Last year, our Hill Dillos earned $2,300 from Box Tops for Education, so this year we’re setting our goal to $2,500.  With each valued at 10 cents, that’s a LOT of box tops, so we need your help!

There are 2 easy ways to help raise money for our Hill Dillos!
1.  Collect box tops from everyday products (cereal, granola bars, canned veggies, ziploc bags, tissues, toilet paper, etc.) and send them in a baggie with your Child’s name, Teacher, and Grade.  This will ensure their contribution is credited towards their class and the contest!

2.  Do you shop at Randalls…even occasionally?  Link your Randalls Remarkable card to Hill through the Good Neighbor Program.  They contribute 1% of your total grocery purchases to Hill PTA – simply complete the registration form & put it in our Box Tops box.  Slips are by the yellow wall or you can go here to print one: http://www.randalls.com/CMS/includes/docs/Randalls_GoodNeighbor.PDF

The Fall Contest runs through December 1st and the Top 10 classes in the school will earn Wear PJs to School OR Class Read-In or Show…plus bragging rights!

If you are interested in helping count all these magnificent box tops, please email Katie Covault (katiecovault@gmail.com)

Anderson High School Theater Department presents: “Night of the Living Dead”
Show Dates & Times: October 20, 8 PM and Midnight October 21, 8 PM and Midnight Location: Anderson High School Performing Arts Center
Tickets: $5 for students and $10 for adults at the door

Click here for more information.

The Fitness School is offering an all day camp for the student holiday on October 23rd!

$79 per camper

9am-5:30pm

www.thefitnessschool.org

Click here for more information.

Open the door to reveal mesmerizing worlds of unforgettable Disney moments and grand illusions when Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic visits The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday, Dec. 23 for two performances at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Click here for more information.

Overcrowding at Hill has led to increased auto and pedestrian traffic around the school during drop-off and pick-up—increasing the risk for traffic accidents and unsafe conditions for pedestrians.

If you choose to Park & Walk or Bike/Walk to school, please follow our Dillos Drive Smart Guidelines. We all struggle with getting kids to move in the morning, but a tardy slip is a much better option than breaking laws and endangering children.
Dillos Drive Smart Guidelines:
Respect posted traffic and parking signs.
Keep those driveways clear.
Park in the direction of traffic.
Don’t make U-turns.
Drive slowly–keep it under 20mph.
Don’t pull over and drop off.
Arrive as early as you can.

Slow down, follow the above guidelines and help our little Dillos stay safe!!

Applications are now available for AISD’s 10th incoming UpClose class for the 2017-2018 school year.

Eight sessions will take place from November 2017 to May 2018.  Participants will learn about the District’s infrastructure, programs, services and understand the challenges and opportunities inside AISD.

AISD UpClose classes meet at various district sites to have an ‘inside look’ at key programs.  Meetings are held from 11:30am-1:00pm.  In addition to the meetings, participants create an impact project that is school-based.  The timeline for this project is as follows:

November 29, 2017

December 13, 2017

January 17. 2018

January 31, 2018

February 28, 2018

March 28, 2018

April 11, 2018

April 25, 2018

Graduation:  May 23, 2018

To date, more than 310 participants have gone through the program.  AISD UpClose graduates are challenged to become leaders and advocates for the District, to volunteer for service on committees and task forces, to speak up when misinformation is circulating, and to encourage other parents and community members to get informed and involved.

Please note:  Program is available for parents and communities members only.  Not available to district staff.

For more information, please contact:  Jocelyn.connell@austinisd.org

Do you need to register to vote or have you recently changed your address? Our next uniform election is November 7th and voter registration closes October 10. Prop 1 will be on the ballot in November and will directly affect our students. If you don’t know if you’re registered, check out the Texas Secretary of State website.

Help raise money for lights for the Anderson High School Calhoon field!  This lighted field will benefit future trojan football players, boys and girls soccer, Pop Warner, Matador teams as well as many other teams.

Click here to find out more information on how to donate.

Dear Hill Community,

Thank you for a smooth month of September.  Now we are moving into cooler temperatures of the fall months.  This means that 5^th grade DilloQuest Camp and our Hill Carnival are soon ahead of us.  This is always a fun time of the year to celebrate families and community!

As stated on the Hill Calendar October 23 is a Professional Development Day for staff.  Students do not have school on this day.  Our staff will be involved in multiple training sessions on this day in the areas of writing, technology, math problem solving, SEL and literacy.  Staff will also be completing their yearly gifted and talented update training.  Finally we will have time for teacher and team planning on this day, as we move towards the second nine weeks of school.  Thank you for your support of teacher professional development at Hill.

Finally, it is with mixed emotions that I share with you that Laura Coaxum, Hill first grade teacher, has accepted a job as an Instructional Coach in Round Rock ISD.   Her last day working at Hill Elementary School will be Tuesday, October 3.  We appreciate Ms. Coaxum’s service to the students of Hill School for the past 8 years.  She has been a teacher leader on campus and we will miss her dearly!

We welcome Sally Schwarz as our new first grade teacher at Hill.  Mrs. Schwarz is a certified teacher, who received her degree from SMU in 2004.   Mrs. Schwarz taught second grade for two years at Bowie Elementary in Richardson ISD before deciding to be a stay at home mom with her children.  Sally has subbed at Hill School often over the past two years, and has been highly requested by staff.  Last school year, Mrs. Schwarz was hired as a kindergarten teacher at Doss Elementary School.  Mrs. Schwarz has a strong background working with students and is very excited to become your child’s teacher.

Have a wonderful weekend and we will see you in the halls!

Beth Newton

Congratulations Ms. Hoffner!!

Two Austin ISD educators have been selected for EcoRise’s 2017–18 Teacher Ambassador Program. EcoRise is a school-based curriculum focused on sustainability.

The 2017–18 EcoRise Teacher Ambassadors from Austin ISD are:

Kate Hoffner―third-grade social studies and language arts teacher, Hill Elementary School, and
Andrea Tole―sixth-grade science teacher, Covington Middle School Fine Arts Academy.
They join a six-teacher class of ambassadors, each of whom has demonstrated leadership in sustainability education. Their involvement in the ambassador program will run through August 2018, during which time they will benefit from professional development training, priority access to pilot programs and initiatives and the chance to present at conferences on behalf of EcoRise.

Each ambassador is an experienced EcoRise teacher who has demonstrated a strong interest in and commitment to the mission and core values of being leading-edge, building camaraderie, embracing integrity, practicing resilience and cultivating gratitude.

“Working closely with teachers who are not only skilled in teaching sustainability, but who can match their skill with an enduring passion for developing the next generation of problem-solvers and leaders, is core to the mission of EcoRise,” said founder and Executive Director of EcoRise, Gina LaMotte. “We are delighted to welcome our new class of teacher ambassadors, whose achievements in their classrooms have impressed and inspired the EcoRise team, and whose work over the next year will be a critical part of our continued progress toward a reality where sustainability, design innovation and social entrepreneurship are recognized as essential elements in schools across the nation.”

To learn more about the EcoRise mission, school-based program and its effects on student success, visit www.ecorise.org.

About EcoRise

EcoRise develops the next generation of creative problem-solvers by enlivening conventional classrooms with academically aligned K-12 curriculum that introduce students to environmental literacy, social innovation and hands-on design skills. Green professionals serve as guest speakers and project mentors to help students solve real-world sustainability challenges concerning energy, water, waste, transportation, air quality, food and public spaces. The program focuses on enhancing STEM education, promoting sustainability, introducing students to green careers, and helping students develop 21st-century skills.