Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills is celebrating notable academic progress at the beginning of the 2026-27 academic year. In the 2025-26 period, District 228 reported a 99% OnTrack rate for freshmen and a 99% course pass rate in both semesters. The school’s graduation rate rose to 91%, showing improvement from the previous year.
School officials attribute this success to initiatives implemented over the past five years. These include grade-level teams, additional support staff, and improved relationships between students and staff. The initial focus was on freshmen, leading to a broader support strategy for all grades. “We looked at the success at the freshman level and thought, ‘Why not extend this across all grades?'” said Colin Milton, associate principal for student success.
Hillcrest now offers learning centers for all grade levels. There are designated centers for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, along with a digital center for students behind on credits, supported by the student success team. Each center has a coordinator, part-time tutors, and full-time staff.
Grades from Power School, a K-12 software, are accessible to center staff, allowing them to better assist students. Ronald Towner, assistant superintendent for personnel, emphasized the importance of this accessibility. The school employs around 80 staff members dedicated to student support.
Associate Principal Jim Curtin highlighted the school’s strategy of monthly improvement days. Staff meet to identify students who may be struggling, informed by data from Power School. These meetings enable staff to avoid overlooking students needing help.
Hillcrest has also reduced severe disciplinary incidents by 77%. These major incidents include violations such as drug use and fights. Curtin believes understanding students’ home situations and raising expectations has improved behavior. “As we raise expectations, students meet or exceed them,” he noted.
Milton mentioned a 26% increase in attendance over five years, a result of a comprehensive approach to support. Recognizing interconnections between academics, attendance, and behavior enables better student support.
Principal Eric Washington expressed pride in the staff’s work but noted there is still room for improvement. “Everyone here has worked tirelessly over the past five years to achieve our success. We are satisfied, but the journey continues,” Washington remarked.
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