Dillo Details

The Westover Hills Tennis Program will swing back into action February 5th.    The Spring program has two sessions.  If you’re interested in having your child learn the lifetime sport please follow the link and see the details. If you have any questions please contact Brendan Sheehan at formulatennis8@gmail.com

Click here for more information!

Ballet Austin is now offering classes for children ages 18 months to 7 years in our northwest campus at the JCC! for class schedule visit: https://balletaustin.org/academy/school-year-programs

FREE introductory classes on Thursday, January 18:
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Creative Movement for 3 years old
3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Pre-Ballet for 6 years old
4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Pre-Ballet for 7 years old
To sign up for a free class:
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=11944&stype=-115&sTG=112&sVT=355&sView=day&sLoc=0

Tuition assistance is available to students who qualify based on financial need.

For more information call 512.501.8703 or email: registrar@balletaustin.org

Class Location:
Jewish Community Center
Ballet Austin @ the J
7300 Hart Lane
Austin, TX 78731

Dear Hill Families,

Welcome back to school!  We hope that your family had a relaxing, fun filled time over the Winter Break.  To get to see snow twice in one month in Austin was pretty special!  We have really enjoyed hearing the students’ stories about their holiday adventures!  Now, here we are in 2018, setting resolutions and goals for learning and social, emotional choices this Spring Semester at Hill School.

On January 2, the Hill Staff participated in the Creative Learning Initiative Training with the other elementary schools in the Anderson Vertical Team.  On this day, staff collaborated with community arts partners on strategies to create engaging, arts-integrated lessons in the classroom.  The CLI has been a wonderful way for our teachers to expose students to multiple art forms, thereby deepening content understanding.

On January 3, all of the schools in the Anderson Vertical Team joined together for  multiple training sessions led by teachers and staff on everything from technology integration to mindfulness.  Teachers learned about math and writing instruction, ways to integrate spelling into the curriculum, how flexible seating can benefit students and how to differentiate instruction for multiple learners.  Then in the afternoon, teachers across campuses met for vertical and horizontal planning.  This is always a great day for conversations and planning across the entire Anderson Vertical Team!  Thank you for giving us this day for teacher planning and development with our peers!

Finally, I wanted to let everyone know that Whitney Wallace, Hill fourth grade teacher has resigned from AISD for personal reasons, effective January 12, 2018.  We appreciate Ms. Wallace’s service to the students of Hill School and wish her luck in future endeavors.  We have hired Alexa Denny as our new fourth grade teacher.  Ms. Denny is a graduate of the University of Texas and most recently was a fourth grade student teacher at Laurel Mountain Elementary School in Round Rock ISD.  We are excited to welcome Alexa Denny to Hill School!

Have a great weekend and we will see you in the Hill hallways!

BN

Calling all 5th grade artists! Want to join 5th Grade Art Club? Art Club will meet every Tuesday, January 9 – March 6, from 3:00-4:00 in Mrs. Perry’s Art Room. Students will collaborate on community service art projects and explore their own creative ideas. Please see Mrs. Perry for an Art Club application if interested.

Click here for permission slip.

During the Spring Semester, the Student Council has selected the following dress up days to support our No Place for Hate initiative:

January 26th – Team Up Against Bullies (wear your favorite Sports Team or Dillo school shirt)

February 23 – Dillos Show Good Character (Book character day – no scary costumes, mask, weapons)

March 29th – Don’t Be Caught Sleeping, Stand Up to Bullies! (Wear your favorite pajamas)

April 27 – I “mustache” You to Play! (Wear mustaches)

May 25 – Bully Free from Head to Toe (Silly hats, Silly Hair, Silly Socks)

The Hill Art Department would love to upcycle them for art projects, especially if they have artwork, landscapes, or animals — but we’re not picky! Please send old calendars with your child to Mrs. Perry’s art room (Portable G1) or put them in Mrs. Perry’s teacher mailbox. And thank you!

Fulmore Middle School invites all of your families to attend our school showcase, the Evening of Wonder on January 9th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us in the Fulmore Cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. for opening greetings then enjoy visiting classes, talking with families, and experiencing tours and performances on our campus from 5:50-7:30 p.m. The entire family is invited and we hope to see you!

Click here for more information.

Just a friendly reminder that January 2nd and January 3rd are Professional Development Days for teachers and there will be no school for students on those days. January 4th is the first day back from winter break for students. January 5th report cards will go home.

OK, actually any coats brought to Lost and Found in the last week are in the Yellow Hanger Club.

I hang new arrivals on yellow hangers and will keep them after the holiday.

It doesn’t seem fair to give away a coat that has only been lost for 1 day.

On the last day of school before the break (Tuesday, December 19^th) at 3:00pm, any Hill family that is in need of jackets can come to Lost and Found (by the Gym side entrance) and take home items from lost and found.  There will be a limit of 5 jackets per family so we can share them as needed.

Any remaining jackets and water bottles will be donated to charity.  I will load them up at 3:15pm.

Thank you for a wonderful first semester of learning at Hill School.  This month in our Social Emotional Learning lessons, we are focused on compassion and developing friendships.  With our students we discuss ways to grow our friendships and develop lasting ties with each other.  When difficulties and conflict arise, we teach the students how to manage the conflict and strategies to use to solve the problem.  It is important that our students continue to learn to make multiple friendships while in elementary school.  This Spring we will continue to focus on SEL strategies, and will also work with parents on how SEL strategies can be implemented in the home setting.  Stay tuned to the eNews for more information on these opportunities for parents.

One way we show compassion during this time of the year is by giving to others.   We are grateful for those in our school community who help those in need through our Hill Families Helping Hill Families Program.  Many thanks to our counselors and parents who organized the donations to support our families during the holidays.  Our fifth graders also led our campus this semester in the Legacy of Giving food and clothing drive.  Hill students donated 2100 pounds of food, and 288 coats, which were disbursed at the Legacy of Giving Day of Service last week.  Through our PTA, we have also started a Weekend Backpack Program, to help families in need with food over the weekend.  Many thanks to all of our students and families who are caring for others and supporting these wonderful programs.

We are pleased that the City has installed crosswalk safety signs around Hill school.  Hopefully, these signs will be a good reminder to drivers to follow all safety laws and slow down while driving by Hill School.  Thank you to all of our parents who continue to be vigilent and safety minded when on campus.

In the Spring Semester we will begin the process of looking towards the 2018-2019 school year.  Tuition Pre-K registration will begin in January, and registration will be available on the AISD website, as well as in the Hill Office.

May your family have a restful Winter Holiday Break.  I’ll be staying in the Austin area, but will look for Hill Dillos everywhere I go!  Dillo Cheers for now!!