Husky Highlights
March 2024
A Note From the Principal's Desk
February was an exciting month for Highlands. Our sixth graders registered for junior high, our 5th Grade Micron Math Team did great in competition, we registered our new Kindergarten Huskies and our Boys Basketball participated and did great in Tournament! Our 6th Grade Micron Math Team will compete on March 5th- Good Luck!!
We look forward to the adventures that March is going to bring our way. We are starting the month with a wonderful music performance put on by our upper grades! We have two authors visiting our building to talk with our students in grades K-2 and 3-6 and we will celebrate Read Across America Week!
We are very excited to host our Highlands STEM Night this month and work with community organizations bringing STEM activities to our students. Please consider joining us that evening!
Spring break is right around the corner from March 18- March 22, with Track season starting upon our return. As we close out third quarter, report cards will go home at the end of the month.
Mark Your Calendars
Friday, March 1
- 4/5, 5, 5/6, 6 Music Performance for Parents @ 9:00am
- 4/5, 5, 5/6, 6 Music Performance for Parents @ 2:15pm
Monday, March 4- Friday, March 8
Read Across America Week!
Tuesday, March 5
- Author Visit for Grades 3-6
Wednesday, March 6
- Author Visit for Grades K-2
Thursday, March 7
- STEM Night @ 5:30-7:00pm
Tuesday, March 12
- PTO Meeting in the Library @ 12:00pm
Thursday, March 14
- Service Learning Day
Friday, March 15
- Early Release @ 1:15pm
March 18- March 22: SPRING BREAK
Friday, March 29
- Boise Quad Choir Festival
- Report Cards Go Home
Event Details
Intermediate Grades Music Program
Our 4/5, 5, 5/6, and 6 grade classes will be performing a musical production for parents and families on Friday, March 1 @ 9:00am AND 2:15pm.
March 4- March 8: Read Across America Week
Read Across America Week: March 4- March 8
The first week of March is not only our STEM celebration, but we'll be kicking off Read Across America with two author visits as well! On Tuesday, March 5, Wendy Swore, author of such books as Strong Like the Sea and A Monster Like Me will present at an assembly for our 3rd through 6th graders. On Wednesday, March 6, Molly McNamara Carter, author of books like The Little Green Pumpkin and I Spy Alligators Underneath My Bed, will come to speak to our Kindergarten through 2nd graders. Valley View Elementary will be hosting an author event that evening from 6 to 8 p.m. (March 6th) where students can purchase books by these and other authors, get them autographed, enjoy storytimes with local elected officials, and much more!
We're also starting a reading challenge for the month of March where students can read books about others who come from different places and backgrounds. While we encourage students to participate, it is (of course) optional. There will be prizes for even one book completed in the challenge. We are excited for these opportunities to encourage our students as both readers and writers!
Author Visits
Grades 3-6 will have an author visit from Wendy Swore in the Gym on Tuesday, March 5th from 10:20-11:05am.
Grades K-2 will have an author visit from Molly McNamara Carter in the Library on Wednesday, March 6th from 10:20-11:05am.
STEM Night
We will be hosting our Highlands STEM Night on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-7:00pm. This will be an open house format so families may come and go as they please. We will have various community vendors in our building hosting fun STEM activities. When arriving, students will check in at the front office, receive a "passport" and have one and half hours to visit our vendors and engage in these hands-on experiences!
There will be food trucks on the property from 5:00-7:30pm and prizes will be awarded to students who participate with stamped passports. Students earn stamps by attending each station. We will also have one drawing per grade level for student attendance. This will be completed over the announcements the following morning.
Students must be accompanied by an adult/guardian in order to attend. Siblings are more than welcome to join in on the fun as well! We look forward to seeing everyone at the Highlands STEM Night on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-7:00pm.
PTO Meeting
We will have our monthly PTO meeting in the library at noon on Tuesday, March 12th.
Service Learning Day
We are excited to host our Highlands Service Learning Day on Thursday, March 14th. During the school day, each class will rotate through different stations with service learning projects. There will be different organizations that will be working with our students to highlight needs within our community and provide students with the opportunity to learn about and help each organization.
Early Release: Friday, March 15 @ 1:15pm
Spring Break: March 18- March 22
Boise Quad Choir Festival
Our choir will be participating in the Boise Quad Choir Festival on Friday, March 29th. This will be a fun field trip where the students will leave the school at 2:00 pm to go to the high school and practice with the other north quad elementary choirs. They will be singing, playing games, fed with pizza, and ready for the concert which will start at 6:00pm with doors opening at 5:30pm.
Friday, March 29: Report Cards Go Home
Updates
Thank You, PTO
Our PTO has been an incredible resource in supporting our staff and students. This year, our PTO has provided the following monthly teacher appreciation treats, along with so much more! We appreciate you and thank you for your generosity!
August: Lulu’s Pizza
September: Pot luck lunch
October: Conferences Dinner
November: Lulus pizza and pumpkin bars
December: Certified Bakery Lunch
January: Soup Bar/Potluck
February: Baked Potato Bar
March: Coffee Delivery
Back to School Night pizza dinner
An incredible Fall Festival
Coordination for our Jog-A-Thon
Jog a Thon Pizza Reward
Classroom support through Foundation donations
Wednesday Walk N Rolls
Support with teacher requests/purchases
Support with essential supplies (wipes, ziplocks, tissues, etc).
PTO Dates & Events
PTO Meetings at noon in the Library.
- March 12, 2024
- April 9, 2024
- May 14, 2024
SAVE THE DATE(S)
Highlands Art Walk
April 11
6:30-7:30pm
At Highlands
Art Auction
April 13, 2024
At JUMP
Classroom Placements for the 24-25 School Year
Please see this link for the parent input- class placement worksheet for the 2024-2025 school year. Deadline to turn this in is Friday, April 5th.
Scooters & Bikes
As the weather starts to get nicer, we anticipate our students riding their bikes and electric scooters. We will continue to remind students about expectations with these (no riding on school grounds, must walk the vehicle until off of school property), but we would really appreciate parents talking with students about scooter and bike safety. We have many students zoom into groups of parents and students walking to and from school and students riding at unsafe speeds, darting in the street and into groups on the sidewalks. Please consider talking with your students about appropriate use if they plan on getting to and from school with either mode of transportation.
Health Office Updates
Please see this link for health office updates!
Highlands Learner Dispositions
We appreciate your support and involvement in our students' education. As we continue developing a responsive culture of learning in our building and community, we continue to focus on our Highlands Learner Dispositions. This equips our students with academic language and helps foster student agency and efficacy. These are traits that "good learners" use to help them grapple with a concept and achieve understanding.
Please see this link to view and discuss our Learner Dispositions with your students.
The Learning Pit
As we encourage students to grapple with concepts, we provide them with a visual to see this journey. The Learning Pit helps students to identify tools, Learner Dispositions, and resources they can use to "get out of the pit." The Learning Pit encourages students to engage in challenging tasks, interact with others, and boost their resilience, determination, and curiosity. Through this journey in the pit, students develop a sense of self-efficacy and become creative, collaborative thinkers.
Drop Off & Pick Up Expectations
DROP OFF
Please follow the loop in the parking lot.
Wait to drop your student off until you pull forward to the end of the loop.
Students should exit vehicles from the sidewalk side only.
If you need to exit your vehicle to help your student, please wait until you can pull up to the very front of the drop off lane. Otherwise, please remain in your vehicle.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
Once students arrive to school, they will walk around the side of the building and head to the blacktop. Students are expected to stay on the blacktop until the bell rings.
PICK UP
Students will walk outside with their teacher.
Students will be picked up at the end of the drop off/pick up loop.
Students/staff/parents are expected to use the cross walks.
Please do not walk across the front of the pick up line or in between cars.
Students will enter cars from the sidewalk side only.
If you need to exit your vehicle to help your student, please wait until you can pull up to the very front of the drop off lane. Otherwise, please remain in your vehicle.
Please remember that our primary goal is to keep all students safe.
Please do not drop off your students before 8:15am as we do not have supervision until 8:15am. When the bell rings at 3:15pm students are expected to leave campus and head home.
Community Events
Kidfort
Please see this flyer for auditions for Kidfort, a part of the Treefort Festival.
Mountain West 3 vs 3 Tournament
Please see this flyer for the Mountain West 3 vs. 3 tournament in April.
Boys & Girls Flag Football
Camp Invention
Camp Invention is coming to Boise Schools! If your child loves hands-on innovation STEM inventions, this camp is for you!
Choose one of the following locations and dates:
Sage International School - July 8 - 12
Liberty Elementary - July 15 - 19
Location TBD - July 22 - 26
White Pine Elementary - July 29 - Aug. 2
Use the link below to register soon!
Film Screening: Angst
Boise High School is hosting a Film Showing and Panel Event on the documentary Angst on March 27th from 5:30-7:30pm. This event is for families and suitable for children 10 years and older. There will be childcare for younger siblings. The event will start with families visiting community partner tables. The purpose of this film is to provide an understanding of anxiety especially in younger people, help people manage their symptoms, and to encourage those struggling with anxiety to reach out for help. To learn more about this event, please see this flyer or register here.
Deep Connections Event
The Boise School District is hosting with other local non-profits an event for parents about how creating deep connections is a key piece in suicide prevention. Please join us to listen to Dr. Skinner, Marriage and Family Therapist, for an evening of education and therapeutic support to empower and give you hope as you support your child's wellbeing. This will be held at South Junior High on April 18th from 5:30-7:30. Register here.