From Kelley Valdez, 2022-2023 PTA President: As we wrap up this fantastic school year, please join me in saying a big THANK YOU to these Hill volunteers. Amanda Goodwin and Anna Ansari, for welcoming and orienting our incoming families. April Beaty, for ensuring that all Hill staff members are recognized throughout the year. Braxton Thomas and team, for leading Math Pentathlon and coaching our math-minded Dillos. Erica Butler and Ashley Stanford, for serving the whole Hill community with warm hospitality. Erica Martindale, for conquering all things related to Lost and Found. Erik Lood and our Dillo Dads, for working so hard across the entire campus. Kelly Tarun and Theresa Ellington, for a very successful and fun Carnival. Kristen Trout for leading all of our volunteers throughout the year. Robyn Eckermann, for an energetic and colorful Dillo Dash. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for our school this year. I appreciate you!
Please join us in the Library this Thursday at 7:45am for our May PTA meeting. This is our last PTA meeting for the year, and we would love to see YOU! We will be voting on our 2023-2024 budget.
Dear Hill Community,
We have 9 days of school left! Be on the lookout next weekend for more detailed information on graduation walks that will take place throughout the week. For our 5th grade families, please know all the information you will need will be shared in an upcoming 5th grade newsletter.
Reminder: It is required that ALL students turn in any provided Austin ISD devices, hotspots, chargers, and/or cases or bags to their teacher by this Friday, May 19th. If you can bring them earlier to avoid a Friday rush, that is appreciated also as we will take them ASAP! All devices will be disabled as of Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 5 pm. If requested, a parent or guardian may complete an OPT-IN form via their Parent Portal account or at the school campus to request the pick-up of a device from the Technology Department at Gus Garcia YMLA, or at the Austin ISD Central Office. Devices will be available for pick-up on May 26, and May 30 through June 2, from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. During device pickups, fee schedule forms and accountability acknowledgments will also be provided. Devices must be returned to the home campus at the start of the fall 2023 school year. These will not be the current devices you have. Again, all current devices will be returned prior to summer no matter what!
Hill is in need of several new members to join our Campus Advisory Council this upcoming fall. In working with this group, you have the opportunity to support our school in many ways. This is a two year commitment but such an important part of our community that helps guide our decision-making throughout the year. You can click here for the application. Please return completed applications to teresa.carroll@austinisd.org.
Have an excellent week, everyone!
Principal Drummond
Are YOU and your favorite friend next year’s Carnival Co-Chairs? Hill Carnival is one of the most fun events we put on all year! It’s a well-oiled machine and an easy committee to step into. Reach out to Melanie Petersen at presidentelect@hillelementary.com for more information or to take the lead!
We have a handful of open volunteer spots on Wednesday! We’re providing lunch for our teachers and assistants, and giving them an extra 30 minutes to enjoy it, but we need your help! Please consider signing up for a 30-minute volunteer spot for one of your child’s Specials Teachers, one of our hard-working Teaching Assistants, or any other open spot! Thank you for your support Dillo families! Reach out to Kristen Trout with any questions at volunteercoordinator@hillelementary.com. Here’s the sign up link! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f44a8a629a6fb6-teacher#/
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our Hill faculty and staff celebrating birthdays this month! We are grateful for you and wish you the best! 5/01 Emma Barrera. 5/09 Rachel Briles. 5/10 Angela Stamps. 5/12 Brenda Ramirez. 5/30 Teresa Carroll. 5/30 Angie Langley. 5/31 Krishna Sauceda.
This week is National School Lunch Hero Week! Please help us recognize our beloved cafeteria staff, who truly are our heroes! Shelly Bruhn, Michelle Morris, Margarita Ramirez, and Gaby Suarez not only prepare healthy and delicious meals for our Dillos, they also share their warm smiles and hospitality every day with our whole campus! Let’s show these staff members how grateful we are for them. Dillos, please send in words of thanks, yummy treats, and anything else that will make them feel appreciated! The PTA will treat them to lunch at the end of the week. Reach out to April Beaty, Staff Appreciation Chair, at appreciation@hillelementary.com with any questions.
Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Dillos will take the STAAR Math test this Wednesday, May 3rd. Parents, caregivers, visitors, and volunteers are not allowed on campus during school hours on Wednesday. Here’s a short list of STAAR-ready reminders: get a good night’s sleep, have a healthy breakfast, arrive at school on time, and bring healthy snacks and a book! Go Dillos!
The Hill Green Team needs your leftover, partially-used outdoor (so it’s waterproof and sun-resistant) acrylic craft paint. Mrs. Briles and her Green Teamers will be painting Earth-sustainability messages on garden stones to protect some of the constantly stomped-on parts of the garden around the 4th grade building to prevent soil degradation and erosion. “Turn off the lights,” “recycle,” “use less paper,” and “be gentle to your home” are just a few of the messages they will share. While you’re gathering up paint, they also need previously used, ready-to-be-donated gnome and fairy doors/windows to attach to the “Fort Gnome” tree on the courtyard-side of the building. We can’t wait to see this important space transform!
