Hillcrest Happenings

Important information about our attendance policy can be found here. If your child is going to have a full day absence please call the attendance line at 623-376-3390. No late calls will be accepted. For more front office tips please click here.

You can still order your 2023 - 2024 yearbook for $40. This year's yearbook includes an opportunity for you to order "call-outs". These call-out dedications to your child(ren) must be ordered online when ordering your yearbook and come in a variety of options including full page, half page, quarter page, and eighth page.

Click here for a video that explains how to order.

As we approach the end of the school year, we have many fun activities planned for our 8th graders. The attached letter was due on Friday, March 22, 2024. If you have not returned it yet, please make sure it is signed and returned this week.

This Falcon Fest will be held May 13th, and auditions will be open in late April. Your performance or act can be anything from singing or dancing to recreating your favorite skit. You can showcase any talent as long as it is school appropriate. In order to tryout you must be passing all of your classes.

Hillcrest opens its gates at 7:45 am. The bus gates open at 7:55 am. Students may wait in the ramada area until the first bell rings at 8:10 am. Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria starting at 7:55 am. Only students eating breakfast will be permitted in the cafeteria. The last bell will ring at 8:15 am. For information about our school lunch program, please click here.

Please remember to charge your chromebooks every night and bring your charger to school. The library has been overcrowded with students who need cords because their chromebook batteries are dead.

Hillcrest Middle School tours are given in person regularly. Please go to Hillcrest Middle School Tour Dates .pdf (dvusd.org) for information on scheduling.

School starts at 8:15am, the first bell rings at 8:10am and students have 5 minutes to get into their classrooms. Parents/Guardians must sign their students in if they arrive after 8:15am; please do everything you can to get your student to school on time. Schooling for your child is very important to us! Thank you!

Please support us in keeping our Hillcrest campus clean. We are noticing an increased amount of Starbucks, Dutch and Dunkin (etc) on campus in the mornings. This is a reminder that outside food and drinks are not permitted. Drinks other than water are harder to clean up. Thank you for your cooperation!

Students will be taking Arizona's Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) in class during the month of April. Students can use headphones for several sections of the test, however, headphones MUST BE WIRED and connected directly to the students device. Students are highly encouraged to bring their own wired headphones from home for these assessments. Any un-wired headphones won't be permitted during the test.

Please remind your student to sign up for Flex Time Manager activities every Monday! There has been an increase of students who aren't signing up, which affects the teachers, office staff, and other students. Remind your students about signing up for their daily Flex time.

8th Grade has AZSci testing on Monday and Tuesday (25th and 26th)

Social Studies classes are researching an inspirational woman throughout history, analyzing her impact on human rights, and demonstrating their knowledge through a choice project of either an infographic or a podcast.

Math students are preparing for the 8th grade state test.

Students are working on their Shakespearean plays and performing them in class.

The 8th grade has started Testing with the AZSci test. Students are putting all their hard work and efforts into showing what they have learned over the last few years in their science classes. In science class they are learning about the effects of fossil fuels on the environment and energy transfer.

Math is reviewing for the upcoming state tests.

7th grade social studies is beginning their World War one unit. Students will spend this week exploring different types of governments and matching them to the correct authoritarian leader.

In 7th grade science this week students are learning about how cells work to make the human body function properly. We are beginning to learn what can happen when some cells don't do their job and what needs to happen with in our organs to keep us alive and healthy.

ELA is getting ready for state testing. They are working on their writing review in preparation for the writing test on April 2nd.

Project Science is working on their bead separator machine this week. Mr. Walrod is in need of tape for projects. If interested, donate to Mr. Walrod at the office.

Board Games Club meets on Tuesdays after school from 3-4 p.m. Have fun Falcons!

The students in the American Sign Language Club are working on learning how to sign the Falcon Flight Song so they can perform it during our next Falcon Fest. ASL meets on Mondays from 3 - 4 pm.

Model UN has a meeting every Thursday, from 3-4 p.m. Transportation is required for all students.

Student Council has a meeting on Wednesday at 3-4 p.m. Make sure that all students have transportation to get home.

FCA will not have a meeting this week.

The next meeting for students who are currently in NJHS is on April 5th at 7:30 am. All students are required to come to the NJHS meetings.

DnD club meets on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m in Mrs. Shays' room.

Our Falcons performed an outstanding play and Hillcrest is beyond proud! There is no drama club nor meetings this week. Keep track of Instagram (HMSdrama) to see any upcoming events!

Teachers are in need of supplies such as Clorox Wipes, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, colored pencils, colored Expo markers, highlighters, tissues, paper towels, and printer paper.

Monday, March 25th: 7th and 8th grade boys play Inspiration Mountain at Hillcrest

Thursday, March 28th: 7th grade plays Highland Lakes at Hillcrest and 8th grade boys play at Highland Lakes

Monday, April 1st: 8th grade plays Sonoran Trails at Hillcrest and 7th grade plays at Sonoran Trails

The next track meet will be hosted by Hillcrest on April 2nd at Mountain Ridge High School.

If you are interested in trying out for Spiritline next school year, please pick up a flyer in the counseling office for information on summer camp and tryouts.

Ridge Flag Football is hosting a camp at the end of May. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HK1vsEShRkaUAzhY-BHaurp-njpwODdCaqLEw2INDxE/edit

Band has their DVUSD Post Assessment (8th Grade Only this is a field trip during school) March 27th and Final Concert on May 9th

The DVUSD Post Assessment March 28th

Choir also has other upcoming performances on

April 25th SDOHS Feeder Night (Optional for all - recommended for 8th graders attending OC)

May 2nd MRHS Feeder Night and their

Final Concert May 7th

Falcon Talent Page

The Falcon Talent Page is a demonstration of Hillcrest students' many gifts and serves as a form of recognition for less flashy talents, but still equally interesting ones. For example, flashier talents such as singing, dancing or comedy acts are already recognized at the Falcon Fest assembly, while skills such as baking, drawing, school projects and even dirt biking can be acknowledged in the school newsletter. Individual sports highlights can also be acknowledged. We would love to see!

If interested, please contact Tracey.Brody@dvusd.org

Does your student have a favorite teacher? Do you know an educator that goes above and beyond for their students? Would you like to nominate someone for the Silver Apple Award? Winning teacher will be featured on 3TV and will receive a $1,000 prize! Follow this link for the rules and nomination forms, Silver Apple Award. We have so many amazing teachers at Hillcrest.

Please click the link to see our school bell schedule.

Your Creative Publications team is looking for some donations to help us improve our daily announcements. We have an Amazon Wish List if you are able to help. Big thanks to the Dunn Family, DeSantis Family, the Lynch family, the Anderson Family, and Modern Off Road for donating to help Creative Publications run better than ever before. It's so important to us to improve this school and make it an amazing and memorable school for your student(s).

We all want our students to have the best opportunities possible, so this is a great way to jump in and help out, simply by grocery shopping. We would really appreciate each and every one of you taking the few minutes it takes to sign up. Please share with other friends and family members to really incorporate our community.

It is a brief and rather straightforward process that can make

such a huge difference in the lives of our 1000+ students.

Please click the link to follow the instructions to join Fry’s in their support of Hillcrest Middle School! instructions to Link Fry’s card to Hillcrest Middle School.

There is a lost and found in the Cafeteria for water bottles and lunch boxes, but if your child has lost any small, valuable items like air-pods or jewelry, there is a lost and found in the front office. Remind your child to bring any lost and found items that they find at class, passing period, and lunch to the cafeteria on the stage.