Welcome to Highland Catholic School!  

I am pleased that you found your way here.  Hopefully, this website will provide you with the flavor of this great school community.  We have tried to organize information for our school families, provide some nostalgia for our beloved alums and extend a warm invitation to those looking for just the right school for their child.

Located in Highland Park in the heart of Saint Paul, Minnesota, education begins in kindergarten and continues through eighth grade.  Our parish is Lumen Christi Catholic Community, where many of our students participate in parish activities.  It's a blessing to be part of such a vibrant and colorful community.

Don’t hesitate to contact me with a greeting from the past or to gather more information about this place.  I am happy to welcome you to an experience that is more than an education, Highland Catholic School.

Jane Schmidt
Principal

Hi-Lites and News

This section of the website is replacing the Hi-lites that went home every Thursday.  We feel this is an easier way to reach people with the most up-to-date information and up-to-date information, news and student accomplishments happening around the school!  So please check back regularly as you will see many updates throughout the year!

Hi-lites week of Dec. 1^st

Dear Parents and Guardians,

You have probably read some of the recent pieces in the media about bullying behavior at school.  It is a serious matter.  I have attached our school policy on Bullying Behavior to this newsletter.  Please read it with your child(ren).  This past summer, Mrs. Martha Skold, one of our middle school teachers was chosen to become a certified Olweus trainer.  She is the only Catholic School teacher trained in the state.  Mrs. Skold is helping HCS formulate a program to prevent bullying behavior at school.   We will be looking for some parents to be a part of that committee.  Please encourage your child to report any bullying behavior that is directed toward them or others.  School should feel safe for everyone.

Jane Schmidt

Principal

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Calendar & Events

Welcome to Highland Catholic!  Here you will find the most recent updates to the calendar and important notes on upcoming dates.  Please check back regularly as this may change and be updated frequently.  We want to keep you as informed as possible on things going on around here!  For the full view of the school calendar, please click here.

Highland Catholic School is a Christ-centered community defined by it’s commitment to heartfelt Catholic teachings, academic excellence and educating every aspect of a child’s development.  It’s a place where everyone is welcome, and where not only the child is part of the school, but the entire family, as well.

The circle in the logo represents the very vital concept of community.  However, the circle is not closed - it is left open to imply the welcoming of people and ideas.  There are three circles, and these are representative of many things:  the Trinity; academics, religion and extra-curriculars; hope, faith, love; etc.  And all of these ideas revolve around Christ in the center.

In the center of the cross is a small swirl.  This is symbolic of resurrection as well as of the journey each student embarks on when they walk through the doors of Highland Catholic School.  

"Welcoming everyone in an experience that’s more than an education” is our motto.  We certainly believe it to be true.  

If we had to sum up Highland Catholic School, it would be: Educationally Complete, Nurturing and Christian.

We always assumed our 3 daughters were getting a great education at Highland Catholic School. This assumption was strongly confirmed as our oldest daughter started high school. As she and her Highland Catholic classmates entered their freshman year it was clear that they were well prepared for their classes in all core areas: Math, English, Social Studies and Spanish. It was also clear how well-rounded these students were as a result of Highland Catholic support (i.e. dedicated teachers) to the Fine Arts (Art, Music, Performing Arts) and Technology.

Highland Catholic School feels like a big family ... they care about the kids and the parents. Parents are encouraged to be an active part of Highland Catholic and they make sure there are opportunities at all grade levels and time availability.

As Catholic parents, we also value the role of the school in helping communicate and enforce the Catholic Church's teachings to our children.

Overall, we feel Highland Catholic School is a strong school, but, like any school, it is not perfect. When deficiencies have been identified, we have been satisfied with the school's response to communicate and remedy.

"Highland Catholic School - welcoming everyone in an experience that's more than an education" ... very appropriate!

Tammy and Larry Kuenster

Back in 2000, while looking at kindergartens for our son, we most impressed by Highland Catholic School's inclusive, neighborly atmosphere and especially the energetic principal, Mrs. Jane Schmidt. He has since moved on to high school but has a younger brother in the fourth grade. We love the small community feel, supportive teachers, and find the staff both competent and dedicated. We are pleased there is a place where our sons can get a good education within a Christian framework by such a great staff and would highly recommend Highland Catholic School to any family.

Our10th grade son feels that Highland Catholic School prepared him well for the challenges of high school. He can name several "Hi-C" teachers through the years that recognized his abilities and encouraged him to go even further. He felt cared for and supported as an individual. He attributes his success in high school to the solid moral and academic footing obtained at Highland Catholic School.

When my husband and I started to look for a school for our daughter, we had no idea how difficult a decision it would be. It was like being Goldilocks in the land of the three bears: School X was too expensive, School Y's curriculum was too rigid, and School Z's curriculum was too easy. Others were too chaotic or didn't seem to care if we were there or not. Some had no arts programs and few activities for kids to join. Would there ever be a place for our child that was "just right"?

Fortunately, Hi-C turned out to be the "just right" school. During our many tours of schools Hi-C stood out. We immediately felt like our child would learn in a nurturing environment, with many varied activities. We were impressed with the numerous field trips her class took to learn more about her community. The energy of the teachers and staff comes through. Both the kids, and the parents feel welcomed here. Our daughter is now starting second grade and we are very pleased with Hi-C.

Sonya Jaworski

There are so many things to think about when choosing a school. As parents, we are trying to juggle the often competing values of: academics, community, location, cost, diversity, atmosphere, enrichment, sports. The values that bubble to the top are different for each family, and it's confusing to get all kinds of advice when you're looking around at schools. Especially in St. Paul, where there is so much choice and so many excellent schools; it can leave you feeling overwhelmed! At least that was the case for us, newcomers to the city.

We chose Highland Catholic because it reminded us of the schools we attended as kids: strong in the academic fundamentals, small enough to allow for a true community feel, consistent and positive leadership, and pretty close to home. While any school has its challenges, we feel overall that our kids have been stretched and challenged academically, they've made nice friends (so have we) and our kids feel safe and well cared for. The peace and justice messages that the kids get through their teachers and church is icing on the cake.

Choosing a school was big decision for our family. We looked at several schools, and asked a lot of questions. Jane Schmidt, Principal, met with us, and reviewed all of our questions. We toured the school, and met with teachers and students. It was delightful to see the academic rigor in action.

Two of our children attend Highland Catholic; our two preschoolers will start HiC soon! Highland Catholic offers a strong academic curriculum that meets our children's diverse needs. Whether it is religion, art, Spanish, or math class, our children are engaged learners.

We are committed to our faith, community, and parochial education. Highland Catholic School is a perfect match for us!

Shawn & Amy Murphy
Mary, Kevin, Meg & Maeve

We currently have children in 8th, 5th and 1st grades at Highland Catholic School. Our oldest child began in kindergarten. We chose Highland Catholic School because it is a catholic school in our neighborhood, many of our neighbors attend and we have always felt welcome. Since that time, we continue to be very pleased with Highland Catholic School. Education of the whole individual is definitely a priority academically, morally and spiritually. Religion, music, art, gym, computer and spanish classes enhance the core courses of english, literature, science, math and social studies. Each student receives excellent opportunities in field trips, retreats, and after school clubs. They all have the opportunity to take piano lessons during the school day as well as band lessons in 4th-8th grades. Their classes are challenging and fun. Any concerns we have are immediately addressed and resolved by the teachers and the principal. Our children's needs were always made a priority. Our children are honestly looking forward to returning to school after summer vacation. This is in large part due to the teachers and community at Highland Catholic School. Their dedication to their students is exemplary. We are very fortunate to have this school in our neighborhood. We highly recommend it without reservation.

Highland Catholic offers the best of all worlds--- top-notch teaching staff with a wide spectrum of specialties in a supportive and accepting community. The atmosphere at Hi-C is positive. Every individual, be it staff, student or parent is treated with respect and integrity. Communication and collaborative learning between faculty and parents is a strength at Highland Catholic.

With so many school options, choosing the right school can be daunting. We have been continually impressed with the outstanding quality of education at Highland Catholic.

Martha and Michael Swendsen

We chose Highland Catholic School because we were looking for more than an education for our children -- and it is so much more. Here are just a few examples:

• It is important to us that our children celebrate Mass with their classmates and teachers. They pray together, grow in their faith, praise God in song and celebrate the Eucharist -- so much more than a school assembly.
• There are great opportunities for differentiation in learning. In the classroom and in the Resource Room, our daughters are challenged at their level and given many opportunities to go beyond the basic expectations whenever possible -- so much more than extra credit.
• We love the school garden! Our daughters are part of the Garden Club where they plant, tend and harvest vegetables and herbs that they use to cook a fabulous lunch for Lumen Christi parishioners. They learn history (Irish potato famine, for example), science, cooking, cooperation, service to others -- so much more than watching a bean seed sprout in a Styrofoam cup.
• The teachers are amazing. Not only are they great at teaching, but they also are true role models for the students. They demonstrate great love and compassion for each other and for the children, giving the school a true sense of family -- so much more than instructors.

Susan and Rich Kammueller