Hurden Looker Elementary School

Behind the scenes from the Hurden Looker Elementary School News Room! This week, Hurden Looker sixth graders navigated a glitch in the system with grace, teamwork, and professionalism. We are so proud to see their resilience in action! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hurdenlooker #schoolnews #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Hillside Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed opening on Tuesday, January 27th, 2026. Please refer to your child's school bell schedule for the adjusted start time. Hillside Shuttle bus routes and Hillside in-district special education routes will also operate on a two-hour delay. Buses for Union County Vo-Tech and the Choice School in Kenilworth will run according to their respective receiving schools' schedules. Please travel safely.

Dear Hillside Public Schools Community,

Due to the Governor's declared Weather State of Emergency and the forecasted winter storm impacting New Jersey, all Hillside Public Schools and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, January 26th, 2026.

The district will continue to assess and closely monitor weather conditions. An additional announcement regarding district operations for Tuesday, January 27th, 2026, will be communicated on Monday, January 26th, 2026.

The buses for the Union County Vocational Technical Schools in Scotch Plains and the Choice School in Kenilworth will follow their respective schools inclement weather schedule, not the Hillside Public Schools District schedule.

We encourage families and staff to continue monitoring the district website, official social media channels, etc. for the most up-to-date information. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Good day, in the event of a school closure on Monday, January 26th, 2026, due to inclement weather, the Memorial Service Honoring Mr. Terry Woolard will be held on Friday, January 30th, 2026.  Please see the flyer for more information. Thank you.

Hillside Public Schools had an incredible districtwide celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 17th, 2026! Hillside Families and Community members filled the Hillside High School auditorium, as students from each of our schools performed or provided artwork and contributions! Thank you to the students, staff, and faculty who made this event successful. Thank you, Acting Superintendent Dr. Pérez, Board of Education President Dr. Howard, Hillside Public Schools District Principals, the Hillside Board of Education, and all of our community members in attendance! Most importantly, Hillside Public Schools appreciates and honors the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the historic pursuit of civil rights!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hillsidehighschool #martinlutherkingjr #drmartinlutherkingjr #mlkday #studentsfirst #schooldistrict #civilrightscelebration #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Totally Tubular! Hurden Looker Elementary School is celebrating the 80th Day of School in 80s style, Thursday, January 15th, 2026! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hurdenlooker #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Please join us on Monday, January 26th, 2026, for the Celebration of Life Memorial Service honoring the legacy of Mr. Terry Woolard. The memorial service is taking place from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the Hillside High School Auditorium, 1085 Liberty Avenue, Hillside, NJ 07205. For more information, please see the attached announcement. Thank you.

Please join Hillside Public Schools on Saturday, January 17th, 2026, for our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. District Celebration! Our commemorative program will take place at Hillside High School, 1085 Liberty Avenue, Hillside, NJ 07205, in the auditorium from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This program will include offerings from the Comets marching band and all of the Hillside Public Schools! We look forward to seeing you there. Please see the flyer for more information, thank you.

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #mlkday #mrtinlutherkingjr #drmartinlutherking #hillsidehighschool #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Last night (12/18/2025), Hurden Looker Elementary School hosted its 2025 Winter Concert titled "Winter Wonders"! The auditorium at Hillside High School was packed with parents, families, students, and staff from Hurden Looker. The chorus, band, advanced string, and string students did an amazing job performing, shoutout to music teachers Mr. Brandyberry and Ms. Valiante! Thank you, Principal Alvarez, Vice-Principal Pinho, Hurden Looker staff, students, and families!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #winterconcert #hurdenlooker #studentsfirst #holidayseason #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Please see the following flyer for "Cookies with Santa", being hosted by Hillside High School's DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) clubs on Friday, December 12th, 2025! Admission is free, come enjoy crafts, activities, refreshments, and more, you can also meet Santa and Disney Princesses! This marvelous event is taking place in the Hillside High School Cafeteria (1085 Liberty Avenue, Hillside, New Jersey 07205, from 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more details, please see the flyer, thank you!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hillsidehighschool #santaclaus #happyholidays #disneyprincess #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Happy Thanksgiving, from Hillside Public Schools District!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #thanksgiving #studentsfirst #happythanksgiving #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Welcome to SuperTalk with Superintendent Glover! Friday, November 14th, 2025 was Superintendent Glover's final day as Superintendent for Hillside Public Schools. This episode is Superintendent Glover's last for Hillside Public Schools, please watch as he provides thanks, and leaves our district with an important message, be sure to watch until the end...thank you!

Full podcast episode available now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/D-eeWxikdp0?si=vo1m1gg_sYjePooQ

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #supertalk #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Hillside Public Schools District students, staff, administrators, Hillside Police Officers (@hillsidepolicenj), Hillside Board of Education members, and community members gathered today, November 14th, 2025, to walk in harmony from Hurden Looker Elementary School to Hillside High School! November 14th, 2025, is recognized as Ruby Bridges National Walk to School Day! Led by Hurden Looker Elementary School, Superintendent Glover, Principal Alvarez, the Hillside Comets Marching Band and performers, @hillsideajrotc students, Hillside Public Schools staff, Community Stakeholders, students from Hurden Looker, Ola Edwards Community School, and Deanna G. Taylor Academy marched in honor of Ms. Ruby Bridges, the first black student to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1960! Thank you, Hillside Board of Education President Best, Hillside Board of Education members, Hillside NAACP, Superintendent Glover, and our entire district for an amazing, historic, commemorative walk and ceremony!

@naacp
@rubybridgesofficial

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #rubybridgeswalktoschool #rubybridges #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities #hillsidenaacp

🎃📚 Hurden Looker Elementary School’s Literacy Pumpkin Contest! 📚🎃
This fun-filled event brought collaboration, creativity, and a love for reading to life in all of the Hurden Looker classrooms!

We are proud to announce our winners:
🏆 Superintendent’s Award: The Magic School Bus – Ms. Crisanaz, Grade 5
🥇 1st Place: Dragons in a Bag – Ms. Williams, Grade 4
🥈 2nd Place: Titanic – Ms. Flores, Grade 6
🥉 3rd Place: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Ms. Araujo, Grade 2
🎖️ 4th Place: Dog Man – Ms. Emmer, Grade 2
🐷 Runner Up: Charlotte’s Web – Ms. Hamilton, Grade 3

It was tough to choose- every pumpkin was bursting with creativity and book-inspired magic!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #pumpkindecoration #pumpkins #literacy #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Today, Friday October 17th, 2025, Hurden Looker Elementary School Celebrated their Annual Pink Day! Students and staff proudly wore pink and walked together to raise awareness and honor those affected by breast cancer. A beautiful show of unity, respect, and hope! Thank you, Principal Alvarez and Vice-Principal Pinho for sharing the importance of standing together! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #breastcancerawarenessmonth #breastcancerawareness #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

The next stop on our Pink-tacular Saturday was Hurden Looker Elementary School, for Hillside Public Schools' Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration! Shout out to all of the students, families, and members of the Hillside community who attended the festival at Hurden Looker. Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized yearly from September 15th - October 15th! We had food, face-painters, bouncey houses, balloon animals, games, music, and more! Thank you, Director of ESL and World Language, Mrs. Okparaeke, Hurden Looker School Principal, Ms. Alvarez, Superintendent Glover, the Hillside Board of Education, our community vendors, students and staff.

@hillsidepl
@hillside_firefighters
@leagueofwomenvoters
@uwguc
@hillsidepolicenj

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #hispanicheritage #hispanicheritagemonth #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Today, Hurden Looker Elementary School officially launched their new book scanning system to borrow books from their school library! Ms. Creanza’s class was the first to try it out- students typed in their 5- or 6-digit ID numbers and scanned their books like pros! A big thank you to Principal Alvarez, Vice Principal Pinho, and Mr. Locke, their Educational Media Teacher, for making this moment possible!

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #schoollibrary #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Hurden Looker Elementary School 6th grade Honor Society students helped to bag all the wonderful donations received from Goya (@goyafoods)! Thank you to Principal Alvarez for her donation request, to Hillside Maintenance staff for securing and transporting the donation and to ESL Director, Evelyn Okparaeke, for helping pack bags with the students! 153 bags were packed, amazing job Hurden Looker Elementary School! #hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #goya #hurdenlooker #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities

Good day! Please join Superintendent Glover, Hillside Board of Education members, and Hillside Public Schools Administrators on Thursday, October 16th, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hillside Innovation Academy Board Room (1100 Woodruff Avenue, Hillside, New Jersey) for our Community Conversations! At this Community Forum, we will highlight District initiatives and achievements for the 2025-2026 school year and engage in positive discourse with our community. We look forward to seeing you there! Please see the flyer for more details.

#hillsidenj #hillsidepublicschools #communityconversations #studentsfirst #newpride #newpathways #newpossibilities