From Principal Drummond

Dear Hill Community,

We have eight days left in the fall semester! Here are just a few reminders below for the upcoming week.

This week, Hill Elementary will deliver the Human Sexuality and Responsibility lessons to those students who had parents/guardians opt them in to receive the lessons. All other students will receive the designated social and emotional learning lessons for their grade level. As a reminder, all the needed information can be found at this link.

As we do each year, we discussed traffic safety around Hill and areas where we need to keep improving in our latest Campus Advisory Council meeting. Please be mindful of these rules and abide by them to keep our Dillos safe each day:

• Please DO NOT drop-off students on the streets or sidewalks unless you are in the carline. If you are parking, we expect you are also walking your student up to the building. A student should never be getting out of the car in the surrounding streets to walk up alone. The carline is for drop-off and pickup if you are staying in your vehicle.
• Please do not take a left into the carline going the opposite way on Tallwood. This is against traffic laws with a sign posted. Please enter the carline from the back which lines up down Cima Serena. Additionally, you should not take left-hand turns from Cima Serena either to get onto Tallwood. That violates traffic laws that are posted.
• Please respect all of our surrounding neighbors by never blocking driveways and not moving trash cans. If you would like to park and don’t see space, check Robbie Lane on the street or Hyridge as there is typically ample parking. Thank you all for doing your part. It takes everyone to make our mornings and afternoons safe for our kids!

We hope by now you have seen the story from Judy Maggio on ATX Good News that features our own beloved substitute Jane Newberry. You can click here to visit the Facebook page and see the story from this week. The text is here below as well:

She’s long past retirement age, but you’ll still find 89 year-old teacher Jane Newberry in the classroom almost every day! She’s a beloved substitute at Austin’s Hill Elementary. Newberry has dedicated almost 7 decades to teaching children in the Austin district, starting with 3rd graders at Highland Park Elementary back in 1954. She says,” I still keep in touch with many of those students (most of whom are retired now).” At a time when many teachers are leaving the profession, Jane Newberry says she feels blessed by her long career. She says, “it has been a joyful, fulfilling, challenging ride!” No wonder she was named AISD “Sub of the Year”, shortly after she retired and returned to the classroom. Newberry obviously passed along her love of teaching. Her daughter, daughter-in-law and granddaughters are all current or former educators in AISD. Although she’s planning to move to a retirement community after the first of the year and re-retire from teaching, Newberry admits if the phone rings again there are no guarantees.

Dillo Cheer for Ms. Newberry! Have a great one, Hill Community.

Principal Drummond