Highland Elementary School

Apple activity #3 in STEAM, students completed the Apple A-Head challenge in which students had to create an Apple balancing head gear device on their own using the materials provided. We tested those devices in an Apple Day relay race to see whose head gear balanced the Apple best! Our last activity was about objects that sink or float. We discussed buoyancy, watched a Brainpop Jr video, learned about making predictions and observations, testing and checking those predictions for accuracy, and then actually predicted whether or not an apple would sink or float in water. Most thought it would sink, but they learned that the apple floated! The lesson ended by predicting what other objects sink or float in a video and checking to see if they were correct! Apple Day activities in STEAM has made for a fun week!

Apple Day activity #2 in STEAM, was to design and build the tallest tower using toothpicks and Apple chunks that would stand on its own. Students found it challenging to create a tower with those supplies and the exact way to design such a tower that would stand, however they eventually did it!

For Apple Day, students in STEAM have been doing activities with apples. The first activity was to design and build a tower at least 10-20 cubes high that would balance an apple on its own for a minimum of 10 seconds. Students had to work together to design, build, and improve their tower to meet the criteria of the task. The tension was high, but they did well!

💙Happy Custodian Appreciation Day!💙 Today we’re celebrating three very important members of our Highland family — Brandon, Brian, and Phillip! 🧹✨ Thank you for all the big things, the little things, and everything in between that you do to keep Highland Elementary clean, safe, and welcoming. Your hard work often happens behind the scenes, but it never goes unnoticed! We are so thankful for each of you and all you do for our students and staff. 💙🐾 Highland appreciates you! Happy Custodian Appreciation Day! 🎉

Miss Fairchild's 1st Grade class had a busy Highland Harvest day.... making apple pie in a cup, picking pumpkins, eating ice cream, meeting Johnny Appleseed, and more!

If your child is representing Highland Elementary in the Apple Day school event on Friday, October 2, 2026 please see the tentative schedule for the events. You will need to meet Mrs. Bayes in front of the Court House to receive your apple lanyard to be worn in the event you are participating in.

Harvest Day fun with Mrs. Bevins' room.

Mrs. Bevins' homeroom hopes everyone has a great Fall Break!!!

Mrs. Wright’s kindergarten class has had such a fun filled Apple Week, from making butter and apple pie in a cup to picking pumpkins and hay rides!!! 💙⭐️🍎

🚌 Bus Transportation Update

Highland families, please be aware of the following transportation changes for this afternoon:

Bus 93 will run late bringing students home, as it will make stops at the middle and high school first.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to get all of our Wildcats home safely! 💙

We had some very special guest speakers in our 5th-grade classrooms today! Former Johnson County educators Mr. Blevins and Mr. Burchett returned to Highland to take our students on an out-of-this-world journey through space exploration. 👨‍🚀✨

Our 5th graders got an insider look at the incredible work being done in space, why scientific discovery beyond Earth matters so much, and how curiosity in the classroom can lead to extraordinary careers in the future.

It’s always a privilege to welcome back educators who continue to inspire the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and explorers. Thank you, Mr. Blevins and Mr. Burchett, for giving your time and sparking so much excitement in our students!

🏀💙🤍 CONGRATULATIONS, LADY WILDCATS! 🤍💙🏀 We are so proud of our Lady Wildcats for bringing home 2nd Place in the JCEAA Tournament! 🥈🐾 These girls played with heart, determination, and Wildcat Pride from start to finish. What an accomplishment and a great season to celebrate! Way to shine, Lady Wildcats! We are proud of you! 💙🤍🏀✨ #HighlandWildcats #LadyWildcats #WildcatPride #LetYourLightShine

We have some speedy kids in 4th grade! Congrats to our top 3 Apple Run Winners!!!

3rd-5th grade students!!! Experience the Escape Room during Highland Harvest Day for $5! All proceeds go to support 5th grade field trips!

Here's a look at what's happening at Highland Elementary in October.

Our Teachers and Staff deserve a special treat too! The PTO would like to thank them for all that they do at HES! 💙🐾🤍

1st Grade had an amazing experience today at the White Oak Pumpkin Patch. They got to feed animals, pick pumpkins, eat slushies, ride a train, and much more! 🍎🍁🎃

1st Grade had an amazing experience today at the White Oak Pumpkin Patch. They got to feed animals, pick pumpkins, eat slushies, ride a train, and much more! 🍎🍁🎃

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SEPTEMBER LEADERS OF THE MONTH! 🎉 We are so proud of our incredible Wildcat leaders for the month of September! These outstanding students have shown kindness, hard work, and great character both inside and outside the classroom.

Mrs. Bolden’s 5th-grade students stepped up their leadership skills today by teaming up with their Accountability Partners! Students met with their partners to review their progress, share their Academic WIGs (Wildly Important Goals), and brainstorm strategies to keep each other on track to succeed.