News

Show your appreciation for the Hinsdale Central staff by donating $10 to sponsor a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie! Every year the HCHS PTO Staff Appreciation Committee provides one Costco pumpkin pie to every staff member at Hinsdale Central – and it is one of the staff’s favorite days! They are grateful for the gesture as one last item they have to make or for those visiting family, they have a tasty treat ready to bring.

Your donation will be acknowledged on the Happy Thanksgiving sticker placed on each pie (“Happy Thanksgiving from the Smith Family”).

The donation DEADLINE is Wednesday, 11/19. The pies will be handed out on Tuesday, 11/25. If you would like to volunteer, keep your eye out for a sign-up genius from the Staff Appreciation team.

Due to logistics, we are unable to accommodate requests to sponsor pies to specific staff members.

Thank you to everyone who joined the October 15th PTO Meeting!

Principal Bill Walsh and Director of Counseling Jen Regnier shared how the school and staff support students from Freshman year through Senior year as they explore post–high school pathways. Whether students are considering a two- or four-year college, the Transition Center, or a trade, they outlined the many tools and resources available to guide them along the way.

New this year: SchoolLinks, a portal with college information, scholarships, and details about college representative visits will be introduced to Freshmen students.

Watch the Recording: View Zoom Recording
View the Slides: View Presentation Slides

Junior Parents and Students: Join us for the PTO’s 2026 College Workshop! The Workshop will be held on Sunday, February 1st, 2026 from 12-2:15pm. Parents are invited to attend a panel led by Central parents that have recently been through the application process. The parent panel will address tips and advice on everything from timelines and testing to essays and scholarships. There will be School Links and Common App demo as well.  Students will rotate between breakout sessions including Essay Writing, Admissions from the perspective of college reps, and a Senior Panel offering tips and advice from current seniors. More details to come!

At the last PTO meeting on 10/15, Principal Bill Walsh and Director of Counseling Jen Regnier shared how the school and staff support students from Freshman year to Senior year to help them determine post-high school pathways. Whether a two or four-year college, the Transition Center, or a trade, they walked through the information, tools, and resources available to support students. New this year, SchoolLinks, a portal with college information, scholarships, and college rep visit information, will be rolled out to Freshmen students.

The recording of the meeting will be sent to paid PTO members soon. The slide presentation can be found HERE.

Mark your calendar for the next PTO Conversation on November 19th at 9am in the Community Room at Central & on Zoom. The topic is Finals & Test Preparation Strategies,  Academic Resources, including ARC and AP Support – Features tips from teachers in core subject areas.

The Families Helping Families Committee (FHF) is extending our annual donations appeal for another week. FHF has been working with the Hinsdale Central Social Work Department since 2006 to support Hinsdale Central families who need a helping hand. Our mission is to ensure every student has the support they need to thrive at Hinsdale Central. Your donation will help meet needs for your student’s peers as they arise, such as gas cards, clothing, toiletries, utility/rent payments, etc.

Please consider making a donation. Any amount is greatly appreciated by using our online form and selecting “Families Helping Families” from the committee list. You can also write a check to HCPTO (memo FHF) and mail it to Hinsdale Central HS, Attention HC PTO (5500 S Grant St., Hinsdale, 60521). Email fhf@hcpto.org with questions.

Thank you for your generous support! Pauline Brannigan & Denys Kang (Families Helping Families Co-Chairs)

Order your yearbook now! The cost is $5o and will be distributed in early May. Forgot if you ordered? Click HERE.

Important: We order very few extra copies—placing your order through Walsworth is the only way to guarantee you’ll have a book this year. Senior Tribute order information for the Class of 2026 can be found HERE.

DIRECTORY SPOT is the online directory for Hinsdale Central families with paid PTO membership only. Join the PTO HERE.

This is the last week to edit or delete information in Directory Spot, deadline is October 17th. For all new families, create an account with Directory Spot with the email that you registered with the district. Press the RESET PASSWORD button to create your password. Any questions, please email directory@hcpto.org.

The Parent List contains first-hand insight from D86, D181, and D63 parents about area providers that have helped address their child’s anxiety, depression, school avoidance, eating disorders, insomnia, peer relations, grief, stress, ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum, and more.

 The Parent List was created in 2015 in response to the suicide of a local student with the goal of streamlining the process of and decreasing the stress around connecting with a provider. The Parent List is comprised of helpful resources in our community that have already been used by a local parent experiencing similar concerns to you. Doctors, therapists, support groups, inpatient and outpatient programs, nutritionists, books, and holistic medical approaches may all be reviewed on The Parent List.

To read existing Parent List reviews, click HERE.  

Much like Angie’s List, The Parent List relies on consumer feedback. We need fresh reviews to keep the list current. Please consider leaving your own brief, anonymous review of a provider who made a positive difference in your child’s well-being on The Parent List.

To help another local parent by leaving your anonymous review, click HERE.

Questions can be directed to:   parentlist@hcpto.org

In no way does the Hinsdale Central PTO, Hinsdale Central High School staff, school districts 86, 63 or 181 endorse or recommend any specific provider reviewed on The Parent List. The Parent List is a subjective forum set up by the Hinsdale Central PTO for your convenience. Parents and guardians are solely responsible for deciding to use any of the service providers on The Parent List in any capacity, and district 86, district 63, district 181 and the Hinsdale Central PTO disclaim all liability for any damages, injuries, losses, expenses, or claims of any kind arising out of the provision of services by anyone or any agency appearing on The Parent List.