Hillsdale Herald
Hillsdale Elementary School, August 2026, v.1
Hello Hillsdale families,
I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer! We are excited to welcome everyone back and are looking forward to a fantastic 2026-2027 school year. I wanted to share that our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Alyse Gonzalez, will be at Starkweather Elementary full time this year. We will miss her, but we know she will come to say "hi" occasionally. Starkweather is lucky to have her!
As we prepare for the start of school, here are several important dates and reminders to help your family get ready for the new year. Please note that some dates and timelines may be adjusted slightly as we get closer to opening day.
Important Back-to-School Information:
August 3
- Families should have received an email with information about the Parent Portal and instructions for accessing it.
- The Parent Portal provides access to Back-to-School forms, including emergency and medical information. These forms will be available beginning July 29 and should be completed by prior to beginning school
August 4
- Information regarding student activity fees should have been shared.
- Activity fees apply to students participating in activities such as band, orchestra, chorus, after-school sports, and other eligible programs. Most clubs are available for students in grades 3-5. (There was info about this in the July Hillsdale Herald - scroll down)
August 5
- Families should have received information about the Free and Reduced Lunch Program and important immunization requirements.
NEXT Week (August 10)
- Student schedules and homeroom assignments will be available through the Parent Portal.
August 12
- Tentative bus schedules and access to the Bus Status App will be available.
- Any changes to your child’s transportation arrangements must be submitted by August 21. Changes requested after that date will not take effect until after Labor Day.
August 24
- Transportation will email families about their child's final bus schedule which will be available on the Parent Portal on August 26.
We can't wait to welcome our Huskies back soon! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Thank you,
Mrs. Paige Merten
Principal
Please note, the school office is open Monday-Thursday 8am -4pm this summer. We are closed on Fridays through August 21st. We are located at Glen Acres Elementary this summer.
Parent Portal Reminders
- You may update contact information and communication preferences throughout the school year through the Parent Portal.
- Families who already have a Parent Portal account and have enrolled a new kindergarten student can add their child to their existing account by selecting Preferences, then Students, and entering the kindergarten student's access information.
Need to Create a Parent Portal Account?
If you do not currently have a Parent Portal account, you will need to create one. Your child's access information was provided during the registration process. Please allow up to 24 hours after creating an account or adding a student for your Back-to-School/Update site to become active.
If you need assistance accessing the Parent Portal, please contact Ms. Espenshade, our school secretary, at bespenshade@wcasd.net.
Hillsdale is a Title 1 School. That means we receive federal funds to supplement our education program to improve educational opportunities for our students.
We regularly look for ways to redesign our practices to best meet the needs of our students and families in a changing world. We value your partnership and feedback as we further develop our 26-27 plans to best meet our community’s needs. Please complete the survey linked below.
We will utilize your feedback to plan program improvements. Additionally, we invite you to a Parent Advisory Council/Committee (PAC) meeting this fall on Thursday Sept 17th at 6:00pm, prior to our PTO meeting at 6:30pm.
The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of parents and school staff who work together to support our Title I program. The PAC provides input on school improvement efforts, family engagement activities, and how Title I resources can best support student learning. All parents are welcome to participate and share their ideas.
If you have driven by Hillsdale this summer, you have seen some MAJOR changes taking place!
The entire front of the school is being re-designed inside and out! We are very excited about the NEW student bathrooms across from the gym and cafeteria. The school office, nurse's office, and maintenance areas inside are almost finished and our driveways, bus lane, and drop-off/pick-up areas are changing! We will have new directions about all of that in our August Newsletter.
The Middle Pod is being completely updated to match our Upper and Lower Pods - walls and doors! As well as offices in the middle for our School Psychologist, Counselor, Instructional Coach and Speech and Language Pathologist. The Library is also getting a whole new look - renovations, new bookcases, flooring and layout!
Our office is relocated to Glen Acres Elementary School until August 20th.
Front of School
Entering the Middle Pod from the ramp
Library
Please be reminded of the mandated health information that is required for students in particular grades. We want to be sure you have the information you need in order to comply with the state mandate.
Kindergarten and all newly registered students:
- Physical examination report dated after September 2025
- Dental examination report dated after September 2025. A blank dental form can be found below.
- Report of up to date PA state mandated immunizations. The required immunizations include: Dtap, Polio, Hepatitis B, Varicella (chicken pox) and MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella). Immunization dates must be verified in writing by your Health Care Provider.
The Chester County Health Department will provide immunizations free to any child who does not have insurance covering immunizations. Please contact them at 610-344-6468 for information when they will reopen.
3rd Grade Dental Exams
If you have a child(ren) who will be in 3rd grade for the 26 - 27 school year.
PA State mandates require that all 3rd grade students have a dental examination. The report can be dated any time after September 2025, and can be sent to me via email or brought to school.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Eileen Champi, School Nurse, at echampi@wcasd.net.
If you are new to HDE, you will receive an email from Pick Up Patrol to set up your account before school starts - usually the last week of August.
August
Mon 8/31 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
September
Fri 9/4 - Early Dismissal (12:05) - No lunch served
Mon 9/7- NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
Tues. 9/8 - K, 1st, 2nd Back-to-School Night 6pm - English;
6:15pm - Spanish
Wed 9/9 - 3rd, 4th, 5thBack-to-School Night 6pm - English;
6:15pm - Spanish
Fri 9/11 - PTO Welcome Back Bash
Thurs 9/17 - PTO meeting 6:30pm in the Upper Library and on Zoom.
Mon 9/21 - NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur
