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The Highlands School Weekly |
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February 5, 2010 |
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Ask The Executive Director |
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Ask the Executive Director: If there is an issue that is of common concern with the school that you would like addressed or answered in the Executive Director (E.D.) comments, please send an email my way and I’ll repeat the question with a response in this forum. My email address is jborley@thehighlandsschool.org. I will keep the source of the questions confidential. Your question could be one that many other families would like to have addressed.
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Executive Director |
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Parent Teacher Conference Sign Ups and Early Dismissal: Sign Up Sheets for Conferences will be available on Friday, February 5th. Conferences will be held on Friday, February 12th. Conferences will begin at 1:00 p.m. and the last scheduled conference will be a t 5:45 p.m. Classes will be dismissed early to allow for the Faculty to prepare for their Conferences. The Lower School will dismiss at 11:40 a.m., Middle and High School will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. After school care will be available for those already registered in the program until 6:00 p.m. THS Summer 2010 Academic Courses and Sports Camps Announced: Save the dates: Please see the Academic Section of the Weekly for the link to course/camps offerings with dates, times and fee schedules by Grade Level.
Parents Club - Teacher Appreciation: we want to thank our Parents Club and Barbara Weller in particular for the wonderful treats to our teachers. Parents, thank you for the appreciation you show our teachers every day.
Altar Society Chapel Wish List: GRANTED: We are grateful to the anonymous donor who responded to our request last week for critical chapel items. The entire wish list totaling $1,500 for chapel needs were gifted to the THS Altar Society who will now purchase all of the items on the wish list. Thank you so much.
Parent Formation Talk: Fr. Alfonse Nazzaro, LC will speak to couples on the topic of “Marriage & the Art of Car Maintenance: How to Jumpstart Your Marriage” on Tuesday, February 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Please RSVP to anazzaro@legionaries.org. Seating is limited.
Faith and Ale: “A Series for Men” presented by Fr. Christopher Scroggin, LC will be held on Tuesday, February 16th at 6:00 p.m. at 633 Lakemont in Irving. Please click here to view the flier for additional information.
Announcement: Valentines Dance next Friday, February 12th will end at 11:30 p.m.
The Valentines flower and candy sales fundraiser will be extended to Monday, February 8th. Thanks to the Tichelaar family for donating the flowers for the cause. Proceeds will be used to defray costs for the Prom.
So You Think You Can Dance?: Emily Beatrice and Robert Landreaux, students at the University of Dallas will be offering a series of six dance classes to THS High School girls and boys. Choices will include the Swing, Fox Trot, Cha-Cha, Waltz, Salsa, Tango and Hustle, as well as the basics of dance floor etiquette. Please click here for detailed information and registration information. Haitian Relief Fund Drive: The senior girls raised $2,500 for the people in Haiti. On Thursday, six of our senior girls represented their class and presented the check to Bishop Kevin Farrell in his office. It was a wonderful opportunity for the girls to meet with the Bishop and inform him of their efforts. The Texas Catholic was present to take pictures of the presentation and the girls will likely be featured in their next edition. The money raised is going to Catholic Relief Services – Haitian Relief Fund. Great job senior girls! Catholic Schools Week Remarks from Bishop Farrell: Thanks to all the parents, students and teachers who made our Catholic School’s Week special. Below are some of Bishop Farrell’s remarks yesterday during his homily at Catholic School’s Week Mass at Holy Trinity Church where six of students represented The Highlands School: Catholic schools use the Gospels to transform the individual. Teaching the gospel helps us to be better human beings by discovering the great value and potential in each human being.
The gospel taught in Catholic schools encourages us to reach the very limits of our human possibilities.
Catholic schools use the Gospels to transform the community by encouraging us towards excellence in our own personal lives therefore transforming our communities through the education of every person within that community.
Catholic schools teach values and character in every class, subject and to every student in order that our students can be the best person possible and future leaders.
A Catholic education is one of the best ways to teach children the word of God.
We should strive to be the best we can be and then you will change the world….THIS IS WHAT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ARE ALL ABOUT”
It is essential that we proclaim the Gospel to our youth… this is why we can never give up on Catholic Education.”
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Auction Gala and Development |
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Auction News
Online Auction Starts Friday, February 12th
Get your credit card ready and start exercising your fingers! The online auction will start next Friday, at 8:00 a.m., and ends Sunday, February 21st, at 9:00 p.m. Bid on a special occasion with your child’s teacher or gift certificates from local businesses. You don’t have to go to the auction or be a THS parent to bid on these items. You can preview ALL auction items at www.auctionsourceonline.com/thehighlands/. Items are added every day. AuctionAnything will be our new online auction provider this year. There will be a link to the online auction from the school’s website.
Make your Reservations!
Reserve your seat at this year’ Auction now! Enjoy a first class seated dinner, open bar and visit with other families who support our school. Valet parking is included in the price of your reservation. The menu will be:
Blood Orange Salad with Field Greens, Yellow & Red Teardrop Tomatoes, Candied Pine Nuts, Shaved Parmesan and Dried Salted Apricots with a Spicy Orange Vinaigrette Sliced Tenderloin of Beef on Swiss Chard, Roulade of Chicken stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle with Madiera Demi-Glace, Scalloped Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus and Whole Baby Carrots Dessert will be a Valrhona Chocolate Almond Tart. You don’t want to miss out!
Sell your Raffle Tickets!
We need each family to sell 30 tickets to reach our goal of $75,000. Sell 3 raffle tickets to 10 people in order to meet your family's goal. Save $75 if you buy 30 tickets! The next spirit wear day for those who have sold their 30 tickets will be Monday, February 8th. Any students from families who have sold (and handed in payment for) 30 raffle tickets will be allowed to wear jeans and a Spirit t-shirt every Monday until March 6th. Please see the Parent / Student Handbook for spirit wear guidelines. You may wear your Spirit t-shirt Monday, February 8th, if you hand in your raffle tickets on Monday!
Would you like a discount on next year's tuition?
This year we are giving the top three raffle ticket selling families a discount on tuition! Top seller receives a $2,000 discount, second place receives a $1,500 discount, and third place receives a $1,000 discount. For anyone interested in the results from last year, the top three families sold $2,095, $1,885 and $1,620, respectively. The John Williams family is our top seller and is our first family eligible for the tuition discount!
Hotel Rooms
Don't worry about driving home after the auction - the Hilton Anatole is holding rooms at a special rate of $139, so make your reservation early. Please call the hotel and ask for The Highlands School group rate @ 800-955-4281. Reservations must be made by February 12th.
If you have any auction questions, please email us at auction@thehighlandsschool.org or you can access all the auction information by clicking on the auction logo on the school's website.
Annual Fund Campaign
Our 2009-2010 Campaign goal is $275,000 and 100% participation!
So far we have raised $207,000 and are at 60% participation. We need EVERYONE’S participation in the campaign! Please plan on getting your donation or pledge card in as soon as possible. Our Calling Campaign to all those who have not yet given will begin soon.
Percent Participation by Grade
PK3/PK4: 68% Kindergarten: 71% 1st Grade: 59% 2nd Grade: 58% 3rd Grade: 77% 4th Grade: 54% 5th Grade: 62% 6th Grade: 63% 7th Grade: 61% 8th Grade: 61% 9th Grade: 49% 10th Grade: 43% 11th Grade: 62% 12th Grade: 65%
On the web, www.thehighlandsschool.org/development
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Admissions |
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The Admissions Office appreciates the parents who helped at our very successful PreK-3 – Kindergarten Open House last Tuesday morning. Special thanks to: Kim Austin, Sandy Gonzalez, Patricia McCord, Beth Prewitt, Kathleen Treadway and Denise Wales
Terrae Altae Scholarship Deadline Monday, February 8, 2010 (for those 8th grade students entering 9th grade from local Catholic schools) Current Highlands 8th Grade Students are eligible to apply for this scholarship
The Highlands School Terrae Altae Scholarship is offered to all 8th grade students from Catholic Schools in the Diocese. One boy and one girl will be selected from each school. Those 8th grade students from The Highlands School, who wish to apply, are also eligible for this scholarship. The student must have a “B” average or better for 7th and 8th grade and be college oriented. The scholarship, which grants half tuition for four years, is renewable for the remaining years of high school. The student is required to maintain a 3.0 GPA and an “A” in conduct. The application deadline is February 8, 2010.
Sibling Applications: The Admissions Office started accepting Sibling Applications as early as December. Please remember that all siblings applying for grades Kindergarten through Fourth Grade need to be tested on one of the following Saturdays: February 6th and April 10th. Those siblings applying for Fifth through High School need to register for the ISEE test at www.iseetest.org.
Re-Enrollment Information for the 2010-2011 Academic Year Re-Enrollment Contracts Mail Date: Monday, February 8th Sibling and New Application Deadline: Monday, February 8th Terrae Altae Application (8th Grade Only): Monday, February 8th Re-Enrollment Deadline: Friday, February 26th Financial Aid Deadline: Friday, February 26th
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Guidance Counselor |
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Dear Parent or Guardian:
Because your Junior student took the PSAT/NMSQT in October, she/he has FREE access to My College QuickStart™, a free online personalized planning kit based on their test results. Students are able to take the next steps towards college with these unique features:
· An online score report, including projected SAT score ranges, state percentiles and the power to sort answer explanations by difficulty and by question type; · A customized SAT study plan; · Personalized lists of colleges, majors, and careers. · Access to MyRoad™ - a college, majors, and careers exploration tool.
Your student will have online access to My College QuickStart until she/he graduates high school. Please encourage your student to take advantage of this exciting tool to help him/her explore college and career opportunities after high school.
Also, as part of My College QuickStart, students get access to MyRoad to help them plan their futures in a productive and engaging way:
• I.D. Me offers students the opportunity to take interest assessments and a personality-type assessment to learn more about themselves, their interests and strengths, and the college majors and careers that may suit them.
• Explore Majors contains in-depth profiles of sixty-seven academic fields, representing 175 instructional programs. Each profile offers an overview of the major, areas of study, an outline of the typical academic path to fulfilling the major, popular careers related to that major, and perspectives from real students studying in their respective fields.
• Find a College offers comprehensive college search tools which students can use to search for colleges and universities.
• Research Careers consists of an array of career articles--covering over 450 occupations-- arranged by industry. Each article provides detailed information about the requirements for working in that career, the typical compensation, possibilities for advancement, and perspectives from real people working in that career.
• My Plan is a personalized area for students to record, track, and manage their information --such as courses taken, jobs held and activities in which they have participated. Students can also track their interests and goals and keep a journal that chronicles their progress during this exciting time.
• Insights is an online magazine with rotating content bringing to life the educational and career paths that individuals choose and the subjects currently debated across the disciplines.
Students register for My College QuickStart by visiting: www.collegeboard.com and entering the access code printed on their official PSAT/NMSQT paper score report along with some identifying information.
On the web, www.thehighlandsschool.org/counselor
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Academics |
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High School News:
The Mock Trial Team went to the Dallas Regional competition on Saturday, January 30th, where they competed against 34 other area schools. The team, though composed entirely of freshmen, was incredibly composed and confident, and both attorneys and witnesses effectively demonstrated their knowledge of the case materials and courtroom procedures. They received numerous compliments from the competition’s judges for their excellent performance in the competition and their friendly demeanor outside of the courtroom. It was a very promising start for the Mock Trial program at The Highlands School. The participants were: Lucy Bray, Jackie Cordova, Savanna Dinkel, Jacqui McCleneghen, Sydney Patrick and Clare Ruedi. Good job! The TAPPS Academic Competition will be held Wednesday February 17, 2010 at Ovilla School.
This competition provides the opportunity for students to compete against other schools in our District. The Academic Competitions are written tests designed to measure a student’s strength in different subject areas.
Interested Students should contact their teachers or Mrs. Bieger (coordinator for the event)
Individual events include:
THS Summer 2010 Academic Courses and Sports Camps Please visit our website to download the Registration Forms
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PSIA |
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PSIA Announcements: THS is hosting the PSIA District Tournament and is seeking volunteers to help with this event. If you would like to spend your volunteer-hours on a fun-filled Saturday with the THS community, please email Tammy Tran at ttran@thehighlandsschool.org. We Need YOU! ATTENTION ALL PSIA ACADEMIC TEAM MEMBERS! PSIA Training Packets will go out on Monday, February 8th Parents - Upon receiving the packet, review the rules with your child. If you have received a team membership invitation you must register for the competition by submitting the completed form and fees to THS. If you have any questions regarding registration, please email Mrs. Tran. PSIA Information: The Private Schools Interscholastic Program (PSIA) is an academic competitive program designed to motivate students to find new excitement in learning, achieve a higher mastery level, and receive recognition for academic excellence. Competition Dates and Location: District 3AA Tournament: Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the Highlands School. State Tournament: Saturday, April 20, 2010 at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. District 3AA consists of Saint Patrick School (Dallas), Legacy Christian School (Frisco), The Kessler School (Dallas), All Saints School (Dallas), Calvary Christian School (Fort Worth), Trinity Valley School (Fort Worth), and The Highlands School (Irving). Congratulations to all our team members! GO BLAZERS! |
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Nurse |
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Dear Parents,
I am continuing to find medication being taken by students in the upper grades without supervision or the knowledge of the Nurse. I have also found pills lying around the school, most of which I can identify and discard. My concern is that a younger student will find these pills and think it is candy and take the medication and have a severe reaction to it. The worst part is that I will not know if or what a little child has taken. Please do not allow any student to bring medication to school without a note from you and a doctor’s order to dispense the medication.
Please help me to keep your children safe. Thank you for your help.
God Bless, Karin Brown School Nurse The Highlands School (972) 438-8218 ext. 212 Stay Healthy! |
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Athletics |
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HEY BLAZERS FANS!! The Soccer Teams have made it to the Playoffs again, and need your support! This Saturday at 2:00 p.m., the Varsity Boys Soccer Team will take on Austin Regents School. The battle will take place on our Field and we need our FANS!! The traveling team usually brings a large group, so we need to show up and cheer on our Highlands Blazers!
Our Girls Varsity Soccer Team will travel to Houston on Monday, February 8th for their first round of Playoffs. The game starts at 5:00 p.m. Even if you can’t make it to Houston, please pray for these girls to put their best game on the field, and make us proud!
Please go and support your Blazers!
Photos: Click on the website links below and check out the sports action photos!
Soccer Senior Night Varsity Boys and Girls
http://jamesmeierphotography.instaproofs.com/category.php?event=194461&id=486337
Basketball Varsity Girls Senior Night
http://jamesmeierphotography.instaproofs.com.com/category.php?event=194455&id=485213
Basketball Varsity Boys vs. Denton Calvary
http://jamesmeierphotography.instaproofs.com/category.php?event=194355&id=484917
Go Blazers!
On the web, www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=thssports |
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Chaplain’s Corner |
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Thy Kingdom Come! Did you know? The other day I was carrying the confessional down the hall when two girls wearing Challenge T-shirts approached me saying, “Do you need help Father?”. Today I was again carrying the confessional and two middle school boys asked me again if I needed help. All of us should learn to notice the needs of others, and take time to help in the midst of our busy schedules to be able to bring Christ’s charity to everyone.
Please pray for the religious who lost their lives in Haiti By Joeun Lee
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Parent’s Club |
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We Love Our Teachers!
We hope all the teachers enjoyed Teacher Appreciation Day. We will never be able to repay you for the many blessings you bestow on our children and families every day, but we will try our best to show our gratitude!
Special thanks to all the students and parents who shared their time, talent and treasure to make this year’s Appreciation Day so wonderful. We could never have done it without you, and we appreciate your participation.
Always remember that any day is a good day to appreciate your teacher—it need not come only once a year!
God bless you for your hard work!
Teacher Appreciation Committee
Valentine Flowers & Candy Grams Available to all THS students, teachers, a favorite staff member, special friends “Puppy” Love Candy grams $4.00 (Quantities Limited) Candy Grams $3.00 per gram Sweetheart Roses $3.00 per stem/or $30 dozen* Cupid’s Carnations $1.00 per stem/or $10 dozen* *Dozen Orders will only be delivered to One Person Orders will be delivered on Friday, February 12th. Orders will be accepted during all student lunch periods or additional order forms can be picked up in the Main Office. Please write a private message on a floral card which will be provided in each order form envelope. Cash or checks accepted (please make checks payable to: The Highlands School). Order forms can be dropped off in the Main office. Lower School student orders may be returned via their “Take Home Folders”. You may place your orders through Monday, February 8th. Proceeds from the sale will benefit THS High School Prom.
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School Store |
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School Store Hours
“Can God Be Trusted?” Finding Faith In Troubled Times On Sale Now, While Supplies Last!! The Signed Edition by Fr. Thomas Williams, LC, ThD $25.00
Monday – Friday 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Tuesday and Thursday 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
On behalf of the School Store and Volunteers, Thank you for your support. (972) 554-1980 Ext. 213
G O B L A Z E R S!
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Calendar of Events |
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This Week Tuesday, February 9 · Marriage & the Art of Car Maintenance with Fr. Alfonse for Couples at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Please email anazzaro@legionaries.org if you plan to attend.
Thursday, February 11 · Morning of Reflection for THS Moms at 8:30 a.m. in the Chapel · K4J Pep Rally at 2:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room
Friday, February 12 · ½ Day of School - Lower School Dismissal at 11:40 a.m. / Middle and High School Dismissal at 12:00 p.m. · Parent / Teacher Conference – 1:00 pm. – 6:00 p.m. · Valentine’s Day Dance – 8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. in the Gym
Saturday, February 13 · Marriage Renewal Retreat at St. Ann’s – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Upcoming Events
Monday, February 15 · President’s Day – NO SCHOOL / ADMINISTRATION OFFICES CLOSED
Tuesday, February 16 · A Personal Look at Consecrated Life in Regnum Christi with Miss Denise for THS Mothers at 7:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Please email dfunke@thehighlandsschool.org if you plan to attend
Wednesday, February 17 · Ash Wednesday · All School Mass – 8:30 a.m. in the Gym
Tuesday, February 23 · Evening of Reflection for Women at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel
Thursday, February 25 · Choir Showcase at 6:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room
Friday, February 26 · Deadline for Re-enrollment · Family Variety Show at 7:00 p.m. in the Gym
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You are receiving this Newsletter because you have subscribed to our newsletter. If you do not wish to receive further
news or mailings from The Highlands School, click here to unsubscribe. Copyright The Highlands School Inc. 2008. All rights reserved. Love Christ. Serve people. Build the Church. |
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