HMS Friday Flyover

Hello Hawks!

Even though this was a short week, it was still another great one here at Heineman! Our students continued to settle into routines, stay engaged in their learning, and bring positive energy to the building each day.

It has been exciting to see the school year begin to find its rhythm. Classrooms are becoming more established, students are building stronger connections with staff and one another, and our activities and athletics continue to add so much energy to our school community.

Today, we also took time to remember and reflect on September 11th. It is important that we continue to honor those who lost their lives, recognize the bravery and sacrifice shown by so many, and help our students understand the significance of that day in our nation’s history.

Short weeks can sometimes feel like they fly by, but our Hawks made the most of every day. The effort, flexibility, and positivity we continue to see from both students and staff are a great reflection of what it means to be ALL IN!

We’re looking forward to getting back to a full week and continuing to build on the strong start we’ve had so far.

Go All IN Today!

Aim High

Lead Positively

Learn Together

Inspire Excellence

Never Settle

Go Hawks!

Stephen Mogni

Principal, Heineman Middle School

Monday 9/14

Cheer information Student Meeting during Advisory📣

X-Country Practice 2:30-3:50pm 👟

Homework Club 2:30-3:45pm 📚✏️

Girls Volleyball Match Away match at Marlowe 4:00-6:00pm 🏐

Tuesday 9/15

Chain Hawks Disc Golf 2:30-4:30 at Lions Grove

Girls Volleyball Practice 7th & 8th grade from 2:30- 4:00pm 🏐

X-Country Meet Away at Cary 4:00-6:00pm 👟🏃

Homework Club 2:30-3:45pm 📚✏️

Jazz Band 2:30-3:45pm 🎷🎶

Chess Club 2:30-3:45pm ♟️

Wednesday 9/16

X-Country Practice 2:30-3:50pm 👟

Girls 7th grade Volleyball Home match vs Beardsley 4:00-6:00pm 🏐

Girls 8th grade Volleyball Home match vs Beardsley 4:00-6:00pm 🏐

Poms Uniform Fittings 2:30-3:45pm 📣⭐

NO HOMEWORK CLUB (due to staff meeting)

Thursday 9/17

X-Country Meet Away at Lippold Park 4:00-6:00pm 👟🏃(Parkland, HMS, Beardsley)

Girls Volleyball Practice 7th & 8th grade from 2:30- 4:00pm 🏐

Homework Club 2:30-3:45pm 📚✏️

Friday 9/18

Fall Sports Picture Day 2:30-3:45pm for X-Country & Girls Volleyball 👟 🏐

Welcome to our new Home/School Connection corner! Middle school is a time of huge growth, and we are here to partner with you every step of the way. Each week we will share a quick, practical tip to help support your student both in and out of the classroom. These tips will range from simple ways to help with homework and build strong study habits, to strategies for supporting your child's emotional well-being and confidence.

Heineman is looking for parents/guardians who want to play an active role in strengthening the school experience for students and families!

Members will meet with school administration three times during the 2026-27 school year to share perspectives and ideas, provide feedback on important topics, and work collaboratively with school leaders to identify ways to increase family engagement and enhance the educational experience for all students. Members will also serve as parent ambassadors, helping strengthen communication and understanding between the school and its families.

To ensure all voices are heard and that everyone has an opportunity to participate and contribute, the Parent Advisory Committee will be limited to 25-30 members who will represent different grade levels and a broad range of perspectives. To support continuity and meaningful participation, committee members are asked to attend all three meetings during the 2026-27 school year.

Meeting dates for HMS
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 (6pm-7:30pm)
Tuesday, January 26, 2027 (6pm-7:30pm)
Wednesday, April 7, 2027 (6pm-7:30pm)

Interested in getting involved? Complete this brief form by October 2nd.

HMS form

The Huntley Hurricanes Special Olympics team is excited to kick off the 2026 basketball season in a few months! To gauge interest and tailor our plan for the fall, we kindly request your assistance in participating in an interest survey. See below for two Special Olympics basketball opportunities that will be available this fall/winter.

To be eligible to participate, students must be at least 8 years old (at the start of the 2026-27 school year) through age 22 and have an intellectual disability or an impairment approved with physician consent. There is no cost to participate, other than to ensure proper attire including athletic shoes.

• Basketball Team- Students will be on a team playing basketball games against other Special Olympics teams in the area. Commitment: At least three games and weekly practices leading up to the regional competition

• Basketball Skills- Students will compete focusing on these skills: Target Pass, 10-Meter Dribble and Spot Shot. Commitment: Weekly practices leading up the regional competition

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Please fill out this form by September 25 if you are interested in signing up your child for the 2026 Special Olympics Basketball Team or Basketball Skills. This is only the first step of the process as we are seeking to gather interest. You will be contacted directly regarding next steps. By collaborating with you, we can ensure that our efforts align with the needs and preferences of our community.

If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions regarding the survey or the initiative itself, please let me know. Thank you for your cooperation and support in this endeavor.

Grab a blanket and get comfy for Huntley 158’s first sensory-friendly movie night! Join us on Tuesday, October 13, at Heineman Middle School for a fun and inclusive evening open to all ages.

The featured movie, Out of My Mind (rated PG), is an inspiring story about a young girl with cerebral palsy who finds her voice and challenges others to see what she is capable of. With powerful themes of friendship, inclusion and perseverance, it’s the perfect film to bring our community together.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the movie begins at 6:15 p.m. Come dressed for comfort and bring a blanket for floor seating; an accessible seating area will also be available. We’ll provide snacks and water, or feel free to bring your own. Stop by our “selfie station” and enter for a chance to win a prize!

The evening will wrap up at approximately 8 p.m. Students under age 13 must attend with a parent or guardian.

Questions? Contact Ina Hall, Huntley 158 Family Engagement Liaison, at ihall@district158.org.

It is the mission of Huntley Community School District 158 to inspire, challenge and empower all of our students. In order to accomplish this, teachers and staff regularly monitor student progress. Huntley 158 uses Satchel Pulse, a tool that measures our K-12 students’ learning in relation to the Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards and CASEL competencies. Just as Aimsweb and STAR are screeners for math and literacy, Satchel Pulse serves as a screening tool that monitors a student's growth in developing skills such as self-management, goal-setting, collaboration, and decision-making.

Please click this LINK for more information and "Opt Out" options

Picture Day is Thursday, October 1st!

Picture retakes will be held on Thursday, October 22nd.

Huntley Community School District 158 is excited to welcome all Huntley 158 multilingual families to our next Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (MPAC) meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. at the District Office, Room 180, 650 Dr. John Burkey Drive in Algonquin. MPAC provides families an opportunity to connect with district staff, share ideas, ask questions, and help support the success and well-being of our multilingual students. Your voice matters, and we hope to see you there!

Topic: School Anxiety, Avoidance & Refusal: Symptoms and Interventions

Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 6PM - 7PM

Presenter: Jacqueline Rhew, LCPC

Open to all Huntley 158 families

Join via Google Meet

September is Attendance Awareness Month and Huntley 158’s motto is “Your Presence is Your Power.” Every day a student is in school is an opportunity for them to build relationships, learn and access support.

The district is kicking off its first virtual Family Learning Series this year with a presentation by Jacqueline Rhew, a licensed clinical professional counselor, who specializes in school refusal and anxiety in children. The virtual event is free and open to all Huntley 158 families.

Rhew’s presentation will provide parents and caregivers with practical strategies to support their child who may be struggling with school anxiety, avoidance, and school refusal.

She will explore factors that contribute to school avoidance and help parents learn how to recognize early warning signs and unhelpful coping patterns, and better understand how anxiety and avoidance can reinforce one another.

In addition, Rhew will outline specific interventions to help children manage anxiety, increase motivation, set realistic goals, and gradually re-engage in school. Parents will also learn strategies for responding to anxiety without unintentionally reinforcing avoidance, promoting healthy coping and problem-solving, and using communication that builds self-advocacy, confidence, and independence.

You can purchase a Heineman Middle School yearbook for your students at www.yearbookforever.com. Please email Mr. Baser (rbaser@district158.org) with questions.

Please remember to send in a medical note for your child if they have missed school for an appointment. This helps us accurately track each student's attendance properly and avoids unexcused absences. You may also email your note to our Attendance Secretary, Mrs. Lisa Meyers at limeyers@district158.org.

If you child will be out due to a vacation, please have them pick up a vacation absence form in the school office. This will help our office properly track attendance . These absences are considered unexcused per District 158 that follows the State of Illinois policies.

If your student(s) will be out of school please be sure to contact the attendance line at 847-659-4311.

This helps us accurately track your student's attendance . Thank you.

Hello, my name is Katie Vandervalk and I am the new 8-1 Literacy teacher this year! While I am new to Heineman, I have been teaching for 7 years and became a teacher so I could spend everyday talking about books. I have always loved to read, and when I was in middle school my favorite series was The Hunger Games, and I am very excited that there are still new parts of the series coming out! After school I like to spend time with my family, friends, and my dog George. I love to play tennis and can often be found playing or coaching at the Racket Club. I am also a huge Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks fan and am always cheering them on from home or at the game.

Fall Sports

Parents/guardians interested in registering their child for a middle school fall sport will need to log into or create a SNAP! account. If you have any questions about SNAP! or fall middle school sports, please contact Jennifer Sebestyen at jsebestyen@district158.org

SNAP - Heineman Middle School Athletics

Calling all 7th and 8th grade girls basketball players. In an effort to strengthen the connection between our high school program and our middle school athletes, we are excited to announce our first-ever combined High School and Middle School Open Gyms.

• Monday September 28th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, HHS East Gym
• Monday, October 19th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, HHS East Gym

Athletes may enter through Door 10 (Athletics Entrance) the night of. In addition, we are holding additional high school weight room sessions and open gyms after school throughout the fall. If you are a student-athlete and are interested in joining us in these additional workouts, please feel free to reach out.

We as a high school staff are excited to welcome our future Red Raiders into the program this upcoming year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

GET YOUR COLOR RUN TICKETS & SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER!

Our 5th Annual Color Run has moved to the fall and will be here soon! Click here to register your student now! **EARLY BIRD registrations receive a FREE t-shirt! (Must register by 9/20 at 9pm to receive free shirt)**

Volunteers are also needed for this fun event! Click here to sign up to have fun with us!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

• Tuesday, September 22nd @ 4-8pm: Culver’s (Huntley) Dine & Share
• Friday, October 2nd: Color Run (rain date 10/5) (Secure your ticket here)
• Tuesday, October 6th @ 8:30am at HMS: October PTO Meeting

If you have a question specific to a certain subject please email your child's teacher.

For 6th grade general academic questions/concerns contact:

Team 6-1: Mrs. Nicole Busam (nbusam@district158.org)

Team 6-2: Mrs. Denise Conlon (dconlon@district158.org)

For 7th grade general academic questions/concerns contact:

Team 7-1: Ms. Jenny Schlueter (jschlueter@district158.org or Mrs. Jeannette Perreault (jperreaultt@district158.org)

Team 7-2: Mrs. Tammy Carpenter (tcarpenter@district158.org)

For 8th grade general academic questions/concerns contact:

Team 8-1: Mrs. Saundra Schlapia (sschlapia@district158.org) or Mrs. Gabrielle Lundsberg (glundsberg@district158.org)

Team 8-2: Mr. Neal Golyshko (ngolyshko@district158.org)

If you have any question concerning a student behavior please contact:

Ms. Katy McCrystal (kmccrystal@district158.org)

If you have any question concerning Student Services please contact:

Mrs. Shannon Seibert (sseibert@district158.org)

If you have any questions concerning any in season sports please first contact your child's coach. For further concerns please contact:

Mr. Jeremy Mikkelson (jmikkelson@district158.org)

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