Heights Happenings
Heights Elementary IB World School
December 1, 2023 Volume 9 Issue 4
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
From The Heights Administration Team:
‘Tis the Season...for everything! This is a busy time for families and schools with special activities, shopping, parties, charity events, and much more. With all of this activity, it is very easy for us all to be thrown off our game, lose our focus, set aside our goals, and bend the rules. While we may enjoy some extra activities, Heights Elementary will maintain its academic focus through the season and into the new year. Classroom instruction will keep a curricular focus and we ask you to do the same with keeping with the regular pattern of on-time arrival, homework completion, and academic support. Thanks for being a critical partner in your child’s success! We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Early Dismissal Day (2 hours early at 12:10) Dec. 22nd
Heights After School Care is unavailable on Early Dismissal Days.
Winter Break - School Closed Dec. 25th – Jan. 8th
Students return to school Tuesday, Jan. 9th
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?
Dec. 4th: House Color Day
Dec. 12th: Picture Makeup Day
Dec.13th: Heights Choir Holiday Show (6:00 Cafe)
Dec. 14th: ELA FAST 1st and 2nd grade
Dec. 15th: MATH FAST 1st, 2nd grade
Dec. 15th: Holiday Lights at the Calusa Nature Center - Heights Choir (6:00)
Dec. 18th: ELA FAST Kg
Dec. 19th: MATH FAST Kg
Dec. 22nd: End of the 2nd Quarter
Dec. 22nd: Early Dismissal (12:10) - No Heights After School Care
Heights Holiday Tree
Our Heights Holiday Tree is on display at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Children’s Tree trail. Pop by and see the amazing ornaments our students decorated from November 24 through December 31
Sunshine State Book Club Info
Height Elementary is excited to announce that the Sunshine State Book Club is starting soon.
- Any Heights student grades 3-5 that has read and passed with 85%% accuracy on three of this year’s Sunshine state books (there are fifteen books to choose from) is invited to join the Heights Sunshine State Book Club.
- In the spring the book club students will have an opportunity to try out for the Heights Book Battle team that will consist of a total of six students from 3rd-5th grades. On Friday, May 24 students will compete against other Lee County School Book Clubs. In order to be eligible for the Book Battle Competition the student must have read and passed with 85% accuracy all of the Sunshine State Books.
Students may check out the books from the Heights Elementary Media Center
If you are interested please contact Mrs. Christi Cerwinsky, ChristinaKC@leeschools.net, for more information.
IB PYP News
IB Learner Profile For December: Principled
The IB Learner profile aims to develop students who are principled. Students who are principled act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
How can parents help to develop students who are principled at home?
~What you do as a parent matters. How you treat and respond to your child should come from a knowledgeable, deliberate sense of what you want to accomplish.
~You cannot be too loving. It is simply not possible to spoil a child with love. What we often think of as the product of spoiling a child is never the result of showing a child too much love. It is usually the consequence of giving a child things in place of love.
~Connect behavior to character.
~Provide opportunities for your child to make their own decisions, discuss the consequences of their decisions.
~ Read and tell stories in which the story characters demonstrate making principled decisions
~ Discuss how being principled is life long commitment and well sought after as a characteristic to have
IB In Action
- As part of our IB Culture, we spend a lot of time instilling within our students an action-focused mentality as a response to their learning. At the end of November we were able to put into practice what we teach! Our teachers had the opportunity to make gift bags to donate to the Greyson Project. This project helps families spending the holidays in the hospital decorate their rooms to feel more festive. Thank you to the many parents who donated gift cards to make this happen. Our staff had fun working together to make those and sharing pictures with our students about how we give back to the community through action, too!
- Our Kindergarten students are completing their second action project for the year, which is collecting donations for the Gulf Coast Humane Society. As the students are inquiring into the needs of living things, they are becoming aware of how they can use their voice to help. If you are able to send in donations of canned food, dry food , treats and toys, they would appreciate it. Donations are due December 15th.
- Our Fifth Grade Students are finishing up their research for their Exhibition Projects and moving on to working on their Action. In the month of November we welcomed several members of the community as expert speakers in their field to help our fifth graders conclude their research. We are grateful to have a community willing to give so much back to our students.
As the holidays approach, students are learning to be open-minded to how cultures all around the world celebrate this winter.
Heights Staff - Action Project
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.
Why it Matters
If students 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.
When students attend school regularly, they can see outsized literacy gains.
Heights Average Daily Attendance:
Interims and Report Cards
Quarter 2:
- 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.
Heights Garden
The Heights Garden Club had their first big hydroponic harvest on Wednesday and they got 17lbs of lettuce for the cafeteria! Our Cafeteria staff is excited to to use the lettuce in our school salads.
PTA News
Vivie Holiday Shopping Event: join us on Thursday, December 7th for a holiday shopping event! Proceeds to benefit the Heights PTA.
General Membership Meeting will be held on Monday, January 22 at 2:45 pm in the library. Join us to hear more about the upcoming events, including the Daddy Daughter Dance & Auction.
Daddy Daughter Dance
Join us for some Boot Scootin Fun at the annual Daddy Daughter Dance on Friday, February 2 from 6-8 pm! Tickets go on sale on Thursday, January 11. Ticket quantities are limited so don't wait to purchase!
https://heightselempta.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true
SAVE THE DATE!!
Our Spring 2024 Auction will be held on Friday, April 26th at St. Charles Yacht Club. Tickets will go on sale in late February.
Vivie Holiday Shopping
December 7th
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Daddy Daughter Dance
Feb. 2nd
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PTA Auction
April 26th
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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.
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:
Michele Ware and Carmen Diaz
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, Stephanie Bovinett, Michele Ware, and Carmen Diaz.
The School Board of Lee County:
Board Members:
District 1 - Samuel Fisher, Board Chair
District 2 - Melisa W. Giovannelli
District 3 - Chris N. Patricca
District 4 - Debbie Jordan
District 5 - Armor Persons
District 6 - Jada Langford-Fleming, Board Vice Chair
District 7 - Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan
Superintendent:
Christopher S. Bernier, Ed.D.
School Board Attorney:
Kathy Dupuy-Bruno, Esq.