HMS Headlines
October 21, 2022
A Message from Our Administrative Team
This year’s event will be ENTIRELY OUTSIDE on the fields behind the school. As the event is taking place outdoors, it is highly important that you read the following information carefully so we can keep all of our students safe, and so they can have an enjoyable experience.
BRACELETS: If you bought a ticket to the event, your child has received their bracelet. They MUST have it to enter the event. There will be a table set up for check in for each student to ensure they have a bracelet on.
COSTUMES: Students are permitted to wear their costumes, but please keep in mind that there will be inflatables, games, and a dance area. Everything is outside. If the ground is wet, or there is a muddy area, this could create an issue for the costume. Dress accordingly! Please also keep the costume limited to clothing only. Props such as fake weapons, canes, wands, etc. should remain at home so they don’t get lost!
LOCATION: As mentioned, the fields will be used for the different locations of the events.
Dee jay and dance area set up where bike racks usually are.
A photobooth will be located by gym C.
In the back end of the parking lot there will be the Kona Ice truck.
On the community play fields, students will access inflatables and other carnival games to enjoy with friends.
During the event, the expectation is that, once students check their bracelets, they will stay in the area. If students are found outside of the event area during the event, we will call home and have them picked up. This is necessary to ensure everyone’s safety during the event. Thank you for helping us to reinforce this with your child.
HERE is a link to arrival and dismissal information and maps. PLEASE READ THESE CAREFULLY so we can ensure that everyone is safe throughout the party!
Have a great weekend,
Kelly, Linda, and Susie
UNITY DAY 2022
LOST AND FOUND
AUTHOR VISIT
Highcrest is very excited to have author Lindsay Currie ("Scritch Scratch" "What Lives in the Woods" "The Girl In White") visiting the school this coming Wednesday, Oct 26. Linsday will be talking to the students about her inspirations for spooky stories and how students can begin writing their own. If you would like to order an autographed copy of one of Lindsay's books to be delivered to Highcrest, please visit the link.
https://www.thebookstall.com/author-lindsay-currie-visits-wilmette-students
CLUBS INFORMATION
WHMS LIVE BROADCAST! TUNE IN EVERY MONDAY!
Fun in the HMS Garden
DISTRICT 39 UPDATES
Board of Education Meeting
The Board of Education will hold its regular monthly business meeting on Monday, Oct. 24 at 7 pm at the Mikaelian Education Center. The Board will hear presentations on the District’s academic achievement, including results from fall NWEA/MAP and aimswebPlus as well as spring IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) preliminary data. An update will also be provided on key performance indicators (KPIs) of Goal 1 of our Strategic Plan. Additionally, the Board will hear the Fall 2022 enrollment report and discuss the first reading of several Board policies. Click here for access to the complete meeting agenda and materials.
Parent Education Event
District 39 recently 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 now and click here for the full schedule of 2022-23 parent education events and links.
COMMUNITY NEWS
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Share Our Spare is joining forces with THE VOLUNTEER CENTER for Make a Difference Day on October 22 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at Indian Hill Train Station in Winnetka. Donate new and gently used baby items quickly and conveniently. Check the websites for more details.
Healing Everyday Racism in Our Schools - HEROS is hosting several events in October: Civil Rights and Social Justice on the North Shore Conversation on October 26th.
The Warming House Youth Center is having a Halloween Party on October 28 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.)
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 - Highcrest 6th Grade Girls Volleyball Team
Here is your Highcrest 6th Grade Girls Volleyball team – the first team sport in the school's history!
Thanks to all of you for your support to make this happen this year, especially coach Sam Piecoro from District 39 who "fell in our laps" as an experienced girls volleyball coach. Next up: HMS Boys Volleyball in late winter (Feb-Mar), aiming for interscholastic volleyball in '23-'24. More to do!
YEARBOOKS ON SALE NOW!
Our online yearbook offer is live and yearbooks can be purchased at www.jostensyearbooks.com or your direct link of http://jostensyearbooks.com?ref=A01022093 or by phone at 1-877-767-5217.SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR & FOOD TRUCK EVENT
The Scholastic BOOK FAIR starts Monday in the Learning Commons! Below is information regarding e-wallets, the food truck event on Wednesday and shopping hours! We are thrilled to have this event back in person and look forward to your participation!
1. You can set-up an e-wallet for your child in lieu of sending cash. They can use it anytime through-out the week until it runs out of money. Use this link for more information and to set-up your child's e-wallet.
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/highcrest
2. The hours of the book fair for parents to attend are below. Each homeroom will be coming through during the week as well:
Monday 10/24 - 3:30-5:00
Tuesday 10/25 - 3:30-5:00
Wednesday 10/26 - 3:30-7:00 (Food Truck Event)
Thursday 10/27 - 3:30-5:00
3. Wednesday, 10/26, there will be a special Book Fair/Food Truck event from 5-7 PM- grab dinner from Riobamba Latin Kitchen Food Truck and grab some books too! Pls Check the Highcrest Facebook page for menu and more information.
4. VOLUNTEERS needed to help work at the book fair! Please sign up for a slot here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4DABA62EAAFB6-highcrest
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
In addition, PASS39 has added the following event TOMORROW!
Connecting Families Event
Romona Elementary School Playground
Saturday, October 22nd
5:00pm ~ 6:30pm
Enjoy an early evening at the park visiting with other families. Please feel free to bring your dinner. Hope to see you there!
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.
GILSON PARK BEACH CLEAN UP
When: October 22, 2022, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Gillson Park: Lake Ave. and Michigan Ave., Wilmette.
Do you like to join Go Green Wilmette for a beach clean-up at Gillson Beach? Look for the Go green Wilmette table at the south end of the park near the diagonal beachfront parking. Feel free to come early or stay beyond 11am, but please check in at the Go Green Wilmette table. On the webpage for Go Green is a video about plastic pollution and the beach clean-up efforts. Please bring reusable gloves (not single-use plastic gloves) and a bucket or container to collect plastic pieces that wash up during every storm (note that some of these pieces are very small and may require using your hands!). You can also do a beach clean-up on your own time. If you do, take photos and tag #gogreenwilmette on Instagram or Facebook.
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.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY COMING SOON - OCTOBER 22
Next Saturday, October 22 is the annual Make A Difference Day celebration. This event, held yearly, is an annual event where Highcrest families support the surrounding community through donations of clothing, toys, kitchen items and more! Collection takes place at the Indian Hill train station in Winnetka from 9am to noon. This year instead of bringing donations to HMS prior to the collection day, we are asking students to separate and tag donations at home by charity before bringing them to the train station. More information about what to donate can be found HERE
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 Jen at spiritwear@highcrestpto.org if you would like to make a purchase.