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This Week
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Wednesday, September 11
Thursday, September 12
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Looking Ahead
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Thursday, September 26
- Hillview PTO donation campaign closes
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SamTrans Update
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We continue to work with SamTrans to resolve overcrowding and on-time arrival in the morning. Since last week, SamTrans has added a second bus to the Route 83 in the morning, which has greatly alleviated overcrowding, and those buses are now making on-time arrivals.
We are now focused on Route 84. It has been arriving late, and the solution will be to start that route earlier so that students arrive at Hillview no later than 8:20 a.m.
We apologize that some students are feeling anxious about arriving late; be assured that they are not penalized, and they are getting to class during the morning broadcast and not missing any instructional time. Nevertheless, it's not acceptable to us that they are coming late, and we will fix this problem. We are in constant contact with SamTrans, but if you would like to communicate directly to them, they can be reached at (800) 660-4287.
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Support Hillview
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One of the most frequently asked questions is, Why does my family need to support both the Hillview PTO and the MPAEF? These two organizations both support Hillview in complementary ways.
The PTO funds curriculum enrichment, field trips, community building events and classroom supplies - all of which are important to Hillview's community of students, teachers, and parents.
The Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation raises money for the District's operating budget.
The MPAEF's grant to the District funds more than 32 teachers this year - including classroom teachers, credentialed librarians, art and music teachers and Hillview's drama teacher. This funding is essential to maintaining small class sizes and a comprehensive curriculum.
If you have other questions about the PTO, the MPAEF, our fundraising or school funding in general, click here for the answers.
To donate to the Hillview PTO, click here. There will also be a table near the front office on Back to School Night - Thursday, September 12, if you would like to drop off your donation then.
To donate or pledge to the MPAEF, click here.
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Picture Make-up/Retake Day
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Lifetouch will be returning to campus soon. Any student who did not get a picture taken at our Arena Check-In days, or any student whose family would like a retake, will have the chance to be photographed on our annual make-up/retake day.
We had originally scheduled this date in early October, but are working to move it sooner. Look for an update in next week's newsletter. In the meantime, those students who did order portraits will be receiving their packages soon. If you decide you want a retake of your child's portrait, hang on to the package and do not cut or share any of the photos. You will be able to exchange this package for a new one at no additional charge.
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8th Grade iPad Insurance Update
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As 8th grade families know, you have the option of purchasing insurance for your student's iPads in the amount of $46. This covers nearly all kinds of accidental damage and theft. For those families who opted "Yes" and for whom we have record of payment, you are good to go! We have sent a letter to everyone else, which includes...
- Those who initially said they wanted the insurance (i.e., Yes), but for whom we have no record of payment.
- Those who said No.
- Those from whom we did not receive a Yes or a No answer
Our goal in sending you this letter is to confirm your desires. We do not wish to force anyone to take the insurance, so if your No remains a No, no action is required. If you have changed your mind, we want to give you an opportunity to get the insurance. If you said Yes, but we haven't received payment, we want to make sure you remit your payment so that we can process a policy for your child's iPad. And if we didn't get a response from you, we want to give you the chance to let us know what you would like to do. The letter will have instructions on how to purchase the insurance, should you choose to do so.
Our system for insurance payment intake was not perfect, and at Arena Check-in we made some mistakes. You will see in the letter an opportunity to correct our understanding if we were in error.
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Parents Wanted to Work with Middle Schoolers
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Hillview is piloting a new Character Education program this school year, called "Second Step." We need a few more parents for the program in which pairs of adults work with small groups of grade level, gender specific students. The pre-planned lessons will be scripted and will include such topics as Bully-Prevention, Empathy, Communication and Emotion Management.
Parents will be asked to commit to four days annually, as well as a two-hour training session.
If you are comfortable working with middle schoolers, consider this opportunity! You can even sign up to work with a friend.
If you are interested, please email school counselor Debbie Devoto.
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School Locator
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Find out which school in the Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) your children will attend based on your street address. The MPCSD now has an interactive online school system for the district. If your address falls outside the district's boundaries, the interactive guide will tell you that too.
Try it out on the district website.
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After School Sports
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Burgess League Volleyball: Signups are now closed. Students signing up at this point will be placed on a waiting list. For those who have registered there will be mandatory team placement workouts on Monday, September 9 in the Hillview Gym from: 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. for 6th graders, 5 - 6:15 p.m. for 7th graders, and 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. (may or may not be necessary) for 8th graders. Practice will begin during the week.
Girls Softball: Online registration is open. We need more players. If interested, please sign up immediately on sportability.com. Flag football: All three teams are full and practice will continue this week on Tuesday, September 10 and Thursday, September 12 at Encinal School from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Tournament team volleyball: Team has been selected. Practice this week is Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11 the Hillview Gym from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. After School Sports Questions should be directed to Mr. Bell at 326-4341 ext 2601.
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| ParentEd |
The Adolescent Brain
Hillview Middle School, PAC
Wednesday, September 11
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Join Hillview principal, Erik Burmeister, as he starts an in-depth series on the ever-changing adolescent brain, outlining the steps that we as parents and families can take to make the transition from pre-teen to young adult as smooth as possible. From mood swings, to puberty, to the complex life changes that are a result of growing up in the 21st century, raising a healthy and responsible teenager is a task that can boggle the mind of even the most seasoned caregivers. Topics to be covered include the difference between how girls and boys react to their changing physical and emotion environments, the way in which our daily routines can affect how our kids grow and perform in and out of the classroom and the boundaries and limits we can expect to be challenged as our kids strive to become more independent. With more than 15 years of experience, Erik's extensive and valuable knowledge with this age group is the basis for a year-long series that is not to be missed. For more information, contact Jessica Raines.
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Project Cornerstone: Take It Personally Parent Ed Class
Encinal School, Small Multi
Thursdays, September 12 - October 17
8:45 - 10:15 a.m.
Parents, grandparents or any Menlo Park resident is welcome to attend this six-week class. Past participants have discovered practical parenting strategies, inspiration and a new community of parenting allies. For more information, contact Robin Soran.
For a complete listing of all the parent education events in and around our community, please visit the district's ParentEd webpage.
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| Community News |
Host an Exchange Student. Gain a global family member for a lifetime! AFS-USA (formerly the American Field Service) is seeking a host family for Menlo-Atherton's Exchange Student from Chile, Agustin Marinovic, who is a senior. Hosting an AFS exchange student is a rewarding experience that broadens your view of the world while learning about customs and cultures. To learn how you can host please visit www.afsusa.org. Contact Irene Searles, if you have any interest in being a host family this year.
Volleyball Clinic by the M-A Girls Volleyball Teams. For 4th, 5th and 6th graders on Friday, September 27 and 8th graders on Friday, October 4. All 4th - 8th graders welcome to participate in the Fall 2013 community clinic fundraiser. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to engage with positive role models and strengthen your volleyball skills! All proceeds go to the M-A Girls Volleyball program. Visit www.bearsathletics.org for more information and to register.
NJB Winter Basketball registration is now open. Our focus is on skills-based instruction, personal growth and positive competition for kids from 1st through 8th grades in MP, Atherton, PV, Woodside or EPA. The season runs from November through February. Register online.
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Newsletter Submissions
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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.
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