Hillside News Brief

Hillside students have earned a pajama day AND a stuffed animal day with good behavior!! The pajama/stuffie day is on Tuesday, February 4th. Be sure to send your student in regular shoes so they can have appropriate foot protection and play outside! Thank you.

Feb. 4 - Pajama/Stuffed Animal Day for Students

Feb. 6 - 5:15pm Community Club Meeting in the library

Feb. 13 - Valentines celebrations in classrooms throughout the day

Feb. 13 - 6:00pm K-1 Music Program at Westside Middle School

Feb. 14 - NO SCHOOL. Teacher Work Day

Feb. 17 - Professional Learning Day -- NO SCHOOL

Feb. 20 - ECreamery fundraiser for Hillside

Feb. 21 - Spirit Day (wear Hillside spirit wear or blue/orange)

The below pictured Scary Tales contestants (from left, Gianna D., Emma Hl, Anne M., Juliet L., and Lucy E.) have qualified for publication of their stories! Congratulations from Mrs. Sindt and all of Hillside.

If you'd like information on ordering a yearbook, click on this link:

https://shop.memorybook.com/login

Hillside carpool drivers:

If a staff member is in the process of picking up the orange cones out front, PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE THOUGH THAT AREA UNTIL THE CONES HAVE BEEN REMOVED. There is often a student out there helping an adult, and we are concerned about the safety of those clearing the cones!

Thank you.

On Feb. 20, from 4:00-8:00pm, ECreamery on Underwood Avenue will be hosting a fundraiser for our school. 5% of all sales go to Hillside, so please place an order for some ice cream! Details below.

You're Invited!
Westside Community Schools, WE-SIDE, and Film Streams invite you to join in celebrating Black History Month with a special free screening of the movie Hidden Figures!

Date: February 24, 2025
Location: Film Streams Ruth Sokolof Theater
Doors open: 5:30 PM
Movie starts: 6:00 PM

This powerful film tells the inspiring story of a group of pioneering African-American women who made groundbreaking contributions to aeronautics, astronautics, and played a crucial role in America's victory over the Soviet Union in the Space Race. These women overcame adversity to showcase their brilliance and help shape history. As Margot Lee Shetterly, author of the book Hidden Figures, said "Their goal wasn't to stand out because of their differences; it was to fit in because of their talents."

For more information and to RSVP, see the flyer attached. We look forward to celebrating this important chapter of history with you!

It's back! Last year, we set a Westside record amount for fundraising and participants in the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics of Nebraska and have even higher goals for this year! Everyone of all ages is welcome to take the plunge!

We are making it a competition again this year, with a traveling trophy for the school that raises the most money and has the most participants! We will have one trophy for the elementary level, and one for the secondary level. There will be frequent updates for who is in the lead! We highly encourage administrators, teachers, students and EA's to join in and fundraise. We promise it's not THAT cold and we have donuts, hot chocolate, a tent, and a heater for when you are done! School themed costumes are ALWAYS encouraged!

Date: February 8, 2025

Time: Check-in: 9:30am, Plunge: 11am

Location: Lake Zorinsky
156th and F St, Omaha, NE 68137

Post-Plunge Party: Brewsky's Food & Spirits
15350 Weir St

Please use the link to sign up with the Special

Olympics AND fill out the form, so we know which school you are representing!

Westside Football will be hosting their Youth Football Camp in the spring this year. The camp will be at the Omaha Sports Complex on Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The purpose of this camp is to introduce the techniques, fundamentals, and skills needed to play football for Westside High School. All current 3rd-7th graders are invited to Sign Up Here.

Here is the link, too: https://myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZI5ZPLR6704EZ4_ZZJUK811MF0POGF…

Dear Parents,

Get ready for an exciting season of basketball!

Jr. Warriors Basketball will be holding tryouts for the upcoming 2025-2026 season.

Tryout Dates: Are on our website. CLICK HERE

Important Information:

• Registration is Required: Please register your child for tryouts by March 1st through Register Here.
• What to Bring: Athletes should come prepared with appropriate athletic wear, comfortable shoes, and plenty of water.
• Questions: If you have any questions, please contact Jr. Warriors at juniorwarriorsbasketball66@gmai.com

We encourage all interested athletes to attend tryouts. Please send this to others that may be interested as well. We look forward to seeing you on the court!

Sincerely,

The Jr. Warrior Board of Directors

Please consider attending this Optional Professional Learning open to all Pre-K-12 certified staff.

Title: Creating Belonging and Accessibility for English Learners (ELs)

Tuesday, February 4, 3:45-4:45 p.m. at WHS Little Theater

Presenter: Rosa Kennedy, WCS EL Coordinator

Objective:
To equip teachers with practical strategies to create a sense of belonging and ensure equitable access to learning for English Learners (ELs).

Overview:

In this professional learning session, teachers will explore simple and effective strategies to support English Learners in their classrooms. The focus will be on fostering inclusivity, building relationships, and creating accessible learning environments that meet the diverse needs of ELs. Through practical activities, discussions, and reflections, teachers will gain tools to promote engagement, language development, and academic success for all students.

Please CLICK HERE if you plan to attend. We hope to see you there!

We’re thrilled to announce the return of the WE-SIDE Multicultural Fair, happening Saturday, March 29, from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Westside High School’s main gymnasium. Mark your calendar—this year, we’re hosting the event in March, a change from previous years!

This vibrant celebration showcases the rich diversity of Westside and the Omaha community through food, activities, performances, and fun. We’d love for you to be part of this exciting event.

Share Your Culture
We’re looking for individuals, families, and groups eager to share their cultural traditions. Whether it’s food, art, music, dance, stories, or a display, this is your chance to highlight what makes your heritage unique and connect with our community.

How You Can Participate:

• Host a cultural information booth
• Share traditional foods or recipes
• Perform a dance, song, or other cultural activity
• Display cultural artifacts or memorabilia
• Volunteer and help make this event special for everyone

Get Involved
Simply click here to fill out this form and let us know how you’d like to participate. Have questions or need more details? Reach out to Danielle Herzog, our Coordinator of District Special Projects—we’re here to help!

We can’t wait to see you at this joyful celebration of culture, connection, and community. Let’s make this year’s WE-SIDE Multicultural Fair the best one yet!

Once again, Westside's preschool program at Underwood Hills is looking for peer models. Please see the two items below for more information.

Hillside's philosophy is that students deserve to learn social skills right along with academics. We want our students to learn how to accept feedback gracefully, how to regulate their emotions appropriately, and how to negotiate skillfully with peers. We are committed to helping all our students to learn and grow academically, socially, and emotionally.