Falcon Update

Dear HMS Families,

This upcoming week is a busy one! Thank you for taking the time to review the newsletter so you don’t miss any important information or events.

Throughout the entire week, the Book Fair will be open. It will open Monday afternoon, September 14, and will also be open during Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 17. You can set up your student’s eWallet here. If you are interested in volunteering at the Book Fair, please sign up here.

Please know you are also able to shop online starting on September 14th. Thanks for supporting the Book Fair!

We will be conducting two safety drills this week. Our fire drill with the Berwyn Fire Department will take place on Monday, September 14, and our lockdown drill with the Berwyn Police Department will take place on Wednesday, September 16.

We are hosting our first PTSS meeting on Tuesday, September 15, at 4:30 PM at Heritage. Please remember that everyone is welcome! In case you missed the information about PTSS, we hope the following helps explain what it is and how you can be involved. HMS Parent Teacher Student Staff (PTSS) is different from a PTA or PTO you may have experienced in the past. Everyone who is a member of the Heritage community is automatically a member of PTSS. There is no membership fee—just an opportunity for families, students, and staff to support Heritage in whatever way they can. The mission of PTSS is to support students' education and experience by strengthening relationships and communication among the school, families, and teachers.

On Thursday, September 17, we will be hosting Curriculum Night from 6:00–8:00 PM. The doors will open at 5:45 PM, and we will begin promptly at 6:00 PM in the gym with a welcome from the administration team. Families will then be able to follow their student’s schedule and learn more about what they will be learning in each content area this year. We will end the evening with a Schoology session and give families an opportunity to make sure they are signed up and can access their student’s account. The Book Fair will also be open during Curriculum Night.

We will also have Picture Day on Friday, September 18. Students may be out of dress code for their school picture; however, hoodies are not permitted, and all outfits must still be school-appropriate. Students are expected to wear their IDs as usual but may remove them for their picture.

Students have been doing a great job bringing their iPads back and forth each day and making sure they are fully charged. We are asking families to sit down with their student sometime during the month of September to review the digital guide embedded in this Google Form. Once you have reviewed the guide together, please complete the form to confirm that you have done so. As an added incentive, all students who complete the form will receive PBIS reward points and be entered into a raffle on October 1!

We hope to see all of our families at Curriculum Night.

Thank you,

Michelle Hauer

708-303-4805

mhauer@bsd100.org

Additional Important Future Dates

Week of 9/14: Book Fair Open

9/14: Fire Drill with the Berwyn Fire Department

9/15: PTSS Meeting at 4:30 PM at HMS

9/16: Lockdown Drill with the Berwyn Police Department

9/17: Curriculum Night - 6:00-8:00 PM

9/18: Picture Day

9/22: Community Informational Meeting at LaVergne Educational Center at 6:00 PM

9/23: Bus Evacuation Drill

9/24: Cane's Fundraiser

10/1: Parent Teacher Conferences - More information to come soon

10/6: Late Start

10/6-10/7: Dental Clinic

10/7: High School Fair at FMS from 6:00-7:30 PM

10/8: Lotería Night at HMS from 4:00-5:00 PM

10/12: No School

10/21: Unity Day - Everyone should wear Orange!

10/23: End of Quarter 1

10/30: Halloween Dance at HMS for students from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

We are excited to share that the Book Fair is right around the corner. It is a great opportunity to grab a new book or find a new series to start the year. The book fair opens on September 14th. Feel free to set up your eWallet here. You are also able to shop online starting September 14th.

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/heritagemiddleschool6

Want to volunteer at the Book Fair? Sign up here

Help us start the school year strong! We are excited to announce our September Attendance Incentive Program to celebrate and reward students for coming to school every day ready to learn.

Here is what your student can earn this month:

• Weekly Dress Down Fridays: Students who are present every day from Monday through Thursday earn the privilege to dress down on Friday!

  
  

• 500 PBIS Points: Students who miss 1 or 0 days of school in September will receive 500 PBIS points to spend at the school store.

  
  

• 250 PBIS Points: Students who miss only 2 days in September will earn 250 PBIS points.

  
  

• Raising Cane's Gift Card Raffle: Any student with 2 or fewer absences during September will be entered into a raffle to win Raising Cane's gift cards!

  
  

Every day counts toward your student's learning and rewards. Thank you for your partnership in encouraging daily attendance! If you have any questions or need support with attendance, please feel free to reach out to the school office.

Falcon Fouls is our universal behavior system that reminds students of what the expectations are when in the building for minor behaviors. Students will earn fouls if they are not responsible, respectful or safe. When a student receives a foul, they have time to reflect on the behavior and have a conversation with the staff member. After a student earns 4 fouls, they receive a 25-minute detention. Please know that our staff will provide reminders for students to stay on task, use appropriate language, etc. Our staff is consistent about writing fouls for the following things: out of dress code, including ID, cell phones, and tardiness to class.

Student safety is our top priority. We ask families to remind students that they should never cross train tracks when the gates are down or signals are flashing, and always to stop, look, and listen before crossing. We would rather a student be late to school than cross the tracks when the gates are down.

Some motorized bikes, including certain e-bikes and motorized bicycles, may require a specific license, registration, or minimum age requirement. In many cases, our middle school students may not meet these requirements. Illinois has also passed legislation establishing age requirements for certain e-bikes that will take effect in January 2027.

For these reasons, students should not ride motorized bikes or e-bikes to or from school. These bikes are also not permitted on Heritage Middle School property during the school day.

Students are permitted to ride traditional bicycles to school. However, once students enter school grounds, they must dismount and walk their bikes to ensure the safety of all students, families, and staff. For students who ride bikes to and from school, helmets are strongly encouraged, and riders should follow all posted traffic rules.

Students at Heritage receive free breakfast and lunch each day if they choose to participate, or they may bring their own lunch from home. As a healthy school, we ask that students do not bring pop, energy drinks, or large bags of snacks.

Breakfast will be served each morning in students Period 1 class. Lunch will take place at the scheduled time according to the bell schedule, and students will also have the option to participate in recess during their lunchtime.

Below will be where you can find the menus for Heritage through OrganicLife.

Students are required to wear school uniforms on all days they are in the building unless it is a special spirit day or they have purchased a dress down from the PBIS school store. The dress code policy from the student handbook is as follows:

The dress code is mandatory and applies to all 6th -8th graders on the first day of school.

• All students shall wear a school approved plain/solid collared polo shirt in navy, white, or black. The polo may be long or short sleeve and must be properly fitted. Any t-shirts worn underneath polo shirts should either match the polo or be black or white.

• Students shall wear plain, solid khaki or black colored pants, skirts or shorts. Pants may be sweat pant material. Leggings, bike shorts, and oversized pockets are not allowed.

• Plain, solid navy, white, or black sweaters/sweatshirts (non-hooded) or school-branded sweaters/sweatshirts are allowed.

• IDs should be worn and visible at all times if required by school. Students must wear school-appropriate lanyards.

• For safety reasons, shoes must have backs. Flip-flops and slippers are not allowed. Crocs may be worn with the back strap in place.

• Items of clothing or jewelry that display images or text portraying illegal substances, weapons, or vulgar messages are not permitted. Additionally, attire that identifies or promotes gang activity is prohibited.

• Unless otherwise communicated by school staff, hats, caps, sunglasses should not be worn inside the building.

• Jeans and other approved attire may be worn during out of uniform days and spirit days at the discretion of the administration.

Students will start changing for Physical Education class during the second week of school. Uniforms are available for purchase and can be done so on Supply Drop Off. Uniforms and spirit wear will also be for sale throughout the school year.

School locks are $9 and are needed for the student lockers. They can be purchased at the Supply Drop Off Event on August 18th or from the main office.

All sixth grade and new students are required to have a school physical and copy of their updated immunizations in order to start the school year on August 19, 2026. The school physical form from a Doctor’s Office must be submitted to the school by Tuesday, August 18th. The forms can be dropped off to the main office. If you have questions for the nurse, please contact her at maria.torres@bsd100.org or 708-303-4810.

Dear D100 Families,

Governor Pritzker signed a new law requiring all school districts to have policies banning cell phones during the school day. To help all students stay focused and succeed at school, District 100 will continue to maintain a cell phone-free learning environment through our Phones Off & Away All Day initiative.

Students in all D100 schools are expected to keep their phones turned off and out of sight from the start to the end of the school day.

Phones must be stored in lockers or backpacks, not in pockets, and cannot be used during lunch, passing periods, or in restrooms. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please call the main office.

If a student uses their phone during school hours, it will be confiscated and held in a secure location until the end of the day. In situations involving repeated offenses or gross violations, a parent/guardian will need to pick the phone up from school staff.

Exceptions for medical or individual learning needs will be made in partnership with school staff and families.

The academic success and overall well-being of students is our top priority. Limiting distractions helps students remain focused, engaged, and ready to learn, while also preventing potential issues such as cyberbullying or conflicts between peers related to cell phone use. As we approach the start of the school year, please take a moment to talk with your child about these expectations. If you believe your child may have difficulty following these expectations, we recommend keeping their phone at home during the school day.

Thank you for partnership in creating positive learning environments where students can thrive academically and socially. We look forward to a successful 2026-2027 school year!

Email: mhauer@bsd100.org
Website: https://heritage.bsd100.org/
Location: 6850 31st Street, Berwyn, IL, USA
Phone: (708)749-6110
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMiddleSchoolBerwyn
Twitter: @HeritageD100