October 2025 Newsletter

October 2025 Newsletter

Monthly information and reminders

front office

Principal Arroyo's Message

Greetings Bulldog Families,

What an interesting start to October! Our weather has been changing daily so we encourage you to help your Bulldog be prepared for the weather.

Last Friday was our halfway point through the first trimester. Students in grades Kinder through 5th grade who are not meeting standards for their grade level brought home a progress report on Friday, 9/26. If your student brought one home, please review it, sign it, and return back to school. If you have questions about it, reach out to your student's teacher.

Our lost and found is slowly growing. Please label all sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, and lunch boxes with your student's name, or at least room number so we can help them find a home. Our lost and found will be out front every day next week until the evening hours. Please stop by, even after school, to see if you can find missing items from your Bulldogs.

SAVE THE DATE! On October 31st, we will host our annual Book Character Day parade. Families are welcome to come onto campus around 8:30 am to watch our students parade around the blacktop showing off their Book Character costumes! It is usually over in about 30 minutes. More details to come out in a future Weekly Bits.

Thank you for taking the time to read our monthly newsletter and Weekly Bits!

~Ms. Arroyo
Hirsch Principal
 
calendar

Important Dates

October 1- Early Release Day (Grades K-5)
October 3 - Rock your School Day
October 8- Early Release Day (Grades K-5)
October 8- International Walk & Roll to School Day
October 13-18 - Scholastic Book Fair
October 15- Early Release Day (Grades K-5)
October 17 - PTA Movie Night
October 18 - Harvest Festival
October 22- Early Release Day (Grades K-5)
October 22- Parent Conferences
October 23- Early Release Day (Grades 1-5 ONLY)
October 23- Parent Conferences
October 24 - No School
October 24- Parent Conferences
October 27-31 Red Ribbon Week
October 30 - Make-up Picture Day
October 31 - Book Character Day & Parade
October 31- TK PM attends 8:20-11:40
 

No School- Friday, October 24th

Parent-Teacher Conference Day
no school
 
family

Family Teacher Conferences

Please reach out to your child's teacher immediately if you do not have a scheduled time for your 1:1 conference with the teacher. If you will need a translator, please let us know right away so that we can arrange for someone to translate during the meeting. Our conference days are: Wednesday 10/22 and Tuesday 10/23 1:30-4:30. Friday times 10/24 are school hours from 8:00-3 pm. TK times are different on Wednesday and Thursday.
 
iReady

iReady Family Reports for Grades 1-5

i-Ready Diagnostics are assessments in reading (grades 1–12) and mathematics (grades 1–8) that help teachers understand student strengths and growth areas. The Fall diagnostic window ended on September 19, and results are now available to parents/guardians through the i-Ready “For Families” report.
To access the report of diagnostic results, your student should log in to their i-Ready account from Clever using their badge. From there, you can enter the FUSD access code W54RK3 to view results. For more help, you can download the step-by-step guide here: i-Ready For Families Reports 2025-26.

 
walk and roll

International Walk and Roll Day - October 8, 2025

Join Hirsch Elementary for International Walk and Roll to School Day!

We will celebrate our school spirit, our health, and the environment with the Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools program. Students will place stickers or mark a tally on a mode chart to show how they traveled to school, receive fun giveaways, and join a global movement for safer, healthier transportation.

You can participate with your family and friends by:

·     Taking a walk, or riding a bike, skateboard, or scooter
·     Biking with your child on their own or with a trail-a-bike
·     Taking the bus with your child and walking to and from the bus stop

Post a fun photo on social media to celebrate the day! Remember to tag @AlamedaCoSR2S on X/Twitter with #WalkandRoll25 and #IWR2SD, and post on Facebook at facebook.com/saferoutestoschool.

We look forward to walking and rolling with you!
crosswalk

Día Internacional de la Caminata y el Rodaje - 8 de octubre de 2025

¡Únete a la Escuela Primaria Hirsch en el Día Internacional de Caminar y Rodar a la Escuela! Celebraremos nuestro espíritu escolar, nuestra salud y el medio ambiente con el programa Rutas Seguras a las Escuelas del Condado de Alameda. Los estudiantes colocarán calcomanías en una tabla de modas para mostrar cómo llegaron a la escuela, recibirán regalos divertidos y se unirán a un movimiento global por un transporte más seguro y saludable.

Puedes participar con tu familia y amigos:

· Salir a caminar, o andar en bicicleta, patineta o scooter.
· Andar en bicicleta con su hijo solo o con una bicicleta de montaña.
· Tomar el autobús con su hijo y caminar hasta y desde la parada del autobús.

¡Publica una foto divertida en redes sociales para celebrar el día! Recuerda etiquetar.@AlamedaCoSR2Sen X/Twitter con #WalkandRoll25 y #IWR2SD, y publicar en Facebook enfacebook.com/saferoutestoschool.
¡Esperamos caminar y rodar contigo!
walk and roll
 

Counselor's Corner with Miss Hernandez

This October, our school is joining the nationwide effort to recognize Bullying Prevention Month. As part of this, I will be visiting classrooms to teach lessons on understanding and preventing bullying, using “I” messages to express feelings, and learning what it means to be a good friend.

In addition to classroom lessons, students will also have the opportunity to take part in fun lunch activities that promote kindness, inclusion, and positive connections with peers.

Families play an important role in reinforcing these lessons. Here are a few simple ways you can support your child at home:

  • Talk about kindness daily – Encourage your child to share how they showed kindness or were a good friend during the day.
  • Practice “I” messages together – Model how to calmly express feelings (for example, “I feel upset when…”).
  • Discuss friendship qualities – Ask your child what makes someone a good friend and how they can show those qualities.
  • Check in regularly – Remind your child they can always come to you if they feel hurt, left out, or see someone else being treated unfairly.
  • Celebrate positive choices – Praise moments when your child shows empathy, respect, or courage to stand up for others

Together, we can help our students build the skills they need to create a safe, supportive school community!
 

Library Corner with Mrs. Winmill

Dear Bulldog Family, Friends, and Community Members,

This is my favorite time of the year. School has been in session long enough that patterns have been established and everyone is learning. Fall has begun and there is excitement in the air. The other thing that happens in the fall is our Scholastic Book Fair! 

Our Scholastic Book Fair will begin October 13th and run through the 18th. Students will be allowed to purchase books during their weekly library time, during lunch recess, after school, and/or at the Harvest Festival. Families are able to purchase books online now until October 17th. Families are able to learn about and set up an eWallet here. I will also need some assistance during lunch and after school. If you are interested in helping, please sign up here. If we do not have enough volunteers, the book fair will be closed for the day. Look for more information to be sent home soon.

As of Friday, September 26th, the number of books that have been checked out so far for this year is 3,505. This is a great start. We are still 26,495 from our goal for this year. Let’s remember to return our books on time so we are all able to check out when it is our library time.
Hispanic
For the month of September, we have been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with different coloring pages and books. Students are still working on their projects, but this is one that we were able to complete.

Take care and keep reading!
Mrs. Winmill
 
Book Fair
Hirsch Scholastic Book Fair

BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS

Hirsch Family, Friends, and Community Members

The Book Fair is just around the corner. And I have only one parent sign up to help. If I do not receive enough help, the book fair will not happen. I will not be able to have students come in during lunch recess or after school to make purchases. Please click on the button below to sign up. There are many spots available.
Thank you,
Kristen Winmill - Librarian
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - CLICK HERE
 
Parent Square

Communication with Parent Square

PLEASE download the Parent Square app. Hirsch staff uses this program to share newsletters, information, and messages. Change your settings to instant so you can be updated right away. Digest notifications mean you will be delayed until 6 pm. You can also choose your language so you can read and send messages in your preferred communication language. It will be translated immediately for our staff.
 

Important Links

Hirsch Bell Schedule & Calendar
 
basketball

Hirsch Basketball Team- coming in December

All Grade 4-5 students who want to try out for the team at the beginning of December need to have an up-to-date physical complete prior to tryouts. There are no exceptions to this policy. The form that your doctor must complete is linked below. A paper copy can be picked up in the office. Please schedule your student's physical appointment after school hours to not disrupt their learning.
FUSD Sports Physical Form
 
telephone

Reporting Absences- 510-657-3537, option 7

Please contact the school's absence line, day or night, at 510-657-3537 and then press 7. Please be sure to state: 1)your student's first and last name, 2)student's classroom number, 3)reason for the absence, 4)your name and relationship to the student.
If these absences are not cleared by a parent/guardian within 48 hours, they will be considered unexcused. Excessive absences and/or tardies, excused or unexcused, may result in a truancy warning.
  • Make-up work may be requested on the second consecutive day of a student's illness.
 
CNS

School Meals and Home Lunches

Student Meals are free for the school year 2025/26. All FUSD students will have access to 1 free breakfast and 1 free lunch daily regardless of their family's economic need. Link to FUSD's breakfast and lunch menu. Breakfast is served from 7:45 am to 8:05 am. Second chance breakfast is available during your student's morning recess.

Home lunches brought after your student has started school must be dropped off by 10:45 am to the cart outside the office. Your student's lunch should be clearly labeled with first name, last name, and room number. Since TK students do not have lunch at school, home lunches are unable to be dropped off for them.
 
school with clock

School Hours for Grades TK-5 & Reminders

TK AM: 8:20-11:40
TK PM: 11:45-3:05

Kindergarten
8:20-1:40 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri (beginning Sept. 8th)
8:20-11:40 (every Wednesday)

Grades 1-5
8:20-2:40 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri
8:20-1:20 (every Wednesday)

*Valet Loop is only for Grades 1-5 students, not adults. Adults are not allowed to exit the car in the loop.
*TK and Kinder must always park on the street.
*Grades TK-K are picked up in person at the gate.
 

2026 Young Innovators 3D & STEM Challenge (Grades 3-6, 7-12)

final 3D
REGISTER- 3D Printing Challenge
 

PTA Corner

PTA Links

If you haven’t joined our Hirsch PTA social media already, here are the links to our 
And our Hirsch Family whatsapp group-https://chat.whatsapp.com/FNg6wn9coPvFLiYN0dNNEo
Please fill this Google form to get added to the WhatsApp group.
Introducing our PTA board members for this year
President - Ganesh 
Vice president - Ambika
Treasurer - Kinjal
Secretary - Anupama
Auditor - Nimish
Thanks for joining us at Back to School Night! Missed the PTA presentation? Check out the slides here https://tinyurl.com/HirschPTABacktoSchoolNight 
Membership Flyer
 

Monthly Meeting

Our next monthly PTA meeting is scheduled for Oct 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM 

Meeting ID: 849 1936 1083
Passcode: bulldogs
 

Hirsch Chess Club

Hirsch PTA Chess Tournament Series
We’re excited to announce the Hirsch PTA Chess Tournament Series, running from October 2025 through April 2026!
First Tournament: October 6, 2025
Tournament Dates:
  • October 6, 2025
  • November 3, 2025
  • December 1, 2025
  • January 13, 2026
  • February 2, 2026
  • March 2, 2026
  • April 6, 2026
Registration Link:
Join the WhatsApp Group for Updates:
Please register and block your calendars!
Let’s make this a fun and competitive series for our chess-loving community!

Chess Club
 

Math Contests

 

Reflections Art Program

Theme: The National PTA Reflections Contest f

 Good News! Reflections Deadline Extended 

You have a little more time to submit your student's art! The final deadline for all Reflections artwork is Wednesday October 8, 2025 11:59 p.m. This is a firm deadline.

For any questions please contact [email protected]
Submit Here all your entries online
reflections
 

Save the Date! Harvest Festival

Join us for the Hirsch Harvest Festival on October 18th. You won't want to be late!
The costume contest, games, food, music & fun all start @ 11am sharp! 

More details about this exciting event will be shared on the Hirsch Family WhatsApp Group page as well as the flyers that will be sent home with your children the week before.
Harvest Festival
 
Featured O. N. Hirsch