Heights Elementary
December 2, 2019 Volume 6 Issue 5
Our Children Our Future Our World
Vision: To Be A World Class School.
About Us
School Hours: 7:55 am—2:10 pm
Early Dismissal Hours: 7:55 am - 12:10 pm
Doors open at 7:30 am
Breakfast: 7:30-7:45 am
Heights Contact Information:
Address: 15200 Alexandria Ct. Ft. Myers, FL 33908
Telephone: 239.481.1761 Fax:239.481.3154
Website: het.leeschools.net Twitter: @HeightsIB
From Mr. Palow:
The holidays are upon us and this can be a time with so many obligations coming from so many angles. Then, add excited children with all of these fun holiday distractions and a break nearby! Please take a moment to ponder this Love and Logic thought: Sometimes at this time of year we get shortsighted and allow ourselves to get impatient. We forget all of this when we don’t take good care of ourselves. Remember to treat yourself! Take time to nourish your spirit and find that balance and peace. Kids don't remember all of the things we try to teach them, but they will always remember how they felt when they were around us. Take great care of yourself so that you can give them the gift of loving learning, loving responsibility, and loving themselves.
Early Dismissal Days (2 hours early at 12:10) Dec. 18th –20th
Winter Break - School Closed Dec. 23rd-Jan. 7th
Upcoming Events
Dec. 11th: Heights Hurricane Choir Holiday Show for the students (during the school day)
Dec. 11th: Heights Hurricane Choir Holiday Show (Cafeteria 6:00 pm)
Dec. 10th-17th: PTA Good Behavior Tickets and Prizes
Dec. 18th-20th: Early Dismissal Days (School hours 7:55-12:10)
Dec. 20th: End of 2nd quarter
Dec. 23rd-Jan 7th: Winter Break (School Closed)
Heights After School Program Will Be Closed Dec. 18th-Jan. 7th
Holiday and Birthday Treat Guidelines:
- Question: “I would like to send/bring treats in for my child's birthday or holiday celebration. Is this allowed?”
Yes, but…
· The teacher will schedule the treats at the time that works best for their schedule. Please contact the teacher before the actual date:
· The following items are acceptable: Stickers, pencils, animals crackers, cookies, pretzels, crackers, popcorn, pudding, Jello cups, cheese sticks, mini cupcakes, or yogurt .
· All items must be store bought
· Make sure you have enough for the entire class.
Although we appreciate your child’s excitement for their birthday or the holidays, the school setting will continue to focus on academics. Keep the treat simple. Please refrain from sending in Regular size cupcakes, Cake, donuts, pizza, presents, balloons, candles, matches, flowers, or homemade items.
- Question: "Can I bring lunch from a restaurant (McDonalds, Chick-Fila, Subway, etc) and eat with my student".
-Absolutely, please refrain from bringing soda.
-Dropping off fast food for your student and not eating with them is prohibited. If your student forgot their lunch, we do offer free lunch for all of our students.
AR News
As of November 22nd, the students have earned over 19,000 AR Points. Only 5,000 more points to go by Dec. 18th. If the students reach the 24,000 AR points challenge looks like Mr. Palow will get large buckets of slime poured on him by some lucky students. Let’s get reading so Mr. Palow can get slimmed! Keep up the good work and keep reading those books.
December IB Profile Word
Principled — Act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for dignity and rights of people everywhere.
Where's The Bus?
Heights Attendance
The Heights Elementary school day begins at 7:55 am. One of the most valuable life skills a student can learn from their parent/guardian is the responsibility of arriving at school every day on time. This skill can easily be accomplished and will transfer as a valuable asset for the future. One of the most important times of the school day is the morning. This is the time when important school news is announced, teachers define the plans for the day, and instructional goals are reviewed and set. The whole tone of a child’s school day is set in the first part of the day. Please help support your student in learning habits that will help them be successful at school and throughout life.
PARENTS - if you have had a child absent from school - YOU MUST SEND IN A NOTE/DR. NOTE WHEN THEY RETURN LETTING US KNOW WHY THEY WERE ABSENT.
This is the only way you can excuse an absences. Please read your Code of Conduct or call Mrs. Curry to see what is considered excused or unexcused.
Attendance Matters
Students have the right to a free and appropriate public education, but they assume the responsibility to attend regularly and on time. Students shall be counted in attendance if they are actually present at school at the time the attendance is taken or are away from school on a school day and engaged in an educational activity that constitutes a part of the school-approved instructional program for the student.
Parents/guardians are responsible for the attendance of their children within the compulsory attendance age, 6 to 16. Parents have the responsibility to inform the school of their child’s absences and to explain the cause of each absence. Learn more about Florida State Statues, Part II, School Attendance.
Regular school attendance promotes academic success. Tardies deprive students of important instructional time. Excessive tardies may result in disciplinary action.
Attendance Standard
All students are expected to be on time and present each day school is open during the school year.
Students may not be absent from school without permission of the principal/designee.
- The school principal or designee is the only person authorized to excuse a student’s absence.
- A note from a parent/guardian is a request that a student’s absence be excused.
- When a student accumulates an excessive number of absences (5 days in a calendar month or 10 days within 90 calendar days) and additional absences occur which are caused by illness, a written statement froma physician verifying that the absence was caused by an illness may be required by the principal to be submitted by the parent/guardian (School Board Policy 4.16).
Habitual tardiness is defined as six (6) or more tardies to school or to an individual class per quarter.
For enforcement of compulsory school attendance, three unexcused tardies or unexcused early sign-outs may, at the discretion of the school principal, be considered equal to one day of absence.
Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently
by the end of third grade or be held back.
Attendance Matters....every school day counts!
Heights 4th & 5th grade Turkey Trot
4th & 5th Grade Turkey Trot Winners
4th Grade Girls
Neeve Farrell (1st) 4:17
Shea Schwartz (2nd) 4:21
Isabella Best (3rd) 4:24
4th Grade Boys
Champ Travis (1st) 3:46
Lance Fleming (2nd) 3:52
Javen Timeny (3rd) 3:55
5th Grade Girls
Bonnie Mielke (1st) 4:16
Allison Hyatt (2nd) 4:19
Evelynn Jones( 3rd) 4:21
5th Grade Boys
Tony Diaz-Reyes (1st) 3:59
Benjamin Wilkerwicz (2nd) 4:02
Adam Zaharn (3rd) 4:06
Heights Movement Room
PTA News
Not a member of the PTA yet? You can join here for just $7 and NO time commitment:
https://heightselempta.memberhub.store
Save the date: Jan 24th 6:30-8:30 pm Mother/Son dance - tickets and more information to come
Heights Volunteers
Directory Information and the Student Emergency and Health Information forms
The Directory Information and the Student Emergency and Health Information forms are online and accessible through the FOCUS parent portal. Please complete these forms if you have not already done so. To access and complete these forms, parents must have a FOCUS account. If you already have one, all you need to do is login. Once you have done so, you will be prompted to fill out the forms. It is important to note that you will not be able to access any student information until the forms are completed and submitted.
If you do not have a FOCUS account, instructions for creating one are located here.
In addition, we have a created a video series to help you better understand how to create an account, how to navigate the portal, and how to fill out the forms mentioned above.
Here are the links:
HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A FOCUS ACCOUNT: https://youtu.be/BPYylwYaynU
PARENT NAVIGATION OF THE PORTAL: https://youtu.be/3KaH1_DVzOQ
We hope that moving these forms into the digital realm makes things a little easier for you.
Heights Watch D.O.G.S
If you are interested in joining our Watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students) program, please contact Mr. Licata at MichaelVLi@LeeSchools.Net. The next Watch D.O.G.S "Take Over" is scheduled for Dec. 13th.
Ice Cream Sales
Notification to Parents Regarding Out-of-Field Teachers
Florida State Statute 1012.42 recognizes that teachers at times must be assigned duties in a class outside the field in which the teacher is certified. The following teachers at Heights Elementary are certified, but may be assigned one or more classes outside their areas of certification and are required to take appropriate steps to comply with the statutory regulation. Alexandria Naugle
In addition, the following teachers are engaged in training to add the endorsement, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), to their certificates: Rachael Komrowski, Jordan Stamper, Austin McElyea, Mandy Ryan, Janet Elrubaie, Holli Wheeler, Wendy Sokhanvari, Christina Cerwinsky, Briana Grelinski, Stacey Head, Marisa Marchionda, and Taylor Wahl.
The School Board Of Lee County The School Board Of Lee County
Gwynetta S. Gittens, District 5 (Chair)
Chris N. Patricca, District 3 (Vice Chair)
Mary Fischer, District 1
Melisa W. Giovannelli, District 2
Debbie Jordan, District 4
Betsy Vaughn, District 6
Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan, District 7
Dr. Gregory K. Adkins, Superintendent