This past Wednesday, March 8, marked International Women's Day. Did you know that NASA's lead developer for the Apollo program was a woman? Here are some pics commemorating Margaret Hamilton, the woman who made the Apollo 11 Moon Landing happen!

This virtual-only meeting is for parents of current 2nd Graders (3rd Graders in the 2023-2024 school year). Third Grade marks the year when students have their own individual schedules, change classes, and participate in electives for the first time. Plan to log on to meet the teachers and learn about your child's "transition year" between the lower and upper grades at HPS. Join with Google Meet here: meet.google.com/rph-upmo-ybm

We are excited to announce that Playhouse in the Park will be offering Spring Classes at HPS! Classes will be held Tuesdays after school at HPS beginning on March 14, as follows:

Cost: $140 (includes a $25 nonrefundable fee) (Please contact Alyse Averdick at averdia@cpsboe.k12.oh.us for scholarship details)

Description: Oh no! Our fairytales have gotten all mixed up! Did Cinderella meet the seven dwarfs or Peter Pan fly to Narnia? Help us on a journey to make sense of these jumbled tales as we learn improvisation and acting skills.

Register here: https://www.cincyplay.com/learn/school-program/classes?q=HydeParkSc

Cost: $155 (includes a $25 nonrefundable fee) (Please contact Alyse Averdick at averdia@cpsboe.k12.oh.us for scholarship details)

Description: And...Action! What happens when our favorite movie characters are thrown into the same story? We'll use improvisation techniques to mash together characters, worlds, and stories. It's up to you to create this new movie!

Register here: https://www.cincyplay.com/learn/school-program/classes?q=HydeParkSc

Here are the Eight Teacher Experiences Up for Auction! (Click each item to view a description, price, and to a make purchase) Please Note: Other Teacher Experiences will be up for auction with bidding during the Spring Celebration on April 14. The Teacher Experiences currently on sale in the links below are all selling for the set prices listed and will remain for sale until all spots for the particular experience are filled.

What are Teacher Experiences? Time donated by our very own HPS Teachers spent with our students doing fun and special out of school activities or outings, like a Reds Game, a special STEAM camp, Principal for the Day, etc.

Why are we opening the bidding early? Teacher experiences have always been a hot ticket item at the Spring Celebration Silent Auction. But by the time the Spring Celebration rolls around on April 14, the weekends remaining in the school year are so few! We decided more time was needed to fit in these memorable times with our beloved HPS Teachers & Staff. So by opening this portion of the Silent Auction early, Teacher Experiences can begin before the Spring Celebration even happens!

You can now purchase your Spring Celebration Tickets right here! This is an event you don't want to miss! Remember, tickets are included with every level of sponsorship! By clicking the sponsorship link, you will see what perks are included with each sponsorship tier, including the number of tickets.

If you would like to become a Business or Family Sponsor, please follow this link, click on the appropriate sponsorship level, and follow the prompts.  You will also see all the perks that accompany each Sponsorship Level! Your contribution will help our PTO bridge the Cincinnati Public School funding gap by covering the costs of field trips, classroom supplies, technology upgrades, and enrichment opportunities for our students.

To avoid multiple asks of the same businesses, the Hyde Park, Oakley, and East Walnut Hills area businesses are being solicited for sponsorships by a committee. But if you work for or have contacts or a relationship with a business that might be interested in sponsoring the Spring Celebration, please feel free to pass along the following sponsorship information. We'd love their partnership!

The HPS PTO is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Sponsors will be provided with a donation acknowledgment for their records. Thank you!

Sponsorships, the Silent Auction, and Raffle Baskets are the keys to making the Spring Celebration a successful fundraiser. We're actively seeking donated gifts and/or services for the Silent Auction and Raffle Baskets as well as Business and Family Sponsorships.

Here are some Silent Auction & Raffle Basket ideas to get the pot stirring: Experience based gifts: a hotel package; a private chef/caterer to cook dinner at your house for a party of 10; 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; Other gifts: 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. The Sky is the Limit! 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.

Planning is underway for the 11th Annual Spring Celebration! If you're new to HPS, Spring Celebration is a large-scale adults-only party that serves as our biggest fundraiser for the year! The Spring Celebration provides an opportunity for HPS families, staff, and community sponsors to celebrate our successful and growing school!

Spring Celebration is Hyde Park School's signature fundraising event. A committee of parent/family volunteers present this adults-only night out, which features music; food and drinks; a Silent Auction; Raffle Baskets; and a mix of other serve-yourself fundraising activities like a Wine Wall, Gift Card Pull, and more in a festive atmosphere. This event is all about building community and celebrating and raising funds for Hyde Park School. At HPS, we are proud to provide a personalized learning environment that supports academic achievement and social-emotional development for children in grades K-6. We are proud to serve more than 550 students primarily from the Hyde Park and Oakley neighborhoods. We are an outstanding school both because of and for our community!

What better way to get the most out of Spring Celebration than by volunteering and being part of the team that makes this spectacular event happen! Links to volunteer opportunities will be posted in this Newsletter in the next few weeks. But in the meantime, we are seeking Sponsorships, Donations to stock the Silent Auction and Raffle Baskets, and Volunteers to be part of the committee that solicits area businesses for sponsorships. If you are interested in helping, please contact Ashley Hammond at president@hydeparkschoolpto.org.

Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly, effectively, and with innovation. Thinking creatively leads to new ideas, new perspectives, increased productivity, and a greater ability to adapt to change. With creativity, no problem can't be solved! Here are some children's books that focus on Creativity.

Here’s a great reason to buy tickets to the April 16 Game v. the Phillies!

Using the Kid's Glove Link below to purchase tickets, the Reds will donate 75% of the ticket price back to HPS Athletics!

Here's what to do (please be sure to follow these steps or your purchase will not be included in the Fundraiser):

1. Click HERE for the Kid's Glove Link to buy tickets.  

4. Enter the number of tickets you want to purchase and filter it down to $12 tickets only (HPS Athletics will receive $9 from every $12 ticket purchased).

8. Contact Megan Rivet if you have any questions at MeganBaker83@gmail.com or 513-802-1822.

Orders for School Yearbooks are open now through April 21! To place your order, visit ybpay.com, and use the Yearbook ID Code listed in the graphic below.

And the theme is Songs from Musicals! Get ready for another night of stunners led by Music Director Mr. Messerly and Art Director Mrs. Best! Kindergarteners will have their own concert the evening of May 25 at a special Stepping Up Ceremony.

1) Use this link to Register for Hyde Park School.

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) If you know anyone else who would like to subscribe to this HPS PTO Weekly Newsletter, please send a request to Michele Berry Godsey at mberrylaw2007@gmail.com.

Kids can bowl for free all summer long! Register at www.kidsbowlfree.com and receive bowling passes for the entire summer! Details below.

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.*

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!