No matter which Wilmette elementary school your kids start at, they all end up in the same two buildings. Every District 39 student moves to Highcrest Middle School for 5th and 6th grade, then to Wilmette Junior High for 7th and 8th, before New Trier. I'm Sarah Jividen, and the 5th-grade move is one of the school transitions I help families plan around.
Highcrest Middle School | Wilmette Junior High | |
|---|---|---|
Grades | 5–6 | 7–8 |
Address | 569 Hunter Road | 620 Locust Road |
Students | About 750 | About 770 |
Phone | ||
Feeds from | Highcrest | |
Next step | Wilmette Junior High |
At Highcrest, kids from all four District 39 elementary schools come together for the first time. Everyone is new to the building and meeting new classmates, which makes the summer before 5th grade one of the easiest times for a family to move into Wilmette.
This is the timing I talk through most with families. If you're aiming for a summer move before 5th grade, the planning really starts the fall or winter before. That gives you time to prepare your current home, watch the spring market, and buy without rushing. Families who move into Highcrest alongside everyone else get a fresh start, with no catching up on friendships.
Highcrest sits on Hunter Road, close to Kenilworth Gardens and within walking distance for many McKenzie-area families.
Wilmette Junior High is on Locust Road, next to the District 39 offices.
Families closest to the schools, including much of Kenilworth Gardens and McKenzie, often walk or bike, while those farther east toward the lake or west of Skokie Boulevard tend to drive.
There are also buses available for both schools.
Highcrest sits on Hunter Road and Wilmette Junior High on Locust Road, so families in Kenilworth Gardens and the McKenzie area are often close enough to walk or bike. If a walk to school through 8th grade matters to you, start your search there.
Both schools house several of District 39's special education and differentiation programs.
Homes in Avoca District 37 do not attend these schools. Avoca students go to Marie Murphy School for grades 6–8.
For many families, yes. Every 5th grader is new to Highcrest, so kids aren't the only new face.
New Trier at the freshman campus in Northfield.
Yes. Highcrest is the first time students from all four District 39 elementary schools are together.
Many families can, depending on the neighborhood.
At 620 Locust Road, next to the District 39 offices.
All District 39 students do. Homes in Avoca District 37 attend Marie Murphy instead.
I help families time an upsize around a school transition, including the move into 5th and 7th grade, and I manage the buy-and-sell timing so you're not rushing.
Planning a move before middle school? Tell me your timeline, and I'll help you work backward from it.