Hillside Fellowship

November is almost upon us, with its grey, windy days and wild storms. As the chill increases, events are heating up at Hillside. Read on!

Weather Alert

Please be aware that Hillside has an unusual microclimate. Due to its location and height on Cougar Mountain, we often are subject to ice and snow when other areas are not. For this reason, the hilly roads leading to the school can be treacherous in inclement weather. If you hear of any possibility of ice or snow (or severe winds) in the Greater Seattle region, after 6:30 a.m., please check the website, http://www.hillsidesc.org for notification, or call the school number, 425-747-6448, to hear the recorded message regarding start times or cancellation.

Please also note that, at such times, it may be necessary to cancel the van service even though it is possible to have school. Any such transportation change will also be noted on the web site and the phone message. If no change is necessary, the message will be normal.

To those who wonder why our status does not appear on schoolreport.org, we regret to say that, due to our small size, they will not list us.

Wednesday, November 2, Block IC begins

7/8 Washington State History
9-11 Western Civilization after 1600

Friday, November 4, TEACHERS` MEETING 3:30-5:00 pm

Saturday, November 5, OPEN HOUSE 1:00-3:00 pm

We have a wonderful learning community at Hillside. Please invite your friends and coworkers to come and learn more about us at our upcoming Open House. Postcards announcing the date of this and our January Open Houses are available to you on the table in our foyer; share them with your neighbors and friends, and display them at your workplace and community gathering places. Get the good news of our exciting curriculum and supportive community out to the greater public! Our satisfied families are our best advertising.

It’s here again! The Hillside Book Fair is set for Monday, November 14 at Island Books Etc., a small, independent bookstore on Mercer Island. 20% of the proceeds support your school. Now’s your chance to buy all your holiday gifts—and benefit Hillside at the same time! Tell your friends and forward this note to them! Remember, one of the best gifts for an adult or a child is a book.

When: Monday, November 14
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Island Books Etc.
3014 78th Ave. SE
Mercer Island, Washington 98040
206-232-6920

RSVP: For this event to succeed, we need to come up with a minimum number of interested families. Please reply so we can confirm with the bookstore the number attending. Contact Susan Wedgewood at Susan@hillsidesc.org or at 425-649-9388.

We request that parents remember to attend to their children so that we may continue to make this an intergenerational fundraiser.

Post Scriptum

1. You can come in anytime during that day and make purchases crediting Hillside.
2. You can send in a proxy to purchase books for you – payments must be made on Monday, Nov 14th.
3. Anyone who wishes to make a phone order can do so on Monday, November 14th only and pay for purchases over the phone.

For directions to Island Books Click here.
To see a map, click here.

Wednesday, November 16, Biology Poster Session 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Come learn from the experiments our students have developed in Laura’s first trimester 7-8 Chemistry Experiments and 9-11 Biology Plant Experiments block classes! Students will present posters detailing their investigations and discuss the process by which they obtained their results. Prepare to be intrigued and delighted. Refreshments will be served.

We are growing a crop of highly able, analytical scientists at Hillside!

Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, Thanksgiving Vacation

Tuesday, November 29, Block IIA begins

7/8 American Lit and Comp
9 Art
10-11 Biology (lab)

Upcoming events in December:

Trimester I Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences will be held in early December.

We will be sending out information about conference sign up on or about November 1st.

Conference dates:

Monday, December 5: Grades 9 – 12
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences 3:30 – 6:30 pm

Monday, December 12: Grades 7-8
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences 3:30 – 6:30 pm

Tuesday, December 13: Grades 5-6
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences 3:15 – 7:00 pm

MOHAI
Thursday October 13th
7:30 p.m

Last April, Jean Sherrard, Paul Dorpat and Berangere Lomont opened their hit Paris/Washington State repeat photography exhibition ‘Now and Then’ at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry.  If you missed the opening (which attracted more people that any opening in the museum’s history), have no fear!

This Thursday you can join Jean and Paul at MOHAI as they enlighten and entertain you with their behind-the-scenes adventures in finagling the sometimes dangerous and often difficult-to-get images for the exhibit!  Guests are encouraged to bring their questions and curiosity for this in-depth look at the magic of photography with two masters.

Find out more about the Exhibit, which runs through June 1, 2012.

Cost:
Museum of History and Industry Members: Free
General Public: $8 through brownpapertickets.com
$10 at the door

Museum Location:
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112

Teachers’ Meeting
Friday, October 7, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

Block Schedule
Block IIB begins Tuesday, October 11
7/8   General Science with Laura
9-11  Literary Criticism with Kael

Testing
On Wednesday, October 12, students in grade 11 will take the PSAT from 9:00 am-12 noon (at Hillside).
On Tuesday, October 18, students in grade 10 will take the PLAN test from 9:00 am-12 noon (at Hillside).

Hillside’s All Family Fall Social 
Date:  Saturday, October 15
Time:  6:30 – 8:00 pm
Come one, come all!  All Hillside families are invited to attend Hillside’s annual Fall Social.  Hillside will provide the refreshments and Jean Sherrard, our Drama teacher, will be our Master of Ceremonies for this evening of fun and frolic.  We hope you will join us and become better acquainted with the broader Hillside community!

Parent Council Meeting
Date:Thursday, October 20
Time:  7:00 – 8:30 pm
All Hillside Student Community Parents, past and present, are invited to participate in Hillside’s Parent Council.  Come share your ideas with other parents, alumnae, and staff.  Your feedback on our program and ideas about strengthening our community are integral to Hillside’s well being.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Grades 7-12 Halloween Party
Date:  Saturday, October 29
Time:  7:00 – 10:00 pm
All students in grades 7 – 12 are invited to the Upper School Hillside Halloween Party.  We will have pizza and treats, play games, and hear one of Jean’s wonderful, spooky stories.  We ask $10 per student to cover the cost of supplies.  Please give checks or cash to Susan by
Monday, October 24.
Come in costume, ready to surprise and be surprised!

Community Building Day
September 17, 2011
There may have been drizzle but spirits were bright.

(photos courtesy of Monique Catino)

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Hello Hillsiders!

You may have noticed that we have a few new teachers this year. We’ve asked each of them to introduce themselves with a paragraph or two about their lives.  Read up – there may be a test later.

Here you go –  in alphabetical order:

Merideth Block – Grades 5/6 Supervising Teacher, Humanities

Merideth Block has been teaching forever.  She began her work interning in the

Merideth and Erik in Japan

classroom at a YWCA domestic violence shelter during her undergraduate program at Earlham College.  After a few years as a psychiatric social worker, she moved to Japan with her husband Erik to teach English.  She then moved to Monterey, California where she began teaching in her first 7th grade classroom and received her Masters in Education from Chapman University.  After another stint in Japan she worked at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto, CA, Spring Street International School in Friday Harbor, WA before being welcomed to Hillside.  These were in middle school Humanities programs.

As well as teacher, Merideth is also a student.  She studies the fiddle, theater (acting, directing, and scenic design and painting), draws, reads tons, and practices Vipassana meditation.

Merideth as the Deaf Mute in “Madwoman of Chaillot”

For fun outside the classroom, Merideth swing dances “East Coast” with her husband.  She is an avid knitter, doing mostly stranded colorwork and fair isle.  She travels as much as possible and loves hiking in both urban and rural environments.  She has two cats, one beta fish, a parakeet named Bob, and shares a dog with her mother in Spokane.  She bakes a lot but hates cooking.  Her dearest desires are to drive a reasonably priced car on Top Gear (UK, thank-you) and to be a companion to Doctor Who.

Monique Catino – French II

Monique and her two Charlies

Jain Young-Pak – Intermediate Math, Algebra I & II, PE

Hi, my name is Jain Pak. I am a graduate student at the University of Washington obtaining my master’s degree in secondary math education. I am very excited to start my teaching career at Hillside.

Jain with her family

I lived in South Korea for about 11 years and moved to Washington State during high school. My favorite food is korean food, especially kimchi. I must have it with everything I eat! I don’t think I can live without it 

I absolutely love the outdoors. I like to play basketball, go out for hikes, bike rides, and just be outside. I love to be with my family and friends. I love love traveling around all different countries and eating food from many countries. I have traveled all around Asia and Europe. My next trips are South America and Africa.

Jain picnicking and playing volley ball in Denver

I am pretty outgoing once I get used to my surroundings and I love meeting new kinds of people.

And one of my favorite quotations is:

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

– Michael Jordan

Ashley Thirkill-Mackelprang – Spanish

I am a great example of how much speaking Spanish can open up the world to great

Ashley in San Cristobal

interaction and learning opportunities. Most of my travel has involved research, teaching or study around peace and conflict. I backpacked through Central America with my husband and lived with local families as I researched war and recovery in Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. This is where most of the pictures I sent you come from — the one with the kids is in a market in the Guatemalan highlands called Solola’. Another is at ancient Mayan Tikal ruins that were uncovered in the northeastern Guatemalan jungle.

Ashley with kids in Solola’

The Hillside campus was abuzz with activity this summer. From cooking to improv with stops along the way for writing, basket making, marbling, pinhole cameras, forest exploration and mosaics (just to name a few), there was plenty to do.
And here’s the proof!

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You won’t want to miss out on the fun next year!

Email Monique to make sure you hear about the plans for next summer.

The classrooms at Hillside may be quiet but our Hillside Thespians are still “trodding the boards!”

Come enjoy a rollicking night of musical theatre and support fellow Hillside thespian, Flora Whiting in Youth Theatre Northwest’s production of The Who’s Tommy.

This is not your parents’ Tommy. Brian Whiting reports ” it’s cleaned up, comprehensible and full of heart and affirmation.” You are guaranteed to leave the theatre humming Pete Townshend’s award winning tunes.

In fact, I dare you to watch the following YouTube video without breaking into a smile and reliving a few fond memories.

There are only a few more performances left. The show runs through July 31st with performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2pm. For more information and to buy tickets, contact the Youth Theatre Northwest at 206.232.4145 ext 109 or go online.

It is with great pride that we announce the graduation of our eight seniors: Halla Anne Benet-Stone, Alexander Miles Harper, Andrew Richard Haupt, Jacob Sheldon Hunter, Nathan Sheldon Hunter, Anika Britt Lavine, Amy Elizabeth Spens, and Alexander Kenneth Webb.

We are delighted with our Senior Class’ accomplishments.

All of our graduates will be attending a four-year college in the fall and all have received academic scholarship monetary awards from the colleges they will be attending.

Halla will be attending Evergreen State College and received Evergreen’s Academic Achievement Scholarship.

Miles will be attending Evergreen State College in Olympia and received Evergreen’s Academic Achievement Scholarship.

Drew will be attending Evergreen State College in Olympia and received Evergreen’s Academic Achievement Scholarship.

Jacob, a National Merit Commended Scholar, will be attending Whitworth College in Spokane. He received Whitworth’s ‘Mind and Hearts’ scholarship, and was awarded their ‘Math Talent’ scholarship award. He is the recipient of the Washington State’s Academic Honors Award, which places him in the top 10% of all high school students in Washington State.

Nathan, a National Merit Commended Scholar, will also be attending Whitworth College. He received Whitworth’s ‘Mind and Hearts’ scholarship, and was awarded Whitworth’s ‘Physics Talent’ scholarship. He is the recipient of the Washington State’s Academic Honors Award.

 Anika will be attending Occidental College in Los Angeles where she was awarded their ‘Honors Scholarship’. She received Washington State’s Academic Honors award.

Amy, a National Merit Scholar, will be attending Bowdoin College. She is the recipient of the University Women’s Club Scholarship in addition to scholarships from the College Board and Bowdoin College. She was awarded Washington State’s Academic Honors Award.

Alex will be attending Evergreen State College in Olympia and received Evergreen’s Academic Achievement Scholarship.

We are honored to have had the opportunity to lay the groundwork for our students’ academic careers, and look forward to hearing of their future accomplishments.   The world needs their many gifts, and it is with full hearts that we send them onward!

We’ve set the Hillside production of AS YOU LIKE IT in the proximate 30s. The action in the original careens between a French city and the pastoral forest of Arden.  In our production, the city is an eastern U.S. metropolis, and our countryside exists somewhere in pastoral Appalachia.  In this world, between mobsters and moonshiners, we find our banished lovers searching for love and restoration.

Rosalind, considered by scholar Harold Bloom to be among Shakespeare’s greatest and most fully realized female characters, leads us on a delightful gender-bending romp through a pastoral setting in which love can’t help but blossom with the coming Spring.

You will definitely want to join us for the fun.  Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.

And don’t forget to go to get your show memorabilia and other Hillside goodies at our very own Hillside Shop! All proceeds go to support Hillside programs.

The week of April 25^th through 29^th featured the first annual Spirit Week at Hillside.  On Monday,  students came to school in their pajamas with their favorite stuffed animals in tow.   Tuesday, the classrooms were filled with hippies and various clashing shades of tie-dye.  Crazy hair and crazy hats abounded on Wednesday.   Thursday,  seemed almost “normal” until you realized that everyone was only wearing black or white.  The week ended with formal Friday, and students looked very sophisticated in dresses, shirts and ties. This week of fun, led up to the first annual club-style dance in Hillside history and it was a great success.

On Friday, the school was completely transformed into a night club,  complete with twinkling string lights and a black light dance floor.   Black light reactive décor was hung all over the ceiling and walls.   All of the work to decorate,  organize and advertise this event was  accomplished by the Dance Committee: Ari Schrier, Alden Littlefield, Charlie Catino, Amy Spens, Carter (Andreas) Wyatt, Corinna Nelson, Silke Vandenbossche,  Danielle Parter, Audrey and Riley Miller under the direction of Sherrie Littlefield and Monique Catino.

The dancing started at 7:30 pm,  with a retrospective of songs through the decades starting with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry in the 50’s to  The Beatles, Beach Boys, and the Who in the 60’s.
The 70’s featured a few classic disco tunes by the Bee Gees and of course the YMCA by the Village People which segued into the 80’s with Michael Jackson:  Beat It,  Thriller. Rounding out the decade iconic 80’s new wave:  Safety Dance, Walk like an Egyptian and the B-52’s Love Shack blasted.  The 90’s decade featured U-2,  Jett, Green Day and the dance ended with the 21^st century pulsing strains of dance club hits by Lady Gaga, Daft Punk, Katy Perry, Usher and more.  The students decked themselves out in white and wore glow stick bangles in almost every combination imaginable.  It was “glow-rific”!

Many thanks to all those students who brought potluck snacks and drinks and showed their community spirit by dancing the night away.  Additional thanks and kudos to the dancing, dance chaperones:  Luke and Laura Colasurdo,  Amy and Brian Stotts, David and Sherrie Littlefield.