Highland Middle School

This is a reminder that we are asking parents/guardians to please fill out the Illinois State Board of Education 5Essentials Survey to share your thoughts and impressions on the D70 school/schools your child/children attend. Your voice is important and through this survey, you can be heard. 

If at least 20 percent of the parents of a school respond, the results of this survey will appear on a Parent Report for the school when the State Report Cards are issued. While we are hopeful we will reach the 20 percent mark, none of our schools are there yet.

The survey is open through February 14, 2020, and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Pursuant to ISBE and 5Essentials administration guidelines, parents who have more than one child who attends the same school may elect to participate multiple times (e.g. completing a separate survey for each child in their family).   ISBE and 5Essentials also recommend that parents who have children enrolled in multiple schools participate in the survey for each school. Pursuant to these same guidelines, only one parent per household may participate in the survey.

Your feedback will be completely anonymous and is used for school and district improvement efforts.  

Highland's second session of conference hours are on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 - 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

Starting on Thursday, January 16th, 2020, parents can register for our second session of conference hours.  The scheduler will be open from Thursday, January 16th, 2020, at 12:00 am until Thursday, January 23rd, 2020, at 12:00 am.

Use the link below for more information:

CONFERENCE HOURS INFORMATION

• The D70 calendar for the 2020-21 school year

• Aug. 20, 2020:  First day of school for 1st - 8th grade students        
• Aug. 21, 2020:  First day of school for kindergartners
• Nov. 25-27, 2020: Thanksgiving break
• Dec. 21, 2020- Jan. 4, 2021: Winter break
• March 22-26, 2021: Spring break
• June 3, 2021: Tentative last day of school
• June 10, 2021: Last day of school if 5 emergency days used         

This is a special announcement about the sock drive.  First of all, thank you to everyone who participated. As a school, we collected 413 pairs of socks.  That is amazing! Mrs. Fievet and Mrs. Conley's Studio Ones collected the most socks, so they are the overall winners for the sock drive.  Thanks again for your help with the sock drive, Highland.  Way to go, hornets! 

Congratulations to members of Jazz 1 on their 3rd place ranking in the North Shore Jazz Festival at Glenbrook South High School on Saturday.  The band was commended by each of the judges for their great performance.

The 7th grade dance will be on Friday January 24th from 7:00-9:00pm in the cafeteria. 
The theme will be Hollywood! The admission fee is either $2 at the door or you can bring a canned food item to donate. Dress code is Hollywood attire, no jeans or sweats please. Enjoy the DJ music, hang out with your friends, free snacks from the HFA, and even a raffle with gift card prizes! Don't miss the 7th grade dance!

8th Grade Speech Club will be meeting today in Mrs. Dunlap's room 136 during the lunch period.

The Magic the Gathering club will be meeting tomorrow, Wednesday this week. 

Recess will be indoors today.

New requirements from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has District 70 discontinuing e-learning this school year.

Last year, District 70 adopted e-learning as an innovative approach to counting emergency days as the days of actual student attendance. The model District 70 employed in 2018-19 had students choose from a variety of activities that accounted for approximately 40 minutes. But this year, ISBE changed the parameters with a five-hour requirement for school districts to adhere to consider e-learning as an actual day of student attendance. This has presented a challenge for District 70 staff to create enough learning activities to meet the increased time requirement, including tasks that can be accomplished by 5- and 6-year-olds. There also is no guidance from ISBE this year regarding students requiring special education services.

E-Learning will be reviewed by district staff for future development. 

As such, District 70 students will need to make up missed school days due to Snow Days or other complications that call for emergency school closure at the end of the school year in June 2020. State law requires school districts to prepare for this by adding five emergency days at the end of every year. 

• No missed school days        ------------  School ends June 3, 2020
• District 70 closed 9/13/19  ------------ School ends June 4, 2020   (Butterfield loses power, HMS flooding during a severe storm) 

• Second day closed ------------    School ends June 5, 2020. 
• Third day closed     ------------    School ends June 8, 2020. 
• Fourth day closed   ------------    School ends June 9, 2020.
• Fifth day closed      ------------    School ends June 10, 2020. 

Please plan accordingly. 

Congratulations to this week's Class Act Students of the Week! 

Attention ALL Studio One Student Council representatives, please count how many pairs of socks your Studio One collected and write that number on the outside of your collection bag or box. Also make sure you write your Studio One teacher's name. Once you have done that, bring your collections to Mrs. Kubala's room before Studio One is over this morning. Thanks for all of your help, Hornets! 

The Magic the Gathering Club will be moved to Wednesday instead of Tuesday next week. If you have any questions please see Mr. Crown.

6th Grade Students you will have an assembly in the North Gym today during your recess. All other recess options will be closed. 
7th and 8th grade you will have indoor recess today due to weather.

The 7th grade dance will be on Friday January 24th from 7:00-9:00pm in the cafeteria. The theme will be Hollywood! The admission fee is either $2 at the door or you can bring a canned food item to donate. Dress code is Hollywood attire, no jeans or sweats please. Enjoy the DJ music, hang out with your friends, free snacks from the HFA, and even a raffle with gift card prizes! Don't miss the 7th grade dance!

Also 7th graders: - save the date for your GYM JAM on Saturday, March 7th at Center Club of Gurnee. It will be a night of fun activities starting at 7:30 PM – Basketball, Walleyball, Swimming, DJ/Dancing, raffles, and more! 
The HFA will be sending an email to your parents with a pre-registration form, and Centre Club waiver. Pre-registration ends on Friday, February 21st. Get ready for an evening of fun with your friends!

Attention to all 7th and 8th grade students interested in auditioning for the Spring Musical workshops will again meet today during either recess in the Music Room. Come get prepared for the audition. If you missed the informational meeting and are interested in auditioning come by the Music Room either half of recess. 
 

District 70 is initiating a new communication tool for the community known as Board Briefs. Board Briefs are designed to highlight important conversations and decisions made on behalf of students, families, staff, and the larger community by the District 70 School Board at each monthly School Board meeting.

Keep up with the latest D70 news by reading Board Briefs posted on our website under Board. 

Calling all Hornets! Student Council needs your help. Tomorrow is the last day of the sock drive. Bring in new socks and let's help our troops. Bring the socks to your Studio One, and the class that collects the most pairs of socks will win a prize. 

Attention 7th grade Speech Club members. Please check your email for important information about our upcoming Speech Festival and your selection. See Mrs. Michelle Smith in Room 145 if you have any questions.

7th and 8th graders. You will have an assembly in the North Gym today during your recess. All other recess options will be closed. Recess for 6th grade will be indoors today.

Students - please take off any keychains, earbud cases, etc that may be attached to your chromebook case. The only item attached to the case should be the shoulder strap. Reminder that nothing should be left in between the screen and the keyboard when closing your chromebook. Chromebooks should be zipped and over the shoulder when walking through the halls. 


Tryouts for Boys Volleyball will be held again today after school from 3:45 to 5:30. 7th grade tryouts will be in the South gym. 8th grade tryouts will be in the North gym.
 

During an Oct. 28 school board meeting, The Libertyville School District 70 School Board unanimously hired John Herrin as the new Finance Director to begin on July 1, 2020.

Herrin, currently the chief business officer in Consolidated Community School District 46 in Grayslake, will replace Dr. Kurt Valentin. Valentin, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, has been with the district 20 years and is retiring at the end of June 2020.   

Attention, Highland! This is the last week of our sock drive. Bring in new socks to your Studio One and let's help keep our soldiers' feet warm. As a bonus, the Studio One that brings in the most pairs of socks will win a prize. 

7th and 8th grade Choir has been canceled for today.

Students - please take off any keychains, earbud cases, etc that may be attached to your chromebook case. The only item attached to the case should be the shoulder strap. Reminder that nothing should be left in between the screen and the keyboard when closing your chromebook. Chromebooks should be zipped and over the shoulder when walking through the halls. 

Attention to all 7th and 8th grade students interested in auditioning for the Spring Musical. Workshops will meet every day during either recess in the Music Room. Come get prepared for the audition. If you missed the informational meeting and are interested in auditioning come by the Music Room during either half of recess. 

Attention 7th and 8th grade boys; interested in trying out for Boy’s Volleyball? Tryouts will be held today and tomorrow from 3:45 to 5:30. 7th grade tryouts will be in the South gym. 8th grade tryouts will be in the North gym. Participants must have a signed permission slip and a current physical in order to attend tryouts. You can check a list outside the nurse's office to see if you have a current physical. Permission slips can be found on the Highland Athletics website as well as in the gym. Check with Mr. Romano or Mr. Rumpf for more details.

District 70 takes closing schools seriously. When the decision is made due to inclement weather or power outages in schools, District 70 uses an emergency notification system to deliver phone calls and emails about school closings or safety emergencies.

For more information about school closings, please read the FAQ.

 There also now is an option to opt-in to receive the information via text by texting 67587 with either Y or YES as the message you send. (This will not be activated for 48-hours from when you opt-in.) This text (SMS) service only will be used in the event of school closings or a school emergency.

There will be no before school Study Hall tomorrow morning.

Magic the Gathering Club is canceled for today after school.

Congratulations to our first Class Act Students of the Week winners of 2020! 

Also congratulations to all the participants in the Highland National Geographic Bee!

Attention, Highland! This is the last week of our sock drive. Bring in new socks to your Studio One and let's help keep our soldiers' feet warm. As a bonus, the Studio One that brings in the most pairs of socks will win a prize. 

Students - please take off any keychains, earbud cases, etc that may be attached to your chromebook case. The only item attached to the case should be the shoulder strap. Reminder that nothing should be left in between the screen and the keyboard when closing your chromebook. Chromebooks should be zipped and over the shoulder when walking through the halls. 

Attention Highland Buddies. Our monthly lunch meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, January 28. We hope to see you then!

Attention to all 7th and 8th grade students interested in auditioning for the Spring Musical. Workshops will meet every day during either recess in the Music Room. Come get prepared for the audition. If you missed the informational meeting and are interested in auditioning come by the Music Room during either half of recess. 

Attention 7th and 8th grade boys; interested in trying out for Boy’s Volleyball? Tryouts will be held Wednesday, January 15th and Thursday, January 16th from 3:45 to 5:30. 7th grade tryouts will be in the South gym. 8th grade tryouts will be in the North gym. Participants must have a signed permission slip and a current physical in order to attend tryouts. You can check a list outside the nurse's office to see if you have a current physical. Permission slips can be found on the Highland Athletics website as well as in the gym. Check with Mr. Romano or Mr. Rumpf for more details.
 

• Nov. 27-29 - No school. Thanksgiving. 

• Dec. 20, 2019 - Jan. 3, 2020 No school. Winter Break

The approved calendar for the 2019-20 school year in Libertyville School District 70.