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ATTN NEW FAMILIES! THE TOWN'S "WELCOME TO LIVINGSTON" EVENT IS SEPT. 19TH!
Have you moved to Livingston within the past year? Come find out what your new community offers! Organized by the Livingston Health Department, this year's Welcome to Livingston event will feature refreshments, giveaways and include representatives of various township departments and organizations, including LPS! Join us on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 5:30-7PM at the Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue! For more information, please click on one of the flyers below! RSVP is required. For your convenience, we have translated them into the top five languages spoken at home in our district.
- Welcome to Livingston Event Flyer - ENGLISH
- Welcome to Livingston Event Flyer- CHINESE
- Welcome to Livingston Event Flyer- RUSSIAN
- Welcome to Livingston Event Flyer- HINDI
- Welcome to Livingston Event Flyer- SPANISH
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MIDDLE SCHOOL GT ART & MUSIC
We are excited to announce that the application window is now open to express interest in both our Middle School Gifted and Talented Art program and Middle School Gifted and Talented Music programs. All applications must be submitted electronically no later than Friday, September 29, 2023. Previously enrolled students do not need to re-apply. Detailed information for both the GT Art and GT Music programs, along with the applications for both programs, can be found in the links below:6TH GRADE & 7TH GRADE:
8TH GRADE:
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WELCOME TO THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR!
Please read this letter from Dr. Block which contains some important reminders about the upcoming school year.
Principal's Messages
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September 17, 2023
Posted by Carlos Gramata on 9/17/2023Hello, Hillside Families!
I hope this message finds you enjoying the weekend and this lovely weather! Shanah tovah to our families and friends who celebrate Rosh Hashanah!
Hillside's Back to School Night is this Thursday evening. Please see the letter in the reminder message below for information. As a reminder, for families interested in the optional Schoology parent information session at 6:15 p.m., we ask that you use the main entrance (door 1) to enter starting at 6:10. We will see everyone else for the General Session starting at 6:45 p.m. Door 9 (pillar doors) will open at 6:35 p.m. Please remember that the parking lot is for staff only. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you there!
We have our first School Store of the year on Wednesday, where students will have the opportunity to shop for items during their recess times. Families interested in having their children shop are asked to please send in money in either an envelope or sealed bag that is labeled with your children's names and "School Store". This is particularly helpful for our younger students. Thanks so much!
The PTA's Outdoor Movie Night is this Friday starting at 7:00 p.m. At the moment, the forecast looks great for the event, and we hope to see many of our families there! Please see this flyer for details.
The PTA's online Miss Chocolate Cookie Sale begins next Saturday. Information will be sent home with students this week and can also be found here. Thank you, in advance, for helping to make this a successful fundraiser!
Mrs. Lisa Bowe is our school counselor who works to support all students throughout the year. Families are always welcome to reach out to her should your children require someone to chat with, or support with friendships, changing families, etc. Please see her welcome letter for additional information about her role and for her contact information.
We are super-excited about our upcoming 10th Annual Back to School Pep Rally scheduled for Friday, September 29th! Grade levels have each been assigned one of our Six Pillars of Character, and will soon prepare songs, chants and/or dances about their assigned pillar to showcase at the rally! On this day, we are also asking students to wear color shirts that correspond with their assigned pillars. The pillar assignments and colors are as follows:
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Kindergarten: Trustworthiness (blue)
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First Grade: Respect (yellow)
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Second Grade: Responsibility (green)
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Third Grade: Fairness (orange)
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Fourth Grade: Caring (red)
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Fifth Grade: Citizenship (purple)
Thanks to families, in advance, for supporting our rally and we look forward to a fun, school-spirited time! And, since this is a special anniversary of our pep rally tradition, students can expect a special celebration of our mascot, Hank's, 10th birthday! More to come!
Student Absences: Families often have questions about absences, particularly what counts as "excused" or "unexcused", and what impact extended absences have on their children. Please see the following note regarding absences and extended absences:
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Most absences from school are considered "unexcused", regardless of the reason. The exceptions mostly include religious holidays and are dictated by the NJ Department of Education. There are two types of unexcused absences–ones that count towards truancy (no documented reason) and those that do not (reasons/doctor's notes are provided to school). We want to avoid having absences that count towards truancy. It is important that daily attendance is communicated/entered via the Genesis Parent Portal, but we cannot make absences excused, other than the ones the NJDOE deems as excusable.
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Extended Absences: While there may be instances during the school year when it is necessary for students to be out of school for extended periods of time (e.g., trips), the school cannot condone these absences and they will be unexcused. Families who find it necessary to pull their children out of school should carefully consider the school calendar and do so prudently. Families are advised that teachers are not obligated to provide any work in advance, as thoughtful instructional planning happens from week to week, but teachers will do their best to make up any missed major concepts when students return. Families considering such absences should contact their children's teachers and the main office in advance as much as possible, and should be aware that any absences that exceed 10 consecutive school days may result in withdrawal from the school's roll and may require re-enrollment upon return. Thank you!
Construction Update: The trailers were set in place last week. They are now in their expected locations for the duration of their stay. This week, interior work will continue, including wiring and plumbing. The tentative turnover date is sometime in early October. Stay tuned!
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REMINDER MESSAGES:
1) The PTA's Apparel Sale begins on Monday, 9-11, and ends on Friday, 9-29. I encourage you to take this opportunity to get your children (and yourself!) some school spirit wear! Go, Huskies! The flyer can be found here and in the calendar below. Thank you!
2) Families often ask how they can partner with the school to ensure a positive experience for their children, and my first suggestion is always to join our partner in education, the amazing Hillside PTA! As such, I encourage all families to become members of the PTA. Please see this flyer for Membership Drive information. Your support is greatly appreciated!
3) Back to School Night will be held in person on Thursday, September 21st. Please see this letter for complete information. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you there!
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Thank you for reading and have a great week!
Best regards,
Mr. Gramata
P.S. These weekly messages are also posted on the school's site for your convenience.
P.P.S. Follow Hillside School on X/Twitter at @Hillside_Elem!
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Upcoming Dates to Remember!
Week of September 18, 2023
Wednesday, 9-20: School Store
Thursday, 9-21: Back to School Night, 6:45 p.m.
Friday, 9-22: PTA's Outdoor Movie Night, 7:00 p.m., Back Lawn (Movie at 7:45)
Saturday, 9-23: PTA Online Miss Chocolate Cookie Sale Begins
Week of September 25, 2023
Monday, 9-25: Yom Kippur, Schools Closed
Tuesday, 9-26: Young Audiences Assembly: A Journey Through Latin Percussion,
Courtesy of the Hillside PTA
BOE Voting Meeting, 7:00 p.m., BOE Conference Room
Thursday, 9-28: Fifth Grade Team-Building Activities by New Horizons Day Camp, 12:30 -
2:30, On-Site, Courtesy of the Hillside PTA
Friday, 9-29: Back to School Pep Rally!
PTA Apparel Sale Ends
Fifth Grade Team-Building Rain Date
PTA's Outdoor Movie Night Rain Date
Week of October 3, 2023–Week of Respect in all NJ Schools
Friday, 10-6: PTA Online Miss Chocolate Cookie Sale Ends
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By Month
- September 2023
- August 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
HIB AND 504 CONTACT INFORMATION
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Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying
District Anti-Bullying Coordinator
Mrs. Lisa Capone-Steiger
Email: lsteiger@livingston.org
Phone: 973-535-8000, x8032School Anti-Bullying Specialist
Mrs. Lisa Bowe, School Counselor
Email: lbowe@livingston.org
Phone: 973-535-8000, x7203
School Climate State Coordinator Contact Information: HIB@doe.nj.gov
*These grades were discussed at the October 11, 2022 meeting of the BOE:
Official State Report
Additional HIB Information***
District Section 504 Compliance Officer
Mrs. Lisa Capone-Steiger
Email: lsteiger@livingston.org
Phone: 973-535-8000, x8032School Section 504 Coordinator
Mr. Carlos Gramata
Email: cgramata@livingston.org
Phone: 973-535-8000, x8150Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) Representative
Megan Severino: mseverino@kearnyschools.com
Beth Litsky: markonnj@yahoo.com
Out-of-District SEPAC Representative
Beth Skolnick: brskolnick@gmail.com
Lauren Markon: markonnj@yahoo.com
Upcoming Events
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Tomorrow
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Tuesday
7:00 PM Board of Education Meeting
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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October 5, 2023
6:30 PM MPE Back to School Night
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October 9, 2023
8:00 AM All Schools Closed For Students/Staff PD (Columbus Day)
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October 10, 2023
7:15 PM Board of Education Meeting
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October 11, 2023
7:00 PM TRI-M Induction Ceremony
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October 17, 2023
7:15 PM Board of Education Meeting
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November 6, 2023
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November 7, 2023
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November 8, 2023
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November 9, 2023