HAS Newsletter
October 2024
A Message From The Principal
October Important Dates
Student of the Month
October - Martha
Congratulations to Martha A. for being our overall Student of the Month! She has worked hard and been very dedicated in her classes to receive this honor. Keep up the excellent work!
Faculty "Getting to Know You"!
Mrs Ferrari's Favorites:
Favorite food: Barbecue
Favorite color: Purple and Green
Favorite book: The Giving Tree
Favorite travel spot: The Jersey Shore
Favorite exercise: Yoga
Favorite extra: co-workers with a good sense of humor
"Let Your Voice Empower" Teacher Recognitions
October - Words
This month is about using your Words. The faculty/staff picked for this honor have shown what it means to use their words in a positive and encouraging manner! Congratulations!
Teacher's Corner: Social Studies
Mrs Wrzesinski - World History, US History I, & 20th Century History
Mr Fritz - US History II & Economics
NJ4S Assembly
The mission of NJ4S is the following: "Caring contact is devoted to promoting emotional well-being and preventing emotional crises by providing opportunities for people to express themselves to compassionate listeners in a safe environment. We respond to the need for human interaction and create opportunities for people to help each other. We offer training to people and organizations in the listening skills needed to support those in crisis." On September 30th and October 2nd, representatives from NJ4S came to speak with HAS students on the importance of mental health, emotional well-being, and what to do and who to turn to if students needs assistance.
Hispanic American Heritage Month Celebration
Week Of Respect
This year’s “Week of Respect” began on October 7th and ran through October 11th. During that time, schools throughout the State of NJ took time to recognize the importance of respect by incorporating this theme into both the classroom and activities throughout the school.
HAS planned a full week of respect themed activities and challenges to remind and heighten everyone’s awareness of our school’s anti-bullying policy and the importance of respecting oneself, one another, one's community, the school, the teachers, and our country.
October 7th was Bullying Prevention Awareness Day in the US, so students were handed a Blue Respect Pin. Students were asked that they RESPECT themselves by coming to school each day and that they wear their respect pin. A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if they were wearing their pin. If students came to school each day AND wore their Respect Pin, students earned a reward for their participation.
Let’s join together and show some Respect!
Breast Cancer Awareness
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several activities took place here at HAS:
Students were handed a breast cancer awareness bracelet. They were asked to wear this bracelet each day in order to show support for breast cancer awareness. Students were asked to honor those who fought and those who continue to fight! A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if students were wearing their bracelet. Students who came to school each day AND wore their bracelet earned a reward for their participation.
HAS also hosted a School Spirit competition among the homerooms. Every day for a week had a theme. For each day students dress up, they earned a point for their homeroom, with Friday (wear pink day) giving double points. At the end of the week, the homeroom with the highest average of participation was awarded a special breakfast on Monday 10/30. Congratulations to Mrs Flores' homeroom for winning!
These were the themes for the week:
Tuesday 10/15 - “Be a Superhero of Hope” Students/Staff wear superhero outfits
Wednesday 10/16 - “Say Peace out to cancer” Students/staff wear tie-dye
Thursday 10/17 -“Team up against Breast Cancer” Students/staff wear their favorite sports team shirt/colors
Friday 10/18 - "Wear Pink Day" Students & staff wear pink
"Be a Superhero of Hope"🦸🏻♀️
"Peace Out Cancer"✌🏻
"Think Pink"💗
School Violence Awareness Week
This year’s School Violence Awareness Week began on Monday October 21st and ran through Friday October October 25th. During this time, schools throughout the State of NJ will take time to recognize the importance of school safety by incorporating this theme into both the classroom and activities throughout the schools.
Here at Hillcrest South, a full week was planned of school safety/anti-violence themed activities and events to both remind and heighten everyone’s awareness. As a school community it is important that we stand together and support our message of peace.
Monday students were handed a white ribbon. They were ask to wear that ribbon each day in order to show support for peace and ending violence in schools. A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if students were wearing their pin. If students came to school each day AND wore their pin, they earned a reward for their participation.
A big part of School Violence Awareness week is our school's mission for a safe and peaceful environment. Last year's students were a part of a big wall mural that was created in the dedication of this mission. HAS students who were enrolled after the hand mural was created now got to add their hand print in solidarity of peace and are now a part of HAS history.
Anthony Memorial Path
This past June, we lost a member of our HAS family, Anthony C. It hit us hard because Anthony was such a lovable person who always had a smile on his face and had his whole life ahead of him with graduation less than a month away. In memory of our beloved Anthony, a walk was made to a tree that Anthony and his science class planted last school year. To help make it a place of reflection and memories, students who were close to Anthony added flowers and trinkets to show their love for their friend who we all truly miss.
Science Exhibition
This year's Science Exhibition turned out to be the best one since we have came back in person from CoVid! Our students worked so hard on their projects and they did a great job educating faculty and staff on different topics in science. Projects on fingerprints, blood type, diseases like CoVid and cancer, bones, cells, crime scene forensics, animal food chains, and so on were presented with a 3D model and a PowerPoint.
Students Outside of School
Philanthropy in the Modern World!
HAS student Sarah A. is our very own philanthropist! Not only did she write a proposal and execute an event to help distribute hygiene products and give free food to those in Elizabeth without homes, she won a BeYOUtifull Girls Empowerment Conference competition doing so. You can read the news article by clicking the link down below. Congratulations Sarah!
About Us
Hillcrest Academy South is an alternative high school for students from the Elizabeth Public School District. Students are referred to HAS by their Elizabeth Academy guidance counselor and administration for an interview at HAS. We provide a small educational learning setting with opportunities to make up courses through our Credit Retrieval Program in a caring environment in order to meet Elizabeth’s graduation requirements.
Website: www.ucesc.org
Instagram: ucesc_has
Facebook: Hillcrest Academy South
Location: 1571 Lamberts Mill Road, Westfield, NJ, USA-Door 3B
Phone: 908-233-9317