Hinsdale Middle School celebrated the graduation of 277 students during a commencement ceremony on May 29. Families, friends, and staff gathered to mark the milestone for the Class of 2026.
The event included an address from Board President Grace Shin, who wished 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 prepare for high school.
A performance by the HMS Jazz Band added to the celebration. Directed by George Andrikokus, the band played “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” contributing to what organizers described as a hopeful atmosphere.
Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 represents DuPage and Cook counties and includes several schools such as Clarendon Hills Middle School and Hinsdale Middle School. The district enrolled 3,743 students in the 2019-2020 school year and serves grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It spent $31,308 per student in 2020 with total expenditures reaching $117 million. The district’s demographic makeup is approximately 69.8 percent White, 1.1 percent Black, 6.8 percent Hispanic, and 15.4 percent Asian; it reported four chronically truant students in the same period—a rate lower than statewide averages—according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 has a teaching staff that is predominantly female (90 percent) with an average salary of $94,227 before pension contributions.
