Hillsdale PTSO Website



PTSO 2024-25 Membership Form (No Donation Required)

Knights Families,

It was so great getting to see so many families last night. Families literally followed in their students' footsteps to attend each of their classes--so when we hear, "But you don't understand how FAR it is to get to this class..." we can respond with, "I did it in 5 minutes at Back to School Knight!" or in our case "WOW, that's a far walk from PE to the 800 building!"

Thanks to the Junior Class for hosting a BBQ fundraiser, so we didn't need to worry about dinner! Thanks also to the teachers, staff, and Leadership students for all their preparation. Don't forget today is a minimum day because we had Back-to-School Knight yesterday.

Monday, our Sophomores will be participating in the 30th Annual Battle at Dawn. This is something that students have been preparing for in class and are looking forward to. (Please note that modifications have been made due to the recent nationwide school gun violence) Click here to donate food to the participants. See attached flyer for more details. Although volunteer opportunities are full, you are welcome to watch, the battle should last 6:45-7:15am

This coming week, there are Mock Trial tryouts, HIT Squad Auditions, a Music Booster meeting, PLUS a PTSO Meeting (Monday--flyer attached).

Did you know that September is Suicide Prevention Month? StarVista is hosting a discussion TONIGHT about mental health and Suicide. For details and registration, please see flyer below. 

Tonight, is also a home football vs. Woodside. We are still looking for concessions volunteers--all volunteers receive a FREE meal and admission to the game. Volunteer here Spoiler alert---tonight's Chef PJ Special is "pulled pork with grits and napa slaw" Don't forget to check the attached list for this week's athletics home and away matches.

Did you know that our PTSO Meetings are virtual AND in-person? Most months, they are held in the Cafeteria/MUR, but this month it will be in Room 428. We hope to see you in person -or- virtually!! All are welcome!

There are food fundraisers coming up over the next couple of weeks---

Athletics--Concessions at the home football games (see schedule for all dates)

Spirit Squad--Nick the Greek on Sept 19

Senior Class--Tri-tip Sandwiches at the Sept 27 football game (preorder only--details below)

Sophomore Class--BJ's Restaurant Sept 26 (flyer with details coming soon)

Do you want to stay "in the know"? Make sure to keep your membership to PTSO current, if you haven't joined this school year--just do it! Here is the link--PTSO Membership 2024-2025

Thanks for your continued support and positive feedback! We truly appreciate it.

Have a great week!!

Jen and Holly

HHS PTSO Co-Presidents

Thank You!

It was great seeing so many of you at Back to School Knight! You could really feel the energy on campus. Thank you to all of our amazing teachers for sharing with families how the Foundation’s support is so vital to the work they do everyday.

Every dollar counts! Every family who participates is making a difference. Please consider contributing to the Foundation, either one-time or monthly, if you haven't already. If you have already given, we deeply appreciate your support. 

We are all in this together. Thank you!

HHS Athletic Contest Calendar

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

Link to buy FAMILY PASS (Entrance for 2 Adults and 2 Children to all HHS hosted events for 24/25 season, excluding CCS playoff games)

HHS 10th Grade Battle at Dawn

Hillsdale's 10th grade humanities team invites the Hillsdale community to the 30th Anniversary of the Battle at Dawn on Monday September 16th @ 6:45am!

See here to observe and/or help out!

Nick the Greek ~ HHS Spirit Squad Fundraiser

Don't feel like cooking tonight? We've got you covered! Join us at Nick the Greek on Thursday, September 19th all day and enjoy a delicious meal while supporting the HHS Spirit Squad. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to our programs, so bring the whole family and make it a night out for a great cause!

Back to School Concert

Hillsdale Music is proud to present our first concert of the year.

All are welcome to join us in the Hillsdale Main Theater on Friday, September 20, 2024 @ 7:00pm for this free event.

Start the year off on a high note!

College kNight at Hillsdale

12th grade families! Save the date for the annual College kNight at Hillsdale. Tuesday, September 24, 6:00pm-7:30pm in the HHS Auditorium. See you there!

Questions? Contact your student's counselor or Laura Burtness, Hillsdale's College, Career and Financial Aid Advisor LBurtness@smuhsd.org, 650 558 2613

Hillsdale Yearbook Pre-sale on Now!

Buy your copy of The Shield 2025 yearbook before November 1, 2024 to get the $80 pre-sale price and free personalization - the student's First and Last Name imprinted on the back cover.

Order your copy here

Senior Class of 2025 Fundraiser ~ Alumni Tailgate & BBQ

Friday September 27 - Hillsdale vs. Sacred Heart Prep football game. Pre-order by September 25 - no same day sales!

Halloween Pub Crawl ~ Senior Fundraiser

* * NEW DATE * *

Annual Pub Crawl ~ Saturday, OCTOBER 26, 2024

Please note the * * NEW DATE * *

Grab a friend and a costume as our annual Halloween event is back! The parents of the Class of 2025 are organizing a fundraiser to help fund Senior Class activities. To all those over 21, please SAVE-THE-DATE for Saturday, OCTOBER 26, 2024 for the annual "Halloween" themed PUB CRAWL in downtown San Mateo.

Stay tuned for more details on how to purchase tickets!

*this is a parent organized event, and not sponsored by Hillsdale High School.

Concession Volunteers Needed

Can you help will concessions? The Snack Shack is looking for volunteers for our Knights' home games this fall. Volunteers get FREE admission to the game AND a FREE meal!

Please sign-up here.

Hillsdale Peace Pantry ~ Community Garden ~ Community Closet

Hillsdale Community, 

We hope this finds you well. On behalf of Empowerment Through Action (ETA) at Hillsdale, we are hosting a series of community meetings in September. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved, volunteer and support Hillsdale students and families impacted by the high cost of living in San Mateo and Foster City, please join us at one of our community meetings to learn more. RSVP here for one of the following sessions:

Sept. 13, 20 or 27 - 8am-9am - Friday In-person - at Peace Pantry in the Alameda lot

September 19 - 6pm-7pm - Thursday in-person - at ETA Resource Center at HHS

September 19 - 7pm-8pm - Thursday Zoom - link will be sent prior to the event

How can you help support ETA even sooner?

1. Connect us to potential supporters - We’re looking for corporations, large/small businesses or high-wealth individual donors to ensure ETA can continue to support currently enrolled students and the Class of 2027 for their entire high school journey.
2. Explore opportunities to get involved - Perhaps you’re interested in becoming an ally, volunteering, mentoring, helping us find internship/job opportunities, etc. for this community-based program. 

Hillsdale Peace Pantry

If you would like to volunteer at our Peace Pantry this Friday OR in September please sign up here. Our volunteer team meets in the Alameda Parking Lot every Friday morning at 7:30am to provide weekly groceries and essential items to families. Volunteers can sign up to work the Emergency Food Drive Thru or volunteer to deliver groceries to 3-4 Hillsdale families who do not have transportation. No experience required

Hillsdale Community Garden

If you are interested in joining our Community Garden Team please email bstevenson@smuhsd.org to learn more. We currently need Thursday harvest support from 3:30pm-5:00pm. All you need to do is show up. No experience required. Our Community Garden Team is currently producing over 100 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables each week which directly supports Hillsdale families enrolled in our Peace Pantry. *Please follow us on Instagram, @hhs_community_garden, for updates.

Hillsdale Community Closet

Our Community Closet Team is excited to announce that thanks to our 2023 Holiday Giving Campaign we were able to double the size of our Community Closet. This August, we added a second 20ftX40ft Tuff Shed which allows us to dramatically increase student and families access to clothing throughout the year as well as essential items. Our volunteer team is currently in need of (ONLY) men’s (high school age) jeans, Hillsdale gear/swag, new socks, new undershirts 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

Brett Stevenson

Hillsdale ETA Co-Executive Director

ETA Website

ETA Overview Slides

ETA Donation Page

College & Career Counseling

Current Workshops, College Rep Visits and Events

Please reach out with any questions:

Ms. Laura Burtness

Hillsdale's College, Career, and Financial Aid Advisor

LBurtness@smuhsd.org

650 558 2613

Volunteer for our Career Speaker Series Panel

Hillsdale's College & Career Center runs a Career Speaker Series panel in which YOU volunteer to speak with students who are interested in a particular career field. We have these panels once a month, focusing on a general career field. We are looking for all educational levels and backgrounds.

To sign up/get more information: https://bit.ly/CareerSpeakerSignUp

Questions? Contact Jerel Reyes, Career Coordinator [JReyes@smuhsd.org; 650 558 2648] or Laura Burtness, College, Career, & Financial Aid Advisor [LBurtness@smuhsd.org; 650 558 2613]

September 15 - October 15, 2024 National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those living in America whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America; and the month includes the independence days of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize; and we believe that National Hispanic Heritage Month gives us the opportunity to highlight and celebrate the contributions of our Latino community. And we committed to honoring the rich diversity of our Latino community throughout the year.

Read the proclamation: https://www.smuhsd.org/our-district/board-of-trustees/proclamations

Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre de 2024

El Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana celebra las historias, culturas y contribuciones de quienes viven en América cuyos antepasados vinieron de España, México, el Caribe y América Central y del Sur; y el mes incluye los días de independencia de varios países latinoamericanos, incluidos Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, México, Chile y Belice; y creemos que el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana nos brinda la oportunidad de resaltar y celebrar las contribuciones de nuestra comunidad latina. Y nos comprometemos a honrar la rica diversidad de nuestra comunidad latina durante todo el año.

Lea la proclamación en español: https://www.smuhsd.org/our-district/board-of-trustees/proclamations

StarVista to Host Discussion About Mental Health and Suicide Prevention on Friday, September 13

StarVista's HAP-Y and Crisis Center have partnered up to host Open Book, Open Heart: Discussion on Mental Health & Suicide Prevention in honor of suicide prevention month on Friday, September 13 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

The event is youth focused and aims to have an open discussion around mental health, self-care, and suicide prevention. Following will be a variety of self-care activities such as making vision boards, aromatherapy bracelets, and hanging out with therapy dogs! Light refreshments and snacks will be provided.

This discussion takes place at the San Mateo Public Library’s Oak Room.

Registration is required: https://bit.ly/4fQnouS

StarVista’s Health Ambassador Program for Youth (Follow them on Instagram @HAPY_SMC) is made up of students across San Mateo County, including SMUHSD students!

Wednesday, September 18,

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 24, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Family Education Webinars

The following webinars are free and provide simultaneous Spanish interpretation unless otherwise noted.

The Age of Grievance: A Conversation with Author Frank Bruni

Wednesday, September 18, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Register

Neurodiversity and Disability Support in College Admissions and Beyond

Tuesday, September 24, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Register

Financial Literacy Workshops for Teens Start September 5

Peninsula Family Services presents an in-person Financial Literacy Workshop series that runs on Thursdays, September 5 - October 10, 4 - 6 p.m. The workshop series can empower teens to navigate the complex financial landscape of adulthood, ensuring they have the tools and resources to thrive and face financial challenges head-on.

Participants will gain:

• Independence
• Responsibility
• Emergency Preparedness
• Credit Management
• Life Skills
• Ways to reduce stress

The workshops take place at Peninsula Family Service office, located at 24 Second Avenue in San Mateo.

Sign up.

For more information email finemp@pfso.org or 650-403-4300.

San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition Youth Advisory Group

Applications Due September 16 by 5:00 p.m.

San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition (TEC) and the San Mateo County Office of Education are recruiting new members for the TEC Youth Advisory Group (YAG) 24-25. YAG members have a unique opportunity to educate their peers about the impact of tobacco use, champion teen smoking and vaping prevention, and influence change in their school community.

Please view the application for more information: English Application | Spanish Application.

Se buscan estudiantes para el Grupo Asesor Juvenil de la Coalición para la Educación sobre el Tabaco del Condado de San Mateo!

Las solicitudes deben presentarse a más tardar el 16 de septiembre a las 5:00 p.m.

San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition (TEC) y la Oficina de Educación del Condado de San Mateo están reclutando nuevos miembros para el Grupo Asesor Juvenil (YAG-Youth Advisory Group) 2024-2025. Los miembros de YAG tienen una oportunidad única para educar a sus compañeros sobre el impacto del consumo de tabaco, defender la prevención del tabaquismo y la prevención del vapeo entre los adolescentes e influir en el cambio en su comunidad escolar.

Para más información vea el volante y la solicitud:

Volante: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18RoPRxVvey-VxbUwrRcAVu53Uyakf-P-/view?usp=drive_link

Solicitud: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddNnERllWheQ6lSSis7iwKvXn_LmKxWzPUwVacLnTBXZMGzA/viewform