After School Club registration for High Five Choir is now open. Click the button to get started! 👇
After School Club registration for Debate Club opens at 9am on Wednesday 9/7. Click the button to get started! 👇
After School Club registration for High Five Choir is now open. Click the button to get started! 👇
After School Club registration for Debate Club opens at 9am on Wednesday 9/7. Click the button to get started! 👇
The PTO has many different ways for you to get involved throughout the year. This is a great way to meet new people and become more engaged with the HMS community.
This year we will be back to having all students eat in the cafeteria for lunch! Fifth graders will eat during 4th period (11:20 – 12:00) and sixth graders will eat during 5th period (12:03 – 12:43).
All students may purchase a lunch daily, and the lunch menu will be available online monthly on our HMS website. To start the year students will be learning lunch processes, how to go through the lunch line, and how to purchase items.
Lunches will be limited to one option to start the year, and as we continue through the year, we are hopeful we will be able to add our a la carte line and additional options for lunch.
Students are always welcome to bring a lunch from home.
To add money to your child’s lunch account and for more information about lunch in District 39, please see the instructions HERE. Cost for lunch is $3.75.
High Five Junior Choir – Registration is closed
The Wilmette High Five Junior Choir provides an empowering 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 disabilities.
This club was designed after 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!
Aces Debate Club – Registration is closed
Where you’ll learn to think fast and speak well! Learn research, writing, and oral argumentation. Programs for beginning and experienced debaters, 5th thru 8th grade! All programs consist of weekly class sessions held at HMS for 60 minutes with supplemental debate activities. All programs conclude with a 2-hour session to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their new skills in full debates.
Chess-Ed – Registration is closed
Chess-Ed will continue to provide unique, exciting and dynamic chess instruction which lifts each student to a new level of expertise. Each week students will enjoy an engaging lesson with supervised time to play classmates. Students will grow their knowledge of the game – from the basics through opening theory, middle game tactics and end game combinations.
Students’ vocabulary and math skills will continue to advance.Studies confirm that the student who plays chess does better academically. Playing chess increases IQ performance, improves memory, uses analytical and critical thinking skills, teaches problem solving, responsibility, sportsmanship, social skills and more. The chess program is open to all students in all grades and of all playing levels.
Skyline: Matilda – Registration is closed
Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and unforgettable characters, Matilda is a magical musical theater experience. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
Skyline’s Broadway Performers is a no-cut program designed for middle school actors. Performers will be challenged by a professional teaching artist, and level up by learning advanced performance skills such as solo vocal technique, sophisticated character development, complex blocking, and challenging musical theater choreography.
Yearbook Club – Registration is closed
Do you want to learn how to produce and promote our HMS Yearbook? Do you enjoy photography? Do you enjoy being part of a team? Then come be a part of the team that will organize photos for our annual yearbook and create videos for broadcast, promoting the sale of yearbooks. The 2023-2024 Highcrest Yearbook Club will record the events and activities of the school year. Your input will become a treasured memory of your time here at Highcrest Middle School!
Your Highcrest PTO is thrilled to announce our new spirit wear partnership with humanKIND, locally owned by a D39 Alum! Order anytime, year-round – 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 the button.
Please join PASS39 parents for a special evening education event “Light on Anxiety” followed by a parents’ night out at Fred’s Garage in Winnetka on Monday, April 29th. The parent education presentation will be from 7-8:30 pm at the Mikaelian Education Center (615 Locust Road, Wilmette). The parents’ night out will begin at approximately 8:30 pm at Fred’s Garage. Click here for more details.
During the week of May 6th- 10th, the PTO has planned some wonderful events for our hardworking teachers and staff at HMS. We need your help! Please consider donating something from the list that they could enjoy to show our appreciation for their dedication to our kids. Thank you in advance! Click here to view the SUG.
It’s April and that means it’s Earth month! The Highcrest PTO Environmental Awareness Committee suspects that you are doing a great job reducing plastic, but if you’ve still got some plastic bags, good news.. you can now upcycle them in our lobby! Simply review the types of bags being collected in the attached list and you or your child can drop off CLEAN bags in the box in the Highcrest lobby. We will be collecting these clean plastic bags through the end of the school year. Thanks for helping keep the environment beautiful for our students, families and communities! Click here to for more details.
Are you a fan of America’s Got Talent? Do you dream of winning a Tony? Well, the PTO has the opportunity for you. We’re looking for parent volunteers to chair the spring Variety Show. This student talent show has auditions and rehearsals in April and an after school show in early May.
If interested, please contact Peggy Prescott at studentprograms@highcrestpto.org.
Please help us stock the teachers lounge during parent teacher conferences. The teachers and staff have long days during conferences and really appreciate having goodies to munch on to keep them going. Sign up and donate at least one item below and deliver it to the Highcrest front office on the designated day.
May 6-10 the PTO has planned some wonderful event for our hardworking teachers and staff at HMS. We need your help! Please consider donating something from the list that could enjoy to show our appreciation for their dedication to our kids. Thank you in advance! Click here to view the SUG.
SUPPORT HIGHCREST FROM YOUR KEYBOARD WITH AMAZON SMILE
Want to help the Highcrest PTO from the comfort of your home? Then choose Highcrest Middle School PTO as your donation organization when shopping on Amazon. Use our unique link to make sure contributions come to the Highcrest PTO every time. Your selected charity will receive 0.5% of eligible purchases. Happy Shopping! Click here to create an account.
The national Trex Challenge to recycle the most plastic bags is back at Highcrest, and this year we know we can win. (We came so close last year!) Bring your plastic bags to the school lobby collection boxes.
Support D39 strategic goals related to Sustainability Practices by implementing environmentally sustainable practices for all PTO/A events. Â When planning an event, please consider the following Objectives/Guidelines: Zero-Waste-Guidelines
****Registration will be on the WJHS website****
Hopefully your school logistics will feel a little less overwhelming with this handy list:
✔️ Familiarize yourself with arrival and dismissal procedures.
✔️ Check out the After School Clubs at Highcrest.
✔️ Don’t forget to visit the D39 Highcrest home page for your school-related documents including the D39 handbook, school and lunch fees, payments and medical forms.
Please note the 2018 Highcrest Middle School PTO Bylaws have been updated. In accordance with our charter the revised bylaws were voted on and approved at the general PTO board meeting, Wednesday, February 10 at 7pm, at the Wilmette Junior High School. Refer to Article VII 1.b for revision.
Please review the following procedures for drop-off in the morning and pick-up in the afternoon at HMS so we can make arrival and departure work well for everyone. Click the PDF traffic2018fall (2) to see an updated drop-off and pick-up map.
August 22nd PTO Coffee & Fair/5th Grade School Orientation
August 22nd New Family Welcome Night (Families new to District 39 only)
August 21st PTO Welcome Email with Important Dates
September 5th 5th Grade Curriculum Night
September 6th 5th Grade Connections (Field Day) (Rain date September 11th)
September 11th Room Parent Meeting (9:15 am HMS cafeteria)
September 12th 6th Grade Curriculum Night
September 25th Joint PTO Meeting/State of the School/New Superintendent
October 18th Freaky Friday (6-7:30 pm)
October 26th Make a Difference Day
March 2nd- 4th HMS Book Fair
April 17th Aloha Spring (6-7:30 pm)
April 22nd Budget and slate posted to PTO website
TBD General PTO Transition Meeting
Volunteer for a shift (or more) at the Highcrest Cafeteria. Not only is it a great way to get in to see your child, even if they don’t come through the lunch line, but the cafeteria workers cannot get these kids fed in a timely fashion without our help. We have enough families at Highcrest, so if each family works just two shifts then we are more than covered for the year. The shift is no more than two hours.
April 2023 PTO Meeting Minutes
February 2023 PTO Meeting Minutes
January 2023 PTO Meeting Minutes
November 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
October 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
September 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
April 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
March 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
February 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
January 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
February 2022 PTO Meeting Minutes
December 2021 PTO Meeting Minutes
November 2021 PTO Meeting Minute
Last May, the PTO contracted with a firm to collect and compost food waste. They collected approximately 750 pounds of food waste in four days, or 187.50 pounds of food waste per day, or .22 pounds per student per day.
Our Civics and Safety folks have assembled this map to help you figure out the safest way to get to school.
The Highcrest Civics and Safety Chair coordinates civics and safety programs for Highcrest and helps coordinate safety components of other PTO programs.
more >>
The Highcrest PTO provides a variety of fun and important activities and events at Highcrest and we want to make sure our families and students know about them all!
These guidelines were developed to aid you in promoting your event or program through the PTO’s communication channels. If you have any questions, email communications@highcrestpto.org.
The school store is open every Wednesday during all lunch periods. Students may purchase (using cash) items such as erasers, mechanical pencils, highlighters, rainbow pens, sharpeners and more.
If you have any questions, please contact store@highcrestpto.org.
Band/Orchestra/Choir | 8:00 – 8:40 |
HOMEROOM | 8:50 – 9:08 |
Period 1 | 9:11 – 9:51 |
Period 2 | 9:54 – 10:34 |
Period 3 | 10:37 – 11:17 |
Period 4 | 11:20 – 12:00 (5th Grade Lunch) |
Period 5 | 12:03 – 12:43 (6th Grade Lunch) |
Period 6 |  12:46 – 1:26 |
Period 7 | 1:29 – 2:09 |
Period 8 | 2:12 – 2:52 |
Period 9 |  2:55 – 3:35 |