Husky E-News
January 21, 2024
From the Principal
Hillendale families,
I hope you are having a great weekend! I want to personally thank all of you for making our two Flexible Instruction days possible last week. We rely on family support to make them meaningful days for our elementary age children and we really appreciate you for all your help and assistance!
Thank you for joining our MLK Jr. Day of Service in partnership with Pocopson Elementary last Monday. Read more about the success of the special day here!
Thank you for considering sending your children in with change for our annual Penny Drive this week! A true "service learning" opportunity, huskies will spend time counting the change donated with parent volunteers and then turn that change into groceries donated to local families in need through our Bagged Lunch Program this February. See more details below including a school wide fundraising incentive below including the potential for students to "slime" their principal!
We are excited to welcome families to Hillendale this Friday evening for our annual Bingo Night! Have fun!
Have a great week ahead!
Joshua Leight
Hillendale Elementary Principal
From the PTO
Calendar
January
16-31 - Penny Drive (see flyer)
26 - Bingo Night 6:30-8:30 (see flyer)
February
7 - Bagged Lunch Starts (every Wednesday for 6 weeks 2/7-3/13)
16-19 - School Closed
22 - Lip Sync Try-Outs (snow date 27)
23 - 3rd Grade Read-A-Thon 5:00-8:00pm
28 - Rare Disease Day- WEAR JEANS FOR RARE GENES
Bingo Night
NEW this year, you can also pre-buy raffle tickets.
They will be waiting for you to fill out when you check in on Bingo Night.
Volunteers needed! - SIGN UP HERE
(Earn 5 free raffle tickets and get in the doors early if you volunteer!)
Penny Drive & Bag Lunch Program
Volunteers needed to help count donated money with 3rd-5th grade math classes
(sign up with your child's math teacher)
Due to scheduling changes caused by FIDs and snow delays, the Penny Drive has been extended to Wednesday, January 31st! Also, a reminder that ALL money is welcome - not just pennies!!
Money raised goes directly to purchase food for our Bag Lunch program which provides bagged lunches (packed by our students) to local food kitchens. At the end of the 2 weeks, the homeroom classes with the highest 3 donations will be recognized - a special day to choose from in coordination with their teacher (e.g., pajama day, popsicle day)!
Bagged Lunch Program
Our Bagged Lunch Program kicks off soon after our Penny Drive. We will be sending 80 lunches each week of the program to children in our local area. The decorated and filled bags will be distributed through SILO, an amazing charity organization in Oxford, PA. We are excited to continue this partnership with them. To find out more about SILO check out their website, https://oxfordsilo.com/.
Volunteers needed! SIGN UP HERE to help the kids pack lunches.
Hillendale Updates
CHIP Renewal Notice
Thousands of Pennsylvania kids under 19 could lose their CHIP health plan coverage if they fail to renew their eligibility now that the public health emergency has ended. This has a direct impact on the health and wellness of our students. CHIP families are again required to complete their renewal information using the state COMPASS system to maintain their child’s State coverage.
Highmark HEALTHY KIDS can provide helpful details and assistance for those families who need to complete their CHIP renewals or no longer qualify for Medicaid. CHIP coverage, an HMO offered by Highmark Healthy Kids is affordable, comprehensive health insurance. All kids who are under 19, residents of PA, are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or qualified alien, and do not qualify for Medicaid are eligible for CHIP, regardless of income.
HES Clearances Guide
In an effort to simply and streamline information about clearances required across different events at HES, we created an "HES Clearances Guide" in partnership with our PTO. Please refer to it as you need and reach out if you have any questions about specific events or specific clearances. Click the button below to access the document that will eventually live within the E-News near our weekly lunch menu.
UPRISE Event - Thursday, 1/25 @ 6:00 PM
Free Debate Club for Elementary Students
Dear Parents of Hillendale Elementary School,
Hello! We are debaters from the Unionville Speech and Debate team and members of the Fremont Debate Academy (FDA), which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading debate all around the world.
Last year, we ran an 8-week program at Pocopson and Chadds Ford and received numerous positive responses: 90% of the 4th and 5th graders ranked the program an 8 or above (on a scale of 1 - 10) in terms of usefulness and application of the research and speaking skills, and 85% of them said that they would definitely recommend this program to another friend.
This year, we are happy to announce that FDA is coming to Hillendale and will be held from 1/30 - 3/19 every Tuesday at the Unionville High School from 5:00 - 6:30. Below is a flyer for the program that has all the necessary information as well as a link to a more detailed account of what the FDA program really is and the opportunities your child can get from participating.
If you are interested in this program, please sign up on the Interest Form here. There is also a QR code to scan on the flyer.
Please contact zhangs25@ucfsd.net with any questions.
Warm regards,
The UHS FDA Team
4th/5th Grade Afterschool Event (run by UHS students)
Yearbook
Yearbooks are on sale - Order Yearbook Here
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Our Yearbook Chairs are looking for volunteers to help plan pages for the yearbook.
Get more info and sign up HERE
Also, please upload any pictures you've taken at events to this Google Drive
Any Questions, email yearbook.hillendale@gmail.com
Questions or comments for the PTO? Email us at HESPTO@ucfsd.net