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👋🏻 Hello, Highlands Families!
July 25, 2025
25-26 SMSD Theme:
...because kids
Hawk Night Flight - Color Run: September 11th @ 5:00
Cultural Night: October 9th @ 5:30
⏰ Daily Arrival & Dismissal:
Drop-off starts at 7:50 (stay on playground until 8:00 - inside MPR if inclement weather)
Enter classrooms at 8:00
Starting bell at 8:10
Breakfast starts at 7:50
Dismissal starts at 3:10
The Highlands office is officially open and we are busy getting ready for this new school year! We can't wait to see your kids!
My newsletter will now be coming to you through this format. Each newsletter will be archived in the listed table of contents - refer back as you need for easy reference! Make sure to check out each of the pages on this site as newsletter are sent out - they will be updated often 😊.
See you soon!
Laura LaHue, Principal
🗓️ Upcoming Dates:
August 7th: 🍎 Homeroom Teacher Live in Skyward
📌 Look for a welcome email from your child's teacher on this day!
August 7th: 🚌 Sneak Peek from 4:00-6:00
Come meet your teacher, drop off school supplies, see your classrooms, and have popsicles on the playground!
August 10th: 🎉 Kindergarten Park Party @ 4-6 @ Fairway Park
August 11th: ✏️ First Day of School (Grades 1-6)
Early Dismissal @ 12:30
August 13th: ✏️ First Day of School (Kindergarten and Pre-K)
September 1st: 🚫 No School: Labor Day
September 3rd: 📌 PTA General Meeting @ Highlands Library
Come learn about instructional priorities this year, as well as information about getting involved in the PTA!
September 11th: Hawk Night Flight - Color Run
September 12th: 🚫 No School: Teacher Professional Learning
October 9th: 🌏 Cultural Night @ Crestview Elementary
October 10th: 🚫 No School: End of 1st Quarter
🍎 Welcome to Our Newest Staff Members!
Molly Rogers
Molly Rogers
Instructional Coach
Molly comes to us from Prairie Elementary as a former 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade teacher. She is thrilled to get to know your student and support all that goes into the excellent teaching here at HI.
Annika Ko
Annika Ko
1st Grade Teacher
Annika comes to us from K-State and spent the last school year student teaching Kindergarten in the Blue Valley school district. We are so excited to welcome her enthusiasm, dedication, and instructional strategies to Highlands!
Betsy Brouillette
Betsy Brouillette
1st Grade Teacher
Betsy comes to us from the Briarwood Kindergarten team and has 25 years of teaching experience in both kindergarten and first grade. We are so excited to have her join our first grade team!
Molly Rottgers
Molly Rottgers
School Psychologist
Molly just moved to KC with experience as a school psych in Memphis and is excited to serve the Highlands and Indian Hills communities. Welcome, Molly!
Ginny Donohue
Ginny Donohue
School Nurse
Ginny comes to us with many years of nursing experience and is very familiar with the Highlands community as she is a HI parent herself. Welcome Ginny!
Attention Incoming Kindergarten Families!
WHAT: Kindergarten Welcome Party
WHERE: Fairway Park
WHEN: August 10th from 4-6
🌟 pTA News 🌟
🌟 pTA News 🌟
🗓️ Year at a Glance:
August 7th: 🍎 Homeroom Teacher Live in Skyward
📌 Look for a welcome email from your child's teacher on this day!
August 7th: 🚌 Sneak Peek from 4:00-6:00
Come meet your teacher, drop off school supplies, see your classrooms, and have popsicles on the playground!
August 10th: 🎉 Kindergarten Park Party @ 4-6 @ Fairway Park
August 11th: ✏️ First Day of School (Grades 1-6)
School starts at 8:10 and ends at 3:10
Arrival drop off starts at 7:50 am - kids are on the playground (or the cafeteria for inclement weather until 8:00; go to classrooms at 8:00)
School breakfast starts at 7:50
August 13th: ✏️ First Day of School (Kindergarten and Pre-K)
September 1st: 🚫 No School - Labor Day
September 3rd: 📌 PTA General Meeting @ Highlands Library
Come learn about instructional priorities this year, as well as information about getting involved in the PTA!
September 11th: Hawk Night Flight - Color Run
September 12th: 🚫 No School: Teacher Professional Learning
October 8th: 🚲 Walk n' Roll to School Day
October 9th: 🌏 Cultural Night @ Crestview Elementary
October 10th: 🚫 No School - End of 1st Quarter
October 16: 👥 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00
October 17th: 🚫 No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 24th: 🎡 Carnival @ 5:00-7:00
October 31st: 🎃 Halloween Class Parties @ 2:30
November 3rd: 🚫 No School - Teacher Professional Learning
November 5th: PTA General Meeting @ 6:00
November 12-14th: Scholastic Book Fair
November 14th: Ruby Bridges Walk to School @ 7:15 am
November 24-28: 🚫 No School - Thanksgiving Break 🦃
December 18th: 🛍️ 6th Grade Maker's Fair
December 19th: 🚫 No Pre-K; Early Dismissal K-6 @ 12:30
December 22-January 5: 🚫 No School - Winter Break ❄️
January 7th: PTA General Meeting @ 6:00
January 19th: 🚫 No School - MLK, Jr. Day
January 20th: 🚫 No School - Teacher Professional Learning
February 11th: ❤️ Valentine's Day Class Parties @ 2:30
March 4th: PTA General Meeting @ 6:00
March 13th: 🚫 No School - Teacher Work Day
March 16-20th: 🚫 No School - Spring Break
April 2nd: 🚌 Open House/STEAM Night @ 5:00
April 8-10th: 📚 Scholastic Book Fair
April 10th: 🧺 Picnic on the Playground with VIP Guest (during lunch)
April 15th: ✏️ Pre-K Round-Up
April 16th: ✏️ Kindergarten Round-Up
April 17th: 🚫 No School - Teacher Professional Learning
April 24th: 🎭 Highlands Variety Show
May 5-8th: 🍎Teacher Appreciation Week
✅ To Do: Skyward Online Verification
Back-to-School forms for the 2025-2026 school year (Online Verification Forms) are now online and need to be reviewed and signed with an electronic signature.
Steps to fill out back-to-school forms:
If you do not have a Family Access account, you may contact your child’s school office starting on Thursday, July 24, 2025, to inquire about setting up account access. The guardian(s) designated as Family 1 for a student within the Skyward system has the editing rights to complete the forms.
Under “Home” you will see “2025-2026 RETURNING Student Annual Online Verification.”
The process includes permission forms, a health history review, and a medication permission form. For middle and high school students, there is also an athletic packet. Please complete the verification forms as soon as possible. It is a mandatory step necessary for student materials checkout. Students cannot be assigned a computer/device until forms are complete.
Families are encouraged to complete an application for meal benefits – free or reduced priced meals – as part of Online Verification. The link to the Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application is available on Skyward or the online application is on School Cafe. Families need to create a School Cafe account if they do not already have one. Additional information is located on the SMSD Nutrition Services Free and Reduced web page. Contact the Student Nutrition Services office by calling 913-993-9710 or emailing studentnutrition@smsd.org for questions on the meal benefit application.
Potential Benefits of Filling out the Application
Families whose meal benefit application is approved can receive a breakfast and lunch at a free or reduced price, depending on their qualification.
Families who qualify may also receive additional benefits such as free/reduced instructional resource fees, transportation fees, and Pre-Kindergarten enrollment.
Consent for Disclosure and Eligibility
If a family is directly certified for meal benefits due to state assistance, an email notification of eligibility was sent recently to the email address associated with the parent/guardian in the Skyward system. Notifications are also saved in School Cafe under eligibility benefits for parents to access as needed. Notifications are also saved in School Cafe under eligibility benefits for parents to access as needed. If you receive state assistance and have not received a notification of eligibility, contact theSMSD Nutrition Services office before completing a meal program application.
All families, including those directly certified, are encouraged to complete a Consent for Disclosure found on the SMSD Nutrition Services Free and Reduced web page. Completing the Consent for Disclosure permits SMSD Nutrition Services to share a child’s eligibility status information with the programs that families designate on the consent form.
✅ 25-26 Child Nutrition Meal Benefit Application
🍎 Attendance Habits
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