The Hickman NEST

And just like that, the wild, beautiful chaos of the school year has officially evaporated! 🏖️✨ Hickman Hall is spooky-quiet, The Nest is empty, and the playgrounds are hauntingly still without the sounds of recess.

But behind closed doors, a bittersweet magic is happening. Your rockstar teachers are packing up leftover glitter, wiping down empty desks, and quietly reflecting on a whole year of helping your amazing kids conquer the world. 🥹❤️

We couldn't let them sneak away into the sunset without a proper celebration! Since every teacher's ultimate superpower is reading, The Nest hosted the ultimate single-ready-to-mingle event today: Blind Date with a Book! 📚🔥

Teachers browsed a mystery lineup, reading hilariously honest "Tinder" profiles attached to the covers. If they felt a spark, that book became their official summer fling! ☀️🌴

THE CURRENT VIBE:
The Hallways: Quiet 🤫
The Desks: Packed 📦
The Hearts: Full 🫶
The Bookbags: Loaded 📖

Have the most magical, deeply restorative summer break, teachers—you earned every single page! 🎉👇

**Parents and students, drop a 💙💛 in the comments to wish our incredible teachers the best summer ever!

Congrats Hickman Alumni 2019 and Senior Class of 2026! How cute were they in 5th grade??

Got photos from the or ?? Email them to [email protected] for a chance to be in the Summer Supplement Newsletter!!

Save the date! 🎉 The Hickman TK/Kinder playdate is set for Saturday, August 8!

Join us from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Lopez Ridge Park to kick off the school year with fun, laughter, and community! This is the perfect chance to meet old friends, welcome new faces, and build lasting bonds before the first bell rings. Parents, come connect and find your new besties while the kids play! Snacks will be provided to keep everyone energized.

This special event is proudly hosted by The Hickman N.E.S.T., your dedicated parent foundation. We cannot wait to see your family there!

School's out for the summer, but our garden is still in full swing! We are looking for volunteers to help our Garden Committee continue to grow, fundraise and plan over the summer. And you don't even have to garden to participate! Check out our projects below and let us know if you'd like to get involved. Email Liezel and Jenna at [email protected]

SUMMER GARDENING: We will continue caring for the garden this summer to have harvests and flowers ready when the students return to school in August. How cool would it be to give students their first taste of a freshly grown/picked tomato? We also would like to have flowers growing in preparation for Hickman Hallows, as wells as marigolds for Dia de Mu***os and Diwali.

GRANT WRITING: Want to sharpen your writing saw? Looking to get experience in applying for grants? We will be training and working with a group of volunteers over the summer to prepare grant proposals to secure funding for Hickman's garden program. Join our grant writing group and learn the strategies that have helped our program earn $12K in grant funding in previous years!

DEVELOP OUR OUTDOOR CLASSROOM: The Garden Committee is partnering with a team of Hickman teachers to integrate garden-based lessons into the school schedule. Students continually ask for more garden time, and teachers want to use the garden to enrich students' education.

To make this happen, we are looking for volunteers who can help with any of the following:
•Work with teachers to select lessons from our resources of garden-based curricula
•Serve as a garden helper for your kid's teacher next year to assist with monthly garden visits (we estimate a total of 6 to 8 garden visits per class during the year, just to give you an idea of time commitment)
•Set up the garden for garden lessons
•Create shopping lists for materials & supplies for garden lessons (as well as obtaining these items, which we will reimburse you for).

INTERESTED? Email [email protected]

🥹✨Yesterday, our Hickman campus felt a beautiful shift in time. We had the profound honor of hosting our annual Senior Clap-Out, welcoming back our elementary Class of 2019—who are now officially the graduating Class of 2026.

Watching them walk these familiar grounds, this time in caps and gowns instead of tiny backpacks, brought a wave of happy tears to everyone. They retraced their steps on old playgrounds, shared emotional reunions with the past teachers who helped build their foundations, and unlocked a core memory for the next generation of Hawks watching from the sidelines.

To our graduates: You showed our little Hawks what is possible with hard work, dedication, and a big heart. As you fly the nest and step out into the world, remember that your wings were grown right here. We are so incredibly proud of you, and we wish you the world in your next great adventure. 🕊️🎓✨

Let’s Show Our Staff Some Love! 🥳

🙌Staff Appreciation Week (May 4th–8th) starts tomorrow, and we want YOU to help us make it GREAT! Our teachers and staff do so much more than their "daily tasks"—they are the heart and soul of our school. Whether they’re grading papers on the weekend, nursing a scraped knee, or keeping our cafeteria running smoothly, they work tirelessly to make Hickman a wonderful place to learn.

How to join the fun:

🌟 Celebrate Daily: We have a special theme for every day of the week based on the word GREAT! Check the flyer for your daily "mission."

🌟 Meet the "Buddies": Don’t forget our amazing support staff! See the back of this sheet for your teacher’s staff buddies.Let’s fill their week with smiles and gratitude.

Thank you for helping us recognize our incredible team! 🐧💙

Dinner AND dessert are officially sorted for Tuesday! 🍕🍦

Take the night off from the kitchen on Tuesday, May 5th, and join your Hickman family for a double-header fundraiser!

📍 Step 1: Swing by Best Pizza for a slice, a sub, or that legendary Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad.
📍 Step 2: Walk just a few steps over to Somi Somi for an “Ah-Boong” (that famous goldfish-shaped waffle cone! 🐟).

Both spots are donating a portion of their sales back to Hickman Elementary. Important: Please remember to show the flyers when you order!

📄Let’s fill that parking lot with Hickman pride—see you there! 🦅

Will you be stopping by for pizza, ice cream, or definitely both?! 👇

HELLOO, May!
We're almost there! 26 days left before summer break! We still have a few exciting events this month - check them out!

🎉

Help us celebrate our GREAT Hickman Team! 🍎

✨It’s time to show some extra love! The week of May 4th through May 8th is Staff Appreciation Week at Hickman Elementary.

Our teachers and staff go above and beyond every single day—putting their hearts, energy, and even their own resources into making our children’s lives special. From late-night lesson planning to keeping our campus safe and clean, their dedication is what makes Hickman truly shine.

This year, we’re celebrating every single day using the word “GREAT”! Each letter stands for a special way your student can surprise their teachers and the amazing staff members who support them.

Check out the attached flyer for all the fun daily details!Flip this page over to see your teacher’s “Buddies” so we can shower our behind-the-scenes heroes with appreciation, too.

Let’s come together to show our team just how much they mean to us!

Staff Favorites List: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jtMKNncoxYBCMQZmCBb_GhL2mO7jIeEv/view?usp=sharing

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Dinner AND dessert are officially sorted for next Tuesday! 🍕🍦

Take the night off from the kitchen on Tuesday, May 5th, and join your Hickman family for a double-header fundraiser! Swing by Best Pizza for a slice, a sub, or that legendary Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad. Then, just a few steps away in the same parking lot, head over to Somi Somi for a legendary “Ah-Boong.” If you haven’t tried one, it’s a goldfish-shaped waffle cone filled with goodness (my go-to: red bean filling, matcha soft serve, and Biscoff crumbles—so good!).

We need your help to make this a success! Both spots are donating a portion of their sales back to Hickman Elementary, so please don’t forget to show the flyers when you order!

Let’s fill that parking lot with Hickman pride—see you there!
Will you be stopping by for pizza, ice cream, or definitely both?!

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Kona Ice will be here Thursday, May 7th, after school to cool down the test heads. Remember that you can feel good about what you’re eating when you get Kona Ice! Thank you for supporting the 5th Grade Committee!!

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☕ Let’s wrap up the year together!

Can you believe it’s almost summer? We’d love for you to join us for our very last Coffee with the Principal and NEST session of the year!

It’s been such a wonderful year, and we want to finish it strong with you. This is your final chance to get the latest updates, share your ideas, and catch up with friends before the break.

Mark your calendars—we don’t want to miss you!

📅 When: Friday, May 8
⏰ Time: 8:40 AM

Let's make this last one the best one yet. See you there!

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Coffee & Celebration! ☕️🏆

Big day alert! Friday, May 22nd, is our Leadership Assembly, and we are so excited to celebrate our amazing students.

To help you fuel up before you head in to see your little one receive their Leadership Award, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee will be on-site starting at 7:45 AM! ☕️

✨ Grab your favorite caffeine fix, mingle with other families, and then grab a seat for the assembly.

Let’s celebrate these leaders in style! We can't wait to see you there.

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NO SCHOOL Memorial Day!

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The school year is almost over—let’s party! 🍕🕹️

We’re hosting an End of Year BASH at Chuck E. Cheese on Wednesday, May 27, and you’re invited!

⏰ Bonus: Chuck E. is stopping by Hickman early at 2:20 PM for a special guest appearance! The main party kicks off at 3:00 PM.

📍 Find us at: 9840 Hibert St.
💰 Bring your coupons to snag the best deals!

Best of all, this event supports The Hickman NEST, so come hungry and ready to play. Let’s make some memories! ✨

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Let’s hear it for the incredible Class of 2026! 🎓✨
Congratulations to our promoting 5th graders — the future looks so bright with you in it! 🌟