Hawks' Highlights

October

2nd- Lunch and Recess with Mr. Fladeland

7th- PTO Meeting- Library-7:00

9th- U of Mary Activity Night-6:15

13th- Fire Safety Presentation to Grades 1, 2, and 3

20th- Chess Club for Grades 2-5

21st- PTO Raffle Kick-Off

22nd- School Picture Retakes

23rd- Parent Teacher Conferences- 2:30-6:30

23rd- U of Mary Activity Night-6:15

24th- HAWKS Happening Assembly

27th- Parent Teacher Conferences- 2:30-6:30

November

7th- Raffle Ends

4th- PTO Meeting- Library-7:00

11th- No School Veterans' day

17th-21st- Raffle Prize Drawings

20th- U of Mary Activity Night-6:15

21st- HAWKS Happening Assembly

26th- No ASP Today

27th- No School-Thanksgiving Break

28th- No School-Thanksgiving Break

Counselor Connection:

Kinder & 1st: Our September lessons focused on why we have rules/expectations and practicing how to follow them. We also discussed feelings, big and small, comfortable and uncomfortable and talked about how they are all okay to feel.

2nd: We started off with talking about our responsibilities at school, at home, and in the community and what can happen if we are not responsible. We also discussed predicting the consequences of choices we make, good and bad, so that we can focus on making good choices.

3rd: We focused most of our lessons this past month on respect: showing respect to others, why it’s important, and what it looks like at school and at home. We discussed how when we can predict the consequences of a choice, we can make good choices.

4th: We focused on all things relating to respect this past month- respect for each other's differences, respectful vs. rude comments, respecting other’s perspectives, and showing respect by having empathy for others in different situations.

5th: We discussed respect and how it relates to perspective and conflicts. We learned the importance of understanding other’s perspectives, which is based on their past experiences, beliefs, and culture. We also practiced respectfully disagreeing with others.

Schoolwide Team Update:

All Team chants and pennants were completed during Team Meetings in September. Ask your child to share their Team’s chant with you and check out the Team pictures and pennants near the office next time you stop in!

The September assembly to wrap up our focus on the HAWKS expectations was held on 9/26/25. During this assembly, Team Council members who were voted in by each Team were announced, and students were informed that we easily made our goal of 1,500 stickers by earning 2,662 stickers this month! Due to this, they earned a picnic lunch day on the playground on 9/30/25.

Next month our Superpower of the Month is being an engaged citizen. If we meet our monthly goal of 1,500 stickers, students will earn a monster mash glow stick dance party. Students were also challenged to meet 2,500 stickers again to earn a special treat during the dance party.

Monthly Expectations Connected to Home:

With our Superpower of the Month being “engaged citizen” for October, we encourage all parents to model what it means to be an engaged citizen at home and in the community. Here is an article with some ideas on how to do so.

Resource of the Month:

Courageous Kids is a support series for youth who have a loved one undergoing cancer treatment or are navigating through any difficult feelings that come with having a loved one with cancer. Here is a flyer with more information.

📚✨ Exciting News, Highland Acres Families! ✨📚

We’re thrilled to announce a brand NEW fundraiser for our school library — our very first E-Book Fair! 🎉

Unlike traditional book fairs, this one is 100% online AND gives back — we'll earn 20% of every sale to help us stock our library with even more amazing books for our students! 📖💙

With thousands of titles to choose from, there’s something for every reader — whether they love adventure, fantasy, mystery, or graphic novels! Your child will be bringing home a flyer soon, and the ordering code can be found on the back. 🔍📬

🗓️ The fair kicks off October 2nd and runs through October 24th — don’t miss it!

Let’s get reading and support our library together! 💫📚 #HighlandReads #EbookFair2025

Click here for the link

📍 School Library

Join us for our next PTO meeting where we’ll be discussing:
🍽️ Upcoming conferences & teacher meals
🥞 Breakfast with Buddies
🎟️ Final prep for the Fall Raffle

We’d love to see you there and hear your ideas!

Hope to see you there!

—Your PTO Team

General Elementary School Guidelines*

*Please note that the guidelines listed herein are subject to revision and updates on an as needed basis.

Attendance

Regular timely school attendance is not only required by law but is clearly especially important to the educational process and to the development of appropriate lifelong work habits. Regular school attendance is a parent or guardian-child responsibility, and the school is required by law to report apparent abuses.

Absences which are excessive and/or interfere with the student’s educational program will be interpreted as educational neglect and Child Protection Services may be notified.

It is clear, however, that times exist when not attending school is in the best interest of a child or the entire school.

• If a child is ill, he/she should not attend school and risk transmitting the disease to others.

• Parents/guardians should call the school prior to 7:30 a.m. on the morning of an absence. Upon returning, students need to bring a note to school from his/her parent and/or doctor informing the school why the student was absent.

• Students arriving late must check in at the school office.

• An occasional significant family trip can be a valuable learning experience. Arrangements must be made with the classroom teacher in advance, regarding any make-up work that will need to be completed.

Please be sure your child wears the appropriate clothing to school.

If your student is missing any items they may be in the Highland Acres Elementary Lost and Found. We have a large selection of various items.

Kindergarten- Kynlee, Dempsey

First-Jack, Polly

Second- Krystal, Ethan, Everly

Third- Josie, Nevaeh, Hank

Fourth- Beckham, Lucy, Archer

Fifth- Hazel, Jacob, Everett

This month's recipients will eat lunch with Mr. Fladeland in the office on Thursday, October 2nd!

Our online store for school gear is available all year long. Now you can easily browse and purchase a variety of Highland Acres merchandise from the comfort of your home. Whether you’re looking for t-shirts, hoodies, hats, or other school spirit items, our online store has something for everyone. Show your school pride by sporting the latest Hawks gear. Orders can be placed by clicking on the button below.

The Backpack-for Kids program is designed to help children by assisting them with food over the weekend. Bags are filled with nutritional food items and delivered to the school. If your family qualifies for the free or reduced lunch program and you need additional food for the weekend, please contact our school social worker, Marisa Misek at marisa_misek@bismarckschools.org or call the school office.

MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES

Our Mission: "Empower every learner to thrive."

Our Vision: "Together, our strong relationships build inclusive, collaborative, and innovative environments that create agency and inspire a passion for learning, excellence, and discovery."

Our Values: Excellence, Innovation, Inclusion and Leadership.