We develop compassionate, engaged students who are HAPPY to be at school!
*Enjoy Spring Break!*
March 28-April 1

*Spring Celebration Ticket Sales Are Open!*
See Purchase Link in the Spring Celebration Section Below
Upcoming Events
March: Women's History Month
March 28-April 1: No School, Spring Break
April 17: Easter
April 22: The Annual HPS Spring Celebration
May 20: Field Day Returns!!
**Kindergarten Registration: Open & Ongoing**
Women's History Spotlight: Madeleine Albright, the First Woman U.S. Secretary of State
From CNN.com: "Madeleine Albright [who just passed away this week at the age of 84] was the first female US secretary of state. She helped steer Western foreign policy in the aftermath of the Cold War and was a face of US foreign policy in the decade between the end of the Cold War and the war on terror triggered by the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Her worldview drew from and was shaped by her experience growing up in a family that fled the Nazis and communists in mid-20th century Europe.

Albright was a central figure in President Bill Clinton's administration, first serving as US ambassador to the United Nations before becoming the nation's top diplomat in his second term. She championed the expansion of NATO, pushed for the alliance to intervene in the Balkans to stop genocide and ethnic cleansing, sought to reduce the spread of nuclear weapons, and championed human rights and democracy across the globe." More here from CNN.com.
Get Your HPS Spirit Wear Anytime! Sales Now Open Year-Round
Do you keep missing the HPS Spirit Wear Sales? Do your kids outgrow their clothes every month? We've got you covered! Now you can buy HPS Spirit Wear anytime! Check out this link to the full catalogue of merchandise including short and long-sleeve t's, zip-ups, hoodies, trucker caps, beanies, and shorts in blue, white, gray, tie-dye, and camo.
Hyde Park Heroes Are Among Us!
It's a beautiful sight to drive through the HPS neighborhoods and see Hyde Park Hero signs proudly displayed!I If you'd like to discuss the current and upcoming character traits with your child(ren) at home, here are the traits and some book ideas:

March's Character Trait: Creativity
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
Ish by Peter Reynolds

April's Character Trait: Perseverance
I Didn't Win By Mary Wineberg!
Stacey's Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams
All Things Spring Celebration!
Hyde Park School will be hosting our tenth annual Spring Celebration Friday, April 22 at MadTree Brewing Company from 7-11pm. This adults only event is our largest fundraiser, and it provides an opportunity for HPS families, staff, and community supporters to celebrate our successful and growing school!
RAFFLE BASKET & ART SUPPLY DONATION:
Extended Deadline, You Can Still Submit Monetary Donations
This year in lieu of physical donations, we are requesting monetary donations ($10 is suggested, but any amount is welcome!) for raffle baskets and student art projects, which will be featured items available for bidding during the Silent Auction. One of the most exciting parts of the Silent Auction are the bidding wars among parents duking it out to win the unique pieces of art that your child is creating with his/her class! This donation is specifically to purchase the supplies needed to create these student art projects and to purchase the contents of raffle baskets. Raffle baskets will be created by our team with all proceeds from raffle ticket sales consolidated and equally distributed among the teachers for use in their classrooms. An envelope was sent home in a past Tuesday Folder. So if you submitted money in that envelope, you have already made your donation. Or you can use this link to submit electronically now or any time.
TICKET SALES
You can now purchase your Spring Celebration Tickets right here! We promise that this long awaited event (the last one was in 2019) is one that you don't want to miss. Remember, tickets are included with every level of sponsorship! The number of tickets depends on the level of support. Check your email for instructions to claim your tickets for the event if you have already purchased a sponsorship. Visit our Sponsorship Page for more information.
TEACHER EXPERIENCES ARE BACK!
We are so excited to announce that along with an in-person Spring Celebration this year, TEACHER EXPERIENCES are BACK! For those who weren't at Hyde Park School the last time these were offered, Teacher Experiences are fun out of school outings with the amazing staff at Hyde Park School. The staff offers these experiences and money is raised for the PTO when you sign up! Experiences continue to roll in daily, but here is a sneak peek of what's being offered this year:

  • Principal for a day
  • Pinata party with Maestra Thiemann (Ms. T) and Senorita Favors (Ms. Favors)
  • A Reds game with Ms. N. Roberts
  • A vintage baseball game at Sharon Woods Heritage Village with Ms. Witkowski
  • A yoga class and snacks at Ault Park with Ms. Kohler
  • A day on the farm with Mr. Schwab
  • A trip to Graeter's and a play date at the HPS playground with the First Grade Team
  • A playdate at Smale Park with the Kindergarten Team
  • A hike and picnic lunch at a local park with Ms. N. Roberts and Ms. Fischer
  • A pickup football game with Mr. Gallup
  • Rumor has it that there is also a BESTERLY experience in the works:)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Please check out this link with various volunteer opportunities available to suit many different time commitments and interests.
SPONSORSHIPS
It's the quickest, easiest way you can help support our cause! We welcome both business sponsors (with unique advertising opportunities) and family sponsors! Keep in mind that every sponsorship level includes at least two tickets ($40 per ticket). What a great way to show your support for our school community! The HPS PTO is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Sponsors will be provided with a donation acknowledgment for their records. Please feel free to share the link with any interested business sponsors.

Add YOUR NAME to our growing list of sponsors by using this form or view our website to see all the details and benefits and even complete your sponsorship online!
A big THANK YOU! to those who have already decided to sponsor the 2022 Spring Celebration - check out the list below but also notice that there is still room for your name or company!!

Presenting Sponsors ($5000)

Silent Auction Sponsors ($2500)
Breakwater Properties LLC

Raffle Sponsors ($1000)
The Hunter Family

Ticket Sponsors ($500)
The Hammond Family

Friends & Family Gold ($275)
The Bowers Family
The Dailey Family
The Davis/Glatfelter Family
The DeBruer Family
The Flynn Family
The Godsey Family
The Han Family
The Lathrop Family
The Leimbach Family
The Lober Family
The Paff Family
The Purcell Family
The Sanchez Family
The Stewart-Pirone Family
Vandelay Industries
The Vaughan Family
The Weller Family
The Wood Family

Friends & Family Silver ($175)
The Ballard/Reynolds Family
The Beattie Family
The Brown Family
Shannon & Brent Carroll
The Cummings Family
The Faris Family
The Gaul Family
The Graham Family
The Hankinson Family
Marion & Jessica Haynes
Dan & Christine Heing
The Heisel Family
The Heitkamp Family
The Hogan Family
Eric & Kat Hubbell
James & Ginny Joo
The Kale & Coggins Family
Mike & Andrea Klocke
Paul & Page Lee
The Lindy Family
The Lovelace Family
The Lund Family
The Lundgren Family
The McKee Family
The Meisman Family
The Monroe Family
The Orszak Family
The Rivet Family
The Schiller Family
The Schindel-Hassan Family
The Stelzer Family
The Williams Family
The Wolfe Family
Jeff & Kate Zink
SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS
If you would like to make a donation to the Silent Auction, please email auction@hydeparkschoolpto.org or you may drop off the item to the Main Office.
Here are some Silent Auction ideas to get the pot stirring: gifts cards to restaurants, food delivery services, spas, haircuts, or other services; movie tickets; a gift membership to a streaming service such as Disney Plus, Prime Video, Netflix, etc; themed gifts baskets (such as a Bengals/Bearcats/Reds/Xavier-fan basket with merchandise or game tickets; a wine-lovers gift basket; a spa-package gift basket, etc); larger ticket items such as a Garmin GPS watch, Apple iWatch, or other electronics; jewelry; golf clubs, fishing gear, or other sports equipment; a hotel package; a weekend getaway to a VRBO in Hocking Hills, Mammoth Cave, Norris Lake, or other destination; a day-pass for a jet ski or pontoon boat rental at a marina; passes or a gift membership to an experience such as an escape room, Kings Island, the Cincinnati Zoo, Urban Air, the Children's Theater, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Museum Center; Scene 75; or other local or destination experience.
A FREE STEM Opportunity for 5th-8th Grade Girls is Happening on April 8
Join the GE Aviation Materials Engineering team for a FREE evening of escape room (STEM) challenges at the GE Learning Center. Help the scientist finish her material invention and escape the lab by solving puzzles, and learn more about materials engineering in the process. Space is limited, so sign up soon! The Event will take place on Friday, April 8, 2022 from 6-8pm at the GE Aviation Learning Center at 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215. This FREE event is for 5th to 8th Grade Girls. Register HERE! Visit iSPACESTEM.ORG for more details!
Save the Date: Field Day--The BEST DAY EVER--Returns to HPS on May 20!! 150 Volunteers Needed
Field Day returns to Hyde Park on Friday, May 20! More commonly known as “The Best Day Ever,” the event is jam packed full of games, special treats, inflatables and of course, the dunk tank. For parents of younger children who have yet to experience Field Day, it’s truly something special!

Mark your calendars and get ready to chip in. The day requires nearly 150 volunteers to pull off so consider taking the day off and being a part of the action! Trust us when we say, you’re kid will be smiling from ear to ear all day! Stay tuned, more info to come!
Kindergarten Info Night Follow-up: Links for Registration & More
After a successful Kindergarten Info Night, here are four important follow-up links:


2) Find the documents shared about a Day in the Life of a HPS Kindergartener here.

3) If you're in the incoming Kindergarten Community, please join the Incoming Kindergarten Facebook Group here.

4) Finally, please take a moment to fill out the Future Enrollment Survey here!
Registration Is Now Open for Clifton Cultural Arts Center's 2022 Summer Camps!
CCAC is thrilled to present an exciting slate of visual and performing arts summer camps designed to explore the limits of your camper’s imagination – all while observing health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Check out the list below, then head over to cliftonculturalarts.org/summer-camps or call 513-497-2860 for camp descriptions, scholarship information, and to register!
 
Visual Arts Camps
 
Music Camps
 
Theatre Camps
How You Can Help Keep HPS Open for In-Person Learning
In the coming weeks, our HPS staff may need extra help. The PTO is committed to doing whatever is necessary and possible to keep our students IN the classroom. While it's uncertain what those needs may be, we want to be ready to immediately respond when those needs arise.

If you're willing to volunteer to help with things like drop off, pick up, lunch duty, cleaning, miscellaneous tasks, etc, please fill out this form. When the need arises, Ann Salzbrun or someone with the PTO will contact you to see if you are able to fill in for a need. THANK YOU in advance for all your support, we have the best community, and we appreciate you so much!!
How You Can Help CPS Fulfill a Critical Need & Keep More Schools Open for In-Person Learning: Become a Substitute Teacher
District-wide Cincinnati Public Schools are in critical need of substitute teachers to fill COVID-related staffing shortages. The basic requirements include a bachelor's degree and passing the necessary background checks. If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher, please follow this link for more information and for instructions about how to apply.
The Cincinnati Police Department is Hiring Paid Civilian School Crossing Guards: Here is How to Apply
With HPS at the corner of busy intersections, the need for a crossing guard is evident and notorious. And the need exists throughout the city with 44 current openings including one at HPS. The Cincinnati Police Department is seeking to fill these important paid part-time positions. Pay is monthly, and no prior experience is needed. The crossing guard position involves observing traffic and nearby pedestrians, grouping pedestrians, and stopping and restarting traffic as needed to move pedestrians safely across the street. Please see the graphic below for more details including the number and contact for interested applicants and the application.
Seeking Disinfecting Wipes!
The staff ever-diligent with the COVID-19 health and safety protocol, HPS is close to exhausting its supply of Disinfecting Wipes! If you're out and about and are in the position to buy some extra, the HPS staff would greatly appreciate your donation, which you can drop off to the Main Office. Thank you for your support!
HPS Athletics: Booster Membership Drive
The Hyde Park Athletic Boosters is open to and seeking new members. Here is a note from them highlighting their mission and significant accomplishments:
The Hyde Park Athletic Boosters was founded in 2018 and has some amazing accomplishments due to your donations:
  • Reduced registration costs for all sports
  • Introduced 3 new programs –Volleyball, Softball, and Running Club
  • Supplies for the Gym facelift in the Summer 2020
  • Bought new uniforms at no cost to participants
  • Provided gym space for basketball
  • Donated to Mr. Schwab to purchase equipment
  • Bought new basketball hoops for the gym
Did you know that the School District and our School DO NOT provide any funding for your HPS sports programs? So…if your little athlete is playing basketball, softball, volleyball, football, or soccer – all the expenses related to those sports (balls, goals, nets, referee fees, pinnies, jerseys, goalie gloves, league fees, tournament fees, court time, etc…) are ALL paid exclusively with your DONATIONS and from the various Booster fundraisers throughout the year.
This annual membership is important to keep our programs affordable for families and allows us to provide financial scholarships to Hyde Park students and families. You will also receive early access and discounts for our fun events.
Please join us in supporting athletics for another year by donating at HERE!
Join our Facebook Group at HPS Athletic Boosters to keep up with the news and timelines for registrations!
Seeking Kindergarten Lunch & Recess Volunteers
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. And while the added bonus of visiting your special Kindergartener is undeniable, please make sure you assist and monitor all the Kindergarteners in the cafeteria and on the playground. You can sign up using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084CA4AE2FA3FB6-20212022
Vintage HPS Spirit Wear is Calling Your Name!
Vintage HPS Spirit Wear is on sale, and it's calling your name! Everything is now only $5!! Click here to find the limited sizes and styles, still available now but not for long! Local orders from the vintage catalogue will be delivered to your child's homeroom. Please contact Leah Wyrabkiewicz (leahnally@yahoo.com) with any questions.
Follow HPS PTO on Instagram & Facebook
Make HPS PTO part of your daily feed on Instagram @HydeParkSchoolPTO and Facebook (facebook.com/HydeParkSchoolPTO). Just another way to make communicating ideas and keeping track of HPS events more convenient!
HPS PTO Linktree: The Link to All Links!
No more FOMO! This HPS PTO Linktree is the link to all important links! So if you'd rather have one link to check than many (hmmm, it's a real toss-up), just check this link: https://linktr.ee/hydeparkschoolpto.
Amazon Smile
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Hyde Park School every time you shop at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to HPS. Please choose Hyde Park School PTO Inc. as your recipient.

AmazonSmile customers can now support Hyde Park School PTO in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.

  1. Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
  2. Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'
  3. Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process
Kroger Community Rewards
Earn 4% of your purchase for Hyde Park School. Don't worry...you still keep all of your points. Register online at www.krogercommunityrewards.com and select “Hyde Park School PTO Inc” from the list.
Box Tops for Education
Many people don't even realize just how easy the Box Tops for Education Program is now that it has gone virtual. No more clipping and collecting a pile of Box Tops. Just download the Box Tops App, scan your grocery receipt, instantly identify Box Tops products, and automatically add cash to our school’s earnings online. You can also email your online receipts to earn credit. Box Tops are still worth 10¢ each for your school. This may not sound like much, but it adds up to hundreds of dollars!
If you have information that you would like included in a future newsletter, please send to president@hydeparkschoolpto.org (content included at PTO discretion).