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In This Issue
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Halloween
Hillview Handbook
Lunch Clubs
Mini-Course Volunteers
7th Grade Yosemite Trip
PTO NewsMPCSD Strategic Directions/Fall General Meeting ActivitiesAfter-School Classes ASB Drama Music Sports
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Quick Links
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Questions? Email:
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This Week
Monday, October 19
- Hillview Orchestra and M-A Orchestra Joint Concert, 7:00 p.m., Hillview PAC
- 7th Grade Yosemite Trip Information Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Hillview Room G4
- ASB Canned Food Drive begins
Wednesday, October 21
- Parent Education: "Rise and Thrive with Our Girls," 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Hillview PAC
- Menlo-Atherton 8th Grade Information Night, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., Ayers Gym, M-A High School
Thursday, October 22
- Fall PTO General Meeting and MPCSD Strategic Directions Input Session, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m., Hillview PAC
Friday, October 23
Saturday, October 24
- Menlo-Atherton Campus Tours, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m., Meet in front of the Library, M-A High School
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Looking Ahead
Friday, October 30
- Halloween Parade and Costume Contest, 11:30 a.m. (during lunch), Quad Stage
Thursday, November 5
- Hillview Drama presents The Tempest, 3:30 p.m., Hillview PAC
Friday, November 6
- Are You IN Day -- Wear Orange!
- Hillview Drama presents The Tempest, 7:00 p.m., Hillview PAC
Saturday, November 7
- Hillview Drama presents The Tempest, 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Hillview PAC
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Hillview School News
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Halloween
Halloween is coming! We will have an extended lunch on Friday, October 30, for our annual costume contest. Students are encouraged to wear their school appropriate costumes to school on this day and earn spirit points for their academy!
Please encourage your students to remember the following when they are putting together their costumes:
- The school Dress for Success Norms apply on Halloween!!
- All costumes MUST be school appropriate - no weapons, excessive gore, references to drugs, tobacco, or alcohol.
- Masks may not be worn during classes
- You must be able to fully participate in all classes
- No cross-dressing without verbal permission from Mr. Haug, Mrs. Martin, or Mrs. O'Brien
- Exercise good character in your costume choices - please avoid costumes that may be offensive to some.
Hillview Handbook
Our 2015-2016 Parent and Student Handbook is updated and available on our Hillview website. Please review the handbook with your child so that all school policies and rules are clear. On Thursday, October 15, your student received a handbook signature slip -- please sign this slip and have your child return it to his/her Launch teacher by Friday, November 6. This is an academy competition and the academy with this highest percentage of handbook signature slips returned will earn spirit points.
Lunch Clubs Is your child looking to get involved at school or looking for something fun to do at lunch? Check out one of our many lunch clubs - we have over 20 to choose from! See the list of clubs here.
Mini-Course Week Needs YOU! We are gearing up to get our exciting mini-course catalog out to the kids at the end of the month, with lots of favorite courses and some fabulous new ones, too! The courses listed below still need Logistics Volunteers. Please email minicourse@mpcsd.org if you would like to help out. We cannot run this incredibly popular program without the community pitching in! If you are not able to help, maybe a grandparent, friend or neighbor would be interested. Please feel free to share this exciting opportunity. Around the World: France, Spain, MexicoLove to travel? Help the lucky kids in this course get a flavor for three fabulous cultures...all in one week! The Art of Architecture A new course all about the beauty of building, this course will fascinate and include some wonderful tours in SF. Behind-the-Scenes Sports What's it really like to be an elite athlete? Tours at local sports facilities and time with players and journalists will enlighten you. Parents with connection to area sports are encouraged to volunteer! Caring for Critters: All Things AnimalsFor the animal lover in all of us, the purrfect way to help kids help pets. Equine ExtravaganzaThere's something special about horses, and we are sure this new course will be a galloping good time! Film Critic New this year, love of film and SF history combine! A parent with an interest in either of those would be a great fit for this intriguing course.
Hero's Journey
We are all heroes in our own way. Help the kids find their inner hero in this popular course that includes overnight camping on Angel Island.
Mix 'n Mash A real look at the behind-the-scenes world of music and concert production. Outdoor Survival Want to share your love of the outdoors and camping with some grateful kids? This course is for you. An exciting trip to survival school is planned, too! SCUBA
Do you dive...or have you always wanted to learn? You can even take this course along with the kids and you'll be ready for your certification.
STEM-Sational
Bring the excitement of STEM challenges and careers to our Hillview technologists in the making.
NEW Mini-Course Opportunity for 7th GradersIf you have a 7th grader, you may have already heard about the Yosemite trip during mini-course week. We are very excited to offer this for the first time. There will be a parent meeting tomorrow night, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. in Room G4. The meeting will go over details of the trip and registration process and give you a chance to ask questions. It is not required for you to attend the meeting for your child to take this course. The registration spot request form will be available at the meeting and emailed to all 7th grade families. If you have questions about the trip, please contact Kristyn Cardosi.
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| PTO News
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MPCSD Strategic Directions Input Session / PTO Fall General Meeting
Please join us for the MPCSD Strategic Directions Input Session and Fall PTO General Meeting on Thursday October 22, from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Hillview PAC. We will participate in engaging conversation and provide our input on MPCSD's strategic direction for the next six years. We will also vote on the proposed 2015-2016 PTO budget. Click here to view the PTO's proposed 2015-2016 Budget. You may also view the budget in the school office.
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Programs & Activities
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After-School Classes
Cardinal Fencing Club is offering a second after-school fencing session from October 30 through December 11 (with no class on November 27). The first session concludes on October 23. If your child would like to continue with the fencing program on Friday afternoons from 3:20 - 4:20 p.m., please click here to download the registration form, or visit the PTO website for more information. There will be second sessions for the following programs as well, with more information to come shortly:
- Bookopolis
- Lacrosse
- Junior Chef Stars
- Speech and Debate
- Writing Workouts
- Wizbots
Please contact the After-School Classes PTO coordinator Erica Galles with any questions.
Hillview ASB
ASB Canned Food Drive
ASB is running a canned food drive from October 19 to November 2. Help us become closer as a community through helping others, provide food to people in need, and encourage students to make a difference in the world. Please send your child to school with canned food, which will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Second Harvest has the greatest need for canned meals (stew, chili, and soup), tuna, canned meat, canned foods with pop-top lids, canned fruit in juice, and canned vegetables with low sodium. Rice, flour, sugar, and items packaged in glass unfortunately cannot be accepted. Thank you for your help!
7th/8th Grade Halloween Dance
ASB is excited to announce that the Twilight Zone Halloween Dance for 7th and 8th graders is coming soon on Friday October 23, 2015. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the dance will end promptly at 8:30 p.m. Please do not park in the carpool lane. If a student is dropped off after 7:00 p.m., a parent or guardian must walk the student to the door, and if a student needs to be picked up early, a parent or guardian must check in with a chaperone before the student leaves. Please remind your child that the Dress for Success Norms do apply. Students may buy their tickets during lunch in the student center from October 19 - 23. The discounted advance purchase price, with ASB card, is $5. Students may also buy their tickets at the door on the evening of the dance, but they will have to pay the full price of $7. Concessions will be sold during the dance, and everything will be $1. Please contact Mr. Darmanin with any questions.
Hillview Drama
Hillview Drama Presents The Tempest
Come join the Hillview players as they re-create Shakespeare's last play, The Tempest. It is a beautiful and poetic comedy of redemption and forgiveness. Full of mayhem and magic, this classic tale is widely regarded as one of the bard's absolute best. Performances will take place at the Hillview PAC on:
- Thursday, November 5, at 3:30 p.m. - This is the student - pizza performance. Tickets are only $5 for students and include a slice of pizza.
- Friday, November 6, at 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 7, at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Hillview Music
M-A Orchestra to join Hillview Orchestra in concert, October 19
Come hear the M-A Orchestra perform at the Hillview PAC tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Both ensembles will be strutting their stuff and performing one combined number. The M-A Orchestra has taken top honors for the last three years at the Prestige of Gold Heritage Music Festivals. They performed at Carnegie Hall last year and will be traveling to Washington D.C. in the Spring of 2016. Bring a friend! The concert will last 45 minutes and will be finished at 7:45 p.m.
Hillview Sports
Intramural Sports: Intramural sports continue this week with either volleyball/badminton or indoor hockey/soccer depending on PE activities. All students are invited but there will be a limit on how many may participate at once. No food or drink is permitted in the gym. Spectators are welcome to sit on the bleachers or on the stage to watch and support. All backpacks need to be stored on the bleachers or on the stage; please do not put them on the gym floor.
Girls Volleyball: Practice and games continue with 7th/8th graders on Mondays and 6th graders on Tuesdays. Game schedules and team records can be found here. This will be the fourth week of games. Flag Football: Games and practice continue this week. Games this week include: Monday, October 12: 6th/7th Blue at Corte Madera at 3:45 p.m.; Tuesday, October 20: 8th vs. Borel at Hillview; Thursday, October 22: 6th/7th Blue vs. Bowditch at Hillview at 5:00 p.m., 6th/7th Gold at Cunha at 4:00 p.m., and 8th vs. San Carlos at Hillview at 4:00 p.m.; Friday, October 23: 8th at La Entrada at 3:45 p.m. and 6th/7th Blue at La Entrada at 3:45 p.m.
After School Basketball Registration Begins: All Hillview students are invited to register for our most popular after school sport, basketball. Registration continues through Sunday, October 25. Please only register if you intend on playing. Mandatory Team Placement workouts for 6th/7th graders will take place on Saturday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 18 for 8th graders. We understand some students may not be able to attend the workouts which is not a problem as long as we are notified in advance. The student will be placed on a team, but if at all possible we would like all participants to attend the workouts. Even though registration will continue through October 25, we strongly recommend you register immediately. Teams are filling up and we have a limited number of coaches. If we do not get enough coaches we will be forced to put later registrants on a wait list.
Questions regarding these sports programs should be directed to Harry Bell at (650) 483-4049.
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Parent Education
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MPCSD Parent Education Speaker Series: Rise and Thrive with Our Girls, Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m., Hillview PACEducating girls can break cycles of poverty in just one generation, yet millions of girls aren't in school. The film Girl Rising uses storytelling to inspire action that gets girls into classrooms worldwide. Please join us in watching this groundbreaking documentary, and join a panel discussion led by Kimberly Staff, MPCSD Wellness Coordinator, with members of the new Girls Learn International Club, along with the Thrive Girls class at Hillview. Please be advised that while the movie is rated PG-13, it does deal with some difficult topics - so parents should consider whether it is appropriate for their children. You can view the trailer for the movie here. Free onsite childcare and food for adults and kids will be provided.
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| MPCSD News
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MPCSD Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee: Open Positions
The Menlo Park City School District is seeking potential candidates to fill four vacant positions on the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee: a representative of the business community within the District; a representative active in a senior citizen's organization; a representative active in a bonafide taxpayers organization; a representative who is a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District; or a representative who is a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the School District and is active in a Parent-Teacher Organization or School Site Council. One position is at large. You must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the School District. If you are interested, please submit a Letter of Interest as well as background information about yourself and the organization in which you are active to Ahmad Sheikholeslami. For more information and the full ad announcement please click here.
MPCSD Blood Drive
Most of us know someone who has had cancer. But did you know many cancer patients need blood transfusions as they undergo treatment? In the last three years, two MPCSD kids have battled cancer. This year the nephew of an Oak Knoll teacher is fighting this disease. In situations like this we can feel helpless. But we can make a difference. Not just to cancer patients but to anyone in need of blood. Each blood donation you make can help up to three people. One hour of your time and you get to make a difference in three people's lives. It is an amazing gift.
The MPCSD event will be held at the Menlo Park Center, 445 Burgess Drive, all day on Tuesday, November 3, Thursday, November 5, and Saturday November 7. The Menlo Park center is open for whole blood donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Walk-ins are welcome, but you are encouraged to make an appointment either online or by calling (650) 723 - 7831. The Blood Center accepts donors aged 17+ (or 16 with parental consent). For the full list of donor requirements, visit the Eligibility page of their main website.
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MPAEF News
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MPAEF Annual Parent Campaign Ends on November 6
To make a pledge or to donate, click here.
Your support of the MPAEF ensures that our students are taught by best-in-class-teachers, including credentialed specialists in arts and science. Your children experience innovative programs and are cared for inside and out with a focus on guidance and wellness. Here is just a taste of the what your children experience in our district when we Invest in Education...Together.
"Ms. Bennion's summer reading program motivated my sons to read every day of summer in order to write enough book reports to be invited to her party in the library at the end of the school year." -- An Oak Knoll Parent
"Not only did my daughter use the skills gained in her mini-course immediately, she worked directly with teachers, parents, and staff volunteers who were passionate about sharing their expertise." -- A Hillview Parent
"Monique Donecho brings each student into focus with her creative projects. She fosters in the students a feeling of 'try it, see if it works'." -- A Laurel Parent
"With teachers like Ashfield and the other music specialists, the MPCSD music program gives our students a blank canvas each day to manipulate ideas and to strengthen their sense of identity."
--An Encinal Parent
Read the full story on each of these MPAEF-supported specialists here. If you want to tell us what your school specialists have meant to you and your family, please email us here. We'd love to share your words with the specialists and with the greater MPCSD community.
Save the Date: Annual Gift Boutique Please save November 12 and 13 for the annual MPAEF Gift Boutique, to be held at the Allied Arts Guild! Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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Menlo-Atherton High School News
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Sequoia Union High School District Election
There is an upcoming election for three Trustees to the Sequoia Union High School District School Board. The Sequoia District includes Menlo-Atherton High School. Ballots are being mailed to residents, and must be either dropped off at designated locations or postmarked by November 3. For information on the candidates, visit here. For information on the mail in or drop off process, click here.
Menlo-Atherton 8th Grade Information Night, Wednesday, October 21
8th Grade Information Night is a wonderful opportunity for parents and students to get to know M-A. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. in Ayers Gym with a Principal's welcome and performances by our Jazz Band and Dance Team. At 6:30 p.m., groups will rotate through various sites on campus to learn more about our excellent academic programs from our teachers. M-A students will also be on hand to share their experiences.
Menlo-Atherton Campus Tours Saturday October 24
M-A Leadership students will lead informal campus tours, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please meet in front of the library. The last tour will be at 11:30 a.m.
For more information in English and Spanish, click here.
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Community News
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2015 Halloween Hoopla: The City of Menlo Park Community Services Department proudly presents the 2015 Halloween Hoopla! Come in costume and participate in the annual parade to Fremont Park starting at 11:45 a.m. on October 31. The parade will start in the Maloney Street parking lot off Santa Cruz Avenue. After the parade, from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m., trick-or-treat in downtown Menlo Park at stores that display trick-or-treat signs on their door. Entertainment, crafts, and carnival games will also be available at Fremont Park. Don't forget to pick-up your free trick or treat bag at Fremont Park while you're there! For more information, please call (650) 330-2220 or click here.
Boy Scout Troop 206 Bicycle Donations: As one of their Eagle Scout projects, Atherton's Boy Scout Troop 206 is collecting and repairing donated bikes, and redistributing them to local community members who are unable to buy them. To donate bikes, unused helmets, bike locks, and money for repair parts, email Joe or call (650) 327-6337. Girl Scout Information Night: Is your daughter interested in Girl Scouts? Come to a parent information meeting at the Encinal Elementary School Library (195 Encinal Avenue, Atherton) on Tuesday, October 27 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Troops will be forming at many area schools. Parents of girls of all ages are encouraged to attend. For more information, Amy McGaraghan or Michelle Carlson or call (800) 447-4475 ext. 3018. M-A's Challenge Day: Monday-Wednesday, October 26-28, 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Join us as a facilitator for one day for this memorable workshop that helps freshmen break down barriers and create new levels of empathy and respect. Facilitators lead students through games, activities and trust-building exercises and are guided by a professional, trained Challenge Day leader. To volunteer, email Julie Quinlan; put "Challenge Day Volunteer" in the subject line.
New All-Girls Robotics Team Forming: Does your daughter enjoy tinkering, designing, building, and programming robots in a culture that emphasizes teamwork, organizational and problem-solving skills? We are seeking girls in grades 7-12 to becoming founding members of a brand new FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team sponsored by the Girls Scouts of Northern California. Girls (and adult volunteers) of all skill and experience levels are welcome. For more information, please contact Helen Chen.
Woodside Community Theatre's Chicago, October 16-25: For the past month and a half, Woodside Community Theatre has been rehearsing their production of Chicago at Hillview during the evenings and on Saturdays in the Music Room. They have now begun their run at Woodside High School. Come out and see some of the best community theatre on the peninsula. Mr. Vaughan is performing on stage with them! For tickets and information, please click here.
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Newsletter Details
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This newsletter is published by Hillview School parent volunteers every Sunday of the school year, except for Sundays preceding a full week of vacation.
Submissions: The deadline to submit for the Sunday Hillview Newsletter is Wednesday at noon. Please email your submission to hvnewsletter@mpcsd.org. Please note that submissions may be edited for content and/or length. Submissions received after the deadline will be eligible for inclusion the following week. Submissions are eligible to run for up to two weeks.
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.
Archives: Missed an exciting edition of the Hillview Newsletter or other communications from the school? Look up past issues in our online archive.
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