Hillsdale Herald
Hillsdale Elementary School, Ocotber 2026, v.2
Hello Hillsdale families,
We had so much fun at Move-a-thon yesterday!! Thank you to all our parent volunteers, especially Joanna Gool and Kate Boland, for a wonderful event for our students! As of yesterday, we raised over $11,000 for our school!! This money will be used to provide support for field trips, bring in assembly programs, and purchase new equipment for the playground.
Check out the NEW PTO WEBSITE linked below!
Halloween Parade will be Friday Oct 30th, 1:00pm Rain or Shine!
Parade will begin at 1:00pm with students exiting the rear of the building and parading around our lower field. Please park on our soccer field as we did last year. (picture below). Please avoid parking along Market St., this is a traffic hazard. Only approved volunteers will be permitted in the building for classroom parties. Please consider carpooling as parking is always a problem.
Parent - Teacher Conferences
Conferences will be scheduled the week of Nov 23rd prior to Thanksgiving Break - Monday & Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. More information on how to sign up for a conference will be sent in a separate newsletter at the end of the month.
Please see information at the bottom about our Community Bulletin Board - this is where all extra-curricular opportunities will be posted going forward.
Thank you,
Mrs. Paige Merten
Principal
Building Time Management, Focus & Memory
One of our school goals this year is to help students strengthen their executive functioning skills, and we're grateful for your partnership in reinforcing these skills at home. Just a few minutes of practice each day can make a big difference!
Grades K-2
Try one of these quick activities:
- Clean-Up Challenge: Set a timer for 2-3 minutes and see how many toys or books your child can put away before time runs out.
- Memory Tray Game: Place 3-5 household items on a tray, let your child study them for 30 seconds, then cover them and see how many they can remember.
- Focus Time: Read a book together, complete a simple puzzle, or build with blocks for 3-5 uninterrupted minutes.
Grades 3-5
Try one of these quick activities:
- Beat the Clock: Challenge your child to organize their backpack, desk, or bedroom in 5 minutes.
- Memory Challenge: Show 8-10 items on a tray, then cover them and ask your child to recall as many as possible. Add a challenge by asking them to remember the items in order.
- Focus Sprint: Have your child spend 5-10 minutes reading, drawing, building, or completing a puzzle without distractions, then reflect on what helped them stay focused.
The amount of time your child can successfully focus will vary by age and developmental stage, so feel free to adjust the activities as needed. At school, we're intentionally teaching and practicing these same skills, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together to help our students build the confidence, independence, and self-management skills that support success in school and beyond.
New in the LinkIt! portal: Your Child’s Fall Benchmark Results
From Supervisor of Assessment &Accountability (email sent week of 10/7)
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We are pleased to let you know that your child’s beginning of year (BOY) benchmark assessment results are now available in LinkIt! portal. This is the first time district benchmark data has been added to the portal, joining the PSSA and Keystone Exam results that have been available since July. Please be aware that currently Science PSSA and Biology Keystone results are still on hold from the Pennsylvania Department of Education with an estimated release in late November.
If you already have an account: Log in at https://wcasd.linkit.com/parent and click the Reports icon. You will see new benchmark results listed alongside the state assessment data you have already been viewing.
If you have not yet set up your account: Now is a great time to get started. You will need the registration code that was sent to your email from noreply@linkit.com. If you cannot find it or did not receive one, contact your child’s school office to confirm the email address on file and request a new code.
What are benchmarks?
District benchmark assessments are given at key points during the school year in English Language Arts, Science and Math. They measure your child’s current skill levels against grade-level standards and help teachers plan instruction.
An important note about fall scores: BOY benchmarks measure skills at the beginning of the year before much of the grade-level content has been taught. These scores establish a starting point. You should expect to see growth as your child progresses through the school year, with winter and spring benchmarks reflecting that development.
If you are having difficulty accessing your account, please contact assessment@wcasd.net
Jim Ronayne
Supervisor of Assessment & Accountability
West Chester Area School District
Do you know a WCASD educator or support professional who goes above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of students, families, and colleagues?
Nominate them for the Chester County Champions of Education Awards and help us celebrate excellence across our schools!
Submit a nomination: CCChampionsofEdu.org
October
10/16 - HDE Band plays at HHS football game 7pm
10/22 - 1st grade Field Trip to Cherry Crest Farms
10/23 - Buddy Read Activity
10/23 - PTO Trunk or Treat
10/30 - Halloween Parade and Parties
November
11/2- 4th Grade Field Trip to Brandywine Red Clay Alliance
11/3 - No School - Teacher Inservice, Election Day
11/5- 5th Grade Field Trip to Paradise Farms
11/11 - Veteran's Day Assembly
11/23 - 11/25 Parent Teacher Conferences
11/23 - Early Dismissal (12:05) - No Lunch Served
11/24 - Early Dismissal (12:05) - No Lunch Served
11/25 - 11/27 - No School Thanksgiving Break
Each child is permitted 10 parent notes and 5 family vacation days each year for absences. Please use the family vacation form linked below.
If you would like to volunteer in our school this year, please note:
1) Volunteers must have clearances.
2) Younger siblings are not permitted at school while you volunteer.
3) Volunteers are held to the same confidentiality standards as any WCASD employee.
4) While you may see and interact with your child when you are volunteering, you are here to assist all children.
Links to sign up to volunteer for Kindergarten and 1st grade Lunch and 2nd - 5th grade Gaga Pit/Recess support are below. We are always looking for volunteers in our Library. You can contact Ms. Szczesny directly at aszczesny@wcasd.net.
