Hillsdale PTSO Website



PTSO 2024-25 Membership Form (No Donation Required)

Knights Families,

It has been an Oz-Mazing Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week at Hillsdale. Monday and Tuesday there were breakfasts, Wednesday a rainbow of fruit, and today a Mexican lunch catered by Suavecito. There were also candy/snack carts that our Leadership students pushed through the halls to offer faculty/staff treats. Games were played--flying monkey and hair toss. Lastly, today at lunch the Wizard will be granting staff wishes and giving out prizes... We could never have done this had it not been for your generous donations of food, treats, decor, and gift cards. Thank you so much for helping us show the faculty and staff how the HHS families appreciate all that they do through the year!!

We would like to congratulate the Dance Ensemble, along with the guest dancers on a highly successful Knight Moves last weekend! Thanks to Sabrina Braccini, Dance Boosters, dance and guest ensemble families, and facilities who tirelessly worked to produce such a fantastic show!

This week has also been busy with AP testing which will continue next week. We would like to congratulate all testing students on a great week and also wish them luck for next week.

Today, students "Committed to their Future" with a pancake breakfast to celebrate a commitment to their future for next year. Congrats to the Seniors!!.

As we are wrapping up this year, make sure to check the calendar (and other pages) for tryouts, auditions, and summer conditioning for the 25-26 school year. Please see the Dance Ensemble audition flyer.

Speaking of the new school year, the Community Closet is currently having a Back to School clothing and essential item drive so they will be stocked and ready to support our students as they get ready for the new school year. (Flyer)

We are also still looking for 2025-20206 Booster Board members (all parent booster groups)  Click here and we will get you to the group you need/want. All are welcome, no experience necessary.

Don't forget to scroll further for upcoming events, fundraisers, as well as volunteer opportunities.

We hope you have an Oz-Mazingly Wicked weekend, until next week...

Jen and Holly

HHS PTSO Co-Presidents

Upcoming Events:

• May 8-9: HIT Squad Performances @ 7pm HHS Little Theater (tickets $10, SMUHSD students free) Concessions will be sold
• May 9: Commit to Your Future Day
• May 12: Athletics Awards Ceremony @ 6:30pm HHS Auditorium
• May 14: Hillsdale Film Festival @ 6:30pm HHS Little Theater (Flyer)
• May 15: Latino Graduation Celebration
• May 16: Senior Knight
• May 19: Senior Day
• May 21: Senior Awards Night @ 6:30pm
• May 22-May 23: Spring Concert Series @ 7pm HHS Little Theater (Flyer)
• May 26: NO SCHOOL for Memorial Day

This week's Fundraisers:

• May 15: Cruel Donuts--Sophomore Class Fundraiser (Flyer)
• May 19: Mendocino Farms--Freshman Class Fundraiser (Flyer)
• Ongoing: Bricks and Plaques--HHS Foundation (Brick Flyer/Plaque Flyer)

This week's Volunteer Opportunities:

• April 21-May 21: Back to School Drive ~ Community Close (Flyer)
• 2025-2026 Booster Members Needed (all parent booster groups - Click here and we will get you to the group you need/want)

Cement Your Place in Hillsdale History

Bricks and Plaques Are the Perfect Graduation Gift

Also, HHSF is recruiting students to be featured in photos appearing on our summer postcard and flyers! The photo shoot will take place in early May.

Please email Marcine Jansen at execdirector@hillsdalehsfoundation.org if your student would like to be part of the photo shoot.

HHS Athletic Contest Calendar

Come support our athletes! Go Knights! (Games in BLUE = home games)

Link to game schedule

The Knightly News

Keep up to date with the The Knightly News - presented by the HHS Broadcast Journalism Class.

The Hillsdale Film Festival

The Hillsdale Film Festival 2025 is on May 14 @ 6:30pm in the Little Theater. 

Come support student filmmakers as they showcase their films. Awards for Best Music Video, Best Action Scene, Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Actor... and much more will be announced at the festival. Admission is free for SMUHSD students. General Admission is $5.

Cruel Donuts ~ Sophomore Class Fundraiser

Hey Knights! We are so excited to announce our Cruel Donuts fundraiser! Come support the Sophomore class at one of our last fundraisers on May 15th-May 16th @ 3pm-8pm for donuts and ice cream! Show this flyer or let the cashier know you’re from Hillsdale! We can’t wait to see you there!

HHS Spring Concert Series

The Hillsdale High School Music Department cordially invites you to our Spring Concert Series, our final concerts of the year.

Enjoy the Hillsdale High School Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, String Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra with the San Mateo High School Concert Choir and Chamber Choir on Thursday, May 22, 2025 @ 7:00pm, at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center.

Join us again on Friday, May 23, 2025 @ 7:00pm, at the Hillsdale High School Theater for rousing performances from Hillsdale's Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble.

$10/adults, $5/seniors, free/students.

Tickets available at https://hillsdalemusic.blogspot.com

HHS Yearbook ~ The Shield 2025

The Shield 2025 yearbook has gone to press! It is fabulous and filled with important memories of the school year. Distribution will happen May 19-23 at lunch and after school. Seniors can pick up their copies at Senior Knight. We have only a few yearbooks left, so please buy yours now at:

https://ybstore.friesens.com/768274

HHS Peace Pantry ~ Community Garden ~ Community Closet

May

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” - Jane Goodall

Hillsdale Community,

On May 27th, we will celebrate the Five Year Anniversary of our Peace Pantry and Two Year Anniversary of our Community Closet. Volunteers from our Peace Pantry and Community Closet will be invited to our May 27 dinner in the garden at 5:30pm to celebrate their collective work on behalf of our school community for the 24-25 school year. In addition, we will recognize volunteers with individual awards who have gone above and beyond this year. All volunteers are welcome to this dinner.

Read the Complete May 2025 Newsletter here

Hillsdale Stands Together,

Brett Stevenson

Hillsdale ETA Co-Executive Director

ETA Website, ETA Overview Slides. ETA Donation Page

Egg Donations for Peace Pantry

We're seeking egg donations from families with flocks! The Aquino family is coordinating the collection, packaging and donation of spare eggs to the Peace Pantry. With egg costs rising, families are struggling to afford them.

Last week, the Aquinos donated fifty eggs thanks to their four backyard hens and another gracious family's flock. We're hoping to find more families with chickens who can spare a few eggs weekly.

If you have backyard chickens or spare egg cartons, we can pick them up Wednesdays from your doorstep. Please email jenchristgau@gmail.com to coordinate. 

Peace Pantry

If you would like to volunteer at our Peace Pantry in May please sign up here. Our volunteer team meets in the Alameda Parking Lot every Friday morning at 7:00am (shift #1) and/or 7:30am (shift #2) to provide weekly groceries and essential items to families. Volunteers can sign up to help set up and/or work a station at our Farmer’s Market and/or break down. No experience required. 

Community Garden

If you are interested in joining our Community Garden Team please email bstevenson@smuhsd.org to learn more OR stop by and meet our volunteer team who work in the garden every Thursday from 3:30pm-5:00pm and complete various gardening tasks. No experience required. *Please follow us on Instagram, @hhs_community_garden, for updates.

Community Closet

Please support our Summer/Back to School Clothing Drive (Flyer) from April 21-May 21. ASK: Our volunteer team is currently in need of Summer/Back to School clothing for Fall 25 semester. We are asking for donations of  jeans, hoodies, shorts, t-shirts, shoes, Hillsdale gear/swag, new socks, new undershirts, shampoo/conditioner and essential items. We can accept donations every Wednesday from 2:45pm-4:00pm OR Friday mornings from 7:30am-8:30am in the Alameda Parking Lot. *Please follow us on Instagram @hhs_community_closet

College & Career Counseling

Current Workshops, College Rep Visits and Events

Junior & Senior Newsletters:

12th Grade Newsletters

11th Grade Newsletters

Please reach out with any questions:

Ms. Laura Burtness

Hillsdale's College, Career, and Financial Aid Advisor

LBurtness@smuhsd.org

650 558 2613

Opportunities Slide Deck for All Students!

This is a wonderful, frequently-updated slide deck that features volunteer opportunities, job openings, community engagement activities, summer opportunities, career exploration, research positions, and more. bit.ly/SMUHSDCareerOpportunities

Parent Venture Family Education Webinars

All webinars are free and offer simultaneous Spanish interpretation.

Corazones pequeños, miedos grandes: ansiedad, inmigración y salud emocional (En Español)

Monday, May 12, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Brenda Carrasco, LCSW, Bilingual Therapist, One Life Counseling Center

Learn more and register

Raising a Well-Balanced Student

Thursday, May 15, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Denise Pope, PhD, Stanford University

Learn more and register

Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education

Monday, May 19, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning

Learn more and register

Saber es poder: cómo evitar la ansiedad sobre temas de inmigración (En Español)

Tuesday, May 20, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Vanessa Ventura, LMFT, bilingual therapist, One Life Counseling Center

Learn more and register

Students: Apply Now to Serve on the 2025-2026 SMUHSD Student Board Council

Do you have an interest in how your school is run? Are you interested in political science or government? Do you want to represent your fellow students to the District Board of Trustees to make sure ALL voices are heard? If yes, consider applying for SMUHSD’s Student Board Council!

Benefits

• Looks great on your resume
• Great public speaking practice
• Help shape policy at the District and school level

Time Commitment

• Attend one meeting a month with other student board council members (typically held after school from 4:30 - 6 p.m. )
• Attend at least one SMUHSD board meeting during the school year (typically held on Thursday nights)
• Share your ideas once a semester at an event organized by the Superintendent

Deadline to apply is May 30, 2025

Estudiantes: Ahora pueden aplicar para servir en el Consejo de la Junta Directiva Estudiantil del SMUHSD 2025-2026

Durante las reuniones habrá interpretación en español para estudiantes multilingües que lo necesiten.

¿Tienes interés en saber cómo funciona tu escuela?

¿Te interesan las ciencias políticas o el gobierno?

¿Quieres representar a tus compañeros de clase para asegurarte de que TODAS las voces sean escuchadas?

Si la respuesta es sí, ¡considera postularte para el Consejo de la Junta Estudiantil del distrito escolar para el año escolar!

Compromiso de tiempo

• Asistir a una reunión al mes con otros miembros del consejo estudiantil (usualmente se lleva a cabo después de clases de 4:30 - 6 p.m. )
• Asistir por lo menos a una reunión de la Junta Directiva del SMUHSD durante el año escolar (usualmente se llevan a cabo los jueves por la noche)
• Compartir sus ideas una vez por semestre en un evento organizado por el Superintendente

Beneficios

• Se ve muy bien en tu currículum
• Excelente práctica para hablar en público
• Ayuda a definir las políticas a nivel del distrito y escuela

La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud para el año escolar 2025-2026 es 30 de mayo: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdACOhSXHBZh4paMsx5zMHiRQrUoY8H1KCiXGp9EKXwmumhoA/viewform

May 13 Webinar: Youth for Climate Policy

Students! Join Sustainable San Mateo County's 3rd annual Youth for Climate Policy webinar on May 13 at 5 p.m. to learn how to take action, be heard and help shape local policy to make your community more sustainable and promote environmental justice. bit.ly/2025Youth4Climate

Become a Basementeer! 

Register as a Basementeer. Basementeers' receive a 10% discount and Sports Basement gives back 10% of the profit to HHS. Just select Hillsdale High School as your beneficiary!