The Weekly Update #4

Dear Falcon Students and Families,

We are off to a great start, the first week of school went great! There are some exciting events that are scheduled for this week. As part of our ongoing commitment to providing quality education, we will be distributing iPads to our students. In addition, we have organized Expectations Assemblies, where valuable safety and guidance information will be presented to our students by our Assistant Principals and Chula Vista’s finest School Resource Officers during PE classes.

In addition, this week we welcome EduAbroad students from China and Japan. These students will be here learning along with our Falcon students. On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Falcons are encouraged to wear HTM Spirit Gear or our school color, royal blue. The SUHSD District Photographer will be at Hilltop Middle. On Wednesday, July 31, all July Falcon Birthdays will get a sweet treat after school. For 8th graders, there will be hearing and vision screenings; students who wear glasses please be sure to bring glasses for vision screening.

Bell Schedules and Important Dates

Please read the sections that pertain to bell schedules for this week. The most important bell schedules are Schedule A and B as they are used for 95% of the school days. These bell schedules are linked below and are also on the Hilltop Middle School website.

Class Changes Requests

At this times, counselors will NOT be able to change classes as they have a 10-day window to meet the SEA contractual deadline for student contacts, which is by the 10th day. Students requesting a class change, please read the section below on requesting class changes.

Safety Protocols for Visiting our Campus

It is important that anytime parents/guardians come on campus to visit or to request to take a student off campus, parents/guardians are required to show a valid government ID. Please be sure to have valid government ID when arriving on campus.

ASB GEAR

Falcons, PE clothes and ASB Spirit Gear available for purchase. Sales are Cash Only. Students will be able to purchase PE clothes and ASB Spirit Gear during their PE Class this week and at lunch at ASB.

Falcon Flight Information

Students interested in cheerleading please see Coach Natalie for iformation. Students need to be enrolled in Falcon Flight. Please see information below for Before and After school Falcon Flight information.

2024-2025 Registration and Transfer Approval

Please review registration information and transfer approval information below for the 2024-2025 school year.

Upcoming Events:

Open House

Please mark your calendars for the upcoming Open House, which will be held on August 22nd. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet and interact with our dedicated teachers and gain valuable insights into students academics.

Soarin' over Sweetwater Spirit Week

August 5-9, 2024 SUHSD District Wide Spirit Week

Finally, please read all the important information regarding HTM provided in newsletter. Please be sure to read all the information on the images provided so that you know as much information as possible.

Together, let's make this week a successful one!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galvez-Mallari

Here are some important information that you will need to know:

• 8th Graders will have lunch first and then go to their Advisories.
• 7th Graders will report to Advisories first and then go to lunch.
• Students remain in Advisory. No restroom passes during the other grades lunch. Students have enough time to go before advisory, at lunch and before 5th period.
• To prevent movement between buildings, all clubs who meet for lunch must hold their club meetings on Fridays when we have one lunch or after school.
• Students will not be allowed to go to teachers' rooms for lunch as this makes supervision between buildings nearly impossible.
• Friday is one lunch; both 7th and 8th graders have lunch at the same time.

Wear Hilltop Middle Spirit Gear or our school color, royal blue, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The SUHSD District Photographer will be at HTM taking pictures. Photographer is visiting all middle and high schools. Let's show our school spirit!

HTM Spirit Gear may be purchased at ASB during PE class and at lunch at ASB.

General Information

• Morning Program from 6:30am to 8:05am
• After School Program from end of school day to 6:07pm
• Program Requires enrollment to Falcon Flight

Cheerleading

• Students interested in HTM Falcon Flight Cheerleading please see Coach Natalie about tryout practice.

• Students must be enrolled in Falcon Flight and adhere to guidelines

Or visit https://sites.google.com/sweetwaterschools.net/falcon-flight/home

Students, Parents and Guardians,

For the next 10 days, the counselors have been given a directive from me to do three things during school day:

• Correct any errors on students' current schedules.
• Adjust the master schedule as needed.
• Balance classes as mandated by teachers' contract. Deadline is the 10th day.

If your child wants to change classes/period/electives in the first 10 days, they need to follow this protocol:

• They can come to the counseling center before school, nutrition break, lunch or after-school
• Fill out a “request to see a counselor” form. Please help us by making sure that students are in the correct classes and in the correct grade level when they come to your class.
• Email their counselors about the change of requests.
• Any change of classes DUE to a medical issue will require a doctor's note with a potential for a 504 accommodation.

Thank you for understanding.

2024-2025 Registration for School is now Open

Families,

Below is the registration process for 2024-2025 school year. Below are the links to the regisration information at the site and district levels;

• Hilltop Middle School Website - Registration Information
• SUHSD Student Services Website - Registration Information

First Day of School for the 2024-2025: July 24, 2024

ATTENTION!!! RETURN TO PRE-COVID IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ENFORCED

Starting the 2024-2025 school year, ALL STUDENTS must have submitted complete immunization records BEFORE the first day of school. No immunizations or incomplete immunizations will result in not being able to go to classes on Day 1. Please plan ahead so that this is not an issue on July 24, 2024.

TRANSFER STUDENT INFORMATION

Are you intending to transfer to HTM? If so, follow the steps below:

• Click on the School Locator Finder to see which is your feeder middle school.
• If you are not from Castle Park, Cook, Kellogg, Greg Rogers, Halecrest, Hilltop Drive or Rosebank, begin at your home school to start the registration process.
• Once you have your activation key for Campus Portal, complete the registration process for your school. Then, in Campus Portal, you can put in your application for an intradistrict transfer to HTM.
• Click HERE to read the Parent Letter on the Transfer Process.For Spanish, click HERE
• Click HERE to access Campus Portal.
• Click HERE to learn how to apply for a transfer to HTM.
• Click HERE to learn the Transfer/Open Enrollment Flowchart for 2024-2025. For Spanish, click HERE.
• Click HERE for Transfer/Open Enrollment FAQs. For Spanish, click HERE.

CURRENT 7TH GRADERS WHO WILL CONTINUE AS 8TH GRADERS

• Click HERE to read the steps to register your current 7th graders to continue as 8th graders.

ALL NEW 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS ENROLLING FOR THE FIRST TIME

Registration and enrollment into HTM MUST FIRST begin the process by providing a 2024-2025 Household Form, and submit the form electronically here. When submitting a form electronically, make sure to follow instructions indicated and that all requirements apply before sending the form.

Don't wait for your registration and enrollment to be completed. Choose your electives now to save your spot in that elective. Click HERE to learn about our available electives. You can also choose your 7th grade elective by completing this ELECTIVE FORM.

To complete your child’s 2024-2025 registration process, you must provide the following documents, in person only, on one the dates listed:

• Residency Affidavit
• Proof of Residency/Address
• Proof of Immunizations
• Student's Birth Certificate
• Copy of Parent/Caregiver Picture ID
• 2024-2025 Online Registration Summary (from Parent Portal account)
• IEP (if applicable)
• 504 (if applicable)
• Transfer Approval (if applicable)

• Complete all sections on both sides of the Household Form
• Provide proof of transfer approval
• Click here to begin registration process

It is our collective expectation that everyone on campus will uphold the cell phone use policy as outlined in the district's board policy as well as in our handbook:

1. Upon entry, all cell phones must be turned off and placed in the backpack.
2. If a staff member directs a student to put it away, please listen and put cellphone in backpack.
3. Cell phones are not allowed in the bathroom. If students are caught with cellphone in the bathroom, the phone will be taken immediately and must be picked up by the parents. NO EXCEPTIONS.
4. If a staff member takes a cell phone away, they will give it back to student at the end of each period UNLESS it warrants being taken to the main office.

Gina Galvez-Mallari, Principal

Email: gina.galvez-mallari@sweetwaterschools.org

Website: htm.sweetwaterschools.org

Location: 44 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA, USA

Phone: 619.498.2700