Friday is the last day! Update your Fall wardrobe with HPS Spirit Wear! The sale window runs through this Friday, September 16. Check out the looks ranging from tie-dye to classic styles! The catalogue includes short and long-sleeve t's, zip-ups, hoodies, trucker caps, beanies, and shorts. Items purchased between September 4-16 will be delivered directly to your child's homeroom in about 3 weeks, and a portion of all sales will be given to the HPS PTO. This is the perfect way to cheer on the sidelines at Fall sports or to add variety to HPS School Spirit Days.

Lifetouch offers convenient online ordering. Use the Picture Day ID listed below to order pictures online.

Don't miss this action-packed event for the whole family! Be dazzled by a magician, win gift cards to local shops, learn to juggle and hula hoop, get your face painted, and much more!

The HPS Parents Social Season continues this weekend with the Kindergarten College Party on September 17, 6:30pm at The Russell's Dorm! You can purchase your tix here! Information on the remaining Grade Level Parent Socials, including a link to purchase tickets, can be found further down in this Newsletter.

Thank you for supporting Hyde Park School! If you are unable to attend this fundraiser and would prefer to make a donation, we have also provided that option on the ticket page.

Many of the clubs begin their activities this week, but it's not too late to join the fun! Space is still available in the following extracurricular clubs: Art, Yoga, Karate, and Global Passport. Please use this link to register. Check and confirm all details with each individual club via the individual club's registration link and website (accessible through the registration link above).

BLINK Parade Lantern-Making Workshops: Register at: https://cliftonculturalarts.org/product/blink-parade-lantern-workshops-2022/

Register at: https://cliftonculturalarts.org/classes/visual-arts/art-tales/

In this art class for the preschool set (ages 2-4), we will read and explore a different picture book each week and then make our own art inspired by the story using a variety of materials. Dress to allow for a mess! Grownups must stay with their young artists during the class. All classes take place at The Upside Brew (329 Ludlow Avenue). This class is FREE, but space is limited: registration is required to reserve your seat!

The Playground Expansion is more than halfway complete! The turf is being laid and next will come the running lane and gumdrops! The picture below shows a rendering of what this space will look like, dare I say, very soon! (The roofed structure shown is the mechanical area currently blocked off with wooden fencing; this is not a new structure).

As for the Building Expansion Project, in the coming weeks, we will have the project blueprints available online as well as a Live Feed of the Construction! The Building Expansion is a two-phase project, which each phase lasting approximately one year. Phase 1 includes 8 new classrooms, additional bathrooms, and an expanded cafeteria. Phase 2 includes a new Gymnasium, Music room, and a STEAM room. Following all construction, the outdoor sport court will be rebuilt.

It's exciting to be a part of HPS during this historic time of progress! We're the lucky bearers of the story who get to say, "We were there when it all happened." Thanks to Dave Annett for this inspiring video!

This year's Read-A-Thon is right around the corner! The Annual Read-A-Thon will begin October 3rd! As we approach the Read-a-Thon, we are seeking some Volunteer Builders to create our very own HPS Little Free Library! If you're good with your hands and are willing to lend your time and expertise to create the HPS Little Free Library, we'd be so appreciative of your generosity! HPS PTO will provide all materials. If you fit this bill, please contact Ashley Hammond at president@hydeparkschoolpto.org.

In past years, the HPS Read-a-Thon includes a Book Fair. Sadly, our Book Fair Partner has discontinued all book fairs, and our new partner, Scholastic, is only booking 2023 book fair dates. So while we're excited to announce that we're moving forward with Scholastic for a 2023 Book Fair, we're still working on reading-centered events and initiatives to replace this year's book fair. One of these initiatives is creating a Little Free Library! Additionally, we will hold a Book Drive to kick off the Read-a-Thon. Look for more information about the Read-a-Thon and the Book Drive in your child's Tuesday folder later in September.

At HPS the Word-Hard-Play-Hard Mentality reigns supreme! Who Dey visited the school for a high-energy and spirited Pep Rally on Friday (thanks to Ashley Hammond for arranging Who Dey!), and Glow Golf lived up to the ParTee hype raising $900 along the way! These funds will be used to purchase new playground equipment. Check out these picture highlights of the fun and memorable week at school and in the community!

At HPS, we have an initiative called Hyde Park Heroes. Each month, we focus on a character trait--what it means and how we can exhibit that trait in everyday life. At the end of each month, students are chosen by HPS Staff as Hyde Park Heroes! The Hyde Park Heroes will be announced to the school and be given a yard sign to display at home for an entire month. Just wait for the pride and excitement you'll feel when you see these yard signs as you drive around our community! Then the signs are returned to school for the next months' Heroes to display.

The September character trait is curiosity. And with the school year just beginning, what a perfect time to talk about curiosity! Here is a list fof children's books focusing on curiosity to help start conversations about what this trait means: 

The HPS Athletics October Raffle is now LIVE. We are asking that every student athlete sell just 10 tickets. Tickers are $5 a piece, but you have 25 chances to win - AND if your name is drawn, you go right back into the mix for more chances! Drawings will begin on October 7th, and will run daily until October 31st. We need your help in promoting this fundraiser!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Mike Brugh at michaelbrugh@outlook.com. And in case you needed extra motivation, there will a prize to the student who sells the most raffle tickets!

Lunch time involves a learning curve, and our youngest students are in need of some assistance during lunchtime! Tasks like opening cheese sticks yogurt lids, and even putting straws in drink boxes can be challenging to little hands. If you could spare an hour of your time, please join our lunch and recess period to help make the most of this important hour of their day! Click here to sign up. This signup link will be included in this Newsletter each week for you to access.

*IMPORTANT NEW INFORMATION*: To allow for more eating time, Kindergarteners now will be having recess BEFORE lunch. This means if you are the Lunch/Recess Duty Volunteer, you should check-in at the Main Office, then report to the Playground instead of the Cafeteria. Then, following recess, you will help escort the Kindergarteners to the Cafeteria where you will assist them as they eat lunch. Please act as the Caboose for the line, ensuring that the very last students and any stragglers make it safely into the Cafeteria.

*Please note (and, yes, it goes without saying, but) by signing up for this opportunity, you will be signing up to assist ALL Kindergarteners with their lunch and to help monitor ALL students on the playground during recess, not just your child.*

It's officially HPS Social Season! Each grade level will hold an Adults-Only Themed Parent Social which doubles as a fundraiser. You can purchase your tix here! Attending your Grade Level Parent Social is a great way to mix, mingle, and have fun with other parents and families - all while raising money for our school! All proceeds go to the HPS PTO, which uses all funds to directly support our students and teachers by providing classroom materials and funding for opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom (such as Field Trips and playground supplies)!

Kindergarten Parent Social: September 17 (Theme: College Night)

1st Grade Parent Social: October 1 (Theme: Hyde Park Eagles)

2nd Grade Parent Social: October 8 (Theme: Crafts & Cocktails)

3rd Grade Parent Social: August 27 (Theme: Third Grade Throwback)

4th Grade Parent Social: September 24 (Theme: 90s)

5th Grade Parent Social: September 23 (Theme: Old School)

6th Grade Parent Social: October 22 (Theme: Final Fowling Hurrah)

Click this link for more information and to purchase tickets! Thank you for supporting Hyde Park School! If you are unable to attend this fundraiser and would prefer to make a donation, we have also provided that option on the ticket page. 

The Countdown to the Pumpkin Chuck is underway! The Pumpkin Chuck is one of HPS's biggest school-wide events of the year! It is the definition of a FUNdraiser, and YOU can help make it happen!

Yes, the Pumpkin Chuck is a big event, and we need all hands on deck! We will be seeking volunteers and sponsors, so please consider the options below to be a part of this event's Smashing Success! The options are plentiful and include running game booths, the bake sale, ticket sales, the photo booth, set up, clean up, and, yes, even the prestigious position of pumpkin chucker (aka operating the trebuchet/launcher). The shifts are broken up into hour-long slots so you can help for a bit and then spend the rest of the time chucking your hearts out. Kids are welcome to sign up for a game booth slot with a parent (just indicate parent/child pair in the comments). One small job for you, one giant chuck for HPS!

Standard Volunteers (operating game booths, ticket sales, photo booth, set up, clean up)

Muscle Work Volunteers (pumpkin launching and set up/clean up involving lifting hay bales, pumpkins)

Keep watching this Newsletter for Signups to Open. You can contact Melissa DeMarcantonio at fundraising@hydeparkschoolpto.org for more details and to volunteer.

Streamline your life by using this link to upload all HPS Events to your calendar: HPS Events Calendar. Throughout the year, this link will be updated with other events like socials, movie nights, family swims, playground dates, and more!