HMS Headlines
September 9, 2022
A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Dear HMS Families,
Each week on Friday, we have a special segment during our morning announcements to celebrate students who have received HAWKS feathers. Students can receive HAWKS feathers at anytime for demonstrating Honest Accountable Welcoming Kind and Safe behaviors throughout the school. Each Friday we announce the names of four students who have earned HAWKS feathers, and bring them a small prize to celebrate them with their homeroom, who cheer for them, and celebrate their work. This is such a fun way to reinforce our expectations positively, while we end the week on a celebratory note! Be sure to ask your child if they have earned a HAWKS feather yet this year!
Enjoy this weekend!
Kelly, Linda, & Susie
MAP TESTING
Arrival/Dismissal
Please refrain from meeting your child on the playground after school. Many of our classes use the playground ninth period, or are learning outside and having people who are not checked in at the main entrance and unfamiliar adults is distracting and also a safety and security concern. Any adults who are interacting with students on school grounds during the school day must be checked in at the main office. Additionally, our buses use that parking lot and we have instructed students who are not riding the bus to stay free of that area after school.
If you are meeting your child after school, we ask that you meet by the paths next to the playfields (near the running/walking track) or on the north side of the school by the crossing guard so we can keep from interrupting the school day. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS!
6th Grade Physical Reminders
**PLEASE NOTE PARENTS MUST FILL OUT THE PARENT SECTION BEFORE TURNING THE FORM INTO THE OFFICE***
HERE is a link to find the required forms.
PICTURE DAY - 9/13/22
Stuart-Rodgers is proud to be your official photography studio for Picture Day 2022-2023.
After picture day, you will receive an email providing you with your student’s personal password protected online gallery! Approximately 14 days after picture day you will also receive a printed proof sheet that will have your student’s photo and gallery password with directions on how to
order.
Placing an order is easy! You can visit the website at www.srphoto.com > Order Photos > View My Session and enter your password. You can also mail in your printed proof to the Stuart-Rodgers Photography studio on Green Bay Road in Evanston.
Stuart-Rodgers Photography will offer free shipping on all orders placed by 9/27/22.
If you have multiple students, you can combine the online orders in the galleries by going to the top bar and selecting Change Gallery. You will need to enter each child’s password to combine galleries and put everything on one order!
If you have any questions please call Stuart-Rodgers Photography at 847-864-7322, or email info@srphoto.com.
**MAKEUPS WILL BE ON 9/16/22**
PARENT EDUCATION EVENTS
It is time to kick off our year-long series of Parent Education Event for District 39 families. This year's topics range from academic to social-emotional health to technology safety. HERE is an outline of all of the events. To register, just click on the link for the title that interests you.
Click HERE for a link to all of the events, as well as recordings after the events have occurred.
PASS39 UPCOMING EVENTS
Welcome Back from PASS39!
PASS39 stands for The Parent Association for Student Services in District 39. It’s a district-wide parent organization that works in collaboration with Administration to help provide education and support for families who have children with learning, behavioral, emotional and developmental challenges.
September Newsletter/2022-2023 Calendar of Events
https://mailchi.mp/9693188905d3/pass39-new-year-welcome-8674951?e=52c41ff362
PASS39 Email List
Join our email list to receive information on area and district events related to children with learning disabilities and/or special needs. Email us at pass39@wilmette39.org to be added to the PASS39 group e-mail. All addresses are blind copied for confidentiality.
PASS39 on the Web
The PASS39 website below provides more information about Wilmette D39 Student Services and contains educational, therapeutic and recreational resources for parents with children with specialized needs.
http://www.wilmette39.org/cms/one.aspx?portalid=360930&pageid=899243
PASS39 also has a private Facebook Group. To receive access, open the “Upcoming Events” link listed above, scroll to the bottom and click on Facebook.
DISTRICT 39 UPDATES
Safety Starts with Me
The welfare of our students and staff is our learning community’s top priority. These “Safety Starts with Me” signs are posted throughout our school buildings and we encourage students and families to know these ways to seek help or report a concern. Please encourage your children to ask for help if they or someone else needs it, and help them to know these ways to report a concern. Print this sign to add it to your home bulletin board or refrigerator.
Parent Education Event
Make plans to join us next Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 11 am for our next Parent Education Event titled “Setting Goals with Students.” This D39 presentation will take place over Zoom with the recording shared via YouTube. Click here to reserve your spot now and click here for a full list of 2022-23 Parent Education events.
Device Care
All K-8 students use a District 39 issued iPad and the same iPad will follow your child in a four-year rotation; Grades 1-4 and then in grades 5-8. Kindergarten iPads are assigned to individual students but used for only one school year. Since these devices are taken home daily in the upper grades or occasionally in the lower grades, there are times where devices may see damage. As a result, please familiarize yourself with instructions on how to receive technical support and fees associated with damage on our Device Care webpage.
COMMUNITY NEWS
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
The Village of Wilmette’s Sesquicentennial Celebration hosts the Wilmette Block Party Saturday, September 10th from 11:00 am - 11:00 pm in the Village Center.
New Trier Township offers a Food Pantry 10am - 4pm weekdays for families that live/work in the township. NT Township also offers Emergency Financial Assistance, Legal Aid Clinic, property tax assistance, social service referrals and other available resources. Go to www.newtriertownship.com for more information.
PICKLES - kids supporting kids is a local nonprofit that provides free peer-to-peer support and resources for kids ages 6-18 affected by a parent’s cancer diagnosis. These fun, supportive youth groups meet monthly at Winnetka Community House. For more information: www.picklesgroup.org
Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:00-11:00 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
"Best Step Tutoring” offers free online tutoring for PreK-12 grades.
HIGH FIVE CHOIR
The Wilmette High Five Junior Choir provides a safe learning environment in which students of all abilities come together to create and experience music, build friendships, and raise awareness against stereotypes of individuals with physical and mental disabilities. This club is based off of the High-5 Choir that is offered at New Trier High School. The Wilmette High Five Junior Choir aims to share the love of music with peers regardless of abilities, share our voices through music, and have a lot of fun!
- Club dates/times: Thursdays 3:45-4:45pm on the following dates: 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 12/1, 12/8, 12/18, 1/12, 1/19. Concert will be held on 1/26.
- Location/room number: HMS Music Room 134
- Name of instructor/teacher: Mrs. Martin, Music Director
- Club fee: $150
- For more information: Email Jana Martin, martinj@wilmette39.org
YOUR PTO IN ACTION
The PTO is proud to sponsor the new outdoor classroom for the start of the 2022/23 school year. In partnership with Kelly Jackson, District 39 and Landscape Concepts Management, we were able to transform a previously unused outdoor area into a beautiful space for kids to use during recess and throughout the day. We encourage you to visit the new outdoor classroom the next time you are in the school. Check out the before and after pictures below!
The Hawk Hut opens again on 9/14!
Every Wednesday, starting 9/14, students can visit the Hawk Hut during lunch hours. The Hawk Hut is the student store where students can purchase pens, bracelets, keychains, etc. All items run $1-$5. Cash only.
The Hawk Hut is run by parent volunteers so please consider volunteering! Sign up here -
FREAKY FRIDAY SAVE THE DATE
Freaky Friday is set for October 21st from 5 - 6:30pm. More details to come…
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are so many ways to get involved at Highcrest! Lunch duty and school store opportunities are back! We also still have a few openings on various PTO committees. There’s something for everyone! See links below to sign-up:
School Store - Hawk Hut sign-ups are available on Wednesdays during lunch
Lunch Duty - Volunteer to help with lunch on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays
PTO Positions - We have openings for Environmental Awareness, Yearbook Orders, School Supplies, & After School Club Liaison
VILLAGE WIDE PTO OPENINGS
Are you interested in joining the Village Wide PTO? There are a few positions open to choose from, including 2nd Vice President (Enrichment), Communications and Outdoor Classroom. The positions require that you communicate with the D39 school representatives and report back to the Village Wide PTO at their meetings. The Village Wide PTO meetings are as follows:
9.21.22 at 9:15 am
11.16.22 at 9:15 am
3.15.23 at 9:15 am
5.17.23 at 10:00 am with luncheon to follow TBD
Please contact the President of the Presidents’ Council, Barb Bentivenga, at bentivenga4@icloud.com for more information. Thank you!
FALL AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS
High Five Choir - The Wilmette High Five Junior Choir provides a safe learning environment in which students of all abilities come together to create and experience music, build friendships, and raise awareness against stereotypes of individuals with physical and mental disabilities. This club is based off of the High-5 Choir that is offered at New Trier High School. The Wilmette High Five Junior Choir aims to share the love of music with peers regardless of abilities, share our voices through music, and have a lot of fun! 7th and 8th grade registration opens on 9/7. Note: There will be NO REFUNDS given for clubs after 1 week of each program. Registration is open!
MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT DIRECTORY
You should have received an email from Membership Toolkit Directory on Sunday 8/20. It outlines how to join the PTO which gives you access to the school directory (including class lists). For convenience sake, you are also able to contribute to iGNITE (our main fundraiser), purchase Birthday Books and contribute to the Teacher's Holiday Gift Fund, which is a one-time gift given before winter break. One stop shopping! If you haven’t received this important email, please contact directory@highcrestpto.org or visit https://highcrestpto.membershiptoolkit.com
SPIRITWEAR
Show your Hawks pride with a variety of spiritwear options! Please contact Jen at spiritwear@highcrestpto.org if you would like to make a purchase.