Happy New Year!
We hope everyone enjoyed their winter break. THANK YOU for your continued patience and understanding as we navigate new testing, masking, and quarantine policies. We appreciate you!

We also want to THANK our front office staff, teachers, principals, and administrators for everything they do behind the scenes to keep our children safe and educated during these strange times. We see you and we appreciate YOU!

Be sure to follow Hickory PTA on Facebook and visit hickorypta.net all month for the latest updates.

Important Dates — Mark Your Calendars!
 

• Student Valet Services
  Began on Monday, January 10th
   
• 2021-22 Yearbook Cover Art Contest & Committee Applications
  Deadline: Monday, January 31st
   
• PTA Board Meeting
  Tuesday, January 18th @ 5:30 p.m.
   
• Parent Teacher Conferences & Early Dismissal
  Monday, January 24th to Wednesday, February 2nd 
  1st-5th grade students will be released at 2:12 p.m., please plan accordingly!

Two Exciting Hickory Yearbook 2022 Opportunities
 

1. Cover Art Contest (open to all Hickory students)

Do you want your artwork to be featured on the front or back cover of this year's yearbook? Submit a drawing or digital (computer) designed image by January 31st.

Contest Rules | Submit Your Cover Art 
Deadline: Monday, January 31st

2. Yearbook Committee
Calling all 4th and 5th graders! Do you want to be a part of the yearbook committee? You can help design and sell the yearbook! Requirement: You must be able to meet online and work on a computer.
 

Apply Here

Deadline: Monday, January 31st

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Questions? Please email hickoryptayearbook@gmail.com.
 

Please note: Detailed information about uploading photos for and purchasing the 2021-2022 yearbooks is coming soon. Please check hickorypta.net/yearbook for updates.

Any student who tests positive should notify the school office at 310.533.4672 right away and fill out the reporting link.

Students should then follow guidelines for isolation and family members should be tested and quarantined unless they are fully vaccinated (under 12) and/or fully vaccinated and boosted (if booster eligible for ages 12 and up). You can review vaccination guidelines at the public health website. 

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding!

Urgent Call for Helping Hands

We need your help to run some really fun PTA programs. Please see the flyer below and email hickorypta@outlook.com to let us know if you can help!

Reflections Update

Hope to see all of you continuing to create art and expressing yourselves. Together, we can work to make the world a better place!

Submit Your Box Tops!

An easy way to support Hickory Elementary is to submit Box Tops from your everyday grocery purchases. Just download the Box Tops app to your smartphone and take a picture of your grocery receipt—it’s really that easy.

Here's a list of products that can help you earn money for Hickory.

Great News! If you buy your groceries online or via Instacart, you can still submit your receipts for credit. Reminder: Do not send your receipt as an attachment, otherwise it will not process correctly; just forward the whole email directly from your inbox.

If your digital receipt is only available through your store’s shopping app, you can forward it directly to receipts@boxtops4education.com.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tricia Cole at triciacole@gmail.com.

In-Person Volunteer Opportunities Still Available

Calling all Hickory families! We encourage you to volunteer to help us make this year extra special for our students.

Library

The library is 100% volunteer-based, so let us know if you can donate some time to ensure our students get the learning benefits they missed out on last year!

Interested? Please email Xindy Valesquez & Adrienne Downs at xindyv@me.com & adriennedowns@earthlink.net.

Adventures in Art (AIA)

No art experience required, just a love of art and the willingness to share it with kids. Docents are asked to watch 5 art video tutorials this year, and help teach them to students in class. You may be able to just help set up supplies for the teacher. 

Interested? Please email Amanda Kirsch at hickoryaia.Amanda@gmail.com. 

Please note: As part of the online application process, all volunteers must submit a TB Test/Risk Assessment Form as well as their COVID vaccine documentation OR a recent negative covid test result (PCR and rapid tests accepted). 

AmazonSmile

Shop with Hickory in 2022!
 

Valentine's Day is almost here! Are you shopping for someone special? Hop over to https://smile.amazon.com/ and make "Hickory Elementary School PTA CA" your Smile charity of choice for the month of January. Amazon automatically donates 0.5% of your eligible Charity List purchases to Hickory—at no extra cost to you.

Special thanks to all those who have already signed up! Spread the word to families and friends near and far, as it has truly made an impact.

THANK YOU!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook!

Note: This newsletter does not replace official Hickory or district news. Please make sure you're signed up for email notifications in PowerSchool so you don't miss out on TUSD emails or messages from our principal, Mrs. Mabery.

#HickoryStrong