Report Cards Are Coming

Hillview Site Council Meeting

Lost and Found

Emergency Drill – Canceled

Action Required

Attention all Parents of Current 6th Grade Students – Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Tdap Vaccination and NEW LAW* for Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccination. All incoming 7th grade students in the 2019-20 school year are required by law* to provide proof of a whooping cough booster, or Tdap shot (Td does not meet the requirement) AND a second Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccination. This new law is effective July 1, 2019 and required for 7th grade entry.

To avoid exclusion on the first day of school, bring an updated copy of your child’s immunization record showing proof of Tdap and a second Varicella to the school office or email a pdf to Nancy McMahon, Health Services Assistant, here.

Do not mark or highlight this record. If there is a verified medical condition against vaccination, you are required to provide the school with a licensed doctor’s written statement. The information required in this statement may be found here.

Acceptable proof of immunization includes the following and must have your child’s name, date of birth, date Tdap and 2nd Varicella was administered, and if not on medical clinic letterhead, a stamp or physician’s signature from the clinic:

• Print-out or copy of immunization record from your child’s clinic or physician’s office
• A stamped or signed copy of the yellow immunization record
• A certification of Tdap booster notice from your child’s clinic, physician’s office or pharmacy

For more information about the law and immunizations for school, visit here.

Information for 8th Grade Families

Hillview Newsletter Submissions

Wednesday, December 19, noon is the deadline for the January 6, 2019 newsletter.

Menlo Park City School District Parent Education Speaker Series

Series Continues in 2019
More amazing speakers and timely topics. Check out the event descriptions and the full schedule on our website here. 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.

Join us for our next event:”From Columbine to Parkland: Is This the New Normal?” Monday, January 14, 2019, 6:30 p.m. at the Hillview PAC. A “fireside chat” with Frank DeAngelis, former principal of Columbine High School and Erik Burmeister, MPCSD Superintendent. Mr. DeAngelis will share his experience as the principal of Columbine High School before, during, and after the 1999 tragedy. Join us for an enlightening and educational conversation about violence, guns, schools, student mental health, and more. While children are welcome at Speaker Series events, due to the content of this event, parent discretion is advised.

MPCSD Early Learning Center Registration Now Open!

Pre-registration for the 2019-2020 school year is open from November 1- February 15, 2019 for children 2.9 – 5 years old here. The Early Learning Center opened August 2018 at Laurel School lower campus. We provide a high-quality, mission-driven preschool program. MPCSD Early Learning Center nurtures young children’s curiosity, sense of wonder, belonging, and deep engagement with the world around them preparing them to develop the critical skills needed to enter kindergarten and reach their full potential. Email here or 650-324-0186 ext 8900.

Hillview ASB – Holiday Toy Drive Benefiting Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital

Hillview After-School Program

Lacrosse, offered by Matt Bond from SixFifty LacrosseSixFifty is thrilled to announce the 6th year of our Winter After-School class. Open to all students between 5th and 8th grades, this class will be held once a week on Mondays beginning December 10. Registration available here.

Winter Conditioning Program, offered by Stella Bergan, MEd, NASM CPTThe Stella Fit Winter Running Conditioning and Foundational Skills Training Program is for kids who would like to keep up their conditioning or improve their conditioning over the winter months. This program will help improve running endurance, speed, quickness, strength, and balance. We will be doing running drills on the track, along with foundational mobility, strength, and balance sets. We will meet rain or shine. More information and register here.

Homework Center and Math Clinic

Hillview Music

7/8 Orchestra Performs Holiday Concert 
Wednesday, December 12, 12:00 noon, San Francisco City Hall. For everyone who works in San Francisco or visiting for the day, come and enjoy an hour of festive music!

The Stanford Jazz Workshop Giant Steps Middle School Band Winter Concert
Thursday, December 13, 5:30 p.m., PAC. Free and open to the public. Come hear some of the peninsula’s most talented young jazz artists. Immediately followed by the La Entrada Winter Concert at 7:00 p.m.

Hillview Winter Concert
Tuesday, December 18, 7:00 p.m., PAC. Bring a neighbor and a friend! All ensembles – jazz, concert band and orchestra will be performing! There will also be two assemblies in the afternoon for the student body.

Concerto Competition
To all musicians – a local community orchestra, the new Millennium Chamber Orchestra will be holding a Concerto Competition in February. Read the flyer  here and if you have questions, ask Mr. Vaughan here.

Jean Ritchie Grant Awarded
Guest composer, Brett Strader, will come to Hillview for a three month Artist-In-Residence. He was the Music Director for Menlo Presbyterian Church before moving to the East Bay. The grant will fund Mr. Strader’s visits to Hillview to review student compositions during our Composition Unit. Mr. Strader will write two pieces expressly for the 7/8 Band and Orchestra that will be premiered at the Spring Concert in May.

Hillview After-School Sports

Dance and Cheerleading Spirit Squad
We are looking for enthusiastic students to join the team! Students will represent Hillview and learn dance and cheer techniques, stunts, sideline cheers, and pom pom routines.

• Practices: Wednesdays from 2:35 – 3:35 p.m., Fitness Room
• Dates: January 9 – March 6. No practice February 20
• Performance/Game information TBD, Register here. Registration Fee – $120

Students will attend one practice a week and perform at school events, basketball games, and at the Hillview Annual Dance Show on February 28, March 1, and March 2.

Basketball
We are excited to start our regular basketball season. Games began last week at Arrillaga Gym, 600 Alma Street, Menlo Park. Consult with your coach for game times or check here. There will be no games during winter break; games resume the week of January 14.

Hillview Service Team

A Great Month Giving Back to our Community!

Hillview students donated 300 pounds! of candy to troops through our Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Drive.

   

Students had the opportunity to bring toys to the animals at Pets in Need and tour the shelter.

   

Ten students offered companionship, conversation, and crack bingo skills to the Seniors at Lytton Gardens on our monthly bingo visit.

Join Us for the next Lytton Gardens Visit 
Wednesday, December 12, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Play bingo with Lytton Gardens residents. We have open spots – your student can sign up via the Service Team Google Classroom site.

Pets in Need
We may visit Pets in Need once more on Thursday, December 13. Interested students can sign up on Service Team Google Classroom site.

Service Team Speaker – Charles Knuckles, Director of City Teams 
An Outreach Program for homeless individuals in San Jose spoke to our students this past week. Having once been homeless himself, Charles kicked off a great discussion on what kind of actions and donations restore dignity and hygiene for his shelter residents. The kids had some great insights and are excited to begin assembly of toiletry kits this week.

Next Service Team Meeting – Toiletry Kit 
Thursday, December 13, lunchtime, PAC. We will be assembling toiletry kits at our meeting. The kits will be distributed to homeless individuals and families through City Team and Haven House. Service Team students will also learn how they can support the ASB Toy Drive for Lucille Packard and we are brainstorming on ways to help California wildfire victims.

The Service Team is grateful for your support. We look forward to finding meaningful ways for your kids to give back to their community.

MPAEF News

MPAEF-Funded Jeanie Ritchie Grant: Day of the Dead
Last month, Encinal 3rd grade and kindergarten students came together in a collaborative exploration of the culture and art of Day of the Dead. The 3rd-grade students became leaders to showcase the art of this holiday and engage their Kindergarten “buddies” in the celebration. The pilot was a big success and a great example of how our teachers are enabled to go above and beyond with your donations to MPAEF!

“Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity! It was really a unique cultural and learning experience for all the students involved!” – Esme Collier, Encinal

Do you love the Schoolhouse Rocks RUN? Enjoy working with a great team of people on a fun event? Love volunteering to support your schools? The Schoolhouse Rocks Run & Festival team is gearing up to plan another amazing event this spring and needs a few volunteers to help plan and organize the event. Interested? Email here.

December 12: Sports Basement Shopping Night

Wednesday, December 12, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Sports Basement in Redwood City. They have newly opened and are providing a great way to help you get some holiday shopping done and also to shop in the future to support our schools!

How it works:

• Join the Sports Basement Basementeer Program here. $25 annual fee waived when you sign up at the Redwood City location.
• Choose Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation as your beneficiary.
• Every time you shop – you get 10% off and 10% goes to support our schools!
• Attend our December 12 shopping night from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., and get an extra 20% off! There will be wine, beer and snacks to enjoy while shopping.

More details about December 12 here!

Here is a fun video about Sports Basement’s Basmenteer Program.

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

Left Bank Brasserie, Menlo Park here

Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Growers Association here

Tavarez Orthodontics here

Community News

Donations and Volunteers Needed for Ravenswood City School District Holiday Party
Help us make it a happier holiday for our neighbors by getting involved in the Ravenswood City School District Holiday party! We need to collect 2,500 toys and gift cards, and 400 fleece blankets by December 14. Deliver to 1231 Woodland Ave, Menlo Park. Volunteer here to set-up, pass out gifts, escort families (no children younger than middle school age) on Friday, December 14 and Saturday, December 14 or at the event on December 15 at Costaño School. Questions or ideas? Email us here or call 209-730-0535.

Peninsula Cantare Chorus Concert
Saturday, December 15, 7:30 p.m. Covenant Presbyterian Church on East Meadow. Deck the Halls! Join us for our annual holiday concert with favorites old and new. It is a truly stellar ensemble, Palo Alto-based and directed by San Jose State Choral Department Chair, Dr. Jeffrey Benson. Richard Vaughan of Hillview Middle school is part of the ensemble. More information here and tickets here.

Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory Theater Classes
945 Portola Road, Portola Valley Check out a variety of fun classes for actors ages 3 years old to high school. Classes inspire playfulness and imagination encouraging young artists to develop their own creativity through acting and musical theatre. Register online here for the winter session, which begins week of January 14.

Menlo-Atherton Little League 2019 Spring Season Registration Open
M-ALL is offering many divisions to players age 5 to 14. Also registering youth umpires age 12 to 17. M-ALL also offers a Challenger Division for special needs players age 6 to 18. If you are a returning family please use your existing email to log in here. Questions, email here

Palo Alto Babe Ruth Baseball Prep Season Registration Open Prep Season is a developmental league designed to help younger players develop their skills on the full-sized diamond and prepare for our 15U Season. The Prep League season runs March to May and is open to all 7th- and 8th-grade students, as well as any high-school student not on a high-school baseball roster. Registration closes February 15, but $400 early-bird pricing ends January 15! For more information, visit our website here or contact Chris Lillios here.

College Admissions: M-A Parent Education Series Wednesday, January 16, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., M-A Performing Arts Center. What has changed in college admission over the past 20 years? And what has not changed? Join Alice Kleeman, former M-A College Advisor, and Angel Pérez, PhD, Vice President of Trinity College, for a lively conversation around college admission, from both sides of the desk. Parents, students, educators and community members welcome. Information and free tickets here.

PALY Journalism Camp If you have a rising 8th- or 9th-grade student interested in journalism, check out Palo Alto High School Camp MAC here, a week-long summer program teaching the basics of reporting and journalistic writing in the state of the art Media Arts Center. Sign up before March 1 to receive $20 off the total cost! More info and sign up here.

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!