Heights Happenings

Heights Mission: Heights Elementary IB World School is dedicated to developing balanced, lifelong learners through educational excellence, a global perspective, reflection and action.

Heights Vision: To Be A World Class School.

Heights PBIS Statement:

We strive to be a school that models positive behaviors which develop the whole child and social skills. We have a common culture and language which supports student growth and high expectations to empower our students to become well-rounded global citizens through teaching and recognizing positive behavior.

Principal: Doug Palow

Assistant Principal: Lindsey Thorstad (Grades Prek-2nd)

Assistant Principal: Anika Carter (Grades 3rd-5th and ESE)

School Hours: 7:55 am—2:10 pm

Doors open: 7:30 am

Breakfast: 7:30-7:45 am

Heights Contact Information:

Address: 15200 Alexandria Ct. Ft. Myers, FL 33908

Telephone: 239.481.1761 Fax: 239.481.3154

Website: het.leeschools.net

Twitter: @HeightsIB

Facebook: Heights Elementary

Instagram: heightselementary

School Counselor: Ashley Stanley

IB PYP Coordinator: Lacey Davis

Reading Coach Kg-2nd grade: Katie Bocchino

Reading Coach 3rd-5th grade: Dodie Lytle

Math Coach: Natasha Edinger

After School Program: Jordan Moore

504 Accommodations: Bryanna Van Helden

Contact Information Changes: Michele Curry

Transportation: Lindsey Thorstad

Gifted testing: Ashley Stanley

Clinic: Cheri Mack

March 3rd: Heights Choir performing (Ft. Myers Art Walk - Downtown FM at 7:00 pm)

March 6th: Heights PTA meeting (2:45 in the Heights Media Center)

March 17th: End of 3rd quarter

March 17th: Full day for students (originally a professional duty day)

March 17th: Kg Student Led Conferences

• 8:30-9:30 Bates, Douglas, Lewis, Gurney
• 12:45-1:45 Pittard, Fastenau, Caudill, Rikard

March 20th-24th: Spring Break (Schools Closed)

March 31st: Heights PTA Auction

Confidence is key. Real learning happens when students are engaged. Authentic engagement during the school day comes when students feel comfortable and confident in the classroom. Our teachers work hard at this by building relationships and working with students through the PBIS and IB philosophies and strategies. How can you help at home? One way is to feel comfortable talking with your child about subject matter. Take math for instance. How should you talk to your children about what they are learning? Show enthusiasm. You may ask each day at dinner or homework time what they studied in math that day. Let them explain the concepts they are working on, and follow up with questions. For instance, if they are learning about decimals, ask them how decimal points are used in money. Then, when your children finish their homework, have them show you how they solved the problems. As they explain their methods, they’ll be reinforcing the skills they’ve learned. And they’ll be proud they are teaching you something.

As many of you are aware the new electric Heights sign is in and it looks fantastic. Thank you to all of the students, staff, families and sponsors that helped raise the money for this awesome sign through our Read-a-thon.

May 3rd: Kg, 1st grade, & 2nd grade ELA FAST

May 4th: 3rd grade ELA FAST

May 9th & 10th: 5th grade Science FAST

May 11th: Kg, 1st grade, 2nd grade MATH FAST

May 16th: 4th grade & 5th grade ELA FAST

May 22nd: 3rd grade, 4th grade, & 5th grade MATH FAST

Based on the School District of Lee County safety procedures, we are ONLY allowed to accept physical forms of ID when you show up on campus. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept pictures of IDs on the cell phone or from the Florida Real ID website. Thank you for your understanding and helping to keep our campus safe.

Quarter 3:

• March 22, 2023 – Report Cards

Quarter 4:

• April 27, 2023 – Interims
• June 12, 2023 – Report Cards

Paper copy interims and report cards will no longer be sent home. Parents may review their student's grades at anytime on Focus. Your student's grades will be up to date on the assigned interim and report card days listed above. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the school.

The School District of Lee County (SDLC) has been working since the Fall of 2020 to develop a new elementary student assignment system. Throughout the process, the SDLC has been committed to better addressing system issues (student distribution, transportation, etc.) for the benefit of our students, families, and community.

The implementation of the new elementary assignment is currently planned for the 2023-24 School Year. Feedback from our families and community members is crucial as we move forward with the District’s new elementary enrollment zones and policy. We encourage your engagement!

The current proposal is to implement the Elementary Proximity Plan map starting in the 23-24 school year.

• Elementary Proximity Plan map will go into effect for incoming Kindergarten students and elementary students new to the district.

• Rising elementary students (1st through 5th grade) living outside their Proximity Plan map attendance zone:

• that does not need transportation can remain at their current school and waive District transportation.

• that needs transportation will need to participate in lottery using new Proximity Plan school choices.

• If you are currently at Heights and are within the new proximity plan you do not have to do anything. It might be a good idea to login into FOCUS and make sure everything looks correct.

Proposed Proximity Map: https://ddp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a305f9de94ba4a05a92aaf1aac52fd3d

School District Information: https://www.leeschools.net/parent_portal/proximity-based_student_assignment_plan

Heights Families: Do you have a Focus Account? If not, it's important that you sign up. There are many forms that are required to be signed before getting your child's schedule or in order to ensure your child can receive care at the school clinics. Plus, get access to grades, attendance, and much more. Sign up today: https://www.leeschools.net/our_schools/focus

A limited number of yearbooks have been ordered and may not be available later, so please reserve your copy today.

Online Orders Only: BuyTheYearbook.com

https://buytheyearbook.pictavo.com/PictavoSchool/FindSchool

1. Find Heights Elementary on the list

2. Enter ID #708444

No cash, checks, or money orders will be accepted at the school.

The price is $25 per yearbook

Buy Your Auction Tickets Now!

Auction Tickets are on sale now - don't miss out on a fun night supporting our school!

https://heightselempta.memberhub.com/store/items/828295

Auction Gift Card Drive -

We are currently running our Auction Gift Card Drive. Each grade level that collects 25 gift cards will receive a freezie pop party!

2023-2024 Parking Spot Raffle

We are raffling off one of the most coveted parking spots on campus! Skip the carpool line, back gate access, students walked to your car each day by 2:10 pm.

Each ticket is $25, buy as many as you'd like & have your name entered into the raffle. The drawing will be on Friday, March 31 prior to the live auction.

https://heightselempta.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

March

• Vivie Boutique Shopping Experience : Join us at Vivie Boutique on Thursday, March 2 for a Heights Shopping Experience! Lots of tropical attire available for your Auction outfits. Refreshments provided by Vivie.

General Board Meeting

Join us on Monday, March 6 at 2:45 pm for our general board meeting. Learn more about upcoming events!

Spring 2023 Auction - Taking Hawaii to New Heights
Friday March 31, 2023 at 6 pm at the St. Charles Yacht Club
LIMITED QUANTITY OF TICKETS AVAILABLE
https://heightselempta.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

• Silent Auction begins on Wednesday, March 29 & runs until 7 pm on March 31 https://app.memberhub.gives/hawaiiannights

April

• RESCHEDULED: Mother Son "Game On" Event - Friday, April 14 at 6 pm at Heights LIMITED QUANTITY OF TICKETS TO BE SOLD - Tickets available for purchase beginning March 13th https://heightselempta.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

On February 15-17th we had our IB Evaluation Visit. This visit takes place every five years as we welcome members from the International Baccalaureate Organization to our school to evaluate our program. In addition to touring our building and classrooms, our staff, students, parents and school district participated in interviews to speak about our school. Our visit was extremely successful. The evaluators noted "It is clear it is all about the children at this school and everything is done with love." We are proud to be and IB World School!

• In Kindergarten, our students are learning about how journeys and personal histories connect us to the world. Students were excited to visit their Adventure Inquiry Room for hands-on experiences
• In First grade, students have been learning about Where We are in Place and Time. They have learned about where they are in the world (continent, country, state, county, city) and how to use tools to read and create a map.
• In Second Grade, students are continuing to reflect on life cycles as they watch the real life cycle of a butterfly in their classroom. They are also continuing to research goods and services and how they impact our world.
• As part of their unit on How the World Works, our Third Graders who were studying the explorations of systems, built a planetarium for the whole school to visit. It included recorded audio of the students' research so classes could go in at their own time and learn all about space.
• Our Fourth Grade Students turned their Poetry into Valentine's Placemats and delivered them to assisted living facilities for the holiday.
• Our Fifth Graders hosted an Interactive Colonial Day. Students enjoyed making butter, candle dipping, playing Colonial Games, cursive writing, and reading more about what it was like to be a child in Colonial America. Fifth grade is also finishing up the action phase of their Exhibition Projects as they get ready for their presentations taking place in late April.

The IB Learner Profile aims to develop students who are risk-takers. Students who are risk-takers are able to approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought. They have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. Risk-takers are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

• If your child is feeling uneasy about trying something, encourage them to attempt it and have them reflect on how it felt.
• Set short term goals. Consider activities that push your child out of their comfort zone. Encourage them to offer their opinion, spend time learning a new activity, try a different food, learn a new game or even to spend time with someone they don't usually spend time with.
• Explain the difference between being a risk-taker (trying new things) and engaging in dangerous activities.
• Ask, "What's the hard part?" to identify the challenge and brainstorm ways to fix it.

• Was it fair of the other animals to assume that Gerald couldn't dance?
• What caused Gerald to change throughout the story?
• What message was the story trying to teach?
• What is something you're not good at yet, and how will you get better?

Ice cream cups are on sale every Friday during lunch time. Each student will be limited to one ice cream cup during their lunch. The cost is $1 per cup. Money collected from ice cream sales goes to the Principal's Discretionary Fund. This fund is used to celebrate a variety of events and activities for our students and staff throughout the school year.

Florida State Statute 1012.42 recognizes that teachers at times must be assigned duties in a class outside the field in which the teacher is certified. The following teachers at Heights Elementary are certified, but may be assigned one or more classes outside their areas of certification and are required to take appropriate steps to comply with the statutory regulation:

In addition, the following teachers are engaged in training to add the endorsement, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), to their certificates: Nicole Driscoll, Monica Fastenau, Jennifer Kee, Mackenzie Millikan, Nicole Rickard,Taylor Wahl, Larissa Gethard, Gina Marino, & Colleen Stoneman.

Board Members:

District 1 - Samuel Fisher, Board Vice Chair

District 2 - Melisa W. Giovannelli

District 3 - Chris N. Patricca

District 4 - Debbie Jordan

District 5 - Armor Persons, Board Chair

District 6 - Jada Langford-Fleming

District 7 - Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan

Superintendent:

Christopher S. Bernier, Ed.D.

School Board Attorney:

Kathy Dupuy-Bruno, Esq.

April 7th: Good Friday (schools closed)

April 10th: Easter Monday (schools closed)

April 14th: Heights PTA Mother/Son event (more information to come)

April 27th: 5th grade IB Exhibition Night (6:00 pm)