Hillcrest Back to School

Welcome Hillcrest Families! I am excited to begin my journey as your new Principal this year. I hope you all have had some time to spend with family and enjoy the summer months. With the start of school just around the corner, there are many things happening at Hillcrest. All hands are on deck getting the school and the classrooms ready for our students. It is really looking great in our building and we are appreciative of all the work our custodians and staff do to get things ready for the students. I have learned quickly that we have a great group of adults working and interacting with your students every day. I am excited to meet the students and get to know each of them as we grow together this school year. I am sure as the year progresses we will have opportunities to share stories and have great conversations about our school, students and staff. Again, I am excited to join the Hillcrest family. Continue to enjoy these beautiful summer days and we will see you all very soon.

Go Mini Cardinals!!!

Mr. Dieckman

If you are receiving this Newsletter via email, your child is currently enrolled in or receiving services (i.e. Speech/Language) from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District.

This means:

IF YOU HAVE MOVED your child to a new school or district, you need to contact the school there to enroll your child. That school will then request records and your child will be unenrolled here.

IF YOU PLAN TO HOMESCHOOL, this link will assist you with completion of required forms with the State of Wisconsin. The CFAUSD will then use state provided information to unenroll your child from the district.

Parents not completing these tasks PRIOR to the beginning of our school year on September 4th, will receive automatic dialer calls about their student's absences until we receive official documentation for withdrawal from CFAUSD.

If needed, please contact the CFAUSD Registrar, Tami See at 715-720-1850 for assistance.

**Due to an unexpected Infinite Campus glitch, it came to our attention that student schedules were accidentally turned on momentarily before the official release date. Please know that if you did see a schedule before you read this newsletter, classroom teachers may have changed.**

Classroom assignments are now available to view on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

After logging in:

• Click on "Schedules" on the left hand side
• Select the 24-25 school year

Kindergarten families will also be receiving a mailed letter with teacher information and dates they should attend at the start of the year.

If you have any questions regarding your Parent Portal, please call the Tech Help Desk at 715-726-2413.

Please complete the following information online before school starts! Additional information on each item can be found within this newsletter. These are the must-do's!

• Transportation online form: We MUST know how your child is getting home after school each day. If a bus rider, please contact the bus company for the bus number BEFORE you fill out the form. Bus numbers/routes can change each year. If the plan changes regularly, a monthly schedule will be required in the office.

• Pay student fees

• Online Registration (if you did not complete it back in May): This is the district's annual form so you can fill out permissions to go on field trips, update addresses/phone numbers, etc.

• Medication/Dietary forms (if needed for your child)

• School Directory (if you'd like to participate)

If you have any questions, please contact Nicole at 715-726-2405 or piersonm@chipfalls.org.

It is essential we know how your child will be getting home after school each day. Please fill out the online elementary transportation form before the first day of school!

This information is vital to your child's safety so we can correctly direct your child at the end of the school day. Staff members will NOT rely on your child to remember what the plan is.

If your student rides a bus, bussing information has already been mailed to families. If you haven't received it, please contact the bus company BEFORE filling out the form to find out your child's bus number. Bus routes/numbers can change yearly. The bus company's phone number is 715-726-2454.

If your after school transportation plan changes regularly, a monthly calendar will be required in the office. Students sometimes forget during the day and then we are left scrambling at the end of the day.

An individual form will need to be completed for EACH student for accurate record keeping. If your family has multiple households, please be sure to discuss the plan together and provide ONE form for EACH student.

Please click here to fill out the Transportation Form

If you already completed this in May, you can skip this part!

The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District has opened the annual online registration process found on the Infinite Campus parent portal. This process helps us gather the latest family contact information along with your permission for important questions concerning your student(s).

The online registration process is required for each student. Completion of the process allows your student access to a number of privileges including field trips, access to the internet, and use of district chromebooks/ipads.

To make the review and entry process simpler, please consider using a laptop or computer.

Log onto the Campus parent portal and click on the More menu item, Online Registration, and then 24-25 Next Year EXISTING Student Registration to begin the process.

If you need help logging in, click on the "Problems logging in?" link on the login screen. For help with the online process, email our help desk at helpdesk@chipfalls.org and include your phone number.

If your student is a member of more than one household, please understand that only one household can complete the online process.

NEW THIS YEAR - School pictures will be taken at our Open House on September 3. To help keep the picture lines moving smoothly, you are encouraged to attend during the time slot assigned to the first letter of your last name:

• A-F: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• G-N: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• O-T: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• U-Z: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

All students need to have their pictures taken for school purposes even if you do not plan to purchase a picture package.

Picture envelopes will be available during Open House if you would like to pay with cash or check.

To Order Online:

• www.strawbridge.net
• Click on the "Order Pictures and Yearbooks" red button.
• Online Order Code is: FM442620
• When entering student information, be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at school.
  
• The code is good until September 8. If you would like to order pictures after September 8 you will need to wait for your student's personalized code to be issued with the distribution of proofs and packages. At this time, you will incur a $7 shipping fee.
  
• If you do not like your child's picture you can have a retake at no additional charge.
  

Picture Retake Day will be held on October 18.

If you have any questions, please contact the Main Office at 715-726-2405.

Welcome back to a new year! This is the time of year we tend to see an increase in illnesses in our student population. We would like to remind parents and guardians the guidelines the CFAUSD school nurses follow in regards to keeping your child home if they are not feeling well:

• Temperature over 100.4 degrees in the last 24 hours. If you suspect that they may be sick, please check their temperature with a thermometer before sending them to school. If they have a fever, it is not appropriate to send them to school, even if you give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen and their fever breaks. Your child will still be contagious to other children and will also not be feeling well enough to learn. Coming to school sick (and possibly contagious) not only exposes other children to the illness, but also delays your child’s healing time. Once the medicine wears off and the fever returns, your child must be picked up anyway, and valuable healing time has been lost. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours, without the use of medication, before returning to school.

• Vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours. If vomiting or diarrhea occur, you must keep your child home. Even if these things happen only one time before school starts and your child feels better immediately afterwards, it is still wise to watch for a few hours to see if it happens again before sending him or her on to class. Your child may not return to school until they have not had an episode of vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours. If your child is spending all his or her time at school feeling sick, then not much learning is taking place!

• An unexplained rash - Anytime a rash is associated with fever, the child may not come to school until that fever is gone for 24 hours without medication. Sometimes a rash is a sign of a contagious disease such as chickenpox. Sometimes, rashes are not contagious, but are uncomfortable and itchy from contact with something the child is allergic to.

• Any contagious disease that requires antibiotics (ie. strep throat) Students can return after they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours and are fever-free.

• Headache, cough, sore throat, or congestion severe enough to interfere with attention to school work.

• Flare ups from asthma that would make it difficult to work in school.

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION AT SCHOOL: Over-the-counter medications (cough drops, Tylenol, etc.) require written permission from a parent/guardian. Any prescribed medication (ADHD medication, Inhalers, EpiPens, etc.) requires an order and signature from the physician as well as permission from the parent to administer. Medication forms are available on the district’s Nursing Services website: https://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/district/NursingServices.cfm Forms are also available from the Health office. All medications must be non-expired in its original container and brought in by an adult. All prescription medications must have a pharmacy label in place.

DOCTOR NOTES FOR LIMITATIONS/RESTRICTIONS IN SCHOOL: If your child has an injury or a health issue that requires limitations or restrictions while in school, the district requires a note from the doctor with the listed restrictions. If the note does not have a date when normal activities can be restarted, a note will also be required that specifies when the student may return to normal participation in activities.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS - 24/25 SCHOOL YEAR:

Summary of Changes to Wisconsin 2024-2025 School Immunization Requirements

CLOTHING: The health office is in need of children’s clothing, especially pants, both boys and girls. We are also looking for gently worn tennis shoes to have available for students if they forget to bring in their own shoes. If you have any you can donate, please send them in to the health office. Thank you.

VISION SCREENINGS: Vision screenings will be done at the elementary schools at the end of September-beginning of October. The Jim Falls and Lake Wissota Lions Club will be assisting with screening all grade levels. Screenings will be done using a Spot vision screener. This device looks like a camera. The camera takes a picture of your child’s eyes and is able to detect certain vision problems including far-sightedness, near-sightedness, and astigmatism.

TREATS IN THE CLASSROOM:

• The health office requests that any treats brought in to school for birthdays, parties, or any other special occasions be prepackaged with a clear nutrition label.

• There are students with health conditions that may require certain dietary accommodations, and it's important that they are able to review a food's nutrition label before choosing to omit or consume certain foods.

• It is also recommended to stray away from bringing in snacks that contain peanuts/tree nuts when possible to accommodate our students with peanut/tree nut allergies.

If your student needs to take a prescribed medication at school, a signed physician order and signed parent consent is required. Medications must be supplied and brought in by an adult. Medication must be properly labeled in the container from the pharmacy.

A dietary modification form must be filled out for any child that requires the school to provide a substitution in their diet. It must be filled out by a parent and physician. Please let the school nurse know as soon as possible if there's an allergy or intolerance!

Forms can be found below, but will also be available at Open House night.

Parental Permission to Administer Medication Form

Dietary Modification Form

Bright Smiles Oral Health Program:

Please click on the link below to complete the consent form for whether you would like your child to participate in the Bright Smiles Oral Health Program that will be offered at your child's school next year.

Please fill out the online consent for YES or NO, regardless of whether you would like your child to participate in this program. All consents help Bright Smiles continue to provide services to our students. Bright Smiles will provide services to all students who are signed up, and there is no fee for the services provided. You do not need to enter your child's teacher name on the consent form, you will just need to enter what grade level they will be in for the 24/25 school year.

https://sealasmile.wisconsin.gov/Consent

This consent will be good for this upcoming school year. This year, Bright Smiles should be back in the schools for 3 visits of fluoride and 1 visit of sealants.

If you have any questions, please contact Carol Newton at 715-933-0065

Please click on this link if you are interested in being part of the school directory.

A school directory is created annually for families wanting their information shared with other Hillcrest families. Contact information for those that choose, will be distributed to all families at Hillcrest for the purposes of inviting friends to parties, play dates, etc.

For those families responding "no", your information will not be distributed.

• Wednesday August 28: Kindergarten Meet & Greet 5:30-6:30.
• Tuesday September 3: Open House: 3-7 pm / School pictures will be taken during this time.
• Wednesday, September 4: All students in grades 1-5 begin FULL days and attend full days all week
• Wednesday, September 4: 1/2 Kindergarten class attends school (Last names A-M )
• Thursday, September 5: 1/2 Kindergarten class attends school (Last Names N-Z)
• Friday, September 6: ALL students attend

If you are new or just need a refresher on some of our daily procedures, like drop off and pick ups, please click here!

**All students will go directly to the playground until the bell rings at 7:35 a.m. unless it's raining or too cold. Students will not be able to wait by the doors at the Main Office as there is no supervision there.

Meal prices for 2024/2025

Elementary Breakfast: $0.35

Elementary Lunch: $2.25

**If you qualify for free or reduced price lunches there is no charge for breakfast or lunch.

The Free and Reduced Meal Application is now available online! To apply for meal benefits for the 2024-2025 school year, log into your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account and click on the More option in the left hand menu and then Meal Benefits.

If you received a letter this school year saying that your children are already approved for free meals, then you do not need to complete an application.

All families are encouraged to complete the online application if possible. Paper applications are available and will be mailed to households before the beginning of school or may be picked up at your child's school or at the Central Board Office at 1130 Miles Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729. If none of these options work for you please contact Kirsten Nesja to have one mailed to you at (715) 726-2581 or email nesjakj@chipfalls.org.

f you have questions on completing the application please call Kirsten Nesja (715) 726-2581 or email nesjakj@chipfalls.org.

**You can use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal to put money onto your child's lunch account or you can send exact cash/check to the Main Office.

School Lunch/Breakfast Menu

Hillcrest Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) & New Playground Project

Don't miss a THING with the school year and the Hillcrest New Playground Project starting up.

Hillcrest parents and caregivers can attend meetings online or in-person, whenever you are able. We know you are busy.

Sign up for the Hillcrest PTO newsletter and emails for the New Playground Project here:

Hillcrest PTO email lists

Did you know that CFAUSD students can receive chiropractic care right at their school during their school day?

On-Site Chiropractic has been providing care to the students in the Chippewa Area schools since 2017. The adjustments are quick and parents love the convenience. Teachers have reported great changes in their students' school day when their students are well adjusted.

Chiropractic care is a great tool to help kids thrive in their environments and adapt to their surroundings. What better place to thrive than at school?

Learn more by stopping by the On-Site Chiropractic table at Meet the Teacher night or contact us today at onsitechiroinfo@gmail.com.

If you would like to volunteer to help out in the classroom or go on any field trips, you must fill out the proper online form. Please click HERE to be taken to our Volunteer Information webpage. Please note that once the online form is submitted, it could take up to 2 weeks to fully process so please please allow ample time before you volunteer for the first time. The link is always open so feel free to fill it out at your earliest convenience.

The district adopted a new volunteer management system last spring so many parents are already on file and approved to volunteer for the 2024-25 school year. That approval is good for 1 year so for those parents that are already in the new system, you will get an email 30 days prior to its expiration date, reminding you to reapply. The email will come from RAPTOR TECHNOLOGIES and will go to the email address that they have on file for you.

Upon request to the building administrator, submitted twenty-four (24) hours in advance, the District shall make reasonable accommodation including the provision of informational material in an alternative format as necessary for a disabled person to be able to participate select activities.

MISSION STATEMENT: Hillcrest Elementary School, in partnership with the community, is committed to excellence in a safe, respectful, and child-centered environment in which all students are empowered and challenged to be life-long learners.

Email: piersonm@chipfalls.org
Website: https://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/hillcrest/
Location: 1200 Miles Street, Chippewa Falls, WI, USA
Phone: 715-726-2405