November 29, 2006

Good Morning! Basketball season starts today! Weekly practices will be held from 3-5 pm on Wednesdays, and 3:30 - 5:30 on Fridays at St. Augustine's Church (on Alcatraz between College and Telegraph). Sign-up sheets are in the classrooms, and forms will be handed out this afternoon at the practice. Please review the sports league guidelines with your child. This is for all middle school students, and depending on how many play, there will be boys and girls JV and varsity teams. We do not have the game schedule yet, but will email that out as soon as we have it. No word yet on 4th and 5th grade teams at this time.

Sports fees are $50 for the season, and pay for the gym rental, referees, coaching and any equipment needed. Also needed, if your child did not play flag football, is a $20 deposit for uniforms.

Questions? Please contact Laura Carlson or Kenn Stansbury.

Posted by Laura Carlson at 06:51 AM

November 13, 2006

See's Candy Sale
Our last big fund-raiser is here -- last chance to knock down the remainder on our spring field trip costs. The See’s Candy Sale has begun, and even though the selling time is a bit shorter, we are offering more opportunities and incentives for the students to participate! Last year we raised about $3,000, but this year, we’re shooting for $5,000. If each student participates and sells about $200 worth (or roughly 15 boxes), we should be able to hit that benchmark. See’s also kicks in an additional 5% at that point. Village Market has allowed us to sell in front of the store on the 13th and 17th of November from 5-6 pm, so if your child is interested, they can sign up to sell at that time. Carole Klein will be supervising the table. Remember that orders are due the Tuesday after we return from the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanks! Please contact one of the following with any additional questions:
Valerie Tay valjewtay@gmail.com
Carole Klein cklein@dhs.ca.gov
Bettina Moore bettinaemoore@yahoo.com

Auction Thanks!
So many to thank, I'm sure I'll miss someone. Thanks to all who donated, to all who attended, and to all who bid high and often! Special thanks to:
Rhita Williams and Fiona Jackson - for supervising our 8th grade auction volunteers
Julie Weisenberger & Nannette Love - for the middle school auction projects - creating, managing the kids, and finishing the chairs and table
Jan Leuin - for gathering donations and putting together the middle school auction gift baskets
Sumi Shohara & Jennifer Chapman - for collecting, documenting, and putting together the wine cellar gift item
Paul Martín - for printing the auction invitations
Debra Below - for printing the auction catalogs
Michael Malone - for photographing the auction action
Paula Eisenberg - for helping run checkout

Election Day Bake Sale
Thanks to Lovella Barney, her adult & student volunteers, and those who brought coffee and baked goods. We made over $400! Pretty good for a last minute fund-raiser!

Posted by Laura Carlson at 06:48 AM

October 19, 2006

Pumpkin Patch, Cross Country, Flag Football, 8th Grade Auction Volunteers, Online Calendar

Pumpkin Patch - Responsibilities by Grade
Thanks to Donna Abare, the Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch is back in action. Each week, the patch will be open on Tuesdays and Thursday, and we need home made treats to be sold those two days. The 8th graders are due to provide treats this week (nothing like late notice!), the 7th graders next week, and the 6th graders the week of October 23rd. This is a big money maker for the middle school, and helps defray the costs of the spring field trip, so please buy some pumpkins and help your child bake those cookies! Also, on Saturday, October 21st from 10-2, there will be a costume exchange. Clean out those closets and send in gently worn costumes your children don't need anymore.

Cross Country - #2 Again!
The 7th/8th grade girls' cross country team is on a roll! They came in 2nd again this week with Julia Eylar, Kendall Williams, and Hanna Weisenberger taking 8, 9, and 10th places! (Albany took the first 7 places, so we did really great!) Come out and watch them run tomorrow, Thursday, and Martin Luther King school in Berkeley at 4:15.

Flag Football - Game Tomorrow!
If you can't make the cross country meet, come watch our coed flag football team in action at Marcus Foster field, on 29th between MLK and West. We've had two close losses, so this should be another exciting game. Practice on Friday will be discussed tomorrow at the game.

8th Grade Auction Volunteers
Fiona Jackson will be contacting the 8th graders who have volunteered to work at this year's auction. She will verify that they will be in town, and are available to work. Working at the auction is a benefit of being an 8th grader, and is greatly appreciated by the auction committee. However, if yours is unavailable, please let Fiona know.

Online Calendar
I am trying to put all middle school events on the online calendar. You can access the calendar at the www.hillcrestpta.org website by clicking on Middle School, and then Calendar on the listing on the left. If you have an activity you'd like me to add, please let me know.

Posted by Laura Carlson at 01:19 PM

October 02, 2006

Middle School Communique #3

NAL10/4, HCCT#2, HFFTL, ADDN, FSPDN!

No, it's not a new sports network... nor a stock ticker....but what does this mean?

Naturalists At Large Meeting - 10/4, 7pm
Come Wednesday evening and get all of your questions answered about the May Yosemite trip. A representative from NAL will be there to give you specifics, qualm any concerns, and explain exactly what your child will be doing, learning, etc. Please bring your checkbooks if you have not yet paid your first semester payment.

Hillcrest Cross Country Team - Second in Most Recent Meet!
The Hillcrest Cross Country team came in second in last week's meet! This is outstanding, especially when you consider this is our first year even fielding a team. Team members are: Julia Eylar, Kendall Williams, Hanna Weisenberger, Sarah Allison, Nikki Stansbury, & Maggie Phillips. Congratulations, ladies! Come cheer them on at their next meet this Thursday at Prospect Sierra, 4:15 race time.

Hillcrest Flag Football Team Loses... to one of the best teams in the league, Windrush. Our mighty eleven kids gave their all in a 20-14 loss to the well-manned (25 players?) El Cerrito team. Come cheer us on this Thursday, 4:00 at Marcus Foster field, against Pacific Academy. Marcus Foster field is on 29th, between MLK & West. We would still love to have more players -- practices are 3:45 - 5:00 Wednesdays and Fridays at the same field. See you there!

Auction Donations Due Now!
Please submit your personal (and your child's) donations now! The auction committee is working feverishly to get everything written up and put into the auction catalog. Remember, if your child's class wins, your child gets one free book report pass for his or her donation. Also, please provide a $10 donation towards the class auction project - checks made out to "Hillcrest PTA" and put into the envelope in the classrooms. This year we are putting together two baskets -- a baseball-themed basket, and a movie-themed basket. If you have a physical item that would be suitable for one of the baskets, please contact Jan Leuin.

First Semester Payment Due Now!
If you haven't already done so, please make your first semester payment now. The form is attached, checks should be made out to "Hillcrest PTA", and you can add your auction donation to the form if you prefer. Envelopes are in each classroom. I will send home "personalized" forms home with your child at the end of this week if we haven't heard from you, so please spare me the effort, and save a tree.

Note to 8th grade parents: I have provided your addresses to Sam Owens, whose son Austin was at Hillcrest last year. She is sending invitations to the Bentley High School Open House, and wanted to make sure all interested Hillcrest parents knew about the Bentley High School admissions catalog. Please let me know if you do not want any additional information about other high schools in the future.

Posted by Laura Carlson at 07:29 AM

September 15, 2006

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNIQUE #2 - 9/13/06

First Semester Money Due!
Please see the attached form for first semester expenses. Please fill out the form, attach with a check made out to Hillcrest PTA, and have your child deposit it in the envelope in their classroom. We have a large deposit for the spring field trip due soon, so please get you money in quickly.

Pizza/Burrito Friday Sign Ups due 9/22
Please get your complete form and check in by next Friday so that we can start the following Friday, September 29. Several people asked about specific ingredients, and this is what we think the kids will get: bean & cheese is just that - refried beans and Monterey Jack cheese. The chicken burrito adds chicken & rice to the beans and cheese. Vegetarian pizza is mushroom, onion, green pepper & olive - your child can pick off whichever ingredient they don't like.

Volunteers Needed!
Please contact Sally Petru if you can help...
(2) snack bar assistants for Jackie Frost - Tuesdays & Thursdays (can rotate days)
(2) more Pumpkin Patch helpers (sales will be held on Tu/Th from 3-5pm – 10/10 & 10/12, 10/17 & 20/19, 10/24 & 10/26, 10/31 maybe....and a possible costume exchange on 10/21 from 10-2pm
After school sports support for flag football (2) - drivers, organizational, phone tree, on field
PE support from 1-2pm the last Friday of every month (1)
Art Room on Thursday from 1-2pm (2) ...we can always use extras here anytime from 1-3pm
Teacher support (specifically for Gorman) as needed
Graduation Committee (open to all interested, but 2 more would be nice)

Upcoming Social Events

- Hillcrest Rock & Bowl - 9/15 this Friday at the Albany Bowl, from 7-9 pm.
- Parents' Mixer - 9/21 - Please don't forget to respond to your evite for the parents' mixer -- the Phillips would love to know how many are coming! It's a great chance to meet the other parents, and enjoy great food and conversation. If you didn't receive an evite, please contact Laura Carlson at carlson03@sprynet.com - we may be missing an important email address -- yours!

Hillcrest Benefit/Auction
Only nine more weeks until the Hillcrest Benefit! Since the middle school uses about one-third again as much as the elementary school, it’s up to us to ensure a successful event that reaches our goal of $130,000, which pays for the additional teaching support such as Spanish, Science, Chorus, Art, Band, and Computers/Study Skills. This year we are asking families to participate in four different ways:

- A donation from each family. This can range from cookies once a month for six months to a condo in Paris for a week. Out of ideas? Contact Shannon Broome or Kim Thompson, Benefit co-chairs for a copy of previous catalogs.

- A donation from your child. This can be babysitting, walking your dog, car washing - any way in which your child can demonstrate his or her creativity. Shannon Broome will be in the classroom explaining the Benefit to the kids and handing out permission forms for parents to sign (we don’t want the kids to over-commit themselves!) within the next two weeks.

- This year the middle school will be creating two gift baskets, one with a baseball theme and one with a movie theme. Now’s the time to get rid of that baseball or movie memorabilia and see it transformed into a beautiful (and lucrative!) auction donation. If you don’t have anything lying around, please feel free to purchase gift cards for DVD’s or video rentals, A’s or Giants tickets, etc., or simply contribute $10 to the cost of the basket. Each one should bring in about $300 for the middle school.

- Finally, we ask that you attend the Benefit. It’s going to be new and different this year, with a new venue and dancing to a rockin’ 80’s band, the 4th Street Dance Band, following the live auction. Invitations will be mailed by September 21, so keep your eyes on your mailbox and RSVP by October 10 for the event of the season!

Posted by Laura Carlson at 07:56 AM

August 28, 2006

Middle School Communique #1

Dear Middle School Parents:

Welcome! It was great to see many of you this morning. As chairman of the Middle School committee, I'd like to especially welcome the parents of new 6th graders. It looks like it should be a great year!

The theme this year is communication -- we'll try to do a better job of communicating everything we can to all parents as soon as we can. This includes emails such as this one, and also more complete information on the website as well, especially as far as sports and social events. As communication should be a two-way street, please feel free to contact anyone on the committee with any questions. Also, this one may be a long one, so bear with me!

Our first big event is next Wednesday, Back To School night. It is a chance to meet the teachers, understand the structure and curriculum, and ask questions. It is also your opportunity to sign up for volunteering! The support given to the Middle School by parents is critical in providing a great school experience for our kids -- from sports to art & PE class assistance to Pizza Fridays to ... well, you get the picture! Fundraising is also important in the Middle School, as it helps defray the costs of the spring field trip to Yosemite. Our fundraising consists of Pizza/Burrito Fridays (burritos are new this year!), the Pumpkin Patch, and the See's Candy Drive.

Speaking of finances, on Back To School night a spreadsheet will be handed out that should contain all of the first semester's expenses, except for Pizza/Burrito Fridays. The goal is for you to be able to write as few checks as possible. We would ask that you bring a checkbook to the meeting for simplicity's sake. If you can't attend, the spreadsheet will also be posted on the website, and you can print it off, fill it out, and send it in with your child to school. Envelopes will be in both classrooms.

Sports: For those of you new to the Middle School, we will have at least 5 teams this year: in the fall will be co-ed flag football and co-ed cross country. In the winter, we will have separate girls' and boys' basketball teams, with a strong possibility of both JV and varsity for both. In the spring, we have co-ed volleyball. While we had pretty strong seasons last year, especially in volleyball & football, the Hillcrest focus is on participation over winning. Of course, we love to win, too! The sports offer a great opportunity to really feel a part of the school, and get to know all the kids better. In order to provide resources for these teams, we do need to charge a fee to play. We rent the gym space, we pay the referees, we pay for various pieces of equipment, and we pay for a part-time coach when we can't find parents to be the primary coaches. This past year we had a Hillcrest alum coach, and before that, we paid Mr. Kumamoto to coach the various teams. The fee will rise this year, but we are still calculating how much. We have exceeded our budget every year, so we're trying to close the gap this year. We will provide scholarships if necessary, as we would rather have everyone who want to play be able to participate. We may also try to get a small committee together to help with the sports: money & forms collection, schedules, driving, fields/gym/playground usage, etc.

Social Events: The students' first event will be Friday night, September 15 at Albany Bowl where the kids will have a Rock & Bowl. We've been there in the past and they do a great job. Flyers will be handed out to the kids at school, and we'll have them as well for the parents at Back To School Night. For the parents, there will be an adults-only mixer on Thursday, September 21 at John & Kathleen Phillips house. It's a potluck get-together so that parents can meet each other, and an Evite will spell out all the details. Finally, we are tentatively planning a Halloween costumed dance where the kids can invite a friend (but we'll have to get permission slips back from the guests before the dance). We are also coordinating a student social committee so that the kids do more of the planning, and hopefully come up with events they're excited to plan and attend.

MS Calendar To Date
8/28 First day of School – Volunteer Sign Ups
8/30 TB Testing at school
9/1 TB Test Read at school
9/6 Back To School Night 7PM - Volunteer Sign Ups
9/15 Rock & Bowl at Albany Bowl
9/21 MS Parents Night – Phillips’ House – Evite will be sent
10/13 No School
10/26 Middle School information night for 5th grade parents
10/27 MS Halloween Invite-A-Friend Dance (still in planning stages)
11/10 No School
11/11 Hillcrest Auction at Claremont Resort & Spa
11/20-24 Thanksgiving break - No School
12/25 - 1/5 Winter break - No School
5/14-17 Yosemite Field Trip - $300 deposit, ~$390 total per child before fundraising
($325 per child + roundtrip bus rental)

Middle School Committee
Committee Head - Laura Carlson
Volunteer Coordinator - Sally Petru
Adjunct Teacher Liaison - Aileen Dolby
Social Chairs - Kathleen Phillips & Jennifer Chapman
8th Grade Rep & Graduation - Liz Agnello
6th Grade Rep - Open

Posted by Laura Carlson at 11:48 PM

June 19, 2006

Supplies for Hillcrest Middle School, Fall 2006

• 3 ring binder with 1 1/2 inch rings
• Dividers for English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Enrichment
• Filler Paper both wide ruled and college rule
• Reinforcements
• Crayons, colored pencils or markers
• 2 pencils
• 2 pens with dark blue or black ink
• eraser
• highlighter
• scissors
• calculator (optional but recommended)
• 4-5 sturdy textbook book covers
• 1 box of tissues
• glue stick

Posted by Steve McConnell at 08:31 PM

May 15, 2006

Middle School Community Service Project

Help clean up Lake Merritt with the Lake Merritt Institute
Saturday, June 3 from 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

Meet at the Sailboat House, 568 Bellevue Ave. We’ll watch a Powerpoint presentation and then clean the lake.

To sign up call Jan Leuin at 482-8590 or e-mail asymetry@flash.net

For more info, go to lakemerrittinstitute.org

Posted by Steve McConnell at 10:34 AM