Since 1968 when Highland Community School was born, we have depended on the knowledge, experience, dedication, strength and resilience of our parent body. The Montessori philosophy encompasses the theory of developing the “whole child.” As part of that vision we realize how greatly our children grow with the support of their parents.
Children with involved parents are more likely to:
- Attend school regularly
- Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school
- Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
- Be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits
- Graduate and go on to postsecondary education
Benefits of parent-involvement activities for parents include:
- More confidence in the school
- Higher teacher expectations of their children
- Higher teacher opinions of themselves as parents
- More self-confidence
Parent Hours
Parent hours are the many ways that parents get involved throughout the year. Each parent supports our students with the commitment to volunteer at least 36 parent hours each year. They can be completed in several ways. Attending orientations/parent teacher conferences, parent committee meetings, school events, supply making, washing classroom laundry, etc. all count toward your 36 hours. Parents can always feel free to check with your child’s teacher to see if there is anything they need.
Parent Board & Committees
Highland is overseen by a panel of parents elected from the current body of parents known as the Board of Directors. To learn more about the Board of Directors or to get involved contact the Board President, Brian Litzsey.
Parent committees are designed to help facilitate the needs around Highland. The committees are fully parent run, and meet as often as needed. To get involved in a parent committee, email Ms. Elizabeth here.
The current list of parent committees are as follows:
| Parent Committee & Description | Staff Designee/liaison | Current Parent Chair |
| Fund Development/ Fundraising Committee The Fund Development Committee keeps track of our fundraising goals and helps identify new fundraising opportunities for our school. | Annie Prak | Open |
| Facilities Committee and Turbo Team The committee supports major maintenance and building projects at the school and works closely with our School Maintenance Director. Turbo Team comprises skilled technicians (electricians, carpenters, plumbers) who can support the building when projects arise. | Danny Baxter | Open |
| Library Committee The library committee runs the library. Our library parent volunteers support our library with shelving, circulation, reader’s advisory, and student research help. This team also coordinates the annual Book Fair and manages the Book Share. | Elizabeth Gibes | Open |
| Creative Committee Helps foster a love of art among our families by sponsoring creative events like Craft Day. | Elizabeth Gibes | Open |
| Bike Walk Eat Planning Committee Bike Walk Eat is our biggest fundraising event each year and a whole lot of fun! It is also a whole lot of planning. If you like event planning, this is the one for you. | Will Belke | Ren Kersting Kevin Driscoll |
| Social Justice Committee Social Justice is one of the five pillars of a Highland education. This committee works to ensure that social justice is part of our curriculum, family education, enrichment, and community culture. | Tracy Williams | Dominique Alvarado |
| Natural Grounds Committee the Natural Grounds and Playground is a gem of Highland Community School. This committee supports our Natural Grounds Coordinator in maintaining and enhancing Highland’s outdoor spaces. | Mike Steiner | Open |
| Finance Committee Finance Committee works with our Finance Director to oversee the school’s budget. | Amanda Taddey | Brenda Simonis |