Hawks,

Thank-you for an amazing start to our 2023-2024 school year! We have enjoyed welcoming our students to The Nest and being with them this week. We appreciate you choosing Highland High School to send your children!

On Monday, July 31 we will continue to ask that ALL students and staff must have their ID card displayed visibly while on our HHS campus. As students enter campus, HHS staff will ask students to have their ID card on. Students can enter campus at three entrances before school: Front gate entrance, East side entrance by our cafeteria and building 5 and Student Parking/Parent drop-off lot entrance. Per GPS policy, all students are to have that student ID visible on their torso area while on campus during our school hours. This provides additional safety and security measures on our campus - for example, it allows our staff to quickly identify students who belong to HHS while on campus. Students will receive their 2023-2024 school ID when they take their pictures on Monday, July 31 and on Tuesday, August 1.

We are emphasizing with our students the importance of being to class on time, every period, every day. When students arrive late to class, it causes their teacher to stop their instruction and also causes distractions to the students who are in class on time. We encouraged our students to not linger in Hawk Hall today and to get to class on time - and maybe even arrive early! Please consider chatting with your son or daughter this weekend to reinforce the importance of being on time to class and helping our campus in this area. We appreciate your support! On Monday, July 31 we will start our Sweep program where students receive tardies if they are late to a class.

Please see below for important information about student drop-off and student pick-up. Thank-you in advance for your patience and assistance with our busiest times of the school day!

Enjoy your weekend, stay cool and be safe out there Hawks!

Brian Yee

Principal

Entrepreneur and writer Nat Eliason on the importance of challenging yourself to do hard things:

"The ability to do hard things is perhaps the most useful ability you can foster in yourself or your children. And proof that you are someone who can do them is one of the most useful assets you can have on your life resume.

Our self-image is composed of historical evidence of our abilities. The more hard things you push yourself to do, the more competent you will see yourself to be.

If you can run marathons or throw double your body weight over your head, the sleep deprivation from a newborn is only a mild irritant. If you can excel at organic chemistry or econometrics, onboarding for a new finance job will be a breeze.

But if we avoid hard things, anything mildly challenging will seem insurmountable. We’ll cry into TikTok over an errant period at the end of a text message. We’ll see ourselves as incapable of learning new skills, taking on new careers, and escaping bad situations.

The proof you can do hard things is one of the most powerful gifts you can give yourself."

Per Arizona Statute 13-13-104B10, which states: During loading or unloading of passengers at a designated school bus loading area at a school, the school shall restrict the loading area to school buses, passengers and school employees assisting in the loading or unloading of passengers.

As a campus we are responsible to have a designated area for our bus loading zone. That area is located on the East side of our campus. We can not have students dropped off or picked up on Roadrunner Dr, which is located on the East side of our campus. Please do not pick-up or drop-off students in this area.

Parents have 2 options for student drop off and pick up:

Option 1 will be in front of the school. Please do not make a left turn onto Guadalupe as this is an illegal turn and presents dangers on the road.

Option 2 will be to use the back lot for drop off and pick up. This option should provide for faster drop off and pick up due to the traffic light timing and the ability to go all directions out of the lot.

PLEASE DO NOT pick up or drop off on Roadrunner Drive on the east side of school. We are required by A.R.S to have a separate drop off area for buses in which there is no parent drop off intermingled.

Thank you for helping us to keep traffic flowing smoothly here at HHS and our students safe!

Click link below to download the map of our drop-off areas:

Gilbert Public Schools has School Resource Officers (SROs) assigned to all of our High Schools and Jr High Schools. The United States Department of Justice defines School Resource Officers (SROs) as "sworn law enforcement officers responsible for safety and crime prevention in schools". SROs are typically employed by a local police or sheriff's agency and work closely with administrators in an effort to create a safer environment for both students and staff.

The responsibilities of SROs are similar to regular police officers in that they have the ability to make arrests, respond to calls for service, and document incidents. SROs typically have additional duties, including mentoring and conducting presentations on youth-related issues.

Here at Highland we are grateful to have Officer Churchman as our SRO. If students or parents have any questions or concerns you are encouraged to reach out directly to Officer Churchman.

I have been a Police Officer with Gilbert for 18 years. During that time, I have worked patrol, night traffic focusing on DUI enforcement, and as a bike officer in downtown Gilbert. I am an FTO, HGN Certified, ARIDE Certified, IPMBA Certified, CIT Certified, TLO, and a phlebotomist. Prior to law enforcement I obtained my Commercial Pilots License along with a Certified Flight Instructor Certification including instruments. I am grateful for the opportunity to be the SRO at Highland High School and be there for the students and staff. Go Hawks!

Follow us on Instagram for updates, information and pictures.

Find us on Instagram: highland.hawks

Link to the 2023-2024 Calendar:

Gilbert Public Schools Website: https://www.gilbertschools.net/Page/1

Please complete the free and reduced meal application each year for your student!

Link to our GPS Nutritional Services Website: https://www.gilbertschools.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=769

It is crucial that all GPS families complete the online 'Annual Update' in Infinite Campus. The information provided will be used by the district or your school to directly communicate with you regarding your student, or in the event of an emergency on campus. Please log into your Infinite Campus Parent Portal and complete the 'Annual Update' today! | Update Here

The confidential GPS Tip Line was designed to promote school and student safety and wellbeing. Students and parents can report a threat or potential threat about a student or school. The Tip Line also provides information on other topics, which may affect our students, staff, or schools. | Submit Tip

The Families Hub offers a wide range of resources to help you and your student(s) throughout the school year, including back to school updates, menus, nutritional information, enrollment details and more. | Read More

Our GPS Mobile App is free and easy to download! From a smart device, go to the App Store® or Google Play Store® and search for "Gilbert Public Schools." Don't forget to customize your app by selecting to follow your student's school calendar and notifications!

We are excited to announce the introduction of 'Here Comes the Bus,' a new service for our families whose students ride the school bus. The app allows GPS parents and families to track the real-time location of their student's school bus, to know when and where their student boards or exits the bus, and helps ensure GPS students get to the bus stop on time. Read more by clicking on the following link: https://www.gilbertschools.net/Page/2597

Check out our district calendar for the latest details on GPS events, holidays, breaks and more. | View Here

Phone: 480-813-0051

Fax: 480-813-0258

4301 East Guadalupe Road

Gilbert, AZ 85234