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7th Dec 11
MFSC SecretaryHillside Elementary Happenings
This fall, students learned about diversity, expanded their minds through experiential learning, participated in community service, and were introduced to important life values through numerous events and programs sponsored by Hillside’s award winning PTA. All this is above and beyond the already robust Fulton County school curriculum thanks to the hard work, dedication, and vision of teachers and parent volunteers.
Hillside implements the Chic-Fil-A Core Essentials Character Education program which encourages students and their families to focus on the “value of the month” such as knowledge, creativity, and gratitude. Brenda Levin, school counselor, receives many emails from parents complimenting the program. Students are coming home and discussing the value of the month with their parents and siblings, often prompting an interesting dinner table conversation. Appropriately timed for the Thanksgiving holiday, students have been filling out daily gratitude journals. A second grade parent commented, “I am so impressed with the character education program. My seven year old daughter is really grasping these important life values at a level that is helping to define her in a positive way. Thanks!”
In October, Hillside Elementary students celebrated Red Ribbon Week, a national event that promotes a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. Research shows that the way to really infuse drug education is from the bottom up and that change comes by impacting younger grades. In Kenya, they say you can only bend a tree when it’s young. This is exactly what Hillside Elementary is trying to do with Red Ribbon week. Students wore red, and signed the Graffiti Wall pledge, promising to saying “No” if offered tobacco, alcohol, or other illegal drugs. Hillside Elementary is sending the right message to our children: You are “Too Smart to Start”.
Students at Hillside Elementary joined more than 2 million others across the country to cross
social boundaries on October 18 as part of the 10th annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day, an event designed to foster respect and understanding in schools. Mix It Up encourages students to sit with someone new in the cafeteria for just one day. “We had a lot of fun participating,” said Interim Principal John Anderson. “We provided conversation starters to all the students to help them get to know the new people sitting around them at lunch. Our lunch room monitors got into the spirit with chef hats, aprons and mixing bowls full of conversation starters.”
On November 4th, Hillside was turned into one big science lab! The annual Science Day included more than 40 different hands-on experiments for all grade levels. John Anderson commented, “Hillside is proud to expose children, as well as the community at large, to the excitement of science.” Community leaders including Dr. Robert Avossa, Fulton County Superintendent, came to watch students launching bottle rockets, flinging catapults, and shooting laser targets. Roswell Mayor Jere Wood was asked to compete in the fifth grade’s Science Day Egg Drop. Using limited recycled materials, teams designed containers to protect a raw egg from 3 different height drops 25, 50 & 100 feet. Is Mayor Wood smarter than a fifth grader? Turns out he’s pretty smart, but NO, he is not smarter than Hillside’s egg cocoon architects. The Mayor’s egg survived the first 25-foot drop from one of Roswell Fire Department’s Hook and Ladder Trucks. However, half the student teams’ vessels surpassed Mayor Jere Wood’s on the second drop when sadly his egg splattered at the bottom of the 50-foot free fall. Hillside’s Science Day is sponsored by the PTA secured Sawnee EMC’s Operation Roundup grant.
The 2nd week of November, Hillside held a Blanket/Coat Drive. Each student at Hillside had the opportunity to tie a knot in one of 
many small, colorful fleece blankets that were donated to Children’s Healthcare to help brighten the rooms and spirits of sick children. In addition, students, parents and staff collected 300 coats and blankets which were donated to the Drake House, a short-term housing center for women and children, and North Fulton Community Charities.
Due to impending rainy weather, tomorrow’s Labor Day Pool BBQ is 
Join us at 12:00PM on 
Kids Art Show this Friday Evening!
Please RSVP ASAP if you would like this very popular and delicious dish on the 5th, cost 6.50 a plate for Salmon and special sides.
Where’s the Beef?
