Hinsdale Middle School celebrates graduation of 277 students in Class of 2026

Hinsdale Middle School celebrated the graduation of 277 students on May 29, marking a significant milestone for the Class of 2026. Families, friends, and staff gathered to support the graduates during their commencement ceremony.

Board President Grace Shin delivered an address wishing the graduates well as they move forward. Shin said, "while their academic achievements are significant, values like kindness, respect, and integrity are the true compasses that will guide them through life." Principal Cory Burke presented awards and extended best wishes to the class as they transition to high school.

The ceremony included a performance by the HMS Jazz Band under George Andrikokus. The band played "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," contributing to a celebratory atmosphere.

Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 represents DuPage and Cook counties and includes several schools such as Clarendon Hills Middle School and Elm Elementary School, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. The district enrolled 3,743 students in the 2019-2020 school year and serves grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Clarendon Hills and DuPage County.

The district is comprised of approximately 69.8 percent White students, with smaller percentages identifying as Black (1.1 percent), Hispanic (6.8 percent), or Asian (15.4 percent). There are no teachers with more than ten absences per year among its teaching staff of 282 educators earning an average salary of $94,227 before pension contributions; ninety percent are women and ten percent are men, according to data from ISBE.

During the 2020 school year, four students were classified as chronically truant—representing a rate significantly lower than statewide averages—and spending per student was $31,308 for a total expenditure of $117 million, according to ISBE.