The Weekly Highlander 2025-2026

Dear Highlander Families:

Next week is busy! On Monday, we kick off the first School Site Council meeting of the year at 3pm in Room I-8. The meeting is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend. Tuesday at 9 am we will be hosting the PTA General Meeting in person and on Zoom. See the details in this newsletter for the location and Zoom link. On Tuesday, PTA will host the first Dine Out Fundraiser at Shake Shack in the Tustin Marketplace. Mention the flyer in this newsletter or use the code DONATE when you order via the app, 25% of sales goes back to Hewes PTA.

The first Breakfast Club meeting of the year is on Wednesday, September 17th in the MPR at 8:15am. The counselors will be hosting this monthly event to help students connect and build their social emotional toolbox. PTA will be hosting an icecream social for 7th and 8th grade students who were on the honor roll last spring. Students who earned a 3.5 GPA or higher will get their certificate and will be called out to the social during tutorial. If your student wants to run Cross Country, they can get a permission slip from Mr.Foley - they are due by Thursday, September 18th. Next Friday, PTA volunteers will be hosting the first Fun Friday at lunch, there will be activities and games in the quad for students to enjoy.

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

Sahra Tanikawa, Principal

We are excited to welcome Ms. Harp to our Core 6 Team this year. She grew up in Tustin and went to Pioneer Middle School and Beckman High School. Last year, she was teaching 5th grade language arts and social studies at Stateside Elementary School in Jacksonville North Carolina. She grew up riding and owning her own horses and she loves country music. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Highlander Family. When you see her on campus please introduce yourself.

A big THANK YOU to our amazing first-year TUSD teachers for embracing your new roles with such energy! You are collaborative, welcoming, and true team players who are already making a difference at Hewes. We are so excited to have you on our team and to see the positive impact you will continue to make! Ms.Harp, Ms.Karun, Ms.Ruiz (not pictured), and Ms.Suarez #whereistinyhank

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.

Join the Zoom Meeting
https://aristotlecap.zoom.us/j/89346696451?pwd=5yGbuiHxRpqqrzj7VU4RYNHCmvDt40.1
Meeting ID: 893 4669 6451
Passcode: 335180

The first School Site Council meeting of the year is on Monday, September 15th at 3pm in Room I-8. We have elected members of the committee who will be voting on items presented at the meeting, all members of the community are welcome to attend. Please see the attached agendas for additional information.

Breakfast Club is a supportive space where students can start their day with a positive mindset and a healthy meal. We’re looking for parent volunteers to sign up to donate breakfast once a month. Your support—whether it’s bringing fruit, muffins, yogurt, or juice—makes a big difference in helping our students feel cared for and ready to learn. Please scan the QR code or SIGN UP HERE to donate. Thank you!

• Monday, September 15 - School Site Council - Meeting #1 - 3pm in Room I-8
• Tuesday, September 16 - PTA General Meeting 9 am
• Tuesday, September 16 - Shake Shack Fundraiser - Support PTA
• Wednesday, September 17 - Breakfast Club for all students - 8:15am
• Wednesday, September 17 - Honor Roll Social for 7th & 8th Graders @2:25pm
• Thursday, September 18 - Cross Country permission slips are due to Coach Visser
• Friday, September 19 - PTA Fun Friday at Lunch
• Tuesday, September 23 - Cross Country Practice Begins
• Wednesday, September 24 - Student Achievement Assembly
• Wednesday, September 24 - TPSF Celebration of Schools @6pm, Tustin High School
• Wednesday, September 24 - Band Night at Angel Stadium
• Thursday, September 25 - Club Rush at lunch
• Thursday, September 25 - Choir Night at Angel Stadium
• Wednesday, October 8 - Walk To School Day
• Thursday, October 9 - Cross Country Meet at Utt Middle School @3:30pm
• Thursday, October 9 - College & Career Connections Event at Foothill High School @5pm
• Friday, October 10 - End of the first quarter
• Tuesday, October 14 - Cross Country Meet at Legacy @3:30pm
• Sunday, November 2 - Dino Dash - Middle School Race @8:20am

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