Highland Park Bulldog News
February 9, 2024
Highland Park Families,
I want to start by celebrating our students, staff, and campus. Although the days and weeks are busy, I continue to see our teachers hard work and effort every day. Their passion for education and dedication to our campus are extraordinary! I want to thank them for making Highland Park so special. Week by week, I am in awe of all the extraordinary things that make our campus exceptional: the daily teaching and working on building relationships, finding ways to honor and celebrate our different cultures, extra curricular activities such as UIL competitions, Destination Imagination, Spelling Bee, Dual Language Academic Meet, Ballet Folklorico, Ballin' with Bulldogs, Guard DOGS, Cheerleading, Health and Wellness, Accelerated Reading, Safety Patrol, Morning Announcement Team, Oratorical Showcase, Amazing PTO, and the list goes on and on... I just want to remind ourselves that WE are special. No other campus compares to us, and it's because of our staff, teachers, students, parents, and community. Thank you for believing in our campus and committing to making it the BEST of the BEST!
Next week our campus will be celebrating friendship on Wednesday, February 14th with a small classroom party. Teachers will be sending home information including snacks that will be served in class. Please make sure to remind our teachers and nurse if your child has any allergies. They will be checking as well, just it doesn't hurt to double check.
Students will be off on Friday 02/16 and Monday 02/19 as these are designated as work/planning days for staff.
Have a wonderful weekend and get some much deserved rest. Highland Park Bulldogs Woof!
With Thanks,
Lizbeth Ruiz
Principal
Highland Park Elementary
Please join us in our campus wide dress up days in honor of Black History Month!
HPES Oratorical Showcase Honoring Black History
3RD- 5TH Grade Morning Tutoring Begins Tuesday 02/13/24
The staff of Highland Park Elementary is striving to support our students in multiple ways including campus-wide tutoring. To help students who need extra instruction, practice on specific skills, or instruction on commended level performance we will be providing tutoring/enrichment for your child.
To ensure that students are getting instruction targeted for their specific needs, we have created targeted instructional groups. This means that for this portion of the day your child may be getting their instruction from a staff member other than their classroom teacher.
Tutoring will be incorporated into our instructional day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:20-8:15. Reading tutoring will begin Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. This instruction is extremely important to support student success. Reading tutoring will last for 3 weeks.
For tutoring to be effective, it is very important that students attend tutoring for the entirety of the tutoring time. We ask for parents to have their child arrive at school at the latest by 7:20 AM.
Thank you for your support as we help our students grow.
Kids Heart Challenge
Highland Park is Heart Healthy!
Join us in learning about heart health and raising funds to protect all hearts – especially other kids’! Through fun activities we’ll discover ways to take care of our hearts and brains while practicing kindness, gratitude and learning ways to de-stress. Plus, we have the chance to earn PE equipment for our school!
Donate to fuel our school's $5,000 goal. So far we have raised $1868.51!
Don't forget about our FUN COACH'S CHALLENGE: Anyone who raises $100 in donations gets to DISCO SLIME COACH!
Congratulations to the following students who have already earned our school’s challenge: Tyler S , Everett B , Sean C , Mason B , Jazmyn H , Wyatt S , Gentry B , Adam B.
THANK YOU for supporting our Kids Heart Challenge! 51 Students have already joined!
Join us for our PTO meeting on February 13th!
Middle School Visit
Middle School Parent Night
PFISD Section 504 Parent Night !!!!!
We will be hosting 504 Parent Night on Thursday, February 29, 2024, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Pflugerville ISD Central Administration Building in the Boardroom. This is a great opportunity for parents/ guardians and others in our community to come and learn about Section 504 and the protection it provides for general education students.
The following are a few topics that will be covered: How to effectively participate in your child’s 504 meeting, its purpose, and the objective of the Section 504 meeting. Participants can learn what components should be included in a Section 504 accommodation plan and gain more Insight on available 504 Accommodations.
The Goal of the Event:
To deepen and extend the knowledge of participants (parents/guardians and others in our Pflugerville community) understanding by providing information to help them access services for eligible Section 504 students.
February Specials Schedule
Library News
Spring Book Fair
February 26-March 2nd
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Highland Park Elementary. Open from Monday, February 26th though Friday, March 1st . Volunteer to set up, cashier, or help students shop!
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!
Elementary Report Card Dates
- 02/14/24- Progress Reports available to parents
Don't forget....
- Tuesday: PTO Meeting at 6:00
- Wednesday: Wear Red and Pink and Spread the Love for Black History Month
- Friday 02/16 and Monday 02/19 are work/planning days for staff. No classes for kids
PTO
Please join us at our next PTO Meeting on February 13 at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria!
- Website (www.hpespto.org) designed to be an information hub and a quick way to get some Bulldog Swag. There is a list of events we are hosting like Movie Nights, School Dance, and more. We're building ways to support our teachers. There is info about themselves and their "Amazon Wish-lists" so dive in
- Volunteers - Want to help but don't know how? After checking out our website, reach us at volunteers@hpespto.org. We can find a place where you'll fit right in. You can get a head start by applying in the district as an official volunteer. It only takes about 5 minutes.
- Join the PTO Facebook - Where Bulldogs WOOF! https://www.facebook.com/highlandparkelementarypto
Kudos
Have a co-worker who really matters and whom you want to recognize? Let’s recognize our HPES Bulldogs, no kudos is too big or too small! If you have any kudos you’d like to share, you can submit kudos here: HPES Bulldog Weekly News Kudos or the Superintendents Kudos
Campus Kudos:
- SpEd Team: We see you and we appreciate you! Thank you for working tirelessly to meet the needs of our students. We couldn't do it without you!!!
- Ms. Boswell: Thank you for making sure our students are safe every mornings and every afternoon while crossing the street on their way to school! I love driving by and seeing you interacting and building relationships with our families.
- Third Grade Team: Thank you for setting up the beautiful Chinese/ Lunar New Year Display in our foyer for our Bulldogs to see, learn, and celebrate.
- Parents: Cindy Medina Vega, Asha Garcia, Christian Barranza, and Katy Graves: Thank you for organizing and coordinating practices for our Destination Imagination Team "Fin-Tastic Crew". Thank you for supporting and cheering on our Bulldogs! We appreciate you!
- Ashley Brightly: Thank you for serving as our campus contact for Destination Imagination. We are super proud of our team and very thankful to you and our parent support.
Remember, one small positive thought or compliment can change a person's entire day. :)
HPES Celebrates Black History Month
Shades of Brown
HPES Celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year
Chinese/Lunar New Year, or “Tết” as it’s called in Vietnamese, is a joyous celebration filled with vibrant colors, delicious feasts, and lively dragon dances. Families celebrate with fireworks and traditional customs, symbolizing good luck and prosperity. Kids can look forward to receiving red envelopes (“lì xì”) containing money and participating in fun activities that mark the beginning of a new and exciting year!
Typically, Lunar New Year begins between late January and late February, timed to the new moon. This year the Lunar New Year begins on Saturday, February 10, 2024.
Thank you to Mrs. Duong and the 3rd grade team for setting up this display for our Bulldogs to see and learn
Celebrated National Counselor's Week!
Congratulations to our HPES Destination Imagination Team "Fin Tastic Crew" !
Congratulations Cody Casuccio, Ezra Barraza, Karly Graves and Robyn Vega!
Hold onto your hats because we've got some fin-tastic news to share!
Cody Casuccio, Ezra Barraza, Karly Graves and Robyn Vega made some waves at the Capitol Region's Destination Imagination competition Saturday at LASA High School, representing our school with style, creativity, and a whole lot of teamwork!
This dynamic quartet, known as the Fin-Tastic Crew, dove headfirst into the competition, crafting and performing their own script, designing jaw-dropping costumes, and creating scenery props that would make Hollywood jealous! 🌟
And guess what? The judges were left speechless! 🤩 They couldn't help but be impressed by the synchronized swimming of ideas, the strokes of collaboration and helping each other, and the synchronized splashes of creativity displayed by our fin-tastic team.
They were one of nine teams in the Early Learners Group, and received a medal for their hard work and participation - making Highland Park proud!
Upcoming Events
2023-2024 School Year Calendar with grading periods, student holidays, etc.
Feb. 13- TEA Science STAAR Interim- 5th Grade
Feb. 13- PTO Meeting at 6:00 in cafeteria
Feb. 14- Classroom Friendship Parties
Feb. 16- Student Holiday/Staff Planning & Prep Day
Feb. 19- Student Holiday/Staff Planning & Prep Day
Feb. 22- HPES Fine Arts Night - 6:00-7:30 (2nd grade performs)
Feb. 26- Mar.1 Spring Book Fair
Feb. 29- Kinder Rodeo
Mar. 1- Talent Show
Mar. 4- Mar. 8- Read Across America Week
Mar. 5- Mar. 7 -Reading/Language Arts Interim 3rd - 5th Grade
Mar. 6- Graduation Pictures PK, Kinder, and 5th Grade
Mar. 7- Oratorical performances during school day
Mar. 8- 3rd 9 Weeks AR deadline
Mar. 8- Field Day
Mar. 11- Mar. 15- Spring Break
Mar. 22- 2nd Grade Fieldtrip to Rodeo Austin
Mar. 26- Mar. 28- Math Language Arts Interim 3rd - 5th Grade
Mar. 28- Kinder Egg Drop
Mar. 29- Student/Staff Holiday
Apr. 1- Student/Staff Holiday
Apr. 2- End of the Year Testing begins
Apr. 5- Pegasus Fieldtrip to Dinosaur Park
Apr. 10- Reading STAAR Grade 5
Apr. 11- Reading STAAR Grades 3 & 4
Apr. 11- Kinder Fieldtrip to Austin and Nature Science Center
Apr. 11- First Grade Fieldtrip to Texas State Capitol
Apr. 17- Science STAAR- Grade 5
Apr. 25- 2nd Grade Idiom Parade 8:00
Apr. 26- 1st Grade Music Performance at 8:30
Apr. 26- Noah Rodriguez Slime your Teacher Fundraiser 1:30
Apr. 30- Math STAAR Grades 3 & 4
May 1- Math STAAR Grade 5
May 10- Library- Texas 2 x 2 Deadline
May 14- 4th 9 Weeks AR deadline
May 15- All Library books due
May 17- Library- Bluebonnet Breakfast & Trivia:
May 17- Million Word Club Celebration
May 17- 5th Grade Dance
May 20- AR End of Year Celebration
May 21- 2nd Grade Awards: 1:30 Cafeteria
May 22-4th Grade Awards: 8:30 a.m. Cafeteria
May 22- 3rd Grade Awards: 1:30 Cafeteria
May 23- KG Graduation: 8:30 Back Patio
May 23- 1st Grade Awards: 1:30 Cafeteria
May 24- 5th Grade Graduation: 8:30 Back Patio
May 27- Student/Staff Holiday
May 28- End of Year Classroom Parties
May 29- Last Day of School, Senior & 5th Grade Walk ,Early Release at 12:00
Back to School Procedures
Visitors
Arrival
HPES doors will open at 7:05 a.m. for bus riders and 7:10 a.m. for car riders and walkers.
Bus riders will enter the building through the 100 hallway doors adjacent to the bus loop at 7:05 a.m. Upon entering the building they will make their way to the gym where they will wait to be dismissed to class.
Car riders and walkers will enter the building through the front entrance at 7:10 a.m.
Walkers and car riders that arrive early will wait outside (back up plan for weather)
Upon entering the building car riders, walkers, and bike riders will go to either the cafeteria or the main hallway.
Students eating breakfast will be asked to go to the cafeteria
Parents/Guardians will be allowed to walk students into their classroom on the first day of school without a Raptor sticker. Beginning August 15, ( Day 2) parents wanting to walk their child to class will need to check in the front office by signing into our Raptor security system.
Breakfast/Lunch
Breakfast: Parents are welcome to eat breakfast with their children. Breakfast is served from 7:10-7:35 in the cafeteria. Parents will need to sit with their students at the stage tables or the three round tables in the foyer. Please only invite your child to eat with you. Inviting your child's friends is not allowed. With close to 750 students, we are limited in space and kindly ask that you save this treat for special occasions. Parents will need to sign in the raptor system in the front office.
Lunch: Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their children. Please check with your child's teacher for specific class time lunch. Parents will need to sit with their students at the stage tables or the round tables in the foyer. Please only invite your child to eat with you. Inviting your child's friends is not allowed. With close to 750 students, we are limited in space and kindly ask that you save this treat for special occasions. Parents will need to sign in the raptor system in the front office.
Dismissal
All staff will follow general dismissal procedures. All teachers and EAs will work together until 3:10 to ensure students have safely departed.
- Notify the office no later than 11:00 if you need assistance determining how a student gets home.
- Updated Bus #’s: Gen Ed-210, 287, 202, 223, SPED-425
- Updated Daycare: EDP, Children’s Courtyard, Capital Gymnastics, Emmanuel Lutheran, Little Angel’s, Rise Martial Arts, Best Kids and IQ Viet My Daycare
- Each teacher will be responsible for dismissing their students on time. Teachers will be responsible for walking bus riders, walkers, daycare, parent walk-up, and car riders to their dismissal destination. Please wait to exit until your hallway is called: 100 hallway, 200 hallway, 300 hallway, and 400 hallway. Listen carefully for the announcement of when your hallway is dismissing. Please do not try and get a head start. This will cause congestion and chaos in the hallways.
- We will begin dismissal at 2:35 to allow additional time on the first day.. All non-classroom staff will move to the Kinder hallway to assist in getting all of the students out of their hallway. Once they are moving, as you come to your assigned duty area you may drop off to conduct your duty.
- There will be additional car riders the first few days. Please join in to assist when you become available.
- Be sure to communicate verbally with other staff members to ensure proper supervision in all areas.
- If you see any area of need, either assist or notify someone of the need.
- NO ONE SHOULD BE IN THEIR ROOMS OR THE WORKROOM WHILE DISMISSAL IS STILL ONGOING. THIS IS AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK SITUATION! (Of course, this does not apply to Pegasus staff, who will still have students.)
Birthday Celebrations/Campus Celebrations
Student birthdays will be announced and celebrated over morning announcements. Students will also sing Happy Birthday in the classroom.
Parents will have an opportunity to purchase a birthday announcement to be displayed on the school marquee through PTO.
Parents may bring cupcakes/treat to celebrate their child's birthday. However, notice must be given 24 hours in advance. Cupcakes/treats may only be passed out the last 30 minutes of class.
Student treats (i.e., store bought cupcakes) cannot be served in the cafeteria during lunch. Treats cannot be a full meal (i.e., pizza) Teachers must receive parent permission prior to students eating store bought cupcakes/treats due to student food allergies.
For classroom food activities such as party days or food-related learning activities, parents will need to complete an allergy permission form stating which foods their student is allowed to eat or handle. If this form is not returned prior to the event, the student will not be able to participate in the activity.
We appreciate the care and time that the teachers and allergy committee members have given to this very important matter. We are dedicated to keeping our kids safe here at HPES and believe that this will help achieve that for all our students.
Stay Informed
Here a few ways to stay informed. Follow us on Facebook @HighlandParkES and on Twitter @HighlandPark_ES. School communications will also be sent out through school messenger via email. On Tuesday’s an HPES folder will be sent home with flyers and information. Please be sure to look out for the folder on Tuesday’s. Additionally, please sign-up for our mailing list at You will receive a monthly campus newsletter through the mailing list. You can also find a copy of a newsletter like this one in our campus webpage under “Principal’s blog”.
Communication Guide
Senior Admin. Associate: Anita Moreno– anita.moreno@pfisd.net
General questions regarding scheduling, procedures, teacher information, leave requests, substitutes, purchase orders (for your classroom/students), monthly and bi-weekly payroll, supplemental pay, staff travel, events, field trips, website updates, FB page, maintenance orders, after-hours events, fundraisers (any collection of money), Picture days, etc.
Registrar: Miriam Ruvalcaba – miriam.ruvalcaba@pfisd.net
Student records, registration, residency questions, attendance, transfers, withdrawal, cumulative records, and folders, grade-book, etc.
Student Support Clerical Support: Yaira Torres- yaira.torres@pfisd.net
Schedule LPAC and 504 meetings, and gather student grades, relevant classroom, and health data.
Nurse: Lauren Hohle- lauren.hohle@pfisd.net
Shot records, allergy information, distribution of medication, general student health, Section 504, and SpEd as related to health, etc.
Instructional Coach: Brianna Thompson- brianna.thompson@pfisd.net
General questions regarding master scheduling, campus procedures, curriculum, resources, SWAT, professional development, mentoring, lesson modeling, and virtually anything teachers need regarding curriculum and instruction.
Counselor: Anna Vazquez – anna.vazquez@pfisd.net
Student care and concerns, parent and student support, Credit by Exam, Gifted and Talented information, assessment, and Section 504
Assistant Principal: Pamela LeDay–pamela.leday@pfisd.net
Primary contact regarding discipline, LPAC, and SpEd. Additionally, virtually everything you would contact Ms. Ruiz for. It is a good idea to copy Ms. LeDay on emails sent to Ms. Ruiz because both of them are able to respond to questions or concerns.
Principal: Lizbeth Ruiz – lizbeth.ruiz@pfisd.net
Any and all topics not covered by the staff members listed above.
Please feel free to email or call us if you are needing support. We look forward to passionately serving the families of Highland Park Elementary!
Highland Park Elementary School
Website: https://www.pfisd.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=37
Location: 428 Kingston Lacy Blvd, Pflugerville, TX, USA
Phone: 512.594.6800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighlandParkES/
Twitter: @HighlandPark_ES