10 a.m. in the Hillview PAC. We will vote in our new board members and pass the preliminary budget for 2013 - 2014.
- Co-President Valerie Ambwani
- Co-President Dean Wilkins
- Co-Vice President Kelli Wheelwright
- Co-Vice President Karen Wang
- Treasurer Mimi Treble
- Vice Treasurer Ana Ruiz
- Financial Secretary Jill Kispert
- Recording Secretary Nancy Kessler
- Auditor Andrea Luskin
- Communications Parke Treadway
- Volunteer Coordinator Katie Angioletti
- After School Programs Coordinator Mary Murphy
- Co-Parliamentarian Pam Fernandes
- Co-Parliamentarian Aimee Paquin
Erik Burmeister will also present the 2013 - 2014 Hillview Master Schedule at this time. He will present this information again on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hillview PAC.
|
|
Future M-A Parents
| |
Parents of current 8th grade students are invited to join Menlo-Atherton High School Principal Matthew Zito and board members of M-A Foundation For the Future for beverages and appetizers at the home of Dianne and Jeff Child on Thursday, May 2.
Please come and meet other parents of the Class of 2017 and learn about the many opportunities for your student, and how to be ready for the transition to high school at Menlo-Atherton. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. and Principal Zito will deliver his remarks at 7 p.m.
Hope to see you there! Please RSVP to Terri Muschott.
|
|
6th/7th Grade Dance Chaperones
| |
Parents are invited to help chaperone the 6th/7th Grade Dance on Friday, May 17.
Volunteers are needed from 6:15 - 8:45 p.m. Help out the entire time or in one of two shifts from 6:15 - 7:30 p.m. or 7:30 - 8:45 p.m.
|
|
Teacher and Staff Gift Fund
|
Wondering how to recognize your child's teacher at the end of the school year? At Hillview, we have a tradition of gifting to the staff as a community. Parents are encouraged to contribute to a centralized Teacher/Staff Gift Fund organized by PTO volunteers. All proceeds are used to buy gift cards for the entire Hillview team.
The benefits of this approach are that:
- It's what the teachers and staff prefer. With gift cards, they can pick out something they really want or need.
- No one is overlooked. The Gift Fund recognizes all the more than 70 Hillview employees, including academy teachers, elective teachers, specialists and staff.
- It's easy! Just make a contribution and the committee does the rest. Gift cards are delivered on the last day of school on behalf of the entire Hillview community.
Instructions on how to contribute to this fantastic program will be available in a future newsletter. In the meantime, if you have any questions please contact one of this year's Gift Fund coordinators, Parke Treadway or Tina Bird.
Thanks in advance for helping us recognize our amazing Hillview team!
|
|
Music News and Notes
|
Didjeridu Performance. Stephen Kent, a world-renowned performer of the didjeridu, an Australian Aboriginal wind instrument, will be at Hillview this week thanks to a Jeanie Ritchie Grant from the MPAEF. During the Didjeridu Dreamtime assemblies, students will be introduced to one of the world's oldest cultures through this unique instrument. By using the didjeridu to mimic the sounds of animals in the Australian outback, students will learn how the didjeridu can communicate and tell musical stories, plus how they are made from tree trunks hollowed out by termites and decorated using natural materials. A final part of the grant is to work with a small group of Hillview students, teaching them how to build didjeridus out of PVC pipe, circular breathe and make music on their own didjeridus. Hear some examples of Stephen Kent's music online.
Disneyland Wrap-Up. Many thanks to all the chaperones and the tireless leadership of Karen Peterson-Iyer, Kristi Waldron and Dennis Walker. We had a very successful trip and our performances and workshops were fabulous. The rain stopped just in time for the band to perform. Mickey and Minnie took a spin on the dance floor while the Jazz Band played. We look forward to our next visit Disneyland! Come to the Music Room at Open House to hear our performances.Summer Music Programs. A list of local summer music programs in the Bay Area will be sent to music students. If your child is not a current member of the music program but you would like to receive a copy of this listing, please e-mail Richard Vaughan. The programs range from a Hip Hop camp in La Honda to the more traditional orchestra and chamber music programs run by the local youth symphonies.Youth Symphony Auditions. Many of the local youth symphonies are currently holding auditions. They look for all types of instrumentalists that fit into the genre of a traditional Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. Search online for El Camino Youth Symphony, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Peninsula Youth Symphony and California Youth Symphony.Support your local music store! Menlo Park now has its own music store. Bridgepoint Music, located on Oak Grove next to the Post Office, has instrument sales, rentals and repairs as well as teaching studios for private lessons.
|
| Talent Show |
Buy your tickets to the annual Hillview Talent Show coming up on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. both nights.
The only way to secure your seat is to purchase your tickets online and print them at home. Last year, both shows sold out, and we expect this year's show to be sold out, too. Get your tickets early!
Cost is $10 for adults and $7 for students/children/seniors plus a $0.50 online fee per ticket. Limited tickets will be available at the door, but buy your seat now and avoid disappointment.
There will be a pre-show at 6:15 p.m. Seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6:10 p.m.
|
| MPAEF | |
On-Campus Raffle Ticket Sales:
Choose from Five Incredible Prizes!
It's less than two weeks until the Dancing through the Decades spring auction and party! Raffle tickets go on sale this week, so pick your dream and buy your tickets to make it come true! Or, buy tickets for your student or a favorite teacher. Even if your plans don't include an evening at the auction, join in the fun and support our schools. Winners will be drawn at the auction on April 27, but winners need not be present! Check out this year's raffle items:
- Rosewood Escape
- Two iPad minis
- Autographed Stanford Football Helmet
- m&m bling Necklace
- Health & Beauty Package to Uforia, SkinSpirit, and Veracity Fitness
Preview the prizes online!
And don't forget, event tickets are available now. Buy your tickets for the Dancing through the Decades party and auction. Buy your tickets for Cheers! Champagne and Wine Tasting, to be held before the doors open for the Dancing through the Decades party and auction. Buy your tickets to support not only 30 years of dedication from our community, but also every day of continued success in our district schools. Buy before Friday, April 19 to save $35 a ticket. Tickets are available online: $185/guest for Cheers!; $90/guest for Dancing Through the Decades general admission; $50/guest for teachers and staff.
|
| Physical Education |
Relay for Life, a special event focusing on fitness and cancer awareness will be held Friday, May 3. Students will form relay teams to perform fitness activities and learn about cancer prevention.
Help students learn their efforts make a difference. Please sign up online to volunteer with a variety of easy activities.
In addition, anyone can donate to our Hillview Team to raise funds for cancer research. Dedicate your donation to honor your student's effort, support a loved one fighting cancer or in memory of someone gone. Help us make a world with more birthdays.
For more information, please contact Amy Boggs or Harry Bell.
|
| After School Sports |
The PTO is looking into a special program for basketball players during May on Friday nights.
The first hour will be a clinic teaching players on fundamentals and technique. The second hour and fifteen minutes will be devoted to drop-in structured play on both side court and long full courts. Players may register for either or both. Watch for further announcements.
After school sports questio ns should be emailed to Mr. Bell or call him on his cellphone at (650) 483-4049.
back to top
|
| Community | |
Green Kids Conference, Saturday, June 1, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus, 1065 La Avenida St, Building 1, Mountain View. This is a conference for children 5 to 18 years old. Come with your family and friends, explore your passsion, and be inspired to take action! Free Admission. Register online.
back to top
|
| Family Volunteering | |
Alemany Farms is a 3.5 acre organic farm in southeast San Francisco that fosters food security and environmental education for our community. Join us for our 7th Annual Earth Day BBQ and Festival, Saturday, April 20. We'll start with garden tasks at 11 a.m. Farm tours will be held around noon and 3 PM. Kids can enjoy face painting and t-shirt stenciling (bring your own t-shirts!). As usual, we'll be spit roasting a pasture-raised pig and will have plenty of veggie options on the grill. A local band will be providing music. Please bring a dessert or side dish to share!
back to top
|
|
| Summer Camps |
Now is the time to learn about some of the exciting camp opportunities in our community! Many new camps have added their information to our Summer Camp website in the last two weeks. This website will be updated as new information arrives, so check back often.
(Please note that the MPCSD has not evaluated this information or endorsed any of the camps, and the District is not responsible for any aspect of these camps.)
|
Newsletter Archives
|
To read past Hillview PTO newsletters, please visit our archives.
|
Newsletter Submissions
|
To submit an announcement for a Hillview event, please email your announcement to newsletter@hillviewpto.org. Editors reserve the right to edit all announcements. The submission deadline is Thursday at noon for the following Sunday newsletter. To submit an announcement for an off-campus community event, please email your announcement to communitynews@mpcsd.org. The submission deadline is Wednesday at noon for the following Sunday newsletter.
|
|
|
|
|
