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👋🏻 Hello, Highlands Families!
October 6, 2025
25-26 Theme: Better Together
Cultural Night: October 9th @ 5:30
SMSD Portrait of a Graduate
⏰ 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
🗓️ End of Quarter 1: Believe it or not, but we are in our last week of 1st Quarter! It has been an incredible start to the school year, and I feel so very lucky that I get to be a part of this community. Your student's grade card will be posted on Skyward on Friday, October 16th.
📣 Calling all Highlands & Crestview volunteers! WE NEED YOU to staff our 2nd cultural night, which we will host at Crestview Elementary on Thursday, October 9th. Highlands’ Staff will be there, and we hope to see you there as well! Please click here to sign up for a volunteer spot!
🌎 'A Night to Unite' will be an opportunity for both schools to pair up, experience, and celebrate our diversity in the community. The event will include entertainers, culinary samples, hands on activities, and opportunities to learn about the diverse cultures represented in our schools. The event will be great! With your help, it will be amazing!
✅ Check out the PTA quarterly Newsletter HERE!
🫶🏻 This week is Bullying Prevention Awareness Week! The month of October marks the nationwide campaigns for Bully Prevention. Our goal is to empower students with the knowledge they need to stop bullying in our community. Classes will have different activities/topics of discussion in each day this week, along with our first Spirit Week:
Anti-Bullying Spirit Week this Week
Monday: Team Up for Kindness - dress in your Kansas City Chiefs gear
Tuesday: Dreaming of Kindness - pajama day
Wednesday: Superhero Day - dress like your favorite superhero or wear your favorite superhero t-shirt
Thursday: Highlands Spirit Day - wear your favorite Highlands gear
*Friday: NO SCHOOL
Go Hawks!
Laura LaHue, Principal
🗓️ Upcoming Dates:
October 9th: 🌏 Cultural Night @ Crestview Elementary @ 5:30-7:30
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 Parade @ 2:00; Class Parties directly after
November 3rd: 🚫 No School - Teacher Professional Learning
🚲 Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day! 10/8
Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 a.m.
Start the morning with friends and fun as we celebrate Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day!
Donuts and water will be waiting at the Highlands Playground when you arrive.
Parents, if you're planning to walk with your children, we’d love your help keeping everyone safe by guiding them across the streets.
Want to walk or ride in with a group? Meet at one of the spots below at 7:30 a.m. Each group will leave for Highlands promptly at 7:40 a.m.
Fairway: Neale Peterson Park
Prairie Village: 64th Terrace & Hodges
Mission: 6001 Juniper Drive (Meet in the Patterson family driveway — thank you, Patterson family!)
We hope to see you there!
🌎 Cultural Night: October 9th 5:30-7:40
🌎 Cultural Night: October 9th 5:30-7:40
When: Thursday, October 9th @ 5:30-7:30
Where: Crestview Elementary, 6101 Craig Street, Merriam, KS
What: Bring the family for a fun night of engaging with cultures that make-up our two school communities, as well as cultures represented across the greater Kansas City Area!
🌟 pTA News 🌟
🌟 pTA News 🌟
✅ Check out our quarterly Newsletter!
🎉 Calling for 2025–2026 Reflections Entries!
This is a wonderful opportunity for students to express themselves creatively through the arts — and it’s easier than you think!
🎨 This year’s theme: “I Belong”
Students may choose from the following categories:
🖼️ Visual Arts
📸 Photography
📝 Literature
🎵 Music Composition
🎭Dance Choreography
🎬 Film Production
Be sure to include an artist statement explaining how your work relates to the theme.
📩 How to Submit
Artwork
Drop off your physical artwork at the school office
Email digital files to Yuuka Kozai at yuuka.kozai@gmail.com
📋 Entry Form (Required)
Complete the digital entry form
Fill out the paper form, then email it to Yuuka (Please see the attached flyer for full rules and instructions.)
📧 Questions? Contact Yuuka Kozai at yuuka.kozai@gmail.com
🏆 Highlands winners will go on to compete at the district level!
🎧 BIST Parenting Series: Recordings
💡 What is BIST? At Highlands, we teach students that it is never okay to be hurtful or disruptive. BIST is a schoolwide program designed to help students develop positive behavior skills, manage emotions, and improve learning environments.
👥 As part of ongoing support for families, BIST offers a series of classes for parents and guardians (FREE!). These training sessions are designed to provide ways you can support your child’s developing academic and behavior skills, as well as increase consistency between home and school.
Check out the links to the recordings HERE👇🏻
Session 1: Just One Thing At A Time
Session 2: Rebuilding Trust When Our Children Lie
Session 3: We Live Her, We All Help Here
🏆 Character Champs of the Week
Respect: I can see value in all people and things and treat them with care.
Week #1
Week #2
Week #3
Week #4
Week #5
Hispanic Heritage Month: 9/15-10/15
🎙️ Shawnee Mission Mic'd Up Podcast
🎙️Season 3 Episode 5 “Acronym Academy”
“This week is a crash course in SMSD acronyms. Market Value Assets (MVAs) are a type of school credit that will be required of ALL SMSD graduates by 2030. Find out why these experiences will be mandatory and how they are already having an impact on students and community partners.”
Thank you to you and your team for helping us tell the SMSD story!
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