🍲 Project HOPE Food Drive | November 28 - December 2

📸 Picture Retake Day | December 1

📝 Progress Reports | December 2

⏰ PTA Association Meeting | December 8 @ 6:30 PM

📚 Book Fair | December 5 - 9

📚 Read-A-Thon | December 1 - 15

🍗 Raising Funds with Raising Canes | December 13 - 14

❄️ Winter Break | December 19 - January 2

We Appreciate YOU!

If you'd like to help, please visit our Hickory Library Wishlist on Amazon.

We greatly appreciate any donations!

When checking out, please make sure you do these two things so we know who to thank for the donations!

• Click the box labeled Hickory Elementary School Library c/o Adrienne Downs
  
• Leave your name in the gift note section at checkout
  

We hope it was a fun experience! We enjoyed seeing each and every submission—and encourage everyone to participate next year.

All entrants will receive a Hickory PTA Reflections certificate and ribbon and will be featured in a virtual art gallery (coming soon)!

Thank you for encouraging your child and helping them express the theme "Show Your Voice."

Dance Choreography - Primary

1st | Layla Joo

2nd | Emma Yeh

3rd | Keanu Taylor

Dance Choreography - Intermediate

1st | Jaewon Lee

Film Production - Intermediate

1st | Neil Yakkundi

2nd | Matthew Cha

3rd | Sanaya Nampalliwar

Literature - Primary

1st | Henry Carlson

2nd | Nayra Nampalliwar

3rd | Tessa Ashwee

Literature - Intermediate

1st | Lydia Tseng

2nd | Kailani Taylor

3rd | James Cha

3rd | Avish Banarjee

Music Composition - Intermediate

1st | Jude Engoy

2nd | Mason Kim (TIE)

2nd | Avish Banarjee (TIE)

3rd | Philip Ro

Photography - Primary

1st | Tessa Ashwee

2nd | Keanu Taylor

Photography - Intermediate

1st | Neil Yakkundi

2nd | Leo Romero (TIE)

2nd | Avish Banarjee (TIE)

3rd | Katherine Nitu

Visual Arts - Primary

1st | Hayoon Shin

2nd | Olivia Lai

3rd | Enoch Yang

3rd | Lael Hong

3rd | Leanne Park

Visual Arts - Intermediate

1st | Jaehan Park

2nd | Summer McDonald (TIE)

2nd | Philip Ro (TIE)

2nd | Yeojun (Justin) Kang (TIE)

3rd | Ian Chung

3rd | Mason Kim

3rd | Ashley Haejin

3rd | Chloe Haemin

3rd | Jaewon Lee

Hickory PTA is helping Torrance Council of PTA's Project HOPE provide food and care items to TUSD's foster and homeless students and families in need.

Only the following items are accepted:

Cereal ~ Granola bars ~ Peanut butter/jelly ~ Canned soup (no broth) ~ Canned tuna ~ Canned pasta (ex: spaghetti-o's) ~ Macaroni n' cheese (no easy mac)

Body wash/soap bars ~ Shampoo/conditioner ~ Deodorant (men & women) ~ Lotion ~ Hand soap ~ Toothpaste/toothbrushes ~ Laundry detergent/fabric softener

A collection box will be outside the front gates November 28-December 2nd. Please drop off there and do not send to school with your child. Items will be collected every day. Thank you so much for your generosity!

This year our Read-A-Thon will take place December 1st - 15th.

This is an opportunity for the Hickory community to emphasize the importance and benefits of reading! It also gives friends and family the opportunity to encourage your child to read even more.

Before our Read-A-Thon starts we'll send home instructions on how to activate your reader's personal page. (This is where you will be able to view and record your reader’s progress.)

Activate Your Reader's Account Today

Reading is power, and we hope this event will help to develop reading skills for every child. We look forward to everyone participating and joining in on this weeks long, school-wide event!

If you have any questions, please contact Aileen Su at hickory.readathon@gmail.com.

Hickory Book Fair is back! This year, it will take place in the library December 5-9th.

Hours

Before school at 8:30 a.m.

Scheduled classroom library times (Students only)

During lunch/recess (Students only)

After school until 4:00 p.m.

*Parents are welcome before and after school hours

Visit for more details and to sign up for e-wallet:

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/hickoryelementaryschool8

All Families Welcome!

All Hickory families are welcome to attend the PTA Association meeting on Thursday, Dec 8th at 6:30pm in the cafeteria.

We plan on providing refreshments and playing a game for prizes. In the spirit of being as inclusive as possible, we will have "language ambassadors" who speak Korean and Japanese.

Please try to attend to get the latest information about PTA and school events.

Book fair will be open for shopping before the meeting from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

See you there!

We're Raising Funds with Raising Cane's!

Mention "Hickory Elementary" and they'll donate 15% of the proceeds to Hickory PTA.

When: December 13-14, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.

Where: 23000 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Hickory PTA is BUILDING DREAMS through our Hickory Elementary PTA Direct Donations Campaign.

When you make a donation, you not only help support our student’s experience on campus, but you also allow our PTA to do GREAT THINGS for them.

Please visit our Direct Donations page for details—and donate today!

Several families have already won during our October prize drawings!

You can still be eligible to win a prize if:

1. You are a PTA member,
2. You made a direct donation,
3. OR you become a PTA member or donate in the months of November and December.

• Lego sets
• STEM toys
• Plush animals
• Spiritwear
• Grand prize: Light up scooter

Next drawings: Nov 4th and Dec 2nd

THANK YOU to these families who've donated!

Calling all Hickory families!

If you're interested in volunteering regularly on campus or to chaperone field trips, you must must submit a district volunteer application (RAPTOR).

As part of the online application process, all volunteers must submit a TB Test/Risk Assessment Form. As of Sept. 17, volunteers are longer required to have a covid vaccination or proof of negative test.

Volunteer Application

Do you need help understanding PTA meetings and communications? What would help?

Do you want to join PTA or volunteer on campus but don't know how?

Are you interested in becoming a Language Ambassador and providing translations during PTA meetings and events?

We're looking for Hickory families that need help OR want to help.

We are interested in forming a committee that works towards bridging the gap between school and home and getting more families involved.

Please email Sunny Joo, Hickory PTA President, at sunnyhickorypta@gmail.com to get started.

Check out our new products, including tote bags and hats! Order by November 25 to receive by December 16. Sweatshirts and t-shirts are still available!

Shop Now!

Smile.Amazon.com is the same as Amazon.com, but your purchases benefit Hickory PTA!

Please shop smile.amazon.com instead and make "Hickory Elementary School PTA CA" your Smile charity of choice.

Amazon automatically donates 0.5% of your eligible Charity List purchases to Hickory—at no extra cost to you. Special thanks to all those who have already signed up!

Spread the word to families and friends near and far, as it has truly made an impact. THANK YOU!

Note: This newsletter does not replace official Hickory or district news. Please make sure you're signed up for email notifications in PowerSchool so you don't miss out on TUSD emails or messages from our Principal, Mrs. Leach.

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