April 27, 2009

Take

Note

Calendar Highlights

Thurs. 30 Prospective Parent Open House 9:00 a.m. Learning Center Contact Judy McDonald for more information Fri. May 1 All School Community Meeting ―Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?‖ Middle School Spring Trip Students Return Tues. 5 Middle School Recitals during Middle School Community Meeting EDP Creative Writing Readings 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Parents’ Auxiliary Meeting 6:30 p.m. Learning Center Thurs. 7 Fourth and Fifth Grade to American Village Family Center Pastries with Parents 8:15 a.m.

Dear Parents, If you have turned on the news or opened a newspaper during the last few days, you have noticed stories about Swine Flu. There have been over a thousand cases in Mexico and twenty confirmed cases in the United States, none in the Southeast. The health officials are recommending preventive measures consistent with those in place for other illnesses, specifically flu, and we are reinforcing these at school. As recommended by the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school ), we remind our students to:

Cover their noses and mouths with tissues when they cough or sneeze—have them throw the tissue away after they use it.

Wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. If water is not near, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner, located in each building.

Remind them to not to touch their eyes, noses, or mouths. Germs of-ten spread this way

Please help us by reinforcing these concepts at home. For more information, please refer to the health policy on pages 25 – 27 of the handbook. Additionally, if your family plans on traveling in Mexico this school year, please let me know. I have been accused of going overboard (!), but I keep sanitizing gel in my car for entering and/or exiting the car. My family rarely gets sick, but I do have to endure a little eye-rolling from them!

Happy handwashing!

Kathryn Woodson Barr

Parents’ Auxiliary

needs you for next year!

We especially need two Chairs for Spring Fling for next year and a few chair-elect positions. If

you are interested in chairing or co-chairing a committee (found in your handbook on pages 41-

44), please contact Jenny Walker

(click on her name to email her or call her at

879-8727).

Thank you!

Parents’ Auxiliary Meeting Tuesday, May 5

6:30 p.m. Learning Center

At this meeting we will elect the 2009– 2010

Officers and hear updates on the years activities!

Make your plans to attend!

Page 2

HIGHNOTES

Short

Notes

Preschool Students Present E-I-E-I-OOPS!

The Preschool Students shared the story of a cow who wouldn’t ―moo!‖ This is all very upset-ting to the other humans and animals on the farm who all love to sing in their own special

way. They realize that everybody’s voice is important and neces-sary to make the farm and their choir sound complete. Each of the characters makes it their goal to try to convince Madam Cow that she should join them by raising her voice with a hearty ―moo!‖ Ini-tially however, the pigs can’t do it. The chicks can’t do it. Even the sheep fail until they finally discover that it is the cow’s insecurity and low self esteem that is keeping her from sharing her song. When they learn this, they decide the need to help build up her confidence by saying nice things about her and treating her like she is very capable and admirable. Their technique eventually works; the cow ―moos!‖ and everyone is the better for it! Great job Preschool Students! Bravo!

to Zoie McNeely and her cheerleading team!

They won the National Championship that was held in Destin the first

weekend of April!

Community Meeting Recitals

Year end community meeting recitals are a spring tradition at Highlands and our first program will be this week, Wednesday, April 29, at 8:05. First graders and some second graders will be featured on that program. Other second graders and third graders will perform on May 6 and fourth and fifth graders on May 13. The middle school will have a recital during their community meeting on Tuesday, May 5. Please email Mrs. Cahoon at facahoon@highlandsschool.org and your child’s homeroom teacher with the name of the piece they will play, the composer, their instrument, and any assistance they will need such as a chair or music stand. We look forward to this wonderful opportunity for our talented students to share their accomplishments with their friends and teachers.

Spring Fling 2009

A very special thank you to Brandi Yaghmai and Lisa Altamirano for all of their hard work in planning this years Spring Fling. Everyone had a great time! We would also like to thank all of the parents, faculty and staff who volunteered to staff the games, and help make the cotton candy and snow cones. And a very special thanks to Mr. Hoppe-McQueen, Ms. T’Ola and Coach Smith for sitting in the dunking booth this year! We appreciate you all!

Do you Twitter?

If so, then check out Highlands Schools Twitter feed. You can use the following information to become a follower of Highlands and receive updates on the activities of the school!

Here are the steps:

Go to http://twitter.com/highlandsschool . If you do not already tweet, join Twitter, and become a ―follower.‖ If you already tweet, sign in, and become a ―follower.‖

You will have the option of receiving the ―tweets‖ as text messages on your phone. This may be an efficient way to keep up with the short updates that we will be sending you.

HIGHNOTES Page 3

Time to Register for a Summer at Highlands!

Highlands School’s Higher Degree of Learning does not end when the school year is over. A Summer at Highlands offers sixty-seven unique opportunities tailored to your child’s age group with talented teachers and quality resources you expect from Highlands School. We also offer Morning and Afternoon Care for children who are

attending camps. Register now - before the camps fill up! Click here to be directed to the Highlands School 2009 EDP Summer Catalog Brochure. Or contact Gabe McCool, Highlands Summer Camp Director, for more information.

EDP Reminders Parents - Please remember that after school activities will be ending. The last day of activities will be on the following days:

Monday

Beginning Guitar-5/11/09

Chess-5/11/09

Young Rembrandts-5/11/09 CompuQuest-5/11/09 Tuesday

Rock Band-4/28/09

Art Makers-5/12/09

Creative Writing-4/28/09 Reading Presentation 5/5/09

Karate-5/7/09 (Sensei added another week) Wednesday

Abrakadoodle-4/29/09 Kids Stage-5/13/09

Thursday

Kids Choral-5/7/09 (Extended one more week)

Music Makers-5/7/09 (Extended one more week)

HandyMe, HandyYou (Chinese Arts)-4/23/09 Friday

Theater-5/8/09

Tennis-5/8/09

Gymnastics-5/8/09

Taichi-5/8/09

Piano/Guitar/Violin Please find out thru your child’s teacher

EDP Recitals at 6:30 in the Spencer Center

May 5 - Creative Writing Presentations (3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) May 12 - Piano, Guitar, Violin, Rock Band

May 13 - Beginning Guitar, Kids Stage, Kids Choral, Music Makers, Karate, Theater

Summer at Highlands Open House

May 16th, 2009 in the Spencer Center from 10am-12pm

Come and ask questions, tour the campus, meet some teachers and counselors, turn in forms and order t-shirts.