What’s happening this week

Editor’s Note: Don’t forget to vote in The Laurel’s Winter Photo Contest. You can cast your vote every 24 hours and voting stops on March 15. Cast your vote HERE.

March 10

• Students in the twin communities of Highlands and Cashiers are being enlisted to design poster art, playbill designs and T-shirts for the PAC Youth Theatre Spring play, “Great Scenes from Shakespeare’s Plays (with Combat),” slated for Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.  “Our Youth Theater program is all about encouraging young talent, so naturally we’d turn to local young artists to help us create the look of our play,” says PAC Youth Theatre Director Megan Potts. “The winners will be selected from students at each of the participating schools − Blue Ridge School, Highlands School, Summit Charter School, and the Homeschool Group of Highlands & Cashiers – and all entrants will see their works displayed at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.” All entries are due by Friday, March 15, and may be submitted to Hudson Library in Highlands and Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library, addressed to Megan Potts.  One winner will be picked from each school. Each winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.  There will also be a reception with a Meet & Greet with the cast and the artist-entrants after the evening Public Performance on Friday, April 26.  All artists with entries and their families are encouraged to attend this performance and reception. The play will be performed for the general public at 7:00 P.M. Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27; and at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, April 28. “Great Scenes from Shakespeare’s Plays (with Combat)” will feature young performers in scenes from “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” suitable for the entire family. For information about the play and the PAC Youth Theater Program, call Ms. Potts at (828) 200-0889.

March 12

• Highlands School Kindergarten registration. Kindergarten Registration is a special time for both parents and students.  On Tuesday, March 12, 2019, Kindergarten registration for the 2019-2020 school year will begin, for parents, at 10 a.m. in the school’s media center. Children who reach the age of 5 on or before August 31, 2019 are eligible for admission into the Class of 2032.

To make the transition from preschool to Kindergarten as fun and positive as possible, we would like to offer the new students a taste of great things to come by providing transportation to and from Highlands School for registration.  Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, a Macon County school bus will pick up eligible students from Highlands United Methodist Church and the Highlands Community Child Developments Center and bring them to school to meet their parents. Any children that are not currently enrolled at either learning facility may meet at the Highlands Community Child Development Center, located at 89 Church St., to catch the bus. PTO volunteers will be on the bus to help with the students. Riding the school bus is an exciting experience for the students. School officials encourage parents to allow children to ride to school on the bus that day whether or not the child will ride during the school year. Please be aware that the bus will be returning students to the day care centers.  In addition to the registration documents, the following items should be presented at registration on March 12 for photocopying:

1. Certificate of Immunizations (School must have within 30 days from the start of school).  Students without a complete Certificate of Immunizations presented within 30 days from the start of school will be placed on administrative suspension until in compliance.
2. Certified Birth Certificate (must present original, certified birth certificate. No copies or “uncertified” birth certificates will be accepted.
3. Proof of Residency.
4. If you are not the biological parent of the child enrolling, and/or there is a custody agreement in place, please provide any legal documents you have giving you authority to enroll the child (i.e., custody papers, name change documentation, adoption papers or educational domicile affidavits).

Registration Day schedule:

        10:00     –      10:10         Parents arrive, turn in registration documents, and meet in Media Center         10:10     –      10:50         Overview and Orientation

1.       Brian Jetter, Principal—School Information
2.       Sarah Holbrooks, Assistant Principal—School Information
3.       Nicole Lui, Guidance Counselor
4.       Terry Stamey, Media Specialist—Library & Computers
5.      Maribeth Bader, School Nurse—Health Information
6.      Annette Jenkins, Administrative Assistant—Child Nutrition
7.      Laura Deppe, PTO President—PTO information

        10:30     –      10:50         Buses Pick up Students at Pre-K’s         10:50     –      10:55         Parents meet up with children         10:55     –      11:15         Parents and children eat lunch         11:15     –      11:35         Parents and children tour school         11:35     –      11:40         Children to buses and Parents to Media Center         11:40     –      12:00         Complete registration forms and pick up goodies PTO will provide complimentary lunch for all students and their parents in the school cafeteria as part of Kindergarten Registration. Registration packets can be picked up at Highlands School or at Highlands Community Child Development Center. Call the school office at (828) 526-2147

March 13

• Blood Drive at Hudson Library: Hudson Library in Highlands is hosting a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Wednesday March 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the library. “Hudson Library is committed to strengthening our community and helping meet hospital and patient needs through blood donations,” said Hudson Librarian Carlyn Morenus. “This blood drive is our way of giving staff, colleagues and neighbors an opportunity to help save lives.” For more information about donating blood, or to schedule a donation, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or go online at redcrossblood.org. Blood is a perishable product that can only come from volunteer blood donors. With someone in the U.S. needing blood every two seconds, blood products must be constantly replenished, according to the Red Cross. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative. Community members are encouraged to donate blood and help ensure that patients in local hospitals have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs. There’s no better feeling than knowing that your blood donation may give someone a second chance at life. For more information or to request an accommodation, please call the library at 828-526-3031. Hudson Library, 554 Main Street in Highlands, is open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.

March 15

• The Laurel Winter Photo Contest: Whether you’re a professional photographer, or just someone who loves to capture the magic of the moment on your cell phone or pocket camera, The Laurel is offering you a chance to become a cover artist. That’s right, the 2020 Laurel winter photo contest has begun, so grab your camera and start snapping your way to fame. To vote on photos already submitted click HERE.

Contest details: Enter your winter photo in our Facebook Photo Contest for a chance to be featured on the cover of the 2020 Winter edition of The Laurel Magazine. Share the contest with your friends to get as many votes as possible!  How to enter: Upload your winter photo, description and email address or tag #plateauwinter on Instagram or twitter How to win: The 3 photos with the most votes will be critiqued by a panel of local art enthusiasts, who will choose the final winner. The winner will be emailed upon completion of the contest. Contest ends: March 15, 2019 Winner will be announced April 1, 2019 Fine print: The photo must not feature people, must be taken in the Highlands, Cashiers or surrounding areas, and must be taken by the submitter. Up to 5 submissions per photographer. All photos submitted may be used by The Laurel for promotional purposes.

March 16

• Photography Class at The Bascom: Beginner Photography Class, Photography Resident Artist Series with Dylan Lytle, March 16; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. In Learning Manual Settings, students will learn the rules of exposure, and how to manipulate the manual controls on their camera to take correctly exposed images. For more information click HERE.

March 29

• Community Coffee at the Hudson Library: Community Coffee with Highlands Mayor Pat Taylor is at 11 a.m. on the last Friday of each month. This month’s topic under discussion is the Highlands Town Retreat. Community Coffee is a collaboration between the Hudson Library, the Town of Highlands and a sponsoring community organization. Each month, the library provides the space and brews the (donated) coffee, a community group provides  the refreshments and the Mayor of the Town of Highlands, Patrick Taylor, facilitates the discussion. For more information call the Hudson Library at  828-526-3031 

April 25

• Registration is now open for the 9th AnnualThree River Fly Fishing Festival April 25-27 in Highlands, N.C.! We are thrilled to kick off another tournament and are also excited to unveil the new Three River logo designed by William Lamb.  As always, this fishing competition is open to men and women of all skill levels with more than 2,200 miles of public water available to fish. Each team will fish one native, one hatchery-supported and one delayed-harvest stream. Entry is $500 per team – or $450 for teams who register before February 28. This fee includes the opening night reception on Thursday at beautiful Lullwater House, the Friday happy hour check-in, the closing night dinner on Saturday, a gift bag full of great swag and the opportunity to win fantastic prizes. And the best part is, every dollar raised benefits the Town of Highlands Scholarship Fund! Contact Hilary Wilkes at hilary@highlandhiker.com for more information, or to register your team.