Hillsdale Knights Bulletin ~
October 26, 2023
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What's Happening at Hillsdale | |
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It's Friday again, Hillsdale Families!
Last Friday's Pink Breakfast for the Faculty and Staff, co-hosted by Leadership and PTSO was Pinkalicious!! There were festive pink donuts donated by Cruel Donuts (located in Laurie Meadows), pancakes, fruit, juice, and lots and lots of pink cupcakes.
Saturday, A Knight for the Cure 2023 was the event to attend! All the hard work and efforts of those involved definitely paid off--it was such a successful knight! Congrats to the Class of 2024 who won the football game! Special thank yous go to Leadership, PAC Parent Leads, HHS Concessions, James Madison, Bryan Bent, and last but not least...Sabrina Braccini who not only led and coordinated the event but choreographed the entertainment for the evening. Thanks also goes to YOU, the fans who showed up, purchased and donated to concessions, drove to practices, and took the time to volunteer--without you, community events like these can't happen!
Last night was HIT City: A Halloween HIT Show on campus! If you didn't get a chance to go, you missed out. You should definitely add attending a HIT show to your bucket list for this school year, you won't be disappointed.
Next week is Spirit Week, kicking off this Sunday, with annual hall decorating where each class is responsible for decorating a hall to a specific theme related to homecoming. Thanks to all who have donated items to help the classes create their hall. All students are welcome to lend a hand. Have your student sign up for their class using the QR codes on their class' Instagram account. Spirit Week concludes with our Homecoming Rally on Friday--with performances and spirit activities. Then at home that afternoon/evening our Homecoming Football Game vs. Aragon in The Battle of the Fleas! We will need lots of help at concessions that night (and Wednesday night for Flag Football), so if you're interested ...Concessions
Next Saturday, the homecoming dance will take place at SM Expo Center. You can still purchase tickets, but...there are only a limited number available. Have your student run and not walk to get a ticket. Details and pricing on the attached flyer.
A final thank you to all who filled out the WASC survey. All answers will help to shape HHS for the next few years. If you are still interested in filling out the survey, please contact us directly. hhsknightsptsopresident@gmail.com
Have a happy homecoming week!!
Jen and Holly
HHS PTSO Co-Presidents
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A Note from Lead Principal Jeff Gilbert
Last week, I was at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and was reminded of the place that Hillsdale holds in this region's school reform community. We are known and admired because we are willing to push boundaries and imagine what school could be rather than rely on what it has been.
This recent article in The New York Times, which explains the power of "looping" (staying with students for more than one year) and this pre-pandemic video by KQED, which explores Hillsdale's Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs), are nice reminders about the power and significance of Hillsdale's model. I hope you’ll take a few minutes today to check out both of these resources if you’ve ever wondered about what the SLC model is and why it works, or if you’ve been curious about how your gifts to the Hillsdale High School Foundation support our students.
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Una nota del director principal Jeff Gilbert
La semana pasada estuve en la Escuela de Graduados de Educación de Stanford y recordé el lugar que ocupa Hillsdale en la comunidad de reforma escolar de esta región. Se nos conoce y admira porque estamos dispuestos a superar los límites e imaginar lo que la escuela podría ser en lugar de confiar en lo que ha sido.
Este articulo de New York Times, que explica el poder de “bucle” (estar con estudiantes por más de cuatro años) y este es un video de KQED pre-pandemia, que explora las Comunidades Pequeñas de Aprendizaje que ofrece Hillsdale, son buenos recordatorios del poder y la importancia del modelo de Hillsdale. Espero que se tomen unos minutos hoy para ver estos dos recursos si alguna vez se han preguntado qué es el modelo SLC y por qué funciona, o si han sentido curiosidad sobre cómo sus donaciones a la Fundación de Hillsdale apoyan nuestro modelo SLC.
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HHS Athletic Contests Calendar
Come Support our teams! GO FIGHTINIG KNIGHTS
Games in blue = home games
Support our Seniors at Senior Knight
CCS PLAYOFFS ARE STARTING! SCHEDULES COMING SOON!
GoFan Ticket Link
Family Pass Link
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HHS Homecoming: Underwater Escape
Join us for an Underwater Escape on Saturday November 4th @ 8pm-11pm at the San Mateo Event Center. Tickets are now one sale!
If you qualify for free/reduced lunch, you are eligible for a discounted rate for your Homecoming dance ticket (any guest tickets will be full price). If you are eligible and wish to purchase a homecoming ticket, please complete this form. (Please note that all attendance eligibility requirements still apply.)
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The Hillsdale Improvisational Theater Squad (HIT Squad)
Hey Knights! The Hillsdale Improvisational Theater Squad (HIT Squad) has their first show of the year, HAUNTED HIT CITY, on Thursday, October 26th and Friday, October 27th. Both shows begin at 7pm in the HHS Little Theater. Tickets are free for SMUHSD students and $5 for guests. Bring a friend or family member and join us!
We also have a lunch show in the HHS Little Theater on Thursday, October 26th, for any interested students. We'll be playing lots of audience participation games!
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AP Exam Registration for 2023-24
DEADLINE: October 31, 2023
If your student is taking an Advanced Placement (AP) course this year at Hillsdale High School, registration for AP exams is open!
The College Board requires students enrolled in an AP course and participating in the AP Exams in May 2024 to register, pay, and commit to taking the exam during the fall semester. To ensure accurate and timely processing of all AP test registrations, the deadline to register and pay for taking AP exams at Hillsdale High School is October 31st, 2023. After October 31st, student registrations will be assessed a $40.00/exam late fee until December 11th. After December 11th, no student will be allowed to register for any exam.
Students will need to use and navigate two online systems to register for exams:
- Students will need to register and pay for the exams through https://user.totalregistration.net/AP/53165.
- In their College Board account, students will confirm they are taking the exam and use this platform for the online learning tools. Students can access this through myap.collegeboard.org. Students MUST complete both steps in order to register.
The registration directions are outlined in this presentation. The presentation also includes information about requesting testing accommodations for students with IEPs/504s and how to request financial assistance.
The registration deadlines are hard deadlines and it is important that all families are aware of them. AP teachers will review the registration process with students, but for more information you can:
If you have questions, please reach out to your course teacher or email Ms. P. at sprenskypomeranz@smuhsd.org.
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Warriors Game - Spirit Squad Fundraiser
Join us for a fun-filled KNIGHT (Saturday December 16, 2023 or Sunday April 14, 2024) at the Warriors Game! A portion of ticket sales will go to the Spirit Squad when you use the PROMO CODE: HILLSDALE
See flier for details...
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HHS Community Closet, Garden and Peace Pantry - October
Hillsdale Community,
We are entering the final months of 2023. Our HHS Community Support Team is busy as evidenced by the amount of activity in the Alameda Parking Lot throughout the week but especially on Thursdays and Fridays.
Our Community Garden Team continues to harvest 80-100 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables each week. Our volunteer gardeners hand water each afternoon and work daily to trim the plants to ensure the highest yield possible. Our Harvest Team picks fruits and vegetables every Thursday from 3:30-5:00pm for distribution on Friday mornings at our Community Pantry. We are always looking for volunteers to support this work.
Our Community Closet Team is busy preparing for our Fall/Winter Opening on October 27th. We hope to have a robust offering of winter coats, jeans, hoodies, Prom/homecoming dresses and accessories, men’s dress shirts, Essential items (e.g. new underwear, laundry soap, toiletries, backpacks, notebooks/binders) and HHS gear. We would not be able run our Community Closet without our dedicated student and adult volunteers so to put simply, thank you for your time and effort. Interested in Volunteering? Please sign up here: HHS Community Closet, and we will add you or please stop by on a Thursday at 2:30pm or Fridays at 7:30am. Flyer Link
Our Community Peace Pantry Team supports 130 Hillsdale and Bridge families every Friday morning from 7:30am-9:00am. We are blessed to have the continued support of Second Harvest Food Bank who supplies weekly groceries for families. In addition, thanks to the financial support during our annual Holiday Giving Campaign we are able to provide a $25.00 bag of groceries (cultural food staples) and essential items from Mi Rancho Market twice a month. The volunteers who work the Drive Thru Line or deliver groceries to families who do not have transportation allow our community support efforts to continue! Thank you for continued service to HHS Families! If you would like to volunteer in October, please sign up here.
Hillsdale Stands Together!
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Seniors - Order your Cap and Gown for Graduation!
It's time to order your cap and gown for graduation! Cap and Gown are free of charge and yours to keep, but you need to complete the order form by November 1st so that we order your the correct size. Students who do not complete the form are not guaranteed to receive a gown in the correct size.
Gown Order Form (MUST be completed from the student SMUSHD email address) DUE NOVEMBER 1st
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Senior Portraits
If you have not yet taken your Senior Portrait (the one in your cap and gown) please schedule it as soon as possible! The photo's are taken off site at a studio in San Carlos. Please use the link below to setup an account and schedule your appointment:
https://local.prestigeportraits.com/ca/san-carlos/990-industrial-road.html
Having trouble scheduling? Please call (877) 825-7922
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October College & Career Newsletter
Greetings, 12th grade families, and welcome to October.
Here is the latest College & Career Newsletter.
Highlights of this month’s newsletter:
- How to visit a CSU or UC
- Interested in barbering or cosmetology? Read on for Skyline’s Open House next week
- This week’s Career Speaker Series: Trades & Public Works. Sign up!
- Drop in hours to get support with your post-HHS plans
- New majors at the UCs
- Community college application timeline
- Filing the CSS Profile, a financial aid application used primarily for 4 year private colleges
- Colleges that dedicate resources to first generation college-bound students
- Real Talk: College Board– Supporting Black Student Programming
Starting today and every Monday until December, we have College and Financial Aid Open Office Hours from 2-3:45. Students are welcome to drop by and ask any questions! I will be in the office, as will at least 1 counselor. All 12th graders are welcome. Please send your student to us; we'd love to support them.
All my best to you and your family as we enter Fall.
Best-- Laura Burtness, LBurtness@smuhsd.org
650 558 2613
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Volunteer Opportunities for Teens!
The inclusion of an opportunity in this document is not an endorsement or recommendation by SMUHSD.
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Important District Updates | |
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Updates from SMUHSD
For the latest updates, please click here.
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Ways to Support Hillsdale | |
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Support Hillsdale by becoming a Basementeer!
Sports Basement is spinning the traditional “loyalty” program into a win-win for their loyal customers and our community. Basementeer’s receive 10% and give 10%:
- 10% off every item every day
- 10% of profits back to Hillsdale High School
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Please watch this one minute video to get the idea
On your next visit to Sports Basement, register as a Basementeer and select Hillsdale High School as your beneficiary! Better yet, register online and the $25 fee is waived!
Please visit Sports Basement – they have stores throughout the Bay Area including Redwood City and San Francisco) or visit them online at https://shop.sportsbasement.com/
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Thank You to Our Hillsdale High School Corporate Partners!
We encourage you to support these businesses that have generously donated to HHS.
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