Jun 15, 2021

Happy Summer!
It has been an eventful school year – one I hope we never have to maneuver through again -- but we made it! I hope you all enjoy your summer and look forward to full face-to-face school in August.

I want to thank all of you for an amazing 8 years at HighMark. I am finally retiring for good, July 1. I love this school, the students and the people I work with each day. I am going to miss all of you. It was so great to have a fairly “normal” closing with field day, closing assembly, yearbook and 9th grade party. It was so great to see faces with smiles and laughter! We all love summer to come, but it is so good when we have such a happy closing for the last day of a school year.

Parents have been so supportive and have worked with us each year. I have appreciated your love for HighMark and trusting us with your students. I know that our faculty and staff love your students and are always trying to do the right thing for them. I hope I have embedded some good traditions and directions over the years I have been in charge. I want HighMark to keep striving to be the best in learning and kindness. In future years, I hope all people who work or are involved in any way at HM will do the right thing for the right reason, which has been my mantra for eight years. I hope that philosophy sticks!

I have especially loved working with our Board members – Richard Bigler, Blake Petersen, Lori Drake, Rory Ukena and David Garrison – who have been supportive and constantly involved behind the scenes. They all love this school and will continue to keep it in good shape.

I understand when you leave a position that a person becomes “the hand in the bucket syndrome,” but I won’t forget my years and good times. I won’t forget amazing students who work hard; I won’t forget where we are today versus eight years ago; I won’t forget YOU! Tell your children that I love them and wish them good luck as they continue their journey through HighMark.

All my love,
Mary Johnston
Retiring Principal of HM