Here’s a summary of the information from the Hill 2008-2009 Parent Handbook.
For additional details on updates to this information, or if you have a question regarding this information, please contact the Hill Office at 414-2369.
Hill Office (414-2369)
TEXAS COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW (CHAPTER 25 OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE) AND AISD BOARD POLICY
The academic success of every student at Hill is important to us. Daily school attendance and arrival on time are critical to this success and should be the goal of every parent/guardian and child.It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to monitor their child’s attendance, require them to attend school, arrive at 7:45 AM and stay through 2:45 PM.According to this law, AISD may file a complaint against the parent/guardian in a justice court if a student is absent or arrives late without a written excuse on 3 or more days or parts of days within a four-week period.We must file a complaint against the parent/guardian in a justice court if a student is absent or late without a written excuse on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year.Parents/guardians should always present a note to the office explaining their child’s absence or tardiness for any portion of a school day.Students/parents are expected to provide written documentation for each absence within two school days after the student returns to school.When a student has an appointment with a health care professional and returns to school on the same day of the appointment, a note from the health care professional should be presented to the office.
Call the office at 414-2369 to report absences.Send a note to the office to explain absences and tardiness when returning to school.
Teachers need at least 24 hours notice to prepare makeup work.
Religious Holy Days–According to the State Board of Education, “students shall be excused from attending school for the purpose of observing religious holy days when it is a tenet of their faith that they must be absent from school during such time, provided a written request is sent in advance by the parent or guardian.”This statement includes all religious affiliations.Students will be counted in attendance if required make-up work is completed satisfactorily.
AISD policy does not allow individual birthdays to be celebrated at school. Birthdays are acknowledged each Wednesday at our morning assembly. Teachers may provide ways to recognize individual children in the classroom on their birthdays. AISD policy also does not allow individual party invitiations to be distributed at school unless every child in the room receives one.
Breakfast: For students who arrive before 7:40 am.
| Breakfast | $1.25 |
| Lunch | $2.10 |
| Weekly | $10.50 |
| Add’l. milk/juice | $0.60 |
| Adult lunch | $3.00 |
Lunch: It is best to purchase lunch tickets by the week. Lunch tickets will be sold on Monday by the cashier in the cafeteria. Cash only is accepted. Checks will not be accepted. Parents may also use mylunchmoney.com to purchase lunches with a credit card. Additional milk, juice, or snacks may be purchased in the cafeteria. Do not send soft drinks or gum in your child’s lunch. We expect that your children will:
Hill provides a small after-school Child Care Program. Please call Mrs. Carlson, 414-4265, for more information. The names and phone numbers of other child care programs in the area may also be obtained by calling the school office.
| 7:35 am | Assembly in Cafeteria |
| 7:45 am | Classes Begin! |
| Students arriving after this time must go to the office for a tardy slip | |
| 2:45 pm | Dismissal for all students |
The 7:35 a.m. assembly is a lively Hill tradition. It’s a cozy, friendly way for each child to start the day. Students are seated with their class in the same location in the cafeteria every day. Please see to it that your child attends this celebration of learning.
Appropriate behavior is taught and expected. Respect lies at the heart of each school rule and expectation. Please see the AISD Student Code of Conduct which will be sent home shortly.
I will respect myself … others … property.
It is essential that the school have CURRENT home, work, and emergency numbers for each child. If a child is sick or hurt, we need to be able to contact a parent immediately. Help us keep these names and numbers up to date by calling the school office with any changes or updates.
Students are required to dress appropriately for active learning and play. Hill will follow the AISD dress code. Specific guidelines will be shared in grade level communications.
Items are placed in the “Lost and Found” near the North entrance. Children and parents are encouraged to regularly check for items that are lost.
In order for AISD staff to administer medication, a parent must sign a Request for Administration of Medication by School Personnel form. Obtain these forms from the school office. All medication must be in the original container clearly showing the student’s name. Students are responsible for coming to the office to take medication.
Here are some ways parents can support learning:
Students depend on adults for safety. Please:
Purses and backpacks: Student purses and backpacks brought to school are subject to reasonable search by a school official (teacher, principal, assistant principal) when he or she has established reasonable cause to believe the student is violating or has violated a student code of conduct rule, school rule or law.New Jersey v. T. L. O., 469 U. S. 325 (1985); Coffman v. State, 782 S.W.2d 249 (Tex. App. – Houston (14th Dist.) 1989). Parents should remind students not to bring items to school that are in violation of the AISD Student Code of Conduct (guns, knives, weapons, drugs, etc.).
School desks: School desks are school property and may be searched for contraband, overdue or missing books, stolen items, and spoiled food. As these are school property, the student and parent are on notice that there is a diminished expectation of privacy in the use of the desks. Highly valuable items and those with sentimental value should remain at home as the school is not responsible for the loss or theft of such items.
Any contraband found in plain sight will be confiscated and the student may be subjected to disciplinary action.
Students are granted access to the Internet and Worldwide Web only with the supervision of a Hill staff member. Parents may deny their child permission to use the Internet at school by writing a letter to the principal.
The school telephones are considered business phones. Students may use the phone only for an emergency. Make social arrangements prior to coming to school. Elementary students may possess paging devices and cell phones, as defined by law and this policy, while on school property or while attending school-sponsored or school-related activities on or off school property. However, phones must be turned off and kept out of sight at all times while on school property. Elementary students who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary measures. District employees may confiscate any cell/paging devices found on school property that causes a distraction to other students.
Buses only will drop off in the back driveway of the school. Parents use the front circle drive for dropping off.
Parking at Hill is very limited. Please do not park in the designated teacher parking areas during school hours. Parents may use the front parking area in the circle drive or street parking. However, please do not block driveways of neighbors and follow the instructions on the posted signs for parking hours.
Bus Behavior–Riding the bus is a privilege, not a right. Children are responsible for their behavior on the bus. Students must remain in their seats while on the bus. In hazardous weather, listen to local radio stations for school closings and bus information.
If picking up your child from school at the end of the school day, please drive through the front circle drive where your child will be waiting.
If you must pick up your child inside the school at the end of the day, parents will come to the cafeteria at 2:35 PM. Areas will be designated for grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Students will enter the cafeteria through the front doors behind the Yellow Brick Wall, and parents will exit with their children out the side doors on either side of the stage.
Under no circumstances are parents allowed to congregate by the Yellow Brick Wall, in the front hallway, outside classrooms, or outside the office to wait for the 2:45 bell.
Austin Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability or English language skills in its programs and activities.
Hill Elementary School believes all students should receive an education in an environment free from sexual harassment or any other inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature. Hill School is committed to creating a safe, healthy learning environment for all students that encourages respect, dignity, and equality among students. Thus, sexual harassment of students, teachers and staff will not be tolerated at school or school-sponsored or school-related activities such as field trips or special events where the student is under the control of the school.
Austin I.S.D. encourages parent and student support in its efforts to address and prevent sexual harassment in the public schools. Students and/or parents are encouraged to discuss their questions and concerns about this area with a teacher, counselor, or principal.
Hill Elementary School is sensitive to the needs of food allergic individuals. Please confer with your homeroom teacher regarding any dietary restrictions before sending food items to school.
No animals except those used in the instructional program or those used by persons as seeing-eye dogs shall be allowed in District facilities.
Source: AISD Parent Handbook. 2008-2009
Hill is where we work
And it’s where we play,
As we grow and learn
With each passing day.
Standards high,
Orange and White,
Armadillos shining bright,
True to Hill in every way.
Hill’s the best from coast to coast.
May that always be our boast.
Do our best and reach up high,
WE ARE PROUD OF HILL.
-Bobbi Gillotti
Our Hill School Mascot is “DASH” the armadillo. Be on the look out for DASH to appear at events throughout the school year.
The Hill School Mission is to inspire each student to be a socially responsible, life-long learner, through a comprehensive educational foundation.
WE BELIEVE….
Note to Parents:
Keep your child’s Emergency Contact Information up-to-date. We can’t contact you in the case of an emergency if we don’t have your current phone numbers!
AISD and each individual campus have a Safety and Crisis Plan covering every conceivable situation from fire to bad weather to criminal acts on campus. The plans are reviewed and revised every year and are available for examination in the campus or district office. AISD also requires that school administrators annually attend emergency and crisis training.
AISD Cable channels 18 and 22, updates and headlines 24 hours a day.
District website @ http://www.austin.isd.tenet.edu
AISD Police Emergency Phone: 512/414-1703
Dear Hill Families, I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break! I was able to enjoy some time off with my family, traveling to see my 90 year-old grandmother. Upon our return to school, the students were so excited to share their travels around Texas, the US and the world with us at Assembly. These [...]
