At Highcroft, we help learners grow in a safe, caring community where ALL are valued and supported to become leaders.

February

• 10 - 13: Kindness Spirit Week - See flyer below for events
• 11: Summer School Registration begins, 11:00 am
• 13: Valentine's Parties, 2:45 pm
• 14: No School, Records Day
• 17: No School, Presidents' Day
• 18 - 21: Highcroft's Science Fair
• 19: 4th Grade Field Trip to Powell Hall, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
• 19: Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 pm, 471 N. Woods Mill Road
• 20: 3rd Grade Field Trip to St. Louis Area Food Bank, 9:15 am - 12:30 pm
• 20: All Read, 3:25 pm - 3:45 pm
• 20: Family Fun Night - Panera, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• 26: Late Start, School begins at 11:05 am
• 27: PSO Meeting, 7:00 pm

One of my favorite leaders is Dr. Maya Angelou. She was a woman who endured trauma and tribulation, and with determination and an amazing work ethic, achieve a multitude of accomplishments. As she would say, she not only survived, she thrived! Her body of work continues to inspire, uplift, and guide me. The following is an excerpt from one of her poems, "Human Family," which I find beautiful. It speaks to the spirit of thinking win-win, understanding, and kindness. You can click the title to read the poem in its entirety.

Human Family

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.

The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.

I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.

I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.

I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.

Mrs. Turney, MOSAICS Teacher

First grade - The whole class activities are complete! After spring break we will begin individual testing for those students who qualify to proceed in the process for MOSAICS services. Services for identified students will begin in second grade.

Second grade - Students are learning from fifth grade “tech mentors” how to make slide presentations more engaging by adding backgrounds, images, and transitions! Students teaching students helps foster leadership, ownership, responsibility, and most of all positive relationships with other students for positive learning experiences! “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?”

Third grade - Student ELA+ projects are nearing completion! Keep watch in the library for some amazing models to be displayed soon! The early rounds of our 24 tournament are underway! We will identify our first, second, and third place masters at calculations and problem solving. Students exercise flexible thinking and increase their speed and accuracy using basic math facts and functions in this fun and challenging game! We will recognize our outstanding participants in the next publication!

Fourth grade - The media is almost ready! We will share a signup sheet with teachers to provide the opportunity for classes to experience this unique approach to sharing new knowledge. All are welcome. Stop in when you can!

Fifth grade - The result of our PBL experience is on display by the library. This is an interactive model of some of the various architecture in the ancient city of Pompeii. Facts and information about each is presented in a unique way. Take a moment to view our collaborative learning work.

Math Olympiads - We are forming teams with creative names and t-shirts for the upcoming district Equations tournament! Contest number four will be Tuesday, February 18.

• Kindergarten showed that they are enjoying all the snow and the winter season by creating snowman collages. They listened to the book, Snowman at Night, for inspiration.
• First grade students had a lot of fun creating a house collage out of painted, recycled magazine pages. After a study of jellyfish and warm and cool colors, beautiful oil pastel resist paintings were created.
• Second grade students made very cool multimedia fishbowls with model magic sea life and a curious visitor peering into the bowls. They also had fun learning about some artists who are known for painting hearts including, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring and Jim Dine. They had a lot of fun creating colorful heart paintings of their own.
• In third grade, students learned all about positive and negative space and optical illusions. They used what they learned to create a nice collage/drawing.
• Fourth-graders created funky paper mache vases. After a study of ancient Egypt and the importance of the afterlife in that society, the students began making foil tooling masks in the style of King Tut’s funerary mask.
• Fifth-grade studied the life and work of Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, then they created beautiful flowers in vases using model magic.