March 2020
The Hastings PTSA newsletter will tell you about upcoming events, as well as PTSA initiatives and grants awarded. To learn more about what we do,
visit our website at PTSAHastings.org .
Important Dates:
March 2020
SEPTA Parent Discussion Group
Every Monday (March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) at 9:30 am
First Reformed Church
HHS PTSA Parent Meeting
Monday, March 2, 6:30 pm
Lloyd Library
Board of Ed Meeting
Monday, March 2, 7:30 pm
Lloyd Library
PTSA Used Book Fair 
Wednesday, March 4 to Saturday, March 7
W: 6-8 pm 
Th & F: 8:30 am – 4 pm, 6-8 pm
S: 9:30 am - 1 pm
Hillside
College Financial Aid Night
Wednesday, March 4, 7 pm
HHS Auditorium
Last Day to Register for Spring JV/Varsity Sports
Wednesday, March 4, all day
Winter Varsity Sports Banquet
Friday, March 6, 6:30 pm
HHS Cafeteria
FMS Science Fair
Saturday, March 7, 9 am - 12pm (Open to Public at 3 pm and Awards Ceremony at 4 pm)
FMS Cafeteria
Community Scholarship Fair
Saturday, March 7, 12-2 pm
HHS Lobby
HHS Playwrights Festival
Saturday, March 7, 7 pm
HHS Auditorium
PTSA Mini Used Book Fair @ FMS/HHS
Monday, March 9 & Tuesday, March 10
Both days: 8 am to 3 pm
HHS Lobby
Parent Presentation: "The Talk"
The Maxwells present an evening of real talk about raising children in the digital age, open to all Rivertown parents. 
Monday, March 9, 7 pm
HHS Auditorium
Spring JV/Varsity Sports Begin
Monday, March 9
Superintendent’s Chat
Tuesday, March 10, 6-7 pm
HHS/Guidance Conference Room
SEPTA FMS Community Conversations
March 11 - POSTPONED, date coming soon
SEPTA Assistive Technology
Night for Parents – a workshop to help parents understand how assistive technology can help students with learning differences
Thursday, March 12, 7 pm
Lloyd Library
HHS WestMUNC
Friday & Saturday, March 13-14 
F: 3:30- 6 pm
S: 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
Faculty Advisor Timothy O’Brien
SAT Exam
Saturday, March 14
Contact Guidance Department
Hillside PTSA Parent Meeting
Monday, March 16, 6:30 pm
Hillside Library
Board of Ed Meeting
Monday, March 16, 7:30 pm
Lecture Room
Schools Closed for Superintendent Conference Day
Wednesday, March 18
Last Day to Register for Spring Modified Sports
Wednesday, March 18, all day
Grade 5 Musical 
Friday, March 20 & Saturday, March 21, 7 pm
HHS Auditorium
Spring Modified Sports Begin
Monday, March 23
SEPTA Hillside Community Conversations
March 23- POSTPONED, date coming soon
PTSA Annual Meeting
March 24 – POSTPONED, date coming soon
Superintendent’s Book Study Group - Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing our kids for the innovation era,  by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith
Tuesday, March 24, 7-8:30 pm
HHS/Guidance Conference Room
New Parent Support Group (for talking with children about alcohol and drug use - description under Initiatives section of this newsletter) The W.A.Y (Working Alliance for Youth) Hastings 
Thursday, March 26, 7:30-8:30 pm
James Harmon Community Center
FMS PTSA Parent Meeting
Monday, March 30, 6:30 pm
Lloyd Library
Board of Ed Meeting
Monday, March 30, 7:30 pm
Lecture Room
Initiatives

1• PTSA Used Book Fair - the annual event that all readers love is less than a week away!

This community favorite is finally here! The Hastings PTSA Used Book Fair will take place March 4-7 at Hillside, and the Mini-Used Book Fair on March 9-10 at FMS/HHS. Stock up on gently used books (for both kids and adults), games, toys, puzzles, and DVDs/CDs! All profits support grants for enrichment programs, scholarships, and hospitality events for our students and faculty.

This event is realized each year thanks to the hard work of the wonderful people that volunteer. Please consider joining us. Come for an hour or come all day. Any time you can give is helpful. Sign-up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19E2jvZKdZfPPho0RFD3zEKtlPgWLXGOpP-I8dcV2YtI/edit?ts=5e31de02#gid=0 .


2 • Spirit Wear
The LAST spirit wear sale of this school year will be during the Used Book Fair at Hillside from March 4-7 and the Mini-Used Book Fair in the HHS Lobby from March 9-10. Don't miss out!! Your next opportunity to purchase spirit wear will not be until September 2020. We have brand new youth hoodies and adult baseball and tie dye tees. All profits from spirit wear sales support programming in our schools.

3 • HHS Seniors – PTSA Scholarships  

Applications for PTSA scholarships will be available at the Community Scholarship Fair on 
Saturday, March 7, 12-2 pm, in the HHS Lobby. A PTSA representative will be at the Fair to answer any questions you may have.

The PTSA offers three types of scholarships for graduating seniors to be used for any higher educational program:

  •  Hastings PTSA Scholarship for Service and Academic Achievement - awarded to a graduating senior that has demonstrated both academic achievement and service to our school and community. 

  • Hastings PTSA R. William Hildebrand Memorial Scholarship - awarded to a graduating senior with notable achievements in the field of creative, fine, or performing arts (including but not limited to art, music, theater, dance, photography, film, creative writing, or any combination of these areas). 

  • Hastings PTSA Scholarship for Service - awarded to a graduating senior that exemplifies the principles of humanitarianism and service to others.

Applications are reviewed by a committee comprised of community members whose children have graduated from Hastings on Hudson schools. We hope many seniors apply!

Please note that the PTSA funds other scholarships for seniors but those scholarships do not require an application. (The recipients are chosen by staff in the District.) 

4 • HHS Seniors – Voter Registration Drive

The PTSA will help HHS Seniors register to vote during the upcoming the Community Scholarship Fair on Saturday, March 7. Voter registration forms will be available at the PTSA scholarship table and a volunteer will be on hand to help with any questions. It is helpful (but not necessary) to know the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number or to have your Driver’s License with you.

To register, your senior must: 

  • be a United States citizen,
  • be 18 years old (you may pre-register at 16 or 17 but cannot vote until you are 18),
  • be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election, and
  • not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

Please note that all people that want to vote in the New York presidential primaries (April 28) must register to vote by April 3. Your senior may want to vote in the primary! The PTSA wants to help make that happen.

5 • New Parent Support Group (WAY Coalition)

Although this support group is not run by the PTSA, we want to make sure that every parent in the community knows about it.

The WAY Coalition is offering this new parent support group for Hastings-on-Hudson parents/guardians who want support addressing the topic of alcohol and drug use with their children. The goal of the group is to provide a safe and nonjudgmental space to discuss concerns and provide tools to navigate challenging topics.

Topics will include:

  • How to talk about drugs and alcohol with your children
  • “Padj” and house parties
  • Expectations and limit setting
  • Speaking with like-minded parents/guardians 
  • Permissive culture of our community

The first meeting is Thursday, March 26, 7:30-8:30 pm, at the James Harmon Community Center. Facilitators are Dr. Amy J. Colley, Addiction Psychologist, and Jennifer Leff, LCSW. Questions can be directed to Linda Fosina ( lfosina@hastingsgov.org ).

6 • PTSA Traffic Subcommittee 

Just another friendly reminder on how best to use the safe drop-off zone in front of FMS:

  • Please pull into the three curbside spaces from 7:30 - 9:00am and from 2:00 - 5:00pm and move all the way to the front of the zone. 

  • Please do not drop off your kids from the through lane. Curbside drop-off and pick-up are safest for everyone. 

  • After 2:45, please do not linger in the drop-off zone for more than 2 minutes. If your kid is not outside waiting for you, please go around the block and re-enter the safe drop-off zone.

  • Please do not drop-off, pick-up, or sit in your car on Hillside Avenue. The drop-off zone in the FMS driveway is the safest place for everyone.

  • If it is safe for your child to WALK TO SCHOOL, please have them walk! Fewer cars around FMS/HHS is the goal!

Thank you for your cooperation!

AND...

The date of the Bicycle Safety Rodeo has changed ! It is now on Sunday, April 26th from 12-2pm at Chase Bank on Warburton Ave.

In addition, please come to the Bicycle Safety Workshop on Wednesday, April 22nd at 7:00pm at the Harmon Community Center. Hosted by the PTSA Traffic Safety Committee, the Hastings Bicycle Safety Committee and the Hastings Police Department, we will explain what bicycle safety means and the do’s and don’ts of riding a bicycle in the Rivertowns. There will be sign up sheets for the Bike Rodeo where kids will learn how to ride and navigate a bicycle safely in a comfortable setting. Bring your bicycle and helmet to the Rodeo for a free safety check. There will be a few kids bikes and helmets available for those without.
  
7 • Events Committee Needs Volunteers
 
For those of you looking to get involved with grade level and school wide activities, the newly formed Events Committee needs volunteers! The less time teachers spend on organizing special events, the more time they spend in the classroom.
 
We especially need volunteers for each school to help with the annual Staff Appreciation Luncheons that are traditionally held in May/June.
 
For FMS, we will also need help with memorable events such as the 5th Grade Latin Festival, 6th Grade Grecian Festival and 8th Grade Arts Extravaganza.
 
For HHS, we will also need help to coordinate with the League of Women Voters to register students to vote at the Senior Breakfast and help with Pre-Prom festivities in the HHS courtyard.
 
If you are interested in learning more or lending a hand, please contact Lisa Heinlein ( ausidragon@optonline.net ) or Kerri Jew ( kerrijew@gmail.com ).

8 • PTSA School Supplies Sale – Order today!

Hillside student school supplies for the 2020-2021 school year are being sold now ! It takes about 30 seconds to place your order by clicking here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/hillside-school-supplies-2020-21

This is your opportunity to save money, support local business and the PTSA, reduce packaging waste, skip the lines at big-box stores in August, and make life easier for our teachers! Your supplies will be delivered to your child’s classroom in the fall.

9 • Hillside and FMS Parents – Consider the Wait Until 8th Pledge!

The Wait Until 8th pledge encourages parents to delay giving children a smartphone until at least 8th grade. Many people in our District have embraced the pledge! Check it out at www.waituntil8th.org .
Grants

For the 2019-2020 school year, the PTSA has awarded the following grants:

  • Random Farms Kids Theater performs The New Kid for 2nd through 4th grades.
  • Ajna Indian Dance Arts Education Program, assemblies and workshops for Hillside.
  • Lunch for HHS Academic Field Day.
  • Dan Gutman, author of the My Weird School book series, Baseball Card Adventures series, Flashback Four series, Rappy the Raptor, and more, will visit Hillside.
  • Out of Rushmore's Shadow, a unique program about history, ancestry, perseverance, and advocating for human rights, will be presented to the 2nd grade.
  • The Mental Health Association of New York will train thirty teachers (district wide) in the Mental Health First Aid curriculum.
  • Composer Workshop with Michael Markowski for HHS Band.
  • NY Philharmonic Young People’s Concert for the 7th and 8th grade band and orchestra.
  • David Coffin will present Music from the Kings Court to Hillside.
  • Gaby Cook will teach our 5th and 6th graders the art of swing dancing.
  • 8th Grade will see To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway.
  • Compostable party supplies requested by the Hillside Green Team.
  • 5th Grade Electricity and Magnetism Workshop by the Liberty Science Center.
  • 5th Grade Gravitational Force and Projectile Motion Workshop by the Liberty Science Center. 
  • Liberty Science Center Assembly at FMS. 
  • HASP students will go to West Side Story on Broadway.
  • Chris Herren, a former NBA player and motivational speaker on substance use and wellness, talk for HHS students about such topics as drinking, smoking marijuana and vaping, pill use, peer pressure, bullying and cutting.  
  • The First Day screening and parent program facilitated by the filmmaker Jon Hock and addiction expert Fred Muench, President of Center on Addiction.
  • DJs for FMS socials.
  • Family University dinner for HHS parents and students.
  • Sweethearts and Heroes anti-bullying program for all children at Hillside.
  • Professional Development at the Windward Teacher Training Institute for Hillside and FMS special/general education teachers. 
  • The Omer String Quartet will visit FMS and HHS. The quartet will perform for students and then break off to work with our string chamber groups.

Additional grants funded by the PTSA on an annual basis:

  • Funding for the 8th Grade Recognition Party (new as of 2/2020)
  • Funding for the Junior Formal (new as of 2/2020)
  • Buses for the Senior Prom
  • Field Trip Busing for each grade K through 12
  • Scholarship Fund for Each School (allowing each school to anonymously provide instruments, lunches, and field trip scholarships to families in need of financial assistance)
  • Sewing with Seniors
  • Hillside Bird Feeder
  • Nature Program, overseen by Robin Farrell
Hastings-on-Hudson Schools | PTSAHastings.org