Happy Friday, HMS Families!

We are excited to announce the kick off of our in-house lunchtime, and after-school clubs for students! These clubs start next Monday or after, and are based on student interest.

Goal 2 in our District 39 Strategic Plan is all about building a supportive community that is inclusive and gives students an increased sense of belonging. At Highcrest we have used interest-based and supportive club opportunities to offer students somewhere to connect with others, find a new activity that interests them, and to provide some options for engagement at lunch or after school. Different from PTO-sponsored clubs, these are all run by staff within the school, are drop-in so students do not need to sign up (except for a few with space limitations or requiring regular attendance) , and there is no set fee for the clubs. We may, however, ask for a small contribution to offset supply costs for some of our more supply-intensive clubs (i.e. Baking Club). We are excited to see so many of our students eager to get involved in our school community.

Clubs are held either during a lunch period (4th or 5th period), or after school from 3:45 - 4:45 PM. Students will attend lunch clubs during their recess or during the entire period, and schedules are posted for them around the school. After school, students may be picked up by car at the main entrance to the school by 4:45 PM, or they may take the late bus from school, which will drop them off at their home elementary school or at the Wilmette Rec Center (Park District building). Teachers will show them where to pick up the late bus.

Please see the schedule below outlining the various clubs, and have your child show you the clubs folder in their Schoology account so you can look for some fun ways to get involved at HMS.

Have a great weekend,

Kelly, Linda, and Susie

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.

A HUGE thank you to our HMS PTO for their work putting together a great Connections event for our fifth graders today! Everyone had a great time!

On Tuesday, Sept. 24th at 4:30 PM, The Book Stall (811 Elm Street in Winnetka) welcomes Rob Harrell, the author of Wink and the Batpig series! They are celebrating his brand new book, Popcorn, a hilarious and moving story about coping with anxiety on a day when everything is going wrong. Rob will talk about the new book, take questions from the audience, and do some drawings. This program is free, but registration is required.

Click HERE to reserve your space.

Please disregard this message if you have already submitted your student's health forms.

Exclusion day is coming in October! 6th grade physicals and immunizations must be submitted to the nurse, Mary McLone, to ensure that all of the State of Illinois requirements have been completed and documented. Starting Tuesday October 15th, students who have not submitted completed 6th grade State of Illinois Certificate of Child Health forms will be excluded from class until the required form has been submitted and reviewed by the nurse.

Please email Mary McLone at mclonem@wilmette39.org if you have any questions.

Are you in 6th grade? Do you like math competitions? Do you want to represent HMS at the regional MathCounts competition on Saturday, February 1st, 2025? Then try out for the MathCounts team.

On October 22nd, we will go over the program, and solve some Mathcounts practice problems. On October 29th, November 12th, and November 19th, students will take 3 school contests. The 12 top scoring students will be chosen to represent HMS at the regional competition. These 12 students will continue to practice for the regional competition on December 3rd, 10th, 17th, and January 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th.

The Regional Competition is on Saturday, February 1st. Please make a note of that now, to ensure that your child does not have a conflict with that date, should they make the team. Students who do well at the regional competition may be invited to the State Competition which is usually one of the first two weekends in March. The four top scoring students from the Illinois State competition will be awarded an all expense paid trip to the National Competition in May.

Parents, please fill out this form by October 15th if your student is interested in Mathcounts. The first club date will be October 22nd.

All 5th and 6th graders are invited to compete in the Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle School competition (MOEMS). Students will meet after school (3:40 - 4:40pm) once a month from October to April.

The club dates are Oct 28, Nov 11*, Dec 9*, Jan 13*, Feb 24*, March 17* and April 7. It is important for students to attend all starred dates as these are the dates of the competitions.

Parents, please fill out this form by October 21 if your student is interested in MOEMs. The first club date is Oct 28 when the rules of MOEMs will be discussed and students will practice a past competition.

Please email Jess Radcliffe (radclifj@wilmette39.org) if you have any questions.

During our Curriculum Nights across the district, we have enjoyed sharing with you the focus of our SEL curricula in our classrooms, as well as the objectives targeted at each grade level. Information about social-emotional learning in D39 can be found HERE. Be sure to check it out for information about what your child is learning, how to support social-emotional learning at home, and gain information about resources available to families.

Additionally, at Curriculum Night, we shared the District 39 commitment to providing a safe and equitable learning environment that fosters a mindset of empathy, respect, and belonging for all district students and staff. To help foster this inclusive mindset, we are focusing on monthly themes throughout the year. As classrooms explore these themes, students will be able to learn about their identities, understand the unique qualities and perspectives of their classmates and community, and gain insight into celebrations and traditions from around the world.

Themes:

SEPTEMBER: Our Names are Important

OCTOBER: Our Identities are important

NOVEMBER: Our Families are Important

DECEMBER: Our Traditions are Important

JANUARY: Our Actions are Important

FEBRUARY: Our Features are Important

MARCH: Our Foods are Important

APRIL: Our Abilities are Important

MAY: Our Histories are Important

With September focusing on the importance of our names, we encourage you at home to have a discussion with your child about their name, how their name came to be, and if there is any significance to their name story. It could prompt a fun dinner conversation for the whole family!

Freaky Friday - Ticket Sales Open. Looking for Volunteers!

WHEN: Friday, October 18, 5-6:30pm. (Rain day is October 25).

WHERE: Outdoor on Highcrest Grounds

*Please note that NO FOOD will be served at this event. Water stations will be available.

Costumes are encouraged! There will be prizes given out for outstanding costumes in 4 categories - Scariest, Silliest, Cutest, Most Creative.

$17 TICKETS: Click HERE to purchase now through noon on Oct 17. You will need to be logged onto the PTO website to purchase tickets.

Ticket price goes up to $25 CASH ONLY at the door (will need to be accompanied by an adult to purchase).

VOLUNTEER: To make Freaky Friday a success, we need the help of lots of parent volunteers. It's a great opportunity to see your kids at Highcrest. Click here to volunteer for this year's event!

Parent Volunteer Opportunities at HMS

LUNCH DUTY

Highcrest is in need of volunteers for lunch duty. The job is easy and it’s a great opportunity to see your child at school. Sign up here!

PLASTIC RECYCLING

Did you know you can’t put plastic bags in your regular recycling? Never fear, you can drop them off at HMS! We have bins set up in the front entrance and in our teachers' lounge for plastic recycling. We are asking parent volunteers to pick up the bags and take them to the Jewel on Greenbay Rd. (1 volunteer every 2 weeks). Be a part of our plastics project and sign up here!

FREAKY FRIDAY

Friday, Oct 18 is Freaky Friday. To make Freaky Friday a success, we need the help of lots of parent volunteers. There are lots of jobs from setup, chaperones, to fortune telling and cleanup. Different time slots are available. Click HERE to sign up!

Looking for PTO Volunteers

The PTO is looking for volunteers in the areas below. Interested in learning more? Email PTO president Laurel Nelson: president@highcrestpto.org.

EDUKITS LEAD VOLUNTEER: Edukit volunteer responsibilities include: confirming Edukit supply list with HMS staff (January), publicizing EduKit ordering (spring), and managing distribution to classrooms (August).

BOOK FAIR COMMITTEE: The HMS Book Fair with Anderson Books is October 21-23. We are looking for 4-5 committee members to help market the fair, set up and break down, create SUGs for volunteers, coordinate a food truck, and finalize book orders.

VARIETY SHOW CHAIR: The HMS Variety Show takes place in the spring (date TBD by Chair and HMS Principal). Chair will assemble a team of volunteers (PTO Exec board can help recruit), hold auditions across 2-3 days, and hold rehearsals for 2 weeks preceding the show. HMS/WJHS tech crew will be available for show date and dress rehearsal. (More detailed notes available to those interested).

WEBMASTER: The Webmaster is responsible for the design, content, updating, and functionality of the PTO website. A priority for the webmaster this year will be to upgrade the design of the current website. Preferably looking for someone with prior website design and maintenance experience, or ability to pursue training.

Help Fund Your Child’s Enrichment: Donate to iGNITE

Please consider donating to iGNITE at Highcrest. The Highcrest iGNITE program raises funds to pay for enrichment programs such as field trips and school assemblies along with contributing to enhancements to our schools directly related to our students such as outdoor learning environments and athletic equipment. The district does not pay for these activities. It is 100% funded by the iGNITE. The PTO is pleased to provide these programs and appreciates your donation, which will ensure their continuation.

Here are some upcoming enrichment activities planned for the school year (more programs to be scheduled):

5th grade - 5th Grade Connections (Sept), Matt Wilhem visit (Oct), Lloyd Bachrach visit (Jan), Field trip to the Adler Planetarium (May)

6th grade - John Halligan visit (Oct), Field trip to Heller Nature Center (Oct), Joey FineRhyme visit (Oct), Mr Freeze (Jan), Night Sky Viewing (tbd)

D39 College Paddle Night Nov 16 - Ticket sales on Oct 1

The D39 Educational Foundation is excited to share that College Paddle Night is back by popular demand on November 16, 2024! Grab some friends, sport your favorite college-themed gear, and join us for a fun night of paddle. New this year is the "party" option for the injured or non-paddle players- join us! Enjoy great raffle prizes, food, beverages, and some friendly competition. All skill levels are welcome to join. Similarly leveled players will be matched together in a rotating round-robin style tournament. This is a fantastic event that sells out – save the date and join us! Proceeds will benefit our D39 schools by funding projects that expand, enrich, and complement educational opportunities for the students, staff, and community. Tickets go on sale October 1st at 10am at d39foundation.org.

Spiritwear - Available at Humankind!

Questions? Reach out to PTO President Laurel Nelson: president@highcrestpto.org

See you next week!