Bulldog News

Special weekend brings Hillside community together

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Amidst a campus ablaze with autumnal glory, Hillside welcomed students’ families to Fall Family Weekend on October 16 and 17.

Always a highlight of the school calendar, Fall Family Weekend started on a big note with Grandparents and Grandfriends Day on October 16. True to form, these special visitors celebrated their grandsons with love and attention throughout the day.

The grandparents were welcomed to Hillside by Associate Headmaster Art Goodearl who echoed what has become the school’s theme for this academic year in his opening remarks.

“The motto of ‘counting our blessings’ is meant to be an active phrase which we try to pay attention to all the time,” said Goodearl. “And we count all of you, grandparents and grandfriends, among those blessings.”

He added: “We greatly appreciate your continuing support – you have helped make Hillside a tremendously vibrant school despite these challenging economic times.”

Highlights of the day included grandparents’ visits to their grandsons’ classrooms and, new this year, accompanying them to the first-ever Scholastic Book Fair in the Messman-Saran Library.

Both grandparents and their grandsons eagerly leafed through the wide variety of compelling books available at the fair. Of course, many students came away from the event well stocked with new reading material.

Later in the day, Fall Family Weekend kicked off with two much anticipated events: the HPFA Social, presented by the Hillside Parents and Family Association, and the Hillside Has Talent Show.

The social enabled parents to hear about Hillside’s continuing progress such as the addition of new baseball and lacrosse fields which were constructed over the summer.

Meanwhile, in the Hillside gymnasium, students displayed their considerable performing abilities in the Hillside Talent Show.

The following day, parents were able to visit classrooms and learn more about teachers’ educational goals and objectives for their students.

Afterwards, several on-campus displays were enjoyed by guests and students alike including a hotly contested match featuring faculty/staff/parents versus the Varsity Soccer Team; a cross country fun run along the new Krasnow track; and a special visit of animals from the Hillside Farm.

The festivities concluded with a delicious gala luncheon in the Student Center dining room as everyone joined in counting the many blessings of the Hillside community.

Hillside faculty member Ray Cross (left) goes up against Kenan Williams '10 in the Parents/Faculty/Staff versus Hillside Varsity Soccer team game.

Hillside parents listen to art teacher Kristen Combs explain her instructional methods during Fall Family Weekend.

David Dickey '12 (center) is accompanied to the first-ever Hillside Book Fair by his grandmothers, Michele Noriega and Marie Wood.