THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW: 

• Giant Life News is a great source of information to encourage students to join activities!  
• Students in Health classes will be screened for Signs of Suicide on Tuesday 9/17 and Wednesday 9/18

We loved welcoming you into our home last Thursday.  It is our greatest joy to put our passion and commitment to learning and growth on display. I am sincerely grateful to all of you who took the time to introduce yourself.  I truly believe in strong school and community partnerships.  We are all on the same team (one of our Giant values) in the pursuit of creating an inclusive school community where every learner thrives.   Speaking of teams, it was great to cheer on our Flag Football and Football teams on Friday at DHS with a great showing of support from our community.  Win or lose, we are always GIANTS.

Yesterday marked the anniversary of September 11th, 2001.   We recognize that this day holds a deep significance for many adults and those who lived through this tragic time. However, for our students whom were born after this event, 9/11 exists as a distant historical moment.  It is something they have learned about, but may not fully grasp emotionally.

What We Can Do:

1. Open Conversations: Encourage open discussions about 9/11 and other historical and current events. Rather than focusing solely on the trauma, we can highlight the strength and unity that emerged in its aftermath, focusing on how communities came together in compassion and support. This makes me think about the ways in which our community came together after the 4th of July parade shooting.  
2. Create Positive Flashbulb Memories: While we cannot erase past traumas, we can help our students create positive, life-affirming flashbulb memories. As families and communities, we can mark important moments—both big and small—that reflect kindness, connection, and resilience. Helping children focus on acts of generosity, empathy, and collaboration can build a foundation of hope.
3. Healing Together: Healing is a community effort. Whether it’s reflecting on international, national, or local events, we can provide spaces for children to express their emotions and learn positive coping strategies. In doing so, we help them understand that while difficult moments are a part of life, they are not alone in facing them.

As a team, we have the opportunity to help our children build positive flashbulb memories—moments that shape them with hope, joy, and inspiration. By nurturing an environment where they feel safe, loved, and empowered, we create lasting memories of belonging, empathy, and achievement.

Holly Fleischer

ACADEMICS

On Saturday, October 26, 2024, sophomore and junior students have the opportunity to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). We strongly encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity. The school district will cover the costs to take this test.

This letter contains more information. The test is free of charge, and students can register via this Google Form. Registration closes on September 20, 2024.

ACTIVITIES

Beach Party 2024!

Lettuce Eatin Club- Sponsor Ms. Castellani:

Student Section HP vs. DHS

Homecoming Theme Revealed from Junior Class Council!!



Homecoming Spirit Week from Junior Class Council!!!

ATHLETICS

Giant Leaders is a program open to ALL Highland Park High School students. Anyone interested in building their leadership capacity should fill out this form: Giant Leaders Sign-up. Meetings are held every other Wednesday. The first Giant Leaders meeting is Wednesday, 9/18 at 7:30am in H210. Feel free to reach out to Mr. Harris with any questions.

Students interested in being athletic department interns should contact Mr. Harris (pharris@dist113.org). There are many different opportunities for students to get involved. 

The Giants Club is our volunteer parent booster organization. Their mission is to promote school spirit and provide supplemental funds that benefit all athletic teams. If you are not currently a member of the Giants Club, please consider joining. There are different levels of membership. The base level of $75 includes free admission to many HPHS home games. There are varying levels of membership and if you choose to join beyond the $75 level, you will be able to direct additional funds to the sports program(s) of your choice. There are other perks to membership which can be found here. There are also opportunities to help the Giants Club in other ways. Thanks for considering getting involved. Everyone is welcome to attend the September Giants Club Meeting on Wednesday, 9/25 at 7:00pm in the Giant Conference Room.

Our Boys and Girls Cross Country teams travel to Peoria, IL for a meet this coming weekend. Both teams are looking forward to competing at historic Detweiller Park. We are proud of our Cross Country teams and wish them the best of luck on Saturday. Check out all the upcoming HPHS Athletic events here.

HOMEROOM @ HOME

Next week, your student(s) will take the Panorama SEL & Well Being Survey in their homeroom. To provide some clarity about what the survey is, we have created an infographic for you using data from last fall. You can access it here in English, and here in Spanish.   This letter was also sent earlier this week with more details about the survey.  

Take a moment to review its purpose, the collective student response rates, and how you might engage your student in talking about the sense of connection they feel at HPHS. There are some rich opportunities to connect with your student as an “asset detective”. 

Our HPHS Counseling Department in collaboration with our Health teachers will be administering the first of 2 Signs of Suicide Screeners on Tuesday 9/17 and Wednesday 9/18. And then again in the spring.  This also coincides with National Suicide Prevention Month.  All students in sophomore health will be a part of a mental health unit and curriculum from Elyssa's Mission.  After their lesson, each student (unless they opt out) will take a survey. This information helps us support our students.