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Highland Park Elementary showcases garden, magazine, theater and running clubs
Summary
Highland Park Elementary principal Joanne Devito and assistant principal William Smalls highlighted afterschool offerings including a garden started in summer 2024, a student magazine idea credited to librarian Patty Fox, theater arts and an upcoming running club; presenters said clubs build responsibility, collaboration and confidence.
Highland Park Elementary principal Joanne Devito and assistant principal William Smalls presented the school's afterschool clubs to the board, describing hands‑on programs and student opportunities.
Devito said the garden club grew from a classroom project to a fenced school garden after a summer 2024 proposal. She described using perennials and carnivorous plants (pitcher plants and Venus flytraps) as teaching tools and recounted a beekeeper visit and a cooking activity in which students used produce from the garden.
The magazine club, Devito said, began as a staff idea and was advanced by librarian Patty Fox. Students work on issues across about four weeks: brainstorming, selecting a theme, and producing a collaborative magazine that teaches writing, critical feedback and teamwork.
Staff highlighted theater arts, including a full musical for fourth and fifth graders, and mentioned a running club planned for spring. Presenters emphasized the role of extracurriculars in helping students explore interests and build confidence: "It's a cornerstone in elementary education of putting a seed in the ground and watching it grow," one presenter said.
The presenters concluded by thanking the board for support—including recent facility improvements such as a new library floor—and invited families and students to participate in club activities.
The board expressed appreciation for the presentation during School Board Appreciation Month.
