Hillcrest Middle School Newsletter

September 2014

Inside this Issue

School Hours

Lunch information

Student Agenda

Absences, Lates and

Appointments

Medication for

students

Telephone Use

Reorganization Day

Volunteering

Personal Property

Bicycles, scooters

and roller blades

Dress Code

Bussing

Kiss N' Ride

School Council

Fundraising

Dear Parents and Guardians of Hillcrest Middle School students,

Welcome to Hillcrest! We are looking forward to an exciting year filled with many wonderful learning opportunities for our students. As adolescents, each of them will now begin to face significant life choices. They will need our support so that they may make healthy and wise decisions as they prepare for secondary school. We are committed to their success and we encourage you, as their parent/guardians, to continue to be involved in their academic lives.

What might you do during these important middle school years to support your child?

The single, most important way is to stay informed.

The Hillcrest newsletter will be sent home on the first Friday of each month. You will also receive our monthly calendar on the last Tuesday of the month. Newsletters and calendars contain important information about our school and will be posted online at for your reference.

Information regarding curriculum, assessment and evaluation will be shared with students and parent/guardians at the beginning of each term.

Throughout the school year, Hillcrest teachers will communicate with you about the progress of your child, as necessary, by letter, telephone, conferences and report cards. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher.

The student agenda and parent handbook outline important policies, expectations for students and school routines. Our students are encouraged to use a student agenda. Several pages in the agenda, or supplementary package should you choose not to purchase an agenda, require your signature. You will also receive a copy of our Parent Handbook.

Parent meetings, special events and open houses, held throughout the school year, are great ways to stay informed about our school. Our Community BBQ and Open House will take place on Thursday, September 18th from 5:00-8:00pm. Our first School Council meetingwill take place on Tuesday, September 23rd at 7pm in our library.We hope that you will join us!

Volunteer! What better way to be involved in the community life of our school! Please complete the Volunteer form enclosed in this newsletter and return it to the school.

Email. If you have not yet done so, please contact the school and give us your email address. This will ensure that you receive important information about upcoming events and activities taking place at Hillcrest through our weekly email blast sent home each Tuesday.

We are very proud of our students and are committed to creating a rich learning environment for them that will support their growth as successful, caring and responsible citizens. We look forward to an exciting year of learning!

Mrs. Virginia McKinnonMs Natalie Gonsalves

PrincipalVice Principal

The School Day at Hillcrest

8:50 School Yard Supervision Begins

9:00 Entry

9:05 - 9:17 Homeroom/Announcements

9:17 - 10:05Period 1

10:05 - 10:53Period 2

10:53 – 11:41 Period 3

11:41 - 12:34 pm Lunch

12:34 Entry

12:41 - 1:29Period 4

1:29 – 2:17Period 5

2:17 – 3:05Period 6

3:05Dismissal/Buses

3:20School yard supervision ends

Lunch Hour 11:41am -12:34 pm

In the interest of the safety and supervision of our students, we ask that students eat lunch at school or be supervised at home for lunch.

Students who make alternate arrangements for lunch, such as going to a friend's house, must bring a signed and dated note from home and give it to their classroom teacher during Homeroom. These notes are used to let our lunchroom supervisors know if a student will be absent over the lunch hour. Please note that permission to leave the school over the lunch hour must be in writingand not made by telephone.

Students who have made alternate arrangements for lunch must sign in and out of the school using the book outside the front office.

Thank you for honouring our lunch time practice and helping us to keep our students safe.

Life Threatening Allergies

Peanuts and nut allergies have become a life threatening issue in our school. Several of our students have severe allergies. Parents are requested to refrain from sending peanuts, nuts, and/or nut products to school for lunch or snacks. Treats that will distributed to students and all bake sale items should never contain any nut products.

Pizza, Pitas and Kidssentials lunch programs

Our hot lunch programs begin in October. Information about these programs will be sent home soon.

Parent volunteers are needed to run our lunch programs. If you have an hour a week to give to our lunch program, please let us know by completing the Volunteer Form found in this newsletter.

Snack Shack

The Hillcrest Snack Shack sells many healthy treats for our students. The Snack Shack is open every day at the beginning of lunch from 11:41 am to 11:55 am. In order to keep our school yard litter free, snacks may not be eaten outside. Proceeds from Snack Shack go to our community charities each year.

Student Agenda

Teaching time management and organizational skills to our students is an important focus at Hillcrest. The student agenda and daily planner time, incorporated into our school day, teaches students these important organizational skills. The student agenda also provides parents and teachers with an effective communication tool. Students should always carry their agenda with them.

Agendas are available for purchase at a cost of $10, payable during the first week of school.

Telephone Use

Personal electronic devices such as cell phones may only be used to make and/or receive phone calls or texts in the school office unless a teacher or staff member provides permission for the student to do so elsewhere.

If a student becomes ill or injured during the school day, our office staff must know. The student should inform his or her teacher, obtain a note from them and bring it to the office before calling home.

All calls home involving student illness or injury must be made from the school office.

Absences, Lates, and Appointments

Please call the school prior to 8:30 am if your child will be absent from school. Please let us know if any absence will be for an extended period of time and follow up on all absences of three days or more with a signed and dated note upon your child’s return.

Students who are late for school, must sign in at the office and receive an admit slip before proceeding to class.

Students who must leave school early are required to bring a note, signed by a parent/guardian and indicating the departure time, to the office at 9:00 am. Students will be given an 'Excuse' slip to present to their teacher. Students must meet their parent/guardians in the office and sign out prior to leaving the building.

All students have assigned entrance and exit doors. The Front Doors are for visitors and for students who are late or being picked up for appointments during the school day. In keeping with the Safe Welcome Policy of the Peel District School Board, all doors to the school will be locked during school hours. Please see the enclosed letter from Director Tony Pontes attached to this newsletter.

After School Arrangements

After school arrangements, such as pick up after special events, should be coordinated before school starts.

Medication for Students

Medication, either prescription or over the counter, may not be sent to school with students. In the event that medication is required for a student with major health concerns, a medical form must be completed and signed by a physician before the medication can be dispensed at school. Medical health forms and all medication will be coordinated through the office.

Please let us know if your child has a health concern or a change in his or her health condition over the course of the school year.

Reorganization Day

Tuesday, September 23rd is a Peel-wide Reorganization Day. Should reorganization be necessary at Hillcrest, we will inform you as soon as possible. No changes to classroom placements will occur prior to Reorganization Day. Please note that students will not attend school on Reorganization Day this year.

Volunteering at Hillcrest

Volunteering is an excellent way of being involved in the community life of Hillcrest. All school volunteers, however, must have a Criminal Record Check on file with the Peel District School Board. Please pick up your Criminal Record Check application Form A and Volunteer Authorization letter at the school office.

Hillcrest Middle School Dress Code

Hillcrest Middle School is a place of learning. Our Dress Code reflects the standards of our school. We ask that all members of our Learning Community make respectful and responsible choices when dressing for school.

  • All clothes must be free of discriminatory, sexual, racial, religious, alcohol and drug related slogans and pictures
  • Underwear must not be visible – ie boxer shorts or bra straps showing
  • Tank tops must have shoulder straps. Tops that tie at the neck are not permissible
  • Midriffs and cleavage must be covered
  • Shorts, skirts and dresses must address comfort, safety and modesty
  • Hats and bandanas may not be worn in school

Personal Property at School

Personal electronic devices, including ipods and ipadsetc are the responsibility of the owner and may only be used with the permission of a supervising teacher for the purpose of teaching and learning at Hillcrest.

Personal electronic devices may not be used in a manner that is disruptive to the learning of others. The taking of photographs and/or videos at Hillcrest is not permitted unless permission has been granted by a supervising teacher.

Students may use their devices during lunchtime activities if under the direct supervision of a teacher. Personal electronic devices may not be used while students are eating lunch or when outside on the playground.

Students must be diligent about safely storing their devices at all times. The school is not responsible for lost, stolen and/or damaged devices.

Bicycles, Scooters, Roller Blades

Students may not ride bicycles and scooters or wear roller blades on school property. Bicycles must be locked in the bicycle racks provided.

Bicycles left on school property are left at the owner’s risk

Bussing

Parents may access information about bussing, including student eligibility for bussing, bus routes and bus cancellations due to inclement weather through the GeoQuery website at .

At Hillcrest, We C.A.R.E. Bus students must exercise consideration for others at all times. Failure to honour the Hillcrest CARE policy while travelling on the bus, may result in the suspension of bussing privileges.

All bus students must carry a bus card. Bus cards will be distributed to students during the last week of September.

Courtesy Transportation

Students who do not qualify for bussing may complete a courtesy seat application found online at and submitting it to the school office. Courtesy transportation will be granted to students in mid October if all of the following conditions have been met:

a seat is available on the bus. Seat availability is defined as the difference between maximum allowed riders and assigned riders on the bus

the bus stop already exists in the current school year

Courtesy seats will be assigned taking into consideration the following conditions:

  • student age
  • distance from home to school
  • date and time request was received
  • enrolment stability
  • maximum allowed riders

Kiss N' Ride

Many buses and vans arrive and depart each morning and afternoon from Hillcrest. In order to ensure the safety of our students at these very busy times of the day, please

Use the student drop-off lane and designated drop-off areas.

Observe One Way, No Stopping, and Fire Route signage.

Use the designated drop off areas when dropping off your child. The through lane is for cars that are proceeding to the lower school parking lot.

Ensure that your child exits from the car using the passenger side door.

No cars are permitted in the driveway while buses are being loaded after school. We ask that if you are picking up your child, you proceed to the lower parking lot.

Please note that parking is not permitted on either side of Springwell Ave south of Bickford Road or on Robillard Road near the school driveway.

The Hillcrest School Council

The first Hillcrest School Council Meeting of the year will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd @ 7pm in the library.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Interested in getting involved in School Council? Whether you have lots of time and energy to give or just a little, there is a way for you to

contribute.

School council is the voice of the parent community, let yours be heard.

Please complete the nomination form sent home on September 5th and return it to the school office.

Hillcrest School Council.

Your Voice. Your Choice.

Our Back to School BBQ is on Thursday, September 18th. Mark it on your calendars! It is an event you will not want to miss!

GET CONNECTED!

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distribution list.

Parent volunteers are very important at Hillcrest. Whether you have an hour to lend a hand, a desire to help out on a field trip or in the classroom,or whether you wish totake on alarger role within the school, there is a place for you at Hillcrest.

Please look for our volunteer letter in this month’s newsletter.

Ifyouare thinking about volunteering in any capacity, youneed to havea Criminal Record Check completed by Peel Regional Police andfiled with Hillcrest. If you had one done for your child's previous school you may contact that school'soffice or the Hillcrest officeand ask to have the information electronically transferred to Hillcrest. If you have never had a record check completed for Peel please contact the Hillcrest School office at 905-822-1657 to obtain the required forms and information.