Thank You for Your Donations

To everyone who participated in the One Community Campaign, we had a wonderful showing and appreciate your support for our kids and our schools.
PTO fundraising is complete. MPAEF fundraising continues through the rest of the school year. If you have not had a chance to donate or pledge, or would like to increase your donation, there is still time to donate here.

Official results will be published after the many corporate matches and other generous company donations are received. Thanks again to this wonderful community for coming together to invest in our children’s future.

Double Your Impact with Corporate Match

Did you know that most employers will match your donation to the PTO and the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? Free money to support your child’s e

ducation is awesome, and it only takes a few minutes of your time to make it happen. If you’ve
already donated, contact your company HR department or visit the Matching Gift Search
here to see how easy it is to double your impact. And if you haven’t donated, what are you waiting for? Visit here to make your donation of $250/student to the PTO and $1,500/student to the MPAEF today, then submit your corporate match!
Need a tax receipt before November from the PTO for your corporate match? Email here.

Earthquake Preparedness Drill

Thursday, October 18 at 10:18 a.m. This marks the Great California Shakeout, a statewide day to prepare for earthquakes. We will be holding an earthquake drill along with the rest of the state to practice one of our most important emergency drills. It will be a quick but important run-through to ensure our staff and students are well-equipped to deal with an actual earthquake.

Parent / Teacher/ Student Conferences

Tuesday, October 16 – Friday, October 19, afternoons. Specific information about how to sign up for a parent conference has been sent via email, including the link to sign up for conferences. Our online conference scheduler has been open to all parents since Tuesday, October 9.

Minimum Days – Students Dismissed 11:45 a.m.

Tuesday, October 16 – Friday, October 19 are conference days and therefore will be minimum days for students with dismissal at 11:45. (Monday, October 15 is a regular day with 3:05 p.m. dismissal.) On minimum days:
  • SamTrans morning routes will run as usually scheduled
  • MPCSD yellow bus will run each day, leaving Hillview at 11:50 p.m. on minimum days
  • NO SamTrans buses after school on minimum days
  • NO after-school classes – no enrichment classes, no homework center, and no math clinic on minimum days

Hillview Basketball Volunteer Coaching Positions

We want to fill the coaching positions before registration begins in a couple of weeks. For a fulfilling experience, consider donating your time and passion for basketball to your students. We are excited for a great season of girls and boys basketball. Contact Huck Hunt, athletic director here.

Ways To Show The LOVE Towards Our Wonderful Staff

Conferences are coming this week, Tuesday, October 16 – Friday, October 19. During this time our PTO and families would like to support our teachers by providing daily treats, breakfast, or lunch. If you would like to help out, see here.

The 2018-19 Student-Family Directory

The online directory has been updated with the current year registration information and class lists. Access the directory here.

Your username and password remain the same if you have registered in previous years. New users should register on the sign-in page using the email address that you used to register with the district. You will receive a verification link and be able to set a password for access. Your directory account is currently independent from the district login accounts and requires a separate login. Once signed in, you can search for student or parent/guardian names and view class lists. The directory is also mobile-browser friendly. You can add its icon to your home screen on both iOS and Android devices.

If you have trouble accessing the directory or see any information that needs to be corrected or have suggestions and/or feedback, email here. Any changes of physical addresses need to be verified by the District Registrar first.

 
Dine Out for Lunch and Dinner – Raise Money for Our Schools
Looking for an excuse to eat out? MPAEF can help! On Tuesday, October 16 – Thursday, October 18 and December 5 – 6, when you eat out (or take out) at participating restaurants in Menlo Park, Redwood City, and Palo Alto – they will donate 6-20% of proceeds to MPAEF. It’s a win-win for everyone! Here is a list of participating restaurants.
Buy Your Kids’ Halloween Costumes and Earn Free Money for School!
You can purchase costumes this year while also giving money back to your school! The MPAEF has partnered with retailers such as Target and Amazon to bring you a wide selection of awesome kids and adult costumes, while also giving back up to 8% of all purchases to the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation to support our schools. It’s FREE MONEY on products you would buy anyway. Visit the link here to reach the retailer of your choice. Only spooky detail is that you need to use this link to get the % back, going direct to the site will not reward us. Thanks for shopping at your favorite places while also doing good for our kids!
Thank You

We want to take the opportunity to show our appreciation for our business and realtor partners in the community. Thank you for your support!

Platinum

Mary and Brent Gullixson, Alain Pinel Realtors here

Gold

Cameron L. Aboudara DDS MS, Orthodontics for Children and Adults here

Dulcy Freeman, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realtor here

Hessler Plastic Surgery here

Keri Nicholas, Alain Pinel Realtors here

Left Bank Brasserie, Menlo Park here

Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Growers Association here

Open Position – School Board Finance and Audit Committee

Applications due by Friday, October 19, 2018. The Menlo Park City School District Board of Education is seeking one volunteer community member to serve on the School Board Finance and Audit Committee. The committee was established in 2012 to facilitate public understanding of the district’s financial reporting process and to assist staff in the delivery of timely, clear and reliable financial information to the public. The committee will review and analyze multi-year projection assumptions, can provide input on strategic decisions regarding fiscal health i.e., bonding decisions, long-term economic uncertainty reserve, retiree actuarial report, etc., and on an annual basis, review the audit with an independent auditor. For more information on the mandate and bylaws, click here.

The committee meets 5 – 7 times per year, usually Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Menlo Park City School District Office. Interested in this position? Submit a letter of interest, resume, as well as, background information about yourself as it relates to the position to: Menlo Park City School District, Superintendent’s Office, Attention: Lanita Villasenor, 181 Encinal Ave., Atherton, CA 94027 or you may email your information here.

Join Superintendent Burmeister for Sup & Sandwich

Friday, October 19, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma St., Menlo Park. Superintendent Burmeister invites the community to join him for conversation about our school district over a casual lunch. Erik will host his first Sup & Sandwich event. Assorted sandwiches will be provided for those who RSVP by October 15. You can RSVP here.

 

After-School Math Clinic at Hillview

Help and support in math are available at Hillview Math Clinic! Several Hillview math teachers run the Math Clinic each week, Monday through Thursday in the library conference room. Students can drop in with quick questions, sit down to start and finish homework, or get help with material learned in class. It is individual math help for individual math students. Come one day or all days. Come for part of the time or the whole time. Math Clinic is here to help!
  • Mondays and Tuesdays | 3:20 – 4:45 p.m.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays | 2:45 – 4:30 p.m.
*After-school bus is available for students who need transportation.

Personal Electronics

A reminder to students that personal electronics of all kinds, including AirPods, wireless earbuds, smartwatches, phones, etcetera, should be off and put away during the school day. We want our students to be interacting with each other and building social skills in person while they are at school.

Time to Order Hot Lunch

The LunchMaster menu is ready for October orders here! Place a reminder on your calendar -Order Lunchmaster, 4th week of the month.

Hillview Lunchtime Clubs

Monday

 

Book Squad | Mrs. Piombo | Mondays

Classical Musicals Club | Mr. Vaughan | Mondays

Drawing Club | Mrs. Kogan | Mondays

Math Club | Mrs. Dutta | Monday (every other)

Moe’s Kitchen Business Club | Mr. Darmanin | Mondays

Tuesday

Quiz Bowl | Ms. Kayton | Tuesdays

Spanish Club | Mrs. Marchal | Tuesdays

Wednesday

Club Fergie | Officer Mary Ferguson | 1st Wednesday

French Culture | Madame Kingsley | Wednesdays

Thursday

Cheer Dance | Mrs. DeAnda | Thursdays (beginning January)

Chess Club | Mr. Sullivan | Thursdays

Club 41 | Ms. Ellis | Thursdays

Community Service | Ms. Batiste, Mrs. Goldman, Ms. Lang | Thursday (every other)

Cooking Club | Mr. Coscia | Thursdays

Drama Tech Club | Mr. Hairston | Thursdays

WE Club | Mrs. Schlegel | Thursdays

Friday

Book Club | Mrs. Mathenia | Friday (every other)

Maker Space | Ms. Kogan | Fridays

Science Rocks | Ms. Ritter, Mr. Espinoza | (October-January)

Technology-Free at Brunch and Lunch

This new policy restricts the use of smartphones, cell phones, iPads, tablets, Apple watches, gizmos, etc. Fitbits are allowed, since these cannot send messages or access social media.

Hillview Library

Thank You for Donations!

We appreciate you for donating gently used books at Back to School Night. We collected nearly 100 books! We are still collecting books. Send any gently used books to the library. They will be distributed to the classroom to update the classroom libraries.

Looking for a Great Book 

You or your students can find books to read on our library website, we have lists! Take a look here. And Ms. Piombo and Mrs. Mathenia LOVE helping kids find books, so we hope to see them in the library if they need recommendations.

Mature Content and Language

The Hillview Library offers books with more mature content and language in the Teen section of the library.

  • 8th-grade students automatically have access to Teen section unless parents opt out their students. You can opt out with the form here.
  • 7th-grade students can access the Teen section with the permission slip here.
  • 6th-grade students have access to Teen books title by title with parent signature on the form here.
If you have any questions, contact Tracy Piombo here or Aimee Mathenia here.

Medication at School

  • If your child requires any medication at school, including over-the-counter medication, authorization from your child’s health care provider is required.
  • If your child carries medication at any time during the school year, medication authorization is required.
  • If you received forms in the mail in June 2018 and you have not brought your completed paperwork and medications to the school office, please do so immediately. Medications should expire in June 2019 or later.
  • If your child no longer requires medication at school, you must indicate so in writing to Nancy McMahon here.
  • Forms may be printed from the district website here or email Nancy McMahon here for the necessary forms.

8th-Grade Students and Parents

Menlo-Atherton High School is presenting “Get-to-Know-M-A Programs” for prospective M-A students and their parents to learn about the school. Here are important dates and information.

MPCSD Parent Education Speaker Series

2018 – 2019 Events 
Experts discuss relevant issues like math mindsets, anxiety, school violence, smartphones, social media, compassion, mental health, and puberty. Speakers include Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn CEO,) Frank DeAngelis (former principal of Columbine High School,) Jo Boaler (Stanford professor of math education,) and many others.
All events are free to the public and held at the Hillview PAC. Free onsite childcare and pizza are available for potty-trained children. Light snacks and beverages will be provided for attendees.

Hillview Academy Support Program

We are looking for parent volunteers for the 2018-19 Hillview Academy Support Program! Sign up to be part of the Academy Support Team – a group of parents who help with academy activities and events – or volunteer as the Academy Lead Parent – the middle-school version of a room parent, but with fewer events and less work. To volunteer for the 2018-19 school year, sign up here. For questions contact Gina here or Ashley here.

Hillview ASB

Food Drive Benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank

October 15 until November 1, 8:00 – 8:20 a.m., in the PAC lobby or anytime during school hours in the school office. Place cans in a clearly marked bag for 6th, 7th, or 8th grade (so we can award spirit points.)
The most needed items are canned tuna, chicken, or salmon, peanut butter, meals in a can (like soup, stew, and chili,) low sodium canned vegetables, and cereal boxes. We will not be accepting any items packaged in glass, rice, or any candy or sweetened drinks.
Our goal this year is 3500 items! CAN we do it? This is a great cause and a friendly spirit competition between 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students. Thank you for your help in this annual tradition where our Hillview community typically places among the leaders in the Bay Area and has been awarded Bronze and Silver status for our generosity every year since 2006. For more information, visit the Second Harvest Food Bank here.

Hillview After-School Program

The information below is a correction from last week. There’s still time to register your student for an after-school course before fall programs begin!

The PTO is excited to offer a variety of fun and enriching after-school programs. Click on the links below to find out more information on each program, including class registration and pricing information.

Fall 2018 After-School Programs
Starfire Coding – Python Level I here Mondays
Starfire Coding – Python Level II here Mondays
Starfire Coding – Advanced Python here Mondays
LaCrosse offered by SixFifty LaCrosse here Mondays
Cross Country offered by Stella Bergan here Mondays and Wednesdays
Speech / Debate offered by Coach Brier Buchalter  here Tuesdays
Chorus Club with Mr. Vaughan Tuesdays and Thursdays
Bay Area Chess (will not be offered this Fall)
Mandarin offered by Hwa Shin Chinese School here Wednesdays
Writing Workouts offered by Omega Teaching here Wednesdays and Thursdays
Cooking with Junior Chef Stars here Thursdays

Contact Jamey Hawkins, ASP Coordinator, here for questions.

Homework Center and Math Clinic

Homework Center
  • Drop in homework space each day after school, Monday – Thursday
  • Monday – Tuesday:  3:20 – 4:45 p.m. and Wednesday – Thursday:  2:45 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Teacher in charge – Phil Eaton, email here
  • Located in main part of library
  • Students bring their own work each day and are self-directed
  • Students sign in each day so there is an attendance record
Math Clinic:
  • Math focused homework help and/or re-teaching, Monday – Thursday
  • Monday – Tuesday, 3:20 – 4:45 p.m. and Wednesday – Thursday,  2:45 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Located in a small library conference room
  • Teachers
    • Mondays: Ms. Park
    • Tuesdays:  Ms. Donahoe
    • Wednesdays: Mrs. Dutta
    • Thursdays: Ms. Donahoe

The Homework Center bus, will begin on Tuesday, September 4. See the schedule here.

Hillview Music

Hillview After-School Chorus
Come sing with us! Tuesdays 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. and Thursdays 2:40 – 3:40 p.m. for an hour after school. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to come the week after conferences. The Hillview Chorus is actively seeking new members. If you like to sing, come on by! Just want to stop by and try it out? No problem! It is a fun group and we will also be going to Disneyland with the Band and Orchestra in the Spring. Chorus is open to all grade levels 6 – 8.
Special Preview of My Fair Lady – Free to Hillview Students
Thursday, October 25, time TBA, at Woodside Community Theater
A wonderful production, with elegant costumes, a 26-piece orchestra, and an incredible cast. Mr. Vaughan and Ms. Connelly, who taught science and Spanish last year at Hillview, are in the cast. We have been rehearsing at Hillview since August. As a show of appreciation for letting the company use our great facilities, they have offered a free preview performance to all Hillview students. Bring your Hillview ID. Accompanying adults are asked to make a $15 donation. More information and general ticket information here.
Fun Music Facts – Did You Know?
Music provides all of these 21st-century skills:
  • Creativity – Students learn to think about problems from a variety of viewpoints and increase their problem-solving skills.
  • Collaboration – Through working together to create a finished product, students learn to incorporate different approaches and to leverage individual strengths for a higher-quality outcome.
  • Confidence – Through consistent performance for their peers and for audiences, music study helps students develop greater confidence in themselves and their abilities.
  • Critical Thinking – Through the creative process, students strengthen their skills in synthesizing and evaluating information, and apply these skills to changing their assumptions and actions.
Keep your student involved in music! Music is a life skill!

Hillview Sports

Basketball Season Coming Up
Girls and Boys Basketball registration will open on Sportability here on Monday, October 22 through November 1. Evaluations and team selection will take place:
  • Saturday, November 10 for Boys Basketball
  • Sunday, November 11 for Girls Basketball

Be sure to sign up when registration opens and be ready for league games to start the week of December 3.

Hillview sports emphasizes player participation, safe and fair play, and overall fun.
Volleyball  
Mandatory workouts starting Wednesday, September 5. Times will be 6th grade, 3:30 – 4:50 p.m., 7th grade, 5:00 – 6:20 p.m., and 8th grade, 6:30 – 7:50 p.m.
Players will be put through drills, including hitting, setting, and serving. They will be observed and evaluated by the coaches. Teams will be chosen by the coaches in a separate meeting, ensuring even distribution among teams. Practices will be at Hillview Gym with specific time information to be announced. Games will be played at the Arrillaga Family Gymnasium.
Flag Football
Players will be assigned to a team at the first practice on Thursday, September 6, at 3:15 p.m., Hillview Field. Home games will be played at Hillview and away games at surrounding area school sites.

Hillview Service Team

Next Meeting, Thursday, October 11, lunchtime, PAC. This week we will make dog and cat toys to deliver on two separate after-school field trip opportunities. All students interested in volunteering at Pets in Need should come to the next meeting and join the Service Team Google classroom to hear about upcoming opportunities. Last week we had close to 100 students attend our lunchtime presentation from Pets in Need! Students learned about rescues, how a “no kill” animal shelter like Pets in Need is run, and even met some of the shelter pups!

 

Parent Volunteer Opportunity

Are you a parent interested in supporting or leading one of our service team projects or chaperoning an after-school outing? Email here to find an opportunity that fits into your schedule.

Community News

Object Empowerment Workshop for Young Girls: Robotics in Food  Saturday, October 20, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., 1845 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Join us for a workshop with Julia Collins, the President and Co-Founder of Zume Pizza, a company using robots and humans to make the freshest pizzas. Julia will talk about the restaurant industry, robotics, and the role of confidence in her success. Girls can sign up here. This event is organized by Object which is focused on promoting self-image, confidence, and self-esteem in young girls.

Summer 2019 Italy Trip  Hillview Social Studies teachers Marianne Santo and Mike Rogers will be taking students and parents on an educational tour to Italy during summer break June 2019. Email Ms. Santo and Mr. Rogers here. There are a limited number of spots available and registration ends soon! (Be advised, this trip is not sponsored by Hillview Middle School or by Menlo Park City School District.)

 

Square Dancing  Sundays, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Ladera Community Church, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Stanford Quads square dance club welcomes singles, couples, and families with children ages 10 and older. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Not affiliated with either Stanford University or the church. Free introductory class October 14 at 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Sign up for our weekly class. Information is available here or the flyer here.

 

Adopt a Teacher Needs Your Support  Make a difference in a teacher’s life and impact students by “adopting” a K-8 teacher in East Palo Alto or eastern Menlo Park for a school year. Provide encouraging notes and/or small gifts or appreciation, school supplies, and possibly help with classroom parties. Financial commitment, approximately $500. Time commitment is very flexible. Fun and easy to adopt a teacher with a few friends. Sign up with Jazmin Sosa here or contact Sharon Purcell here.

 

TIDE  Academy Informational Meeting Thursday, October 18, 6:30 p.m., Sequoia Union High School District Office. The first public high school within the Peninsula to focus on training students to be the future of Silicon Valley. Curriculum is STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) with project-based and interdisciplinary learning as a focal point. TIDE Academy opens in August 2019 and will start with the founding class of about 100 ninth-grade students. Located at150 Jefferson Drive, Menlo Park. Additional information here. We look forward to seeing you.

 

“‘Say What?’ The Power of Communication in Raising Healthy, Engaged Kids,” Friday, November 2, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m., Stanford University, Memorial Auditorium, 551 Serra Mall. Challenge Success 15th Annual Parent Education Event. Dr. Wendy Mogel, acclaimed speaker and author, will join Dr. Madeline Levine and Dr. Denise Pope for an evening of education, conversation, and inspiration about the power of communication to strengthen family relationships and support our kids to be healthy and engaged with learning. Dr. Mogel will share tips for communicating with children and teens at each age and stage from her new book, Voice Lessons for Parents: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Listen. Tickets are available on the Challenge Success website here.

 

California Ballot Propositions: Pros and Cons  Presented by the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County, a non-partisan organization, which helps to educate community members on Candidates running for election and on the Propositions that will be voted on November 6, 2018. Ballot Propositions will be also discussed.

  • Tuesday, October 16, 1:00 p.m., Little House, 800 Middle Avenue, Menlo Park
  • Saturday, October 20, 2:30 p.m., Belle Haven Library, 413 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park

See the Menlo Park City Council Candidate Forum on Wednesday, October 17, 7:30 – 8:00 p.m., Belle Haven Library.

For the future and to help to save our planet: Go Paperless for Announcements

If you did not get a chance to go paperless yet and would like to save time and MPCSD money, please use this link to request your household receives only digital copies of announcements from the Hillview Office. This includes the Summer Mailer so keep an eye on your Inbox!

Calendar

Full Year Calendar

Click here to see Hillview dates for the year.

 

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