Principal Welcome Letter

Dear Highgate Elementary School Families, 

We are excited to welcome you to a new school year! Whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, we are grateful to have your family as part of our school community.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as the new principal of Highgate Elementary School.  My name is Justina Jennett and I come to this role with over 20 years in education, including 10 years of experience working with or supporting the MVSD school community. I am deeply committed to supporting student growth and partnering closely with families. Highgate will continue to be a welcoming and inclusive school environment for all.

This year MVSD will be transitioning to ParentSquare for family communication.  This will streamline our communications via text, email or call and unify us under one system for both day to day teacher to home contact and district wide urgent notifications. We will also be piloting Pick Up Patrol, which is a cloud-based school dismissal management system. One of the best ways to start the year strong is through clear communication and connection. We will work with families on both of these rollouts in the weeks ahead!

We are also looking forward to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences.  These are a great opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher, discuss goals for the year and ask any questions you may have. Conferences are on Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 12:00-8:00pm. Families can log into their PickATime accounts with the QR code below and sign up or call the front office at 802-868-4170 for assistance.  As ParentSquare gets underway, one of the first communications from the school will likely be a live link to access conference signups. We encourage all our students and families to participate--your partnership is vital to our success!

I am looking forward to the 2025-2026 school year in Highgate. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can support your family in any way as you prepare for our first day of school on Wednesday, August 27 (Gr 1-6).  Our PK and K programs will begin on Tuesday, September 2.

Warmly, 

Justina Jennett

Principal