Dear Parents and Guardians,
Again, I would encourage all of you to attend the Archdiocesan Task Force meeting on October 1st, at 7 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Randolph Avenue. As this archdiocese gathers information about restructuring our resources, it is VERY important that the members of the task force team hear from you. You will find more information at www.archspm.org and can follow the links to the Task Force.
The principles for the work of the Task Force are:
1. Full sacramental ministry
2. Competent pastoral leaders
3. Special concern for the needs of the poor, marginalized, and immigrant
4. Every parish will be involved in this discussion
5. Every parish will be expected to evaluate their own resources and adjust accordingly
6. Catholic school support and inclusion in the planning process
7. Respect, patience and honesty in all discussions to build on strengths

Thank you for finding time to participate in this process.

Jane Schmidt
Principal

Helmets, please.
With our nice summer-like Fall weather, many children are biking and riding scooters to school. Please remember the importance of bike helmets. I hope to see helmets on all students. Also, bike helmets have a life of only five years, so check those dates and make sure you are protecting your child's noggen. They only have one.

Yet, another winner!
I don't know how I could have forgotten to include first grader, Izzy Griffin, as one of our State Fair Art Contest Winners! Izzy brought home a lovely third place ribbon for her original art. You can spot all of the state fair entries and ribbon winning artwork on display in our lobby and outside of the second floor computer lab. Lovely work!

Meet the Teacher Night
Grades K-4: Wednesday, September 23rd
First Session: 6:45-7:15 p.m.
Second Session: 7:30 - 8:00 p.m. (Repeat of first session.)
Some teachers will be meeting with just their homeroom parents, while others will be presenting as a team. You will find directions in the lobby.

Grades 5-8: Thursday, September 24th
Fifth Grade First Session: 6:45-7:15 p.m.
Fifth Grade Second Session: 7:30-8:00 p.m. (Repeat of first session.)
Grades 6-8: General Session in cafeteria 6:45-7:30 p.m.
Teachers will be available in their classrooms to meet you and answer any individual questions from 7:30-8:00 p.m.

A Message from Sterling Karate
I'm looking forward to being back at Highland Catholic again this year. We've had some very talented students from Highland Catholic including Ben Maley and Leah Leonidas who earned their Black Belts last year. I can't wait to see who else is going to achieve Black Belt!  New students would you like to find out more? Come to class during September at no charge and try Sterling Karate and see what you can do! We meet on Wednesdays before school in the gym starting September 23rd. Parents can also sign up to take classes with their child this is a great way to keep in shape and learn the art together! Current Students, bring your friends to class and show them what they can learn from Sterling Karate and you can earn prizes and the chance to win training equipment!

Lastly, I have a limited number of slots in each class for students who really want to take the class and financially it's out of reach. Please contact the school office for help in obtaining one of these spots.
I look forward to seeing you in class.
Peter Sterling 952-451-7576

¡Hola!
Welcome to our new exchange student, Gabriela Cardenas, from Guatemala. Gabby will be staying with classmate and new BFF, Leah Leonidas through December. We are happy to have her join our 8th grade class. For the past five years, Highland Catholic School has partnered with Friends Around the World, to bring this exchange student experience to our school families. If you would be interested in hosting a middle school student from Guatemala next Fall, please give me a call. The program is well-run and has been a lovely experience for our family hosts.

School Arrival and Dismissal Epistle
Please bear with me. This is wordy, but we need to get the message out as to how arrival in the morning and dismissal in the afternoons should work. We need everyone's cooperation. This is also repeated on the website under Handbook & Policies.

8:00 a.m. bell - students come into the school
8:10 a.m. bell - tardy if not in your homeroom

• Extra Innings students may come in the Main Doors anytime after 7:00 am. There is a sign in the lobby between the doors to the right as you enter which indicates where E.I. is that particular morning.
• Unless students have made prior arrangements with a teacher, they may not be in the building before the 8:00 a.m. bell. If arrangements have been made, they should enter the Main Doors and sign in (be sure to indicate where you are going- teacher's name).
• Unless teachers are expecting a student, they may not be here when the student arrives and there would be no supervision (safety issue); or the teacher has things to do (meeting, class preparation, etc.). Parents, please help with this especially if a student asks for a ride to school early, please make sure she/he has made prior arrangements.

Regarding the AM Drop Off

• Drive down Bohland Avenue from the east going west.
• No cars should be parked in the cut-out on Bohland.
• Pull into the cut-out, pulling ahead as much you can.
• Do as much hugging and kissing at home as possible to keep the lines moving.
• Do NOT let your child out of the car on the street side. Cars will be pulling out and it is not safe.
• DO NOT drop students off on the other (south) side of Bohland Avenue. It is not safe and it is not
• fair to the other families who have waited in line. If you do not like pulling into the drop off line, consider dropping students off up near the playground (Hillcrest) and then they can walk and cross Kenneth with patrols.
• Morning Mass is at 7:45 a.m. so parishioners are pulling into the parking lot. Please do not use the parking lot as a drop off area. It is unsafe.

Regarding the PM Pick UP
At 2:50 pm all students are dismissed.

• Cars, please pull in the east entrance to the parking lot and pull as far forward as you are able.
• DO NOT pick up students at any other location around the building, unless you have the students walk away from the school - possibly across Kenneth with patrols up closer to the Hillcrest park. Older students should decide on a designated spot with parents/guardians. Make sure it is a safe location.
• Pulling into the cut-out on Bohland Avenue is discouraged at dismissal time. If you do pull into the cut-out, plan on remaining there until the congestion has eased. Please do not back out into the pick-up line. We want that line to keep moving.
• Students are NEVER to be dropped off or picked up on the south side (across from
• the school) on Bohland Avenue.
• Teachers are at the curb every day in the lot matching up students with drivers. They encourage students to be ready to go, especially in the cold weather.
• If you are parked in the lot because you have been volunteering or taking care of school business, we ask that you take younger children by the hand when walking to your car. There should be no running.
• At 3:00 p.m. remaining children are escorted back into the building. We are able to hold "unclaimed students" in the lobby for a few minutes. After a longer wait, they will be escorted to our Extra Innings Program. We understand that life has interruptions. If you will be delayed, please call the school office, so we can move your child to the Extra Innings Program for supervision.

We want everyone to be safe and thank you for your cooperation.