Hillside News Brief

April 3 - Hillside Community Club Meeting at 5:15pm in the Library

April 7 - 7:00pm Band-o--Rama at Westside High School

April 8 - 7:00pm West Fest at Westside High School

April 11 - 6:30pm Hillside School Dance and Meet the New Principal Event! (North Gym)

April 18 - 1:00pm Dismissal at Hillside

April 21-25 - Book Fair and Art Display in Hillside's North Gym

April 24 - Hillside Bingo Night from 6:00-8:00pm at the Westside Community Center

April 25 - Friday Spirit Day (wear Hillside spiritwear or orange/blue)

With spring comes the potential for severe weather. We want to remind you of our district's plan to provide a safe environment for our students and staff. When weather is expected, we closely monitor conditions in partnership with experts at the National Weather Service and Offutt Air Force Base.

WHAT HAPPENS IF SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?

• Thunderstorm Watch or Tornado Watch: Schools will continue as normal and dismiss at the regular time.
• Thunderstorm Warning: Outdoor activities will be held if conditions allow. Students may be released as scheduled if conditions are safe. If there’s concern about safety, students may be held temporarily.
• Tornado Warning: Students and staff will take shelter inside the school building. No one will be released until it is safe. If you arrive at school during a Tornado Warning, you are welcome to take shelter inside the building.

WATCHES VS. WARNINGS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

• Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in or near the watch area. Stay informed and be ready to act if conditions worsen.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Severe weather has been reported by spotters or radar, posing an immediate threat to life and property. Take shelter in a sturdy building immediately. Warnings typically cover smaller areas, such as a city or county.

For more information from the National Weather Service, click here.

TORNADO WARNING SIREN UPDATES
Starting with the 2025 severe weather season, the Douglas County Emergency Management Agency (DCEMA) will introduce a location-based siren activation policy. Under this new policy, outdoor warning sirens will only sound in specific areas identified by the National Weather Service as being under imminent threat from a tornado or a destructive severe thunderstorm. This includes threats like baseball-sized hail or sustained winds exceeding 80 mph. This change replaces the previous countywide siren activation model.

WHAT IF THIS IMPACTS ARRIVAL OR DISMISSAL?

Unfortunately, we can’t control the timing of severe weather, and sometimes it can arrive when students are arriving or leaving school. When this happens we will always do our best to notify you as quickly as possible via text message what the plans are for your students’ school. Our top priority is the safety of everyone at school. Please keep in mind:

• For families with students who take the bus, please be aware that drop-off times may be delayed depending on weather conditions.
• If tornado sirens sound while you are on school property, and the school is open, you are welcome to take shelter in our building.
• There may be times when we call a 2-hour late start depending on the timing of the weather.

Thank you for working with us to keep our Westside community safe. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Elizabeth Power

Director of Communications & Engagement

Westside Community Schools

Hello Music Friends!

We have the opportunity to host the Jazz Ambassadors from the United States Army for a concert at Westside High School on Saturday, April 19th at 7:00 p.m. The Jazz Ambassadors are the highest level touring Jazz Band for the US Army.

This concert is free and open to the public, however you will need to reserve your free ticket for the event. Please see the link below to reserve your tickets right now:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-jazz-ambassadors-of-the-us-army-field-band-free-concert-tickets-1254844897869?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Westside Football will be hosting their Youth Football Camp in the spring this year. The camp will be at the Omaha Sports Complex on Saturday, April 13th from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. The purpose of this camp is to introduce the techniques, fundamentals, and skills needed to play football for Westside High School. All current 3rd-7th graders are invited to Sign Up Here.

Westside Football will be hosting their Youth Football Camp in the spring this year. The camp will be at the Omaha Sports Complex on Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The purpose of this camp is to introduce the techniques, fundamentals, and skills needed to play football for Westside High School. All current 3rd-7th graders are invited to Sign Up Here.

Here is the link, too: https://myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZI5ZPLR6704EZ4_ZZJUK811MF0POGF…

We’re thrilled to announce the return of the WE-SIDE Multicultural Fair, happening Saturday, March 29, from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Westside High School’s main gymnasium. Mark your calendar—this year, we’re hosting the event in March, a change from previous years!

This vibrant celebration showcases the rich diversity of Westside and the Omaha community through food, activities, performances, and fun.

At the Westside Multicultural Fair there will be:

- 27 table showcases sharing their heritage and cultures

- Free food - choices from food trucks to beignets

- Free henna artist

- Dance and music performances from: Legacy Academy Dance Studio (Hip Hop then Contemporary Performance), Omaha Japanese American Citizens League Dance Troupe, Nebraska Chinese Association (Dragon Dance then Musical Performance) and Shelby Mason Dance/Royal House of Diamonds (Step Performance then Hip Hop Performance). We’d love for you to be part of this exciting event.

Have questions or need more details? Reach out to Danielle Herzog, our Coordinator of District Special Projects.

We can’t wait to see you at this joyful celebration of culture, connection, and community. Let’s make this year’s WE-SIDE Multicultural Fair the best one yet!

Hillside's philosophy is that students deserve to learn social skills right along with academics. We want our students to learn how to accept feedback gracefully, how to regulate their emotions appropriately, and how to negotiate skillfully with peers. We are committed to helping all our students to learn and grow academically, socially, and emotionally.