Hillcrest Elementary hosts 100 Days, 100 Dads lunch to boost attendance

Beginning around 10:30 AM, Hillcrest Elementary School's cafeteria was completely full as families, first responders and local officials packed the room for the "100 Days, 100 Dads" lunch, the Alamance-Burlington School System said. "Beginning around 10:30 AM, the cafeteria was completely full and it was hard to see the students among the crowds of families and community members who showed up to eat with them during the 100 Days, 100 Dads lunch event!", ABSS K12 NC post.

The district framed the gathering as more than a celebration of a milestone and positioned it as an attendance and community-engagement effort. "Today, Hillcrest Elementary School didn't just celebrate 100 days of school, it celebrated the people who are so important to the students and who showed up big today, their community support." ABSS emphasized that the event highlighted how community presence can support student attendance.

Attendance at the lunch included a wide cross-section of family and civic actors, according to the district post. "And to all those in the #ABSSCommunity who showed up, parents, step-parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, local first responders, Board of Education, local government, anyone who sat down and ate with a student today, thank you." The post added a snapshot observation: "We spotted them smiling and proudly chatting about their while enjoying their lunch. This will be one day they will never forget."

School leaders ran the event in the same messaging cycle as district-level planning on school boundaries and enrollment. ABSS told families that "our school district is beginning a rezoning process to plan for enrollment, school capacity, and future growth. Community voice comes first." The district also urged participation in an Attendance Zone Planning survey that it said "is open until Jan 15" and warned that "In-person Community Voice sessions will follow." The district published a Spanish-language notice with the same rezoning frame: "Nuestro distrito escolar está comenzando un proceso de redistribución de zonas escolares para planificar la inscripción, la capacidad de las escuelas y el crecimiento futuro. ¡La voz de la comunidad es lo primero!"

The timing and turnout at Hillcrest suggest community engagement that could feed directly into ABSS's rezoning and capacity planning, since the district is soliciting feedback before drawing draft maps. School events that spotlight attendance and bring Board of Education and local government representatives into the building create opportunities for parents and community members to register concerns or preferences ahead of rezoning decisions.

Hillcrest's communications also promoted other school activities alongside the lunch post, including a family skate night and district outreach. The post noted: "Hillcrest Skate Night will be on Tuesday, January 27th, from 6 pm - 8 pm" and that "The cost is $5 (Cash Only)."

For follow-up or media requests, Hillcrest Elementary School lists its contact information as: 1714 West Davis Street, Burlington, NC 27215; PHONE: 336-570-6120; FAX: 336-570-6206; hie_communications@abss.k12.nc.us. The district used photos and graphics in its social posts, and ABSS and Hillcrest communications can confirm dates, attendee names and provide images upon request.