The Weekly Highlander 2025-2026

Dear Highlander Families:

So many families were on campus Wednesday evening for Knight at the Museum, the annual event for students in 7th grade core. It was a great evening where students were able to share their learning. If you were not able to attend, check out our Instagram page to see many great photos.

Next week we have our monthly PTA meeting at 7pm, it will be on Zoom, we will NOT meet in person this month. Please see the link in this newsletter and plan to join us. The PTA Ruby's fundraiser was rescheduled and will take place on Tuesday from 11am - 8:30pm.

Our 8th graders have a few important deadlines coming up. Students who want their baby photos in the yearbook must submit them by February 28th, email information is in this newsletter. Students who are planning to attend the 8th grade Disneyland trip must turn in their permission slips and paperwork by March 1st. The forms were given to students but can also be found in this newsletter.

Please stay connected to Hewes by checking our website and following us on Instagram @heweshighlanders for the latest information and news.

Sahra Tanikawa, Principal

Highlander for a Day is a recognition program at Hewes Middle School that celebrates students for incredible moments of Winning the Day the Highlander Way. Students are recognized for working hard, including others, never giving up, controlling their responses, choosing to act above the line, and taking extreme ownership of their 20 square feet. These are the habits and mindsets that shape our Highlander culture, and we are so proud to share them with our entire school community.

Ms.Moffet, Ms.Mokhtari, Mrs.Nielsen, Mrs.Stewart, and Ms.Suarez - A sincere thank you for the passion you poured into making social studies a vibrant experience for our students. The Knight at the Museum was a resounding success because of your incredible teamwork. We know how much work went on behind the scenes to make it all look so effortless. Your dedication is inspiring—thank you for showing us all how to WIN the Day at Hewes!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://aristotlecap.zoom.us/j/89346696451?pwd=5yGbuiHxRpqqrzj7VU4RYNHCmvDt40.1

Please welcome our new front office assistant Ms.Muniz. She will be greeting families, and working to help the flow of people and phone calls in the front office. She grew up in Santa Ana and is a graduate of Samueli Academy. She completed her undergraduate degree at California State University Fullerton and has spent the last two years working as a police cadet. We are so excited to welcome her to the Highlander Family!

Tustin Unified School District is currently gathering input for the 2026-27 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). We are asking for your support by completing the Districtwide LCAP Survey. Families must be logged into ParentSquare to complete the survey. The survey will remain open through Friday, March 6, 2026.

If your student is in 8th grade and would like to attend the 8th grade trip to Disneyland in May, ALL forms and permission slips are due on Sunday, March 1st. Studets were given the packet at the 8th grade assembly in January. If needed, the required documents are attached.

Our counselors work hard every day to support the students and families at Hewes. The graphic below shows some of the activities they have completed this semester on campus. Please see the attached newsletter for more details about the work they have done.

• Tuesday, February 24 - PTA General Meeting - 7PM - Zoom
• Wednesday, February 25 - Volleyball Festival @ Momentus Sports Center 9am -12p
• Sunday, March 1 - 8th grade Disney Permission Slips are due
• Thursday, March 5 - Basketball Information Meeting 2:50 pm in the Activity Center
• Friday, March 6 - Band & Chior Field Trip to Knott's Berry Farm
• Friday, March 13 - End of 3rd Quarter
• Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 20 - PTA International Week
• Tuesday, March 17 - CTE Field Trip to Foothill - 8th grade
• Wednesday, March 18 - PTA Sponsored International Assembly for Students
• Friday, March 20 - International Week Food Fair at Lunch
• Wednesday, March 25 - Student Achievement Assembly 9:15am
• Monday, March 30 - Friday April 3 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL

Nondiscrimination/Harrassment

The Board of Education desires to provide a safe school environment that allows all students equal access and opportunities in the District’s academic, extracurricular, and other educational support programs, services, and activities. The Board prohibits, at any District school or school activity, unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying, targeted at any student by anyone, based on the student's actual race or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics

Website: https://hewes.tustin.k12.ca.us/

Location: 13232 Hewes Avenue, Santa Ana, CA, USA

Instagram: @heweshighlanders

FaceBook: Hewes Middle School

Phone: (714) 730-7348