A rainbow flag flies in the wind at Hilltop, while the person who proudly holds it parades throughthe audience that came to celebrate the 2021 graduation of the Middle Schoolers. Studentgraduation speeches have traditionally focused on the individual’s academic growth andcommunity experiences during their time at Hilltop Montessori School – this year, the speechesbrought many...Read More

The pleasure of enjoying simple things is not limited to a specific age. In addition to my role as EJIdirector, I am also the Children’s House Spanish and PE teacher. For the last two weeks, I have beenworking with the Olders from the Birch and Willow rooms making our own kites and gardening, inaddition to...Read More

Six years ago, when I started working at Hilltop, helping Children’s House during lunchand nap, I sang softly in Spanish all the time. There was not much interest from myyoung audience in the beginning, but the more I sang, the more I got their attention.One of my sons was part of the group with whom...Read More

As transgender rights are being threatened in many states, we want to acknowledge the stress andanxiety that this news can bring to the LGBTQI+ community and families who have personalconnections to this issue. Hilltop stands in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community andcondemns these transphobic discriminatory actions that go against the human rights oftransgender communities. Recently...Read More

We were devastated to learn that a white man attacked and murdered eight people in Atlanta,six of whom were Asian American women. We want to express our solidarity with the families ofall Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from our community and in the country.We condemn these actions of hate and violence fed by white supremacy...Read More

Like every week, last week I talked to my family who lives in New York. My older brother, whohas been in this country for 24 years, has two kids who go to the public elementary school neartheir house. Usually my nine year old nephew and seven year old niece like to share the coolnew things...Read More

During the last two weeks, the staff has been having conversations aboutthe importance of celebrating Black History Month and how to integrate thiscelebration mindfully into our curriculum. We have discussed sensitive partsof our pasts and come face to face with the racist narrative that many of uswere taught in school. This “official American history” that...Read More

“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble” -Representative John Lewis On January 6th, the most representative expression of white supremacy in this countrywas carried out and witnessed by millions. I can’t say how this horrible action impactedmost people, but I can say that I was frightened and scared. At the exact moment thatthe Capitol, in Washington...Read More

The snow is finally here, just in time for the much-anticipated winter break. The effortsand challenges that Hilltop staff have experienced during this first part of the year havebeen both remarkable and heartbreaking. Working in the middle of a pandemic will be,for many of us, one of the biggest achievements and challenges in our careers...Read More

Our lives are constructed by multiple stories, but sometimes we can’t, or aren’t, allowedto tell them all. Sometimes we have the power to lock up the stories that we don’t wantto remember, or simply can’t remember. Sometimes we hold on to the stories that helpus continue going with our days, or sometimes we tell the...Read More