Welcome to this special Back-To-School Newsletter for 2013-14. The regular weekly Hillview newsletter will resume Sunday, August 18.

The official start date for school is Thursday, August 22 at 8:25 a.m. Please provide ample time for drop-off and pick-up the first two weeks of school.

Please note that School Dress Code expectations will be enforced beginning the first day of school. Students not in dress code will be required to call home to request a change of clothes. 

The first day of school will be an Early Release Day as it is Thursday; students will be released at 2:03 p.m. All Thursdays will remain Early Release days.

This year, "Camp Hillview" for all incoming 6th graders will be held Wednesday, August 21, the day before the regular first day of school. While not required, it is highly encouraged for all 6th graders to attend.

Arena Check-In (ACI) is for new and returning students and parents to receive important information, join PTO and MPAEF, pay fees and donations, purchase an ASB card, pick up the class schedule and have a picture taken for student identification and school photos. ACI should be a top priority for all families. See the Looking Ahead section above for dates and times.

Parents are kindly asked to stick to the scheduled times for each grade level. For families with more than one Hillview student in different grade levels, registration for both at the same time can be accommodated. For those parents who are working or who are returning from vacation, alternate ACI times will be made available.  

Hot lunch begins the first day of school, Thursday, August 22.

Order your student's lunch online at Choice Lunch. If your child is new to Hillview, you may be asked for a registration code when signing up or ordering. The code to use is "Hillview".

SamTrans has changed a number of bus service routes effective Monday, August 12, including ones affecting Hillview students taking the bus to school. 

Routes that only operated on school days but had a number of deviations (different routing) will be separated and receive their own number.  For instance, Route 83 will be broken into six individual routes (80, 82, 83, 84, 88, 89).

Information on which routes serve schools throughout the county is available at www.samtrans.com/schools.

For a list of detailed changes, visit the SamTrans website.

The following programs will be offered after school:

• Latin beginner (Mondays/Wednesdays), Latin returning students (Tuesdays/Thursdays),
• Writing Workshop (Wednesdays or Thursdays)
• Chess (Mondays)
• Fencing (Fridays)

Most of the programs will begin the week of September 9. Registration will be available online after Monday, August 5.

Registration is now open for the following Hillview After School Sports this fall. For more information, visit the After School Sports section of the Hillview Middle School website.

FLAG FOOTBALL

Registration is open now until Wednesday, September 4. Participants will be enrolled on a first come basis. We can only guarantee the first 20+ per team (three teams total: two 6th/7th grades, and one 8th grade). Once teams fill up, students will be placed on a waiting list. The past few years' teams have filled up the same day registration opened.

• Open to all Hillview students regardless of previous experience
• Practices at Hillview Field on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after school until 5 p.m.
• Games will be mostly T/Th/F, but M/W is possible, no weekends
• Thursday, September 5 - first practice
• Season: September 5 - November 8 (approx.)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM 

Registration is open now until Wednesday, September 4 or when teams fill up. The Menlo Park Recreation Department offers an excellent after-school volleyball program open to all Hillview students regardless of previous experience.

• Mandatory Workout for Team Placement:
  * Monday, September 9 in the Hillview Gym
  * Time: 3:15 - 4:30 p.m. (6th grade), 4:45 - 6 p.m. (7th grade), 6:15 - 7:30 p.m. (8th grade if necessary)
• Team practices begin the middle of September and games tentatively begin the week of September 23 and finish near Thanksgiving.
• Practices at Hillview Gym
• Games at the Arrillaga Family Gymnasium - Tuesdays for 6th grade, Mondays for 7th and 8th grade (Tentative)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

Girls in 7th and 8th grade interested in being considered for additional competitive volleyball are invited to try out for a Tournament Team. There will be additional fees and additional commitments for Tournament Team play. Tryouts for the tournament team will be Monday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 27 after school (time TBD). Those trying out are expected to attend both days. To tryout for the tournament team you must be registered for the Burgess League before Monday, August 26. Register online.

GIRLS SOFTBALL

Registration is open (registration began last Spring) and space is limited. Note that the softball season overlaps with the volleyball season, and players are not allowed to register for both.   

• Practices on the Hillview field every Wednesday right after school until 5 p.m.
• Practices begin the last week of August until mid-October
• Games will be played against other local middle schools. The schedule will be announced after school starts.

BOYS AND GIRLS LACROSSE 

The returning after school lacrosse class offers boys and girls a chance to learn the hottest new sport in West Coast schools. Open to beginners to intermediate level through the Menlo Atherton Youth Lacrosse Program (Grizzlies). The class will be on Mondays, 3:15 - 4:30 p.m. on the Hillview field. Class starts Monday, September 9 and ends Monday, November 4 (no class Monday, October 14; eight classes total). Register online.

BOYS AND GIRLS FENCING

George Pogosov of the Cardinal Fencing Club at Stanford, a world-class fencer and coach, offers Hillview students the chance to learn from the best. Classes are offered on Fridays after school for one hour in the Hillview gym. There are six classes in the winter session: October 4, 11 and 25, and November 8, 15 and 22. Registration will open in September. Watch for details in future Hillview newsletters.

Hot Lunch:

Serving at lunchtime is a great way to see your child at school. The commitment is only about an hour per shift and you can choose to come weekly, bi- monthly or monthly.

Choice Lunch, the company which provides the lunches, offers a $4.75 credit to your account every time you volunteer for a lunch shift.

Please contact Mary Murphy to volunteer.

The Hillview PTO and the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation

Are Working Together For Hillview

The Hillview PTO and the Foundation are two vital organizations that make Hillview such a special place for our kids. When you support the PTO at $250 per child and the MPAEF at $1,500 per child, this is the difference you make in their education:

Donate online and support these organizations today. Thank you for your support!