Dear Hills Garrison Families,
We hope this letter finds you in good spirits and that you have enjoyed a fun-filled summer. We are thrilled to welcome both our returning families and those joining us for the first time. Our dedicated team of teachers and staff has been working diligently to ensure a safe, engaging and nurturing environment for your children to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Our first day of school will be Monday, August 28th.
Key Information for the Upcoming School Year:
Meet & Greet
“MEET AND GREET YOUR TEACHER” will be held on August 25th from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to stop by the school to meet their teachers, walk around the building and get a sense of their surroundings. Please note teacher assignments will be posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal mid-August.
ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL
Drop-off/Pick-up Options: We have three choices: riding the bus to and or from school, car drop off/pick-up, independent walker/bike riders,
A.M.
In the morning, bus students will enter through the front of the building and will go directly to class. Car drop off students will enter through the back door car line and go directly to class. Independent walkers will enter through the main lobby door and go directly to class.
**Students may not arrive before 8:20 a.m. The school doors are locked and duty teachers begin to supervise at 8:20 a.m. The student day starts at 8:45 a.m.. After the 8:45 bell students are considered tardy for the school day.
P.M.
In the afternoon, bus students will be dismissed from the classrooms. Car pick-up students will exit through the back door, with duty staff grouping students inside to be dismissed to waiting vehicles. We will have 2 car lanes, and as cars pull up with numbered placard on the car dashboard (pick-up number that corresponds to your child), students will be grouped accordingly and released by duty staff to vehicles. Independent walkers will exit out of the main lobby door to walk home self-reliantly.
**Students will not be dismissed to anyone other than their parent or guardian. If you wish to arrange to have another person pick up your child, please send a note or call indicating the change of dismissal. We require updated notes for each student every school year. No exceptions. (If permission is not granted, we will contact you.)
CAR PICK-UP STUDENTS
For those students who will be carpooling every day or on specified days during the week, we ask that you pick up a numbered carpool placard during our “Meet and Greet”. If you are not able to get your placard on that day, you will need to contact the main office if your child will be parent pick up on that first day of school. Please display your placard on the dashboard each time you pick up in the back of the school. We will be providing 2 copies of the placard for your convenience. Classroom teachers can also supply the placards on the first day of school. Feel free to call the main office with any questions.
**At the end of the school day car pick up students will be dismissed at 3:00 p.m. and bus students are dismissed at 3:05 p.m.
HGS DISMISSAL FORM: We need a completed HGS Dismissal form to be completed for each student. This tells us how the student will be getting home at the end of each day. We will have these forms in each classroom during our “Meet and Greet” on August 25th from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., but if you cannot make it to the event that day, they will be handed out the first day of school.
BUS INFORMATION
Bus schedules and routes will be posted on the district website as soon as available and will be posted on the lobby windows of the school. First Student is our district bus company their number is (603) 883-0251
ATTENDANCE, TARDINESS, AND TRUANCY
There is a district policy for Attendance, Tardiness, and Truancy which is available online District Policy. Please establish the habit of being on time for school. This helps your student learn about routines and commitment.
REPORTING ABSENCE
We have a school call in program in effect at Hills Garrison School. The Hudson School District asks that if your child is absent or tardy, parents call the school and inform us. You may call the night before or the morning of the absence. Our automated phone telephone system directs you to our absentee line (603-881-3930 x3). For your convenience, we also have an Absentee Form on our website (under Families) that can be completed to report your child’s absence. Doctor notes are required for excused/documented absences.
PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK
The Hills Garrison Parent/Student Handbook can be found on our website at Parent/Student Handbook under Families. If you would like a hard copy, please request one through the main office.
CONTACT INFORMATION
All parents will need to go online to the PowerSchool Portal (this is the Hudson School District’s student management system) to complete a handbook and policy review, signing off on several required forms. In order to complete this process, it is important for each student to have a parent/guardian with access to a PowerSchool Portal (this is also where you will have access to report cards).
Use the following steps to complete this process:
- Go to PowerSchool Portal
- All parents should already have an established username/password.
- Use that information to log in to complete the review process.
- If for some reason you do not have a username/password, please contact the school.
*Please be sure that we have your up-to-date phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses on file at all times.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
We provide school supplies for all students for their daily classroom use. If your child likes a special type of pencil or other supply that works for them, certainly feel free to send those with your child. Children will find it helpful if you set up a work area at home with pencils, crayons, markers and such to help with homework projects. A backpack or school bag is necessary for carrying things to and from school. Please make sure to put your child’s name in all backpacks, lunchboxes, and outer clothing.
STUDENT HEADPHONES
As most of our formative and state testing is now through adaptive, computerized assessments students are required to have headphones. However, if you would rather your child bring in their own headphones, teachers will gladly allow them to do so. These headphones will remain the child’s responsibility. Each classroom has a set of headphones that are assigned to each student. If class headphones are damaged it is the student/family responsibility to replace them.
SNACK TIME
Every class sets aside snack time during the day. This is an important part of your child’s day. It is a time to replenish their energy by eating/ drinking the things you have packed. Please be sure your child has a healthy snack daily. Students are to bring a water bottle each day, it is helpful to label the water bottle with your child’s name.
PRESCRIPTIONMEDICATIONS
The School nurse can only administer prescriptions from a doctor who directs them to do so. Please keep it in mind when you bring a prescription item to school. All medicine (in its original container) must be brought in by an adult and logged in by the nurse or other school official. No medicine may be transported by a student.
Monthly Communication
Please keep up to date with Hills “happenings” by visiting our school website regularly as well as looking for principal emails.
Home/School Communication
On the first day of school, each child will bring home a “Home/School Communication” folder. This folder will be used to go between school and home daily, so please send it back each day with your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school at any time.
Your Hills Garrison staff are eagerly awaiting the start of a wonderful school year and look forward to seeing families and students very soon.
Kindest Regards,
Theo Tufts
Principal