Did you know we started taking our Illinois Assessment of Readiness Assessments?
We have begun celebrating our scholar's learning journey this week with the first couple sections of the ELA portion of the IAR Assessment.
All students will need wired headphones for the upcoming state assessments.
Did you know that we hosted Grade Level Celebration Assemblies for IAR?
Congrats and thank you to Zion for allowing our ensure school to feel his enthusiastic talent as an MC! We also greatly appreciated the dedicated and very warm efforts of Ian, our Max the Mustang Mascot. These two 8th grade scholars supported a wonderfully fun opportunity of competition and excitement to engage and excite our entire student body!
Did you know we have a state qualifier in Bowling and a First Place winner at the Oratorical Declamation Competition?
Congratulations to Leah (8th grade) on qualifying for the IESA Bowling State Competition! Good luck to her this Friday in Joliet. Congratulations to Vivian (8th grade) for taking First Place and well done to all of our talented declamation participants.
Did you know our Annual iFest was huge success and lead perfectly into the D123 International Fest?
Friday before break, OLHMS came alive with the vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of the world at our International Fest 2025! This incredible event brought students, staff, and families together to celebrate, explore, and embrace the diverse cultures and traditions that make up our school community.
From dynamic performances and engaging student-led activities to inspiring presentations, International Fest was a day filled with learning, appreciation, and fun! This special event highlights OLHMS’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural understanding, aligning with Goal 2 of our strategic plan—fostering empathy and ensuring every background is valued.
Thank you to everyone who made this day unforgettable! Together, we celebrate our differences, build connections, and create a stronger, more inclusive community. This was a perfect event at the middle school to set the stage for the 2nd Annual D123 International Fest.
The Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School gymnasium was transformed into a multicultural festival with food from different countries and attendees dressed in traditional attire. There was dancing to a mariachi before dance troops and OLHMS students took center stage for their performances.
Mustang Families,
We are energized and excited for all that lies ahead in the final 40-something days of the school year! This is a time to celebrate our scholars’ growth and achievements, especially as we gear up for state testing and a whirlwind of exciting events and activities.
April presents meaningful opportunities to deepen our collective commitment to empathy, inclusion, and cultural understanding—cornerstones of our mission and vision at OLHMS. This month, we proudly recognize National Arab American Heritage Month, Autism Awareness Month, and the spiritual observance of Ramadan by many in our community.
Here’s a closer look at these significant observances:
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National Arab American Heritage Month: Celebrated throughout April, this month honors the rich history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans in the United States. It’s a time to elevate voices, deepen understanding, and celebrate the vibrancy of Arab American communities.
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Ramadan: The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan is a sacred time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for Muslims across the globe. This year, its observance coincides with Arab American Heritage Month—creating a powerful opportunity to recognize both cultural heritage and spiritual traditions within our community.
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Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month: At OLHMS, we not only raise awareness but also embrace Autism Acceptance Month—honoring the unique abilities, experiences, and contributions of individuals with autism. Many of our scholars, including those in our CASE classrooms and beyond, are part of this vibrant and diverse spectrum. To build understanding and inclusivity, we will host an Autism Acceptance Spirit Week from April 22–25, and we’d love for everyone to participate!
Over the years, symbols of autism acceptance have evolved. While the puzzle piece once served as a key symbol, recent shifts have moved toward embracing new symbols such as the infinity sign, along with colors like red, gold, or rainbow, reflecting the broad spectrum and individuality of those with autism. More details on our themed spirit days will be shared soon!
These observances are deeply aligned with Goal 2 of our Strategic Plan—to foster empathy, ensure every background is valued, and build an inclusive environment where every student feels a strong sense of belonging.
Before Spring Break, our school community gathered for the annual OLHMS iFest, which brought the vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of the world to life! Thank you to Ms. Maan, Ms. Ingle, and Mrs. Sweiss, along with more than 100 scholar volunteers, for organizing a truly meaningful celebration of culture, curiosity, and connection.
The celebration continued as we returned from break with the 2nd Annual District 123 International Fest, hosted right here at OLHMS on April 3, 2025. Our gymnasium transformed into a multicultural showcase filled with food, music, and dance! From mariachi performances to student-led cultural displays, the evening highlighted the beauty and strength of our diverse community.
A huge thank you to Patty Gonzalez, Blanca Rodriguez, and Jennifer Mendoza for leading the planning of this incredible event, and to the English Learner team, Sward PTA, Vanessa Rodriguez, and Abe Villarruel for their vital support throughout the evening.
As we move through testing season and head toward the finish line, let’s keep our momentum going strong. Your continued support, positivity, and partnership make all the difference.
Let’s make these last 40-something days the best yet!
Graduation Fees: The deadline for online payments has passed. Bring cash payments into the main office.
Class of 2025: Information has been distributed for our Class of 2025 and the end of the year events! Here is the LINK to the letter.
We do expect and desire to have 100% of our scholars earn the opportunity to walk the stage with their graduating 2025 Class. We have been and will continue to communicate with families if any scholar is in jeopardy of this opportunity.
Mustang families we need your support!
We need all families dropping off or picking up our scholars to be more responsible, respectful and safe. Recently, we have seen too many cars driving too fast during drop off and pick up. We have also seen cars passing and driving around other cars way too close to students- please be patient, cautious and courteous. Remember was are all modeling our Mustang Musts! The same can be said while buses are loading and unloading. Please pull all the way up in the circle drive before dropping off. This will help the traffic flow.
As a reminder, families should not be using the main entrance parking lot to drop off or pick up between 8:15-8:45 am and 3:15-3:45 pm while the buses are present.
We’re glad to see our scholars taking pride in their hygiene and personal care! However, the use of cologne and perfume has become overwhelming at times and is occasionally being applied inappropriately during the school day. To ensure a comfortable learning environment for everyone, we kindly ask that students leave their scented products at home.
Please take a moment to discuss with your child the proper use and appropriate amounts of fragrance. While we appreciate the effort to smell nice, excessive scents can be distracting and overpowering in shared spaces. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a pleasant and respectful atmosphere for all!
Bus Behavior: Please remind bus riders that we must be following our Mustang Musts. We have been hearing about challenging, inappropriate and unsafe behavior on the bus riders to and from school. We do have the ability to request bus video footage. Students will be given consequences for their behavior which may include a suspension from the bus.
Bus Loading and Unloading: Families should not be passing buses in our parking lot. This is dangerous and almost caused an accident. Do not pass buses with their stop sign extended.
Membership is $6.00 per student and $10.00 per adult
PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly
- Next PTSA Meeting is May 13th at 6:00pm
- Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com )
- PTSA Facebook
All parents/ guardians/ staff & students are highly encouraged to join the PTSA and attend meetings. This is an incredible opportunity, partnership and fun way to support our scholar’s experience at the middle school!
If you are interested in supporting our school in a different capacity please reach out to our PTSA! Maybe you do not have the time to donate, but your contributions can still be made through your membership!
Dates to Remember:
4/7: IAR State Testing Begins (4-7 to 4/17)
4/10: PAC Meeting
4/11: SELECT 123 Applications Due
4/16: CASE Program Parent Night
4/18: No School
4/21: No School
4/22: Autism Awareness Spirit Week, 7/8th Grade Band & Chorus Trip
4/24: D123 Art Fest
4/25: Service Day
4/26: IGSMA Contest
4/29: D123 Parent University: Be Smart
5/3: IGSMA Contest
5/7: Late Start, Variety Show
5/8: 5th Grade Parent Night, Yearbook Orders Due
5/9: Spring Band Concert
District 123’s students’ artistic accomplishments will be showcased
on Thursday, April 24th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The (K-5) Elementary Level students’ artwork will be located in the main gym, while the (6-8) Middle School students’ artwork will be displayed in the library.
This is a special event to celebrate D123’s students’ artistic talents and creative accomplishments! We would love for you to attend to see the amazing talents of our students.
Oak Lawn Community High School
- Soccer Clinic
- 6th - 8th Grade Girls
- Wednesday, April 30 | 5:00-6:00pm
- Register here!
- Basketball Clinic
- 5th - 7th Grade Girls
- May 1, 9, & 16 | 7:00-8:30pm
- Register here!
- Spring It On!
- All are invited to cheer on the Mighty Macs!
- Monday, May 5
- See flyer below for game times and more information.
- Junior High Art Exhibition
- 5th - 7th Grade Students (Girls & Boys)
- Thursday, May 8 | 1:45-4:00pm
- Register here!
Providence Catholic High School
