Hillside Happenings

🌟 Habit of the Month: Think Win-Win

This January, our school focus is on Habit 4: Think Win-Win. In a world that often feels competitive, we are teaching our students that success doesn't have to come at someone else's expense.

To "Think Win-Win" means:

• Seeking Mutual Benefit: Looking for solutions where everyone feels good about the outcome.

• Practicing Empathy: Listening to others' needs while also being brave enough to share our own.

• Abundance Mentality: Believing that there is plenty of success to go around for everyone.

We encourage you to talk about this at home! Ask your child, "How can we find a solution that makes us both happy?" when a conflict arises over a toy or a chore.

🏠 Home Connection: The "Win-Win" Jar

To help bring Habit 4 to life at home, try the Win-Win Jar activity this week!

The Challenge: Whenever siblings or family members have a disagreement (about what to eat for dinner, which movie to watch, or who gets to sit in the front seat), pause and ask: "How can we make this a Win-Win?"

How it works:

1. Brainstorm: Have each person state what they want and why.

2. Negotiate: Find a middle ground (e.g., "We watch your movie tonight, but I get to pick the snacks, and we watch my movie tomorrow.").

3. Celebrate: Every time a conflict is resolved where both people feel happy, put a marble or a slip of paper in a jar.

4. Reward: Once the jar is full, celebrate with a "Win-Win" family treat, like a trip to the park or a special dessert!

🎟️ Join the Fun: Social Outlets

Winter months can feel a bit long, so we have some great opportunities for our students to stay active and social:

• Bonaventure Night: Come out and skate with the Hillside community! It’s always a highlight of the season. Please join us on January 21st.

• Movie Night: Be sure to grab your tickets for our upcoming Movie Night (January 30th). It’s a perfect way for students to relax and bond outside of school hours. Click here to purchase a ticket.

🏫 Growing Our Community

Do you have a little one ready to start their school journey? We are hosting a Young 5’s Information Meeting next week. This meeting is open to all Farmington Public Schools (FPS) families. It’s a great chance to learn about the curriculum and see if this program is the right fit for your child. Please see the flyer attached further down in this newsletter for specific times and location details.

🏆 Celebrating Excellence

Finally, a massive congratulations to our Student Leaders who earned leadership awards this week! These students have gone above and beyond to model our school habits and support their peers. We are so proud of the examples you are setting for our school.

Mrs. Maas & Mrs. Amos

School Hours for 2025-2026:

Student Hours: 8:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.

Half Day: 8:30 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.

Office Hours: 7:45 A.M. – 4:15 P.M.

Save the Dates:

January 16th - Half Day of School

January 19th - No School - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 21st - Bonaventure Night

January 30th - Movie Night

February 3rd - 4th Grade Ski Trip

February 11th - Bonventure Skate Night

February 16 - 20 - No School - Mid-Winter Break

March 2nd - 2nd Grade Field Trip

March 6th - Leadership Day

March 6th - Half Day of School

March 12th - PTA Meeting at 7:00 pm

March 16th - Spring Book Fair Begins

March 18th - Parent-Teacher Conferences

March 20th - Book Fair Ends

March 23rd - Dentist R Us Returns

March 30 - April 3 - Spring Break

The link below takes you to all published newsletters thus far.

Archive of all Newsletters

The email address: hil@fpsk12.net is not regularly monitored.

To reach someone in the office, please use the email addresses below:

Mrs. Maas - torrie.maas@fpsk12.net - Principal

Mrs. Amos - deb.amos@fpsk12.net - Assistant Principal

Ms. Pliska - emily.pliska@fpsk12.net - Secretary

Mrs. Jacobs - susan.jacobs@fpsk12.net - Office Clerk

Mrs. Huell - tanya.huell@fpsk12.net - Office Clerk

Ramadan is a holy month observed by Muslims through fasting from dawn to sunset, increased prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness. For our students who are fasting, we understand this time can be very meaningful, but it can also be physically and emotionally challenging while attending school. Hillside recognizes that students who are fasting may:

• May experience fatigue, low energy, or difficulty concentrating, especially later in the day

• May feel thirst, headaches, or irritability as their bodies adjust

• Might be more emotionally sensitive while still wanting to fully participate in class

In addition, we recognize that students may benefit from supportive adjustments during the school day. When possible, this could include:

• An alternative, quiet setting during lunch for students who are fasting and may feel uncomfortable sitting in the cafeteria around food

• Flexibility during recess or PE, such as allowing students to rest, walk, or engage in a quieter activity, or combining this time as an extended break rather than strenuous physical activity

Join FCL for our 25th Annual MLK Celebration, taking place January 17–19, at the Farmington Hills location.

This multi-day celebration honors the life, legacy, and impact of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through opportunities for learning, reflection, and community connection.

All MLK events will take place at the FCL Farmington Hills location at 32737 W. 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334.

Click here to learn more!

Our next skate night is Wednesday, January 21st, from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Bonaventure is open just to Hillside Elementary and their families, which is a wonderful family-friendly evening! The cost is $13, which includes skates. Spectators are always free! Address: 24505 Halstead Rd - Farmington Hills

Provide the sticker your student came home with to the cashier when paying for your admission and they will receive 20 free arcade credits for our Hillside Skate Night. Can’t go in January? Save the sticker for another Hillside Skate Night!

If you are interested in helping plan the 5th grade End of the Year Party, please fill out this form by January 23rd and the PTA will gather the results and share with all. This will give the committee a starting point for planning.The PTA sponsors the 5th grade party with a $600 donation, but this event is not planned by the PTA. The 5th Grade Promotion and Party are scheduled for Thursday, June 4th.

January Movie Night is Friday, January 30th. Tickets are now on sale - Purchase tickets here

Enrichments for 2026 are still available to register. You can find additional details on our website.

Still available to enroll:

Hillside Sports Camp - Tuesdays, starting January 27th

MadScience - Mondays, starting January 26th

Support Hillside while you shop at Kroger & Busch’s

Kroger Community Rewards

Busch's Cash for Education : Busch’s must be updated yearly

Join us for a Young 5s Informational Meeting on January 22nd! Meet our current Young 5s teachers and families, ask questions, and learn more about this free program.

Farmington Public Schools (FPS) is partnering with Varsity Tutors for Schools to provide students with free access to additional learning tools through the Varsity Tutors for Schools Platform.

Varsity Tutors for Schools offers a wide variety of tools including:

• 24/7 On-demand chat tutoring
• On-demand essay review
• Live academic and enrichment classes
• SAT and ACT test preparation classes
• Celebrity-led Starcourse classes
• Self-study resources
• College and career readiness resources
• Adaptive assessments and personalized learning plans
• Prerecorded enchantment classes and videos

Students can access the free resources only by logging in through Clever at Clever.com.

Once students login to their Clever account, they can access tools by clicking on the Varsity Tutors application. From here, students can explore the learning lab and discover all of the features the platform has to offer.

To learn more about the Varsity Tutors partnership, visit www.clever.com.

To learn more about Farmington Public Schools, visit www.farmington.k12.mi.us.

Congratulations to all of our students who were recogized with Leadership Awards this week!!😁

We are so proud of you!! Congratulations:

Jude

David

Midhuna

Hector

Teagan

Weston

Naujheel

Vihaan

Thank you Mrs. Janks, Mrs. Schultz, & Mrs. Sabon

for nominating these amazing students!!

We can't wait to see who's next!😍

Elementary students will have the option to purchase a second slice of pizza on Little Caesars Pizza Day (every other Thursday - Jan. 15 & 29). The first slice is free, and the cost for an additional slice is $2.25.

Students must have sufficient funds preloaded in their cafeteria account. Deposits can be made online at https://farmington.familyportal.cloud/

Please reach out to Nutrition Services at 248.489.3717 if you have any questions.

River will be joining the Hillside Staff very soon! Please consider donating to help with supplies.

As we begin to transition from summer to fall, don't forget to bring your items to our bin. Donate your old clothes, shoes, & linens. Donated items are recycled, and our school receives a donation. The bin is located on the west side of the parking lot. 

What is Clothes Bin?

Clothes Bin® is a textile recycling program that partners with schools to turn unwanted clothing, shoes, and textiles into funding for student needs. Our bright green bins are conveniently located on campus and equipped with smart technology to ensure timely service. Every bag you drop off reduces waste in landfills and, more importantly, provides direct funding for programs, resources, and activities that benefit our students all year long.

How You Can Help

• By dropping gently used clothing, shoes, and textiles in the Clothes Bin® on campus,

you keep items out of landfills and give them a second life.

• Every bag of textiles you bring in generates real funding for our school’s programs, classrooms, and

activities.

How Our School Benefits

• Enrichment programs

• Classroom resources

• Student activities and events

The Clothes Bin Program focuses on textiles only — toys, books, and household items can be

recycled or donated through other local programs.

Email: torrie.maas@fpsk12.net

Website: www.farmington.k12.mi.us/hil
Location: 36801 11 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI, USA
Phone: (248)489-3773
Facebook: Facebook.com/HillsideFPS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillsidefp