Hillside Public Schools

The Women of Wellness (W.O.W.) sponsored a CPR training and earned CPR certification for 27 Hillside Innovation Academy (H.I.A.) students on Thursday, May 28th, 2026 in the Hillside Board Conference Room! Upon completion of the training each student successfully passed a written examination. Great work H.I.A. Scholars!

The Science Fair 2026 at Hurden Looker Elementary School, May 28th, 2026! "A heartfelt thank you goes out to Ms. Crisanaz, Ms. Griffin, Ms. Tragale, Ms. Williams, and Ms. Welsh for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to science excellence. Your efforts inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning in our students every day. We also extend our sincere appreciation to all of the parents for their support, encouragement, and participation in making this event such a success. Together, we are fostering the next generation of scientists, innovators, and problem-solvers!"

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Congratulations to all of our Hillside Public Schools student winners of the Charlotte Jones Black History Month Essay Contest, hosted annually by the Hillside Branch of the NAACP! Last week, Founder and President of the Hillside Branch of the NAACP, Mrs. Graves-Watson, visited Ola Edwards Community School, Deanna G. Taylor Academy, and Hurden Looker Elementary School, to recognize and present our winning students with certificates and gift cards in honor of their outstanding essays and achievements!

Our Hillside High School students showed out at the Prom Showcase yesterday (5/28/2026)! These photos and more can be viewed on the Hillside High School Photo Gallery Site: https://sites.google.com/hillsidek12.net/hhsphotogallery/2025-2026?authuser=0 (paste this link into your browser). Shout out to Mr. Frisch and Mr. Williamson for capturing photos of this spectacular showcase. Thank you to the Showcase MC, Mr. McCoy, Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, Principal Emenaka, Hillside Board of Education President, Dr. Howard, the Hillside Board of Education members, Hillside High School students, security, and staff!

Today (5/28/2026), the New Jersey Sustainable Greenhouse Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony was held in the Garden area of Hillside High School! This greenhouse will extend the planting season where students can engage year-round in hands-on learning through gardening, sustainability initiatives, environmental exploration, and greenhouse activities! This project was funded by a $10,000 grant through the Sustainable Jersey Grants Program funded by the NJEA. After the ribbon cutting, Hillside Public Schools' Kindergarten classes participated in special garden-themed activities celebrating this exciting new learning space! Shoutout to the Hillside High School Garden Club ), Ms. Ambrose, Dr. Baskerville, Principal Emenaka, Sustainable NJ (), the New Jersey Education Association () Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, the Hillside Board of Education, Mr. DeFluri and the Buildings and Grounds Department, B.A. McNeil, (), our students, and more!

“Spring Sensation” was a beautiful celebration of music, hard work, and school spirit at Hurden Looker Elementary School! A huge thank you to our amazing teachers, Ms. Valiante and Mr. Brandyberry, for your dedication, guidance, and support in making this concert such a special night for our students!

Today, Friday, May 22, 2026, Hillside Public Schools District and W.O.K. Middle School held its Lumi Showcase! This exciting event highlighted the use of the Lumi AI platform to create comic books and graphic novels! W.O.K. Middle School Student Illuminators showcased their work in the W.O.K. auditorium and Media Center! Scholars have been utilizing Lumi, which has provided them with access to digital storytelling tools. The Student Illuminators presented their projects to their 7th and 8th grade peers, parents, families, dignitaries, Hillside community members, Lumi CEO Colin Kaepernick , Hillside Public Schools Directors, Principals, and more! The Hillside Public Schools District and author, activist, athlete, entrepreneur, and founder of the AI platform Lumi, Colin Kaepernick, formed a partnership in February of 2025 to work with students of the Hillside Public School District. Thank you to all of the Hillside Public Schools District and Lumi AI staff, and students who made this incredible event possible, including Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, the Hillside Board of Education, Principal of W.O.K. Middle School, Dr. Wilson, and Vice-Principal of W.O.K. Middle School Ms. Scott-Jackson!

Deanna G. Taylor Academy (DGTA) hosted its Iron Chef cooking competition on May 20th, 2026! 4 aspiring chefs representing the two sixth grade classes at DGTA competed to make the best grilled cheese sandwich and soup using ingredients provided by ! DGTA's Principal Graham, Ms. Fernandes, and Security Officer Batts, served as judges for the competition. Our chefs' classmates joined in on the fun, cheering and supporting their peers! Shoutout to our Food Services Department staff, staff, Chef Jermaine, Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, Principal Graham, Ms. Castillo, Mr. Leonardis, Deanna G. Taylor Academy staff, and the phenomenal students for participating!

Congratulations to Hillside Public Schools’ Teachers of the Year! Your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our students made you stand out this year. Thank you for the countless ways you inspire learning, build connections, and make a lasting impact in our schools. We are proud to celebrate your hard work and the difference you make in the lives of our students and school community! - Dr. Pérez, Acting Superintendent of Hillside Public Schools!

Good day, the W.O.K. Middle School Daddy-Daughter Sneaker Ball originally scheduled for Saturday, May 30th, 2026, has been canceled. Please stay tuned for future updates, thank you.