Hilltop Herald Parent Edition
Be Respectful ~ Be Responsible ~ Be Resilient
Volume 2 ~ Issue 23 ~ January 29, 2024
“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” ~Kurt Vonnegut~
Falcon community, I have been thinking a lot about the word "community" and what that means. At the end of the week, I debried with my two assistant principals to discuss glows and grows for our HTM community. As I listened, I realized that we need to constantly talk about the importance of having a healthy and safe community. While many students may have found community here, there are others who are struggling to be in community or they are part of a community that is not enhancing their characters. One thing I noticed, recently, are students who hide their faces even when they greet me or any other person. I stopped a group of students and asked them why they do that. They told me that people make fun of their faces, noses and such, so that is why they do it. I see it in their request for their faces to be hidden in pictures. While our children are hanging around other students, they are still isolated and lonely. Furthermore, the use of social media has aggravated this issue. Our mission statement promises that we, along with the larger HTM community, inspire, guide and empower students to thrive in a healthy that fosters a love of learning. Students, what does your immediate community look like? Who are you hanging around with? Do they help you become a better person or do they encourage to do things that bring you down? The answer to those questions will determine what you decide to do with that community? There is a Spanish saying, "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who your are." You have the ability to make our HTM community a place where EVERYONE belongs. It begins with assessing who you surround yourselves with, whether you speak up for the defenseless, whether you decide to join in bullying someone or determing what you say about a person, face-to-face or on social media. All of these actions either build up our community or they tear it down. You choose. Parents, please have a conversation about community with your children.
January Babies, It's Your Turn to be Celebrated!
To all of us who arrived in this world in the month of January, it is our turn to be celebrated. Join me on the stage on Wednesday after school. You will get a birthday card from the ASB during Period 5. That card is your ticket to get ice cream. Happy Birthday!
2024-2025 Registration Window is Open
Families, if your child is continuing at HTM or enrolling for the first time as 7th grader or going to the high school or any other school in the district, registration for the next school year is now OPEN. All students must register for school each year. The 2024-2025 school year, you will see the return of the pre-Covid Immunization Requirements to be completed and submitted BEFORE students enter campus on Day 1, which is July 24, 2024. Click HERE to see the list of immunizations that your child must have. Below is a section dedicated to the registration process.
- For general registration information, please email Ms. Quintero at maria.quintero@sweetwaterschools.org.
- For FLAGS Program Information, please email Ms. Jarrett at aida.jarrett@sweetwaterschools.org.
Future FLAGS Student and Parent Information Sessions
Parents, if you have a student who wants to be part of the FLAGS program, please attend our Informational Meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 and February 7, 2024. Both meetings will start at 6:00pm and will be held in the cafeteria. See flyers below.
Future Lancer Informational Meeting is February 1, 2024
Eighth graders, if you are attending Hilltop High School for the next school year, they are hosting an informational meeting on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Please see flyer below.
Eighth Grade Promotion Date is June 4, 2024
Eighth grade parents, HTM will host its promotion ceremony on June 4, 2024 at 6:00pm at Hilltop High Stadium. Remember, if students want to participate in this ceremony, they must have pass all 12 classes in eighth grade. If they failed a class, they need to be taking the credit recovery classes we are offering or in an incomplete grade program. Please talk to your child's counselor or Mr. Toms, who is in charge of credit recovery programs. His email is kenneth.toms@sweetwaterschools.org.
Save the Dates for Upcoming Student Empowerment Events
Families, we have two major events coming up in the next several months. We want to make sure that HTM is represented. Please read the sections below on these two events:
- BSU RISE Conference on February 10, 2024 @ Olympian High School
- Adelante Mujer Conference on April 20, 2024 @ UCSD.
Buy Your 2023-2024 Yearbook Now
Students, memorialize your school year by buying your yearbook now! Read the information below.
ASB Sales
Falcons, stay warm during the winter months and buy your HTM sweatshirt and pantsfor only $25. See picture at the end of the newsletter.
A Couple of Reminders
Families, please review our No Cell Phone Out Policy with your children. Another policy to review is the Bullying/Harrassment Policy for the district. These policies are included in this newsletter. Please scroll down toward the end of the newsletter.
Falcons, let's have a wonderful week in community
Sincerely,
Ms. Finley
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
- Studen’ts 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)
Date: Time:
Tuesday, June 11 1:00pm-6:00pm
Wednesday, June 12 1:00pm-6:00pm
Thursday, June 13 1:00pm-6:00pm
Eighth Graders,
There is one requirement for you: you must pass ALL your classes this year for both semesters, if you want to participate in the promotion ceremony on June 4 and receive a certificate of promotion.
By now, you have received your semester 1 grades. If you passed all your classes, you are on track to promote. If you failed class in either, English/ELD, General Science 2, Integrated Math 8, Integrated Math 1, US History, you will be offered to take credit recovery for one or more of these courses. These courses will take place on Saturdays during Saturday Scholars or during Spring Break. If you do not participate in these offerings, there is a high probability that you will not participate in promotional exercises in June.
We are in the process of planning these credit recovery courses. ALL CLASSES WILL BE ON SATURDAYS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PE, WHICH WILL BE DURING SPRING BREAK. We will be offering:
- English 8/ELD III Hour 1 - Ms. Holt
- General Science 2 - Teacher to be determined
- PE 8 - Mr. Rob Johnson, former HTM PE teacher
- Integrated Math 8 - Mr. Chaidez
- US History (will pilot the Incomplete Grades Program) - Mr. Horton and Mr. Stubbs
We are not offering credit recovery for Elective Courses.
A - Gi: Ms. Santana
Go - Mo: Ms. Haug
Morn - Z: Ms. Orozco
HTM Wellness Wednesday Shirts
Purchase one to wear this Wednesday to participate in the Great Kindness Challenge. Or just for any Wellness Wednesday Shirt
HTM Sweats Gear On Sale
For these winter months, these might be the purchase to keep you warm during a chilly school day.
What is the CVFD Explorers Program?
Read the information on this flyer. Eighth graders, this is a great way for you to start your community service requirements
CVFD Explorers Website
To get more information, please go to our website and it will answer all your questions.
Easter Finley, Principal
Email: easter.finley@sweetwaterschools.org
Website: htm.sweetwaterschools.org
Location: 44 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA, USA
Phone: 619.498.2700
Twitter: @erfinleysd