FEB. 13 -14: Parent-Teacher Conferences | NO SCHOOL
FEB. 17: Presidents Day | NO SCHOOL
FEB. 18- 28: 100 Days - 100 Ways to Care Community Supply Drive
FEB. 21: Popcorn Friday
FEB. 21: 100th Day of School
Dress Like You Are 100 Years Old
FEB 28: Career Day
Dress Like What You Want To Be When You Grow Up
FEB. 28: Hillcrest STEM Night | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
FINAL DAY TO VOTE IS TOMORROW!
Greetings, Hillcrest Families!
Happy Levy Election Eve! I am reaching out to any of our families who haven't yet voted in Oak Harbor Public School's Renewal Levy. The deadline for submitting your ballot is tomorrow, February 11. Just a reminder: the renewal levy is not a new tax but replaces our existing levy, which expires at the end of this year.
The renewal of this levy directly impacts the programs and services offered at Hillcrest Elementary School by providing funding for the following:
Art and music programs that inspire creativity and expression
Student support, such as our dean, paraeducators in our classrooms, and smaller class sizes
Health and safety enhancements include a full-time school nurse and improvements to building safety to ensure the security of our school.
To learn more about the levy and how it supports our school, please visit www.ohsd.net/levy. Your voice matters come election day! Please remember to vote on February 11.
Exchanging Valentine's cards is a cherished elementary school memory, and our incredible PTA has a unique way for students to show their love! Luv Bugs sales are ongoing through TOMORROW, Tuesday, Feb. 11, before school and during lunch and recess in the main hallway. The cute, fluffy critters are only 50¢ each and are attached to a heart-shaped card to address these adorable Valentines! All purchases will be delivered to classrooms on Feb. 12.
HAVE YOU SCHEDULED A CONFERENCE?
Parent-Teacher Conferences are this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13 and Feb 14. There is no school for students on these days, so they can attend conferences with their families.
If you have not yet scheduled a conference, please reach out to teachers via phone or email.
If you need assistance, please get in touch with us at 360-279-5200.
Involved and caring parents are one of the many things that make Hillcrest such a special place. As you meet with your child's teacher, be sure to celebrate your child's growth and discuss with them ways they can meet their ongoing learning goals.
You can head directly to the classrooms when you enter the building, as checking in with the office staff is unnecessary. Check our Lost and Found for missing coats and sweatshirts while you're here. Thank you for supporting your child, our staff, and our school.
HANDS-ON EXPLORATION FOR FAMILIES!
It's back! Join us for a fun night with your family including hands-on exploration and experimentation! We'll have family-friendly science, technology, engineering, and math activities in addition to presentations and demonstrations from community members. We'll even provide free hot dogs and chips! Below are just a few of the planned activities:
Hands-on Family STEM Challenge Stations
Wildcats Robotics Station
NAS Whidbey Robotics Station
Computer Coding
The Math of Origami
Makerspace Activities
Rocket Launchers
Green Screen Studio
...and so much more!
We look forward to hosting you and your family on Friday, Feb. 28 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
100 DAYS - 100 WAYS
Mid-February means the 100th day of school, which means it's time to Dress Like Your 100 Years Old Day on Friday, Feb. 21. It also showcases another opportunity to give back to the greater Oak Harbor community with our "100 Days of School - 100 Ways to Care" community supply drive. We invite each grade level to collect 100 personal care items to be donated to North Whidbey Help House for distribution throughout our local community. Check out the image below to find out what item each grade is collecting from Feb. 18 - Feb.28. #OneOakHarbor
FEBRUARY EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Rock the Vote!
Tuesday, February 11th, 3:15 PM-3:35 PM outside HCE property fence
Help us remind Hillcrest parents that the upcoming Oak Harbor Public Schools Renewal Levy ballots are due that day! BYO sign or use one of ours.
February PTA Meeting
Tuesday, February 11th, 3:45pm
Join us for our monthly meeting to hear about our upcoming events and ways to get involved. Snacks are provided, kids are invited, and it is always under an hour!
Popcorn Friday, Pop Up!
Popcorn Friday returns to Hillcrest this month on Feb 21,and we’re looking for volunteers to help us pop and distribute. Can’t help but want to adopt a classroom for only $12?
BOOK GROUPS, LIBRARY CARDS, AND SPOTLIGHT SHELVES!
Our third graders are busy reading the 2025 Washington State Library Association's Otter Award nominees. Research shows that many students often struggle to transition from picture books & beginner readers to longer, more complex chapter books. The result: they stop reading. The Otter Award books ponder a solution to solve that problem by providing a short list of nominees – six titles per year – and titles that include traits that support transitional readers (font size, line spacing, white space, meaningful illustrations, etc.). Students have access to titles that are developmentally appropriate for their reading needs, allowing them to gain confidence to pursue more complex chapter books.
Does your child have a tablet available at home? If so, did you know they can download free digital and audiobooks from Sno-Isle Libraries with the Libby App? Check out this video for details on downloading the Libby App. Here's more information on how to get a library card for Sno-Isle Library.
The February Spotlight Bookshelves in the Hillcrest library feature a variety of books in honor of Black History Month. During their weekly library visits this month, Ms. Trueman will also read some of the choices to students.
D0N'T FORGET TO ORDER YOUR 2024-25 YEARBOOK
There is still plenty of time to order your 2024-2025 Hillcrest Yearbook!
Soft-cover yearbooks are $20, and a hard-cover version is available for $26. Additionally, all yearbooks come with two complimentary pages, which are customizable so that parents can upload family photos of their choosing from the school year. Your two customizable pages are FREE and appear ONLY in your yearbook. Click here to purchase today!
FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH
According to the Children’s Dental Health Website, children with poor dental hygiene suffer more dental caries and are three times more likely to miss school. Developing good dental health habits at an early age helps children get a jump start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Below are dental health habits that your children and the whole family can benefit from:
Eat healthy, low-in-sugar foods and snacks
Develop a brushing routine
Brush teeth twice a day
Floss daily
Attend regular dental visits
For additional oral health information please see the following resources:
With our PurposeFull People curriculum, students participate in monthly lessons and activities focusing on character traits, including courage, perseverance, responsibility, respect, gratitude, empathy, cooperation, creativity, and February's focus on honesty.
Congratulations to our most recent Purposefull People Students of the Month! Our January character trait was PERSEVERANCE, and their classmates nominated this group for "pushing to work through challenges and obstacles." Last week, this hard-working group of Herons was treated to a Purposefull People Principal's Party and awarded certificates honoring their commitment to perseverance. Way to go, Herons!
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