Hillcrest Newsletter
November 2023
November - A Busy Month
As we step into the brisk month of November, I am delighted to witness the incredible progress and enthusiasm displayed by our students. Their dedication to learning and growth continues to inspire our dedicated team of educators and staff. With this in mind, I am thrilled to share some exciting upcoming events that will further enrich our students' educational journey and foster a sense of community within our school.
Upcoming Events
Veterans Day Celebration: On November 10th, we will honor the brave men and women who have served our country with a special assembly. Students will have the opportunity to express their gratitude and learn about the significance of this important day.
Book Fair: Get ready for our much-anticipated Book Fair, on November 6th and November 9th, during Parent-Teacher Conferences! This event will encourage our students to cultivate their love for reading while exploring a plethora of exciting literary adventures.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: We strive for open communication between our staff and parents for the holistic development of our students. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on November 6th and November 9th. Teachers have been scheduling conferences and this will be an excellent opportunity for you to discuss your child's progress and academic journey with their respective teachers.
Thanksgiving Break: As we approach the end of the month, please be reminded that our school will be closed from November 20th to November 24th for Thanksgiving Break. We hope this break will provide our students and their families with a well-deserved opportunity to relax and spend quality time together.
Let's make November a month of learning, gratitude, and togetherness.
Go Mini Cardinals!
Mrs. Hebert
Dates to Remember
November 3: No School
November 6 & 9: Hillcrest Parent-Teacher Conferences and Book Fair
November 7: Picture Retake Day
November 20-24: No School, Thanksgiving Break
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 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!
Picture Retake Day!
Picture Retake Day will be held on November 7 during the school day. Any student that wants a retake, or has not had their picture taken yet will be able to do so.
**All students need to have their pictures taken for school purposes even if you do not plan to purchase a picture package. We will try to have students take their picture before recess and/or phy-ed.
If you'd like a retake, bring back your picture package on the day of
If you'd like to order and haven't yet: Go to www.strawbridge.net , click on order pictures. Enter code: FM414040
- You can order online now until November 11 for free shipping
- After that point ordering closes temporarily for the orders to be processed and shipped back to school
- When packages arrive at school, anyone who did not purchase will receive their personalized code and ordering will resume, this time a $7 shipping charge will incur.
For answers to customer service questions: please go to www.strawbridge.net and click on the Chat feature for immediate assistance.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held November 6 & 9. You should have received sign-up times from your child's teacher.
The Book Fair will be going on in the library during conference nights.
Hillcrest PTO Meeting
PTO Meeting Monday, Nov. 13
Join us at 6 p.m. in the Hillcrest Library to plan for the Hillcrest Holiday Store and spring family events.
*All of the Hillcrest apparel has been delivered to students at school. If you have any questions, please contact CFHillcrestPTO@gmail.com.
Meeting Agendas
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FGnPEkURKCy5easI-xMIr2c4UHZOp89m35nferL_oN4/edit?usp=drivesdk
Meeting Minutes
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QnuGIUUG8XtsgdwpggAET3TdQBl2v3lpxcnZpSV25qY/edit?usp=drivesdk
Sign up here for PTO emails and volunteering opportunities.
PTO Holiday Store Donations Wanted
The PTO will collect donations for the Hillcrest Holiday Store starting Monday, November 27th through December 13th!
Consider donating holiday and generic gift bags and tissue paper or gifts for adults that are new or like new. Place donations in the clearly marked bins outside the Hillcrest Library.
The Holiday Store is an annual school-wide event and a student favorite!
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.
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!
Prepare for Cold Weather!
As it starts to get colder, please send your child with appropriate clothing, (boots, hats, and mittens)!
Hillcrest does NOT have extra sweatshirts or coats anymore as we do not have the space.
Bike Lights
As the autumn season sets in and the mornings grow darker, it becomes crucial for our students to stay safe while biking to school. Ensuring that your child's bike is equipped with proper lighting can make a world of difference in their safety and visibility.
Bike lights help illuminate the path ahead, making it easier for your young cyclist to navigate in the darkness and avoid hazards. Well-lit bikes also significantly reduce the risk of accidents and mishaps by making it easier for everyone to spot your young cyclist and take necessary precautions.
It's crucial for drivers and pedestrians to see your child cycling to school so by investing in reliable bike lights, you can contribute to your child's safety on the road.
From the Nurse
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.
Head Lice
Tips on preventing and controlling the spread of Head Lice:
Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfect combs and brushes used by an affected person by soaking them in hot water for 5–10 minutes.
Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an affected person.
Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that an affected person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the affected person sat or lay. However, spending much time and money on house cleaning activities is not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.
**You should examine your child’s head, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck, for crawling lice and nits if your child exhibits symptoms of a head lice infestation. If crawling lice or nits are found, all household members should be examined for crawling lice and nits every 2–3 days. Persons with live (crawling) lice or nits within ¼ inch or less of the scalp should be treated.***
Head Lice: What Parents Need to Know
Winter Weather
Weather can change quickly in the Chippewa Valley. When inclement weather strikes, there are three options for adjusting our days:
Cancellation: If the weather is too severe, school and other activities may be canceled altogether.
Two-hour delay: If the weather is bad but not severe enough to cancel school for the day, classes may be delayed by two hours.
Early release: If the weather worsens during the school day, school may be dismissed early.
Cancellation -- If we cancel school due to inclement weather, we will make the decision by 6:00 AM. All schools, Head Start, Early Childhood, 4K Cardinal programs, after-school programs, and public use of buildings will be closed.
Two Hour Delay -- If we delay school due to inclement weather, the school day will start two hours later than normal. Buses will also run two hours behind schedule. Breakfast will not be served, but lunch will be served near normal time. 4K Cardinal, Early Childhood, and Head Start will be canceled for the day. After-school programs and public use of buildings may still occur. If the delay is later changed to a cancellation, the decision will be made by 8:00 AM.
Early Release -- If we dismiss school early due to inclement weather, the decision will be made by 10:00 AM. Elementary schools will dismiss at 12:00 PM, and secondary schools will dismiss at 1:00 PM. Lunch will be served at the normal time. High school students with open campus lunch may leave at 12:00 PM. Afternoon 4K Cardinal, Head Start, and Early Childhood are canceled. After-school programming and public use of buildings are canceled.
When there is inclement weather in the Chippewa Valley, we may have to change the school schedule. We will let you know by 6 AM if we are canceling school or starting school two hours late; by 10 AM for letting students out early.
We will tell you via radio, TV, our website, social media, and by email or text message. We want to keep our students safe, so we may have to make last-minute changes. We will try to make the best decision we can based upon the weather and/or other information available to us.
Early Release Plans
Chippewa Yellow Bus is reminding families about after school bussing on Early Release Days.
The Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA After School at Hillcrest do NOT operate on Early Release Days.
If you want your student to ride a different bus home on those days, a student rerouting request must be on file through the bus company. The bus company will NOT accept changes called in on the day of an Early Release, even if it's an emergency. Please have a plan in place.
Chippewa Yellow Bus: 715-726-2454
Potential School Closure Days-Remote Learning
The District will be moving to a remote model of learning for students when inclement weather or other emergencies force school closures. This means that students will be able to continue their learning from home on days when school buildings are closed.
We believe that in-person instruction is the best way to deliver education, but we also know that there will be times when school closures are necessary and appropriate. By implementing a remote learning model, we should be able to avoid having to make up days for these school-day closures and the focus will be on continuing learning and connecting with teachers through modern means in these modern times.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The elementary schools will develop consistent independent study packets for each grade level to send home when potential school closures occur, except on the two designated inclement weather/emergency closure days. Packets will include reading, math practice, writing prompts, and activities from our specialists.
Teachers will be remotely available those days to aid students with their assignments during the regular school day hours; however, school electronic devices will not be sent home with the independent study packets.
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.
Spirit of Christmas
Spirit of Christmas serves Chippewa County residents who are in need of gifts during the holiday season. The organization's main focus is on the children.
For information on how to submit an application, click here.
From the Chiropractor
November is the month of thanksgiving & gratitude. One of the things we are grateful for is to be able to provide chiropractic care in all 9 of the CFAUSD public schools & hear the amazing comments that students make about their chiropractic care.
One student shared, “I am always so tired on Mondays but after I see you I am ENERGIZED!”
Studies have shown that gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. Thinking of at least 3 things you are grateful for every day and remembering to say thank you is a great mood-booster. And when thanking others, don’t forget to thank yourself, too, for all of the amazing things you do!
Happy November & Happy Thanksgiving! If you have any questions about chiropractic care for students please contact us at onsitechiroinfo@gmail.com.
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.
Lunch with Parent
Here are the parameters around a parent coming to school to have lunch with their child:
Please let the office staff know that you would like to come for lunch....more than 24 hours in advance
- We have limited space in the cafeteria so a parent and child having lunch together will be provided space in an alternate location.
- Since we have a variety of support personnel and students using spaces on different days and weeks, we have a limited amount of space during many lunch times so there is a possibility that there may not be enough space for all requests on a given day... You will be asked to choose a different day if there is not enough space.
- If you plan to have school lunch or are bringing lunch with you, please let the office know since our lunch staff will need to plan for that as well.
- For the safety of all students, you'll only be allowed to have lunch with your child
- If a grandparent wants to come have lunch, please call us and let us know that it's okay
Practicing Gratitude
Being thankful often means we’ve taken some time to slow down, think about the things that are most important to us, and remember the people who have made positive impacts on our lives.
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!
Family Connections Fall Newsletter: This contains school and community event links
November RCU School Sense!
As our way to help savers get in the habit of filling out their deposit slip, we will have a Tootsie Roll Promotion on Tuesday November 14th and November 28th! All savers who bring a deposit and fill out the folded transaction slip in their pouch will receive a tootsie roll!
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