Highland High gets new assistant principal
by Melissa Martin
June 29 school board meeting
A longtime Highland educator and coach will be step into a new leadership role at Highland High School this fall following unanimous approval by the board of education.
Chris Meyer, who has spent the past 13 years as an English and digital media production teacher at the high school, as well as a Hornets’ varsity football coach, was named the high school’s new assistant principal.
Meyer expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to expand his impact beyond the classroom.
“I am just very excited for this next chapter in my Highland experience,” Meyer said. “I spent the past 13 years in the same classroom, and all the coaching and everything has just really touched my life and my family’s life so much. I just look forward to expanding that into this role.”
Highland Superintendent Catherine Aukerman and members of the school board welcomed Meyer to the administrative team.
Meyer’s appointment was one of many personnel actions approved by the board.
The board also approved hiring Bella Vigliotti as the English and digital media productions teacher to replace Meyer. Vigliotti previously served as a long-term English substitute teacher at Highland High.
Both administration and teaching appointments take effect ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
The school board also approved a new social studies curriculum for kindergarten through fifth grade, adopting instructional materials designed to increase student engagement through interactive and hands-on learning experiences.
Highland’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction Laurie Boedicker said the new curriculum includes a combination of print and digital resources intended to help students better connect classroom lessons to real-world experiences.
“We’re seeing materials that are engaging and include specific instructional strategies,” she said.
The curriculum emphasizes local communities, geography, economics and civic engagement while incorporating activities designed to encourage student participation and critical thinking.
For younger students, lessons include budget creation, saving money and exploring community roles. Interactive components like maps, visual organizers and hands-on projects are also featured, Boedicker said.
“As the third-grade standards focus heavily on reading maps, the materials include maps and interactive activities that help students understand those concepts,” she said.
The board was also shown sample materials, including lessons focused on communities, transportation, economics and geography.
Aukerman said the instructional materials were selected because of how well they aligned with state standards and classroom needs.
Parents will be able to access online resources through their students’ accounts, allowing them to review instructional materials and monitor classroom assignments.
The curriculum, titled Studies Weekly and Nystrom Textbook, will be implemented for the 2026-27 school year.