Guide For New Parents

Welcome! Veteran parents put together a few items that can get overlooked in the shuffle of information that we believe will help you immensely.

Drop-off: You may park along the street to walk your child up to to the signs near the front gate, or go through the drop off lane. The drop off lane is LANE 1 and you will see parent volunteers waiting to open your door and help your child out of the car. If traffic is backing up, please pull into the third lane and wait for direction from Ariel or a school volunteer. Please say your goodbyes before you get to the greeter, have your child’s items ready and accessible with masks on, and do not allow your child out of the car without a greeter-even if they are running late (unless you are so late the greeters have left). *When entering the school parking/drop off area, please take turns letting those turning left and those turning right. In this case, kindness has the right of way-not right hand turns.

Parking/Pick-up: Easily one of the most anxiety creating aspects at South! :) If you have no older kids at school (grades 3-5), the two most important things to remember is to STAY IN LANE 1 and DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR. Do not block the crosswalk by the door OR when you turn into the lot. Do not park in a parking space unless you would like to be trapped there until 3:30. If you park on the street, it is ok to be slightly in the street, but please do not cross into the yellow lines of the walking crosswalk along the street side of school.

*Kinder Pickup- Please pull into Lane 1 and your child's teacher will bring your child out to you and help into the car.

Activity Centers: Kinder offers a special opportunity to have volunteers in the classroom every day. Starting in late Sept or October, the room parent will send out a sign up through Konstella with opportunity slots to volunteer. It is very special to most children and parents alike.

After School Rec (HREC) Programs: Hillsborough Recreation has a wide selection of after school programs offered for your child. It will, however, be your responsibility to show your child where to go after school because they will not be escorted to those programs by a staff member.

Art in Action (AiA): This is a parent run art program that comes into the classroom once a month and teaches a lesson on a famous piece of art. The kids then create a piece of art loosely based on the concepts the children just learned. The program needs volunteers to teach and also to assist the kids creating.

Ariel: Daytime Custodian. He calls you ‘ma’am’, but he knows where your child’s missing lunch box is and can retrieve lost items from the creek.

LunchMaster: District wide option for hot lunch for all students. 

HSF (Hillsborough Schools Foundation): Charitable foundation that enables tax-deductible gifts to the district through its Annual Giving Campaign, Signature Events, and Business Partners. HSF contributes 13% of the HCSD budget and helps close the gap between shrinking government funding and the high quality education we expect for our children. Pledge Day is a day we ask you to pledge the ACE (actual cost to educate) for each child you have at South. Payment is due by Spring, but the earlier you pledge/pay, the easier it is for the committee to do their job.

HTV (Hillsborough TV): Our in-house video making magic! Parent volunteers film the kids throughout the year for the duration of their time at South. At the 5th grade promotion ceremony, families are given a DVD of their child’s entire time at South.

Konstella: An online platform South uses as the one-stop place for all volunteer sign-ups, event organization and parent/classroom communication.

Late to Drop-Off/Early Release: The school gates will be locked during school hours with access only through the office. If your child arrives after the doors have locked you (or they) must sign in into a book located near Mrs. Tapia's desk. The same is true if you are signing your child out early from school; sign them out and then go to their classroom to retrieve your child.

Lina Butte: South School Principal.

Lost & Found: You wouldn’t believe how many items never get noticed missing until you’ve seen our lost and found locker.  Marking your child's belongings will certainly help us get items back to you. New to 2023-24, there is a shared album with photos of lost items so things may better find their way back to their owners!

Tiger Talk Mondays (Formerly Mega Mondays): Wear your South School Tiger wear to school to promote South School Spirit! All school assembly after drop-off and parents are welcome stay and watch.

MPR (Multi-Purpose Room): This is the building towards the creek where we do most of our gathering. Students eat lunch there, we hold assemblies there, some parent meetings are there, basically it’s where we gather as a school for most all activities. 

Ms. Wai: School Counselor/Psychologist. On hand to help your kids work through any “sticky” social situations.

Rosa Tapia: South School’s Administrative Assistant

MCD (Multicultural Day): Multicultural Day is a chance for our students to learn more about world cultures. The MPR (Multi-Purpose Room) is transformed into booths that represent different countries from around the world. The students visit the “country”, stamping their passport books, learning facts and sampling traditional cuisine. This is a parent run event.

Reading Challenge: Mrs. James (our librarian) puts together an amazing selection of books for the kids to read throughout the year. She selects quotes from each book that you and your child note on a sheet. If your child finishes all the books during the year, your child will receive a student designed Reading Challenge T-Shirt and be invited to a pizza, movie and ice cream party at night in the library.

SPG (South Parent Group): The South Parent Group. Each family is encouraged to be a member of the South Parent Group.  Parent Group dues pay for the All School Directory, South School Yearbook, Art in Action materials, classroom parties, teacher gifts, lab equipment, and playground supplies.  Kindergarten dues include $10 for emergency supplies.  5th Grade dues include the promotion ceremony and party, class gift, and class party.  We do not hold fundraising events. The South Parent Group is led by a parent executive board.

South Social: Celebrate the start of school at this annual South School family tradition with old fashioned games and ice cream.

"Stripes": Our South School Mascot. 

Volunteering: If you are volunteering at the school, please make sure you enter through the office, sign yourself in on the ledger which is on the podium style portion of the desk by Mrs. Tapia and wear a visitor’s badge.