Hilltop Montessori School's mission is for students to practice responsible independence in a caring community of curious, critical learners and thoughtful citizens.

October, 11th 2019

Next Week: October 14 No School, Indigenous People's Day 5pm DAWNLAND Screening in the Arts Barn October 15 MS Soccer Practice 3:15-4:30pm October 16 UE Soccer Practice, 3:15-4:15pm K-LE Soccer Home Scrimmage, 4:15-5:00pm October 17 MS Soccer Game @Putney Central, 4:00pm Horseback Riding 3:30-5:30pm October 18-20 Putney Soccer Tournament For more details about soccer please see the Hilltop Website Calendar

Upcoming Dates: October 21 UE Soccer Home Game, 5:15pm October 22 Birch Room Conferences October 23 Willow Room Conferences Make up Picture Day UE Soccer Away Game @Guilford Central, 4pm October 24 Parent Teacher Conferences (Half Day), Childcare Available MS Soccer Home Game, 4pm October 25 Parent Teacher Conferences (No School), Childcare Available

Grandparents Day

Equity and Anti-Bias Workgroup

First Equity + Anti-Bias Workgroup Meeting of the School Year Are you interested in connecting deeper with the Hilltop community? The Equity + Anti-Bias Workgroup meets once a month to brainstorm suggestions for making Hilltop a safe and inclusive space for everyone. Comprised of parents, students, and board members, the group welcomes a diversity of thoughts, experience, and opinions. In the past we’ve made recommendations around bathroom signage, handbook wording, and pizza lunch options. We also started a new clothing swap to help families share and receive much-appreciated clothing and sporting good items. Our first meeting of this school year will be on: Friday, October 18th 12p.m. or 5p.m. To accommodate more people, we hold two meetings. You are welcome to come to either or both. The evening meeting coincides with Kid’s Night Out, so you could drop your little ones at the arts barn and then join us. New families welcome! Contact Joslyn McIntyre at  joslyn@outsideeyeconsulting.com  with any questions.

October Parent Teacher Conferences

Half Day Thursday, October 24 No School Friday, October 25 Everyone should have received a SingUp.Com email inviting you to schedule your parent conference. Thank you to those who have signed up, and if you have not please do so soon. TP: Thursday, October 24 BIRCH: Tuesday, October 22 & Thursday, October 24 WILLOW: Wednesday, October 23 & Thursday, October 24 LE: Thursday, October 24 & Friday, October 25 UE: Thursday, October 24 & Friday, October 25 MS: Thursday, October 24 & Friday, October 25 Childcare will be provided on Thursday, October 24 from 12pm-5pm, and on Friday, October 25 from 8:30am-5pm. If you need childcare for your 20 minute conference, there is no need to sign up, and you can simply drop your child off during that time free of charge. If you need childcare for the entire afternoon or day, you can sign up by emailing the front desk or stopping by in person. This childcare will be billed at the After Care rate, or is included in the flat rate. Please sign up in advance - we will be staffing accordingly!

Pictures have arrived!

Emails with school photos have been sent to families this week. If you have not signed up with Schoolhouse Pictures, it is not too late to sign up! If you need a code please contact Roselle

Toddler Program

Children's House

Lower Elementary

Upper Elementary

Middle School

HMS Community

Please join us on Indigenous People's Day, Oct 14th, at 3:30pm for a free screening of DAWNLANDS, an Emmy Award winning documentary. The feature-length film follows the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to contemporary Wabanaki communities to witness intimate, sacred moments of truth-telling and healing. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the United States. This film would be appropriate for Middle School students and above, and Upper El students with parent discretion. For questions or to RSVP about childcare, please contact Kegan.

Kids’ Night Out Friday, October 18th Do you want to have a fun night out on the town? Are you having a hard time finding a babysitter? Do you want your children to have just as much fun as you do while you’re out? Drop your children off at our arts barn anywhere between 5:00-9:00 pm on Friday, October 18th to have a night of fun and games with our responsible middle school babysitters.   There will be fun, games, crafts, and tons more! At least one adult and lots of fun middle schoolers will be there. We will provide snacks, and pizza is available! If you don’t want pizza, please pack a nutritious dinner or feed your child before you come. To attend KNO, your child must be in children's house or above and be able to use the bathroom independently. This fun night for you and your kids costs only $7.00 an hour and $5.00 for each additional child. Pizza is $5.00 more for two slices. All proceeds from Kids Night Out go to the Hilltop Montessori Middle School Odyssey fund. Our businesses are an important part of our fundraising, so your support really helps! To sign up or learn more, visit our website If you have any questions, email us at adavidov@hilltopmontessori.org or mwojik@hiltopmontessori.org  We have only 30 spots, so don’t wait, sign up now!

PARENTING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE Workshops are coming to Hilltop Montessori School this fall!     On Sunday 11/3 and Sunday 12/15 (from 1-4 pm) Angela Berkfield and Shela Linton, well known facilitators and advocates from The Root Social Justice Center, will lead parents and others important in the lives of Hilltop students, in workshops to help us understand racism and bias, and to help us see how these play out in our parenting, school, and community.  Childcare and light refreshments will be offered.  We are relying on parents to fund this event, so there is a suggested fee of $0-$250 per participant. Please use the following link as you think about your contribution, and give generously: Sliding Scale Guide. If you are unable to participate, but want to support this work, we would welcome your contribution.  Contribute Here It is preferred that participants attend both workshops and continue with the monthly discussion group that will follow during the 2019-2020 school year.  We need a minimum of 8 participants to move forward, so please call Elizabeth Fisher at (802)257-8584, or send an email to livezestfully@yahoo.com to REGISTER your interest and indicate the number of children who will need childcare. If you’d like to get a head start on reading this summer, pick up a copy of White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo. This is an exciting learning opportunity which we hope will benefit us, our children, and our school as we strive to become more diverse. I look forward to doing this important work with you, Elizabeth Fisher (UE Mom)

Amber at the Front Desk

Community

Hettie Belle Farm Meat Share Local Meat and Poultry Share!  Reserve your share now for this fall/winter (November-March) Our beef and lamb is  100% grass-fed . Our pigs, chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks are  pastured and fed only certified organic grain . We believe it matters! Monthly distribution in Brattleboro (November-March). Many more details at  www.hettiebellefarm.com .