Hillside Summer Newsletter

We are so glad your student(s) will be joining us soon! We hope you will find Hillside a warm and welcoming environment. Our teachers are dedicated to meeting students where they are and supporting all students' academic and social-emotional growth.

Below is some information for you and links to documents you may find useful as you prepare to become or continue to be a Hillside family. Please let us know if you need further assistance. The main number of Hillside is 402-390-6450. We do not have summer staffing, so, if you need something in the meantime, please email the principal, Cynthia Bailey at bailey.cynthia@westside66.net. Thanks, and welcome to our school!

Cynthia Bailey, Principal

Website: https://www.westside66.org/hillside
Location: 7500 Western Avenue, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 390-6450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hillside66/
Twitter: @hillside_tigers

Principal: Ms. Cynthia Bailey, bailey.cynthia@westside66.net

Assistant Principal: Ms. Kerri Lewis, lewis.kerri@westside66.net

Counselor: Mrs. Jenny Victor, victor.jennifer@westside66.net

Health Assistant: Mrs. Kathy Ecklebe, ecklebe.kathy@westside66.net

School Secretary: Mrs. Joyce Saner, saner.joyce@westside66.net

Hillside Families:

Enrollment or Re-enrollment is always necessary at the start of the school year. If you are unsure about how to enroll or re-enroll, please call the ABC building at 402-390-2100.

Click on the button below to access a packet that contains lots of useful information about Hillside.

If you are willing and able to donate school supplies (see above list for each grade level), Hillside is forever grateful! If your student is in grade 1-6, please feel free to deliver supplies at Open House on August 6, if you wish. You may also bring them in on the first day of school or during the first week of school.

Kindergarten families, please wait to bring in school supplies until August 14, the day when all kindergarten students will start in their assigned classrooms! Thank you!

Parents and Guardians:

We strive every day to make sure we know how students will be getting home and where they should be headed after school (in terms of pick-up procedures). We would very much appreciate your completing the survey (link below) to let us know after school pick-up plans for each of your students. If you don't know quite yet, you can fill out a form in the front office on the first day of school. This information will be shared with teachers, as well.

Thank you so much for helping us to stay organized and as safe as possible!

Cynthia Bailey

Principal of Hillside

You are invited to BE A PART OF THE MUSIC! This fall, you will have the opportunity to do what so many successful students have done before you by being a part of Band and Strings! In the first three weeks of school we will be visiting all the buildings, demonstrating the instruments, and giving students the opportunity to select an instrument of their choice. We will have a parent meeting about our program on Wednesday, August 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Westside Middle School. All are welcome to attend to learn about elementary instrumental music and meet the teachers. We are excited to introduce your child to the world of instrumental music!

The Elementary Instrumental Music Staff

Gail Carpenter-Johnson, Tommy Krueger, Viktoria Matheson and Jennifer Johansen

Westside uses myschoolbucks.com. Click the link below to access the website and set up an account.

https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home

Thinking you might qualify for free meals or reduced price meals? Please access the link below to put in an application. If you are in doubt, just fill out the application to see if you qualify!

Hillside Families:

I you have interest in your student joining a scouting troop (co-educational), then please contact our front office at 402-390-6450. Let Mrs. Saner, our school administrative assistant know that you would like more information, and we will put someone in touch with you. The scouting contact is Mr. Ryan LaViolette.

Hillside Families:

If you are planning to provide snacks to a classroom (birthdays, special celebrations, etc.), please consult the District Approved Snack List (link below) before purchasing snacks to send in. The snack lists exists to mitigate the possibility that food will contain common allergens for the consumers. Of course, this is not a perfect system, and if your child has a particular allergy, please make sure that is listed on your student's health plan in the health office. It's also helpful if you mention that food allergy to the classroom teacher so he/she can be extra vigilant and aware. Thank you for working with us when you would like to provide snacks for a classroom.

Hillside Families:

We are experiencing a national crisis in student learning and achievement, due, in part, to poor attendance rates for a sizable percentage of students in school. In order to learn and grow, your child NEEDS TO BE IN SCHOOL!

We do understand that, if your child is ill, they will need to stay home; however, it is crucial to communicate to them how important their presence in school is and to do everything possible to help them heal quickly so they can return to school.

Some of our Hillside students miss school frequently, and some arrive late to school regularly. Achieving a regular schedule for school attendance is in your student's best interest. Arriving late to school often means your student may be missing important instruction regularly. Please know that your student is MISSED at school when they are not here, and they are missing instruction that will help them to learn and grow.

Please take a moment right now to sit down with your student(s) to make a plan to be at school ON TIME, EVERY DAY. Now, more than ever, instruction and learning matter!

The instructional day at Hillside begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. This school year, in response to increasing numbers of chronically tardy students, Hillside Elementary School administrators will be even more vigilant regarding late students. If your student is tardy to school, please plan to walk your tardy student into the office to sign them in. We want to make sure we are welcoming our students and families to school; we want to support our students in being ON TIME to school each and every day. When your student is late to school, please let us know how we can help to reduce the instances of tardiness. Instruction starts right away every morning promptly at 8:30 a.m.

To accommodate tight drop-off schedules for families that must drop off at more than one Westside campus, we will have adults on duty outside starting at 8:10 a.m. You may drop off students starting at 8:10 a.m. (not before, please, as we cannot guarantee student safety without supervision). A grab and go breakfast will be available at 8:15 a.m. We will close our front doors right after the tardy bell at 8:30 a.m. Parents/guardians, please plan to walk your student in and sign them in if you arrive after 8:30 a..m. Thank you for helping us to use the time we have to devote to student learning!

Hillside Community Club wants YOU to get involved! Click on the button below to find out more.

Contact Community Club President, Erin Palzer, at d66hillside@gmail.com.

Friday Food Bags

Friday food bags are a collection of items that serve as weekend meals for students that may need additional assistance with food. The Friday Bags come from the Food Bank for the Heartland and go home weekly on Fridays.

Holiday Assistance

The Holiday Assistance Program provides families with gift assistance around the holiday season. These gifts are to be supplemental to the gifts that may already be given out by the families.

Thanksgiving Meals

Thanksgiving meals are provided to families that may need help with food. The meals typically include seasonal food items and a gift card for a meat item.

Westside Clothing Closet

The Westside Clothing Closet and Food Pantry can provide clothing items such as coats, shoes, and typical clothing. Further, the clothing closet has food items for those that may need additional food support.

Please contact your school counselor or school social worker for additional information and support.