Hillcrest Elementary School

Friday News

February 19, 2021

Dear Hillcrest Families,

It’s been a very quiet school vacation week here at Hillcrest, but Mr. Pete and I have been busy putting the finishing touches in place to welcome our Cohort A students back on Monday, February 22nd and our Cohort B students back on Thursday, February 24th. We have waiting spots painted on the sidewalks, all of our hand sanitizer stations are full and ready to go, and our classrooms are organized with individual desks and storage bins. Most importantly, we are ready to offer our students a warm, caring and safe learning environment!  There will be many differences in our school this year, but what remains is our community commitment to developing and maintaining strong positive relationships with all of our students and families -- those learning in-person and those learning remotely.  As we settle into our new schedules, please be patient as our typical routines will likely take longer than expected and we may not be perfectly on schedule as we coordinate in-person learning and remote learning. Patience, flexibility and a willingness to adapt will be essential.  We’re all in this together! 

Here is a review of last week’s key news items: 

• Morning Drop-Off

  • Bus students will arrive at school at 8:30 and will be greeted by a school staff member.

  • Kindergarten and first grade students arriving in a family vehicle should arrive at 8:35 for rolling drop-off in the main traffic circle.  Children should not exit the vehicle until a school staff member opens the back seat passenger side door to assist.  Children must exit the vehicle on the passenger side.  

  • Family vehicles should not join the bus line.  If you arrive before the buses, you will be asked to circle the block until all bus students have exited the buses.

  • Please do not arrive prior to 8:35 as there will be no staff available to supervise early arrivals. 

  • Kindergarten and first grade students who are walking to school should be escorted to their designated location to meet a staff member. Kindergarten will meet at the main entrance and first graders will meet at the first grade entrance along the front sidewalk near the ball fields. 

  • Preschool students should be escorted by a family member or caregiver to their designated locations to enter their classrooms at 8:45.  Preschool families should park in the Griswold Street parking lot. Please read the preschool letter you received via email to review the arrival and departure locations. 

• Afternoon Dismissal

  • Preschool students will be dismissed at 11:00 each day.  Family members and caregivers should meet their students at their designated outdoor locations.

  • Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 11:00 each day.  Family members and caregivers should meet their students in the courtyard area near the Griswold Street parking lot. 

  • Kindergarten bus students will take the bus home at 11:00.

  • First grade bus students will be escorted to the school buses at 3:10 each day and the buses will depart at 3:15.

  • First grade family members and caregivers will meet their students on the sidewalk outside the first grade wing exit door.  (the sidewalk facing the ball fields).  Family members may park in the Griswold Street parking lot or in the limited number of parking spaces in the traffic circle.  If parking in those spaces, you must be mindful of bus traffic and follow all safety guidelines.  Parking the Griswold Street parking lot is preferred. 

• Bus Transportation  - Please see the GMRS School Committee Policy on Bus Transportation: 

 File:  EEAA - WALKERS AND RIDERS

The regular transportation for day students (to and from school) includes only those students who live 1.5 miles or beyond from the school.  Application of the distance standard will be through the measurement of the distance from a student´s residence or licensed/registered Day Care Facility to his/her school over the most direct commonly travel route determined by the bus contractor.  The standard of distance is to be strictly adhered to.

Students living at or beyond the 1.5-mile reimbursement limit will be entitled to transportation to and from school twice daily during regular school day hours.  State reimbursement to the school system for transportation costs also includes identified students with special needs for whom transportation must be provided.  These students will be identified by the Director of Special Education.

The school district will provide transportation for students as follows:

Elementary (Grades K-6):  Students living at and outside 1.5 miles from school

Secondary (7-12):  Students living at and outside 1.5 miles from school

LEGAL REF.:  M.G.L. 71:68

CROSS REF.:   EEA, Student Transportation Services

School Committee Approved: September 8, 2020

• Breakfast  - Breakfast will not be served at school this year.  Students will need to eat breakfast before arriving at school each day.  On in-person school days, students will be sent home with breakfast for the next day. Families can continue to pick up meals for the rest of the week at community pick-up sites each Wednesday.  Please see gmrsd.org for more details.  

• Masks - All Hillcrest students should arrive at school wearing a mask and will be expected to wear their masks for the whole school day with the exception of mask breaks and lunch time (first grade).  Please practice mask wearing so that your child is ready to follow the mask routines. 

• Daily Health Screening - Please be sure to review the attached PDF with details about daily at-home health screening. You may also want to review the school health video that was sent home last week. Daily At Home Health Screening

PLEASE NOTE THESE IMPORTANT DATES 

• Monday, February 22nd -- First Day of In-Person Learning for Cohort A

• Thursday, February 25th -- First Day of In-Person Learning for Cohort B

• Tuesday, March 3rd -- Hillcrest School Council Meeting @ 3:30 p.m.

• Monday, March 8th -- Friends of Hillcrest Meeting @ 5:00 p.m.

• Thursday, March 18th & Friday, March 19th -- Early Release Days/Parent Conferences

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ---

Sarah Burstein

Sarah Burstein, Hillcrest Principal