FRESH NEWS

October 11, 2023

FRESH NEWS January 15, 2025

From the Desk of Mr. Henderson

Highland Community,

It’s 2025 (!) and this is an exciting time in Lake Stevens School District. For the first time in my time here, students across elementary schools are all receiving the same high quality, aligned curriculum across all seven elementary schools. I am so proud of what we are teaching our students, and how we are teaching them. Each year we get better and better at understanding how to meet the needs of each of our learners. One way we measure our individual and school success is through the iReady assessment system for math and literacy. Students are in the middle of taking their assessments, and this week we had a special visit from Plory, an iReady character that students see on the daily in their lessons. He reinforced taking our time and showing our best on the diagnostic tests, which help design your child’s individual pathway.

I am putting out a Principal Challenge, to see if 80% of our Highland Hornets can reach 50% of their annual typical growth on iReady in reading and math. What does this mean? We are about halfway through the year, and this would mean that students are halfway in their learning for this year as well! If students meet the goal, we will have a top secret school-wide celebration.

Let’s do this!

Mr. H

Office Reminders

Cell Phone

Did your child receive a smart watch or mobile device from Santa? If so, please remember that we have a new policy this year which requires parent permission for them to be on campus/worn. Here's a handy copy of our the Family/Student Handbook with this specific excerpt and the form you need to send in to be legit. Thanks in advance!

Cell Phone Policy

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YepxkfpjOVfnLJQ4i070kogrWSfDvDLbEnL4MDVQgpE/edit

Drop Off/ Pick Up

To keep our drop off and pick up running smoothly, we all have to remember the procedures. If you need a refresher, check out this handy video. Share it with your kiddoes so they can help hold you accountable. :) https://www.wevideo.com/view/3301581172

Specific things to remember are remaining in your car unless absolutely necessary to help unload your student, and taking a RIGHT TURN only out of the front loop. Left turns onto 113th are both unsafe and inefficient for our flow at critical times.

Highland Family Groups

Our Family Group Time in February will be participating in a special challenge. We are collecting shoe boxes, empty paper towel/toilet paper rolls, and milk or water bottle caps. Please send items to the office no later than Feb. 13th.

Our family groups met on Tuesday, Jan 14th. We were excited to welcome some brand new students to our family groups. When we met we played a name game and practiced critical thinking with a “hot seat” guessing game. We are continuing to build community and get to know one another in our groups. Congrats to the top family group runners last month, The Mighty Minions with 501 miles collectively!

Library News

Warning: A Winter Reading Challenge has been issued! Any student wishing to participate can get a sheet from Mrs. Correa in the library. This challenge is optional but the goal is to read 25 nights, one challenge per day. If you don’t have a specific book, students can read for 20 minutes and then check off a challenge. Turn in challenge sheets by February 28th to earn a Snowman Duckie prize!

What's Buzzing Around Highland

Kindergarten

Kindergarten students continue to unlock the English language sound by sound. Mr. H was blown away this week to see students growing in their ability to build words sound by sound as well as decode them. Students use resources like these sound walls to track their learning and help them know not only the sounds of a given letter but how our mouth forms that vowel, down to what happens with our lips, tongue and breath.

2nd Grade

Mrs. Hostetter’s class (and every other class, too) was delighted with a visit from iReady’s PLORY!

3rd Grade

Third graders are busy learning about the different systems of the human body, and how they are all interconnected. They are learning about bones, muscles, parts of the nervous system, and how our ears and eyes work.

5th Grade

Fifth graders have begun their study of the classic Adventures of Don Quixote written in the 1600s! It is so fun to see students’ journey of emotions as they come to love the characters and their hijinx.

SLC and 4th Grade

Things are cooking in Mrs. Force’s SLC classroom. Literally! This fall students have enjoyed special experiences with students from Mrs. Sinning’s fourth grade class, celebrating special days and creating some yummy treats, too!

Running Club

If your student isn’t signed up to attend please do so here:

HLD Running Club STUDENT Sign-up.

Only sign-up your student(s) ONCE per year.

Volunteers are needed!

Please sign up to help run this event.

(and future running club days)

HLD Running Club VOLUNTEER Sign-up

LSSD School Bond

Have you heard? Lake Stevens School District is re-running its school construction bond in the February 11 election. The bond focuses on addressing growth and overcrowding, replacing aging facilities, enhancing safety and security, and supporting student well-being and success.

These updates are essential to ensure our schools remain safe, welcoming and equipped for the learning needs of today’s students.

Voters in our community came SO close to reaching the required 60% supermajority to pass this bond. Many things have changed since the community team created our previous bond, and they enhance the plans for the February 11, 2025 bond. Check this out:

For detailed information, please visit: https://www.lkstevens.wednet.edu/bond#

Supporting Student Attendance

Supporting Student Attendance: Family Engagement and Student Success Specialists

Introducing Our Family Engagement & Student Success Specialists

In Lake Stevens School District, we are committed to ensuring every student succeeds. One of the key ways we do this is through the help of our three Family Engagement and Student Success Specialists. These specialists are here to support both students and families in a variety of ways to make sure that students are in school, learning, and thriving.
Our Family Engagement Student Success Specialists, also known as FESSS, work closely with students and families to help overcome challenges that affect a student’s ability to attend school regularly. Whether it's transportation problems, lack of childcare, or other personal or family issues, these specialists are trained to identify and help address these barriers. Their goal is to make sure that nothing stands in the way of a student’s education.

How can a FESSS support my student's attendance and engagement?

Each FESSS is available to connect families to community resources. These resources may include food banks, mental health services, tutoring programs, or after-school care, depending on the family’s needs. By linking families to the right resources, our specialists help make sure that students have everything they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom.
In addition to helping with attendance, FESSS play a key role in facilitating strong relationships between a student's school and their families. They regularly check in with caregivers of students whom they support, keeping families informed about their student’s progress and any challenges the student may be facing. They also work to create a welcoming environment for families and make sure that the caregivers of those students whom they support feel supported and heard.

Why would my student need FESSS support?

Student success is not just about what happens in the classroom—it’s also about what happens outside of school. That’s why our Family Engagement Student Success Specialists are such an important part of our team. They are dedicated to making sure every student has the opportunity to attend school regularly, feel supported, and succeed in their education.
If you ever believe your student could benefit from support from one of our Family Engagement and Student Support Specialists, contact your student's school to request a referral. Just like all of our staff, FESSS are here to help, and they care about your student’s success and their regular attendance. Together, we can work to overcome any obstacles to attendance and engagement, and support every student in accessing their education and their bright future ahead!

Katelyn Vincent | FESSS

katelyn_vincent@lkstevens.wednet.edu
Supporting all students (P-9) living in the NLMS boundary sections of the LSSD. (ELC, HLD, MTP, STC and SUN).

Interested in Getting Support from one of our FESSS?

Contact your school's counseling department for a referral to one of our Family Engagement and Student Success Specialists!