Not only was Tuesday Halloween, but it also marked the end of the first quarter of school, and teachers took the afternoon to prepare for progress reports and conferences taking place November 15-17. Be sure to sign up for an opportunity to meet with your child's teachers, so you can learn about the exciting progress your child is making in the classroom. This year all conferences will be on Meet the Teacher, and you will receive information about how to access your child's conferences after sign ups close. We look forward to seeing you soon!

As a reminder, parents will receive progress report access next week on November 8, during the day. The progress reports share information about how children are working toward standards. On those progress reports you will see marks of 1-4 for each of the standards addressed thus far in the year. More information about progress reporting at HMS is available HERE. Please note only learner behaviors and learning standards are marked at the progress reporting period. Letter grades are given at the semester (after 2nd quarter). Parents will have the opportunity to discuss the progress reports, their child's strengths, and opportunities for growth at their upcoming conferences.

Have a great weekend!

Kelly, Linda & Susie

If your child missed both picture and retake day at Highcrest AND you want your child's picture in the yearbook, please reach out to Stuart Rodgers so you can make an appointment to have your student's photo taken at their Wilmette location. Pictures must be taken by 11/22 in

order for them to be included in the yearbook.

WEBSITE: https://www.srphoto.com/

PHONE: 847-864-7322

WHMS LIVE BROADCAST! TUNE IN EVERY MONDAY!
Tune in Monday, September 11th for our first student-led LIVE broadcast of the school year. Every Monday (or the first day of the school week) at 8:52 am Highcrest students put on a live morning news broadcast. Each week a new homeroom is responsible for writing, producing, directing, filming and starring in WHMS News. Want to catch all the action? Please visit our WHMS News YouTube Page and subscribe to get alerts when we go live!

Please click here to see when and where clubs are offered during the week at HMS.

Below are some club descriptions to help you and your child discuss which clubs they might attend! There are not sign ins or attendance lists for clubs - all clubs are drop in, so there is flexibility if they decide they don't like something or want to try something else at the same time.

November is Native American Heritage Month, which is a great opportunity for all of us to pay tribute to the contributions, rich history and traditions of Native Americans across our country. District 39 is committed to providing a safe and equitable learning environment that fosters a mindset of empathy, respect, and belonging for all district students and staff. Learning about Native Americans in our community and beyond, helps us all to students and families about celebrate one another in our community throughout the year.

As a family, learning about traditions that are the same as, and different from your own helps your child increase their understanding of the world around them, and improves all of our ability to see many different perspectives. Enjoy reading a book together or check out one of the events taking place in Chicago to celebrate Native American Heritage Month.

Also celebrated this month is the Indian holiday Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Be sure to check out celebration planned at the Wilmette Public Library this Saturday, November 4, for activities and a celebration of Diwali. As a reminder, this calendar provides dates and information on many celebratory dates for students and staff of District 39.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

The sign-up window for families to schedule parent-teacher conference appointments is open. Families can sign up now for Fall parent-teacher conferences, scheduled for Nov. 15-17, immediately preceding Fall Break (Thanksgiving Week). Families received an email last Friday (Oct. 27) with their Meet the Teacher login credentials. The sign-up window closes on Monday, Nov. 13 at 11:59 pm. Please visit our D39 webpage with more detailed instructions on how to book your appointment.

Parent Education Events

Mark your calendars for our next Parent Education event titled “How Identities are Impacting Students Today.” This will be an in-person, evening event next Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 pm at Romona Elementary. Please register online to reserve your spot. Visit our Parent Education page for our full schedule of events, registration links, and archived recordings.

Additionally, District 39 is excited to be a co-sponsor as the Family Action Network (FAN) offers “Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World.” As part of this virtual event on Nov. 6, FAN will welcome Devorah Heitner, Ph.D., educator, consultant, and author of “Growing Up in Public” and “Screenwise.” Please register online to reserve your spot on Zoom.

District 39 and Wilmette Public Library Welcome Grace Lin

District 39 and our member PTA/Os are proud to partner with Wilmette Public Library to welcome award-winning author Grace Lin for an all-community event this coming Monday (Nov. 6) at 7 pm at Wilmette Junior High School. Ms. Lin will also be visiting our four elementary schools to present to our students! Online registration is open to reserve your spot now. We are grateful for the work done by our school PTA/O to help bring Grace Lin to Wilmette to present to our community.

6th Grade Joey FineRhyme Assembly

Sixth graders enjoyed a visit from Joey FineRhyme on November 2.. As the founder and Executive Director of Climate Cycle, an organization with a mission of inspiring students to green our world, he uses rhythm and rhyme to affect change.

This event was sponsored by the Highcrest PTO using the iGNITE fund (enrichment). In D39, parents pay for the enrichment opportunities, not the district. THANK YOU to all the parents who contributed to the iGNITE fund!

CRC Representative for Highcrest

The District 39 Community Review Committee (CRC) is seeking to fill their committee with one representative from Highcrest. The CRC advises the District 39 Board of Education by researching a relevant topic that will lead to improvements in the district. The position requires attending monthly meetings October through June to develop a topic and recommendations to present to the district. Meetings are scheduled from 7:00 pm to 8:30 p.m. on the first or second Tuesday of each month. You can learn more about the CRC here.

Better Understanding Autism to Increase Inclusivity in Today's World

November 9th, 7:30 pm-9:00pm at MIKAELIAN EDUCATION CENTER. Please join us on how to advocate encourage more inclusivity for our kids on the spectrum.

Facilitated by Meaghan Moriarty: Speech and Language Pathologist for LEEP

Pass 39 Kids Connect: please bring your kiddos to our last outdoor playground event of the year.

November 12, 2pm -4pm at McKenzie school playground.

If your child has an IEP or 504, or you have questions about whether they may need one, please bring your kids to play and meet others while meeting some of our pass 39 reps and learn more about how we help advocate for our district’s kids.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are so many ways to get involved at Highcrest! See links below to sign-up:

Outdoor Classroom: Enjoy time outside with the kids during lunch

School Store - Hawk Hut sign-ups are available on Wednesdays during lunch

Lunch Duty - Volunteer to help with lunch on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays

Order Your Yearbook!

Yearbooks are available to order now. Click here to order your 2023-2024 HMS yearbook!

HMS Spiritwear

Your Highcrest PTO is thrilled to announce our new spirit wear partnership with humanKIND, locally owned by a D39 Alum! Order featured items OR create your own! Local pickup available at no additional cost. Check it out by scanning the QR code below or click here.