Hillview PTO Banner 2012-2013 #1
In This Issue
Thank A Teacher
Quiz Bowl
Writing Workshop
Chess Team
Music Notes
Dance Chaperones
Food Drive
Mini-Course
MPAEF
Phys Ed Notes
After School Sports
Parent Education
Community News
Quick Links
This Week

 

Tuesday, December 10

  • Winter Concert, 7 p.m., Hillview PAC

Friday, December 13

  • 7th/8th Grade dance, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Hillview PAC
Looking Ahead

 

Wednesday, December 18

  • Dance and Cheerleading placement audition, 3:15 - 4:15 p.m., Fitness Room
Friday, December 20
  • Minimum Day, 11:45 a.m. dismissal

Monday, December 23 - Monday, January 6

  • No School. Winter Break.

Tuesday, January 7

  • School resumes
Thank A Teacher

 

Our Hillview teachers and staff are working very hard to continually improve our children's experience at school. From adopting the new Common Core standards, to adjusting to the block schedule, to planning the exciting new mini-course program and more, Hillview's teachers are going above and beyond this year.

 

If you have a special story about how a Hillview staff member has enriched your child's school life, please email it to Mr. Burmeister. He loves to share these anecdotes at staff meetings to keep our beloved teachers motivated and mindful of the ultimate goal of all their hard work - our children's success.

 

Quiz Bowl Club

Does your student enjoy watching Jeopardy on TV? We invite all interested students to come answer trivia questions on Fridays at lunchtime in room C-7. 

 


Writing Workshop
 
A Writing Workshop will be offered on Wednesdays or Thursdays beginning the week of January 6. Registration will be available online on Monday, December 9.
 

Chess Team
 

How do you sharpen your mind and boost your IQ while having fun? Chess! Learn new strategies from an experienced teacher, hang out and challenge friends and work as a team in tournaments. The Hillview Middle Chess Team is being offered by Bay Area Chess.

 

The team will meet Mondays, 3:15 - 4:15 p.m. from January 13 - May 19.

 

Cost: $225. You may try out one class free! Class limited to 10 students. Register online beginning Monday, December 9.

 


Music Notes

Congratulations to the Jazz Band for their Menlo Park Farmers Market performance. We played from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and raised more than $200 towards our Scholarship Tour fund. This year, the Jazz Band will be travelling to the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival & Reno Jazz Festival. Look for more news in the Spring.

The Hillview Winter Concert is this Tuesday, December 10 at 7 p.m. in the Hillview Performing Arts Center. Invite your neighbors and friends to come and hear some wonderful music. All of our groups will be performing including the chorus, concert bands and string orchestras! All musicians need to be at the Music Room no later than 6:40 p.m.

Dance Chaperones Needed

There's "snow-where" better to be on Friday, December 13 than the 7th/8th Grade Winter Dance. Chaperone and learn the latest dance moves! 

Check out the volunteer page and sign up for a shift or two.

For parents of 6th grade students, this is a great way to preview the 6th/7th Grade Dance in the spring.


Food Drive

Hillview ASB (Student Council) is running the annual food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank from Monday, December 2 - Friday, December 13. ASB will accept donations in the Performance Arts Center lobby each morning of the two-week drive. 

The Second Harvest Food Bank needs nutritious, non-perishable foods:
  • tuna, canned meat or meals in a can (stew, chili, soup), preferably with pop-top lids
  • canned fruit packed in juice
  • canned vegetables (low salt)
  • peanut butter
  • low-sugar cereals
  • 100 percent fruit juices in single serving boxes
Please avoid donating items packaged in glass or bulk quantities of rice, flour or sugar. 

This is a GRADE LEVEL SPIRIT COMPETITION! 6th vs. 7th. vs 8th! Good Luck Hawks!


Mini-Course Program
 
Hillview's innovative Mini-Course Program is just four short months away. Plans are well underway and the program is even more impressive and exciting than we anticipated. Last week, the Mini-Course planning committee presented the Course Catalog to the 7th and 8th grade. The 6th grade presentation and catalog distribution will take place Friday, December 13. 

 

Registration for 8th grade students started this past Friday and will continue on Monday. Registration is only available on-site at school. Students will enter the Computer Lab at their leisure during lunch to enter their Top 5 choices. Students are asked to know their top five course requests prior to entering the Computer Lab. Students in 7th grade will register Thursday, December 12 and Friday, December 13. Students in 6th grade will register Wednesday, December 18 and Thursday, December 19. All students will be notified of their class assignments by Friday, January 10.  

 

We encourage parents to engage in conversations with their kids about what they are thinking as they look through the Course Catalog; however, we strongly discourage parents requiring their student to sign up for a specific course.  

 

If you have questions about Mini-Courses, please feel free to email [email protected].  

 


Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation

 

Before You Click Here:  
 
  
Click Here:
 
Here's Why:
  
By starting your Amazon shopping on the MPAEF site, you can earn free money for our schools. One extra click earns us on average 5 percent through Amazon's affiliate program. 

Think about the MPAEF and Amazon whenever you are getting ready to shop, as you'll find just about anything you need there.  
 
Please, don't forget to bookmark the MPAEF-Amazon page today: 

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Mark your calendars! The MPAEF Spring Auction is coming! Join us Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club for A Night in Monte Carlo.

 

Volunteer and join the team! Whether you have lots of time to give or only a couple of hours, we need your help and have fun ways to get involved!

  

Donate a party, event, experience, sports package, getaway - with friends or solo! Need some guidance? No problem! Send us an email, we're happy to help. 

  

Volunteer and donation information is online

 

Questions or to get involved, email Karen Dearing.  

 
Phys Ed Notes

 

  • Intramural sports will begin a new activity this week: indoor soccer and/or hockey on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

  • New trimester classes for 7th/8th graders will be based on interest and will start this week. 

    Activities include: team sports and juggling; games that come alive; non-traditional games; and Hillview on the Move. 

  • As the weather gets cooler, we remind families students are encouraged to wear any type of sweatshirt and/or sweatpants to PE class over their required PE uniform.

  • The Phys Ed Dept requests notes from a doctor if a student is unable to participate in PE class for more than three consecutive days.

Questions regarding Phys Ed should be directed to Mr. Bell, Mr. Eaton, Ms. Gee or Ms. Salem. Phone: 326-4341 ext 2601 Bell, 2602 Eaton, 2603 Gee, 2604 Salem.

 


After School Sports

 

Burgess League Volleyball: A number of volleyball uniforms still need to be returned. Please do so as soon as possible.

 

After School Basketball: Games begin this week with 6th grade girls on Tuesdays. Students in 8th grade play on Mondays in the MPMSL (Mid Peninsula Middle School League) which is very similar to Burgess League Program. Boys in 6th grade play Wednesday, December 11; 7th grade girls play Thursday, December 12; and 7th grade boys play their second game on Friday, December 13. Students in 8th grade will begin Monday, December 16.

 

Boys and girls basketball tournament team: All Hillview basketball teams will have a basketball jamboree where Hillview teams play Hillview teams in short games. These games will be played on Friday, December 13 for 6th graders and Saturday, December 14 for 7th and 8th graders.

 

After School Sports questions should be directed to Mr. Bell or call (650) 326-4341 ext 2601.

 


Parent Education

  

Project Cornerstone's
Take It Personally Class - Winter Session
Tuesday, January 7 - Tuesday, February 11
7 - 8:30 p.m.
Hillview Performing Arts Center

Building developmental assets in our children might be some of the most important work we do as parents. How can we help our kids thrive? What is most important in helping my child succeed in school academically AND in life? How can I show my child I support their efforts and dreams? These questions and more will be answered in a six-week parent study group series facilitated by Pam Von Wiegand, founder of Project Cornerstone.

 

RSVP to Robin Soran.
 
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Sleepy Students:
the Adolescent Circadian Shift 
Dr. Devin Prouty
Wednesday, January 8
6:30 p.m.
Hillview Performing Arts Center
 
With school, sports, extracurricular clubs and friends, our kids are constantly pressed for time and sleep seems to always be neglected. Dr. Devin Prouty, a psychologist at SRI and parent of the MPCSD community, is well versed in the ever-changing sleep patterns and circadian rhythms of our growing teens. Attendees will leave with a blueprint for how to adapt to the hormonal changes that leave us with students struggling to stay alert and engaged day in and day out.  
 

Community News

Healthy Twins Needed for Autism Research StudyStanford University researchers are currently recruiting healthy same-sex twin pairs to participate in a research study comparing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to typically developing twins so we can better understand the causes of this disorder. For more information, read the flyer, FAQ and press release.

 

Laurel School. Do you remember the magical time when your children were in kindergarten?  Please help give back as you clean out closets this holiday season and donate any gently used Legos, Magna Tiles, high quality wooden blocks or wooden toys to Laurel School's kindergarten teachers. You can bring your donation directly to the Laurel School front office or contact Flavia Herrod. Two Caring and Sharing families (families who are struggling financially) have asked for American Girl Dolls for their daughters. If you happen to have a gently used American Girl Doll in need of a new child to love, please contact Flavia Herrod.

 


Newsletter Archives

Missed an exciting edition of the Hillview newsletter or letters from the school or PTO? Look up past emailings on our online archive.

Newsletter Submissions NewsSubmissions

To submit an announcement for a Hillview event, please email your announcement to [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. The submission deadline is Wednesday at noon for the following Sunday newsletter.