Dear Parents/Guardians:
I hope you and your families are enjoying a fantastic summer. It’s hard to believe that the start of school is just around the corner. All of us at MHS are looking forward to a successful 2015-2016 school year. This post contains a number of informational items specific to the start of the school year.
In addition, I will be offering Mustang News on a weekly basis through this blog. Please sign up using the "follow by email" form in the right column in order to receive an email notification for each weekly post. If you are viewing this post on a mobile device, please scroll to the bottom and click "view web version" to follow by email.
Thank you for your strong commitment to your son/daughter’s education at Mundelein High School. I am confident that this school year will be an excellent one. If you have any questions, please call the Main Office at 847-949-2200.
Sincerely,
Dr. Anthony Kroll, Principal
847-949-2200 ext. 1326
1:1 Computing Initiative Parent/Student Meetings
In August, MHS will begin the second year of the 1:1 Computing Initiative. The 1:1 Computing Initiative allows every student to be connected to the internet, collaborate with others within the building and across the globe, and engage students in their studies. This is possible by issuing a Chromebook to every student while they are enrolled at MHS!9h grade / transfer students and parents must attend a mandatory meeting which outlines the vision, policies, procedures, care, and repair of the 1:1 Computing Initiative. Students are only eligible to receive a Chromebook after attending one meeting with their parent. Chromebooks will be distributed to 9th grade students during freshman orientation. Transfer students will receive their Chromebooks during the first week of school.
View the 1:1 Computing Initiative webpage (www.d120.org/technology/) for the Parent/Student Handbook, Frequently Asked Questions, and informational videos.
1:1 Parent/Student Meeting Schedule
Attendance at either of the following two meetings makes students eligible to pick up their chromebook during freshman orientation:
Wednesday, August 5, 2015 6:00 pm in the Auditorium | Spanish language presentation in the cafeteria
Monday, August 10, 2015 6:00 pm | Before orientation for parents of new and transfer students meeting
Attendance at this meeting makes students eligible to pick up their chromebook the first week of school during the school day:
Wednesday, August 12, 2015 6:00 pm in the Auditorium | Spanish language presentation in the cafeteria
Orientation for Parents of New and Transfer Students
On Monday, August 10, parents of incoming freshmen and transfer students are invited to attend this orientation. It will be held from 6:30 - 8:00 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Parents will get an overview of the “nuts and bolts” of MHS, helping them to prepare their son/daughter for a new school. Parents will also be introduced to the many and varied resources that MHS provides for students and families. Students are not required to attend.Freshman Orientation
On Tuesday, August 11, from 7:45 am until 1:00 pm, the Class of 2019 will attend a very special Freshman Orientation. This August marks the sixth year of LinkCrew at MHS. LinkCrew is a nationwide freshman transition program built on the belief that students can help students succeed. We will begin our program in the Main Gym with a warm Mustang welcome. After a highly interactive assembly, students will meet their Link Leaders who will remain in contact with them for the entire year. They will enjoy a tour of the school, receive their Term 1 schedules, take their Student ID picture, have a pizza lunch, and receive their school issued Chromebook. Morning bus routes will pick students up at the normal, scheduled time.
Open House is Wednesday, August 19. The goals of the evening are:
- to provide you with an increased awareness of the high school program, its educational opportunities, academic expectations, and goals
- to allow you to follow your student’s Term 1 schedule and meet his/her teachers
Each class will be fifteen (15) minutes long. The teacher will introduce himself/herself and give a brief overview of the course content and the requirements to complete the course successfully.
Open House Schedule
7:00 - 7:15 pm Welcome in the Auditorium
7:20 - 8:35 pm Follow Term 1 Schedule
7:20 - 7:35 pm Period 1
7:40 - 7:55 pm Period 2
8:00 - 8:15 pm Period 3
8:20 - 8:35 pm Period 4
Student schedules and Power School passwords will be available for pick up.
Course Schedules
All student course schedules will be mailed home prior to the start of school for students who have completed the registration process. Bus schedules will be included. Please make sure your son/daughter brings this schedule to school on August 13. Please call the guidance department with any questions regarding student schedules.
First Day of School
Wednesday, August 12 marks the first day of attendance for all students. This is a full day of school, starting at 7:45 am and ending at 3:20 pm. All students should report to their first period class at 7:45 am. In Homeroom, students will receive a Mustang Pathfinder, student ID, and other important information.Bus Routes
Bus routes for the 2015-2016 school year are the same routes that sophomores, juniors, and seniors used last year. Students should assume the same stops. If you have any questions or need information regarding your son/daughter’s bus routes, please contact MHS at 847-949-2200 ext.1250. Please be patient with our bus routes as we begin the year. Durham School Services typically needs a few weeks to solidify our bus routes for new students and stops.Student drop-off and pick-up
Students should enter school through the main entrance or the west entrance. Drop-off and pick-up of students by car occurs only in the east parking lot and stadium parking lot. Cars that enter southbound off of Midlothian will exit southbound back on to Midlothian. Cars that enter off of Hawley will exit on to Hawley. The west and north parking lots are not for student parking or drop-off/pick-up. We appreciate your help in maintaining the safety of our auto and pedestrian traffic in and out of the campus.Student ID’s
Students are required to carry their IDs with them at all times. Upon entering the building each morning, students will be asked to show their ID to our security personnel. We are committed to ensuring that MHS is a 100% safe learning environment for all students and staff. Please encourage your student to cooperate with us in reaching this goal.Bell Schedule and Homeroom
Our Regular “A” Schedule runs from 7:45 am until 3:20 pm. Teachers are available to assist students beginning at 7:30 am. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, students attend a 30-minute Homeroom period. The main goal of Homeroom is to make a big school feel smaller by creating small learning communities. Every effort will be made to keep students with their Homeroom teacher and classmates for all four years of high school. During Homeroom, students engage in a variety of activities, including but not limited to: engaging in developmental guidance lessons delivered by their counselor, receiving academic assistance from a teacher, making up tests or quizzes, completing homework or studying for an exam, participating in community-building activities, attending all-class or all-school assemblies, and receiving all-school announcements. Note: Seniors who have only 3 classes are still required to attend Homeroom. Attendance will be taken in Homeroom. All bell schedules are listed on the back of the Pathfinder, as well as in the Parent Handbook.
Corridor Lockers
Freshmen and Sophomores have been assigned individual lockers, and Juniors and Seniors who would like to apply to share a locker with another student should visit the Guidance Office. Lockers have school-issued locks that must remain on the lockers. In past years, MHS has been able to provide every Junior and Senior with a locker if one was requested. Students may use their own locks in our PE locker rooms. We reserve the right to remove locks if entry into lockers is necessary. MHS is not responsible for items lost or stolen from corridor or locker room lockers.Power School
Power School is an essential tool for parents, students, and staff members at MHS. Many parents have found their access to real-time attendance and grades very beneficial in becoming more involved in their child’s educational process. Passwords are the same for parents of returning students. Passwords for new students and incoming freshmen will be available at our Open House, August 19. Those not picked up will be mailed home. Power School also provides a great opportunity for parents to email teachers with specific questions.Technology Campus
Classes at Lake County High Schools Technology Campus begin on Wednesday, August 19. If your son/daughter is attending Tech Campus this year, you should have received a letter from Mr. Buenik, Director of Guidance. If you did not receive this letter, please contact Mr. Buenik at 847-949-2200 ext. 1262 for more information on transportation to and from Tech Campus.Parking Permit Process for 2015-16
Starting July 1, students can come into the school and receive a “parking lottery ticket”. A student (not parent) must physically come into the building, show his/her MHS ID, and pick-up a lottery ticket from the Main Office or the Book Store. Senior and junior students will be documented along with their ticket number on separate spreadsheets.Lottery numbers will be picked on July 31. Seniors will have top priority; after all senior requests have been honored, junior numbers will be selected. Students will have until August 11 to claim their parking permit. Lottery winners will be posted on the district webpage (www.d120.org). On August 12, any parking permits that have not been claimed will go back into the lottery. A second drawing will be held. Selected students will have three days to claim these permits. The process will continue until all permits have been assigned.
Free and Reduced Meal Program
Families may apply for Free or Reduced Meals (breakfast and lunch) at any time during the school year. The application is available in the Main Office, the Business Office, and online. If your family’s financial circumstances change during the school year, please take advantage of this program, which was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.School Fee Waiver/Reduction Program
Mundelein High School offers an application to waive or reduce your child’s school fees. Eligibility is based on family income per the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. All household members that receive ANY type of compensation (full –time employment, part-time employment, unemployment, alimony, child support, social security, workman’s compensation, etc.) must report the gross (before taxes) income amount. If you wish to have your child’s 2015-2016 school year registration and other fees waived or reduced to 40% of the applicable full fee values, you must submit the application by August 31, 2015. The “Application for School Fee Reduction” will require submission of income documentation. For your convenience, the fee waiver application is available online.Pre-Payment for Student Meals
Mundelein High School partners with Quest Food Management Services, Inc. to provide breakfast and lunch options for our students. If you would like to make a payment to your child’s account so that he/she does not have to use cash, please log into MyNutriKids.com. Students use their ID cards to pay for lunch, if funds have been placed into the account. Directions for MyNutriKids.com are on the MHS website food service page.MHS Summer Reading
Summer reading should be completed by the time school resumes in August. Each student will share his or her book with classmates in small group reading circles held during English classes at the beginning of the semester. Freshmen students can choose any book written by John Green, while students in all other grades can choose any book of interest.Please remember that Honors and AP English classes have additional reading requirements. Please visit the Honors & AP web page for detailed summer reading information. Please encourage your son or daughter to complete the summer reading requirement. Reading is enriching!
Underclass Yearbook Photos
Please find enclosed an order form for school photos for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Picture day is Wednesday, September 3. All freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be photographed for the yearbook whether the photos are purchased or not. Please find an order form enclosed in this mailing. Additional order forms may be found on the Parents page of our website.***NEW HEALTH REQUIREMENTS for the 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR***
All entering 9th grade students must show proof of having two (2) doses of the varicella vaccine or documented proof of having the disease (chicken pox).All students must show proof of having two (2) doses of mumps and rubella vaccine. (This will show as two MMR’s –measles, mumps, rubella- on their vaccine record). Please check your child’s vaccine records. If a vaccine is needed, provide the nurse’s office with documentation that the vaccination was given.
Free School Physicals
On Tuesday, August 4, 2015 from 2pm - 7pm at Mundelein High School, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile from Advocate Children’s Hospital will be offering FREE school physicals.The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will also offer free vaccines to eligible students ages 18 and younger through the federally funded, state administered Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Students who are Native American Indian, Alaska Native, and Medicaid and uninsured children.
All children must be accompanied by a parent. Parents must bring the vaccine records and medical card also.