Falcon Update

Dear HMS Families,

We will be kicking off Quarter 2 on Monday, which we can't wait for! We are kicking the quarter off with our updated bell schedule. We sent out communication about this on Thursday, October 22nd; it can be found in this newsletter if you scroll down. We are also excited to kick off Quarter 2 with a Dress Down week to support upcoming PBIS events, Student Leadership, and Breast Cancer Awareness. Students will bring $1.00 each day to participate in the dress-down of the day:

Monday: PJ Day

Tuesday: Students dress as teachers

Wednesday: Wear Pink

Thursday: Emo Day

Friday: Halloween Costume

Our PTSS will be meeting on Tuesday, October 27th at 4:30 PM at Heritage. Everyone is welcome and we hope to see you there!

Heritage is having a restaurant fundraiser on Wednesday, October 28th at Buona Beef, located at 6745 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402. Please order in person and show the flier below.

Come see Heritage Choirs and Soloists in their fall cabaret show! This year's theme, Timeless, will take you through the ages of Broadway with songs going all the way back to the 1930s. The show will be at Freedom Middle School on Thursday, October 29th at 6:30 and is free to attend. If you have any questions, you can reach out to Miss Winter (gwinter@bsd100.org). We will also be announcing our District musical at the end of the evening!

The Halloween Dance is this week on Friday, October 30th, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. Dinner will be provided along with dancing and an open gym. School-appropriate costumes are encouraged but not required. We do need your support to make it a success. Here are the links to sign up to donate food or to be a chaperone.

Donations: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E44AFAD2BA1FA7-65885516-halloween

Volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E44AFAD2BA1FA7-65885460-halloween

Does your student have a family member or family friend who has served in the military? Heritage Middle School is hosting a Veterans Day Assembly on November 11th and is inviting any veterans to join us for a light breakfast at 8:30 am with a school assembly to follow. The assembly will feature a ceremony for veterans with music from the Heritage Band and Choir. If you would like to invite a veteran, please fill out this form.

Heritage Middle School is hosting a donation drive to support Sarah’s Inn, an organization that provides comprehensive domestic violence support and services to individuals and families in Chicago and West Cook County. Please help by donating essential items for individuals and families in need. We are collecting the following new, unopened, full-sized items:

• Non-perishable food items
• Cleaning supplies
• Hygiene products and toiletries
• Pull-Ups, diapers, and wipes

Please ensure that all donations are new, unopened, full-sized, and in good condition. We cannot accept opened items, travel-sized products, or perishable food. The grade level that collects the most supplies will earn a dress-down day, and every student will receive 500 PBIS points! The donation drive runs through Friday, October 30th.

For the remaining home basketball games (October 28th and 29th), you can support Sarah's Inn by bringing any of the listed donation items in place of the entry fee. Thank you for your support!

Thank you,

Michelle Hauer

708-303-4805

mhauer@bsd100.org

Additional Important Future Dates

10/28: Buona Beef Fundraiser

10/29: Fall Cabaret Show at Freedom Middle School at 6:30

10/30: Halloween Dance at HMS for students from 4:30 to 6:30

10/30: Progress Reports Go Home through email

11/2: No School for Parent-Teacher Conferences

11/3: No School

11/10: Late Start

11/11: Veterans Day Assembly

11/12: Morton West High School Visit for 8th grade

11/12: Morton West High School Parent Meeting at Heritage from 5:00 to 6:00

Donations: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E44AFAD2BA1FA7-65885516-halloween

Volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E44AFAD2BA1FA7-65885460-halloween

As we wrap up the first quarter, we are excited to share an upcoming update regarding our daily bell schedule for Quarter 2. Starting on Monday, October 26th, the start of Quarter 2, we will implement an adjusted bell schedule designed better to support our students and staff throughout the day.

This new schedule introduces a dedicated Homeroom time each morning for announcements, breakfast, and Social-Emotional Learning without interrupting the core learning environment. Students will remain in their Homeroom classroom with their first-period teacher to keep morning transitions smooth and efficient. Additionally, the schedule establishes universal passing periods across the entire building, creating consistent transition times to help students move safely and orderly between classes.

Please know that students’ core teachers will not change, but our exploratory classes for 6th and 7th grade will be changing as planned at the start of the new quarter.

We will review the new daily flow with students on the first day of Quarter 2, but we encourage you to take a few minutes to review the attached schedule with your child so they feel prepared. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work together to build a structured, positive, and supportive learning environment.

Join us at Heritage Middle School from 6:00 – 7:30 for What's Possible: Let’s Create! Get a hands-on look at the creative apps your child uses in class to design, record, and express themselves. Whether you want to explore digital art, video editing, or interactive storytelling together, this evening is built for you to imagine and make side-by-side. Please bring your child’s iPad to this event for an interactive experience!

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