Announcements
To Our Mundelein District 120 Family:
The COVID-19 Virus has been declared a worldwide pandemic. We are taking necessary precautions to protect our students, staff and community. We will follow the Lake County Health Department and the Center for Disease Control’s guidance and direct recommendations when considering any cancellations. At this time, our public health officials have recommended that we cancel all non-essential activities.
We are taking many proactive steps to maintain a healthy indoor environment.
- Our custodians have been disinfecting higher use areas in addition to their normal nighttime routines. An example - the weight room, staff workout room, and handrails were disinfected. The cafeteria tables, serving lines, media center, main office, and nurses office will be disinfected over the weekend.
- We are in constant contact with our custodial services vendor to ensure our methods and materials are exceeding industry standards.
- Additional outside air is being drawn in periodically via our mechanical systems. This will help increase air turnover.
We also know that Spring Break is coming up soon and many families may have scheduled upcoming trips during this time. If your family is planning on taking a trip to a Level 2 or Level 3 country, we ask that you please contact your school’s principal to communicate your plans. For the safety of everyone, we request that you please adhere to the CDC’s guidance related to travel. To view an interactive map that shows current global travel advisory levels, please visit the following Department of State website.
We are also prepared to close school and provide eLearning opportunities should that become necessary. This form of online education was approved by the D120 Board of Education last fall. We will keep you updated on the possibility of using this form of temporary education.
PARENTS: Please encourage your children to take their Chromebooks home with them every evening to ensure that they will have them available should school be closed.
We will continue to follow the guidance and direct recommendations of the Lake County Health Department, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Center for Disease Control when considering any cancellations.
In the meantime, we would like to remind you of these basic steps that everyone should be taking to minimize the spread of this and any respiratory illness:
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
NOTE: An update will be sent later today listing any changes and/or updates concerning cancellations of activities, events, etc.
As always, the safety and well-being of our students, teachers, and staff, remain our top priority. Thank you for your continued help in assisting with this process.
Dr. Kevin Myers, Superintendent
Dr. Anthony Kroll, Principal
Cancellation of Events
Monday, March 16 will be a late start day
Monday, March 16 will be a late start day, the same schedule
as on Thursdays. This will allow faculty/staff to make preparations for eLearning
opportunities should school close at a later date.
Additionally, in order to reduce the risk of exposure to
COVID-19 to our students/staff while school remains open, the District is
taking preventative action by postponing or canceling all non-essential after
school events, including athletic competitions that gather large groups of
visitors into the school building. Visitors are restricted to the main
entrance.
The following activities/events are changed:
- Robotics Competition has been canceled; no make-up date has been scheduled
- Baseball/Softball Spring Break trip to Tennessee is now cancelled
- Mundelein Invitational Jazz Festival for Saturday, March 14, is cancelled
- All athletic/activity banquets are cancelled starting with tonight, March 12, 2020
- All activities are cancelled that involve outside organizations like Kirk Players, Feeder Schools, etc.
- Boys/Girls Water Polo contests set for tonight are cancelled at home and at Buffalo Grove High School
- The NHS St. Patrick Day Dance at Dunbar Center in Mundelein set for Friday, March 13 is cancelled
- Athletic competitions are still on but the number of spectators may be limited
- Winter Guard Spring Break trip is cancelled for Sunday
- All field trips for next week are cancelled
- “Say YES to College!” (For students with an IEP/504) presentation tonight is cancelled
- Staff Variety Show has been cancelled.
We will continue to update our information when necessary.
At this point, Mundelein High School has no known cases of COVID-19.
Friday Focus
Recognition
Sunday marked our 7th annual Illinois High School Art Exhibition (IHSAE)
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| Becca Panos |
MHS Senior Becca Panos received a Visionary Award (similar to a best in show) for the second year in a row. I believe this is the 4th or 5th year MHS has had at least one student receive an individual recognition.
Mundelein High School was also awarded a plaque for the second year in a row by receiving more than $1 Million dollars in scholarship awards (actual offer: $2,096,500 approximately $500,000 more than last year)
Below are more photos from the show!
MHS junior to conduct cancer research at University of Illinois Chicago
This summer, Swetha Chandrasekar, Mundelein High School junior, will be paired with a faculty research mentor at the University of Illinois Chicago and work full-time on a cancer research project. Chandrasekar is one of 30 students selected for ResearcHStart which connects cancer researchers at the University of Chicago, Rush University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and University of Illinois-Chicago with top tier, science-focused students.
“We are proud of Swetha’s accomplishments and so pleased that her coursework at MHS has prepared her for acceptance to this cutting edge research opportunity,” said Dr. Anthony Kroll, Mundelein High School principal.
Nearly 300 students applied to the program. Chandrasekar is the second Mundelein High School student to be chosen for ResearcHStart. She’s eager to join the research team.
“I’m immensely grateful for my experiences at STEM camps and MHS classes that have allowed me to develop a fascination with biomedicine,” she said. “I’m thrilled to conduct real-world research for the first time, collaborate with peers/mentors, and dive into the realm of oncology. I hope to create advances - big or small - that play a role in bringing our world closer to understanding and treating cancer, “ she explained.
Megan Mekinda, assistant director for cancer education at the University of Chicago Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, looks forward to educating the next generation of cancer clinicians and researchers, “We feel so fortunate to work with talented young people like Swetha. We can’t wait to get them in their labs and engage hands-on in groundbreaking cancer research.”
ResearcHStart is a one-year program for high school students. An associated two-year program, Chicago EYES on Cancer, fields high school and college students as well as high school faculty who participate as researchers while developing applications for the classroom. MHS has been represented in Chicago EYES as well. Participants in both programs undergo rigorous research training that is complemented by career development, a faculty lecture series and a network of faculty and peer mentors. The program, funded by the National Cancer Institute, culminates in a research symposium for family, friends and members of the scientific community.
MHS show choirs conclude competition season with more wins
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| Matthew Callas |
SoundFX, the all-male group, was named first place runner-up in the single gender division while Lights, the all-female group, took the second runner-up spot in the same category. Sound, the mixed
gender choir, took seventh place in the Open Class division.
Matthew Callas was once again named Best Male Soloist, the third time this season he has earned that award.
“All of the groups have had an extremely successful season, and are very thankful for the support from the Mundelein community,” said Cory Thompson, who, with Stevee Bellas, directs the vocal music program at MHS.
The next performance for the Choral Department will feature the Honors Concert Choir and Honors Master Singers in a free concert Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Fremont.
“This concert is the pinnacle of their year and is an event you don’t want to miss,” Thompson said.
Activities
Mundelein Theatre to present Chicago before competition
Mundelein High School Theatre will present this year’s Group Interpretation competition show, Chicago, Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20 in the MHS Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door 20 minutes prior to each performance. The IHSA Sectional Competition will follow at Lake Park High School on Saturday, March 21.
While most people are familiar with the musical version of Chicago, the group interpretation is primarily focused on the Maurine Dallas Watkins original 1926 play as well as her actual Tribune newspaper articles covering Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, the real life murderesses who inspired Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly in the musical.
“Like the musical, the play deals with some mature and violent topics in a satirical manner,” said Mark Landuyt who directs the performances.
College & Career Center
College and Military visits are cancelled for the coming week.
Upcoming College Fairs
This year’s Access College Fair, the third annual bilingual college fair for Lake County and the surrounding areas will be hosted by Wauconda High School on Wednesday, April 23rd from 6-8pm in the Main Entry. MHS, in collaboration with Round Lake High School and Wauconda High School, will be welcoming over 30 college representatives who are fluently bilingual in English and Spanish. These representatives will speak with our students and their families about the college application process and help them learn about opportunities to continue their education!
Additionally, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be hosting financial aid sessions. The English presentation will be at 6:30pm followed by the Spanish presentation at 7pm. All are welcome!
For the first time ever, this year there is going to be a Suburban Chicago National College Fair. This will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Saturday, March 14thfrom 11am to 3pm. For more information view: https://www.nacacfairs.org/attend/national-college-fairs/suburban-chicago-national-college-fair/
Students of all grade levels are invited to attend these fairs. We strongly encourage you to register at www.strivefair.com now!
Unique Scholarship Opportunity for MHS Underclassmen!
Have you considered attending a summer program at a college or university? Are you interested in studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? If so, don’t miss this opportunity!
Founded in 2018 by Lawrence Maligaya, an MHS alum, the Mundelein Explorers Scholarships provide financial support for immersive, pre-college opportunities to promising students at MHS. The Mundelein STEM Explorers Scholarship provides opportunities to promising students who are interested in STEM topics and careers.
These scholarships are open to all current juniors, sophomores and freshmen but preference will be given to current juniors in the class of 2021. For more information, visit Naviance.
Joseph P Arrigo Teacher Education Scholarship Now OPEN
Joseph P. Arrigo Teacher Education Scholarship, provided by the Mundelein Education Association, is worth $1,000 and is available to two MHS graduates who plan to pursue a degree in education. The application for this scholarship includes an essay and cover sheet along with a minimum of two MHS faculty letters of recommendation. All application components must be returned to Mr. Jeff Harding by noon on Friday, April 3, 2020.
The application can be found at the link at the end of this email, or by logging in to your Naviance account.
The Mundelein After School Coalition (MASC) Scholarship for the class of 2020 is now open!
This $1,000 scholarship is guaranteed to go to an MHS student in the class of 2020.
To be eligible for this scholarship, the student must meet the following criteria:
You must be currently enrolled as a member of the Mundelein High School Senior Class of 2020.
You must be accepted or plan to be enrolled as a full-time freshman in the fall of 2020 at the institute of higher learning of your choice. This would include universities, colleges, business colleges, nurse’s training, or vocational training.
You must have a cumulative un-weighted grade point average of 3.0 or better after 14 terms of classes.
Current MASC members are not eligible to apply.
The application for this scholarship is due by April 3, 2020 and must be returned directly to Officer Balogh, our School Resource Officer located near the school Deans’ offices. The application can be found in Naviance or using the link at the very bottom of this email.
Reminder: You can see all scholarships that are guaranteed to go to an MHS graduate of 2020 in this Google Document. Applications can be found in Naviance.
MHS College Planning Guide
The MHS College Planning Guide is a comprehensive guide through the college planning process. It covers where to get started, financial aid options, timelines, college athletics, summer opportunities, the college planning workbook, and more! Check it out at: http://www.livebinders.com/b/2151227#
Connect with us!
Website: https://www.d120.org/resources/student-success-resources/ccrc/
Instagram: mhsccrc
Twitter: @mundycollege
Athletics
Boys BasketballCongratulations your Mustang team are Regional Champions!
Baker 20pts, Ebube 15pts 10rbs, Enright 8pts 8ast and Bikus 8pts.
Congratulations also to Jake Salvador for advancing to the IHSA 3pt shootout on Friday.
Boys Water Polo
Mustangs knocking on door in NSC
By John Phelps (Daily Herald Correspondent)
The door is ready to be opened.
Question is, will Stevenson’s boys water polo team allow it?
Mundelein and coach Russ Gates have been knocking on the door the last couple of years in Lake County and this spring aspire to capture another 20 wins.
The Mustangs, ranked 13th in the illpolo.com preseason poll, lost several key starters but return junior all-stater Danny Oleinik, who scored 120 goals, dished out 27 assists, and had 58 steals to lead the offense last year.
“We’re looking for Danny to be our overall stats leader in terms of offense as well as defense,” Gates said. “He’s going to be a big part of our team and has been training all summer and fall with his club team.”
Oleinik serves as the team captain, while junior Cale Sethna is also ready to step up his roll this year as a starter. Junior keeper Andrew Hall will fill the vacancy left by Logan Bradshaw. Charlie Dennis also looks to provide a spark on offense for the Mustangs.
“We graduated one of the fastest teams on school history, so our style will be a little different this year,” Gates said. “We’ll play more possession ball and make the most out of every single opportunity we have.”
Mundelein won its own and Palatine tournaments last year, while finishing second in the North Suburban Conference behind Stevenson.
(Jr.); Mundelein — Charlie Dennis, Andrew Hall (Jr.), Danny Oleinik (Jr.), Jacob Philbrick (Sr.), Ethan Casler (Jr.), Max Kushnyrik (Jr.), Cale Sethna (Jr.)
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| Joey Foreman has had a great offseason and refuses to take days off! This is him working dead-hang pull-ups with 50 lbs on his back in PE Class He will be a force for the Mustangs this fall! Keep it up! |
Photos from the Week
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| Writing down his life stories, Christopher Mora '20 works on his Capstone Memoir for his Honors English 4 class on Wednesday, March 11. --photo and caption by Paige Corrigan |
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| In preparations for El Baile, students Leslie Osorio '20, Stephanie Gutierrez '20, and Flavio Morales '22, plan out the design of the board on Thursday March 5 during their weekly Puertas meeting.--photo and caption by Brianna Richards |
The Mundelein Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge was hosted at MHS last Sunday. This event was open to any student living in Mundelein for grades 5-12.
