August 2023 Hillcrest Newsletter

Dear Hillcrest Families,

Welcome back to another exciting school year! 🎉 We are absolutely thrilled to welcome our students and families back to Hillcrest Elementary. We hope your summer was filled with sunshine, laughter, and special moments together!

As we dive into this new year, we want to celebrate a huge success from last year—our reading scores showed wonderful improvement, and we could not be more proud of our students and staff! This growth is just the beginning, and we are filled with excitement about all the possibilities this new year holds. With teamwork and a shared commitment to learning, we know this will be another amazing year!

At Hillcrest, we focus on three core expectations that guide everything we do:
👉 Be Respectful
👉 Be Responsible
👉 Be Safe
These values are woven into our classrooms, hallways, playgrounds, and every part of our day as we work to grow kind, confident, and capable learners.

Our office doors are always open to you, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here for you! We deeply appreciate our families and the important role you play as part of Team Hillcrest. Together, we are doing what’s best for kids—every child, every day.

Let’s make this year our best one yet. Go Hornets!

Warmly,
Cami Tapscott
Principal, Hillcrest Elementary

This is a change from the years past. Thank you for your understanding.

August 11 from 4:00-5:30 is Hillcrest's Backpack Night! Come meet your child's teacher and drop off your school supplies before the first day of school.

August 13th is the first day of school. There is a 1 hour early dismissal at 2:00.

September 1 - No School, Labor Day

September 2 - No School, Teacher Inservice

September 15 - Picture Day!

Families,

The beginning of every school year is always exciting but also filled with various stress events. One of the biggest stress events we have at Hillcrest is drop off and pick up in front of the building. In the interest of a stress free environment, please follow the expectations for drop off and pick up each day:

1. Remember, safety is going to be the number one priority during these times!

2. Slow down in our school zone (15 mph)! There are little people everywhere.

3. Watch for orange cones! Just like on the highways, orange means you can't park there or drive there!

4. DO NOT drop off your student in the middle of a street! This is unsafe and could cause an accident!

5. Students dropped off across 22nd Avenue or across Kennedy Drive, MUST use the crosswalk as this will be the safest way to cross with an adult! We will be adamant about the use of crosswalks!

6. DO NOT stop or park in a crosswalk! It is against the law to do this!

7. Follow any and all directions of staff or police officers in the area as they are trying to keep the area safe!

8. A HUGE reminder that there is NO DROP off behind the building on 4th Street A or along 5th Street, these two areas are bus drop off points and we need to insure the safety of bus riders exiting the busses and the safety of the buses themselves navigating traffic.

9. If a bus has their stop sign out, you must stop. This is a state law.

10. Finally, BE PATIENT! Slowing down and waiting your turn are the only ways drop off and pick up times are going to work! This will be especially true during the winter months when you add the elements of snow and ice.

The final thoughts on drop off and pick up are this. We are not blessed with a wide street or lanes for cars and trucks and as many of you already know, parking is very limited. Again, we plead for patience. Your patience and kindness will make this time stress free and above all safe! Thank you in advance for your adherence to the rules!

Click on the link below to find a list of the school supply lists for each grade level at Hillcrest.

Click on the link below to see the breakfast and lunch menu.

We feel it is valuable for our students to get outside and play! As long as the temperature is not above 90 degrees, your student will go outside for recess. Our buildings are air conditioned, and each student will get the opportunity to have a drink of water when they return from playing outside.

In the winter if the "feels like temperature" is below ten, the students will stay inside.

As the weather changes, please send your child in appropriate clothes.

Join Our PTO –

Do you want to be more involved in your child’s school experience? Join the Hillcrest Parent Teacher Organization! Whether you have a little time or a lot, your support helps fund events, classroom resources, and fun extras that make our school family special. Everyone is welcome – no dues, no pressure, just a great way to connect and contribute.

Stop by our table at Backpack Night for more information!

We’d love to have you!