Dr. Jorgensen's November Highland Highlights
October 27, 2020
Highland Highlights
I was really disappointed that I was unable to fulfill an appointment to visit Iowa in September. It certainly wasn’t the appropriate time to be visiting with the safety protocols in place, besides my own concerns over air travel. However, I am comforted to know that several exciting things are progressing and in place at the Highland CSD and I look forward to my next scheduled visit.
One of the things I assisted the district with was the receiving funding to construct a greenhouse for the Agriculture program. I did get a chance to tour the new greenhouse last spring, but the teachers had not been able to utilize this for instruction at that point in time. I am excited to see the progress in the use of the greenhouse and the growth of the Agriculture Education program that I was able to assist in getting started for the district.
Another STEM program that was started during my tenure with the district was the Aero Space Technology program. This year marks Year 3 of a four year curriculum. I really enjoy hearing about the use of rockets and drones and the exciting curriculum associated with this program. What a great opportunity for our students to be a part of this cutting edge STEM program, the first program of its kind in the state of Iowa. I look forward to seeing the progress of both this and the Robotics programs.
I also am excited to see the final products as a result of the exciting bond issue that was passed by the residents of the school district last fall. The timing for a new HVAC system could not of been better as the need for filtered and clean air throughout the facility has become even more important. Additional storage for the fine arts was added to the music room as well to the back of the girls locker room. An ADA certified playground has been installed at the elementary.
2020 has been a year where the headlines have centered around political and health concerns. Sometimes we forget about the other things happening. Highland CSD has not remained stagnant. They continue to move forward as a STEM Education leader in the state of Iowa. Thanks to the support of the residents, they continue to provide outstanding and updated facilities that meet the needs of the students
