Husky Nation Highlights

**Husky Nation Highlights will be on hiatus until Sunday, December 1st**

Monterey Highlands has been rated as a "Best Elementary School" *and* "Best Middle School" by US News! This is how we LEAD!! Read our school profile here!

As part of our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiatives, we are bringing back our Husky Store in the Husky Spaw (Rm I-37) this week! Students will be able to shop with their well-earned blue Husky Bucks for the last time before they are retired. We will start with gold Husky Bucks after Fall Break.

A student store is a huge undertaking and requires a lot of merchandise and volunteers to operate. There are many ways to help!

• This is the link to our Amazon PBIS Wish List. Donations ship directly to the school.
• Donations of merchandise will also be accepted on 11/18 and 11/19 in the Front Office.
• You can sign-up to volunteer at this link. Thank you to PTA for organizing!

This year, Monterey Highlands students in 4th-8th grade will have the opportunity to represent their classroom in a school-level bee. A winner from the 4/5th and 6-8th divisions will move on to AUSD district-level bee competition in February 2025.

Classroom Bees (elimination round) will take place over the next week! Classroom winners will move on to the Schoolwide Bee in January, which will be open to parents/guardians after school hours.

Interested students are encouraged to start studying both spelling *and* vocabulary! Check out the resources below.

The following staff member(s) were recognized for AUSD's "Spotlight" or "Beyond the Call of Duty" badges. Thank you for all you do for Husky Nation!

Mrs. Stephanie Yoon (Kindergarten)

Ms. Leilani Vitug (1st Grade)

Shout is a vibrant celebration where individuals can express themselves through art, poetry, rhyme, song, skit, music, and dance. This time, our theme is Gratitude. Join us during lunch to share your heartfelt thanks!

A big round of applause for our talented students who participated in this year’s Reflections Art Program!

Entries showcased creativity and passion across six categories:

• Dance Choreography
• Film Production
• Literature
• Music Composition
• Photography
• Visual Arts

We are proud to honor the students who placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd across various grade divisions. Check out the full list of winners and their amazing submissions here.

Thank you to all participants for inspiring us with your incredible work!

This week, our students were treated to 4 incredible science-based assemblies, all made possible by your generous support of the PTA!

Middle Schoolers (5th-8th) were captivated by a dazzling laser show from Prismatic Magic, blending science and spectacle.

Primary Grade Students (TK-4th) were amazed by the hands-on wonders of Mad Science, sparking curiosity and creativity.

Your support allows us to provide unique, educational, and unforgettable experiences like these for our students. Thank you for helping us make learning extraordinary!

Mark your calendars for a festive evening of fun and community!

When: December 13

Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Where: Cafetorium & Outdoor Dining Area

We’re planning an evening filled with food, drinks, bingo games, entertainment, and much more to celebrate the holiday season together!

Stay tuned for more details—this is one event you won’t want to miss!

We are grateful for our volunteers. Here are some of our volunteer needs at this time:

Ongoing PTA Volunteer Opportunities:

• Interested in helping plan and organize our PTA events? Let us know by submitting your interest here! (PTA)

The Associated Student Body (ASB) oversees all fundraising and school activities at Monterey Highlands. The ASB Cabinet meets most weeks to review activity and fundraising requests.

Useful ASB Information:

• ASB Fundraiser Request Form
  
• ASB Approved Fundraisers

ASB produces our monthly Wonderful Wednesday virtual assembly. In the month of November, 5th Grade teaches us how to show Gratitude. Our morning PA messages to start the week will also focus on this theme. Check out the full Wonderful Wednesday video here!

Support 6th Grade as they raise funds for Outdoor Science Camp! This is an all-day virtual fundraiser (nationwide, online only). Uber Eats/DoorDash/Yelp/In-Person orders DO NOT apply.

Use the Panda App or visit pandaexpress.com and use code = 928082!

Professor Plume led our TK-4th grade students in a wonderful assembly where they learned about the scientific method, the Bernoulli effect and the wonders of dry ice sublimation. Thank you to PTA for making this assembly possible!

Prismatic Magic engaged our 5th-8th grade students in fun assemblies that included an overview of laser light, the history of the solar system and famous figures in space exploration. Students enjoyed a rousing light show with music to cap off the assembly. Thank you to PTA for making this assembly possible!

The Gabrielino/Tongva people are the original inhabitants of the entire Los Angeles & Orange County Basin’s including Santa Catalina, San Nicholas, San Clemente and Santa Barbara Islands. We recognize both names as homage to our ancestors who lived in our defined territories by the San Gabriel Mission. We are the first Angelenos, and “We Are Here” - “Eq Weh Shem.”

On 11/13, our 3rd Grade students had a wonderful, interactive presentation from members of the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians. Students loved the hands-on learning and watching their history books come to life! Thank you to AUSD's Office of Educational Equity for making these lessons possible.

Our Mock Trial Team had a wonderful prosecution presentation on 11/14. While the team is not moving onto Round 2, we are SO PROUD of their diligence and hard work! In just a few short weeks, our team stepped up to the task and performed like a veteran team under pressure. Congratulations to Sum Yu Wu (defense attorney) and Emma Lucero (expert witness for the prosecution) on their Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards during competition! The team will be recognized at the Honor Roll Assembly this week on 11/19!

The Apollo Afterschool program publishes a newsletter periodically to update everyone on their fun and exciting programs. Enrollment is open!

• 11/19 - Middle School Honor Roll Assembly @ 1:45pm, Lower Blacktop
• 11/19 - AUSD Board of Education Meeting
• 11/20 - Adventures Fall Dance
• 11/20 - School Site Council Meeting on Zoom @ 1:15pm
• 11/20 to 11/22 - Husky Store Super Sale @ Husky Spaw
• 11/20 - 6th Grade Panda Fundraiser, all day (online only), code = 928082
• 11/21 - Student of the Month (Gratitude), Cafetorium @ 8am
• 11/21 - PLUS presents Gratatouille Shout Out Event @ 6-8 Lunch
• 11/21 - Safety Committee on Zoom @ 3pm
• 11/25 to 11/29 - FALL BREAK - NO SCHOOL
• 12/5 - Reading is Fundamental Assembly (1st-3rd), Cafetorium @ 8am
• 12/7 - 6th Grade Clothing Drive, Valet Circle @ 10am-1pm
• 12/6 - 3rd Grade GATE Testing @ 8:15am (in homeroom)
• 12/9 - Title 1 Annual Meeting, Cafetorium @ 8:15am
• 12/10 and 12/11 - Winter Program Performances, Cafetorium (more info to follow)
• 12/10 - AUSD Board of Education Meeting
• 12/11 - School Site Council Meeting on Zoom @ 1:15pm (new date)
• 12/12 - English Learner Reclassification Celebration, Cafetorium @ 8am
• 12/13 - PTA presents the Night Before Christmas, Cafetorium (more info to follow)
• 12/17 - Instrumental Holiday Program, Cafetorium @ 6:30pm
• 12/17 - AUSD Board of Education Meeting
• 12/18 - Staff Holiday Luncheon (school office closes at 1:30pm)
• 12/19 - Student of the Month (Empathy), Cafetorium @ 8am
• 12/20 - Minimum Day (school office closes at 1:30pm)
• 12/23 to 1/4 - WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL
• 1/6 - School Reopens

A California Distinguished School - 2014, 2020, 2023

📥 Email: highlands@ausd.us
🌐 Website: www.montereyhighlandselementary.org
📍 Location: 400 Casuda Canyon Drive, Monterey Park, CA, USA
📲 Phone: (626) 570-6220