Highland County Public Schools

Huge shoutout to the Highland Rams baseball team! They finished 2nd in the Pioneer District regular season—the first time Highland has placed in the top two in 25 years! With a high school enrollment of just 36 students, and the next smallest school having more than three times that number, being competitive in a sport that requires 9 players on the field is no small feat. This season is a true testament to the heart, talent, and determination of this incredible group of boys. Way to go, Rams!

🧸✨ FREE Preschool Developmental Screening ✨🧸 📅 TOMORROW, May 15, 2025 ⏰ 4-7 PM 👶 Ages Birth to 5 Years 🏡 Highland Residents Only 🚫 No Appointment Needed! 📞 Have questions? Call (540) 468-6308 🩺👂👀📚🧠 Screening Includes: ✅ Vision ✅ Hearing ✅ Language ✅ Motor Skills ✅ Cognitive Development Give your little one the best start! 💕👣

📲 Stay connected with HCPS on the go! Download our app today to keep up with all the latest updates, events, and announcements. Don’t miss a thing—HCPS at your fingertips! 🔔📚

🔒 Important Update on PowerSchool Data Breach Early last week, VAcorp learned of a new and troubling update related to the national PowerSchool data breach. Back in January, PowerSchool confirmed it had paid a ransom to cybercriminals in hopes of securing the deletion of stolen data. Unfortunately, new evidence suggests the criminals have not honored that agreement. Several school districts have since received threats from these cybercriminals, demanding a second ransom and threatening to release stolen information. While this is a concerning development, it is not entirely unexpected—there’s always risk involved when dealing with cybercriminals. PowerSchool continues to offer two years of free credit monitoring and identity protection for all students and staff connected to PowerSchool SIS, regardless of whether their data was impacted. 📎 Learn more and enroll in these protection services here: https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/ Stay informed and take steps to protect your information. HCPS Technology Page: https://www.highland.k12.va.us/page/technology

Preorder Your 2025 Yearbook! ✨📘 Don’t miss your chance to own the HCPS 2025 yearbook! All sales are preorders, and yearbooks will be delivered at the beginning of the next school year. 💫 Pricing: 📅 $39.00 – now through May 30, 2025 📅 $44.00 – through June 17, 2025 🎓 Click the link below to order now: 🔗 https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/search/YB30797 Use code YB30797 when prompted. Let’s celebrate another great year—order today and reach for the stars! 🌟

📣 We’re hiring at Highland County Public Schools! 📣 Join our team and help make a difference in the lives of students. We are currently accepting applications for the following positions: ✨ 3rd Grade Teacher ✨ 4th Grade Teacher ✨ Hard Trades Teacher (Welding / Carpentry / Construction / Mechanics) ✨ Music Teacher ✨ Middle School English Teacher ✨ School Bus Driver Interested? Apply now at 👉 https://www.highland.k12.va.us/page/employment Questions? Contact us at tulmer@highland.k12.va.us or (540) 468-6300

Happy Mother’s Day from Highland County Public Schools! Today we celebrate the incredible mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures who nurture, guide, and inspire our students every day. Thank you for the love and dedication you show both at home and in our community. We are grateful for all you do—today and always!

That’s a wrap on Teacher Appreciation Week, and what a great finish it was! Today, our school board treated our incredible staff to a delicious lunch of brick oven pizza from Pearl’s Pizza—served hot and fresh right on our front lawn! To top it off, the Highland Parent Teacher Partnership provided a refreshing drink bar that kept everyone smiling. We can’t say it enough: our teachers are the heart of our school. Their dedication, creativity, and care make all the difference in the lives of our students every single day. This week was just a small way to say thank you for everything they do. We appreciate you more than words can say! #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankATeacher #HighlandStrong

Dear Highland County Public Schools Community, Highland County Public Schools is currently seeking feedback on the items under review from the May 2025 School Board Meeting. To access the items under review, please visit the "Items Under Review" folder on the HCPS Website. We encourage you to carefully review the policies and provide your feedback based on your expertise and experience. Feedback may be left at HCPS@highland.k12.va.us. Thank you in advance for your valuable feedback and ongoing support in making Highland County Public Schools a thriving educational community.

📚💛 “Dear Teachers, Thank You All!” As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close, we reflect on the incredible impact our educators have—not just in the classroom, but in every step our students take toward their futures. This image captures it beautifully: each teacher lifts, supports, and guides our children higher, one step at a time. Highland County Public Schools extends our deepest gratitude to every teacher who serves with passion, compassion, and unwavering commitment. You are the hands that help our students climb. 👏✨ Thank you for everything. 💙 #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankYouTeachers #HCPSProud #EveryStepCounts #YouMakeADifference

🎉 Exciting news from tonight’s School Board meeting! The Board officially approved the FY26 budget after addressing the cuts requested by the Board of Supervisors — and we’re thrilled to share that the Pre-K program will continue to be funded! 🌟👏

🍎 Today we celebrated our incredible teachers and staff today with more special treats: 🥐 Breakfast was provided by the Student Council Association 🍪 Sweet treats provided by the Parent Teacher Partnership 🎉 A drawing for a gift card to Claire’s Café 😊And a huge thank-you to The Highlander for generously donating gift cards for all teachers and staff! We are so grateful for the amazing educators who make a difference every day. 💛 #TeacherAppreciation #ThankYouTeachers #Grateful

🍎 Teachers wear many hats—and capes! 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️ At Highland County Public Schools, our teachers are so much more than educators. They're life coaches, motivators, counselors, trip coordinators, tech support, and sometimes even nose wipers! This image says it best: if you’re a teacher, you're also ALL of this—and more. We are beyond grateful for everything our teachers do every day to support, inspire, and guide our students. 💙💛 #TeacherAppreciationWeek #HCPSProud #MoreThanATeacher #ThankYouTeachers

We’re feeling the love during Teacher Appreciation Week! Yesterday, the PTP spoiled us with a spread of delicious snacks that kept us energized and smiling all day. Today, they went above and beyond again with a wonderful lunch—sandwich items generously donated by The Highlander and chips from The Curly Maple. A huge thank you to both businesses for their support! To top it off, the school board surprised each staff member with a beautiful flower as a token of appreciation—personally handed out by Superintendent Maerz. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this week so special. We are truly grateful for the kindness and support!

🕯️ "A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others." — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Today, we pause to recognize the selfless dedication of our Highland County Public Schools teachers, who pour their time, energy, and hearts into lighting the path for our students. Your commitment doesn't go unnoticed—and this week, and every week, we are deeply grateful. 💐 #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankYouTeachers #HCPSProud #LightingTheWay

📚 "Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." — Richard DuFour At Highland County Public Schools, we recognize that behind every scientist, artist, doctor, builder, and leader is a teacher who helped shape their path. This week, we continue to celebrate and honor the educators who lay the foundation for all futures. Thank you to our teachers for your unwavering commitment, inspiration, and impact. 💙🍎 #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankATeacher #HCPSProud #TeachingMatters

📣 Attention Highland fans! The Varsity Baseball and JV Softball home games vs. Eastern Montgomery, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th, have been rescheduled. 🗓️ New game date: 👉 Monday, May 12, 2025 @ 5:00 PM Come out and cheer on our Rams as they take on Eastern Montgomery! ⚾🥎 Let’s fill the stands with blue and gold pride! 💙💛

🎉💙💛 Get ready, Highland County Public Schools — it’s SPIRIT WEEK! 💛💙 📅 May 5th–9th Show your school pride each day by dressing up for the theme! ✨ Monday: College Gear Day ✨ Tuesday: Twin Tuesday ✨ Wednesday: Pajama Day ✨ Thursday: Jersey Day ✨ Friday: Blue and Gold Day ⭐️ Reminder: All apparel must follow dress code

🌱 Happy Teacher Appreciation Week | May 5–9 🌟 Highland County Public Schools is excited to celebrate our incredible educators all week long! 👩‍🏫🍎👨‍🏫 From nurturing young minds to inspiring lifelong learning, our teachers go above and beyond every single day. We are so thankful for their dedication, passion, and the lasting impact they make in our classrooms and community. To show our appreciation, we’ve planned a full week of treats, surprises, and heartfelt thanks to honor the amazing educators who help our students grow and thrive. 💐🎉 Please join us in celebrating and thanking the teachers of Highland County for everything they do! #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankATeacher #HCPSProud #GrowingFutures

📣 Scouting is coming back to Highland! Families with boys & girls ages 5–17 — join us for a Kick-Off Meeting to learn more about Scouting America in Highland County! 🗓 Tonight: Monday, May 5th at 7:00 PM 📍 Highland County Public Schools Front Lawn We’re inviting: ✅ Families interested in Scouting ✅ Former Scouts & Scouters ✅ Community organizations Come meet us for: ✨ An information session & Q&A for adults ✨ Scout skills & games for kids ✨ An Ice Cream Social for everyone! Let’s work together to re-start Scouting in Highland and build the next generation of leaders. For more information, contact Robert Clemmer at robert.clemmer@scouting.org. We hope to see you there!