Heights Happenings
Heights Elementary IB World School
November 1, 2023 Volume 9 Issue 3
Heights Mission: Heights Elementary IB World School is dedicated to developing balanced, lifelong learners through educational excellence, a global perspective, reflection and action.
Heights Vision: To Be A World Class School.
Heights PBIS Statement:
We strive to be a school that models positive behaviors which develop the whole child and social skills. We have a common culture and language which supports student growth and high expectations to empower our students to become well-rounded global citizens through teaching and recognizing positive behavior.
About Us:
School Hours: 7:55 am—2:10 pm
Doors open: 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
Facebook: Heights Elementary
Questions:
After School Program: Lisa McElyea
504 Accommodations: Bryanna Van Helden
Contact information Changes: Michele Curry
Transportation: Anika Carter
Gifted testing: Lisa Alexander
Clinic: Cheri Mack
What Is Going On At Heights This Month:
Nov. 5th: Time Change (Daylight Saving Time)
Nov. 6th: House Color Day (wear your house shirt or house color to school)
Nov. 14th: SAC Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
Nov. 15th: 2nd quarter Interims
Nov. 20th-24th: Thanksgiving Break (schools closed)
Important Reminder: Student Headphones
There are so many important things that our students do on their Chromebooks during the school day. Having a set of working headphones is a necessity for each student so they do not miss out on key learning opportunities in their classroom. If you could please check with your student to see if their headphones are working just fine or if they need a new set to use during the school day. Thank you for your help.
FOCUS ACCOUNTS:
Heights Families: Do you have a Focus Account? If not, it's important that you sign up. There are many forms that are required to be signed before getting your child's schedule or in order to ensure your child can receive care at the school clinics. Plus, get access to grades, attendance, and much more. Sign up today: https://www.leeschools.net/our_schools/focus
Every Student....Every Day
Attendance rates are a very clear representation and reflection of the success of school. It speaks very clearly on how parents are active in their child’s education, how excited students are to come to school, how effective teachers are in providing an exciting learning environment, and how the school and parent organization are in providing a stimulating, positive school community.
Heights Attendance:
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 and punctual school attendance is crucial for a student’s academic success. The research findings make a clear case for engaging families to reduce chronic absenteeism. Good attendance habits begin at home with the right messages from parents and caregivers.
Why it Matters
If children don’t show up for school regularly, they miss out on fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers.
The good news is that when students attend school regularly, they can see outsized literacy gains.
What Can We Do at Home?
Establishing consistent good habits at home can put children on the right track to good school attendance. Parents can:
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpack the night before.
- Know the first day of school and make sure their child has the required immunizations and materials
- Introduce their child to his or her teachers and classmates before school starts to help with the transition.
- Avoid letting their child stay home unless he or she is truly sick. Advise parents that sometimes complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- Talk to teachers, school counselors or other parents for advice on how to alleviate a child’s anxiety about going to school or other issues.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor or another parent.
- Avoid scheduling medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
Heights Trunk or Treat Night!
We had a tremendous turnout at Trunk or Treat last night! Thank you to all of the staff and parents who hosted a trunk. A special thank you to our second grade team, who hosted the event and made it possible
IB PYP News:
IB Learner Profile Word For November: Communicator
The IB Learner profile aims to develop students who are communicators. Students who are communicators understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
How can parents help to develop students who are Communicators at home?
- Take turns speaking and listening to one another about your daily events.
- Explore other forms of communication including symbols, signs, and sounds.
- Read a variety of texts and find connections between the books and your child's life.
- Discuss the TV programs and videos you watch together.
- Make books, magazines, and other reading material readily available.
- Take time to listen to your child when he/she talks with you, by turning off technology and providing undivided attention.
- Ask questions about what they are saying, ask for explanations.
- Act out stories, plays, poems, use language in fun creative ways.
- Sing together.
- Support other forms of communication via art, dance, music etc.
IB In Action:
What is The Greyson Project?
Our service project of selection is the Greyson Project. This project helps children right here in our community who are patients at Golisano Children’s hospital. Many of these families will be spending the holiday season at the hospital and this project provides decorations and activities (both Christmas and Hanukkah) to help make their hospital rooms feel more cozy for the holiday season. Gift Cards can be sent with your student and given to their teacher or gift cards can be dropped off to Mrs. Davis, Height IB PYP Coordinator.
IB in Our Classrooms and Around Our Campus:
- Our Kindergarten students were excited to welcome the Iona McGregor Fire Department to our school to learn more about what these amazing community helpers do. Students learned about fire safety and were able to present the firefighters with gift baskets of goodies they collected to express their appreciation.
- Our First Grade students hosted a Book Tasting to learn about how authors express themselves in a variety of ways. They also created an IB Pumpkin Patch in which they decorated pumpkins like storybook characters who represent different IB attributes.
- Our Second Grade students are learning about their heritage and are making heritage dolls to represent their ancestors who immigrated to the United States.
- In Third Grade our students enjoyed a day of rotations learning about how we express ourselves through the arts. Students learned about the art of dance, by hearing from a Polynesian Dancer who taught about the culture and the various forms of hula. They also learned about Martial Arts and the art of music through making maracas.
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Fourth grade is working through their inquiry into explorations and the night sky. They are learning all about the many different explorers throughout history, especially as is relates to Florida.
- Our Fifth Grade students are underway with their Exhibition projects. In the research phase, they are collecting research on the questions driving their action project. The students will host various experts from the community in the month of November who will help them to have a deeper understanding of their topic and what they can do to help solve these local and global issues.
PTA News:
We want to say a HUGE thank you to all the volunteers who helped at the mother son palooza!! We appreciate all the time & effort you put in to help make the event a success.
Vivie Holiday Shopping Event: join us on Thursday, December 7th for a holiday shopping event! Proceeds to benefit the Heights PTA.
The Heights Choir
The Heights Choir had the opportunity to sing America The Beautiful to kickoff the Everblades Game on Oct. 28th. Great job, Heights Choir!
Interim and Report Card Dates:
Quarter 2:
- November 15th – Interims
- January 11th – Report Cards
Quarter 3:
- February 7th – Interims
- March 20th – Report Cards
Quarter 4:
- April 24th – Interims
- June 3rd – Report Cards
Paper copy interims and report cards are no longer sent home. Parents may review their student's grades at anytime on Focus. Your student's grades will be up to date on the assigned interim and report card days listed above. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the school.
Ice Cream Fridays
Ice cream cups are on sale every Friday during lunch time. Each student will be limited to one ice cream cup during their lunch. The cost is $1 per cup. Money collected from ice cream sales goes to the Principal's Discretionary Fund. This fund is used to celebrate a variety of events and activities for our students and staff throughout the school year.
Veterans Day Stars
On Nov. 10th we would like to honor our family members who have served to keep us safe.If you have a veteran in your family you would like to recognize, please have your student fill in and decorate a Veteran's Day Star (PDF attachment below and on our website) to share and display at Heights Elementary. Photos are also appreciated. Any photos sent in will be displayed alongside the Veteran's Day Star and will be returned. Thank you for your participation! We look forward to honoring your loved one. Please send in all Veteran's Day Stars to your student's teacher by Nov. 7th so we can display all stars by Nov. 10th
Remember to Pre-Order Your 2023-2024 Yearbook
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:
In addition, the following teachers are engaged in training to add the endorsement, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), to their certificates: Nicole Driscoll, Courtney Sleeper, Lesa Winters, Monica Fastenau, Jennifer Kee, Gina Celej, Julie Ramsay
The School Board of Lee County:
Board Members:
District 1 - Samuel Fisher, Board Vice Chair
District 2 - Melisa W. Giovannelli
District 3 - Chris N. Patricca
District 4 - Debbie Jordan
District 5 - Armor Persons, Board Chair
District 6 - Jada Langford-Fleming
District 7 - Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan
Superintendent:
Christopher S. Bernier, Ed.D.
School Board Attorney:
Kathy Dupuy-Bruno, Esq.