The Wildcat

• Dates to know
• PTO Update
• Trustworthiness
• ILEARN
• Volunteer Information
• Math Bowl
• Highland Highlights Newsletter
• Absenteeism Information
• Tutoring at the Library
• Extracurricular
• Cafeteria Information
• Arrival and Dismissal

Monday, April 13th-Math Bowl 2:30-3:30

-K Kids 2:30-3:20pm

Tuesday, April 14th-Math Bowl Competition @ 5:30 Frank Hammond Elementary

Thursday, April 16th-PTO meeting @ 6pm

Student Council Humane Society Collection April 7th-24th

Dates

4/16 PTO Meeting 6pm in the Library (Accept/Deny Nominations)

4/17 Fun Fair Basket Items are Due!

4/22-4/23 Fun Fair Presale Ticket selling after school

4/22 Basket Wrapping Day

4/23 All Pro Dads Meeting 5pm in Room 137

4/24 Fun Fair 6PM-8PM

Sign Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0549ABAD28A7FDC61-62970026-funfair

Please be sure your child gets a good night sleep, healthy breakfast, and is on time for school everyday, and especially on the days he/she is taking ILEARN.

The schedule is below:

3rd grade: April 13th-15th

4th grade: April 16th, April 17th, & April 22nd

5th Grade: April 20th, April 21st, April 23rd, & April 28th

In order to prepare for the upcoming year, the School Town of Highland must assess your student enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year. This information is being requested as part of the Spring Registration Process and to assist in determining those students who may be affected by the transfer procedures as discussed in Highland Elementary School Parent/Student Handbook and School Town of Highland Elementary Transfer Procedures Brochure.

By signing up now, your child’s attendance slot can be secured for fall attendance. Those families not signing up at this time will not secure their child’s current attendance slot for next school year. Transfer decisions are based upon a secured registration. The parental sign-up of their child (children), is considered a secured registration. Students who are currently on free and reduced lunch will need to fill out new forms for next school year per federal law.

Please complete the online survey, fill in your child’s name, and your response will be collected when you hit the submit button at the end. If your proofs of Highland residency are not up to date at your school's office, you will need to submit updated ones to keep your spot secure. The schools will begin accepting this spring registration form starting April 10, 2026 and the process will end on May 4, 2026. Registration after May 4, 2026 will not be considered as secured for transfer purposes. Contact your local elementary school with any questions. Thank you for your assistance.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSec2We9yVu7ZnIgoV7pNtA_stQW86fACkDNneq_Bd7m4cYRwA/viewform

We love our volunteers! For our children's safety, we always have to scan the license of our volunteers before they can be in classrooms, go on field trips, or any other activities. Thanks for all you do for our students and staff!

Bellamy Avina

Colton Baker

Gretchen Bishop

Julius Bravo

Miles Kozak

Noah Sexton

Dahlia Phillips

Cooper Poppa

Evan Poteete

Joey Stooksbury

Tre Tate

Ellie Villagomez

Winter is here bringing cooler weather and germs! Here is our STOH attendance policy for illnesses:

When a child is ill or shows signs of illness, such as a fever (temperature 100 degrees or higher), a rash or vomiting, the child must be kept home until symptoms disappear and temperature has been normal for a least 24 hours. Children returning to school and not meeting these requirements will be sent home. Students who are absent due to sickness or that go home sick during the school day cannot participate in extracurricular activities/events for the days they are absent. If a child sent home due to illness returns to school the next day, no note is needed. Otherwise, a written excuse, dated and signed by a parent or guardian, must be sent with the child returning to school after an absence. A statement from a doctor may be required after an absence due to a contagious disease, surgery, hospitalization, or an absence of 5 or more consecutive days. All exemptions from participation in physical activities will require a statement from the doctor. If a child becomes ill at school, the parents need to pick up the child or have the child picked up in a timely manner—no longer than one (1) hour. Children will only be released from school to a parent/guardian or his/her designee.

When in doubt, reach out to the nurse for help!

I am wishing you all a wonderful cozy season!!

Yours In Health,

Cheryl Progler, RN

Did you received the first edition of the Highland Highlights Newsletter? Check out all the exciting things that are happening at all of our School Town of Highland schools!

https://www.highland.k12.in.us/page/highland-highlights-newsletter

Through the above link, people can subscribe to the Highland Highlights if they did not automatically receive it in their inbox, as well as view previous editions.

3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Families,

This year, your child will participate in ILEARN checkpoints as part of Indiana’s statewide assessment program. These checkpoints help provide valuable information about student progress and growth throughout the school year.

Please see the attached document from the Indiana Department of Education for more details about the purpose of these checkpoints and what you can expect. We encourage you to read through the information carefully.

If you have any questions after reviewing the attachment, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support.

3rd grade ILEARN Checkpoint Guidance for Families.pdf

4th grade ILEARN Checkpoint Guidance for Families.pdf

5th grade ILEARN Checkpoint Guidance for Families.pdf

Please remember that students must go home first after school and are welcome to return to the playground after checking in with an adult. Alternatively, an adult can meet them at the school and accompany them to the playground.

Please note that we do not provide staff supervision on the playground outside of school hours.

We love having our students enjoy the playground after school hours!

We now provide access to live tutoring for LCPL cardholders at tutor.com/lcplin (also found on our databases pages).

Tutor.com allows students to get live help from a tutor in almost any subject from kindergarten through college. Students interact with tutors via an online whiteboard where they can send text, upload documents, graph equations, and more. Students and tutors do not interact through video. Creating an account is optional but allows students to save their work and access the transcript for their session.

Tutor.com receives 150,000 applications from prospective tutors. Applicants are thoroughly vetted with state and federal background checks, subject matter exams, and their ability to interact effectively with students on the platform. Only 1.2% of those who apply are accepted and sessions are reviewed daily by monitors to assess tutor performance.

Tutors may be requested from 4:00-11:00 pm, 7 days a week (except for major holidays). The wait time for a tutor to respond is under a minute. Spanish-speaking tutors are provided for core curriculum subjects and help with job applications.

In addition to tutoring in subjects from math and reading to business and world languages, Tutor.com provides many resources such as test prep, citizenship prep, parent coaching, student study skills, job seeker support materials, video lessons, and more.

Students writing papers may upload their work and receive help with grammar, punctuation, structure, theme development, and citations within 24 hours.

Pack 297 Meets at American Legion Post 180 in Highland two Monday's a month at 6:30 - 7:30 pm. They are a family pack who welcomes both boys and girls.

Breakfast is $1.75

Lunch is $2.25

You can find both menus here: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=2809100435083594&page=menus

Birthday treats can be purchased through the cafe ONLY: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/schools/sth_2809100435083594/catering/Updated_BDay_Treat_form_3.21.24.pdf

Go here for free/reduced lunch (this needs to be renewed yearly): https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=2809100435083594&page=lunchapps

• Doors open for students at 7:35 a.m. daily. Students who eat breakfast at school will be allowed entry beginning at 7:20 a.m. Anyone arriving after 7:50 a.m. will need to buzz and come into the main office to sign in.

• Cars will enter the parking lot off Duluth Street (right turn only) and follow the curve to drop off students. Please pull up as far as you can and drop all your students off at one time. Have your children ready with their backpacks, lunch money, hugs, and kisses, so that when you stop they may exit the car quickly, and we can keep the drop-off line moving. The line can become backed up onto Duluth Street very quickly which causes safety issues for our parents, as well as other drivers.

• Please drop off curbside only. Avoid dropping children off where they have to cross the street, this is extremely dangerous. It will be your responsibility to cross them if you choose to do this.

• Please be mindful of other drivers and walkers. We know many of you have to get to work, and we want all children to be able to enter the building safely and on time.

• Doors C and B will be utilized for entrance as usual. Drop-off is-K, 3, 4 at Door B, and 1 and 2 at Door C.

• 5th graders and Lifeskills class will use Door G.

At the end of the school day, the following doors will be used for dismissal:

• Grade K will exit through door J (FIVE minutes before the rest of the grade levels)

• Grade 1 will exit through door C (main doors)

• Grade 2 will exit through door B

• Grade 3 will exit through door J

• Grade 4 will exit through door I

• Grade 5 and Lifeskills class will exit through door G

• Bus riders will exit through door J (a few minutes prior to the remainder of the school being dismissed where the buses will be waiting).

Cars may enter the parking lot off Duluth Street and follow the curve to pick up or park in the parking lot to walk up to get students.

We would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation as we strive to keep our Johnston families safe.

Please don't hesitate to contact us in the office for any ideas, thoughts, concerns, or words of encouragement! We are all part of this large extended mix of wonderful people we affectionately refer to as our Johnston Family.

Email: aharring@highland.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.highland.k12.in.us/o/jes
Location: 8220 5th Street, Highland, IN, United States
Phone: 219.923.2428
Facebook: facebook.com/johnstonpto
Twitter: @harrington_jn