Illinois & Advanced Placement Will Save Families College Tuition!

According to a new law signed by Governor Rauner in August (link to article), starting in 2016-17 school year, Illinois colleges and universities must provide course credit to students who score at least a 3 on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam.  AP exams are given in the first two weeks of May and are scored on a 5 point scale, 5 being the best score.  According to the new law, colleges and universities will need to describe whether they will assign elective credit or course specific credit.

New law requires college credit for AP scores of 3 or better - Daily Herald

The new law offers MHS students and parents huge advantages.  For example, MHS offers 24 different choices in AP courses in every subject matter.  Within these course selections, students can choose from entry level AP courses, such as Psychology or Statistics, and AP courses which are built upon foundational courses such as Chemistry or Spanish Language.  For parents, the cost for a child to take a college level course in high school may be a small as the cost of the AP exam, less than $95/test.  The exam cost is a small fee in comparison to the savings in tuition cost a student can achieve.  

In October, students will begin to receive information regarding course selection for the next school year.  Please review the course guide and programs of study for assistance in choosing the best AP course for your child.  Consult with your child’s guidance counselor in order to determine the best pathway to take advantage of this new state law.  For the Class of 2016, when comparing colleges/universities, make sure to ask how the school will meet this new law.

We are also grateful for the leadership of the bipartisan group of public officials who worked for this result, including Governor Rauner and the bill's authors: Representatives Carol Sente (Vernon Hills) and Mike Fortner (West Chicago) and Senator Pat McGuire (Crest Hill).

Photographs from the past week:

Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage 2015

Red Rage @ Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage

Students try their skill at the dunk tank while at the Back to School Bash!

Students enjoy pizza and great weather at the Back to School Bash!

Announcements

School Pictures

Underclass Yearbook pictures will be taken in the Main Gym on Wednesday, September 2. Your student will be assigned a specific time to go to the main gym. Click HERE for a picture order form. 

It’s not too late to schedule your senior’s class of 2016 portrait! Click HERE for more information.

Golf Outing

Come out and support the students and teachers of MHS at the Annual Scholarship Scramble on September 10! There will be fun games out on the course and lots of auction and raffle prizes up for grabs.Proceeds from this event support the MHS Community Education and Alumni Foundation and enable us to provide scholarships and classroom grants benefiting all students and teachers of MHS.

Click HERE to register!

Don't have time for golf? No problem! Join us for dinner afterward. There will still be lots of auction items up for grabs. Register and check "dinner-only".
Any questions? Call (224) 475-1750.

Annual Fine Arts Festival

Mundelein’s 5th Annual Fine Arts Festival on September 12 & 13 in Kracklauer Park, 100 N. Seymour Avenue. Admission is free. 

• Visit www.mundeleincommunityconnection.org for more information. 
• Volunteers are needed for this event - Click HERE to volunteer!

Recognition

Shout out to MHS Band Directors Jerry Shelato and Andy Sturgeon and Varsity Football Coach Larry Calhoun for fostering school spirit! Click HERE for Chicago Tribune article.

College & Career Resource Center

What college is right for you? There are great resources for finding your college fit. Check out College Board and Cappex for more information!

Upcoming College Rep Visit:
Michigan State University (Mike Ford)      
Monday, August 31 at 9:00 am
For a complete list of colleges visiting MHS, login to Naviance

Activities

Gaming Club

The Gaming Club's first meeting is Tuesday, September 1 at 3:30-4:30 pm in room A112. Check out their new web page.

Model UN

The Model UN will be holding its first informational meeting Wednesday, September 9 at 7:10 am in room A04.

Temas Latinos

Temas Latinos first meeting is Tuesday, September 1 at 3:30-4:30 pm located in the College and Career Resource Center B103.

Athletics

Wednesday, September 2 is Senior Night for JV Girls Volleyball.

Remember to support your Mustangs - Click HERE for all sport schedules.

Staff Spot Light

Maria Sanchez - Instructional Aide in the ELL/Bilingual Department

How long at MHS? 22 years

What college/university did you attend? Northeastern University

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, cooking, and traveling

What is your favorite part of your job? The best part is helping students who are new to this country to adapt and learn the language.

Good book recommendation? The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

You may not know...I was an exchange student at 15 years old.

What inspires you? Knowing that we have to leave a good foundation for future generations.

Homecoming 2015

Homecoming 2015 is approaching! Student votes have been counted and the winning theme for this year’s Homecoming is “Greased Lightning.”  So dust off your poodle skirt or dig your old leather jacket from the basement!  Homecoming Week begins September 8th with the following events:

Powder Puff Games in Stadium
Wednesday, September 9

• 5:30 pm – Freshmen vs. Sophomores
• 6:30 pm – Juniors vs. Seniors

Senior Girls’ Sleepover
Wednesday, September 9 from 8:00 pm - Midnight

Homecoming Assembly
Friday, September 11 at 1:00 pm - King, Queen, and Court announced

Homecoming Parade
Friday, September 11 at 3:00 pm

Homecoming Games in Stadium
Friday, September 11 

• 5:30pm Varsity Soccer
• 7:30pm Varsity Football

Homecoming Dance
Saturday, September 12  from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Due to the construction on Hawley Street, the Homecoming Parade will be taking an alternate route this year.  The parade kicks off at the Mundelein Village Hall at the Plaza Circle.  The parade will continue from the Plaza to Archer Street, south to Division, west to Midlothian Road, north to Hawley Street, then west to the west parking lot of the high school.

To view the Homecoming webpage, click HERE!

Announcements

This is just a reminder that the Scarlet and Gray scrimmage is this Friday, August 21 from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm.  Following the scrimmage is the Back to School Bash from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.  So please come out and show your support.

Calendar Update

• Tuesday, February 16-Teacher Institute Day/No school
• Monday, May 16-Early Release/Schedule “E” (student dismissal at 1:40 pm)
• Tuesday, May 17 and Wednesday, May 18-Term 4 Finals/Schedule “D” (student dismissal at 12:45 pm)

New Building Construction

Aerial View - August 2015

Concrete Pour for 1st Floor hallway and STEM Lab

See more new building construction photos by clicking HERE!

Recognition

Thomas Ferro

MHS Senior, Thomas Ferro, was recently selected to be in the cast Illinois High School Theatre Festival’s All State Production of Rent. Students from all across the state of Illinois auditioned for roles. The musical will be performed at Illinois State University, in front of 4,000 students and teachers at the festival in January. Congratulations Thomas!

College & Career Resource Center

College Representative visits are beginning soon in the CCRC (Room B103)! Don’t miss your opportunity to visit with a college representative. For a complete list of colleges visiting MHS,
click to login to Naviance.

Activities

Broadcasting Team

Broadcasting Team breakfast information meeting August, 21 at 7:15 am in room A213 located near the back of the library. If you have any question please Mr. Meister.

Athletics

Come cheer on your Mundelein Mustangs - fall sports have started!

Boys Soccer - August 26
Girls Volleyball - August 27 
Football - August 28

Please click HERE for all athletic schedules.

Staff Spot Light

Leah Kaplan - Academic Literacy and Learning Strategies Teacher

How long at MHS - My first year!

Life before MHS - I was an elementary school teacher in District 21 (Wheeling) for 10 years.

What college/university did you attend -  BA from Eastern Illinois (Education) and MA from Northeastern Illinois University (Bilingual Education)

Hobbies/Interests:  I love to dance, listen to music, and spend time with my wonderful family and friends!

Insider tip for parents:  My advice is to be involved and supportive. Teachers, parents and students are all a team and we work together to help kids succeed and parents are the biggest part of that team!

You may not know...I went to MHS and graduated in 2001.  Dr. Kroll was my science teacher!

School Is Open!

Thank you for your assistance in successfully starting our school year!  The building is full of life again.  As principal, I look forward to a new year and eager to serve the Mundelein High School students, staff, and families as we work together to fulfill our core values of Equity, Growth, and Collaboration.

This year, many MHS teachers will participate in a reassessment pilot.  We define “reassessment” as multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge as a key step in the learning process.  We believe that reassessment gives students hope and empowers them to take responsibility for their learning. Through the reassessment process, students have an opportunity to relearn unmastered skills and demonstrate improved competency in a variety of formats. When a student shows deficiency on a learning goal, they will receive additional assistance and chances to show their new learning. Teachers offering reassessment opportunities will communicate guidelines in their course syllabus at the start of the school year.

Please attend Open House next week and learn how your child's teachers are using reassessment in the classroom.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.-Thomas Edison

Open House 

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.

Schedule

6:30 - 7:00 pm   Student schedules and Power School passwords available for pick up.
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

Photos from the start of school!

Show Choir Camp

Band Camp

Freshman Orientation

Aerial View of Construction

Announcements

Smile Program/Mobile Dentists

The Smile Program/Mobile Dentists are scheduled to come to MHS on September 14th.  Please pick up a sign-up form and submit it to the Main Office by August 20th in order to participate. Students may receive dental cleaning, screening, x-rays, fluoride and sealants.   No matter if the student has Medicaid, All Kids insurance (it’s free for these), private insurance or no insurance, there is an opportunity for service.  The student will only miss 30 minutes of class time (less if they have to leave school for a dentist appointment).  This service will be conducted at MHS.

Call in Student Absences

When calling in a student absence, please leave the following details:

      1.  Provide the student name and ID number.
      2.  Indicate the reason for the absence.
             - Indicate if the student has a cough or sore throat with a fever.
             - Indicate the doctor's diagnosis (if applicable).

If you have any questions regarding the absence policies, please contact the Deans' Office at 847-949-2200 x1391.

If you have any questions regarding health related issues, please contact the Nurse's Office at 847-949-2200 x1395.

MHS selected as partner in Schuler Scholar Program

Mundelein High School District 120 was recently selected as a partner in the renowned Schuler Scholar Program. This program will give Schuler program participants an advantage as they move through their high school and college careers. Click here to read more about the Schuler Program at Mundelein High School.

Recognition

MHS teachers were showcased in the following social media post:
Top 50 school districts in suburban Chicago

College & Career Resource Center

The CCRC is open Monday-Friday; 7:15 am - 3:45 pm

CCRC services include:

• college and career planning
• college resources
• scholarships
• financial aid information
• colleger rep. visits

College Rep Visits are Starting Soon!

Don’t miss your opportunity to talk with a college representative. For a list of scheduled reps at MHS and to sign up for a visit, check out Naviance Family Connection.

College Rep Visits scheduled for August

Michigan State University (Mike Ford)
Monday, August 31; 9:00 am

Clubs/Activities

Back to School Bash

All students are invited to attend

Friday, August 21

Scrimmage: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Back to School Bash: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

To celebrate the beginning of the school year, Student Leadership will be hosting the annual Back to School Bash.  This event will take place in conjunction with the football program's fall scrimmage, the Scarlet and Grey game.  The Back to School Bash will include:

• 40 foot inflatable obstacle course
• chance to dunk your teachers in the dunk tank
• the wrecking ball, a new competition this year
• plenty of food and drinks
• a student band 

Athletics

• Fall Sports Parent/Athlete Meeting: Tuesday, August 18; 7:00 pm in the main gym
• Fall Sport Team Picture Day: Thursday, August 20 after school

Staff Spot Light

Jed Doyle - Science (Biology) Teacher

How long at MHS? - 18 years

What college/university did you attend? - Loras College (BS Biology), University of Washington (MS Biology)

What is your favorite part of your job?  Seeing the face of a student who finally gets a concept that they have been struggling with. The "AHA!" moment.

Good book recommendation?  "A Short History of Nearly Everything" - Bill Bryson for a great history of science.

Best part of working at MHS?  The people I work with. There are lots of schools where I could teach science, but there are no other schools where I would find these colleagues.

Welcome Back to School!

Each August, it is a wonderful feeling to have the building come back to life. The summer is often very quiet at MHS but the energy is returning!  This week, with Show Choir and Band camp in high gear, staff members are returning to prepare their classrooms, and New Staff Orientation in progress. MHS is returning to life!

As the year starts, I hope to showcase our new teachers (above) as well as our current faculty and staff.  This is a talented group of teachers with the skills to take our students to new levels!

During last school year, a Long Range Plan for school improvement was created.  As part of this plan, a core ideology, a statement that explains what we value and work towards, was created. This ideology contains three core values.

Core Ideology

 District 120 embraces innovation to create sustainable growth for all.

Core Values

• Equity – We value all individuals and believe they will achieve.
• Growth – We value continuous improvement for all students, staff, and programs. 
• Collaboration - We value working cooperatively towards building a dynamic learning community.

These core values are used as the litmus test when examining new programs, curricula, and hiring staff members.  MHS pledges to strive for excellence in these values and invites the community to join in our work.

Upcoming Activities

1:1 Parent/Student Meetings &Chromebook Distribution

Monday, August 10, 2015 6:00 pm
This 1:1 meeting will take place just before the Orientation Meeting for Parents of New and Transfer Students. Attendance at this meeting makes these students eligible to pick up their chromebooks during freshman orientation.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015 6:00 pm
Students and parents attending this meeting will have Chromebooks distributed during the school day.

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.

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.

Upcoming Athletics

White Cards 

All FALL athletes need a white card before they can participate in practice. White cards are now available in the Athletic Office.  See Mrs. Risdon if you have any questions.