Highlander Charter School

Dear Highlander Charter Families & Guardians,

October has come and gone, and it has been an eventful month. We celebrated Reading Week and had another successful Reading Night at the Providence campus, where our dedicated teachers planned an enjoyable evening that highlighted the joy of reading and learning.

We enjoyed our Historical Mountain Day community-building event at the lower school, where students and teachers got to hike and experience outdoor learning as they strengthened their bonds and appreciation for nature.

We closed the month with the Read to Succeed program, where students received their $1,000 scholarships for completing their summer reading assignments. Additionally, we held our first Fall Harvest Fest, a great way to build community as students and families had a chance to enjoy games, watch an engaging magic show, parade in their costumes, and win fun prizes.

This is the Highlander joy that I want to continue to promote as we build a strong sense of community.

As we enter the month of November, it is time for us to focus on strengthening our academic program. Most recently, our spring 2024 assessment data has been published. Students in grades 3-8 took the RICAS in both Math and ELA in spring 2024, and our 11th graders took the SAT in those subjects in the spring. While all public schools, including Highlander Charter public school received preliminary information on October 15th, we are still working to analyze some data, but I want to share some initial information with you:

In terms of bright spots:

• 75% of our students made typical (1 year of learning) and high (more than one year of learning) growth on ELA RICAS, an increase from 63% last year

• 5th grade had 44% high growth and 36% typical growth on Math RICAS, more than doubling the percentage of students who were proficient on the test in 4th grade.

• 6th grade had 63% high growth and 36.10% typical growth on Math RICAS, more than doubling the percentage of students who were proficient on the test in 5th grade.

• Our English learners showed growth, moving from 19.4% to 27.5% in bridging and reaching levels

In terms of areas of growth:

• We dipped in ELA RICAS & P/SAT performance

• We dipped in Math RICAS & P/SAT performance

As we collaborate with school leaders to analyze student data, we are committed to fostering a culture of high expectations. Our leaders are working diligently to embed interventions within our daily school routines at both campuses. We aim to create more opportunities for students to receive additional academic support both during and after school. All school leaders including myself, and Dr. Blanco are beginning to conduct walkthroughs to enhance our visibility and provide support as we work towards strengthening classroom instruction.

Strong parent partnerships are essential in our pursuit of academic excellence. We encourage you to stay involved by signing up for our learning plan and student-led conferences scheduled for Tuesday, November 5th. Our School Improvement Team offers a valuable platform for family input; thank you to those who participated in our middle/high school meeting on October 24th. The next meeting for the Providence campus is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12th, from 5-6 PM. We will also provide both virtual and in-person opportunities for families to learn more about Title I, which focuses on providing all students with a high-quality education and supporting schools in their improvement efforts.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, November 5th - NO SCHOOL- PVD learning plan meetings & Warren Student Led Conferences

• Tuesday, November 12th, 6:00 pm 5:00- Virtual School Improvement Meeting (PVD campus)

• Wednesday, November 13th, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Title I Family Meeting (In-Person, PVD Campus)

• Thursday, November 14th, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Virtual Title I Family Meeting

• Thursday, November 21st, 5:00-6:30 pm, Highlander Board of Trustees Meeting (PVD campus)

Don’t forget to check out the Principal’s links and the link to community resources for families and students so you can learn more information about what is happening at your child’s campus and in the neighboring community.

Warmly,

Simona Simpson-Thomas

Superintendent

Work: 401·277-2600 | 401-247-3585

Cell: 401-454-9178