Have you heard???

Have your children told you about the exciting plaground news? The mulch has been installed! We are thrilled with the outcome and know that the kids are, too!

A bit of encouragement...

We know parenting is hard work... we also know that our kids are worth it!

It's Friday!

Today is Friday... that glorious last day of the work and school week. And it's the beginning of a long weekend to boot!

As I was checking the weather for the weekend, I noticed there is a fair amount of rain in the forecast, beginning tomorrow. I don't know about you, but an extended weekend full of rainy days isn't my idea of perfection. While there are lots of things happening on Labor Day weekend... cookouts, days at the lake, football, football, and football Did I mention football?,  you may find yourself at the point of What do I do with these wild monkeys that have been inside the house and played with all the toys, and eaten all the food, and watched all the football?? (because let's face it, we all get there at some point!) The folks over at Real Simple have some great "stuff to do" suggestions. Check out the article here. We'd love to hear back from you if you used any of these ideas, so let us know how they worked for you!

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend... we'll see you at school on Tuesday!

For the PTO,
Suzanne

Highlands Family Fun Day

Do you want to meet the students your child is always talking about? How about their parents?

Highlands will be holding a Family Fun Day this Saturday, August 22nd from 9:00- 11:00am. This will be a great time to meet other families and staff members of Highlands in a casual, comfortable atmosphere. There will be water play for the kids (or the kids at heart!), a visit from a Dothan Fire Department fire truck, and some delicious ice pops (Cookies 'n' Cream, Banana Puddin', and Watermelon Lime) available from Dothan Ice Cream. Yum!

Pack a picnic, put on some sunscreen, and stop by the school tomorrow to meet new friends!

We Did It!!

We made it! We made it through the first week of school! The hard part is over! Give yourselves a pat on the back... everything went great! Wahoo!!

When you check backpacks this afternoon (or maybe late Sunday night or early Monday morning if you roll like I do), you will find a sheet of brightly colored paper from us. Be sure to take a look at it! This is the first (and only) newsletter that we will send home for the year. All future newsletters will be in digital form. In case you have a kiddo that isn't great at passing along all the information, we're including the info here. 

• School t-shirts are still available. Each shirt is $10, cash only. We have student and parent shirts available. Please send your child's order info, including their name, grade level, teacher, and shirt size (indicate youth or adult sizing) in an envelope along with your money. The shirts will be sent home with your child at the end of the week.

• The PTO newsletters will be in digital format only this year. We would love to be able to connect effectively with you. Please "like" our Facebook page (Highlands Elementary PTO) and/or subscribe to our blog (HighlandsElementaryPTO.blogspot.com) to keep up with the latest news. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog page to see the calendar. If you're already subscribed to the blog or like us FB, thanks!

• We will be hosting a PTO reception on Thursday, Aug. 20th at 9:00am. Please join us then to learn all about the different opportunities to be involved with the PTO.

Love on your learners this weekend, they worked hard all week!

For the PTO,

Suzanne

Tips for a Successful Start

If you are like us, you are tying up all the loose ends before our kids' first day back to school! When thinking through the days to come, here are a few things we would like to share with you to help make a successful first couple of days of school for all of us.

The beginning of school can be a stressful time for both parents and students alike. This can be particularly true of the first few days of school. Earlier mornings, new routine, uniforms that don't "feel right", a rushed breakfast, walking into the unfamiliar... all these things make getting out of the car and saying goodbye tough. Be confident! Encourage your child that they are going to have a good day. Be sure that your child knows what the after school plans are (will you go through car line? pick your child up at the doors? ride the bus or stay for after school care?) and that you will be excited to hear about all about their day when you see them after school. When the time comes for them to head to their classroom with the teacher... Give your child a big hug, a smile, and let them know you are proud of them. Remember that it's just a few hours and that they are in fantastic hands!

When arriving at school to drop-off or pick-up, please obey the rules of the road even when on school grounds. Please don't block intersections and be sure to stay in the correct lanes. If you wouldn't cross a solid line driving around the Circle, you shouldn't cross a solid line when on the roads at the school. Please have a heightened awareness of those around you... there will be lots of little people that won't be easily seen with a quick glance! If you would like to walk your child into the school or pick your child up at the doors at the end of the day, please park in the parking lot and walk together. When you are utilizing the carline lanes, please remain in your car. Your student(s) should hop out of the car and head directly to the staff members working in car line. These staff members are there to be sure that your people get safely where they belong. Remember that this routine is new for everyone and that some extra patience and grace may need to be extended for the first few days until everyone is familiar with the routine. We are all excited to see our little learners at the end of the day and by using common sense and manners, we will be able to get to our kids with as little stress as possible!

Get a good night sleep tonight, have a healthy breakfast tomorrow morning, and know that we will be ready and waiting for you. It's going to be a great start to a great new year! See you in the morning!

We had a great Open House!

Highlands had a great Open House yesterday! We loved seeing all of the students, parents, and staff meeting and getting to know one another. We are off to the start of a great year!