Hillrise Happenings

Welcome to the first Hillrise newsletter of the 2024-2025 school year! Home-school communication is vital, therefore I will be sending a weekly newsletter. The newsletter will be sent on Friday morning each week, as it will highlight events for the upcoming week. It is a great way to help build relationships and allow families an opportunity to gain an understanding of the daily operations at Hillrise.

Our theme for this year is "2024-2025: Hillrise is Pawsitively Amazing!" The staff and students will be doing so many amazing things this year in order to continue to grow. As part of our One School, One Book program, families will receive a copy of the book The Donut Fix by Jessie Janowitz. This program will run from January through March. The goal of the program is for families to read together to help build a positive attitude toward reading through the shared family reading experience. In addition, we will be using One Word for Kids by Jon Gordon during our Family Circles, which is a school-wide community building activity we do each month. Our goal for Family Circles is to develop skills to help our Huskies have a successful school year!

Please note that PowerSchool registration for returning students begins on Monday, July 29th! You will receive an email from our district office with detailed directions on how to complete it.

This newsletter includes lots of information! Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions!

An Open House will be held on Thursday, August 8th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. This is an opportunity for students and families to visit classrooms and meet teachers before the first day of school. In addition, students are welcome to bring school supplies and leave them in classrooms. If your child ordered school supplies through Hillrise, those supply packs will be on your child's desk at Open House.

• We are dividing the Open House into two time slots. If your last name starts with A-M, your designated time for Open House is 5:30-5:55. If your last name starts with N-Z, your Open House time will be 6:05-6:30. There will be a 10-minute transition time between the two sessions.
• You will receive your family's car tags at Open House. Please hang these tags from your rearview mirror or another location so it is easy for staff to identify your number and call your child(ren) to the front of the building for dismissal. These numbers change each year as we welcome new families to Hillrise. Your family's tag for this year will be on your child's desk as you visit the classroom at Open House!
• PTO has arranged for Sign Genius to have a display in front of the school at Open House, so be sure to stop by to get a picture!
• Curriculum information will be communicated by your child's teacher prior to Open House through email. Please watch for this information!

Families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely! We appreciate all you do to help your child(ren) prepare for a successful day at school! School begins at 8:10 a.m. each day. The tardy bell rings at 8:15 a.m. Being at school on time ensures your child participates in every part of the day, which is important as we establish routines and procedures. Students are dismissed daily at 3:06 p.m.

• The first day of school for students is Tuesday, August 13th.
• Students in grades 1-5 will begin school at 8:10 a.m.
• Our incoming kindergarteners will have a 9:00 a.m. start on August 13th ONLY. Parents are welcome to walk kindergartners to the entrance of the building and help them find their teacher. Starting August 14th, kindergarteners will arrive for our normal start time of 8:10 a.m. and head to the west playground to locate their teacher.
• At arrival on August 13th, students entering grades 3-5 will head to the east playground. Teachers will be wearing Hillrise t-shirts and holding name signs so you can easily identify your child's teacher. First and second graders will go to the west playground to locate their teachers.
• Students can arrive beginning at 7:55 a.m., as there will not be supervision prior to that time.
• Breakfast will be served beginning at 7:35 a.m. If your child chooses to arrive for breakfast, they will be directed to the cafeteria.
• At 8:10 a.m., teachers will escort students inside the building to begin a memorable first day of school!
• These same protocols/directions will be followed for the second day of school, August 14th. Starting August 15th, we will begin Walking Club. Instead of students being directed to classrooms at 7:55, they will move to the east playground for Walking Club.

• Children must exit the vehicle curbside. Do not allow them to get out on the driver's side of the vehicle.
• If you must get out to open your child's door, please pull into a parking space first and walk with your child across the parking lot.
• At no time will any child be allowed to cross the parking lot alone.
• Respect members of our safety patrol and encourage their leadership opportunities by following their directions. As a pedestrian, please cross with the guards and as a driver, abide by their traffic control.
• Please be sure your child does not arrive before 7:55 a.m. (unless it is for breakfast which begins at 7:35 a.m.) and that you pick them up by 3:15 p.m. There is no supervision outside of these hours.
• New families will be receiving a car tag to hang from your rearview mirror during pick-up. The number assigned to you on your car tag will ensure Hillrise staff members contact your child's teacher for dismissal from the classroom. This procedure will allow us to follow safety protocols and dismiss students as quickly as possible.

In order to find out your child's teacher for the upcoming year, you will access PowerSchool starting Monday, August 5th. Please contact the office if you need assistance.

Just a few reminders regarding our district sick policy:

• It is the parent's responsibility to call the school office by 9:30 a.m. to report a child's absence to eliminate any doubt as to the student's location.
• Children who become ill, or who have symptoms of illness at school, are sent home after parents/guardians are notified. Emergency numbers will be used if parents/guardians cannot be reached.
• Children shall be excluded from school for the following conditions: Contagious diseases such as chickenpox, measles, mumps, pink eye, etc..., skin eruptions or suspicious rash, vomiting and/or diarrhea, abnormal temperature (Elkhorn Public Schools complies with the Douglas County Health Department recommendations for fever; a child may not stay at school if temperature is 100 degrees or over and should not return to school until fever-free for 24 hours), and head lice.
  

As was shared with all families in an email from Elkhorn Public Schools on July 24th, updated cell phone expectations will be implemented at all EPS schools for the 2024-2025 school year. The expectation is that cell phones, Gizmos, cellular watches remain in backpacks during the school day in order to minimize disruptions to student learning. Please take a moment ahead of the first day of school to review the updated expectations as outlined in the handbook, and discuss them with your student.

USE OF ELECTRONICS: Cell Phones, and Cell Devices

1. Cellular phones and devices, including cellular watches, are strongly discouraged at school to minimize distractions to the learning environment. The use of cellular devices is not permitted throughout the day. Students must keep the devices powered off and in their backpacks or the office area, and they are to be used only after dismissal at the end of the day. If this procedure is not followed, the device will be kept in the office area and a parent/guardian may collect the device from the office.

According to District Policy, invitations to birthday parties and other events that are held off school grounds are not allowed to be distributed to students at school.

If you walk to drop off or pick up your child please do not bring your dog along. We appreciate you being cognizant of those with allergies or fears. Thanks for helping to keep our students safe!

Birthdays are important milestones in each child’s life. At Hillrise, we look forward to sharing in students’ excitement over their special day. Each morning, birthdays will be announced over the morning news and students will be invited to come to the office to select a birthday prize. Summer birthdays will be announced on the student’s half birthday to ensure each student enjoys this special recognition during the school year.

If you would like to send a special treat or token for your child to pass out to classmates, please send only NON-EDIBLE tokens or treats to school. For example, your child could provide each student with a pencil. Classroom teachers may also offer other suggestions. This decision has been made with considerable thought given to healthy eating habits, food allergies, and convenience for parents. I appreciate your support as we create a healthy and welcoming environment for every student at Hillrise.

EPS utilizes an online registration system for parents of returning students to update information and complete all required Back-to-School registration information. To use this feature, parents/guardians will access their PowerSchool parent account. If you do not have a parent PowerSchool account, instructions for creating one can be found at: https://bit.ly/EPSps1. On, Monday, July 29, 2024, you will receive an email from PowerSchool alerting you to the opening of the Online Registration process. If you are unable to access your PowerSchool parent account or do not receive the email on July 29, please contact your child’s school for assistance. Students who completed the New Student Registration process, including all Preschool and Kindergarten students, will not receive an email regarding the opening of Online Registration as they do not need to redo the online registration process.

Elkhorn Public Schools partners with SchoolPay for student lunch accounts. To add funds, go to www.schoolpay.com and log into your user account. If you do not yet have a SchoolPay account, instructions to create one can be found by clicking here.

Breakfast and lunch prices for the 2024-2025 school year are as follows:

Breakfast:

• Breakfast
• Elementary: $1.80
• Middle School: $2.00
• High School: $2.15
• Lunch
• Elementary: $3.00
• Middle School: $3.65
• High School: $3.85

Additionally, a free and reduced lunch application must be submitted in order to receive free/reduced meal prices and the additional benefits that can be provided to families who qualify. Instructions for completing online or hard-copy applications can be found at https://www.elkhornweb.org/parents/lunch/. A hard copy of the application can be found attached to this email. Families who qualify for free/reduced meals may also request the waiving of student fees by completing the waiver application found at https://forms.gle/b2fewM19yQH1GBeGA or hard-copy waiver forms are also available in your school’s office.

Elkhorn Public Schools uses SchoolPay for online payment of activity fees, device coverage, lunch funds, and other payments. Instructions for creating an account and using SchoolPay can be found here: https://bit.ly/EPSpay. Note: Payment for Device Coverage must be received no later than September 1 or coverage will not be provided.

EPS utilizes an online registration system for parents of returning students to update information and complete all required Back-to-School registration information. To use this feature, parents/guardians will access their PowerSchool parent account. If you do not have a parent PowerSchool account, instructions for creating one can be found at: https://bit.ly/EPSps1. On, Monday, July 29, 2024, you received an email from PowerSchool alerting you to the opening of the Online Registration process. If you are unable to access your PowerSchool parent account, please contact your child’s school for assistance. Students who completed the New Student Registration process, including all Preschool and Kindergarten students, will not receive an email regarding the opening of Online Registration as they do not need to redo the online registration process.

EPS utilizes text messages to efficiently share important information with parents, including weather-related school closings and bus route delays. To receive EPS text messages, please text “Yes” to 67587 to opt in.

EPS and individual buildings use a parent messaging system called SchoolMessenger to send emails, phone calls, and text messages to parents sharing district information, monthly updates about building happenings, and weather-related school closings. To ensure receipt of these updates, please verify that all contact information listed in your parent PowerSchool account, including phone numbers and email addresses, is up to date and correct.

Additionally, this system allows recipients to “unsubscribe” from its mailing list; however, by “unsubscribing” you are completely removing your email address and phone number from both District and building lists. If you choose to unsubscribe, you will not receive any communication from your child’s assigned school or the EPS District. If you accidentally unsubscribe or decide you would like to begin receiving emails again after unsubscribing, contact your building secretary to change your communication status.

WHO IS THE HILLRISE PTO?
The Hillrise PTO is an organization of parent and teacher volunteers that support the school and enhance each child’s elementary experience. Part of what makes Hillrise a great place to learn is the widespread support and engagement from our very active parent community.

WHAT DOES THE PTO DO?
Throughout the year, the PTO supports school activities, sponsors field trips, buys classroom supplies, invests in new technologies, supports our staff, and contributes to social nights through financial and volunteer support. We accomplish these goals by organizing fundraisers during the year.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE HILLRISE PTO?
We welcome and need your support! Whether you work part-time, full-time, stay at home or travel extensively, we all have a desire to make a difference in our student’s school experience. We will have many opportunities throughout the year to volunteer, donate supplies, shop and dine out – all with the goal of combining our time, talents and resources to provide the best experience possible for our children and their families.

PTO MEETINGS
Please join us for our PTO meetings throughout the school year. Our first meeting is on Monday, August 26th. Our meetings run from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Please join us in the Hillrise Media Center!

Email: mmehlmann@epsne.org
Website: http://www.elkhornweb.org/hillrise
Location: 20110 Hopper Street, Elkhorn, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 289-2602
Twitter: @ElkhornPS_HR