We are planning a large Husky Store event before Fall Break to close (last chance to use Blue Husky Bucks before they expire).

Please help us stock our store for students by reviewing the link above. All purchases are shipped directly to the school!

Interested in volunteering? Please email Mr. Perez, our School Counselor!

With construction complete, we're excited to bring back the Halloween Parade this year! Grades TK-8 will be participating. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend. Please note the following:

• Parents/guardians are welcome regardless of volunteer clearance status
• Parents/guardians will be asked to stand along the perimeter of the Lower Blacktop
• There is no seating available for parents/guardians, so please plan accordingly (folding chairs are allowed)
• All parents/guardians must clear campus by 8:45am as we resume school operations.
• Any parent/guardian visiting school for other business must enter through Gate 1

The end of Trimester 1 is right around the corner! Who will have the best attendance? The homerooms with the best attendance will win a sweet treat during SEL time!

Here are the current standings with 2 weeks left in Tri 1!!

1. Ms. Nguyen (Kinder)
2. Mrs. Acosta-Martin (6th)
3. Mrs. Yoshida (3rd)
4. Mrs. Kaur (7th)
5. Mrs. Yu-Chen (8th)
6. Mrs. Kawasaki (8th)
7. Ms. Perez (4th)
8. Mrs. J. Wang (5th)

We are excited to invite you to our Reflections Awards Night on Thursday, November 7, celebrating the incredible creativity and talent of our students!

Date: Thursday, November 7

Time:

• 6:00 PM: Art Gallery + Food & Refreshments
• 6:30 PM: Live Performances & Awards Presentation

Come enjoy an inspiring evening featuring beautiful art displays, captivating performances, and the presentation of awards recognizing our students' achievements in this year's Reflections program.

Refreshments are served at the event, so please click HERE to RSVP if you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you there! Let’s come together to celebrate the arts and the hard work of our talented students.

Thanks to your amazing support, our PTA membership drive is now 93% of the way to our goal! We only need 35 more members to hit 500 members and unlock the Giant Outdoor Chess Set and new sports equipment for our students!

New Deadline: November 8

It’s not too late to join the PTA! For every parent, relative, or friend who becomes a member, your student earns raffle entries for a chance to win cool prizes—and the more members, the more entries they get! More information about rewards and raffles is available here. Let's finish strong—JOIN TODAY and make a difference! Together, we can make this an incredible year for our kids!

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)

Ongoing School Volunteer Opportunities:

• Husky Store: We're looking for volunteers to help re-open our Husky Store in November (11/21 and 11/22)! Please contact Mr. Perez, School Counselor if you are interested!

If you feel your child may need some support, check-ins or possibly a referral for counseling services, please connect with our Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Mr. Christian Perez - perez_christian_1@ausd.us.

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 September, 6th Grade teaches us how to show Responsibility. Our morning PA messages to start the week will also focus on this theme.

Please join Mr. B and our Leadership Team as we update 6th and 8th grade parents on current fundraising levels and progress towards goals. The meetings will be held virtually and recorded in case you can't make it.

• 8th Grade Parent Meeting - Mon 11/4 @ 5pm - zoom.us/my/mh.principal
• 6th Grade Parent Meeting - Mon 11/4 @ 6pm - zoom.us/my/mh.principal

Families are encouraged to submit an entry to the Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)'s 2024 National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest! If you are a winner, Highlands could receive $1000!

You may already know this, but in recent years, a silent threat has been growing: fentanyl.

6,800 young people (ages 10-19) died of an overdose in 2022, most of which involved fentanyl

— a synthetic opioid far more potent than morphine.

Here are some alarming facts:

• Lethal Risk: Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equivalent to a few grains of sand, can be deadly.
• Widespread Danger: In 2023, authorities seized over 79 million counterfeit pills, with 70 containing lethal doses of fentanyl.
• Hidden Threat: Fentanyl can be hidden in fake prescription pills—pills that look just like any other and are often sold online or via social media.

Awareness is our first defense. We’d like to share this resource: Natural High Fentanyl Toolkit to

empower you with knowledge and tools to discuss this critical issue with your child.

Even if you feel confident that your child would never use substances, equipping them with this

knowledge could potentially save a life — perhaps even that of a friend.

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

• 10/30 - Halloween Parade @ 8:15am, Lower Blacktop
• 10/30 - End of Trimester 1
• 10/31 and 11/1 - PUPIL FREE DAYS - NO SCHOOL
• 10/31 - AUSD Food Fair (please call school office to RSVP)
• 11/1 - Adventures Day Camp
• 11/4 - 8th Grade Parent Meeting on Zoom @ 5pm
• 11/4 - 6th Grade Parent Meeting on Zoom @ 6pm
• 11/6 - Mock Trial - Round 1 Competition - Stanley Mosk Courthouse (DTLA) @ 5pm
• 11/7 - Fall Picture Makeups (new date)
• 11/8 - Report Cards Go Home Via Email
• 11/11 - Veterans' Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
• 11/12 - PTA presents Prismatic Science Assembly (6-7)
• 11/13 - Parent Engagement: EL Night, Cafetorium @ 6pm
• 11/14 - PTA presents MAD Science Assembly (TK-2nd)
• 11/15 - PTA presents MAD Science Assembly (3rd-5th)
• 11/15 - PTA presents Prismatic Science Assembly (7-8)
• 11/19 - AUSD Board of Education Meeting
• 11/20 - Adventures Fall Dance
• 11/20 - School Site Council Meeting on Zoom @ 1:15pm
• 11/21 - Student of the Month (Gratitude), Cafetorium @ 8am
• 11/21 and 11/22 - Husky Store Supersale @ Husky Spaw
• 11/25 to 11/29 - FALL BREAK - NO SCHOOL

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