Hillside Public Schools

Dear Hillside Public Schools Community,

Due to the Governor's declared Weather State of Emergency and the forecasted winter storm impacting New Jersey, all Hillside Public Schools and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, February 23rd, 2026.

The district will continue to assess and closely monitor weather conditions. An additional announcement regarding district operations for Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, will be communicated on Monday, February 23rd, 2026.

The buses for the Union County Vocational Technical Schools in Scotch Plains and the Choice School in Kenilworth will follow their respective school's inclement weather schedule, not the Hillside Public Schools District schedule.

We encourage families and staff to continue monitoring the district website, official social media channels, etc. for the most up-to-date information. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Sincerely,
Dr. Gretel T. Perez
Acting Superintendent
Hillside Public Schools
(908) 352-7664 ext. 9703

🎬✨ Lights. Camera. COMMUNITY at A.P. Morris! Over 310 families joined A.P. Morris Early Childhood Center for an unforgettable Movie Night where students selected between Zootopia 2 and Toy Story 4 🍿 From hot dogs, drinks, and snacks to a true movie-theater atmosphere, staff volunteers created an experience filled with joy, connection, and family engagement. Families also received resources to extend learning at home, using movies as tools for comprehension, conversation, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. A very special thank you to Ms. Batts, Ms. Orfanidis, Ms. Sica, Ms. Greco, Ms. Kelly, Ms. Matos, Mr. Tavares, Mr. Spychalski, Ms. Rudnik, Ms. Rodrigues, Ms. Modena, Ms. Hildebrandt, Ms. Blane, Ms. Branch, Ms. Tait, Ms. Zenoz, Principal Rios, Vice-Principal Nwako, and the incredible custodial staff and security team for ensuring this event was not only successful but safe, welcoming, and truly special for our families. #movienight #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

On Wednesday, February 18th, 2026, our sixth grade teachers explored sparking computational thinking across all subjects using Scratch and micro:bits. They engaged in hands-on projects, physical computing, and discussions on inclusion, collaboration, and perseverance, reinforcing problem-solving and critical thinking skills! Thank you to Computer Science Coach Kelly Griffin, Supervisor Dr. Kumar, and Becky Hansen from Amazon Bootup for supporting this impactful session! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #computerscience #scratch #amazonbootup #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Good day! Please see the following flyers regarding registration for A.P. Morris Early Childhood Center's Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 for the 2026 - 2027 school year! Please scan the QR Code with your phone to access the registration form or visit https://www.hillsidek12.org/page/registration , thank you.

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #registration #earlychildhoodcenter #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Today, Tuesday, February 17th, 2026, was the 100th day of school here at Hillside Public Schools! A.P. Morris Early Childhood Center students and staff celebrated the 100th day of school by dressing up as 100 year olds, participating in fun activities, and more. Shout out to Principal Rios, Vice-Principal Nwako, and Vice-Principal Duncan! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #100thdayofschool #apmorris #studentsfirst

On Friday, February 13th, 2026, at Ola Edward’s Community School (OECS), students led the Black History Month assembly! OECS honored the past, recognized the present, and celebrated the future — the students — while discussing the importance of why we celebrate Black History Month. Students also connected the message to Habit 5 from Leader In Me, Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. The assembly concluded by recognizing the Students of the Month, Character Kids of the Month, and additional teacher-selected award recipients! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory #studentsfirst

Members of the Hurden Looker Elementary School 4th to 6th Grade Art Club spent a heartwarming morning on Tuesday February 10th, 2026, at the Hillside Senior Center, where creativity and community came together stitch by stitch. Students sat side by side with residents, learning knitting and crocheting techniques, sharing stories, and exchanging plenty of laughter. The visit was more than just a crafting session; it was a meaningful opportunity to build connections across generations. Both students and seniors left inspired, with handmade projects in progress and new friendships warmly woven together. Thank you to Ms. Lawler, Art Teacher, for allowing our students to be part of this experience!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hurdenlooker #artclub #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

On Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, Ola Edwards Community School (OECS) hosted a Culture Day! Students wore outfits representing various cultures and communities! Shout out to Ola Edwards Principal Mrs. Davis, Vice-Principal Mr. Guilford, OECS staff and students!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #olaedwardscommunityschool #oecs #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Thank you to everyone who attended last night's (2/12/2026) Hot Cocoa and Hot Tea with Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez! Our community came together for a warm and welcoming evening, as families and staff shared great conversation, meaningful connections, and a collective commitment to supporting our students’ success! Shout out to Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, Ms. Harris for her work in organizing the event, Ms. DeFluri, Ms. Rivera, and all of the Hillside Public Schools staff involved in this event's success!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hotcocoa #tea #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

32 points. Personal best. Big time performance! Aubree Pope put on a SHOW this week for Lady Comets Middle School Girls Basketball, dropping 32 points and setting a new personal record! Hard work. Confidence. Comet pride! Way to lead, Aubree! – Coach Peso & Coach Rosamilia #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #middleschoolbasketball #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Congratulations, Hurden Looker Elementary School! Hurden Looker Elementary School is proud to announce that its students placed 6th nationwide in the Arcademics Cup Multiplication Fluency Competition on Friday, February 6th, 2026! Their hard work, determination, and incredible math skills truly paid off. 💪✨Way to go, Hurden Looker Tigers! Thank you, Mr. Masterson, 4th Grade Teacher, for leading the school to victory, shoutout to Principal Alvarez!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #arcademics #mathematics #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

On Monday, 2/9/2026, Hillside Public Schools educators took a field trip to an Apple Teacher workshop in Short Hills, where they discovered strategies for transforming instruction through iPad. From mastering multitasking and workflow to exploring creative tools like iMovie and GarageBand, teachers saw how Apple’s ecosystem can boost engagement, organization, accessibility, and communication. The session sparked ideas for storytelling, using music to showcase student learning, multilingual learning, and differentiated instruction, while highlighting how thoughtful technology integration deepens learning. A special thank you to Dr. Kumar, our partners at Apple, and our coach, Cecilia, for making this a truly teacher-inspired, student-centered experience! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #ipad #apple #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

National School Counseling Week was celebrated this week (February 2nd, 2026 - February 6th, 2026)! Shoutout to all of our Hillside Public Schools counselors, who were honored and celebrated with an office breakfast! You are all so greatly appreciated @hillsidehs_schoolcounseling.

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #nscw #nscw26 #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Please see the Hillside Public Schools District's schedule of Black History Month events and activities for February! More events will be announced, thank you!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #blackhistorymonth #scheduleofevents #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Congratulations to Hillside High School's Academic Decathlon team for making it to the State Competition for the sixth year in a row! Martide Glaude received a Silver Medal in the Interview category. Salimata Sy received a Bronze Medal in Literature. Eva Oliveira also earned a Bronze Medal in Literature. Angela Betancourt received a Silver Medal in Literature. Dylan Guerreros earned a Bronze Medal in Social Science. Camila DeJesus Souza received two medals: a Gold in Literature and a Bronze in Interview. Kaylah Obeng received four Gold Medals for Art, Literature, Math, and Science. With a Gold Medal in Economics, a second Gold Medal in Science, and a Bronze Medal in Art, Rensh Dascelin scored second place in his division overall for having one of the top scores in the competition! Jesse Poteau was named MVP for his dedication and performance this year. Congratulations and thank you to the Academic Decathlon coaches, Mrs. Corritore, and Mr. Mandy! The team will be competing again on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Westwood Regional High School against the top fifteen teams in the State of New Jersey!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #academicdecathlon #hillsidehighschool #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Today (2/4/2026) is National Read Aloud Day, also known as World Read Aloud Day! Hillside Public Schools District had a massively successful World Read Aloud Day that consisted of Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, Hillside Board of Education President Dr. Howard, Hillside Mayor Ms. Hyatt, @hillside_firefighters, @hillsidepolicenj, Commissioners, Hillside Public Schools Directors, Supervisors, Teachers, and Staff reading to students! Superintendent Pérez read to Ms. Rosamilia's 5th-grade homeroom at Ola Edwards Community School. Our District Leaders visited classrooms throughout Ola Edwards Community School to read to our young students, and the students loved it! Shoutout to Principal Davis, Vice-Principal Guilford, Ms. Dale-Rawls, and more, here are photos from the day!

#hillsidepublicschools #studentsfirst #hillsidenj #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities #worldreadaloudday

Behind the scenes from the Hurden Looker Elementary School News Room! This week, Hurden Looker sixth graders navigated a glitch in the system with grace, teamwork, and professionalism. We are so proud to see their resilience in action! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hurdenlooker #schoolnews #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

On Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, A.P. Morris Early Childhood Center hosted its Family Math Night! A.P. Morris students and families teamed up to play, learn, and explore math together, proof that learning really does add up when families are involved. Thank you to everyone who came out and made it such a great evening! Shoutout to Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, A.P. Morris Principal Ms. Rios, Vice-Principals Ms. Nwako, and Ms. Duncan, Ms. Branch, and all the teachers and staff who participated in Family Math Night, ensuring that it was a success!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #apmorris #familymathnight #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities