Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills is marking notable academic progress as students engage in the 2026-27 school year. During the previous year, the school recorded a remarkable 99% OnTrack rate for freshmen, alongside 99% course pass rates throughout both semesters, according to a news release. A significant achievement is the rise in the graduation rate to 91%, reflecting an improvement from the prior year.
Over the last five years, the school has focused on enhancing student success by forming grade-level teams, expanding support staff, and fostering strong relationships between students and staff. Initially, school officials assessed the support systems for freshmen and decided to extend this support across all grades. Colin Milton, associate principal for student success, explained, “We observed the success at the freshman level and thought, ‘Why not implement this for all grades?'”
Currently, Hillcrest offers learning centers catering to all grade levels. School administrators highlight that these centers demonstrate the school’s dedication to supporting students of every age. The school has a freshman learning center, a sophomore learning center, an academic learning center catering to juniors and seniors, as well as a digital learning center for students needing credit recovery.
The student success team manages these learning centers, each staffed by a coordinator, part-time tutors, and full-time professionals. Ronald Towner, assistant superintendent for personnel, stated that grades recorded in PowerSchool, a K-12 cloud software, are accessible in the learning centers. This accessibility allows staff to assist students effectively and keep them on track.
Hillcrest employs around 80 staff members working collaboratively to support students. Associate Principal Jim Curtin noted that they hold a school improvement day monthly to meet with staff and pinpoint students struggling academically. Data from PowerSchool aids in monitoring student progress, enabling staff to identify and support students who might otherwise be overlooked.
The school has also achieved a 77% drop in major disciplinary incidents, which include serious violations such as drug use and altercations. Curtin noted that raising expectations and understanding students’ home situations have positively impacted behavior. “By raising expectations, students continuously meet or exceed them,” Curtin remarked.
This comprehensive support strategy has also led to a 26% rise in attendance over five years, acknowledging the interconnectedness of academics, attendance, and behavior. Towner emphasized the importance of understanding a student’s circumstances outside of school as vital to guiding their success.
Principal Eric Washington expressed pride in the staff’s efforts in the news release, stating, “Everyone here has worked hard over the last five years to achieve our successes. Nonetheless, we still have more to accomplish. We are content but not yet satisfied.”