HMS Headlines
October 28, 2022
A Message from Our Administrative Team
Halloween is Monday, and just as a reminder, we have a half day of school that day, with dismissal at 11:46 am. Buses will run as normal, and we will have an adjusted schedule for the day for our students. 5th graders will enjoy all of their classes, with some fun for Halloween spread throughout the day, while 6th graders will have a special assembly on Monday morning with Joey FineRhyme (thank you to the HMS PTO IGNITE for sponsoring this event).
We will be allowing all students to dress up for Halloween at school on Monday, should they choose to. Please remember that costumes should be school-appropriate, allow for full participation in classes, and all props should be left at home. Please see below for additional details about costumes for Monday:
The HMS dress code is as follows:
Clothing MUST be worn so that a person’s private body parts are covered with opaque material, and that allows for full engagement and participation in school activities without accidental exposure.
STUDENTS MAY NOT WEAR
Undergarments as clothing.
Clothes displaying violent language or images.
Clothes referencing drugs, alcohol or sexual content.
Clothes displaying hate speech or profanity.
With our dress code in mind, Halloween costumes cannot have:
Full face paintings or face masks (all students must be identifiable)
Props, including weapons nor their look-alikes
Fake blood and/or gore
Thank you for helping to make this a great day for all of our students!
Have a great weekend,
Kelly, Linda, and Susie
AUTHOR VISIT AT HMS!
Highcrest hosted author Lindsay Currie ("Scritch Scratch" "What Lives in the Woods" "The Girl In White") this past Wednesday. Students loved hearing about her writing process and how she gets inspired to write her spooky stories.
Today (10/28) is the LAST DAY to order an autographed copy of one of Lindsay's books. All books will be delivered to Highcrest and distributed to students.
https://www.thebookstall.com/author-lindsay-currie-visits-wilmette-students
5th GRADE FAMILIES
Thank you for your help and feedback, which will aid in improvements for the coming year!
TRAFFIC REMINDERS
In the afternoon at pick up time, many cars are picking up students in the main lot by the bike racks and by Gym C. Others are parking in the lot and waiting for their students to come to their cars. While I understand that waiting in a long line can be frustrating, it is important to pick up students by the main circle of the building, as picking your child up in the back of the lot stops up traffic, causes confusion for students and staff, and creates situations that are unsafe due to children crossing at unsupervised areas, as well as drivers then skipping the line to get out and avoid the rest of the wait.
Please review the pick up instructions linked here and plan to pick up your child in the car line at the MAIN ENTRANCE driveway. This will help to keep the car line moving, and ensure our students' safety.
I also want to request that, as you are in the car line, you respect the staff supervisors in the lot and watch for their directions. They are there for your child's safety, and have been instructed in the correct way to direct traffic flow. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me.
LOCKS
SCIENCE CLUB HIGHLIGHTS
WHMS LIVE BROADCAST! TUNE IN EVERY MONDAY!
DISTRICT 39 UPDATES
Parent/Teacher Conference Information
Parents received an email today with instructions on how to sign-up for parent/teacher conference appointments. The sign-up window for virtual conferences will open this coming Monday, Oct. 31, at 2:00pm and remain open until Monday, Nov. 14. Families who requested an in-person conference have already received information regarding their pre-scheduled appointment. All parent/teacher conferences will be held on Nov. 16-18, directly before Fall Break.
Board of Education Meeting
The Board of Education held its regular monthly business meeting on Monday. The Board heard presentations on the District’s academic achievement, including results from fall NWEA/MAP and aimswebPlus as well as spring Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). An update was also provided on key performance indicators (KPIs) of Goal 1 of our Strategic Plan. Additionally, the Board heard the Fall 2022 enrollment report and discussed the first reading of several Board policies. Click here for the complete meeting agenda and materials.
Parent Education Event
District 39 held its most recent parent education event titled “Parenting in a Digital Age.” If you missed it, please click here for a recording of this presentation. Make plans to join us for our next event, which is a screening of “The Upstanders” followed by a panel discussion on cyberbullying. The event will take place in-person on Nov. 8 at 6:30 pm in the Wilmette Junior High School auditorium. Please click here to register for this event and click here for the full schedule of the 2022-23 parent education events.
Shine on 39
This edition of “Shine on 39” showcases our Writing/ELA curriculum. As we returned to a more traditional school setting after the COVID-19 pandemic, one focal point for our students was writing and written expression. We are grateful to all of our faculty and staff for their dedication and commitment to our young writers!
COMMUNITY NEWS
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
The Warming House Youth Center is having a Halloween Party TODAY from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. All ages are welcome! (located in the green park district building in Howard Park. Park at 800 Ridge Rd.)
PASS39 is hosting an in-person Parent Education Event on Tuesday, November 1d5 at 9:00 a.m. Special Education Attorneys Lara Cleary & Jennifer Hansen will explain parents rights and provide tips on how to advocate for children. RSVP and send questions in advance to Pass39@wilmette39.org. The location will be provided once you have registered for the event.
Destination Imagination (DI) is open for registrations. DI is a creative competition for teams of 3-6 kids led by parents. Kids put together a skit and also practice for spontaneous instant challenges. Sign up for a DI information session or join a team.
The Trevians Girls Softball Association is adding players born in 2011 (or younger) to travel softball teams. Good athletes who want to learn the sport, receive high quality instruction during indoor workouts and will play in spring & summer seasons. Contact Kelsey Farmer for more information.
USA Hockey is hosting a “Try Hockey for Free” event at Centennial Ice Rink on Saturday, November 12 from 10:10 - 11:10 a.m. If your child is interested in hockey, this is a great way to try the sport.
Wilmette Jr. Trevians are recruiting Kdg-2nd graders to play hockey in House Mite and Mini Mite programs. Season runs from September - February. Contact: leslie.humbel@yahoo.com
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
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.
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.
Scout Troop 2 Wilmette email: bsatroop2wilmette@gmail.com
YOUR PTO IN ACTION - FREAKY FRIDAY & BOOK FAIR
Thank you for supporting Freaky Friday…
Freaky Friday was a HUGE success! With over 650 students attending and some assistance by the incredible weather, everyone was able to enjoy an amazing evening of outdoor Halloween fun! The students showed up in costume, danced and played games with DJ Ari and her crew, tested their mettle on the giant inflatables, made memories at the outdoor photo booths, and just enjoyed spending time with friends for a special night. This event would not be possible without the 100+ parent volunteers who gave their time and energy to make the evening a success. Thank you for volunteering! And a special thank you to our fearless committee for their leadership in putting the event together: Sarah Holcomb, Megan Leahy, Elizabeth Jensen, Najah Musacchio, Megan Kelly, Kate Chodrow, Connie Moran and Heather Garrity. Lastly, the committee would like to thank principal Kelly Jackson for her partnership, vision for the event, and support through all the aspects of planning and executing. Thank you Mrs. Jackson! We hope that all your students had a fantastic evening at Freaky Friday and are looking forward to the next student party in the spring.
…and Thank you for supporting Book Fair!
Another BIG THANK YOU goes to all our volunteers for making Highcrest Book Fair a complete success this year!
YEARBOOKS ON SALE NOW!
PASS 39 NEWS
The Parent Association for Student Services in District 39 (PASS39) is a parent organization committed to supporting parents of children with learning, behavioral, emotional, and developmental challenges.
Check out the October/November newsletter for more information and upcoming events HERE
D39 COMMUNICATION SURVEY
District 39 is gathering feedback from our families on District- and school-level communication preferences. Please take this brief survey to help the district learn how to continue to effectively and efficiently communicate. Note: this survey does not include classroom-level communication.
GREEN CORNER
Trex Plastic Recycling Challenge is back
The Environmental Affairs Committee is excited to share that the Trex Plastic Recycling Challenge is back at HMS! One bin is located at the entrance of the school office and one in the front lobby. We will collect produce bags, bubble wrap, plastic mailers, and other film plastics as indicated in the Trex sheet. Trex will make composite decking and railing out of this plastic!
Celebrate OAKtober with New Trees and Saving Green
Independent garden centers and nurseries around the region are showing their support for OAKtober – Oak Awareness Month – with discounts on oak and other shade trees (e.g., Chalet) during the month of October. OAKtober has been declared in 2015, as a time when people all over Illinois are taking action to learn about, protect, and restore oak ecosystems. Enjoy oak and other trees this Fall in one of the parks or during one of the many fall activities offered at the Morton Arboretum.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many ways to get involved at Highcrest! See links below to sign-up:
School Store - Sign-ups are available on Wednesdays during lunch. More spots have been added!
Village Wide PTO - Please contact the President of the Presidents’ Council, Barb Bentivenga, at bentivenga4@icloud.com for more information.
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!
SPIRITWEAR
Show your Hawks pride with a variety of spiritwear options! Please contact spiritwear@highcrestpto.org if you would like to make a purchase.