About Hillcrest High

Memories of Hillcrest High School

Fill my soul with pride and joy,

Times spent there with friends and classmates,

Trying to reach our goals in life.

 

Hillcrest High School, Patriot spirit,

Leading me to learn and live,

I will always keep that spirit,

Hillcrest High School in my heart.

Hillcrest High School is a fully-accredited secondary school for students in grades nine through twelve with a student body of approximately 1330 served by 75 faculty members. Located in a rapidly growing community, it draws students from various ethnic, socioeconomic, and demographic backgrounds.

We have extensive advanced placement courses giving students the opportunity to do college level work and earn college credit hours while still in high school. In May 2019, Hillcrest High students earned qualifying scores on 211 Advanced Placement exams. The graduating class of 2019 earned over $5,000,000 in scholarship offers. Hillcrest High offers a full range of opportunities academically, athletically, and socially. The school also provides career technical options that allow students to prepare for work in highly skilled jobs required of 21^st century employees. The strongest testimony to the effectiveness of our academic programs lies in the successes of our students. More than 80% of our students pursue some post-secondary education. Many graduates return to say thank you to former teachers whose strenuous academic standards often make their college course work seem less daunting.

In the area of fine arts, students may participate in theatre, voice, musical instrumental groups, drama, dance, and visual arts. Our exceptional performing arts department was nominated for a national Kennedy Center Performing Arts Award. Our wind ensemble is one of the finest in the Southeast, as evidenced by invitations to perform at the Mid-West International Band Clinic and the National Honor Band Festival, as well as the National Band Director's Association and the Alabama Music Educator's Association annual conferences. In 2011, the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble performed in several cities in China upon invitation of the Chinese Cultural Exchange.

Hillcrest High also has a long tradition of excellence on the playing field. Most importantly, our students are taught to win or lose with dignity and to take pride in themselves and their school. Our female students compete with other high schools in basketball, volleyball, softball, track, tennis, soccer, golf, and cheerleading. Our male students compete in football, basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, and track. In 2007 we earned the 6A state championship in baseball and in 2008 and 2011 we earned the 6A state championships in basketball. Our outstanding Army JROTC program exposes young men and women to numerous opportunities for competiton and for mental and physical growth.

The opportunities provided for our students to grow socially come from a wide array of activities and clubs which are available to all who wish to participate. Service and social clubs, such as Key Club, Interact, and Jr. Civitan actively promote community involvement in our students. Events at school such as Homecoming, the Junior-Senior Prom, and many, many others allow our faculty members and students to work together outside of the classroom. Needless to say, many of the best and most memorable lessons in life come from these social interactions.

If you have already chosen to locate in our community, we welcome you and look forward to our work together. If you are visiting our area, on behalf of the students, faculty, and staff of the Hillcrest High School family, we would like to extend to you an open invitation to visit our campus at any time.

Welcome to Hillcrest High School - and your PTSO!  The Parent Teacher Student Organization exists to promote effective relationships between parents, teachers and students.  We do this through supporting and providing events that help fund needs our school may have.  We hope you and your student have made the choice to join our PTSO this year.  We also hope that you and your student choose to become involved and support these events with your time and your talent!  Together we can build a better community one relationship at a time! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I join PTSO? 
Fill out the membership form (.docx). Print your completed form, and place it in an envelope along with membership dues. Turn in forms and dues to Mr. McKight (the HHS Bookkeeper). 

What is PTSO? 
The HHS PTSO’s mission is to encourage, support and facilitate communication and collaboration between Parents/Guardians, Faculty/Staff/Administration, and Students at HHS.  The organization encourages all HHS families, students, faculty, administrators and community members to become involved in making HHS a successful, honorable, cohesive, accepting and exciting institution! Please join us!

How can I receive PTSO updates? 
To hear the latest from PTSO, join the PTSO Remind Group by texting:  @hhsptso2   to the number:  81010

How does PTSO help Hillcrest?
PTSO contributes to Hillcrest by annually supporting the following events: Four Teacher Appreciation Events, Teacher Back-to-School and End-of-Year Luncheons, Student of the Month Breakfasts, ACT Snacks for Juniors, Honoring HHS Teacher of the Year and Jacksonville State Hall of Fame Nominee, and Homecoming Fundraising.

Additionally, PTSO has awarded around $20,000 in Teacher Grants since 2015 for the following:

• Texas Instruments Conference for two math teachers
• Props for Shrek the Musical
• Agri-Science School Beautification Project
• Music Library Grant
• AED Devices
• White Boards
• Manipulatives to enhance tactile learning for the Self-Contained Classroom
• LED lighting
• Software licenses-TI Inspire calculators for math teachers
• Chimes for the Adaptive Ensemble
• Science Club rockets, fuel cars, and robots
• Refurbishing faculty workrooms
• Headphones for online library Book Share for special education students
• Table for Courtyard
• Equipment for Robotics course
• Spectrum Tube Power Supply for the science department
• Stock Market Registration for 24 teams
• Chimes - sharps and flats
• Umbrellas for Courtyard
• Nikon camera for the yearbook staff
• Charging tower and shelving unit for the library
• Registration for the National Peer Helper Conference