Just a reminder that registration is open for all students for the 2026 - 2027 school year. Please log into PowerSchool and complete the registration process as soon as you can, as it truly is a big help to the District. If any additional information is needed, your child's Main Office will reach out to you. Should you need any technical assistance, please email support@sd171.org.

Each year, the District honors the staff members who have hit milestone years of service. This year, we honored a class of staff members who have shown their outstanding commitment to our school community.

Eliana Alvarez, Kimberly Skibinski (1st on the left), Mike McGowan (2nd from the left), Joseph Kent (4th from the left)

Lisa Lawrence (5th from the left)

Shari Hooton, Carol Linville (3rd from the left)

Holly St. John (6th from the left)

In Sewing Club, students explored creativity and sustainability by transforming recycled materials into unique, wearable pieces. Using old blue denim jeans, they designed and constructed stylish headbands. Each headband was personalized with patchwork fabric, rhinestones, embroidery stitches, and decorative patches, making every piece one-of-a-kind.

Students also created wide-leg lounge pants, practicing how to work with simple patterns and turn them into something new and functional. As part of their design, they proudly added a Black History patch to honor culture and learning through fashion.

Throughout the project, students learned how basic sewing patterns can be adapted and redesigned to create original clothing. They practiced patience, creativity, and attention to detail while building new sewing skills and expressing their personal style.

Our fourth grade Student Council went out with a bang! They hosted a "tattoo a teacher" fundraiser, where 16 teachers volunteered to have temporary tattoos put on them for a very worthy cause. Students were able to buy large, medium, or small tattoos and put them in a bucket specific to the teacher they wanted to see wear the tattoos. The big reveal came at our end of the year Pep Assembly, where it was announced that a total $150 was raised! The funds will be used to purchase two Little Free Libraries for outside of Nathan Hale. Shout out to our Student Council members for coming up with this awesome idea to bring more reading opportunities to Nathan Hale! 

Nathan Hale had a fantastic Field Day this year! Not only did we exercise our bodies playing various games, but we also incorporated SEL traits. Congrats to our fourth graders for winning this year's SEL showdown. Thank you for participating in our fundraisers to help us have an even more spectacular Field Day!

Congratulations to our 8th graders and we wish you the best of luck next year in High School.

Students ended Q4 with their “If My Life Started Today” projects. Using a real-world salary based on their final math grades, students created monthly budgets that included taxes, housing, transportation, and living expenses. The project also required students to write a five-paragraph essay, present a digital slideshow, and complete a self-reflection. Through this the experience, students gained a better understanding of adult responsibilities while showcasing strong research and presentation skills.

Seventh graders and staff celebrated the end of the school year with a field trip to Dave & Buster's on May 18. Students enjoyed spending time with friends, playing games, and making memories together as they wrapped up their seventh grade school year.

At Heritage Middle School, positive behavior is recognized and rewarded every day through the school’s Eagle Bucks Store program. The incentive system has become an important part of the school culture, encouraging students to make positive choices both inside and outside the classroom.

Teachers and staff members distribute Eagle Bucks to students for demonstrating positive behaviors such as showing respect, helping others, participating in class, working hard academically, and displaying leadership throughout the school day. The program is designed to reinforce the values and expectations that help create a safe, supportive, and successful learning environment at Heritage.

Once students earn Eagle Bucks, they deposit them into their House mailboxes located in the cafeteria. The bucks are then counted and added to each student’s account, allowing students to save and manage their earnings throughout the year.

Students have the opportunity to spend their Eagle Bucks whenever the Eagle Store opens. The store offers a variety of prizes and items that students can purchase using the bucks they have earned through positive behavior and effort.

The Eagle Bucks program has had a tremendous impact over the past two school years. During that time, students have deposited an impressive 30,636 Eagle Bucks and have spent 28,619 bucks in the Eagle Store. The numbers reflect not only strong student participation, but also the consistent positive behaviors being demonstrated throughout the building each day.

The success of the Eagle Bucks Store continues to highlight Heritage Middle School’s commitment to recognizing students for making good decisions, building positive relationships, and contributing to a strong school community.