The Weekly Highlander 2025-2026

Dear Highlander Families:

As the year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your continued partnership in making this a successful year for our students. This is a wonderful time for our middle school community to recharge and enjoy the warmth of the season. I hope that the upcoming break provides you and your family with much-needed rest, joy, and quality time together. We look forward to welcoming our students back, refreshed and ready for a strong start to the new semester on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Wishing all of our families a safe, peaceful, and happy holiday season!

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

Sahra Tanikawa, Principal

MR.STENBERG - You have brought new life to the drama program at Hewes. By sharing your passion, you have helped our students discover their talents and express themselves confidently. The videos and performances have been AMAZING, and your love for your work shines through in everything you do. #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.

If you are in 8th grade and are interested in learning more about the programs at Foothill High School, you should attend the Showcase Night on Thursday, January 15th at 5:30pm. There will be an informational meeting for students interested in athletics at 5pm.

Hewes PTA is forming this year’s Nominating Committee! If you’re willing to help form next year’s Board, please provide your contact information in the Google Form below. There will only be a couple meetings, with some work from home time. We need 7 volunteers!

Please see articles and resources on mental health including: Teaching Children about Gratitude, Roblox and Your Student, Mindful Nature Walk Activity, Children’s Books, and other Resources.

• Monday, December 22 - Monday, January 5 - Winter Recess - NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, January 6 - Students return, school starts at 8:15am
• Thursday, January 8 - E-Vehicle Safety Presentation 5:30pm - Beckman High School
• Tuesday, January 13 - Vision & Hearing Screening for 8th graders in PE-8
• Wednesday, January 14 - PTA Lunch Activities
• Thursday, January 15 - School Tours - 9am or 11am
• Thursday, January 15 - Foothill High School Showcase Night for 8th grade families - 5pm start
• Monday, January 19 - MLK holiday - NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, January 20 - Boys Volleyball scrimmage at Hewes @3:45pm
• Wednesday, January 21 - Honor Roll Social during tutorial
• Thursday, January 22 - Girls Volleyball scrimmage at Hewes @3:45pm
• Thursday, January 22 - E-Vehicle Safety Presentation 5:30pm - Pioneer Middle School
• Sunday, February 1 - TPSF Pickleball Classic Tournament

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