Hillcrest Newsletter
December 2023
Embracing the Magic of December
As we approach the end of the year, December brings with it a sense of wonder, joy, and excitement. As we enter this festive month, our elementary school is buzzing with excitement as we prepare for a spectacular showcase of talent and holiday spirit – our annual December Concerts! The stage is set and our students are eager to spread joy through music and performance.
Important Concert Details:
Hillcrest Singers Winter Concert
Date: Monday, December 18
Time: 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
Location: Heyde Center
Hillcrest Christmas Concerts
Date: Friday, December 22
K-2 - Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Enter and exit through Door 6 (gym air lock entry)
3-5 - Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Enter and exit through Door 6 (gym air lock entry)
If you’d like to take your child(ren) after these concerts, please complete the release form that will be sent home with your child(ren) and return it to school. If not returned, you will need to meet your child at the office to sign them out.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our music teacher, Ms. Delveaux, and all of our staff who have worked tirelessly to make these events possible. Their dedication to nurturing the musical talents of our students is truly commendable, and we can't wait to see the results of their hard work on stage.
Let the countdown to our December Concerts begin! We look forward to celebrating the season with you in musical harmony and festive joy.
Warm Holiday Wishes,
Mrs. Hebert
Dates to Remember
December 4: PTO Meeting
December 11: HC Singers Tour
December 15: 5th Grade Volleyball Tournament @ 9 a.m. @ Southview (Dec. 18 make-up date)
December 18: HC Singers Concert
December 22: HC Christmas Concert (all grades)
December 25-January 2: No School, Winter Break
January 5: Chi-Hi Wire Choir @ HC
January 19: No School
February 29: 2nd/3rd Grade Concerts
February 23: No School
March 5 & 7: Hillcrest Parent-Teacher Conferences
March 11-15: Spring Break
March 29: No School, Easter Break
April 1: No School
May 2: 4th/5th Grade Concerts
May 9: 1st Grade Grandparents Day, Kindergarten Spring Sing
May 21: 5th Grade Track & Field (May 23 rain date)
May 27: No School, Memorial Day
May 30: Last Day of School!
PTO Holiday Store Donations Wanted
The Holiday Store is an annual school-wide event and a student favorite! PTO is collecting donations now through December 13th!
Looking for:
- NEW socks/slippers, tools, lotions, soaps, candles, bath bombs, stationary, kitchen items, scarves and mittens.
- NEW or GENTLY USED: coffee mugs, ornaments, household decor, sports items, hobby & crafting items, jewelry, books
- ALSO ACCEPTING: Holiday gift bags, tissue paper, candy canes, hot cocoa packets and tape
Place donations in the clearly marked bins outside the Hillcrest Library.
Each December, every student will shop through donated items for two gifts for important grown ups in their lives. This event is hosted by the Hillcrest PTO and is entirely donation and volunteer based. Any money raised goes back to the PTO and Hillcrest Elementary.
This year’s store will be held December 14 & 15. Students are encouraged to bring a $2 (or more) donation, but please note that every child will get the opportunity to choose two items regardless of donation.
Hillcrest Christmas Concert
The Christmas concerts will be held on Friday, December 22. Families are welcome to attend. Please use the gym doors (Door #6) to enter.
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students will perform at the 9:00 a.m. concert. Doors will open at 8:45 a.m.
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will perform at 1:00 p.m. in the gymnasium. Doors will open at 12:45 p.m.
The Hillcrest Singers extra-curricular choir will also perform during the afternoon concert
Each performance will last approximately 1 hour. Students will perform 2 songs per grade level under the direction of Ms. Delveaux, music teacher.
*The concerts will also be live streamed for our families that can't attend.*
- Go to cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
- Click the video camera icon up in the toolbar at the very top of the page
- Scroll down to select “Hillcrest Elementary”
- The event that is currently live streaming will be the first window open (otherwise click on “High Res” or “Low Res”)
- Push play and enjoy
- The concert will record, so you will be able to watch it later on
Hillcrest Singers Upcoming Events
Hillcrest Singers Tour - December 11
The Hillcrest Singers and Southview Singers will embark on a journey around Chippewa Falls and the surrounding community as they share their music with all who listen. Students in the choir will travel by bus to different locations around Chippewa Falls, including Irvine Park for some Christmas Caroling. The singers are excited to spread Christmas cheer and get into the holiday spirit with some Christmas songs!
Hillcrest Singers Winter Concert @ the Heyde Center - December 18
Come see the Hillcrest Singers perform their winter concert held at Chippewa’s beautiful performing arts center, the Heyde Center. The 3rd-5th grade students from Hillcrest Elementary School are excited to share with you their music from movies & Broadway. They will be performing with the Southview Singers as well.
You don’t want to miss this great concert! Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Concert is at 7pm, tickets are free (freewill offering option to donate to the Heyde Center)
5th Grade Volleyball Tournament
The 5th grade volleyball tournament will be held on Friday, December 15 at 9:30 a.m. at Southview Elementary School. Students will eat at Southview that day. Parents are welcome to attend.
If school is closed that day, the makeup date is Monday, December 18.
Yearbook Cover Winner
Congratulations to 5th grade student, Kendra Vavra, for winning the yearbook cover contest! All of our 5th graders worked hard creating a yearbook cover submission. Students and staff members then voted for the winner!
Lost & Found
We will be donating Lost and Found items on December 22 at the end of the day as we are overflowing with items. Please feel free to stop in and take a look for anything that you are missing. It's right inside the library!
Veterans Day Ceremony
Helicopter Landed Near Hillcrest!
On November 30, high school students & district representatives met with the Wisconsin Air National Guard to discuss the possibility of a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Program (JROTC). Members of the Air National Guard arrived in a Blackhawk helicopter on the grassy area by Hillcrest.
Hillcrest Happenings
Hillcrest Happenings is produced by 5th grade students, along with Mrs. Kjelstad and Mrs. Vergin. The news crew has both behind the scenes and on-screen roles. The behind the scenes roles include set design, script writer and teleprompter. The on-screen roles include the anchor and special reporters.
Hillcrest PTO Meeting
PTO Meeting Monday, December 4 at 6 p.m. in the Hillcrest Library
Sign up here for PTO emails and volunteering opportunities.
From the Nurse
From the Nurse
Just a friendly reminder as it is that time of year where viral and bacterial illnesses are on the rise and we are in cold and flu season. Please help remind your children to cover their coughs/sneeze into an elbow, Kleenex, or sleeve. Wash hands often! If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Handwashing is always the preferred method, but if unable use hand sanitizer until you are able to wash with soap and water.
Follow these steps:
Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
WINTER HEALTH TIPS
Exposure to cold can lead to injury or serious illness such as frostbite or hypothermia.
Follow these tips to keep your children safe in cold weather:
Dress your children appropriately before coming to school. The air temperature does not have to be below freezing for your child to experience cold emergencies such as hypothermia or frostbite. Wind speed can create dangerously cold conditions even when the temperature is not that low.
Dress your child in layers so they can adjust to changing conditions from indoors to outdoors.
Most of your child’s body heat is lost through their head, so they should wear a hat, preferably one that covers their ears.
Mittens provide more warmth to a child’s hands than gloves.
Your child should wear waterproof, insulated boots to help avoid hypothermia or frostbite by keeping their feet warm and dry and to maintain their footing in ice and snow.
Pants/Underwear Needed in Health Office
The health office is in desperate need of pants (Sizes 5-8) and underwear (Size 5-8 OR size small/medium if you have any to donate!
If we borrowed clothes to your child, please wash and return them as soon as possible!
Thank you!
From the Chiropractor
December - the month of gifts, but some of the best gifts can’t be wrapped or put under the tree.
One of the best gifts you can give someone is not a physical gift, but the gift of your time, your attention, and a listening ear. We all know how great we feel when we are truly seen and heard. Probably everyone on your Christmas list would love receiving this type of gift!
Chiropractic care can help with attention and focus by “turning on” the nervous system. When spinal bones are misaligned it puts pressure on the nerves running along the spine (the central nervous system). A chiropractic adjustment helps to remove the interference, allowing the nerves to carry messages to the brain as they are supposed to.
Did you know that you can sign your child up for chiropractic care at any point during the school year? They didn’t need to start back in September - any day is a good day to start taking care of their nervous system. If you have any questions contact us at onsitechiroinfo@gmail.com and have a wonderful holiday season!
Parent Communication
Parents/Guardians should set up an Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
Gives You Access To:
- attendance
- report cards
- schedules
- homework assignments
- pay fees/lunch
If you are a split household, you can have two accounts.
Please keep your information updated in case of emergency! You can update your address, phone numbers, email addresses in Infinite Campus.
Need help? Call our help desk at 715-726-2413 for assistance.
Treats in the Classroom
Treats brought in to school should be:
- store bought with a clear nutrition label
- be mindful about choosing treats that may contain tree nuts and/or peanuts (can ask teacher or health office if classroom is nut free)
Why?
- certain students and staff with health conditions that may require dietary accommodations
- important that they are able to review a food's nutrition label before choosing to omit or consume certain foods.
Office Procedures
Arriving Late?
- Parents do not need to enter school
- Students report to the office to sign in
- Call or email Ms. Heidi if running late or have appointment
Picking up early?
- Call the office beforehand
- Guardian will need to come into the office to sign out
Keeping Your Child Home?
- Call the Main Office before 8:45 a.m. or an automated dialer will be sent out. If you do not call in, your child will be marked unexcused.
- Please let the office know and don't rely on the teacher to relay the message
715-726-2405 or email solinhm@chipfalls.org to report absences.
Breakfast/Lunch
Meal prices for 2023/2024
Elementary Breakfast: $0.35
Elementary Lunch: $2.25
**If you qualify for free or reduced price lunches there is no charge for breakfast or lunch.
**You can use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal to put money onto your child's lunch account or you can send exact cash/check to the Main Office.
Transportation Changes
- Call ahead (by 2:15 p.m.) if you have a transportation change for the day.
- For the safety of your child, unless it's an emergency, we ask that you do not make changes after 2:15 p.m.
- Contact Chippewa Yellow Bus more than 24 hours in advance at 715-726-2454 if you have any bus changes or requests.
- Hillcrest can't authorize bus changes.
ALL changes need to be called in to the Main Office and not to the teacher in case there is a sub in the room that day.
Hillcrest: 715-726-2405
Cardinal Community Learning Center
Cardinal Community Learning Center has programming opportunities to meet the needs of our students, families, and community!
School Board Update
Here is the November Board Consideration
December RCU School Sense!
All Hillcrest students have an opportunity to take part in the Royal Credit Union All Student Challenge to strengthen their money skills.
District Notice
Upon request to the building administrator, submitted twenty-four (24) hours in advance, the District shall make reasonable accommodation including the provision of informational material in an alternative format as necessary for a disabled person to be able to participate select activities.
About Us
Email: solinhm@chipfalls.org
Website: https://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/hillcrest/
Location: 1200 Miles Street, Chippewa Falls, WI, USA
Phone: 715-726-2405