Recently, our District submitted applications to attend the College Opportunity Day of Action in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, December 4, to discuss both our K-12 work and our K-16 work, which includes college. Both applications were accepted! This summit will bring together top representatives from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, business partners and civic leaders to discuss our local and national efforts to expand access to college for low-income and disadvantaged students. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be addressing the delegation and we are very honored to have been selected to attend.

For the first time ever, schools foundations are working together to promote giving for important programs for our students. #GivingTuesday is a campaign that follows #BlackFriday, #ShopLocalSaturday, and #CyberMonday.  You will hear about it all across the nation. Locally, Hillsboro Schools Foundation is working to raise money for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) kits for Hillsboro students. Click here to donate to Hillsboro Schools Foundation; click here  to see our local schools foundations' #GivingTuesday press release.

Nearly every school in our district is in the midst of holding a Food Drive for people in need in our community. Please support their efforts by dropping off your donation of non-perishable food! Most wanted items include peanut butter, juice, baking items, rice, pasta, boxed meals, canned meat, soup, beans, boxed cereal, and baby food (no formula). If you can't make it to one of our schools but still want to help, consider an online donation to the "Give a Meal" campaign. For every $1 donated, Bank of America will give $2 more to Feeding America food banks (you can select Oregon Food Bank as the recipient). Because of food banks' buying power, each dollar donated results in 10 meals distributed. So for a donation of $10, you're actually affecting a donation of $30 (with Bank of America's match), which will result in the distribution of 300 meals! For more information, visit the Give a Meal website.

Reminder: A free Social Security and Retirement Planning seminar hosted by First Investors, an approved 403(b) vendor for the District, is scheduled for this Wednesday, December 3, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the Administration Center Board Room. Topics include when to draw Social Security, strategies to maximize income over lifetimes, how to pair it with PERS survivor benefits, the effects of death/disability on Social Security benefits, and more. Reserve your space by e-mailing or calling Skylar Koon (503-296-7676 ext. 322).

Please consider giving the lifesaving gift of blood next Monday, December 8, during the American Red Cross Blood Drive taking place at the District Office from 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Click this link and follow the steps to schedule your appointment: login or create an account, click on "Schedule an Appointment," enter "97124" and the date of "12/08/2014," click on "Find a Drive," and then select the drive at Hillsboro School District Administrative Offices  to sign up for a time. Thank you!