Friday News April 3, 2020
Hillcrest Elementary School
Friday News
April 3, 2020
Dear Hillcrest Families,
Another week of social distancing while learning and working from home has passed. In that time, I am sure we have all experienced a wide range of what we call “big feelings” here at Hillcrest. Big feelings can be positive, negative and even in-between. Your Hillcrest student may have even talked with you about the different Zones of Regulation and may have mentioned feeling in the Green, Yellow, Blue or Red zones. Whatever vocabulary you may use to describe your emotions, I am sure we have all experienced a whole lot of feelings as we learn to find our way in this new normal.
Today, I had the opportunity to help out with lunch delivery at several sites in our district and I was overwhelmed with one very big and very positive feeling: Gratitude! Having the chance to connect with many of our students and their families (from an appropriate social distance, while wearing a mask and gloves) was so wonderful. In this time when we are all apart, seeing a familiar face is such a gift! I hope that each of you has some opportunities to connect in a safe and socially distant way with the important people in your life. Whether you visit with a grandparent through FaceTime, send a card in the mail to a classmate, or make an old-fashioned telephone call to say hello to your next door neighbor, the chance to connect is incredibly powerful! And, it certainly helps all of us to feel gratitude for the people in our families and our communities.
A Hillcrest family expressed their gratitude in the sweetest way today by making handmade Thank You Notes for the cafeteria staff who have been making breakfast and lunch for community delivery. These colorful notes will bring such cheer to everyone involved in the school meals program. So, a big thank you goes right back out to our students for that simple act of kindness. Gratitude grows more gratitude!
As we look ahead to more time apart, I want to be sure to continually express my appreciation for the kindness and dedication within our Hillcrest community. Hillcrest staff members have been working hard to keep in touch with all of our students and to share learning resources and activities. Hillcrest families have been replying to emails and phone calls and keeping us updated on how things are going at home. At this point, each Hillcrest family should have received multiple emails and/or telephone calls from school staff. If for some reason you have not heard from us, I urge you to call the main office at 863-7400 and leave us a message. We really want to hear from you so that we can keep our connections strong!
Wishing you good health --
Sarah Burstein, Principal