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Weekend Update!
Friday February 2nd, 2024
Good Afternoon!
It's hard to believe we are already in February- where is all the snow??? Best of luck to our Choraleer students who will be singing the national anthem at tonight's Bridgeport Islanders game!
Thursday began National Black History month. Students can expect to participate in a variety of classroom lessons throughout the month that have a focus on Black History, and will see different displays around the building as well.
I hope you and your families have a terrific weekend!
Please See The Following For Next Week And Beyond!
Hillcrest Choraleers Performing at the Bridgeport Islanders Game!
On Friday 2/2, the Hillcrest Choraleers will be performing at the Bridgeport Islanders Game! Click here for more information.
Reflections Winners!
I am excited to share the Hillcrest winners for this year's PTA reflections contest! Thank you to Mrs. Lisa Malin for facilitating this important endeavor! Our winners are as follows:
Literature
1st place: Tejas Pasumarty
2nd place: Sophia Camus
3rd place: Grace Malin
Visual Arts
1st place: Ryan Ouimette
2nd place: Arna Kalidini
Photography
1st place: Eleanor Malin
2nd place: Ruhi Patel
Music Composition
1st place: Zoe Cavuoto
Thank you to all students who participated!
Soup-Er Bowl Food Drive!
Beginning Monday, we will be collecting canned and non-perishable foods for the Bridgeport Rescue Mission! Prizes will be awarded for the homerooms with the most donations! Please see this flyer with more information.
Hillcrest Gear
Visit membership toolkit to purchase all of your HMS SWAG- from stickers and locker ladders, to magnets and spiritwear. Order now!
Box Tops
Join us in earning cash for HMS by using the Box Tops app. It’s an easy way to make a difference. All you have to do is buy Box Tops participating products (like Cheerios!) and scan your grocery receipt. The homeroom that earns the most for the second trimester gets EXTRA SOARR BUCKS! (ends Feb 23) Get started today at BTFE.com. Use referral code B0K59TK6 when you sign up.
Spring Season of Esports!
If you are interested in trying out for the Spring Season of Esports please complete this Google Form. We will be playing Rocket League on Mondays starting February 26th and will be participating in the Middle School Esports League. If your child fills out the form we will contact them about upcoming dates for tryouts. Tryouts will occur in the end of January and early February.
LivFree
It's time to wear your heart on your sleeve! Don't forget to wear your LivFree shirt on LivFree Day, February 2nd. Together, we can bring smiles to little faces. Learn more at https://livfreetoday.org
Valentine's Grams
Valentine's Day is almost here! Now through Feb 7th, send a special gift to your students, friends, siblings, teachers, coaches, or HMS staff! They will be delivered on Feb 14th during 7th period.
Students: Grab an order form from your homeroom and submit it with payment (cash only) to the box in the main office.
Parents: Visit the membership toolkit to place an order and make someone's day! View the flyer for more details!
Student Spectator Expectations
We are excited that another basketball season is underway! We have been fortunate to have a great deal of attendance at our games, along with some wins to start the season! We would ask that you review this letter with your students to go over our spectator expectations. Thank you!
What Are We Reading at Hillcrest?
1. This week our staff read this article which shares strategies teachers can use to ensure learners stay engaged during class and more likely to retain information.
2. Mrs. Laird and I are currently reading Hacking Deficit Thinking by Byron McClure and Kelsie Reed. This book tries to help educators reframe our thinking on how to help students grow and achieve in school.
Stay Connected with the PTA!
Want to be the first to know when fun student activities are happening? Or where to buy Spiritwear? All PTA information can be found on Membership Toolkit. Sign up today at https://hillcrestmspta.membershiptoolkit.com
Drop Off/Pick Up Procedure
As a reminder, please be cautious of the students who are walking to school as you are driving through our parking lot and campus.
Safety
We strive on a daily basis to provide a safe environment for all students, and to promote safe practices with them as well. We will continue to educate students about what safe behavior looks like and what our expectations are for safe behaviors. We see this as a partnership with our families. I ask that you please remind your children to be kind to each other, to keep their hands to themselves, and that there is never an acceptable time or moment to use slurs of any kind. This article from the American Psychological Association gives families tips on how to potentially address way to have these discussions.
Hillcrest on Social Media!
Did you know that Hillcrest has its own Instagram page and Twitter feed? Follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/hillcrestmshawks/. Follow us on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/HMSTrumbull/ . This is a great resource for families to get a glimpse of day to day life at Hillcrest!
Volunteer Forms
If you think you may be interested in volunteering at some point this year for a Hillcrest event, please fill out this form and return it to the main office. Thank you!
Bus Tracker
If you are interested in using the Durham Bus tracker app, directions can be found here.
Infinite Campus
Please see this flyer on helpful tips to navigate the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus.
Mr. Bryan Rickert
Email: brickert@trumbullps.org
Website: https://hms.trumbullps.org/
Location: Hillcrest Middle School, Daniels Farm Road, Trumbull, CT, USA
Phone: 203-452-4466
Twitter: @HMSTrumbull