Dear Hill Community,

We want to wish our entire school community a happy fall break and Thanksgiving holiday. We are thankful to learn and collaborate with you all each day. As a reminder, there is no school this week 11/20-11/24. We look forward to seeing everyone back on campus on Monday, November 27th. 

With the holidays coming up, we understand families may need support. This link has some information to support food scarcity with a list of local food pantries. For the coming weeks, you can click here for support with gifts for students for the winter holidays.

Join us in our Hill library on Thursday, November 30th at 7:45 am for our next  Hill Caregiver Session. This session will focus on Make and Take Regulation Kits. We hope to see you there.

Buy your Hill Winter Merchandise: Check out the link to see new shirts, hats, hoodies, and other items for sale that will support our PTA. They are awesome and updated from the fall! https://www.hillelementary.com/2023-2024-hill-dillo-merchandise/.

We also want to invite interested parents/guardians to the Human Sexuality and Responsibility Orientation taking place Tuesday, November 28th at 3:30 pm in our Hill Library. A separate email went out with all needed information this past Wednesday. There are no changes to the process or curriculum this year from last year. Completed Google Forms are due December 4th.

Again, have a restful fall break!

Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

We are one week away from the fall break! There will be no school from 11/20-11/24. As we get closer to the Thanksgiving holiday, we encourage you to consider recognizing a staff member for an AISD RAVE Award to show your appreciation!

We also have no school Monday, November 13th (tomorrow). This is in observance of Diwali.  Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights and is a Hindu observance celebrated throughout the world. We hope all families celebrating have an excellent holiday. Also, join me in celebrating our Pre-K and PE Teacher Assistants this week during their appreciation week!

Enroll your student for the 24-25 school year: Enroll Austin is now open to register your student(s) for the fall of 2024. Please visit https://www.austinisd.org/enroll to get started now. Registration is open earlier this year, and we encourage our families to register early so we have an accurate picture for fall staffing. You can click here for an infographic and QR Code with more information. This link has the information in Spanish. Lastly, here is an introductory video as Enroll Austin went live this week!

Join us this Thursday at our Hill library at 7:45 am for our General PTA Meeting. AISD Board Trustee Kathryn Whitley Chu will join us to engage with our community. We hope to see you there.

Support Hill families this Holiday Season: This year the Hill Caring & Sharing Committee is coordinating a GIFT CARD DRIVE for our Hill families in need this holiday season.  We are changing up our gift drive this year and collecting GIFT CARDS ONLY. We will not be collecting individual gifts this year.  If you would like to donate, you may SIGN UP HERE to donate a gift card(s) from HEB, OLD NAVY and/or TARGET.  You are welcome to sign up for as many slots as your budget allows. Gift cards may be placed in the collection envelope outside of the Counselor’s office.  Deadline to donate: Friday, December 8th. 

We wanted to include a link to information on the parent portal and Parent Self Serve Instructions. There is a lot of information on how to access different items for your student, including grades and attendance. For our Spanish-speaking families, the Parent Self Serve Instructions (Spanish) are included here. 

Have an excellent week. We will see you back on campus on Tuesday, Hill Community!

Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

It was a fun Saturday at our Hill Carnival! Thank you to each and every volunteer who made the day possible. It is always a blast to get our entire community together for this celebration.

While we celebrated our community together, we also want to acknowledge that the threat and Secure last week are scary for our students, families, and staff. Please know that we work very closely with Austin ISD Police and district leadership during and after serious situations like this. We had extra patrols to ensure further security following the incident the rest of the week. We appreciate our police department and will continue to work closely with them to ensure the safety of our students.

Halloween is on Tuesday. As a reminder, we do not wear Halloween costumes to school. We have designated dress-up days throughout the year we hope your students participate in. Thank you for your support on this. Students who do show up in costumes will be asked to change.

Fall picture retakes are this Wednesday, November 1st in the morning. You can click here for the options.

Dillo Cheer for Krishna Sauceda! She was nominated for a Diligent Dillo Award through our Campus Advisory Council for her hard work in supporting our new to Hill families, aside from her normal duties where she works tirelessly. We will work to celebrate our Diligent Dillos through our community newsletter this year to give them the recognition they deserve. Thank you, Krishna!

We wanted to remind our morning Car Line users that it is illegal to take a left turn into our Hill Car Line from Tallwood. The queue begins on Cima Serena. Thank you for ensuring we keep our traffic patterns efficient and safe. This is posted with a sign in the area and against the law to do so!

Read below this letter for a cool opportunity from our AISD PD who are raising money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin.

Have a restful evening!

Principal Drummond

***

We are excited to announce that we have joined the Pink Patch Project, an innovative public awareness campaign designed to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support breast cancer research organizations in combating this devastating disease. Austin ISD Police Department officers will be authorized to wear the Department’s pink patch on-duty from October 1st through October 31st each year. During that time, and only during that time while supplies last, our pink patch will be made available for “purchase” by donating to the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas, a local non-profit organization offering programs and services free of charge to anyone affected by breast cancer regardless of income, ethnicity, education, sexual orientation, or social support. One patch will be mailed per $10 donation, limit if 5 patches per donor.

You can learn more about each organization by visiting https://www.pinkpatchproject.com and https://www.bcrc.org

If you are interested in one of our pink patches, which are only available during the month of October while supplies last, scan the attached QR code or visit our profile at Austin ISD Police Pink Patch Project.

Dear Hill Community,

In case you missed it, I have included Superintendent Segura’s message regarding the violence in Israel and Palestine. Please know we are here to support our students and our community as always. Reach out if you need anything.

The Hill Elementary Carnival is Saturday, October 28th! Click here for all the information you need, including how to purchase tickets. Please consider volunteering your time if you are able as well. It takes our entire community to make this a special day for our kids!

For the last few years, our staff has created an Ofrenda to remember loved ones and pets who we have lost for Dia de los Muertos. This year, we invite anyone interested to take part in our first Hill Community Ofrenda that will be up front. You can click here for more information on how to participate with a photo. 

We wanted to share the upcoming No Place for Hate Activity that our counselors will be completing during their next lessons. As part of our learning, our students also take the No Place for Hate Pledge. We are proud to support this initiative and know it will have a positive impact on our campus.

Hill is holding a UIL meeting for parents on Zoom this Monday (10/16) at 3:30 pm to give information on our UIL programming this year. You can use this link to access the meeting. We will review a general timeline, discuss available events, and give a picture of what our meet day will look like in late January. We will plan to record the meeting as well for those who cannot attend. Please click here for the parent letter with a section to return by early November if your student is interested in participating. These will go out soon in Wednesday folders as well. Lastly, our wonderful PTA volunteers have created a new site you can access at https://uildillos.com/ with this and more information we can utilize this year.

We again want to invite our Hill Community to the Anderson High School Library this Tuesday, October 17th from 6:00-7:30 pm for  Community Mental Health and Safety Conversations presented by Austin ISD. You can see other available Zoom options this week as well.

This Thursday is our General PTA Meeting at 7:45 am in the Hill Library. We will also be sharing a Principal Check-In with an accountability presentation and update on STAAR and TEA A-F ratings (which have not been updated yet for the current school year). We hope to see you there.

Become a Hill Mentor: Hill mentors work one-on-one with Hill students during the school day, typically during lunch. Mentoring provides children with the caring and consistent presence of an adult friend, which research has shown to be a major protective factor in building resilience among at-risk youth. Mentoring also offers benefits for the mentor, including opportunities for personal growth, a deeper connection to the community, and a profound and caring relationship with a young person. Our adult mentors make an incredible difference in our students’ lives. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors are all welcome to participate! If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a mentor, please follow this link. The time commitment is once a week for 30 minutes. 

The Texas Historical Commission Archaeology Fair is this Sunday. You can click here for the flier.  

We are a school community and want to be the best neighbors possible! Thank you all who park and walk up to school on Tallwood for not moving and adjusting neighbors trash cans on trash days (Thursdays). We know it makes parking a bit more restricted but when items are moved, neighbors are not getting their trash picked up which is not okay. Thank you for your support and understanding to help these folks who are very understanding of us during those two busy times each day!

Have a beautiful weekend!

Principal Drummond

Dear Austin ISD Community, 

We would like to acknowledge the pain the Austin ISD community is feeling due to the terrorism and heinous violence in Israel and Palestine. 

We know that students and staff will need time and space to process these events, both inside and outside the classroom. We want to reassure you that The Office of Teaching, Learning, and Leading provided resources to Austin ISD counselors and educators with guidance for talking with students and helping them discuss these painful events. Below are some helpful things to keep in mind from the Anti-defamation League as you approach these conversations:

Before talking with children or teens, make sure you feel prepared to discuss the incident and/or topic.

Treat all young people’s questions with respect and seriousness.

Answer questions as clearly and honestly as you can and use simple language in terms they can understand.

Young people often struggle to understand why these incidents take place and what motivates people who perpetrate these crimes.

Be alert for signs of distress in children.

Ask young people what they are hearing from friends, classmates and through social media.

It is always very useful to highlight for children the people who helped the victims and their families during these incidents as well as those who supported them afterwards.

Our counselors and Licensed Mental Health Professionals are always available to support our students. You may also contact one of our many community partners that provide grief services. 

We are also aware of the nationwide concerns that are spreading on social media. We are working in close collaboration with law enforcement at multiple levels to monitor and respond to any credible information. 

Our district is proud to be the largest No Place for Hate district in the nation. We engage in intentional work to create inclusive environments where students and staff feel safe and welcome, no matter their beliefs, cultures, or identity. Discrimination, prejudice and hatred have no place in our schools or communities.

Matias Segura, MBA, PE
Interim Superintendent
Austin ISD

Dear Hill Community,

It is already the last week in September! We enjoyed seeing everyone for the fun Sock Hop event on Friday. Thank you to our PTA volunteers who make these important community events possible. 

We wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow (Monday, September 25th) is a student holiday and Elementary Parent Conference Day. There is no school. Your teacher(s) should be reaching out to schedule conferences for your student.

With the technology being inventoried and then rolled back out this year, please know that devices will not be replaced for free in most circumstances. This is different from prior years. We will of course work with families but do not have a budget to cover costs related to damages. Please work with your student to be very careful and treat devices with respect so you don’t end up owing replacement costs. The below is from the Everyone:1 policy in AISD.

Below is guidance on how much repairs cost. Please work with your campus admin on costs based on the situation.

• Cracked Screen = $215
• Damaged Keyboard = $80
• Destroyed or Lost Device = $500
• Water Damage = Keyboard and screen replacement $287
• Additional/Miscellaneous Damage = varies from $20-200
• Destroyed or Lost Charger = $30 (or student replaces)

Join us for a caregiver session this Thursday, September 28th from 7:45-8:45 am in the Hill Library. AISD licensed mental health professionals will be joining the discussion: How to Talk to Your Child About Mental Health. Highlights will include: Do’s and Don’ts, interactive discussion, and resources. For more information contact stephanie.winfrey@austinisd.org or hanna.curran@austinisd.org. 

Welcome back from Council Member Alter:  You can click this link to view a School Community Guide from Council Member Alison Alter’s office. This link has the Spanish version. It is full of excellent information and resources for your families.

Recently we have had a few crossing guard absences, which will take place throughout the year. It is a good reminder to all of us, with or without a crossing guard, to be mindful and drive safely on all of the surrounding streets of Hill. We have multiple 3 and 4-way stops. Please watch your speed and be vigilant in looking for pedestrians. We say it all year: it takes all of us to create a safe route to school for every kid.

In the Community: NWACA would like to share that National Night Out will be celebrated in our area this Saturday, September 30th at Randall’s. Click on this link for more information. 

Looking ahead, put National Walk to School Day on your calendar for Wednesday, October 4th. Check out the Dillo Details from PTA for more information. Have a nice night, families!

Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

Our annual Sock Hop event is this Friday, September 22nd from 5:30-7:30 pm! We hope to see everyone at this fun event. This is a FREE event for all on our Hill Playground. This is a 1950’s themed event, so students can wear poodle skirts, slicked-back hair, etc. to school and the event. Think of the movie “Grease”! Wally’s and Kona Ice will be there. Wally’s food must be pre-purchased online by September 18th (tomorrow). Each meal includes chips and water:

• Hamburger
• Cheeseburger
• Chicken Tenders
• Grilled Cheese

Please sign up for a volunteer slot HERE to help us make this event a success!

There is a general PTA meeting this Thursday at 7:45 am in our Hill Library. We hope to see you there. Please know that this year, we will also work to present items at our PTA meetings like accountability updates from the state, important initiatives on campus, and other topics important to families. Instead of holding separate principal check-ins this year, we will try combining as often as possible to honor everyone’s time. With the state pushing back accountability announcements another month or more, we will plan to present more on that in October. More to come!

The 2nd annual Austin ISD Showcase is this Saturday, September 23rd at the Palmer Events Center. It is an excellent place to receive information on schools and programming, as all will be represented. You can click here for all the information you need in English and Spanish. AISD looks forward to showing off its schools and opportunities across the district!  

Just a friendly reminder that there is no school coming up on Monday, September 25th for students as it is Elementary Parent Conference Day. Your teacher(s) will work on scheduling fall conferences with your family. A conference does not necessarily have to fall on conference day. We also hope that all the Hill families observing Yom Kippur that day have a nice holiday. Enjoy your week!

Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

We appreciate everyone who was able to attend our Back to School Night event on Thursday. We are lucky to have such an incredible staff of educators here at Hill!

You can click here for ordering information on Fall Pictures that will take place at Hill on Wednesday, September 20th throughout the day. You can use this link to subscribe for more information as well.

Gifted and Talented Information: Our community can click here to access a folder with beginning of the year gifted and talented information for those interested. Included is an introductory letter from our GT Advocates for our families with already identified students. Also, flyers for upcoming district virtual information sessions, information on the GT Nomination window this fall, and a preview to the 2nd grade universal screener all students in that grade level will complete this year are included. More to come!

AISD is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month throughout September: Join the Fiesta again this year! The 2023 Hispanic Heritage Talent Show started this week. Please encourage your students to submit your entries by October 5. Please see the link to the flyer. Here is the link to participate.¡Únanse a la fiesta otra vez este año! La Muestra de Talento por la Herencia Hispana 2023 empezó hoy. Por favor animen a sus estudiantes a que envíen sus fotos y videos antes del 5 de octubre. Adjunto la liga con el gráfico. Este es el enlace para participar.

Tomorrow is Monday and every Monday, we wear college shirts/colors for all who would like to participate! Have a great Sunday, Hill Community.

Principal Drummond

We hope you enjoy a restful three day weekend! As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow (Monday) in observance of Labor Day.

We look forward to seeing our 1st-5th Grade parents on campus this Thursday, September 7th at 5:30 pm for our Back to School Night event. Hill administration, Essential Areas, and our wonderful PTA will give a presentation and introduction for our caregivers to begin in our Hill cafeteria. All families are welcome to come and receive this information (including Pre-K and Kinder). At approximately 6:00 pm, 1st-5th grade families will be released to your student’s class (or communicated alternate location) for a presentation with your teacher(s). We will wrap up at 6:45 pm and give everyone a nice night. We do understand some families may wish to visit multiple presentations. Feel free to move in and out as needed.

Our student technology rollout is ongoing but successful so far. Please refer to this guide in working with your student this year on our district expectations for technology at home and at school: AISD Technology Expectations. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure we keep these devices nice and functioning!

If your student is absent this year, Austin ISD requests that we try to use this form (Austin ISD School Absence Note) to send in to our front office electronically or physically. Thanks for being mindful.

Each year, we have accidents and fender benders around our campus due to negligence on the roads. Please ensure you are watching your speed at all times on the streets that surround our campus. Please ensure you are mindful of pedestrians, vehicles, and objects as you park. You should never be on a cell phone or device as you drive. It is against the law! We appreciate everyone being diligent.

If interested in fall soccer, check out this Austin Parks and Recreation Fall Soccer flyer for more information. Enjoy the holiday and see you Tuesday!

Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

We are excited to move into the month of September this week with hopefully cooler weather on the way soon. Thank you all for continuing to send water bottles each day and beginning hydration at home!

An Important Note from AISD: Last spring, the Texas Legislature passed a new law, HB 3, requiring all Texas school districts to have at least one armed security officer at every campus during school hours.

• Austin ISD is NOT considering arming teachers or other district employees outside of Austin ISD Police Department to comply with the law.
• We are planning to hire more than 70 new SRO’s to cover all 78 elementary campuses, plus associated support staff, to meet the new requirements.
• The board is required to approve the required number of SROs per campus. They are anticipated to adopt this plan at their August 31 voting meeting.

Hill Volunteer Training and Homeroom Parent Meeting from PTA: Did you sign up to Volunteer or be a Homeroom Parent? Or maybe you are interested in Volunteering? Please Join us for Volunteering Training followed by a Homeroom Parent Meeting/Q&A on ZOOM, August 30th (2 sessions available): 8:30am or 2pm. Zoom Link: https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/84874901787?pwd=TGpQbUExMmZUNmFLWk1OcnB4MVFCdz09

We also added Homeroom parents for our essential teachers this year to help with various projects throughout the year. Please consider helping one of those groups as well!  Homeroom parent sign up here. Register as a volunteer here. Questions? Reach out to the Volunteer coordinator, Kristen Trout at volunteercoordinator@hillelementary.com.

Click on this link for the Hill Counselor Newsletter we want to share this year. Ms. Curran and Ms. Winfrey look forward to working with your students! You can check out what they will be learning about here throughout the year.

As is possible, we wanted to encourage our parents/guardians to avoid early pickups in the afternoon as much as possible. We want our Dillos learning in their classroom until the end of the day. Picking up early after 2:30 also puts a strain on our office staff. We appreciate your thoughtfulness in helping with this! If your student is going to be picked up early or dismissed in a different way, please communicate this as early as possible to your teacher.

We wanted to make everyone aware that the leveling process in AISD will begin in the coming weeks. Leveling is the process of equalizing staffing across the district. Teachers from under enrolled schools are moved to schools that have exceeded projected enrollment. We do not know if leveling will affect Hill. We did want to assure everyone that any affected family would be contacted in a timely manner if Hill is involved in any way. We just wanted to ensure we made our community aware that the process does take place each year throughout our district.

We have had some questions recently on our policy for Apple/Google Watches. Just as a reminder, we do treat these as cell phones if students are texting on them at school or using them as devices at school. Per our cell phone policy, we always give warnings on this first, then begin taking them up. If students bring them in school, they should be in their backpacks during the school days, just like cell phones. Thanks for ensuring your student knows not to use their Apple/Google Watch at school.

Have a nice week, Dillo Families!

Principal Drummond