Sponsored Events
Book Fair
Each fall and spring, the PTO sponsors a Scholastic Book Fair. Books are available for all ages. This is one of our major fundraising events of the year. Children and staff have time to view books and create Wish Lists. Profits can be significant, as this is one of our major fundraisers, and go toward sponsoring purchases and activities for the entire school.
Conference Suppers
During Parent-Teacher Conferences, meals are provided for the staff by parent volunteers. Through this event, teachers are able to enjoy a nice meal between conferences.
Field Trip Buses
The PTO funds one bus trip for each grade level during the school year. The bus trips are picked by the teachers and are educational and fun for all students.
Fundraising
Fundraising is our major source of funding for our PTO events and activities. The parents of Hillcrest have been extremely cooperative and helpful with all of our fundraisers.
Family Fun Night
An explosion of excite and fun activities for all ages. Family Fun Night has become our premiere school activity providing not only a fabulous evening of family-friendly activities, but also a great fundraising experience. This PTO committee works hard to obtain donated items from families and business to auction at this event, and each classroom is assigned a theme basket to create. This is truly a Hillcrest winner! The form to pre-order tickets for the 2012 Family Fun Night can be found here. Family Fun Night Word Search.
General Mills UPC (Box Tops) & Campbell Soup Label Program
Box Tops off of General Mills products and labels/UPC codes from Campbell's products are collected to earn money for our school. Items can be trimmed from the product and placed in a Ziploc bag for return to the school. Collection boxes are available in each classroom. Hillcrest earns money and/or merchandise for each label/UPC turned in.
Multi-Cultural Activities
Each year the committee selects a nationality or region to highlight and expose to our students. Through a variety of activities including community members who share with our students, we learn about a new and different culture. Students are encouraged to share their heritage. The event culminates with Cultural Night featuring foods from the highlighted nationality/region and family favorites, international music and cultural presentations.
Newsletters
The PTO distributes a monthly newsletter along with copies of the previous month's meeting minutes to each family via the red Wednesday folder. The newsletter and minutes are also available on our website.
Reading Program
Each year our volunteers create a reading program designed to encourage students and their families to read regularly. Students meeting specific milestones (minutes read or read to) receive tokens denoting their participation. Students have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the Principal and posted in the main hallway for meeting a specific level of minutes. Every year the students are eager to find out what the Reading Program theme will be. The program begins in October and runs through spring.
Science and Interest Fair
Each year our students have the opportunity to share their interests and/or an invention of their own with fellow students and the community. In addition to learning about inventions, they are also exposed to students and staff at PHS who have shared their scientific learning with our students. The fair culminates with a display of all submissions, open to the Hillcrest community. Parent volunteers plan this event from start to finish.
Volunteering
The cornerstone of Hillcrest. Parent volunteers are the KEY to our success and allow many activities to take place for our students and their families. Numerous opportunities exist to share your time and talents, so please volunteer as you are able.