Hillsdale Herald

Hello Hillsdale families,

We have had a wonderful first week of school! Students are making new friends, learning new routines, and getting comfortable in our new spaces.

Next week will be exciting with our Back to School Nights. This is NOT an Open House. Teachers will begin in their classrooms at 6:00pm. If families need Spanish, we will begin in the gym at 6:15pm. This is an caregivers event only. Teachers will be providing district, school, grade level and classroom information (boring for kids!). If you need to see more than one teacher please attend one presentation at 6:00 and then go say hi to your other child's teacher and get any handouts.

If you are new to our school, please watch the short video linked below with all the usual school information. The slides are also attached if you would like to just read the info.

Reminders

• No School on MONDAY!
• Title 1 PAC meeting 9/17 6:00pm
• PTO meeting 9/17 6:30pm

NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN

Thank you for following the new traffic pattern so well! Thank you also for your flexibility on Wednesday with the unpredictable weather!

Lost and Found

Yes, we already have sweatshirts and water bottles collecting in our Lost and Found! Please be sure your child's name is in/on clothing, lunch box, back pack, water bottles. We try to return the items we can identify.

Cafeteria Update

Students are now able to purchase snacks in our cafeteria. Ice Cream will be available SOON - maybe NEXT WEEK - grades K, 1st, 2nd will be able to purchase on Wednesdays and grades 3rd, 4th & 5th will be able to purchase on Fridays. Please remember we do not accept cash at purchase. You can put money in your child's PaySchools account or send in a check or cash to be added to their account. We do not give change. Please see link below for additional information.

PTO is sponsoring our Welcome Back Bash 6-7:30pm Friday Sept. 11, 5:30-7pm on the playground. We look forward to seeing you!

Volunteers

An addition to volunteering in the library or classrooms, we welcome volunteers with their clearances to support our teachers in K and 1st grade lunch and 2nd - 5th recess/gaga pit. Please see sign ups below.

Thank you,

Mrs. Paige Merten

Principal

If you need a Spanish speaking interpreter for at Back to School night, please arrive in the gym at 6:15pm

Si necesita un intérprete de español para la reunión de padres de inicio de curso, por favor llegue al gimnasio a las 18:15.

We are ALL Title I – this is new!

This year, Hillsdale's Title I program has shifted from serving a specific group of eligible students to becoming a schoolwide Title I program. This is exciting news for our school community because it gives us greater flexibility to proactively support all learners and better meet student needs through our reading and math intervention services.

As a schoolwide Title I school, every family plays an important role in shaping our work. We want your input on our programs, school initiatives, family engagement efforts, and continuous improvement goals. Your feedback helps us strengthen the supports and opportunities we provide for our students.

We look forward to partnering with you throughout the year and invite you to share your ideas, perspectives, and questions as we work together to help every Bobcat thrive!

Save the Date for our PAC Meeting!

We invite ALL Hillsdale families to join us for our Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting on Thursday, Sept 17th at 6:00pm (30 minutes before our PTO meeting–we want you to stay for both meetings!)

PAC provides families with an opportunity to partner with school leadership, learn about school initiatives, share feedback, and engage in meaningful conversations focused on supporting our students and school community. Whether you're a returning participant or joining us for the first time, your voice matters and we hope you'll consider attending.

We look forward to connecting with you!

Right to Know Letter

At Hillsdale Elementary, we believe strong partnerships between home and school help our students thrive. As part of our participation in the federal Title I program, we are required to share the attached Title I Right to Know Letter with all families.

This letter outlines your right to request information about the professional qualifications of your child's classroom teachers and instructional staff. We are proud of the dedicated educators who serve our Huskies each day and remain committed to providing every student with high-quality instruction and support.

Please take a few minutes to review the attached letter. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

📋 Kindergarten and 3rd Grade Required Health Documents

A reminder to families that Pennsylvania school health regulations require:

• Kindergarten students: Physical examination and dental examination forms
• 3rd Grade students: Dental examination form

All required forms are due by October 27, 2026.

🤧 When Should My Child Stay Home?

To help prevent the spread of illness, please keep your child home if they have:

• A fever of 100.4°F or higher
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• A contagious illness that requires exclusion from school
• Symptoms that prevent participation in the school day

It is recommended that students return to school only when they are:

• Fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication
• Free from vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours
• On prescribed antibiotics for at least 24 hours, when applicable
• Feeling well enough to participate in normal school activities

If you have questions about whether your child is ready to return to school, please contact the health office. 🩺💙

🥪 Healthy Habits for Success

Encourage your child to:

• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Bring a water bottle each day
• Get plenty of sleep
• Wash hands frequently
• Cover coughs and sneezes

🩹 Change of Clothes

Families of younger students may wish to send an extra set of clothes to be kept at school in case of spills, accidents, or muddy recess days.

*Please include Mrs. Champi on any communication you send to your child(ren)’s teacher(s), Mrs. Fithian, Ms. Espenshade or Mrs. Merten if it is related to medical, health, safety, illness or injury.

*Please update Attendance in the Parent Portal if your child(ren) are out sick.

Thank you,

Eileen Champi

Certified School Nurse

echampi@wcasd.net

484-266-2000

The West Chester Area School District is committed to ensuring all students have access to nutritious meals each day.

• Elementary and Middle School: Breakfast is available at no charge.
• High School: Only students approved for free or reduced-price meals will receive breakfast at no cost.

Your child may be eligible for free or reduced-price lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

To apply, please use the online application link below.

If you'd prefer a paper application, please contact our Home and School Visitor, Eli Garduno, at egarduno@wcasd.net.

Please note that the grace period for meal benefits rolling over from last year will end on October 9.

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 5:30 - 7pm

Thurs 9/17 - PTO meeting 6:30pm in the Upper Library and on Zoom.

Mon 9/21 - NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur

Fri 9/25 - PTO Color Run

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.

Once you log into Parent Portal to see your child(ren) bus information, please download this app and select their bus to follow. This will allow you to get updates right to your phone if the bus is running early or late. Please remember the bus may always be 5 minutes before or after the assigned time. Please be at the stop accordingly.

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.

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.

Si usted prefiere comunicarse en español por favor llame al 484-266-1690 para contactarse con personal escolar.

(If you prefer to speak to a Spanish speaking operator, please call 484-266-1690 to connect with school personnel.)

Email: pmerten@wcasd.net
Website: https://hde.wcasd.net/
Location: 725 West Market Street, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484-266-2001
InstaGram: @HDEhuskies