Friday News - April 2, 2021

Friday, April 2, 2021


 

Hillcrest Elementary School

Friday News

April 2, 2021

Dear Hillcrest Families,

April has arrived and we are all gearing up for our return to full-time in-person learning on April 5th. This is a big transition for everyone and we’ve been busy here at school getting ready to welcome more students and while maintaining all of our critical safety protocols.  If you’ve been at school this week, you have probably noticed the addition of more outdoor line-up spots and the arrival of three giant tents on our school grounds. These are just a few of the key changes that we’re putting in place to accommodate the transition.  We’re ready for Monday and we’re looking forward to seeing your children here at Hillcrest! 

Some important news items for the week: 

  • Our arrival and dismissal routines are likely to take a bit longer than usual when we return next week.  Please be patient and please remember to observe all of the safety guidelines as you drive in our driveways and parking lots.  Please remember to stay in the pick-up lane, pay careful attention to the bus stop signs, and take extra care as you enter and exit parking spots.  

  • Some key points to help rolling drop-off for kindergarten and first grade function more smoothly:

    • Please stay in your vehicle.

    • Your child should stay in your vehicle until a staff member is free to provide assistance.

    • Please remember that your child must exit the vehicle on the passenger’s side. If this is not possible, please park your car and walk your child to the sidewalk.

    • Your child should be wearing their mask before they exit the vehicle.

    • Please be patient and know that if the line is moving slowly it’s because we are taking the time to ensure that each child arrives safely.  

  • Next week, our specialist teachers (Art, Library, Music, PE and Science) wll be teaching our K &  1 students in-person here at Hillcrest.  Most of those classes will take place in our tents, so it’s important that your child has appropriate layers for the cooler weather. 

  • And, every child needs to wear sneakers on PE days.  PE will take place outdoors in the field, so sneakers are essential. 

  • Next week’s schedule could be a bit confusing because right in the middle of our return to full-time in-person learning, we have a scheduled Early Release In-Service Day.  That means that our kindergarten and first grade students will be dismissed at Noon on Wednesday, April 7th. Our preschoolers will be dismissed at their regular dismissal time of 11:30.  

  • Looking for a part-time job? We are looking for two Lunch Monitors here at Hillcrest Elementary School.  The hours are 11:00 - 1:00, Monday through Friday. For more information, please check the posting on our district website: http://www.gmrsd.org/welcome-gmrsd/departments/human-resources. Or call me directly at 863-7400. 

  • Another job opportunity exists at F.M. Kuzmeskus, the company that provides school bus transportation in our district.  Please call Kuzmeskus at 413-863-9525 for more details. 

  • With April Vacation Week approaching, I am excited to announce a free enrichment program sponsored by our district and located at Sheffield Elementary School. Please check out the details here:  Little Scholars Spring Break Camp. You can also check out the attached flyer. 

  • Our Remote Only students have been sent invitations to join their new Google Classrooms.  Our Remote Only First Graders have been invited to “Remote First Grade” and our Remote Only Kindergarten Students have been invited to “Ms Aronstam’s Remote Classroom.” It’s a good idea to practice logging into this classroom before class begins on Monday. Your child should use their regular Google login and password to access their new classroom. 

PLEASE NOTE THESE IMPORTANT DATES

  • Monday, April 5th -- Return to In-Person Learning -- 5 days a week

  • Tuesday, April 6th -- Hillcrest School Council Meeting @ 3:30

  • Wednesday, April 7th -- Early Release Day/Teacher In-Service

  • Wednesday, April 7th @ 6:30 -- Kindergarten Q & A via Zoom (more details to follow)

  • Monday, April 12th -- Friends of Hillcrest Meeting @ 5:00

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ---

Sarah Burstein

Sarah Burstein, Hillcrest Principal