Thank you to everyone for participating on our Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences last week. It was awesome to see students and adults working together to develop a plan in  support of their learning goal(s).

Below is a link to our Week at a Glance for the week of Nov 25-29, 2019. There are some important deadlines (Clothing order, Skating Permission Forms etc) and activities (Zero-Waste Lunch, Hot-Lunch etc.) planned for this week so please be sure to check out our Week at a Glance and/or visit the calendar on our website.

LINK: https://conta.cc/2QOHKfc

Below are links to the individualized skating permission forms for each class. A link to these forms has also been sent by email. Please note that you will need to complete a separate permission form for each child if you have more than one child at Hillcrest.

As we will be starting to size students with skates during the first week in December, it is important that you complete the online form(s) no later than Friday November 29, 2019.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Div 1: Menzies (https://permission.click/QvnbV/ca)

Div 2: Tyssen/Matuga (https://permission.click/Pp92g/ca)

Div 3: Boyce (https://permission.click/nb4yV/ca)

Div 4: Gecse (https://permission.click/XpM2P/ca)

Div 5: Smith (Grade 3’s) (https://permission.click/1KZNG/ca)

Div 5: Smith (Grade 4’s) (https://permission.click/GLJ22/ca)

Div 6: Housden/Lawson (https://permission.click/4KMVw/ca)

Div 7: Larmand/Matuga (https://permission.click/j4eWA/ca)

Div 8: Corbett (https://permission.click/Jx92k/ca)

Div 9: Meerza (https://permission.click/AYzJe/ca)

Div 10: Wessely (https://permission.click/Qvn2V/ca)

Div 11: Boyd (https://permission.click/LE92B/ca)

Div 12: Morrison (https://permission.click/pjevr/ca)

Attached is a copy of a paper Newsletter that your child should be bringing home today. It contains information about some of the exciting events (ie. Winter Concert,  Book Fair, Skating, Clothing Order, etc.) we have planned at Hillcrest over the next few months.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences over the next couple of days. Don’t forget that we will be dismissing early at 11:24am tomorrow, Thursday Nov 21, 2019.

ATTACHMENT: Hillcrest Newsletter – Nov 2019

Looking for that perfect Christmas present? Order your Hillcrest School Clothing now! Our online store (https://hillcrestschool.itemorder.com/) accepts payment with Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit cards.  The online store will be closing on Monday December 2, 2019 so don’t delay. Orders will be available for pick up at Hillcrest Elementary by Friday December 20, 2019.  For families without access to credit card payment for online orders, please use the order form below.

Samples are available in the office for sizing.  

More items available online!

ONLINE STORE: https://hillcrestschool.itemorder.com/

PAPER ORDER FORM: Hillcrest Elem Order Form – Nov 2019

A team from Science World was at Hillcrest today teaching us all how to “Observe, Predict, and Test it Out” as they entertained us with one experiment after another. Thank you to our outstanding presenters and to BC Hydro for sponsoring this assembly for us.

It was awesome to see so many different stuffies at school on Friday for Stuffy Day! Thank you to everyone who participated in Stuffy Day and contributed to the Gently Used Toy Drive last week. A huge thank you also goes out to our amazing grade 5 leadership team and Mrs. Menzies for organizing these events for us.

Mr. Roberts, teachers, staff and students are already working hard on this year’s Western themed Winter Show. Your child will participate in both an afternoon and an evening concert according to the schedule below.

Before the Show

• On the night of the concert, students are to access their regular outside classroom door.
• Parents will come through the main front doors of the gym – the front doors will be open at 6:10pm (parents may leave your boots on in the gym).
• There will be no reserve seating.
• Please do not arrive too early, as it may be cold waiting outside.
• Parking is also difficult on concert nights, so we encourage any relatives/friends who are able to attend the afternoon concert to do so.

Food Bank Donations

• Donations of non-perishable food will be collected during the week prior to the concert and at the concert door for those who wish to donate.

Best Seats in the House

• The PAC will be selling tickets for the “Best Seats in the House” before the evening performances. The money collected from this fundraiser will be used to support our music program.

After the Show

• Your child will be on stage for the entire concert, and will return to their classroom following the performance, where they can be picked up.
• Please be sure to pick up your child before heading to the book fair.

We look forward to seeing you at your child’s concert(s)!

There are only a few weeks until the Scholastic Book Fair! This event provides a great opportunity to share books with your family while supporting the library. Up to sixty percent of sales can be used to buy new, engaging books for our students to sign out and read!

The book fair will be open in the library at the following times:

Monday, December 16^th

• 2:00 – 3:00 pm

Tuesday, December 17^th and Wednesday, December 18^th         

• 7:45 – 8:15 am
• 11:20 – 11:50 am
• 1:45 – 2:45 pm (after the afternoon concert)
• 7:15 – 8:00 pm (after evening concert)

Thursday, December 19^th

• 7:45 – 8:15am

For the book fair to be a success, we will need VOLUNTEERS to help with set-up (on Friday December 13^th), with sales during the fair, and with pack-up on Thursday afternoon. Please contact Jennifer Reed (jreed@sd83.bc.ca or 250-832-7195) if you are able to help out at one of these times.

Thank you for supporting this important fundraiser!

Shuswap Theatre is thrilled to announce a Relaxed Performance of The Wizard of Oz on Sunday, December 1st at 1.30pm. This performance will be modified in order to welcome those who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory sensitivities, dementia, or parents with very young children (3 and under).

A relaxed performance is a growing trend among theatres, and the aim is to create an inclusive theatrical experience. In a relaxed performance, certain elements of the production, including expectations around audience behaviours, are “relaxed” so that those who might not be able to attend a typical evening of theatre can feel welcome.

For example, the theatre is opened up a little earlier so patrons have extra time to enter and become acquainted with the building. The house lights stay on, yet dimmed, so the auditorium is never in the dark. Loud noises are minimized or eliminated. Patrons can move about or speak as they need to. A video feed is set up in the lobby so that those who may feel overwhelmed in the auditorium can leave, and watch the rest of the performance on the screen. A quiet area is set up for those may wish to take a break. We will have partners from Community Living BC on hand to provide support to individuals who request it. In addition, we will offer a tour of the theatre the week before the performance so individuals and their families can become familiar with the auditorium, washrooms, lobby, stage, and backstage ahead of their theatre experience.

The actors, creative, and production team at Shuswap Theatre are very excited to offer this relaxed performance to the community – our first ever. We anticipate that the Wizard of Oz will sell out and we encourage those who wish to buy a ticket for the relaxed performance to do so as soon as possible. We are working had to reduce barriers for this performance and have priced tickets for the relaxed performance accordingly. Tickets go on sale October 7th at shuswaptheatre.com or can be bought in person at Intwined Fibre Arts at 161 Hudson Street. More information about the relaxed performance can be found on the theatre website.

Dear Parent/Students,

For several years now, the staff at Hillcrest have sponsored students in Kenya, Africa, through the Canadian Harambee Education Society. CHES was started by Canadians to help girls in Africa who have no opportunity to attend school. The cost to send one boarding student to school for a year is $600.

Many students choose to honour staff at Christmas with a small gift of appreciation. Instead of a personal gift, please consider a different way of showing how much you care by sending a card to your teacher with a small donation to Harambee.

Attached is a letter with more information about this special tradition.

ATTACHMENT: Harambee 2019

Below is a link to our Week at a Glance for the week of Nov 18-22, 2019.

LINK: https://conta.cc/2CXSXSh

Don’t forget that we will be dismissing early at 11:24am on Thursday Nov 21 for our Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences.

If you haven’t signed up yet please do so ASAP by following the instructions in the Goal Setting Conference Parent Letter Nov 2019.