![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/u/backgrounds/custom_bg-606f221b7777ae8a27fc9408-2cc1ac2dfbf8.jpg)
![Logo](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/20da/thumb-f9c6e2b7b019d20a6ceb7df5d3e2462a.png)
Highland Happenings
May 17th, 2024
![Highland Happenings May 17th, 2024](https://cdn.smore.com/u/4786/4abec83b333eb600e08fc8510301a179.jpg)
A Week of Fun!
This week was full of fun and celebrations. The Education Foundation of District 58 held their annual Distinguished Service Awards. Congratulations to Ann Brinkman on being selected as the winner of this year's Distinguished Service Awards, along with her teammates at Hillcrest School. This week we honored our beloved Mrs. Wallace with the Mrs. Wallace Walk-A-Thon. It was a beautiful day and a great event that raised funds for outdoor learning space. Thank you so much to our Highland staff and Highland PTA for making such a wonderful event possible. There is still time to donate by clicking below! This week we also wrapped up MAP testing, and scores will be sent home electronically at the end of next week. Next week is the last full-week of the school year and we are looking forward to another great week of hard work and celebration! Please feel free to reach out to me at zcraft@dg58.org, or our main office at 630-719-5835 if you have any questions or need any assistance. Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
My Best,
Zac Craft
Principal, Highland School
Weekly Preview
- 05/20: 6th Grade Field Trip to the Holocaust Museum
- 05/21: Downers Grove North Senior Clap-Out
- 05/21: Visit from the Downers Grove Public Library
- 05/22: Kindergarten Spring Concert
- 05/22: 5th & 6th Grade 50 States in 60 Minutes Assembly
- 05/23: May All-School Meeting!
Later On
- 05/27: No School, Memorial Day
- 05/28: Field Day!
- 05/29: Awards Ceremony
- 05/29: 6th Grade Promotion
- 05/29: The Last Day of School!
Click here to learn more about our end of the year events such as Field Day, 6th Grade Promotion, and Clap-Out!
There is Still Time to Donate!
2024-2025 School Year Planning
As the Highland staff continues to work hard through the end of the 2023-2024 school year, we are also planning for the 2024-2025 school year. Every school year brings new challenges and opportunities. I am excited to share the tentative teacher assignments for each grade level for the 2024-2025 school year:
- Kindergarten -Mrs. Doty, Mrs. Roche
- 1st Grade - Mrs. Sabatino, Mrs. Springer
- 2nd Grade - Mrs. Kehoe, Mrs. Walters
- 3rd Grade - Mrs. Musial, Mrs. O'Donnell, TBD
- 4th Grade -Mrs. Costello, Mrs. Cottrell, & Mrs. Roegner
- 5th Grade - Mrs. Nagle, Mrs. Padilla
- 6th Grade - Mrs. Dunlap, Ms. Gaudio, & Mrs. Varys
The number of classroom sections and teacher assignments for each year is dependent on enrollment, as well as a number of other factors. As always, we will continue to keep your child's needs at the forefront of our planning for 2024-2025 school year. If you have questions about these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Summer Math Club!
The PTA Summer Math Club is open to students entering K-8. It provides over the summer three Math packets featuring interesting Math problems, designed to keep student minds active. After a student completes a packet, he/she will receive prize(s). For more info see this flyer.
Also, parent and high school volunteers are welcome:
If you have questions, contact Cheryl Fernandez: cherylfernandez@att.net
Honor a staff member with a Green Apple Award!
an exceptional District 58 staff member with a Green Apple Award.
When you submit a Green Apple Award donation, the Education Foundation will give a specially designed Green Apple Award certificate to the specified teacher or staff member with a short, custom message from the donor.
All donations will support the Education Foundation’s programs, which include the Select 58 Recognition Awards for Eighth Graders, The Reading Games, Sneak Preview, Teacher Grants Program, Distinguished Service Awards, New Teacher Luncheon, and more.
Green Apple donations and messages may be submitted online here. All donations are tax-deductible. While the Green Apple Program is open year-round, if you would like your Green Apple Award to be delivered before the end of the school year, please submit your donation by Friday, May 17.
The Highland Scoop!
PTA All Day
Mrs. Wallace’s Walk-A-Thon and PE Glow Party
Highland students got to participate in the Walk-A-Thon to remember Mrs. Wallace. It’s not too late to donate! Funds raised will go toward an outdoor learning area at our school in honor of Mrs. Wallace. Donations are welcomed here.
Also in honor of Mrs. Wallace, there will be PE Glow Parties next week! Donate $5 to your classroom teacher for glow accessories! Please consider volunteering to help during PE next week!
End of Year Family Party
Please help us celebrate the end of another great year at Highland!
Join us THIS Sunday, May 19 from 1pm-3pm at the Highland school yard. We will have games, balloon twisters, face painters, snacks, drinks and ice cream. The ice cream truck will be self pay, so please bring cash or a credit card. The options range in price from $3-$6 a piece.
Please sign up here to help out!! We need people to bring tents, snacks, coolers, monitor activities, set up and clean up!!
Contact Suzanne Mraz with any questions. (773)-870-1213 or suzanne.mraz@gmail.com
Field Day
Signups are open for Field Day volunteers! Please join in on the fun on May 28th! When you are signing up, please note the K-2 graders don’t attend every station.
There are signups for items as well, including supersoakers, balloons, hoses and wagons (you don’t have to volunteer day-of to contribute!)
Barnes and Noble Book Fun
On Saturday, May 18th, Katherine Applegate, author of Highland's favorite "The One and Only Ivan" will be at the Oak Brook Barnes & Noble. Starting at 3pm she will be signing copies of her latest book "The One and Only Family."
Highland friends and families can participate in a fun way to earn money for school. Below are bar codes the cashier can scan with every IN-STORE purchase made on Saturday May 18. (All day purchases but in-store only!) You can purchase any and all books- Katherine Applegate books are awesome so feel free to stock up! But also, all purchases made that day in-store and scanned will count for Highland. Enjoy book shopping!
Always Here!
Item's that can be found in every edition of the Highland Happenings, such as the Highland Playbook and our student attendance form can be found below. We want to ensure that these resources are always available to our families while also making each week's Happenings as reader-friendly as possible!
School Health Requirements
Please click below to see the most up to date school health requirements. If you have any questions regarding health requirements for your student, please reach out to one of the members of our school nursing team.
Community Resources
New service on mental health resources
District 58 strives to create a culture of well-being for students, parents, staff and community. To further support this endeavor, the District has invested in an additional support service through ReferralGPS.
ReferralGPS is a service providing assistance to our community in finding local mental health and substance use-related treatment resources. The service compliments the District’s existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS assists families in triage and appointment setting.
School district staff and families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:
Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out treatment options
Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/DG58 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously
The platform has the ability to filter by mental health concern, clinician gender/specialty, location, and insurance acceptance. The service is available for all types of private and public insurance options including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and families that are uninsured or underinsured.
ReferralGPS is available for use by district students, staff, and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.
Personal Electronic/Technology Devices Policy in DG58
It is amazing how far technology has come over the last decade and continues to advance. We recognize the value technology has not just in education, but our world. However, we hope that we can work together to remind students that during the school day, personal electronic devices should be turned off or silenced and out of sight. This includes wearable devices if they become distracting to the learning environment. Students should not be using phones, Apple Watches, or other devices to send or receive text messages or phone calls during the school day.
The 2023-2024 Highland Playbook
The Highland Playbook is your destination for all things Highland. The Playbook includes information about arrival and dismissal procedures, our lunch schedule, and much more! If you have any questions about any information in the Playbook, or have suggestions for additional information that should be included in the Playbook, please reach out to the main office.
Click below to read the 2023-2024 Highland Playbook! You can also find the Highland Playbook on our website: https://www.dg58.org/hg/the-2022-2023-highland-playbook
Keep In Touch
Email: zcraft@dg58.org
Website: DG58.org/HG
Location: 3935 Highland Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: (630)-719-5835
Facebook: facebook.com/HGHuskies
Twitter: @HGHuskies