Ranch Round Up 10-13-2023
Highland Ranch Elementary School
A Message From Ms. Barry
Trunk or Treat/Movie Night and A New Date for International Night!
Dear Stallion Families,
What an incredible week it has been at The Ranch, filled with excitement and enthusiasm among our Stallions! We are delighted to announce the arrival of Stanley the Stallion, our new mascot, who made his debut this week. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our PTA for making this possible by generously purchasing the mascot costume.
Additionally, we want to update you on our Foundation's ongoing efforts. Our team is working tirelessly to achieve our fundraising goal of $50,000. With your support, we are confident we can reach this milestone. If you haven't already, please consider making a donation. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our target. You can donate by clicking on the link above.
We have some exciting events on the horizon. International Night has been rescheduled to November 30th, allowing everyone more time to prepare and select their countries. The deadline for choosing your country is November 9th. For more details on this event, please refer to the PTA announcements below.
As the spooktacular season approaches, don't forget about our Halloween parade! Join us on the morning of Halloween at the park next door to witness the creativity and festive spirit of our students.
Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm. We are looking forward to wrapping up yet another fantastic week at The Ranch!
Ms. Barry
New Information
PTA Trunk or Treat/Movie Night Important Update
Join us for Our PTA Trunk-or-Treat/Outdoor Movie Night- Saturday, October 21 from 4:30-8pm
Among the many traditions that have been deeply rooted in the Highland Ranch community for over the past 30 years, we are excited to embark on a new journey and introduce what we hope will be a new tradition. In previous years, PTA has hosted a Fall Carnival. In the spirit of supporting the PTA mission of bringing Stallions together, we will now be hosting a PTA Trunk-or-Treat/Outdoor Movie Night.
Every teacher will have two assigned parking spots in which their class will decide on a theme, and room parents will facilitate decorating a class vehicle! Please see the links below to sign up to volunteer and/or bring candy/non-edible donations for your student's grade. PTA will be collecting the candy/non edible donations the week before the event; read on for more details. This new tradition is something we hope will grow in the many years to come! Hope to see you there!
Timeline of Event- Saturday, October 21:
2-3pm Trunk-or-Treat Vehicles Check-In (staff parking lot - school gates will be closed)
3:30pm All Vehicles In
4-6pm Flippin’ Pizza Food Truck- Cheese/Pepperoni slices/drinks will be sold
4:30-7pm Sunny Scoops Ice Cream
4:30-5:30pm Trunk or Treat Event- Bring your own container/bag to collect treats
5:30pm School gates open
5:30-7:30pm Concessions Open, CASH ONLY, $1/item- light snacks & drinks (Feel free to bring your own dinner if you like)
5:45pm Costume Contest for each Grade Level/ Most Creative Vehicle (Prizes donated by Sunny Scoops!)
6:00pm Movie Starts on our playground lawn- Bring chairs and/or blankets to stay warm and comfortable!
We Need Volunteers:
We’d love your help to make sure our event is a success! Please sign up for a timeslot if you are able; many hands make light work:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44499668-trunkortreatout
We Need Candy/Prize Donations:
Candy/Inedible donations will be collected by PTA Board Members/Chairpersons the Tues/Wed/Thurs before Trunk or Treat & stored in large trash bags (one for each class) each donation needs to be labeled with Teacher name, Grade & Room Number. They will be distributed the day of the event.
o Tuesday, 10/17 at 7:20-7:50am or 1:20-1:50pm @ MPR
o Wednesday, 10/18 at 7:20-7:50am or 1:20-1:50pm @MPR
o Thursday, 10/19 at 7:20-7:50am or 1:20-1:50pm @MPR
Preschool/TK Candy/Prize Donation Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44493515-preschool
Kindergarten Candy/Prize Donation Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495251-kindergarten
First Grade Candy/Prize Donation Signup:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495582-first
Second Grade & 2/3 Combo Class Candy/Prize Donation Signup:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495624-second
Third Grade Candy/Prize Donation Signup:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495620-third
Fourth Grade Candy/Prize Donation Signup:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495675-fourth
Fifth Grade Candy/Prize Donation Signup:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CA5AA23A0FF2-44495666-fifth
Thank you in advance; looking forward to a wonderful & memorable event put on by PTA & our school community!!!
Trunk-or-Treat/Outdoor Movie Night Details/Reminders
This is a free event, but donations will be welcome day of the event!
Trunk-or-Treat will be from 4:30-5:30pm for our school community to enjoy in the Staff/ESS Parking Lot. Please do not park there as it’s reserved for our event- please park in the neighborhood.
Please fill out our Annual PTA Family Participation PTA Waiver if you haven’t already done so: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX37bo6ttMrlD5CfJMhmOmykOKsCoR2SOoDc6rBVyqFlFiVg/viewform?usp=sf_link
Have your child come dressed up if they would like to participate in the grade level costume contest happening inside the school playground at 5:45pm. (Prizes donated by Sunny Scoops Ice Cream!)
It’ll be a wonderful time of building memories; hope to see you there!!
PTA International Night Moved to 11/30!
PTA INTERNATIONAL NIGHT- THURSDAY, 11/30; SIGN-UP TO SHOWCASE A COUNTRY BY THURSDAY,11/9
International Night- Thursday, November 30, 2023 5-7pm @ HRES MPR *Please note date change*
Each year, the Highland Ranch community comes together to celebrate our diversity. You can have the opportunity to showcase your culture or country of choice at International Night!
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
*HOST a particular country or culture. It can be any country you want to represent, and not necessarily where you are from.
*DISPLAY posters, photos, clothing, crafts, language and food (If you are providing homemade food, please clearly list all ingredients for those with allergies; food will be served Costco style & only be passed out to children with a guardian present.)
*DEMONSTRATE a cultural activity, game or craft.
*PERFORM a dance, sing or play a musical instrument (2 minute maximum)
*SIGN UP by Thursday, November 9, 2023 (deadline has been extended due to event date change) to showcase a country at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSethLLzTTNIYPE1XYxjoPlQtT5p85fS00sPGp25MlGM914R8g/viewform?usp=sf_link
For additional information, please contact Kelly Nguyen (ksengsourya@gmail.com)
Return to Learn Update
Today (through midnight) is THE last day of the Foundation's RETURN TO LEARN Campaign (then no more RTL donation emails - yay!)! We are 80% of our goal with only 35% participation. Special Stallion shout out to our awesome Character Ambassadors who have been showing outstanding school spirit every morning for the last two weeks! They are doing their part to ensure they don’t lose their Science Labs, Music, Financial Literacy, P.E. and more!!
- Families who raise $200 earn 1 tile and $350 earns two tiles to the famous Tile Party to be held on 11/30/23.
- Families who have donated ANY amount are entered to win a chance at a catered dinner with Ms. Barry and Mr. P.
We have a special message to our outgoing 5th grade families… when your 5th grader first began at Highland Ranch, they were fortunate enough to benefit from the Foundations’ programs from day 1 because of funding raised the prior year. Let’s keep paying it forward and leave HRES in an as good if not better educational environment than when your 5th grader began years ago.
ANY amount (even $5) will not only increase our participation rate but also enters you for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. LET’S FINISH STRONG HIGHLAND RANCH! Donate through midnight today at: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/HREF2023
HRES Math Club
We are excited to announce a revival of the HRES Math Club for 2023. Whether you are a veteran math club participant or brand new to it, read on for more information about this year’s possibilities!
Math Clubs are organized in many schools across the country by parent volunteers. This club allows the students from a particular school to register as a “Team” and participate in the various math competitions held across the country during the school year. These contests encourage students to flex their math muscles and indulge in some creative thinking & problem-solving outside of their regular classroom curriculum. We had a great response last year with about 50 students participating in 3 contests. The robust response has inspired us to take on an additional contest - Math Olympiads along with Noetic, Math Kangaroo & Perennial Math.
Please sign up by October 10, 2023 Tuesday in the sign-up link provided below.
Note: Sign-ups beyond Oct 10 will not be considered for the Noetic Fall contest.
Grade 4 & 5 - those interested in Math Olympiad, late sign-up results in late fee payable
for the contest. Earliest sign-up is recommended.
Cost: Enrollment fees are to be paid to all the contests. The total cost of the contest will be split up among all participants of the contest. We estimate the fee per student to be around $35-40 to attend all contests. (Math Kangaroo additional). So, the more the merrier (less expensive)!!
The actual cost & mode of payment will be communicated to all those interested once we have the participant list.
Please click the link to know more details about the various contests.
3 HRES Math Club 2023 Information
Please click the link here to sign up for one/more/all of the contests.
https://forms.gle/fbqCTFiFFAFUP2A76
The HRES Math Club has been formed by a dedicated group of parent-volunteers and as such is not a part of the school curriculum. Participation is optional. Teachers and the school administration do not manage the activities of the Math Club. (The Math Club is not a part of the PTA or the HREFoundation). Please direct any questions/comments to the Math Club Volunteers here math.club.hres@gmail.com
Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Week is coming October 23 - 27. Please see attached flier for the individual Spirit Days
October's Character Pillar
Upcoming Events
School Site Council Meeting
If you would like to view the SSC meeting as a parent of the school, please email Ms. Barry at mbarry@powayusd.com for the zoom link. This is just to join the meeting and view the meeting, not to be on School Site Council.
Wednesday, Oct 18, 2023, 03:30 PM
Halloween Parade at 8 a.m.
We will be hosting a Halloween Parade on the morning of Halloween. More information to come!
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023, 08:00 AM
Playground
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Minimum Day
Please be sure to follow our Min. Day schedule
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023, 12:00 PM
Foundation Announcements
Next General Foundation Board Meeting
Join the next General Foundation Board Meeting - November 1 in the HRES Library at 6:30 to find out how the Return to Learn donations are allocated and spent!
JR Achievement Volunteers Still Needed
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED in First and Second grade classrooms! This year the Foundation is thrilled to continue the fantastic Junior Achievement program, providing our Stallions with a unique opportunity to participate in an engaging financial literacy program designed for elementary students right in their classroom! Each week for five weeks, the students will participate in a 45 minute hands-on lesson led by a parent volunteer and supported by the classroom teacher.
If you would like to partner with us to bring this program to your child’s classroom, WE NEED YOU! No experience or prior knowledge is necessary and you will receive proper training and all classroom materials! Please complete our short volunteer interest form https://forms.gle/Bc1UpnaW4UWWcjyY8 to learn more and get involved!
PTA Announcements
PTA Membership/Donation Drawing Winners!!
A BIG thank you to all the parents, students, family members, teachers and staff who joined PTA, as well as those who donated to PTA this school year so far! We truly appreciate your support & can't do all we do without you!
We are thrilled to announce the winners of our Annual Fall PTA Membership/Donation Drawing who will receive a special Stallion Gift Bag:
General PTA Membership: Trinity Lastimado
Teacher/Staff PTA Membership: Sarilyn Zinn
$100 and Over Donations: Sharon Kenney
It's never too late to support & join PTA: https://jointotem.com/ca/san-diego/highland-ranch-elementary-pta
* Although we’d love to see you, your annual PTA membership does not require you to attend meetings/volunteer. Your membership shows that you are supporting the programs and services our PTA provides for the school and our kids.
*Like & Follow PTA on Facebook: www.facebook.com/highlandranchpta
*Check out our website: www.highlandranchpta.com
PTA Family Participant Waiver
If you plan on attending any of our events such asTrunk-or-Treat/Outdoor Movie Night, International Night, Family Dance, STEAM Night and more, please take a quick moment to fill out our Annual PTA Family Participant Waiver: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX37bo6ttMrlD5CfJMhmOmykOKsCoR2SOoDc6rBVyqFlFiVg/viewform?usp=sf_link
*We need one on file per family per year to attend all PTA events.
PTA Reflections Arts Contest
If your child loves to create art, music, dance routines, and short films, the National PTA Arts Contest deadline is Friday, October 13th and rules and guidelines for each art category is linked to the beginning of the Google Entry form. Highland Ranch PTA will judge the entries and send the 1st & 2nd place winners in each arts category off to the next level of judging. The theme this year is “I am hopeful because…”
Here is the entry link with rules and guidelines:
https://forms.gle/3UVvGEUos2c5tfVaA
To check out last year’s entries, click this link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1m1fRu5dVPjEZFtBt2QzQhPV6XknXPu-XrSO_LGuZD7M/edit
Email hmoreno@rsf.k12.ca.us with any and all questions too
Highland Ranch Spiritwear
Highland Ranch PTA has you covered! To view and purchase HRES Spirit Wear shirts and hoodies, please visit our spiritwear website: https://hrespta.itemorder.com/shop/home
*You can choose to pick up your order at Big Frog for free or get it shipped directly to you for a fee.
Order Your Yearbook Today!
PURCHASE YOUR YEARBOOK EARLY and SAVE TODAY!
It is never too early to purchase your 2023-2024 Yearbook! Buy today through October 31st and save 10%! A portion of your purchase comes back to the school. Visit TreeRing.com and enter Passcode 1013489799753947.
Upload photos from the first day of Popsicle Party and the 1st Day of School.
Upload photos for 2023-24 School Year at TreeRing once you have an Account.
Older Information
Looking To Book Travel Plans?
As families begin to organize their holiday travel arrangements, we kindly request that you take into consideration the non-student days provided by PUSD to accommodate your travel needs. Thanksgiving Break spans from November 20th to November 24th, and Winter Break extends from December 25th to January 5th.
In line with our overarching goal of promoting consistent attendance throughout the school, we encourage you to schedule your travel plans during these designated periods. It's crucial to remember that students who are absent from school may miss valuable instruction. When absences become a recurring issue, students can fall behind academically, leading to lower academic performance and potential challenges that extend beyond the classroom. Your cooperation in prioritizing regular attendance greatly contributes to your child's success.
Food and Nutrition Updates
School breakfast and school lunch are FREE for all enrolled students, every school day. Meals must still be entered into the cafeteria computer by individual student account.
Even though meals are free, families are still highly encouraged to complete the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility. School site funding depends in part on the number of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free/reduced-price meals may qualify for other benefits, as well. The meal application is available online at MySchoolApps.com.
Printer-friendly PDF menus are available on the PUSD Food and Nutrition webpage. At the top of the page, click or hover over School Menus + and then Printable PDF Menus.
Interactive, web-based menus containing nutrient and allergen details are available at MySchoolMenus.com, as well as via links from the F&N webpage.
October 2023 Parent Education Courses
Parent Learning Opportunity: For all families of students receiving special education services, please plan to join us on Thursday, October 5th from 6-7:30 p.m. for our first parent education class. The class will be led by Moira and Joe from Exceptional Family Resource Center and held at the District Office in the Community Room.
Talking and Listening to Your Kids – 6th -12th Grade NEW
Early Childhood Development: Shaping the Mindset TK-3rd Grade NEW
Help Your Children Manage Stress and Anxiety – TK-5th Grade
Using your Strengths to Navigate Life Storms – All Grades NEW
Help Your Teen Manage Stress and Anxiety – 6th-12th Grade NEW
Developing an Effective Individualized Education Program – All Grades
Empowering Parents with Consequences that Work – TK-5th Grade NEW
To enroll, click here: https://www.powayusd.com/apps/pages/parenting-classes-education
Computers2Kids
The San Diego County Office of Education and Computers2Kids are hosting an event for families to purchase affordable computers on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at San Marcos Elementary School 1 Tiger Way, San Marcos CA 92069 (Drive Thru Event).
See attached or on this link for details.
Since July 2023 the partnership between SDCOE and Computers2Kids has provided over 1,288 refurbished computers to 797 San Diego families. We hope your families are able to benefit from this event.
Highland Ranch Elementary School
Website: https://highlandranch.powayusd.com/
Location: 14840 Waverly Downs Way, San Diego, CA 92128, USA
Phone: 858-674-4707