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4/21/2017
Hello Highlands-
One of the things I love about Highlands is the warm, caring place that it is, with passion driven for a high level of learning, quality relationships and the needs of all of our students and community. We have also been greatly supported by the larger Edina Public Schools system. I feel fortunate to be here and be a part of these great conversations focused on continuously improving our work for all students.
Many of you are aware that next year some of the funding for our reading and math interventions is being reallocated. Over the past several months, district administrators and principals, including myself, have worked hard to maximize our available funds to best serve all students. We have been creative in maximizing the variety of available resources, including money from the general fund as well a numerous categorical funds from federal and state governments, including Title, Achievement and Integration, Compensatory Aid, and ADSIS. While the general operating fund supports programs district-wide, each of the categorical funds has defined purposes and funding restrictions. As it should, the district has been very intentional in its efforts to realign resources to learning, distributing funds based on student need (i.e. academic, socio-economic and socio-emotional needs) rather than just equally dividing it up among schools. This year, with guidance from the School Board and members of our community Budget Advisory Task Force, the district also sought to ensure that we were not overspending available funds, in both general operating and categorical funds.
Through this process, it was determined that the district's elementary reading and math intervention expenses, provided through the MN State ADSIS Grant, were not aligning with available resources for next year. Thus, the district needed to review how it was spending ADSIS funds and ensure that resources for next year will be allocated based student need. Upon review of student data as noted above, our district is seeing increases in the number of students needing intervention support, and as such has reallocated some of the dollars previously accessed by Highlands to support interventions at other schools.
Therefore, in 2017-18, Highlands will be sharing the services of our intervention staff with students at Countryside. I appreciate that this change can be perceived by some as a loss for our school. We absolutely cherish all of our teachers and to think we will be sharing them with another school is sad. And yet, we are pleased to know that students who need additional intervention support will be receiving the services they need by qualified, highly regarded teachers.
We are also fortunate to still have the instructional leadership and guidance of Toy and Jessie at Highlands next year and we plan to capitalize on the time they are with us. It is important to note that this change in staffing assignments
does not
mean that Highlands students will not receive intervention support next year. We are actively working with district administration and our colleagues at other sites to identify alternative resources and maximizing all of the talent we have at Highlands to provide a continuity of service for students who need additional support.
As always we will continue to analyze student data and provide personalized learning opportunities for our students at Highlands, and students throughout Edina Public Schools, providing the quality teaching and learning experience that you have come to expect.
Thank you for your support and please forward all questions and concerns to me. I am here to help!
Sincerely,
Katie
Please check in with our blog (link Below) as well as the FB and Twitter accounts to be updated on the happenings. There was a lot of fabulous learning around Highlands this week.
Be well!
Katie
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KNOW! UPDATE FROM THE Edina Public Schools
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Equity website offers resources for community, staff
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Edina Public Schools held its fourth community conversation Tuesday around the book, "A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota." Community interest in these conversations has been outstanding. To continue the conversation at home and in the community, check out the resources:
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- Equity resource boards through the District's Pinterest account
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Health Services Reminders -
- Protect yourself, children from measles
- Several cases of measles have been confirmed in Hennepin County by the Minnesota Department of Health. The best preventative measure is to be sure you and your children have been vaccinated with the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. If your child is 1 year old or older and has never received the MMR vaccine, it is not too late to have them vaccinated. Read more on the district website under Health Services. Information is also available in Somali and Spanish.
- Prepare now for 7th, 10th grade immunization requirements
- Edina Public Schools has a no shots-no school policy to be in compliance with Minnesota School Immunization Law. To go to school in Minnesota, all students must provide documentation showing they've had the required immunizations or provide a notarized exemption form at the time of enrollment. Families with student's moving into 7th and 10th grades who will not be in compliance will receive an emailed letter noting what immunizations are needed to be in compliance for next fall. For more information on secondary immunization requirements, go to the district website, Health Services page
- (share with Middle School and High School families; elementary as appropriate)
- District response about 13 Reasons Why- Several weeks ago, Netflix released a TV series based on Jay Asher's novel13 Reasons Why. This is an extremely popular show that many young people have been discussing. 13 Reasons Why is the story of Hannah Baker's death by suicide told through the 13 tapes she leaves for those she holds accountable for her choice. While the show is compelling and dramatic, the concern many of us that work with children share is that it does not accurately model what we would want or hope individuals to do if they are struggling or are in crisis. READ MORE.
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DATES TO NOTE
- Internet and Social Media Safety Seminar
- May 2, 7-8:30 p.m. | Edina Performing Arts Center (EPAC)
- The Edina Police Department, Edina Public Schools and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will host a presentation and discussion about long-term and emerging online issues, and advice about how to avoid becoming a victim. Click here for more information.
- You're Invited to Celebrate Ric Dressen's Retirement
- May 3, Open House 4-7 p.m. | Braemar Golf Course -
- While the community is invited to attend anytime during the open house, to assist in managing the event space, attendees are encouraged to attend one of two designated time blocks: 4 - 5:30 p.m. (EPS Students & Staff), 5:30 - 7 p.m. (EPS Students, Families & Community Members). There will be a brief program at 5:30 p.m. To help us plan, please RSVP .
- Looking Through a New Lens: A Good Time for the Truth
- May 4, 7-9 p.m. | Normandale Elementary Auditorium -
- Join us for an engaging community conversation to review what we have learned this year, and discuss where we go next our on district equity journey. Event will include table talks facilitated by EHS students exploring how we can all work to be more inclusive to students and families from all cultural races and cultures.
Summer 2017 schedule for KIDS Club/WISE Guys
This summer Highlands kids in grades 1st -5th will be here at Highlands!
S
ummer Registration Online Will start March 1st!
Last Day of School & KC for 2016-2017 June 1st (Thursday, NEW DATE)
KIDS Club Closed-Site Prep/Staff Training June 2nd-7th
First Day of Summer 2017 KC & WG June 8th (Thursday)
KIDS Club Closed-Holiday July 3rd & 4th
Last Day of Summer KC/WG August 22nd (Tuesday)
KIDS Club Closed August 23rd-September 4th
First Day of School 2017-2018 September 5th (Tuesday)
First Day of Kindergarten 2017-2018 September 5th (Wednesday)
If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm here to help!
Thanks,
Angie
Angie L. Misgen
CES Program Manager-Highlands
952-848-4568
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Highlands School has an opening for
a part-time
Minnesota Reading Corps tutor
for the
2016-17 school year.
Minnesota Reading Corps is a statewide program to help every Minnesota child become a successful reader by the end of third grade. Minnesota Reading Corps elementary members serve as one-on-one tutors and provide research-based interventions to students in Kindergarten to 3rd grade, who are just below proficiency in reading.
Tutors also receive training, a stipend and an education award that is applicable toward Federal student loans or post-secondary tuition.
5th Grade Recognition DATE CHANGE - May 31st
PLEASE make note that since the last day of school is now June 1st our 5th Grade Recognition ceremonies have been moved back to Wednesday May 31st with Discovery in the morning at 10:00 and CP in the afternoon at 1:30.
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Mrs. Widen's Informance Schedule
Informances are informal, informative performances where loved ones are invited to come and watch their children in music class. Mark your calendar to see your child sing, dance, and play instruments and games!
Please don't hesitate to contact Katie Widen
Thursday May 4th
Prowell 9:25-10:10
Masica 10:10-10:55
Monday May 8th
Wallace 9:25-10:10
Pekarek 10:10-10:55
Hjelden 10:55-11:40
Johansen 11:40-12:25
Tuesday May 9th
Hopkins 9:25-10:10
Anderson 10:10-10:55
Molitor 10:55-11:40
Wednesday May 10th
Baier 2:00-2:45
Thursday May 11th
Sponheim 10:55-11:40
Racek 2:00-2:45
South View MS Student Leadership Team 2017-2018 (for Incoming 6th Graders)
Student Leadership Team Applications are now being accepted for the 2017-2018 School Year. If your incoming 6th grader is interested in pursuing this opportunity, you and your child must review the SLT Presentation using the following link -
https://tinyurl.com/zu7swaz
This presentation contains important information that you and your student will want to consider before applying. After you review the presentation, note that within it is a link to the
application that must be completed by Wednesday, April 19, 2017.
Interviews will then take place according to the following schedule:
Tuesday, May 9 at 3:15pm - Concord Incoming 6th Graders
Wednesday, May 10 at 4:00pm - Cornelia Incoming 6th Graders
Thursday, May 11 at 4:00pm - Highlands Incoming 6th Graders
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Media Message
By Lisa Dooley, Media Specialist
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During media classes the students have been discussing how to determine the reliability of information especially online. Here is our main go-to site for research as well as other fun connections to curriculum. As we like to say in the library world, "check it out!" : )
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Check out the Highlands News Show
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Here is the News Show
link.
To view, you will need your student's
login and password.
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PTO News
Learn what is going on and volunteer.
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CHECK OUT THE NEW HIGHLANDS' APPAREL
Order by April 30th just in time for the end of the year celebrations.
New Highlands apparel is now available through General Sports featuring your favorite brands such as Under Armor. Limited time to buy. Now through 4/30! Orders will be delivered before end of school. Styles for men, women and kids in a variety of colors.
HIGHLANDS Doing Good Together
FAMILY SERVICE FAIR on
Friday, April 28, 6-8 pm
The Highlands Doing Good Together Family Service Fair is a unique opportunity for our school's families to come together to make a difference for the larger community. Kid-friendly service projects meeting critical needs in the community make it easy and fun to make an impact on issues such as homelessness, food insecurity and caring for animals.
Dinner. No need to cook! The El Taquito taco truck will be on site to help solve the dinner dilemma.
Volunteer: Visit the PTO website to learn about volunteer opportunities. We need on em more station host and a few event- nights general helpers.
This year's fair will feature:
- Assembling adoption packets and preparing dog treat thank you gifts for families adopting rescue dogs (Spot's Last Stop)
- Creating bibs, fabric toys and quilt squares to help support babies in need (Bundles of Love)
- Preparing single use portions of laundry detergent to support people transitioning out of homelessness (Aeon)
- Drawing/writing welcome letters for newly resettled refugees and immigrants
- Assembling snack bags for families in crisis (Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery)
- Learning about and taking action on our planet's well-being.
- Participating in the collaborative Highlands Kindness video project
- Decorating lunch bags for home bound senior citizens (Metro Meals on Wheels)
- Donating used bikes (hold on to your unwanted bikes!) to support Native American children on the White Earth reservation (RezCycle).
- Practicing philanthropy by donating loose change (start collecting loose change!) to support Edina Give & Go's efforts to assist economically disadvantaged students in Edina.
We are also planning to feature a small number of SERVICE SMALL GATHERINGS for which people can sign up at the event. Please consider hosting a small gathering! These can be as simple as inviting people to your home to tie no-sew fleece blankets, make animal toys or make cards for a local nursing home. You may also get more adventurous and organize an experience such as a tour of a homeless shelter, an outing to a soup kitchen, weeding a community garden as a group, etc.
To get more information, ideas or to sign up for either hosting a station or small gathering, please contact Nassim at nassim.rossi@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATE: EVEREVE SHOPPING NIGHT
TO BENEFIT HIGHLANDS PTO
Thursday, MAY 4th 7pm - 9pm
Evereve is dedicated to styling fashion loving moms! Stylists will help you find the perfect fit for you body type and lifestyle. Shop the Highlands PTO EVEREVE Shopping Night. 15% of all sales will be donated to the Highlands PTO. Snacks and beverages will be served. Last Fall we raised $750. Let's beat that number!
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NEW! All-Day Pre-Kindergarten at the
Edina Family Center
We are excited to offer our first all-day pre-Kindergarten option for the 2017- 2018 school year! Students arrive any time between 6:45am - 9:00am and leave any time between 3:00 - 6:00pm. The instructional day will be from 9:00am - 3:00pm. Please click here for more information.
Summer 2017 schedule for KIDS Club/WISE Guys
This summer Highlands kids in grades 1st -5th will be here at Highlands!
Summer Registration Online Will start March 1st!
Last Day of School & KC for 2016-2017 June 1st (Thursday, NEW DATE)
KIDS Club Closed-Site Prep/Staff Training June 2nd-7th
First Day of Summer 2017 KC & WG June 8th (Thursday)
KIDS Club Closed-Holiday July 3rd & 4th
Last Day of Summer KC/WG August 22nd (Tuesday)
KIDS Club Closed August 23rd-September 4th
First Day of School 2017-2018 September 5th (Tuesday)
First Day of Kindergarten 2017-2018 September 5th (Wednesday)
If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm here to help!
Thanks,
Angie
Angie L. Misgen
CES Program Manager-Highlands
952-848-4568
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Upcoming Events - Bulletin
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Week of April 24th - 28th
Monday 24th
| Pekarek - Field Trip |
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9:45 - 2:15 |
Old Cahill |
Tuesday 25th
| Leadership |
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3:00 |
Gym |
| School Patrol Meeting |
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3:00 |
Rm 32 |
| Community Ed - Spanish |
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3:55 - 4:55 |
Media/ Rm 9 |
Wednesday 26th
Thursday 27th
| Amazing Cartoons |
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3:55 - 4:55 |
Rm 28 |
| Community Ed -Piano Lessons |
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4:00 - 7:00 |
Rm 5 |
Friday 28th
| Family Service Night |
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6:00- 8:00 |
Gym & Cafeteria |
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Highlands Elementary School
5505 Doncaster Way,
Edina, MN 55436
Office: 952-848-4500 |
Attendance: 952-848-4502
Stay Connected
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