Hillsdale PTSO Website



PTSO 2023-24 Membership Form (No Donation Required)

It's May!! We are in the final stretch before the end of the school year.

Congratulations to both the Knight Moves and One Acts performers, directors, boosters, and parent volunteers on their fabulous performances last weekend!

Our Spring Sports are winding down and this week, we also had our Intent to Sign Day. Congrats to our Senior athletes who committed to play for colleges for the fall. For HHS students interested in summer conditioning or fall sports information, please check the athletics webpage. You can also find information/links on how to upload the necessary medical clearance forms. Athletics

Our Golf Tournament is just around the corner and we are so excited! We've even had a couple of large auction items donated in the past week--hint: think VACATION... If you're still interested in attending the dinner or playing, please do so ASAP. We need to get the final headcounts in today. See flyer below for information.

Speaking of headcounts---we need a higher headcount for our board. We have some open spots for next year. Our goal is to build stronger parent booster organizations! We can only do that, if you volunteer to help. Please reach out to us if you are interested or have questions. PTSO Volunteer We are here to support and guide you in whatever position you may choose--no experience necessary.

• Treasurer
• Parliamentarian
• Historian
• Parent Mixers**
• Career Days 
• College Hospitality**
• Peace Pantry Liaison**
• Latino PA Liaison**

**newly created position

We are also looking for Junior and Senior families who are interested in helping set-up for Senior Knight (on campus) Thursday May 16 or Friday May 17, starting at 4pm. Contact Andrea Savage chefai@hotmail.com if you would like to lend a hand.

Today, we had our Summer Job Fair in the courtyard. It's a great way for our students to get more information on job opportunities for the summer months. If your student missed it, they can reach out to/visit the College and Career Center for more information.

Tonight--we will be having dinner and entertainment at school!! (No cooking on a Friday night--woohoo) The HHS Latino Parent Association is hosting a Fiesta Latina. There will be food, entertainment, and fun! Details and exact location on attached flyer. 

Next week, we are hosting our newly updated Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. We will be showering our teachers/staff with treats throughout the week. Thanks to those who donated items to help make this week the success we are hoping it will be. Pictures will be coming in the next bulletin.

Have a great weekend and we can't wait to kick of Teacher Appreciation Week on Monday!!

Holly and Jen

HHS PTSO Co-Presidents

Meet HHSF’s New Executive Director, Marcine Jansen!

The Hillsdale High School Foundation is thrilled to announce that its new Executive Director, Marcine Jansen, will take up her new role starting this Monday, May 6th.

Marcine has an extensive background in technology, fundraising, and nonprofit governance. Most recently, she was Chair of the Board of Directors for Community Tech Network, a national organization with San Francisco roots that is dedicated to promoting digital equity and bridging the digital divide. Prior to that, Marcine served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Story For All, an organization that works to help heal marginalized communities through the power of storytelling. Marcine lives in San Mateo with her husband and son (Hillsdale Class of ‘33), and has proudly called the Bay Area her home for over 20 years. Marcine holds a BA in Social Anthropology from Harvard University. 

Early in her career, Marcine worked for a fundraising tech platform helping nonprofits build and grow relationships with their supporters. Later, she was head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Marketo (now part of Adobe), where she was honored to accept an award from Silicon Valley Community Foundation acknowledging the excellent work of that team.  Marcine has been co-founder of a marketing agency, she has led fundraising events for a variety of organizations, and she has served as president of her son’s elementary school PTA. Through it all, she has remained most interested in problem solving and bringing people together. She is very excited to be part of the Hillsdale community!

Starting on Monday, you can reach Marcine at execdirector@hillsdalehsfoundation.org.

HHS Athletic Contests Calendar

Come Support our teams! GO FIGHTING KNIGHTS!

Home games are in BLUE

For Families of Students Taking AP Exams

Please review the  AP Testing Day of Logistics document found here on the Hillsdale website - https://www.smuhsd.org/Page/1896 for all information. It includes information about the date, time and location of the AP exams, what you can and cannot bring to your AP exams, etc. 

Finals Care Packages

by The Hillsdale Effect

The Hillsdale Effect's Finals care packages are now available for order - last day to order is May 10! Order here: bit.ly/carepack24

HHS Annual Golf Tournament

Support Our Athletes! Please join in the fun and SWING AWAY at our annual Golf Tournament on Friday May 10th. See the flyer for all the details! GO FIGHTING KNIGHTS!

Shield Yearbooks ~ Only 200 left!

Order a Yearbook by May 16 to guarantee delivery. (Unless we sell out before then).

Do not miss out! There are only 200 copies left, and we sold out last year. The Shield 2024 has been submitted to the publisher, and all the fabulous hard work by the Yearbook Staff will be distributed starting May 17 at Senior Knight and all of the following week during lunch and after school.

Buy your copy here: https://ybstore.friesens.com/768274.

If you are not sure whether you bought a copy already, please email the yearbook adviser, Sally Rayn (srayn@smuhsd.org) and include the student's name.

Thank you for your support!

Spring Concert Series

Join us for a thrilling night of music at the final concerts of the year!

Choirs & Orchestral: May 16th @ 7pm

HHS Auditorium

Bands & Jazz Ensemble: May 22nd @ 7pm

HHS Auditorium

Tickets available: www.hillsdalemusic.blogspot.com

Students are free. $10/Adults, $5/Seniors.

Hillsdale Community Closet - Summer in Style

Hello Hillsdale families! Join the Community Closet in supporting community members in need by donating to our final drive of the 2023-24 school year: Summer in Style. We are hoping to collect donations to stock the closet for Back to School shopping next school year.

Please consider donating tank tops, shorts, hoodies, jeans, HHS swag, and essential items. Donations can be placed in the donation boxes outside of the dance room, Del Monte stairs, or between the North and South gyms– or to the Alameda parking lot on Wednesdays from 2:45pm-4:00pm or Fridays from 7:45am-9:00am.

Thank you for your continued support! 

Peace Panty ~ Community Garden ~ Community Closet

Hillsdale Community,

May is a month of gratitude for our dedicated volunteer team at the Peace Pantry. Our Peace Pantry Emergency Food Drive Thru opened in May 2020 as a response to the COVID lockdown. The implications the lockdown had on so many Hillsdale families suddenly out of work required our community to respond. On May 29th at 5:30pm we will host a dinner in our Community Garden to celebrate the four year anniversary of our Peace Pantry. In addition, we will recognize our dedicated volunteer team who show up on Friday mornings to load boxes of food into cars or who deliver weekly groceries to families. We are also beyond thankful for our Hillsdale Community who raised $80,000 during our 2023 Holiday Giving Campaign in December while raising over $500,000 in the last four years. Our collective actions as a community who gives their time to volunteer and financial support to address food insecurity is what makes the Hillsdale Community special. If you would like to volunteer in May, please sign up here.

We are grateful for our Community Garden Team and all of the volunteers who helped prepare our summer garden. On April 20th, we had over 25 volunteers who helped plant seedlings in 24 raised beds. In addition, we were able to make a significant upgrade to our irrigation system while replenishing our raised beds with organic soil and compost. Our goal in 2024 is to produce over 2,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables to distribute to families who receive support at our Peace Pantry. We are grateful for the support of our key partner, Each Green Corner, who continues to stand with Hillsdale. A special thank you to our core volunteer team who shows up every Thursday to tend to our garden. Primary volunteer opportunities are Thursday harvest support from 3:30pm-5:00pm. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Brett Stevenson at bstevenson@smuhsd.org.

*Please follow us on Instagram, @hhs_community_garden, for updates.

Finally, we are excited to launch our Summer/Back to School Clothing Drive at our Community Closet. Join the Community Closet in supporting community members in need by donating to our final drive of the 2023-24 school year: Summer in Style. We are hoping to collect donations to stock the closet for Back to School shopping next school year. Please consider donating tank tops, shorts, hoodies, jeans, HHS swag, and essential items. Donations can be placed in the donation boxes outside of the dance room, Main Office, Del Monte stairs, or between the North and South gyms– or to the Alameda parking lot on Wednesdays from 2:45-4 pm or Fridays from 7:45-9 am. Thank you to the Carey School and the Assistance League for their continued support. Gratitude and appreciation for our dedicated student and adult volunteer team at the Community Closet who work tirelessly in support of families and students.

If you would like to volunteer at our Community Closet, please email bstevenson@smuhsd.org for information.

*Please follow us on Instagram @hhs_community_closet

Hillsdale Stands Together!

Important Graduation Information for Students and Families

12th grade students and families! 

Graduation is May 30th! Please review the documents linked below for important information for students and families about graduation day:

Graduation Day Information for Students

Graduation Day Information for Families/Guests

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

April College & Career Newsletter

Dear 12th grade Families:

Greetings, and welcome back from Spring Break!

Here is the latest newsletter.

Highlights of this Senior Newsletter:

• Community college updates: last Priority Enrollment Program/College Orientation for CSM on 4/23; Skyline and Cañada orientations
• 9 new scholarships, including one for people who are Swiss, one for students who are active in the Filipino community, those who have been involved with Drama at HHS, and more!
• Money: FAFSA/CADAA deadlines and upcoming workshops; reading financial aid award letters.
• Trades & College program event upcoming on Tuesday, April 9 AT Hillsdale. Come talk with college, military and trades reps!

As always, drop by if I can be of service.

Best--

Ms. Burtness

Laura Burtness, LBurtness@smuhsd.org

Hillsdale's College, Career, and Financial Aid Advisor

650 558 2613 (direct line)

Life After Hillsdale

If you missed the Hillsdale Counseling Department's annual "Life After Hillsdale" event and college, military and program fair - Here is the PowerPoint presentation,

if you'd like to review any of the information. Recorded workshops and ppts from the year can also be found here.

May 7 is Fentanyl Awareness Day

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any other cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, and all other accidents. Among teenagers, overdose deaths linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl tripled in the past two years, yet 73% have never heard of fake prescription pills being made with fentanyl.

This National Fentanyl Awareness Day, learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and how you can help prevent drug overdoses in the US: http://fentanylawarenessday.org/

Learn more on the SMUHSD website: https://www.smuhsd.org/Page/14254

El 7 de mayo es el Dia de la Concientización sobre el Fentanilo

Según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, el fentanilo está implicado en más muertes de estadounidenses menores de 50 años que cualquier otra causa de muerte, incluidas las enfermedades cardíacas, el cáncer y el resto de accidentes. Entre los adolescentes, las muertes por sobredosis relacionadas con opioides sintéticos como el fentanilo se triplicaron en los últimos dos años, y sin embargo el 73% nunca ha oído hablar de las pastillas falsas con receta que se fabrican con fentanilo.

Este Día Nacional de la Concientización sobre el Fentanilo, obtenga más información sobre los peligros del fentanilo y cómo puede ayudar a prevenir las sobredosis de drogas en los Estados Unidos: http://fentanylawarenessday.org/

May 7 Fentanyl Poison Awareness Webinar

Join Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher from Stanford’s REACH Lab, where she will provide information on the dangers of illegal fentanyl, impact on teens and adolescents, harm-reduction strategies, and educational resources available to educators, students, parents and more.

Two virtual sessions will be available, via zoom, for your convenience. Please select a time that works for you by clicking below and registering, as we learn together on May 7, 2024, National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

Morning Session, 9 - 10 a.m.: https://stanford.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrc-utrDotEtIgMQWwHrfzcjDWhcYDUbJ1#/registration

Afternoon session, 4 - 5 p.m.: https://stanford.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUlde6sqDwpE9KesJjg6XQSFizJetPUW0Lv#/registration

Empowered and Equipped: A Personal Perspective of Neurodiversity

Thursday, May 9, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

David Flink, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Eye to Eye

Register: https://davidflink2024ndss.eventbrite.com

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.

In the third event in the new Neurodiversity Speaker Series, David Flink, Founder and CEO at Eye to Eye, will provide a “personal perspective” into the power of mentoring, community, and allyship in the lives of Different Thinkers.

The free Neurodiversity Speaker Series is presented by The Parent Venture, Children’s Health Council, Compass High School, REEL2e, and The RILEY Project, with major funding from the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA).

For more information, please visit www.neurodiversityspeakerseries.org, or contact Charlene Margot, CEO, The Parent Venture, at cmargot@parentventure.org.

Peace in Schools: Why Mindfulness Education Matters

Friday, May 10, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Janice Martellucci, Executive Director, Peace in Schools

Register: https://peaceinschools2024parentventure.eventbrite.com

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.

Join Janice Martellucci, Executive Director of the non-profit Peace in Schools, to learn more about their groundbreaking programs and why mindfulness is a highly effective antidote to teen suffering and isolation.

This free presentation is sponsored by Sequoia Union High School District, Sequoia Healthcare District, and Peninsula Health Care District, in partnership with The Parent Venture.

Questions? Contact Charlene Margot, MA, Co-Founder and CEO, The Parent Venture (The Parent Education Series), at cmargot@parentventure.org.

Paz en las escuelas: por qué es importante la educación en mindfulness

Viernes, 10 de mayo de 2024, 12:00pm –1:00pm (hora del Pacífico), evento virtual (en vivo)

Janice Martellucci, directora ejecutiva, Paz en las escuelas

Registro: https://peaceinschools2024parentventure.eventbrite.com

Habrá interpretación simultánea en español disponible.

Unirse Janice Martellucci, Director Ejecutivo de la organización sin fines de lucro Paz en las escuelas, para obtener más información sobre sus programas innovadores y por qué la atención plena es un antídoto muy eficaz contra el sufrimiento y el aislamiento de los adolescentes.

Entrada gratis. Esta presentación está patrocinada por el Distrito escolar secundario de Sequoia Union, Distrito sanitario de Sequoia y Peninsula Health Care District, en asociación con The Parent Venture.

¿Preguntas? Comuníquese con Charlene Margot, MA, cofundadora y directora ejecutiva,The Parent Venture (Serie de educación para padres), en cmargot@parentventure.org.