The Weekly Highlander 2025-2026

Dear Highlander Families:

Next week marks the beginning of cross country season and practice will begin on Tuesday after school. Students participating in cross country should receive detailed information about practice days and times from Coach Visser or Coach Foley. Students in Choir and Band will be performing the National Anthem at Angel Stadium. Choir will perform on Wednesday and Band will perform on Thursday, both groups will be performing on the field. We are so excited that our Highlanders get to have such a unique experience and we are so proud of our students and their representation of the music programs at Hewes.

On Thursday, students will have the opportunity to participate in Club Rush and find other students with similar interests. Encourage your child to go and check out the clubs on the blacktop at lunch. Next Friday is the deadline for 8th graders to order their class of 2026 shirts and lawn signs. Information and links to the online store are found in this news letter.

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. Suarez to our Core 7 Team this year. Last year she was teaching at Palm Lane Global Academy and she attended St.John the Baptist for Middle School. She shared that she is a homebody at 💗who enjoys movies and 80s music, camping and family getaways. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Highlander Family. When you see her on campus please introduce yourself.

A big THANK YOU to Mr.Visser and Mrs.Vega our BEST teaching team! You’ve worked hard to ensure students started the school year on a positive note. Your teamwork, dedication to supporting ALL students, and contributions to enriching our Hewes community do not go unnoticed. Your hard work makes a real difference, and we are excited to see the growth and success ahead. #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.

• 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 - Choir Night at Angel Stadium
• Thursday, September 25 - Club Rush at lunch
• Thursday, September 25 - Band Night at Angel Stadium
• Thursday, October 2 - CJSF applications are due for 7th and 8th graders
• Wednesday, October 8 - Walk To School Day
• Thursday, October 9 - Cross Country Meet at Legacy @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 Sycamore Magnet Academy @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