GAMING TOURNAMENT

May 16th at The Firehouse
May 17th at The Highland Park Library
Fee: $3

Kick off this exciting Gaming Tournament at The Firehouse when Late Nite Middle School takes on theworld of gaming! Participate in Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, DDR, and Guitar Hero tournaments.

Finals and semifinals take place at the Library at noon on Saturday. Everyone is welcome to watch and cheer the players on. There will be refreshments for all and PRIZES for the winners! For additional information, please contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at (847) 433-3090.

All participants invited to attend this free event at the Library.

Click on the newsletter below for more details.

Division of Youth Services

What is now the City of Highland Park’s Division of Youth Services was created by the City in 1973, primarily through the efforts of a few young people and community-minded adults. This youth organization originally operated under the name, Highland Park Youth Committee. In 1986, the organization’s name was changed to Youth Services to better reflect the diversity of services being offered. Thanks to the continued support of the City Council, the community, and Highland Park youth, these programs continue to flourish.

New Member Letter

The Summer and Fall Firehouse News Is Out!
It is jam packed with excitement. If you are not sure what to do on days off of school or when school lets out, then The Firehouse is the place for you! Hope to see you soon.

Mission Statement

• Assist in the social, recreational and emotional development of Highland Park's preteen and teenage populations as they mature into adulthood.
• Meet the current needs of Highland Park’s youth and their parents through diverse programming and coordination with other youth-serving organizations.
• Build on each child’s strengths through positive professional interactions, encouragement, support, and growth opportunities in a safe, supervised setting.
• Provide an environment in which healthy lifestyles, hope, and opportunity are encouraged.

Population Served
All programs are available to students in grades six through twelve who are Highland Park residents or who attend Highland Park schools. Special workshops and programs pertaining to parenting and other issues affecting area youth are periodically offered to adults residing within the community.

Facility
The Division of Youth Services is housed at The Firehouse, a renovated Highland Park fire station located at 1830 Green Bay Road, just east of Sunset Park. This multipurpose facility includes a fully-equipped activity center, study room, counseling area, meeting room, and staff offices.

After School Transportation From All Three Middle Schools

Parents may pick up their child from The Firehouse anytime
before closing at 6:00 pm. Limited space is available. Pre-registration is required.

Second Semester transportation dates: January 8th - June 11th

1 Day/Week: $35/Semester
2 Days/Week: $70/Semester
3 Days/Week: $105/Semester
4 Days/Week: $140/Semester
5 Days/Week: $175/Semester

Staff/Supervision
All programs are supervised by professional staff holding degrees in a variety of disciplines including education, social services, human services, and recreation. The highest priority of the Division of Youth Services is to provide a safe, supervised, and supportive environment for Highland Park youth.

Dear Parents,
Whether your child comes to The Firehouse periodically or is here on a regular basis, we think it is important to correspond with you to help keep the lines of communication open between us.

To begin with, we want to let you know that this has been a fabulous year for the staff and the kids who come to The Firehouse. Some excellent friendships have been formed, and everyone has shared a lot of meaningful memories. Parents are the key to the success of The Firehouse, and this year many of you have taken the time to stop in and visit with the staff. We really appreciate those interactions, and always welcome your feedback about our programs.

One consistent message that we've received from parents is that many are unfamiliar with our "open campus" policy. "Open Campus" means that your child signs in when he/she gets here, but may sign out and leave The Firehouse at any time. Of course, when your children leaves the building, he/she is no longer being supervised. The majority of the time, they are going to town for a snack or into the park. Often, they are using their unsupervised time appropriately. However, there are times when their time outside of the building may be a cause for concern. When staff becomes aware of troublesome situations outside of the building, we will contact you. We will also suggest that you place your child on "closed campus". PARENTS ALWAYS HAVE THE CHOICE TO PUT THEIR CHILD ON CLOSED CAMPUS, even if there has been no cause for concern. Please remember, the closed campus restriction will be an agreement between you, the staff, and your child. Since we have between 40-60 kids in the building at a time, we will not be able to closely monitor the closed campus status. We will place the responsibility back on your child, and talk about consequences if he chooses to break the agreement. All sixth grade students are on CLOSED CAMPUS. Seventh and eighth graders are on “Open Campus”.

Please feel free to keep the lines of communication open with us too. We appreciate knowing when your child is experiencing difficulties at home or school. We are here to help any way we can!