Mustang Newsletter

Highland Park Elementary receives additional funding through the state Learning Assistance Program and Federal Title 1. These programs are designed to provide supplemental support to eligible students who are identified as in need of additional assistance to meet the state's academic reading and math standards. Funds provide extended day classes and opportunities to include parents in the education of their children.

Dear Highland Park Families,

As we enter the month of March, we are officially in budget planning season for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year. We have received our school budget and staffing allocation for next year. Across Seattle Public Schools, this is a time when schools thoughtfully review enrollment projections, staffing, and program needs to ensure we are best positioned to support student learning. I am excited to share a positive update with our Highland Park community.

Based on a slight increase in our projected enrollment, we are in a strong position to maintain our current classroom staffing levels. This stability is incredibly important, as it allows us to continue building strong relationships, provide consistent instruction, and support the academic and social-emotional growth of all students.

Over the next several weeks, I will be working closely with our Building Leadership Team (BLT) and staff to develop a balanced budget that reflects the needs of our students. Our focus will remain on maintaining strong classroom structures while also ensuring that we continue to provide the support services our students rely on each day. This includes thoughtful planning around intervention supports, student services, and programs that help every student thrive.

The BLT will play an important role in reviewing priorities, gathering staff input, and helping guide decisions so that our budget aligns with our shared commitment to high-quality instruction and equitable outcomes for all learners.

As always, we value transparency and partnership with our families throughout this process. I am committed to keeping you informed as decisions are made and as we move toward finalizing our budget and school structures for next year. In the coming weeks, I will share updates, including classroom configurations and next steps.

Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and trust as we work together to ensure Highland Park Elementary remains a place where every student is supported, challenged, and successful.

Principal McDaniel

If a child is absent, please call our attendance office at 206-252-8242 or email HighlandPark.Attendance@seattleschools.org

Please try and make appointments and/or family vacations during days when school is not in session. All minutes missed add up over time.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

• 7:55 a.m.-2:25 p.m.

Wednesday

• 7:55 a.m.-1:10 p.m.

Please drop your student off on the back playground no earlier than 7:30 a.m. They may go to the cafeteria for breakfast - Highland Park is a free breakfast and lunch school.

Pick up at the end of the day is on the back playground. You may park on one of the streets around the school and go to the playground, or pull into the bus lane and we will bring your student to you.

YSA Corner write-up

My name is Deron Woods and I am the YSA (youth services assistant) at Highland Park Elementary. Last year we started student school announcements and students leading our school awards assemblies. This year we will be adding some more programs to increase student voice:

Student council:

Our student council is focusing on ways to enhance our school culture, and they helped out with our MLK assembly. In March we will be working in our groups/committees to help build student voice into our tier one practices.

SEL (social emotional Learning) lunch groups:

These groups will be per grade with a focus on leadership, following the Mustang Way, and being resilient. The month of March we will be focused on what qualities we see in leaders and helping to enhance/build our leadership skills.

Monthly Mustang Awards Assemblies:

I would like to thank all the families that have come to celebrate with us in recognizing students this year. It helps our students see that this is not just a school but a community. Our assemblies for March will be on March 26, 8:30-9 a.m., March 27 1:55-2:25 p.m., and the focus will be on being “Kind”.

Deron Woods

Youth Services Assistant

Highland Park Elementary

Global Reading Challenge

Hello Highland Park families

March 6-10 is National School Breakfast Week!

Eating breakfast is so important for our students. Studies show that breakfast eaters tend to have higher attendance, less tardiness and fewer hunger-induced stomach aches in the morning. They concentrate better, solve problems more easily and have better muscle coordination. Whether your student eats at home or at school, be sure they eat a nutritious breakfast every day. Protein and whole grain foods can keep your student full longer.

Here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas:

• Peanut butter on whole grain toast
• Iron-fortified cereal with milk or fortified non-dairy alternative and banana slices
• Parfait with layers of yogurt, whole-grain granola and blueberries
• Smoothie including milk or fortified non-dairy alternative, spinach, frozen banana and nut butter
• Instant oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and a nut if able.
• Eggs

Every day SPS offers a nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch for our students! Breakfast and lunch is served each day in all our schools.

• A greater focus on fruits and vegetables at breakfast.
• More whole-grain rich items.
• Meals contain less sodium.

You can check out the menus

When your student should stay home due to illness: Please keep your student home from school when they are sick. This allows them to rest until they are ready to learn and helps prevent the spread of illness to other students and staff.

Students with fevers must be fever-free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.

“Is My Child Too Sick to Go to School?” for more information, and let me know if you have questions.

Counselor Corner

Kindergarten and 1st Grade: Personal Safety Lessons

Starting the week of February 2nd, Ms. Rykiel will be coming into the Kindergarten and 1st Grade classrooms to teach from the Talking About Touching: A Personal Safety Curriculum for 12 weeks. This curriculum focuses on personal safety in a child’s every life, such as wearing seat belts, crossing the street, gun safety, safe and unsafe touches, and saying “no” to unwanted/unsafe touches,.

Family letters and curriculum guides will be going home in the next few weeks, or through Seesaw, available in English or Spanish. Reach out to me or your student’s classroom teacher if you have any questions!

Lunch Bunch Update:

Lunch Bunch began in January. Permission forms for students chosen to join lunch bunch have been sent out! It is optional—please let me/your child know if you prefer that they opt. out.

School-based Therapy – Seneca Agency (spots available)

If you are interested in your student receiving school-based therapy through Seneca Agency of Families, please contact Ms. Rykiel for additional information.

JoAnne J - Astrid M - Winston W - Theo W - Mia-Belle M - Micah S - Narai B - Liam S - Santiago F C - Zoe Martinez - Teocalli M - Phoenix W - Audley P R - Adalyne G P - Nyah N - Anayah V - Riley F - Affan S - Ra'Miyah L - Samuel S - Rowda A - Ibrahim J - Anthony R - Avery M - Eduardo M C - Lola N - Alan C - Lucas H - Gio H

Hello,

I am Priscilla Kang-Rubesh (LSWAIC), a mental health therapist here at Highland Park through Seneca Family of Agencies. I meet with students during the school day to provide a safe, supportive space to build confidence, strengthen social-emotional skills, and work through challenges that may be affecting their learning and/or relationships. Because services happen right at school, students can easily access support without needing to leave campus. If you are interested in learning more or exploring services for your child, please contact me directly via phone or email.

Thank you!

Email: priscilla_kang@senecacenter.org

Phone: 253-993-6216