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New to HHA
Welcome. This page is for families starting at Hampstead Hill Academy — what to expect, what all those names mean, and how to meet people.
You're already a PTO member
There are no dues, no application, and nothing to join. If you're a parent or guardian of an HHA student — or you work here — you're already a member. That's the whole thing.
Two things are worth doing this week, and each takes about a minute. Everything else on this page can wait.
1. Tell us what interests you
The volunteer form isn't a commitment and isn't a mailing list. Just tell us who you are and what kind of help appeals to you, and we'll reach out when something fits. It's completely fine to send it now and do nothing until spring.
2. Put the calendar on your phone
Subscribe once and every PTO date shows up on your phone — including when something moves.
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 · 6–7 p.m. at HHA
PTO General Meeting
Open to everyone, in the HHA Library. This is where the budget and funding requests actually get decided. Childcare is provided and the meeting is interpreted in Spanish.
A short list, in order of usefulness
The first few are PTO things. The last few are the school's, and they link out to the HHA site, which will always have the most current version.
Get uniforms at a swap
The cheapest way to get your child dressed. It's free, and you don't have to bring anything to take something. Last swap of the season: Sep 10, 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Back to School Night.
See the datesSave our Linktree
Every sign-up, payment link, and flyer in one place. Save it to your phone's home screen and you'll never hunt for a link again.
linktr.ee/HHAPTOFollow along
Facebook and Instagram are where reminders, flyers, and photos go up. It's the easiest way to hear about things without checking anything.
Link your Harris Teeter card
It gives HHA money every time you shop and costs you nothing. Takes a minute. Has to be renewed annually, and you can pick up to three schools.
Link itJoin the HHA email list
The school and the PTO are separate. This is the school's list, and it's where official information goes out.
Sign upThe practical day-to-day
Supply lists, arrival and dismissal, before and aftercare with FF&G, and the Campus Portal. The school runs all of this — we link rather than copy it so we never hand you something out of date.
What everyone is talking about
HHA runs on shorthand, and nobody explains it because everyone else already knows it. Here it is.
| When someone says… | They mean |
|---|---|
| BeeFit | The fall color run. Students collect pledges and run covered in color powder. Our biggest fundraiser — over $36,000 in 2025. |
| B3 | “Bingo, Bidding & Bites.” An adults-only spring night of bingo and a silent auction. Raised nearly $50,000 in April 2026. Get a babysitter. |
| The Greentop | The school's green yard — where BeeFit is run and where a lot of PTO events end up. |
| PTO Coffee Connect | Coffee and conversation after drop-off, once a month. No agenda, no presentation. If you're new, this is the easiest possible place to start. It used to be called Coffee on the Greentop, so you'll hear both. |
| Dine & Donate | A neighborhood restaurant gives HHA a share of one night's sales. You eat out. That's the entire ask. |
| Someone Special and Me | The spring dance. Each student brings one special person — a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor. It doesn't have to be a parent. |
| Orange Friday | A school spirit day. Students wear orange. |
| Leaders Getting Ready / Leaders Go Places | HHA's programs for grade 5 and for grades 6–8. They include reward trips the PTO helps fund. |
| FF&G | The before and aftercare provider. It's separate from the school and you enroll separately. |
| Campus Portal | The Baltimore City Schools system where you see grades and attendance. Run by the district, not the PTO. |
| The Wishlist | How teachers ask for classroom items the school budget doesn't cover. Parents and students can request funding too. |
| News from the Hill / Noticias de la Colina | The school's monthly news magazine, in English and Spanish. |
| The PTO mailbox | A physical mailbox in the school's main office. Still works, and still the easiest way to reach us if you'd rather not email. |
How to actually meet people
This is the question almost nobody asks out loud. Here's the honest answer, easiest first.
1. PTO Coffee Connect
The lowest bar there is. You're already there for drop-off. Nobody will ask you for anything and there's no sign-up.
2. Bring your kids to something
Movie night or the welcome party. The kids run off and the adults end up talking. Works better than any formal introduction.
3. Work one shift
Two hours at one event and suddenly you know ten people by name. By far the fastest way to stop feeling new.
See shifts4. Come to a meeting
Open to everyone, monthly from September to May. Childcare is provided and meetings are interpreted in Spanish. You don't have to say a word.
Let us knowWhat costs money and what doesn't
PTO membership is free. Always. Most of our events are free too — the coffee, movie night, the welcome party, the uniform swaps.
A few events sell tickets, like B3 and the golf tournament. The spirit store and donations are entirely optional.
If cost is a barrier, tell us
Email HHAPTO@gmail.com or leave a note in the PTO mailbox in the main office. We handle it quietly. No HHA student misses out on a PTO event over money.
This community speaks more than one language
PTO meetings are interpreted in Spanish and childcare is provided. This site has an EN/ES button at the top right. Most of our flyers go out in both languages.
If you speak Spanish and can help translate — or just be there to welcome other families — you would be enormously useful to us.
The school also maintains immigration and food resource pages.
The PTO and the school are not the same thing
It's the most common mix-up among new families. We're a volunteer parent group, not school staff. This gets you to an answer faster.
| Your question | Ask |
|---|---|
| Uniforms, events, volunteering, fundraisers, the wish list | The PTO — HHAPTO@gmail.com or the PTO mailbox |
| Anything about your child in class — homework, behavior, how they're doing | Your child's teacher, first. Always. |
| Attendance, grades, records, enrollment, transportation | The school office — 410.396.9146 |
| Before or after school care | FF&G directly — details here |
| I'm not sure who to ask | Ask us anyway. If it isn't ours, we'll tell you who to talk to. |
The questions people don't ask out loud
If yours isn't here, just email us. There are no silly questions.
Do I have to volunteer?
No. Nobody keeps a list and nobody will ask you why not. When you can, there are jobs that take 30 minutes.
Do I have to donate?
No. Your time is worth more than a check anyway, and neither is required.
Can I come to a meeting if I'm not on the board?
Yes. General meetings are open to everyone, and they're where the budget and funding requests actually get decided. Childcare is provided and they're interpreted in Spanish.
Can I bring my kids to events?
To almost all of them, yes — they're family events. The exceptions are B3, which is adults only, and some setup shifts. If you're unsure, ask.
My English isn't strong. Can I take part?
Yes, and we need you. Plenty of jobs don't involve much talking, and Spanish-speaking families are far more comfortable when someone there speaks their language.
We started mid-year. Did we miss everything?
No. Something happens most months from September through May. Look at the calendar and come to whatever's next.
We're glad you're here
Everyone running this is a parent who was also new at some point. Stop one of us at drop-off, come to the coffee, or send an email. Nobody expects you to know how any of it works yet.