-
Highlands School rolled out the welcome mats for its next class of students during kindergarten registration day on Wednesday, March 11.
Highlands School Principal Brian Jetter welcomed the incoming Class of 2033 through the school’s front doors as Kindergarten registration began for the 2020-21 school year.
“Every year we lose one class and every year we pick up a new class,” Jetter said of registration day.
Registration to become part of the Class of 2033 was open to any child who turns five before Aug. 31, 2020.
A total of 25 five-and-six-year-olds were treated to a tour of the school and lunch with their parents, not to mention their very first ride on a school bus. A show of hands after arriving at the school said this short bus ride through town was their very first, and they liked it.
The school bus picked up these new potential students from the Highlands Community Child Development Center and the Gordon Learning Center at Highlands United Methodist Church, depositing them on the Highlands School doorstep where they would join their parents who were already at the school learning about the school registration process.
“To make the transition from pre-school to Kindergarten as fun and positive as possible, the school offered these new students a taste of great things to come by providing transportation to and from Highlands School for registration,” Jetter said. “Riding the school bus is an exciting experience for the students.”
Jetter said this year’s group of new students look to be a good group.
“Nice kids. Their parents are interested and engaged. They look like a great bunch of kids.”
This next year’s kindergarten class got in just under the wire as N.C. Governor Roy Cooper shut down schools effective Monday in an effort to combat coronavirus COVID-19.
While students took a tour of the school and were offered lunch in the cafeteria, parents attended an orientation seminar in the school’s media center which included talks with Jetter, assistant principal Sarah Holbrooks, counselor Nicole Lui, media specialist Terry Stamey, school nurse Mary Tyson, administrative assistant Annette Jenkins and PTO president Andrea Smith.
The rising kindergarteners were returned to their daycare centers by bus around noon.