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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather and are ready for the start of fall! We are anxiously awaiting the completion of the new Kennelly Athletic Complex. Homecoming weekend starts October 2 with the ribbon cutting and opening ceremony for the new athletic complex prior to the start of the varsity football game. We hope our Bulldogs, their families, and community members will attend these events. All are welcome.
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D.
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The Life Safety/Capital Improvement Projects
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Phase II of the Athletic Complex, which is the Astro turf, track, track events, home and away bleachers, and locker room building, will be 85 percent complete for the October 2 opening.
The remaining items (track surface, fencing, and landscaping) will be completed during the months of October and November.
Phase III, which include the tennis courts and parking lot, is on hold until the litigation with Brookfield is resolved.
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Kennelly Athletic Complex Dedication and Homecoming
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The ribbon cutting and opening of the Kennelly Athletic Complex will be held on Friday, October 2, between the Sophomore and Varsity Homecoming Football games. This event should begin between 6:45 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The Soccer Homecoming game is on Saturday, October 3. Both the football and soccer Homecoming games will be the first played on our new field.
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At our Board of Education meetings in September, RB Principal Kristin Smetana and the building administration reported on the progress of the academic achievement and school culture performance indicators of the District goals. The indicators include ACT scores, AP performance, graduation rate, matriculation, student attendance, and student engagement. The updated goal chart will be finalized and posted to the web page by early October. The graduating Class of 2015 achieved one of the highest composite ACT scores in school history with a 23.3 score. The school, as a whole, also set a new personal record by issuing 1,249 AP exams and approximately 56 percent of the class of 2015 passed at least one AP exam during their high school career.
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At the September Public Hearing that was held before the September 8 Regular Board meeting, the Board of Education approved the budget for the 2015-2016 school year. The budget can be found on the RBHS website. For the third consecutive year, a balanced budget was presented to the Board of Education.
For more information on Board of Education meetings, please check the RB website under the Board of Education tab or you can watch the meetings on
www.rbtv.tv.
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Principal's Message
Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 29 for parent-teacher conferences. Report cards will be available at conferences. Parents will have an opportunity to hear teacher feedback about student academic and behavior performance in order to celebrate accomplishments and encourage student efforts to improve. Parent training and support for Schoology, our learning management system, will also be available during parent-teacher conferences. Additionally, on-line resources to assist parents with logging onto and navigating Schoology are available on the school's
website
. With the end of first quarter rapidly approaching on Friday, October 16, encourage your student to check their grades on Skyward and give his or her best effort to end the quarter strongly.
With the fall season officially here, the weather will begin to get colder, increasing the traffic at RB before and after school. Please be mindful of practicing safe driving to keep all students and pedestrians safe.
Kristin Smetana
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PARCC Results and Resources
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Last spring, students in all levels of geometry and English 10, took the PARCC exam, which is the new standardized test for Illinois. The Illinois State Board of Education has introduced a new website dedicated solely to the PARCC exam and how it will help support student learning.
PARCC Place
provides access to fact sheets, online resources, and the latest updates on the test format and administration.
On September 16, the state released preliminary state-level results from the first administration of the PARCC exam last spring. These results do not include
students who took the PARCC exam with accommodations or those who completed the pencil-and-paper format. The initial results show the percentage of students who meet and exceed expectations falls well below half at all grade levels in both English/Language Arts and math.
A sample individual student report of the test results can be found on the PARCC Place website. RBHS specific results should be available later this fall.
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College Credit for Passing Scores on Advanced Placement Tests
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In August, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law HB 3428, legislation requiring all Illinois public colleges and universities to award credit to students who submit a score of 3 and higher on AP Exams. This applies to incoming freshmen at Illinois public institutions of higher education beginning in the fall of 2016. This new policy will ensure that Illinois students receive the college credits they can earn as a result of their hard work in AP. This, in turn, provides more students with a greater opportunity to graduate from college on time.
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RB is committed to partnering with parents throughout our implementation of the 1:1 technology initiative. In an attempt to keep parents aware of how students are utilizing Chromebooks as a part of their classroom learning experiences, we have developed a series of technology presentations. This presentation gives parents an opportunity to see how Chromebooks are supporting student learning and how they can support their students throughout the 1:1 initiative. The second Parent Technology Series presentation takes place on October 5 at 6 p.m. in the Little Theater.
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Homecoming Week September 28 - October 3
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Homecoming week is a time for students to share in their school pride through selected grade level competitions, the crowning of a King and Queen, followed by the Football Game and Homecoming Dance on Saturday. This Homecoming is especially meaningful to our RB community since it will also serve as the opening of the new Kennelly Athletic Complex.
To ensure students, parents, and the community have an enjoyable Homecoming experience, below are updated procedures for the Football Game and Dance, as well as a review of handbook and safety expectations.
Football Game and Kennelly Stadium reminders:
- Refrain from bringing in outside food and beverages and any type of large bag into the stadium.
- There is no re-entry to the stadium for students.
- If students have purchased a 2015-2016 Activity Fee Pass, they will be allowed entry with their current school ID. Students who fail to bring their ID will pay full admission price at the gate.
- Students who are dropped off at the stadium should utilize the drop off area which is near the south gate on Ridgewood Road.
Homecoming week and dance reminders:
- Tickets for the Homecoming Dance can be purchased for $10.00 each at the door. Students that have purchased a 2015-2016 Activity Fee Pass, will be allowed entry to the Dance with their current school ID.
- Dance Guest Permission Slips should have already been turned in to the Assistant Principal of Student Affairs.
- All students will need to show their ID for entry into the Homecoming Dance. Students who fail to show an ID will be denied entry.
- The Homecoming Dance will begin promptly at 7 p.m. and will end at 10 p.m. There will be no admittance to the Homecoming Dance for students who arrive after 7:30 p.m.
- Students are asked to refrain from celebratory activities, such as toilet papering, spray painting, and damage to school property. Celebratory activities will result in disciplinary consequences: please refer to the student handbook page 34, item 21.
- Students are expected to adhere to all school rules at the dance and are not allowed re-entry into the dance: please refer to pages 8 - 9 and 30 - 33 in the student handbook.
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Iron Oaks Leadership Field Trip
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 On September 17, 36 students traveled to the Iron Oaks Environmental Learning Center to enjoy a day filled with team structured activities to promote leadership, collaboration, and engagement as part of our Bulldog Pride initiative. Students were selected based upon teacher nominations. This student leadership opportunity was generously supported by the PTO.
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Course Selection for 2016-2017 School Year
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Course selections for the 2016-2017 school year will begin in early November. Small group pre-course selection meetings and individual registration appointments with counselors will occur during the following weeks. More information regarding the course selection process will be shared with parents and students throughout October.
Pre-Course Selection Meetings with Counselors
| November 4 - 5 |
Class of 2018 - Sophomores |
| November 23 - 24 |
Class of 2019 - Freshmen |
| January 11 - 12 |
Class of 2017 - Juniors
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Course Selection Appointments with Counselors
| November 9 - 20 |
Register Class of 2018 - Sophomores |
| December 1 - 15 |
Register Class of 2019 - Freshmen |
| December 16 - 17 |
Make-ups for the Class of 2018 & 2019 |
| January 13 - 25 |
Register Class of 2017 - Juniors |
| January 26 - 27 |
Make-ups for the Class of 2017 |
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College Planning Information
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The College Wise Guide to the Common Application - For Seniors and Parents of Seniors
As senior students begin to complete the common application for college, consider visiting this link for helpful information about the 2015-2016 Common Application process.
College Planning Tips for Sophomore Parents
October 13 at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium
Jim Franko will give some helpful tips for parents of sophomores on college admission and financial aid.
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Upcoming Student Services Events
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On Monday, October 26, the Student Services Department will show a compelling documentary titled "Bully" to the freshman class. This powerful
documentary addresses the reality of bullying in schools, highlights the negative ripple effect it has on family systems and communities, and inspires hope for a less violent future. The content of this film is rated PG-13 and includes intense thematic material, disturbing content and some strong language all involving students and bullying.
Social workers and school psychologists will provide a pre-and post-lesson before and after the movie that directly connect to the Illinois Social Emotional Learning Standards and supports the Illinois Anti-Bullying Statute. The legislation mandates school districts make suitable provisions for instruction on bullying prevention. Parents will be receiving more information in a Skyward blast and will have the opportunity to opt-out their students from viewing the movie.
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Standardized Testing Update Reminders for October
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National SAT at RBHS on Saturday, October 3
Students that are registered to take the SAT should arrive at RBHS by 7:30 a.m. Students should bring their admission ticket, two No. 2 pencils and a soft eraser, and an acceptable calculator. A valid photo ID is also required. For practice and other helpful hints from SAT, please go to the following link:
https://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/.
PSAT exam at RBHS on Wednesday, October 14
National ACT at RBHS on Saturday, October 24
All students that are registered for the national ACT exam are encouraged to arrive at RBHS no later than 7:30 a.m. on the morning of testing. Additional testing information and test prep help can be found at the ACT website:
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/taking/.
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NEXT STEPS: the Transition Series
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The Illinois NEXT STEPS: the Transition Series has been developed in partnership with the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services and Virginia Commonwealth University to assist parents and families in preparing students for the change from life as a student in school to life as a citizen of the community. For all young people, preparing for this change is complicated. For students with disabilities and their families, preparing for such changes can be particularly challenging, overwhelming, and exciting! The Illinois NEXT STEPS: the Transition Series is presented by LADSE Vocational Alliance. The meetings are held at RB and are free. Please email
[email protected]
or contact Kristine at 708-482-1186 to reserve a spot.
The series will be held on the following Tuesdays:
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October 6
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6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Transition: Making it in the Real World
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October 13
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6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Transition Plans: Roadmaps to the Future
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October 20
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6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Moving on: Life in the Community
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October 27**
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6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Planning Ahead: Future Finances and Supports
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** Registration for the October 27 session is mandatory
Additionally, there is a resource fair, entitled Moving on the World of Work, and the Next Steps Resource Fair, that will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the William Tell Holiday Inn, Joliet Road, Countryside.
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Dr. Patrick McGrath from Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital will be presenting on Anxiety in Adolescents on November 5 in the Little Theater at RB from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Dr. McGrath is the Director for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and the Co-Director of the School Anxiety program and School Refusal Program at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates.
Dr. McGrath has authored a stress management workbook called "Don't Try Harder, Try Different" as well as "The OCD Answer Book." He has also been featured in many newspapers, journals, and magazines, and has been on numerous radio and television programs across the country, including The John Williams Show on WGN Radio, WGN Television News, CBS News, National Public Radio, PBS, The Sally Jesse Raphael radio show, and The Steve Cochran Show. He was recently featured on the Discovery Health Channel's Documentary "Anxious" and filmed episodes of "Hoarding: Buried Alive" for The Learning Channel.
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Brookfield Zoo South Lot Parking Permits
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On October 1, Zoo Lot Parking Applications will open to all sophomore, junior, and senior students. Students who are interested are asked to complete the Google Application found on the
RB webpage
by October 23. The cost of the permit is $85.00 to park from November 2 through March 25.
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Congratulations to the 2014-2015 Rouser staff for earning FIRST PLACE in the American Scholastic Press Association's annual yearbook competition! If you have not yet ordered your copy of RB's award winning yearbook, you can order it in the business office or online at
jostens.com/yearbooks.
See Mrs. Marsh with any questions.
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Pictured (L-R) 1st Row Kneeling: Rachel McLean, Joseph Bensfield, and Sylvia Harvin; 2nd Row Standing: Laura McLean, Trevor Bork, Gustas Gladstein, Kaitlin Krivak, Catherine Lynch, Carleen Egan, and Megon Pedroza
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This was RB's 22nd showing in Chicago's Von Steuben Day Parade. On Saturday, September 12, The RB Color Guard, Marching Band, and German Club took to Lincoln Avenue and marched in front of thousands of fans. After the parade, all attended the German-American Fest at Lincoln Square to indulge in some delicious German cuisine and enjoy the German culture experience.  Thank you to RB German Teacher, Ms. Patricia Reaves and the parents who volunteered to make this event a success.
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 As the weather becomes colder, more students are being driven to school. When driving, please remember to stop for school buses that have their stop sign out.
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Fall Athletic Update
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Fall Sports are well into their season schedules and will soon be competing in IHSA State Tournaments.
- Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams just returned from a successful weekend competing at Detweiller Park in Peoria, where the IHSA State Cross Country Meet is held in November.
- Football is off to a great 4-0 start.
- Boys and Girls Golf both off to a great start with boys sporting a 7-2 record and girls taking 3rd place at the Willowbrook Invite.
- Boys Soccer is off to a 3-2-3 record with a big win over OPRF.
- Girls Swimming started their season with a nice win over Hinsdale South.
- Girls Tennis is off to a great 5-0 start and a 2nd place finish in the Bolingbrook Invite.
- Girls Volleyball is sporting a nice 4-1 record with a big win over state ranked Glenbard South.
To help keep the Bulldog Community connected, sign up and follow us on TWITTER, @rbhsathletics
Questions about athletics should be directed to the Assistant Principals of Athletics, John Treiber,
[email protected]
(boys sports) and Tom Domin,
[email protected]
, (girls sports).
Iron Oaks Leadership Conference
We sent 14 athletes to Iron Oaks for a Leadership Conference to represent RB. Coach Mike Boyd supervised these athletes, who shared the experience with other athletes from the other 13 Metro Suburban Conference schools.
Winter Sports Offerings
Winter Sports will be here before you know it! RB offers the following sports in the winter with these starting dates: Competitive Cheerleading (October 26), Competitive Dance (October 26), Girls Basketball (November 2), Girls Gymnastics (November 9), Boys Basketball (November 9), and Wrestling (November 9). Be active and stay engaged!
Athletics New Website
Our new Website called 8to18.com, which was launched in early August to communicate Athletic information to the public, continues to grow and has many links and school forms for parents and community. Please check it out at
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS
and sign up now for e-mail alerts from the athletic department regarding important information about our athletic contests. RB "Athletes of the Week" are highlighted on this site. So far this year's winners are Mia Hruska, Girls Cross Country; Ryan Swift, Football; and Michael Gruber, Golf.
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2016 National Merit Scholarship Program
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. This nationwide group of semifinalists represents less than one
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Pictured L to R: Lukas Kulbis; Marlene Santora and David Pribyl Pierdinock
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percent of U.S. high school seniors. These seniors have an opportunity to compete
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Tristan Kotlicky, Commended student
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for scholarships that will be offered next spring. Additionally, about 34,000 students were also recognized for their score on the PSAT/NMSQT, which was among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition. Congratulations to the following students:
Lukas Kulbis, Semifinalist;
David Pribyl Pierdinock, Semifinalist;
Marlene Santora, Semifinalist; and
Tristan Kotlicky, Commended student,
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Staff Recognition
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Dan O'Rourke, RB English Teacher, has been actively involved  in several national academic organizations and has achieved the following prestigious accomplishments:
- Invited to be a presenter at the AP Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, in July 2015. The title of Mr. O'Rourke's presentation was, "AP Environmental Studies: Cross-Curricular Alignment of AP English Language & Composition and AP Environmental Science."
- Invited to become a College Board Consultant for AP English Language and Composition and began his training in September 2015.
- Participated in a fellowship in March 2015 with the EPI in Baja, Mexico.
As a non-science teacher, Dan brought a unique insight to the
Fellowship
and demonstrated firsthand the importance of collaboration  across disciplines based on his wealth of experiences in team teaching and education. He has described his fellowship experience with his blog entry.
Sandy Czajka, RB Math Department, is working with the College Board 
on a partnership with a Service Organization called Free the Children. A major part of the group's goals includes celebrating service acts and encouraging youth to become active, service-minded citizens. This year, Ms. Czajka is piloting the Service Learning in an AP Computer Science course. To prepare for this new aspect of the course, Sandy traveled to Africa this summer to observe a school built by Free the Children. She learned more about the organization and how it benefits the children of Africa. Teachers from AP Spanish Language and Culture, European History, Art Studio, Environmental Science and Human Geography will be looking to pilot this service learning initiative next year.
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Excellence and Ethics
in Education
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Important Dates
Please check our website for the dates and locations of all performances and events.
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Fall Orchestra Festival Concert
7 p.m.
Auditorium
October 2
Homecoming Pep Rally
2:15 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.
Main Gym
October 2
Homecoming Varsity Football Game
7:15 p.m.
The New Kennelly Athletic Complex
October 3
Homecoming Dance
7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Main Gym
October 5
P.T.O. meeting
7 p.m.
Lehotsky Room 201
October 5
Parent Technology Workshop - Supporting Academic Progress
6 p.m.
Little Theatre
October 7
Fall Choir Concert
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Auditorium
October 12
Columbus Day Holiday
No School
October 16
End of 1st Quarter
October 22
Fall Band & Orchestra Concert
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Auditorium
October 24
ACT Testing at RB
October 28
Blood Drive sponsored by Student Association
October 29
Parent Teacher Conferences
Non-attendance Day for students
12:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Main Gym
October 30
Institute Day
Non-attendance Day for students
P.T.O. Meeting
7 p.m.
Lehotsky Room 201
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Contact Us
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See our website for individual staff email addresses
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