Ranch Round Up 11-17-2023
Highland Ranch Elementary School
A Message From Ms. Barry
A Message of Thanks
As we approach the Thanksgiving break, I would like to express my gratitude to the entire Stallion community. In my role as the newly appointed principal this school year, I find immense thankfulness for our students, families, teachers, and the entire Highland Ranch staff.
Each day, I witness the growth and learning of our Stallions. The joy radiating from our teachers when students achieve their goals fills me with gratitude for being a part of Highland Ranch.
As we enter this upcoming week, I encourage you to cherish moments with your families. Upon our return from the break, we will celebrate together with our annual International Night on Thursday, November 30th. I cannot adequately convey my appreciation to the Highland community for creating a truly special environment where our Stallions thrive every day.
Happy Thanksgiving
Ms. Barry
New Information
Giving Tree is Here!
GIVING TREE IS HERE! DROP-OFF DATES- 11/28-12/5 IN SCHOOL OFFICE
Giving Tree (formerly known as Adopt-a-Family) is back and we’re ready to help families in our community who could use a little extra this holiday season. We have adopted three families in need and hope to satisfy as many of their wishes as possible.
Please see the signup genius to check out the list and see how you can help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845A9A72EA3FEC07-45697888-2023
Drop-off location: Highland Ranch Elementary School main office
Drop-off dates: Tuesday November 28 - Tuesday December 5
Please DO NOT wrap the gifts.
Please label your donation (ex: Family V19 - Boy 15yo)
PUSD Foundation Tax ID #54-2098945 (we will email you a tax receipt)
During Thanksgiving week before we start donation collections beginning November 28, may we suggest you take advantage of Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to purchase your donations. Giving Tree will also take any unwanted gift cards/movie tickets (helpful to gift to teens), and those could also be dropped at the office.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle at hresgivingtree@gmail.com.
Thank you so much in advance for your generosity!
International Night Update
PTA INTERNATIONAL NIGHT 2023- THURSDAY, 11/30 from 5pm-7pm @ HRES MPR
Each year, our Highland Ranch community comes together to celebrate our diversity. Come join us as we celebrate various countries and cultures presented by our very own HRES students & families through food, dance, music, art, and more!
WHEN: Thursday, November 30th from 5-7pm
WHERE: HRES MPR
Free admission; just please make sure you have filled out our Annual PTA Participant Waiver (you only need to do this once a year, good for all PTA events throughout the year): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX37bo6ttMrlD5CfJMhmOmykOKsCoR2SOoDc6rBVyqFlFiVg/viewform?usp=sf_link
International Night food samples will have ingredients listed for those with allergies & will be served Costco style & only be passed out to children with a guardian present. Choir will be fundraising by selling pizza & water- cash only at $2/item!
Hope to see you there; it will be a beautiful night of unity and community!
For additional information, please contact Kelly Nguyen (ksengsourya@gmail.com)
Update on Candy Buy Back!
Dear Principal Barry & Staff:
On behalf of i-Ortho, I would like to extend heartfelt thanks for you and your students generous support of our Candy Buy Back since Covid-19. Your support to our Candy Buy Back helped us collect over 1,735 pounds of sweet treats to donate to the “troops," The San Diego Rescue Mission, Casa de los Pobres. Dr. Pfeffer, in return, paid a dollar for each pound of candy surrendered and donated over $1,735.00 back to our local schools.
Your school had a total of 148lbs, so we are going to write a check for $148.00. Thank you so much for your continued support and assistance to help us make a difference in our local school district. We believe so strongly that the education of your children has a tremendous impact on the future of our city and nation.
We look forward to your participation next year.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lindsay Pfeffer MBE, MS
Hope Squad
Poway Unified will be bringing the Hope Squad to Highland Ranch Elementary. Hope Squads will be present on every campus throughout PUSD starting this year. Hope Squad is an evidence-based, peer-to-peer youth suicide prevention program. The goal of this program is to increase inclusion and connectedness in schools by teaching students how to provide friendship, encouragement, and support for students who may be bullied or feel isolated. For more information on the program, please visit the Hope Squad website. At Highland Ranch, we will offer an opportunity for students in 5th grade to become a Hope Squad member and peer mentor.
Students will be nominated by their peers or teachers and selected by the counseling team. Hope Squad members care about others, demonstrate active listening skills and are trusted by their peers. The Highland Ranch Team has been trained as Hope Squad advisors to administer the most up-to-date mental health resources and training. Students in this program will not be asked to act as counselors, but rather will be trained to refer students to a trusted adult for help. Students will participate in biweekly lessons with the school counselor (Ms. Natasha Edrington) and the Student Support Assistant (Mrs. Lena Rosquete) during their lunchtime.
In these lessons, Hope Squad members will be trained to take action when someone is struggling and look for warning signs in their peers. They will learn to show empathy, listen without judgment, and reduce stigma regarding help-seeking and mental illness. Please contact Ms. Edrington (nedrington@powayusd.com) or Ms. Barry (mbarry@powayusd.com) if you have any further questions about the Hope Squad!
Cold and Flu Season
As we enter the cold and flu season, we want to ensure that you are well-informed about our health and medication procedures. Kindly take a moment to review the guidelines in the link above thoroughly, so you are prepared to handle situations where your child may need to stay home due to illness. Your understanding and cooperation are greatly appreciated.
Need Additional Illustrative Math Resources
We invite you to explore the provided link above for access to Illustrative Math resources that can enhance your students' learning experience during the Thanksgiving or Winter break. This resource-packed site is designed to complement Illustrative Math, offering valuable support for your students' mathematical journey. Your students will find a wealth of materials to reinforce their math skills and enrich their understanding. Happy learning!
Yearbook News
Have you ordered your yearbook? Yearbooks are not sold at school, why wait? Order now TreeRing.com and Passcode 1013489799753947.
Upload photos for 2023-24 School Year at TreeRing once you have an Account.
Safety Reminders
With fire season upon us we want to assure parents and guardians that we have appropriate response systems in place when emergencies arise. Our first priority will always be the safety of our students and staff on campus.
When Highland Ranch Elementary School becomes aware of any incidents in the geographic area of the school site, we will focus first on the safety of our campus while working with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the District for guidance and support for communication. Communication with parents is part of the response plan, but will be secondary to immediate safety. As soon as we can, we will message families with details of school-wide incidents such as lockdowns or evacuations. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in ParentVue in the “My Account” section.
Finally, we have been asked by first responders to remind our families NOT to come to campus in times of emergency – there have been several instances when officers, firefighters, and their ability to respond to the emergency have been hindered by parents rushing to the scene. We will send out messages about dismissal or reunification procedures for families when first responders indicate it is safe to do so.
PTA Announcements
Annual PTA Waiver
ANNUAL 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.
HRES Spiritwear
GOT HRES 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.
Older Information
This month's character trait
November our Stallions will focus on the character trait of responsibility.
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.
Highland Ranch Elementary School
Website: https://highlandranch.powayusd.com/
Location: 14840 Waverly Downs Way, San Diego, CA 92128, USA
Phone: 858-674-4707