The Nest
Dear Hillcrest Families,
Our school will be participating in survey data collection using the New Jersey School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey, which was developed and is administered by Rutgers University in order to help schools obtain multiple perspectives on aspects of school climate. Collecting data is important for understanding strengths and needs in our school and how it feels to be a member of the school community. The data will be used to make improvements to the school. This survey is anonymous and voluntary and will be offered to staff members, students and their families. School and district staff will be able to view responses from the survey on a password-protected online platform. Individual responses on the survey are combined with other respondents for reporting purposes. For example, your answers on the survey will be combined with those of other student family members. No one will have access to an individual respondent’s answers.
The student survey will be given in school from April 1, 2025 to April 11, 2025. You can see the questions that are on the student surveys by clicking on this link. We would very much like to learn about your child’s opinion about school, but your child does not have to participate in the survey. If you would rather not have your child participate in the survey, please fill out this form by March 26, 2025. If you do not respond, it will be understood that you approve of your child’s participation in the survey.
We would also like YOUR opinion of our school. Please take a few minutes to complete this HIL Parent Survey using the following password: HILparent. The family survey will close on April 30, 2025. You may take this family survey more than once if you have more than one child in our school(s).
If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to reach out to Mary Clark at mclark@franklinboe.org.
Thank you for providing feedback to help make our school more supportive and engaging. We appreciate you!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Vaccaro
Calendar of Events
Looking Ahead:
March 24- Half Day for Students- Dismissal at 1:30
March 26- Naglieri (NNAT3) Testing- Grade 2
March 28- Spirit Day- Show your Hillcrest Pride- Wear your Hillcrest or Franklin Gear!
March 31- School is Closed
April 1- Wear blue for Autism Awareness Month
April 1-11- Students in Grade 3-5 take the NJSCI Survey.
April 4- Spirit Day- Wear your Hillcrest or Franklin Gear!
April 10- PBSIS Incentive Day- Run on Minimum Session Day
April 11- PBSIS Fundraiser- PJ Day
April 14-21- School is Closed- Spring Break
April 24- Parent Engagement Night- Poetry Night @ 6:00-7:30 PM
April 28-May 9- iReady Diagnostic Window 3
April 22- Family Engagement Night- Mobile STEAM Museum & Math Night
April 25- Spirit Day- Wear your Hillcrest or Franklin Gear!
April 28- iReady Diagnostic Window 3 begins
If you know that you child will be tardy or absent from school, it is requested that you notify the attendance office as soon as it is known that your child will be absent but not later than 9:30 A.M. on the day of the absence.
This can be done by phone at 732-246-0170 prompt 1. Voicemail is operational 24 hours daily.
You may also contact Mrs. Coriell by email at: HILattendance@franklinboe.org
Students who arrive after 8:50 am must be escorted into the building and the parent sign their child in. Students are considered tardy at 8:55. PLEASE NOTE: Classroom instruction begins promptly at 8:50.
Please take advantage of the options to prepay your student's meal accounts. Prepayments help the lunch lines go faster and give students more time to eat, relax, and enjoy recess. They also give you the peace of mind of not having to worry about looking for lunch money every day or worry that it might get lost, stolen or used for things other than lunch. We strongly recommend and encourage prepayments.
District Policy For Unpaid Meal Charges / Outstanding Food Service Charges
Meal Pricing:
Breakfast: $.25
Lunch: $2.35
Online Payments
Online payments are a simple, safe, and secure way to make payments to your student's account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at your convenience. To place money on your students account, visit PaySchool Central
Send Check or Cash
You can always bring money personally or send it with your student. Please place it in an envelope marked clearly with your student's name, their ID #, their teacher's name, the $ amount and the check #.
Payments are also accepted by cash or check in person at the Food Services Office.
If a student's lunch balance reaches $60.00, they will only be provided with a cheese sandwich. If you require assistance, please complete the following steps:
Complete the Online Application for School Meals. Apply online anytime using an internet-enabled computer. You can submit an application in minutes. Students will obtain benefits faster, electronic submission ensures that the completed application reaches the district office quickly; the process is secure and confidential, and this method is preferred due to the timing and accuracy of submissions. Paper applications will continue to be accepted. If you would like a paper application, please contact your child's teacher or our counselors Mrs. Jones at christinejones@franklinboe.org or Ms. Nelson at jacquelinenelson@franklinboe.org
If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, any accrued balances must still be paid.
As the spring season unfolds, the weather can be unpredictable—chilly mornings often turn into warm afternoons! Please remember to dress your child in layers to ensure they’re comfortable throughout the day. Light jackets or hoodies are perfect for those cooler starts and can be easily removed as the day warms up.
Additionally, as we transition to warmer weather, it’s a great time to review our school dress code to ensure all students are dressed appropriately for learning. You can find the full dress code outlined in our District Code of Conduct .
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school environment comfortable and respectful for everyone!
Ensuring the safety of our students is our top priority, both on and off school grounds. We would like to remind you of the importance of proper child restraints in vehicles and our commitment to maintaining a secure environment on campus.
New Jersey Car Seat and Seatbelt Laws in the state of New Jersey:
Children under age 2 and weighing less than 30 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing car seat with a five-point harness.
Children ages 2 through 4 and weighing up to 40 pounds must be secured in either a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness.
Children ages 4 through 8 and under 57 inches tall must be secured in a forward-facing car seat with a harness or a booster seat.
Children ages 8 and older (or taller than 57 inches) must use a properly fitted seatbelt.
Children under the age of 13 should not ride in the front seat of a vehicle for safety reasons.
Please note that for the safety of all students, children will not be placed in vehicles without the appropriate car seat or booster seat, as required by law. If you do not have a car seat or booster seat for your child, please contact our school counselors, Mrs. Jones at christinejones@franklinboe.org or Ms. Nelson at jacquelinenelson@franklinboe.org.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school office.
