Dear Highwood Families
January was a packed month with Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations, provincial assessments, and report cards. Through it all, our students were able to demonstrate creativity, flexibility, and perseverance. February is as quieter month where we can go back to our daily routines and focus on language learning and problem solving using the Zen Zodiac.
Here are just a few information items and reminders for the month of February:
- THANK YOU!
- Donating Chinese traditional outfits
- Lunch utensils and extra food
- Family Literacy Week
- New Kindergarten and Grade 1 registration for the 2025-2026 school year
- Important February dates
Thank You!
Thank you to all of the parent volunteers that put in many hours to make props for our LNY concert. The props were a big part of our show and they looked spectacular! A very big thank you also goes out to Highwood School Council who generously paid for the professional video recording of the concert. A link to the concert recording will be shared with all families once we receive it. Mark down February 18, 2026 on your calendar as that’s when we will welcome in the year of the horse together at the Jubilee Auditorium!
Donating Chinese Traditional Outfits
Do you have any Chinese traditional outfits that no longer fit your child or even yourself? We are always looking for child and adult Chinese traditional outfits to be donated to the school. We loan them out to students who don’t have any and often guest theatre artists that work with the students. Please have your child bring any donations to the office.
Lunch Utensils and Extra Food
A friendly reminder to please pack a fork or spoon in your child’s lunch bag every day. We are trying to do our part for the environment by not using so many disposable plastic forks and spoons but we give away MANY everyday as students do not have utensils in their lunch bag. As well, as the year progresses and children grow, we find that students get hungrier and require a bigger lunch and snack. We have MANY students coming into the office asking for extra snacks and food.
Family Literacy Week
It’s the CBE’s Family Literacy Week! Here are some fun and FREE activities for you to explore with your child this week and all year long!
New Kindergarten and Grade 1 Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year
Do you have a little one at home or someone you know that starts kindergarten in September 2025? If so, new kindergarten and grade 1 registrations for Highwood School have started with the deadline being Tuesday, February 11 at noon. Registrations are done online only (no paper registrations). Please register through School Engage. When you choose “Chinese Bilingual Program”, your registration will be automatically forwarded to the correct school, based on your address. Therefore, we are not accepting registrations for addresses that are not designated to Highwood School.
Once this is received we will put your child in our lottery draw which will take place on Wednesday, February 12. All families will receive a notification on School Engage and an email between February 12 and February 28 as to whether your child has been accepted into Highwood or have been placed on our wait list. Please do not call the school. The priority for the lottery draw is as follows:
- Priority 1: Students living in Highwood’s walk zone with a Highwood sibling who will also be at the school during the 2025-2026 school year
- Priority 2: Students living in Highwood’s walk zone
- Priority 3: Students living in a community designated to Highwood with a Highwood sibling who will also be at the school during the 2025-2026 school year
- Priority 4: Students living in a community designated to Highwood
A reminder that kindergarten and grade 1 are entry points, which means that the child does not need to have prior knowledge of English or Chinese to attend Highwood School. Students wishing to enter in grade 2 and above need to complete an entry assessment to determine if they are at grade level in reading, writing, speaking and listening in Chinese and English.
*Current students do not need to apply to attend Highwood School for the next grade. They automatically move into the next grade. Grade 4 students automatically move to grade 5 at Colonel Irvine School unless you tell us otherwise.
Important February Dates
Friday, February 7: Early dismissal- Monday/Wednesday kindergarten attends school
Tuesday, February 11: NOON- deadline to submit new kindergarten and grade 1 registrations for the 2025-2026 school year
Wednesday, February 12: Lottery for new kindergarten and grade 1 registrations for the 2025-2026 school year; SPIRIT DAY- Kindness Day! (wear what you love!); 9:00- Monthly Assembly (hosts: Grade 2)
February 13 & 14: Teacher’s Convention- No school for all students
Monday, February 17: Family day- No school for all students
Friday, February 21: Early dismissal- Tuesday/Thursday kindergarten attends school
Friday, February 28: Non-Instruction Day- No school for all students
Sincerely,
Highwood School