Hillcrest Newsletter 8.2026
Fall has Arrived
A Note from Mrs. Hightower
The winds have changed and Fall is here! The pumpkins are ready to be pulled from the vine. I am reminded of how much there is to celebrate in our school community! The fall season brings wonderful opportunities for learning, growth, and making meaningful memories together.
Our students have been working hard in the classroom, building new skills, developing friendships, and demonstrating kindness, responsibility, and perseverance each day. It is a joy to see their curiosity, creativity, and confidence grow as they take on new challenges and celebrate their successes.
Thank you to our families for your continued partnership and support. Your involvement, encouragement, and communication play an important role in helping our students Thrive in the Hive. We are grateful to have such a caring and supportive school community.
As we enjoy the beauty of the fall season, I encourage everyone to take time to celebrate the little moments, enjoy time together, and come on into the Hive for all the fun that October and November bring to Hillcrest. With our Book Fair, Generations Day Breakfast, Parent Teacher Conferences, and School Family Thanksgiving Feast coming up there is always a spot for you to come in and see the fun and amazing things happening.
Thank you for being an important part of our school family. I look forward to all the wonderful learning experiences and memories we will create together in the months ahead!
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and colorful fall!
- Hightower
🐝💚💛🐝 WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY 🐝💛💚🐝
Kindness Counts Month
We kicked off Kindness Counts Month with an all school assembly!
GMS Jazz Band
The GMS Jazz Band came to perform for our students and staff!
GMS Cheerleaders
The GMS Cheerleaders came and performed Hillcrest Cheers with us, had a toe touch challenge, and rallied us all into and out of the gym!
Cowboy KYHFOOTY!
For those who do not know KYHFOOTY means:
Keep Your Hands Feet and Other Objects To Yourself
Great Assemble Manners
Cheering us in!!!!
A Message from our PTO
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.
We’d love to have you!
OUR NEXT PTO MEETING IS OCTOBER 27TH AT 6PM IN THE HILLCREST LIBRARY!
WE NEED YOU!!
We need more parent volunteers!
Please reach out to Mrs. Jaramillo or Mrs. Hightower for more information.
We would love to have you in our building.
3rd - 5th Grade Assembly
We were lucky to have Riley Israel who was a former member of Power Team come to Hillcrest and perform feats of strength for our students in 3rd - 5th grade! The message was powerful and the energy was exciting! We are so grateful to Riley and YouthHope for making this happen for our students!
Ask your 3rd - 5th graders about the assemble!!!
GENERATIONS BREAKFAST
You're invited to our GENERATIONS BREAKFAST 2026
November 4th from 8:00-8:45
We want to celebrate our families and special guests by inviting them to school to eat breakfast with their student(s).
Adults coming should R.S.V.P. by 10/30/26 using this form! (if that hyperlink does not work here is web address: https://forms.gle/gmh1gES8uiidRp3m8)
Students will eat their school breakfast and the school will provide pastries and drinks for the adults visiting.
The School Wide Book Fair will be going on that week and special guests can take their student(s) to the book fair after breakfast.
Please park on 4th Street A and surrounding side streets and walk to the front doors.
There will not be parking in front of the school building for safety and security reasons.
Also, those entering the building will have to have a photo ID to be scanned into our Raptor System for all visitors. This is our common practice for safety and security reasons.
If you are needing any additional information, please reach out to Mrs. Hightower!
🍁🦃🍁 School Family Thanksgiving Feast 🍁🦃🍁
On Monday, November 23rd we will be having our school family Thanksgiving Feast!
If you would like to volunteer to help, please reach out to Mrs. Hightower.
📚🎉 Storybook Character Day! 🎉📚
When: Tuesday, November 24th
Come to school dressed up, hooray!
As your favorite book character for the day!
🦸♂️👸🐻🧙♂️
Superheroes, princesses, animals, or knights,
Bring your story to life with colors and lights! ✨📖
We can’t wait to see your magical bookish sights! 🌟
Upcoming Dates
October 23: End of 1st Quarter
October 27: Parent Teacher Organization - PTO Meeting at 6pm in the Hillcrest Library
October 30: Fall Classroom Parties in the afternoon!
November 2-6: Book Fair Week
November 4: Generations Breakfast from 8:00-8:45am
November 5: Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30pm - 7pm
November 6: No School for Students
Parent Teacher Conferences 7:30am - 11:15am
November 13: Student Veterans Day Assembly
November 17: Picture Retake Day
November 23: School Family Thanksgiving Feast
November 24: Story Book Character Day
November 25-27: No School - Thanksgiving Break
Skip the Calls—Text Our Attendance Line!
Reporting your child’s absence is now faster and easier.
Save 309-247-9924 in your phone today!
How It Works:
Text Us: Send a quick text to 309-247-9924 with your student’s name, date, and reason for the absence (illness, appointment, or emergency).
Got a Text from Us? Reply Back! If you get an absence alert text from the school, simply reply directly to the text message right away.
Avoid Truancy Marks: To keep students safe, all absences must be reported by a parent. Unreported absences are required by policy to be marked as truant.
Thank you for helping us keep our attendance records accurate and our students safe!