Highlander Charter School

• April 1st: Reading Night & Scholastic Book Fair at PVD
• April 2nd - No School, Learning Plan meetings & Student Led Conference, Coffee with the Superintendent 9:00 -10:00am & 12:00 - 1:00pm
• April 3rd-5th: 5th Grade to Farm School
• April 9th: Coffee with the Superintendent 4:00 -6:00pm
• April 10th: Read to Succeed Kick off (Grades 2nd-7th)
• April 15th-19th: Spring Break
• April 19th: Pasta Dinner Fundraiser at The Riverside Sportsmen Association
• April 22nd: Classes Resume
• April 26th: Blood Drive in Warren

Dear Highlander Charter School Community,

I am thrilled to officially begin my role as Superintendent of Highlander Charter School! Since starting on March 11th, I have already had the pleasure of experiencing some incredible moments with our students and staff. The level of investment in our school community and the dedication to creating a positive educational environment is evident as I observe the daily interactions between teachers, administrators, and students. Here are a few highlights that I would like to share:

• Meeting with the students of Highlander. The 6th grade ambassadors were full of energy as they filled me in on their leadership roles while preparing candy bags for their peers for our RICAS exams. The highschool students shared their commitment and interest in building wellness support programs that address their needs. I will continue to prioritize meetings with students as they share all of the ways they would like to improve our school.

• Passing the “Vibe Check” at my first SIT meeting where students, families, and staff members reviewed our state report card and shared ways in which we can continue to improve as a school. I encourage families and students to continue to attend these school improvement meetings as they help us brainstorm together, ways for the school to continue to grow.

• Being interviewed by students in the Steambox podcast group was a powerful reminder of the incredible potential and talent that exists within our student body. (Check out the interview with Steam Box- the #1 Education podcast in the world!)

• Supporting the Teacher Education Pathway Development work. Highlander, in partnership with URI, received a grant to build out a grow your own educator prep program for students interested in becoming educators. The team, consisting of administrators, guidance, and teachers, continue to work hard to develop excitement, courses, and field experiences for our students. Please click the link to learn more.

The welcoming stage has been nothing short of an exciting and humbling experience. I am proud and honored to continue the legacy of Rose Mary Grant, who will coach and mentor me over the coming months. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a leader in this incredible community.

As I continue to ensure that I have had opportunities to meet with all stakeholders, please use this form to schedule some time for an informal meet and greet with Mrs. Grant and myself.

• Tuesday, April 2nd 9:00 - 10:00 am

• Tuesday, April 2nd 12:00 - 1:00 pm

• Tuesday, April 9th 4:00 -6:00 pm

With gratitude,

Simona Simpson-Thomas

Superintendent

PVD will be celebrating Reading Week from April 1st - 5th. Check out the flyer included here for more details.

Message from Mr. Alex Torres

We are planning a Summer Camp for current K-6th grade students from June 17th to June 28th! In order to plan accordingly, we are conducting an interest survey.

Please fill out the interest form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Interest Form: https://forms.gle/zY5MuUdaZAHK7QwZ6

Girls Scout Cookie Sales:

Providence Campus:

Tuesday, April 2nd from 9am-1pm during Parent Conferences

ALL STAFF AND FAMILIES ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE!

To learn more about Girl Scout opportunities at HCS, contact Julie at jhass@gssne.org

Helpful Resources for families

Clothes to Kids RI - Who Qualifies?

Do you know a family in Providence County in financial need of assistance? Or a child who needs help with clothing for school? Please read on to learn more about how they can receive a free wardrobe from Clothes To Kids Rhode Island!

clothestokidsri.org

NAMI-RI: Free Virtual Family-To-Family course on Mental Health

NAMI-RI (The Rhode Island chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is now accepting registration for our Spring 2024 virtual Family-to-Family course which will begin April 6. This is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program, which means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. NAMI-Rhode Island's Family-to-Family course is taught by trained family members who have lived experience with a loved one, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises. For more information on the Family-to-Family curriculum and registration requirements, visit namirhodeisland.org or call 401-331-3060 or email beth@namirhodeisland.org.

The Providence Public Library is offering free tutoring services for students ages 13-19. This service runs until the beginning of May:
Monday and Wednesday 4-6 pm
Tuesday 3:30-5:30 pm
Thursday 3-5 pm
The Providence Public Library is located at 150 Empire Street, Providence 02903

Tutor.com Can Help High Schoolers on Their Paths to College

Are your high schoolers preoccupied with the SAT or ACT? The score is a key component of the college admissions process. Check out Tutor.com’s SAT/ACT Essentials service (includes full-length practice tests, test-taking strategy videos and more), free with AskRI.org’s Tutor.com service. SAT/ACT Essentials, powered by the world leader in test prep, The Princeton Review, will give students the edge they need to reach their target score. Tutor.com is FREE 7 days a week to all Rhode Island students via AskRI.org, Rhode Island’s Online Resource Center.

Kids’ Link RI™ is a behavioral health triage service and referral network. A program offered in collaboration with Gateway Healthcare, Lifespan, Hasbro Children's Hospital and Bradley Hospital, Kids’ Link RI is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help triage children and youth in need of mental health services and refer them to treatment providers.​The free, confidential phone line, 1-855-543-5465, connects parents and caregivers to an experienced clinician that can help them access children’s services in Rhode Island, and determine the best place to go for treatment and counseling.

BHLink

At BH Link, our goal is to connect people seamlessly to ongoing treatment. BH Link's mission is to ensure all Rhode Islanders 18+ experiencing mental health and substance use crises receive the appropriate services they need as quickly as possible in an environment that supports their recovery.

bhlink.org

Links for more resources

Scholarships and more - English

Kids Out and About Newsletter

Summer Camps

Have a shoutout for a staff, a student or group of students? Please use the following link to share: https://forms.gle/mKG7d5aU2iLoq7Yx5

• To all the Seniors that already received their College Acceptance Letter
  
• To Ms. Lisa Medeiros for an amazing Reading Week in Warren.
• To all the guest readers in Warren during Reading Week.
• To 3A and 5A for a great presentation with the GAMM theater.
• The 9th grade advisors, Parks, Whalen, Wilhelm and myself, took our kids outside together for some fun during advisory! It was great to see the 9th grade to come together as a grade to play and get some fresh air!
  
• To Aaron Jimenez & Elijah Woods in 4th grade, Ridwan Okanlawon, Mary Jane Eastern Gardner & Robson Dos Santos in 5th grade for completing Lexia Core 5

Want to submit a shoutout? Use the following link https://forms.gle/mKG7d5aU2iLoq7Yx5

Providence: 401-277-2600

Warren: 401-247-3585

Class Dojo : https://www.classdojo.com/

Mrs. Grant: rgrant@hc.school

Mrs. Roseberry (ES): jpicciotti@hc.school

Mr. Pabst (Warren): wpabst@hc.school

Mrs. Goulart (Warren): agoulart@hc.school

Email: info@hc.school
Website: highlandercharter.org
Phone: 401-277-2600
Twitter: @highlanderChart