Highlands Elementary

🎉 We’re Celebrating Growth at Highlands Estates Academy! 🎉 From a D to a C with an 84-point gain — our first year as a merged school was nothing short of transformational! Enrollment doubled, expectations rose, and we delivered. 💪 📊 Highlights: Reading: 29% ➡ 33% Math Proficiency: 38% ➡ 52% Math Growth: 51% ➡ 71% Science: 20% ➡ 47% …and more! 💎 Growth wasn’t always comfortable — but pressure creates diamonds. We’re not stopping at good. We’re going for great. Together, we win. 🏆 📅 Important Reminders: 🚌 Bus riders must register (see flyer for link) 📲 All parents must have a District Parent Account + PikMyKid app 🚗 No walk-up pickup for car riders – safety first! 📘 Schedules available on Focus: July 14 🎒 First Day of School: August 11 ⏱️ Car line goal: Done by 3:15 PM by Week 2 🎶 This year’s theme: One Band, One Sound – Unified and Harmonious Let’s stay in rhythm, stay connected, and keep climbing. The best is yet to come! 💙 #HighlandsEstatesAcademy #OneBandOneSound #FromDtoC #TogetherWeWin #APlusActions

🎉 Happy Father’s Day from Highlands Estate Academy! 🎉 To all the incredible fathers, grandfathers, and father figures in our Highlands Estate Academy family — today we celebrate YOU! Your strength, wisdom, and unwavering support shape not only your children’s lives but also the heart of our school community. Thank you for being role models, protectors, and everyday heroes. May your day be filled with love, laughter, and the appreciation you so richly deserve. 💙 Happy Father’s Day! With gratitude, The Highlands Estate Academy Team

Greetings Hawk Families, As the curtains begin to close on this school year, we celebrate the incredible performances of our students, parents, and educators who have made this year truly unforgettable. From the bright lights of learning to the action-packed moments of growth, this season has been one to remember. We are thrilled to share that all testing has concluded, with the exception of makeups, and our school is currently unofficially trending as a C school—a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students and staff! As we wrap up this chapter, here are some final reminders: - No school on Monday, May 26, 2025. - The last day of school is Friday, May 30, 2025, with dismissal at 12:00 PM. - Report cards will be available on June 12, 2025, via the parent and student portals. Looking ahead to our next blockbuster season, here are a few key dates to mark on your calendar: - Back to School Orientation – Friday, August 8, 2025 (Time to be determined). - Summer Newsletter– Arriving July 14, 2025, with important updates. - Student schedules on Focus – Available Monday, July 28, 2025. Additionally, parents of 3rd-grade students, please note that if your child has been assigned Summer School, attendance is imperative, as non-attendance will result in retention. Thank you for being part of this year’s unforgettable production. Your partnership and support have been the driving force behind our success, and we can't wait to see what next season holds. Wishing all our families a summer filled with joy, rest, and excitement for the adventures ahead! 🎬✨ Principal Natalya Richie-Graham

Greetings Parents, Please check your child's book bag for permission slips due on or before this FRIDAY. Thank you

Hawk Family Weekly Update We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our amazing parents and families for showing our teachers so much love and appreciation during Teacher Appreciation Week! Your kindness and support mean the world to us. As a reminder, our Hawk scholars are testing this week, and it is absolutely crucial that they arrive on time and remain at school for the full day to ensure the best testing experience. 🚗 Traffic & Safety Reminders: - No student pick-up after 2:15 PM—please plan accordingly. - No speeding in the car loop—let’s keep our children safe! - No drop-offs before 8:00 AM—while we love our students’ energy, early arrivals cannot be supervised. - Respect and adhere to traffic routes to keep things running efficiently. Finally, we want to wish all our amazing Hawk moms a very Happy Mother’s Day! We appreciate you and all the love, care, and support you give to our students each day. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to our school community! Principal Natalya Richie-Graham

Dear Hawk Families, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who made Principal’s Day so special. Your kind words, thoughtful gestures, and generosity truly meant the world to me—I feel incredibly honored to be part of this amazing community. This week, we shift our focus to celebrating our wonderful teachers! Our educators work tirelessly to inspire, support, and guide our children each day, and this is the perfect opportunity to show them how much they are appreciated. Please take a look at the attached Teacher Appreciation Week flier for ideas on how you can join in the celebration. Also, be sure to review the upcoming testing fliers for important details about state assessments. Our 3rd graders will take their state reading test this week, while our 5th graders will take their state science test. Let’s encourage them to do their best by ensuring they get plenty of rest and feel supported throughout the week! Thank you for your continued partnership in making our school a fantastic place to learn and grow! Thank you, Principal Natalya Richie-Graham

Happy Day, Hawk Families! Next week is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, and we've put together some fun themed days to help you celebrate your child's amazing teachers! These are simply suggestions, so feel free to participate in whatever way works best for you. Additionally, we could use your help in stocking the Teacher's Lounge for the week! We are still in need of the following donations: - Soda - Bags of chips - Cupcakes If you're able to contribute, donations can be dropped off at the front office on Monday, May 5, 2025. Thank you so much for your support—our incredible educators truly appreciate it! 😊 Let me know if you’d like any further tweaks! 💙

Good morning Highlands Estates Academy! This is your assistant principal, Mr. Greene reminding everyone that tomorrow, May 1st is School Principal Appreciation Day! Please remember to show love to our amazing principal, Mrs. Richie-Graham! No one truly knows the weight of leading a school and she has done an outstanding job. Tomorrow, I'm asking that we all show her some love and appreciation. Thanks so much! May 1st is her day! Let's make it one to remember!

Happy Day Hawk Families, Please click the following link to see this week's newsletter: https://bit.ly/4jP7YZ5 Click here for our pictures of the week https://bit.ly/3EN8J60

Good evening, We will have a Developmental Meeting from 4:30-5:00 to develop the Parent & Family Engagement Plan for the 2025-2026 school year. Use this link to fill out the survey to help provide necessary feedback by Friday at 12. The QR code is also provided. Thanks so much! https://forms.office.com/r/Rin3P0wbFb

Happy Sunday and Resurrection Day to those who observe, Please see this week's parent newsletter here: https://www.flipsnack.com/highlandselementary/week-34-parent-newsletter-4-21-2025/full-view.html Principal Graham

Join us this evening for our Financial Literacy Parent Night

Happy Day Hawk Families, Please see weekly newsletter for updates: https://bit.ly/42ox2z3 See you all tomorrow :-)

🌟 Today is Autism Awareness Day! 🌟 Did you know our school is home to an incredible program that supports students with autism? 💙 It’s called the Communication and Social Skills (CSS) Program, and it’s part of Duval County Public Schools’ commitment to helping every child succeed. Through personalized support, the CSS program helps students grow in communication, social interaction, academics, and everyday life skills—all in a positive and supportive environment. This month, we’ll be sharing facts, busting myths, and highlighting the strengths of our amazing students in the CSS program. 🧩💡

Attention Parents: Starting Monday, April 7, 2025, the entrance to the school at the corner of DePaul Drive and Mayan Drive will be blocked. All parents are required to use the Monaco Drive route, as highlighted in yellow on the provided map. We kindly ask for your cooperation in following this new traffic pattern. The DePaul Drive/Mayan Drive entrance will be closed to incoming traffic during the following times: • Morning: 8:00 AM - 8:25 AM • Afternoon: 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I have included pictures and a video for your reference of our drop off and pick up traffic flow expectation. Link to Video https://www.canva.com/design/DAGjgVcOHdk/2F9111TQgdSz05LNjOqjaA/edit?utm_content=DAGjgVcOHdk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Highlands Estates Academy Community - It's Paraprofessional Day!! We are SO appreciative of all of our wonderful paraprofessionals here at HEA and the difference they make in the lives of our students and community. They are invaluable in ensuring that all students reach their full potential!

Join Us at the Highlands Hiring Teacher Fair! Are you passionate about education and looking for an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team? Come to the Highlands Hiring Teacher Fair at the brand-new Highlands Estates Academy! Interview Dates: April 5th, April 12th, and April 26th from 9 AM to 12 PM Location: Highlands Estates Academy, 1000 DePaul Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32218 Current Openings: Reading Interventionist/Coach, K-5 Teachers, CSS Site Coach, VE Teacher, Paraprofessional, K-5 Science Teacher Registration is required to attend and closes on Friday, April 4, 2025. Don't miss your chance to be part of our innovative educational community! Register Here: Highlands Estates Academy Hiring Fair Registration Form https://form.jotform.com/250677066695167

Attn: The east end of DePaul Drive is being repaved today. As a result, there is only one lane open. It is recommended that you use the attached path for dismissal. Pink highlighted area represents the repaving zone. Orange highlighted area represents unobstructed construction free route.

Good Morning Hawk Families! We need your help! Please take a moment to share your thoughts on how we are doing as a school and highlight all the GREAT things happening at Highlands Estates Academy by completing the survey below. Thank you in advance. Survey Link https://survey.5-essentials.org/duval

Attention Parents! Please make sure to check this week's newsletter for important updates and information. 📬 Newsletter Link: https://bit.ly/4iL8IOL Stay informed and connected with our community! Principal Natalya Richie-Graham