Husky Nation Highlights

We're very excited to announce that our vocal Winter Program is back, featuring several grade levels! We are also showcasing our Instrumental Music Program during an evening performance and schoolwide assemblies.

The vocal program will be held on-campus during school hours. Our Cafetorium has limited space and we need it to run our meal program, so a few guidelines are in place:

1. We will have two identical showings of each program on each day. A recording of the combined program will be created and published on our school website over the Winter Break.
2. We can only seat parents according to their ticket color (see below). Please plan to arrive for your scheduled ticket time. Thank you for understanding.
   
3. Tickets will be made available to your child by their homeroom teacher. We can only issue 2 tickets per child. Thank you for understanding.
4. Please stay for the duration of the program (~45 minutes) to limit distractions for performers. Again, please do NOT leave after your child has performed as this is very distracting (and discouraging) for students.
   
5. NO TICKET, NO ENTRY

Tuesday, December 10 - Grades TK, Kinder, 1st and 2nd will perform for each showing

• RED Ticket Showing is 8:15-9:00am
• YELLOW Ticket Showing is 9:15-10:00am

Wednesday, December 11 - Grades 3rd, 4th (+ 4/5 Combo) and 7th will perform for each showing

• GREEN Ticket Showing is 8:15-9:00am
• BLUE Ticket Showing is 9:15-10:00am

(corrected schedule for 12/11 - there was a typo in last weekend's newsletter)

Tuesday, December 17 - Grades 5th-8th Instrumental Music Students will perform

• This performance is not ticketed. All community members are welcome.
• The performance starts at 6:30pm in the Cafetorium
• Please arrive early to limit distractions to our performers

Please join Mr. B on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 8:15am in the Library as he explains the Monterey Highlands' Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) Goals for 2024-25 (recently approved by the School Site Council).

SPSA goals will drive school programming in the areas of: academic achievement, English Learner proficiency, improving school culture and increasing parent/family engagement.

Coffee and donuts will be served.

The following individuals are nominees for the five (5) open parent/guardian/caregiver seats on School Site Council (SSC). Nominees that are elected will serve from January 2025 through December 2026 (2-year term). Ballot closes Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 11:59pm.

Ballot Quick Link: https://bit.ly/MH-SSC-2024

Please read the candidates statements below, followed by a link to the ballot:

• Alison Worthington - I have had the privilege of serving on School Site Council for the past 2 years. I want to continue to work to support our children, advocate for parents, and collaborate with school administrators to improve our school. It is important that all parents have a voice. I also serve on the Executive Board of the PTA, and coach the middle school mock trial team. My commitment to the school and our local community is unwaivering.
• Yingmei Han - I want to know more about children's learning.
• Scott WIllard - My name is Scott Willard. I have twins in the 4th grade (Brooke and Blake). Being a professional engineer with my bachelor's and master's degrees from USC, I can provide perspective on what is best for our students to achieve academic success. I know the absolute importance of a solid educational foundation at the elementary level. If elected, I would advocate for resources and support for our students so they can be armed with a high-caliber education that will benefit them throughout their educational careers. My contribution to our school community will be to ensure our school meets educational goals, allocate resources effectively, and ensure student success is our primary focus.
• Gina Garcia - I have thoroughly enjoyed serving on the School Site Council this past session. I would love to continue this journey, staying informed about what's happening at school while advocating for all students, and sharing valuable feedback from a parent's perspective.
• Cindy Soto - I have successfully supported my children in their academic journeys. Education and having connection with the school is the foundation of future scholars. Thank you in advance.
• Erica Neal - I would like to be more involved with my kids school
• Erica Mendez - I’d like to help in any way I can, to make a difference and a better tomorrow for our kids.
• Erin Riches-Wong - I want to do my part to help ensure that Monterey Highlands meets the academic needs of its large and diverse student body.
• Mayra de Dios - I believe that in order for children to succeed in their education parents, teachers, and other school staff need to work together. Being a part of the school site council will give me a better opportunity to understand what is going on in our school.
• Christopher Lang - As an active parent volunteer and dedicated member of our school community, I've had the pleasure of witnessing firsthand the exceptional academic excellence and enrichment opportunities that make our school special. Through my involvement with events like the Spooky Bash carnival, I've seen how our diverse community comes together to create meaningful experiences for our children. I'm seeking to serve on the School Site Council because I believe in building upon our school's academic strengths while ensuring every student feels supported and valued. With my professional background in engineering and experience as a parent, I would work collaboratively with council members to maintain our high academic standards while strengthening our social-emotional learning programs and support services that help all students thrive. I'm committed to fostering an environment where every child can reach their full potential.
• Carlos Mora - I would like to be nominated to the School Site Council at Monterey Highlands Elementary School and serve in a leadership capacity for the next two academic years. I believe it demonstrates to my children that leadership is valuable characteristic to develop at an early age. Further, it provides a platform to actively contribute to their education and build a stronger connection to their school community. I also would like to participate in the decision-making processes that directly impact my children’s learning environment.

This month’s focus is Empathy. One way to think about Empathy is “understanding and connecting with other people’s feelings.” Empathy is a practice that can help us grow strong relationships.

Empathy is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Kind. Across grade levels, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.

The Monterey Highlands PTA invites you to Frosty Fest! Inspired by Nightmare Before Christmas, this festive gathering will be held on Friday, December 13, from 5-7 PM in the Cafetorium and outdoor dining area.

Outdoors:

• Santa will make a special appearance for photos!
• Enjoy holiday carolers, falling snow, and festive vibes!
• Activities include Bingo, exciting raffle drawings, and an ugly sweater contest!

Indoors:

• Watch Nightmare Before Christmas, the holiday classic!
• Savor food and drinks to keep the holiday cheer going!

All activities are free as part of our commitment to fostering community joy and togetherness. Bring the whole family for a magical evening of fun and holiday spirit. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Please note food, drinks, prizes and activities are available while supplies last and activities are subject to change based on inclement weather. Event information and FAQ available here. To volunteer, please click here.

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)
• Interested in volunteering for our Frosty Fest event? Let us know by clicking here! (PTA)
• Interested in serving in our nomination committee to assist in identifying candidates for next year’s PTA Executive Board? Let us know by emailing president@mhpta.net (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 December, 4th Grade teaches us how to show Empathy. Our morning PA messages to start the week will also focus on this theme.

Our Wonderful Wednesday video featuring 4th grade is now live on YouTube (and now includes Mr. McNeil's 4th graders)!

Support 8th Grade as they raise funds for 2025 Promotion Activities! 8th Grade will be selling Holiday Grams ($1 each) in the breezeway daily the week of 12/9 - 12/13. Grams will be delivered by 12/17.

In Trimester 2, we will be bringing back our Mobile Husky Carts! Teachers can sign up for a slot and staff will deliver a cart full of Husky Store items to the classroom so that students can spend their well-earned Husky Bucks! We appreciate donations of toy and snack items to keep our carts stocked.

Items purchased from this Amazon Wishlist are delivered directly to the school. Thank you for your generosity and supporting PBIS!

Reading is FUNdamental (RIF) is a tradition at every AUSD elementary school. With generous support from the Alhambra Educational Foundation (AEF), every child in TK-3rd grade gets a free book from the RIF program.

This week, our School Librarian Mrs. Taylor, read students "Dog Man - Big Jim Begins". Each student will get a free book to take home over the Winter Break!

6th Grade had a very successful clothing drive this weekend! Huge thanks to our 6th Grade parents and students who volunteered today to organize a record haul of 274 bags of clothing! Thank you to everyone who drove through and donated! 6th Grade is well on their way to Science Camp!!

Our amazing Husky LEADers from the Highlands Service Club (HSC) have been busy lately! This weekend, they lent a hand to bring joy to citizens of Monterey Park at Santa's Snow Village in Barnes Park. Thank you to Co-Adviser, Mrs. Kaur (7th Grade) for supervising the students at this event! City Staff gave our students a huge shout-out for missing out on fun to help others. We're so proud of you all!

PS: Parks and Recreation Director Robert Aguirre wanted to give a special shoutout to Ramon Aragon for being an outstanding volunteer at this event! Way to LEAD, Ramon!!

The Adventures Afterschool program publishes a newsletter periodically to update everyone on their fun and exciting programs.

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

• 12/9 - Title 1 Annual Meeting, Library @ 8:15am
• 12/9 to 12/13 - 8th Grade Holiday Gram Sales, Daily in the Breezeway
• 12/10 - Winter Program (TK-2nd) @ 8:15am (RED tickets), 9:15am (YELLOW tickets)
• 12/10 - AUSD Board of Education Meeting
• 12/11 - Winter Program (3rd, 4th and 7th) @ 8:15am (GREEN tickets), 9:15am (BLUE tickets)
• 12/11 - School Site Council Meeting (in-person), Library @ 1:15pm (new date)
• 12/12 - English Learner Reclassification Celebration, Cafetorium @ 8am
• 12/13 - PTA presents Frosty Fest, Cafetorium and Garden, 5-7pm
• 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)
• 12/22 - SSC Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Election Ballot closes @ 11:59pm
• 12/23 to 1/4 - WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL
• 1/6 - School Reopens

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