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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
It's May and the school is bustling with end of the year activities. It has been another great year at RB, and I want to thank the staff and students for all their hard work. A few more weeks and our senior Bulldogs will be advancing to the next phase of their life. We wish them success in whatever path they choose. Below are some of the news items from District 208.
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D.
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Life Safety/Capital Improvement Projects
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The bids for Phases 2 and 3 (stadium, track, parking lot, and tennis courts) were opened on Monday, April 6. The bids and the Construction Manager's Guaranteed Maximum Price were reviewed and discussed at the Facilities Committee meeting on April 10. The bids were presented, discussed, and approved at the regular Board of Education meeting on April 14.
The Brookfield Zoning Board unanimously approved our special use permit and variance request in March. Unfortunately, the Village of Brookfield Board of Trustees voted down the District's special use permit and variance request in a vote of 5-1. This decision will delay Phase 3 (tennis courts and parking), while the Board of Education reviews all of their options and determines how they will proceed. Phase 2 construction (field, track, bleachers, and locker rooms) is scheduled to begin May 1.
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Fine Arts Staffing and Class Offerings
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Kristin Smetana and Beth Augustine presented an in-depth analysis of the Fine Arts enrollment, staffing, and class offerings for the last five years at the April 28 Board of Education meeting. This can be viewed on the RBHS website under "News and Announcements." To see and hear the entire presentation, watch the meeting on RBTV.
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Board of Education
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Four Board members ran uncontested in the April 7 elections. Garry Gryczan, Laura Hruska, John Keen, and Timothy Walsh were elected for another four-year term. The Reorganization of the Board of Education occurred at the April 28 meeting. Michael Welch was elected President and Matt Sinde was elected Vice President.
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Naming Rights
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As mentioned in last month's newsletter, the outdoor athletic complex will be known as the "Kennelly Athletic Complex." There are still multiple opportunities for other advertising, such as the field, scoreboard, locker rooms, etc. Interested parties should contact Dr. Skinkis at [email protected].
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Upcoming Board Meetings
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The May 5 Reorganization of the Board of Education meeting has been cancelled since the reorganization occurred at the April 28 meeting. The Board of Education is scheduled to meet twice this month, on May 12 and May 26. For more information on the 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
 The end of the school year is a time to pause and celebrate the many accomplishments of our students and staff. The Rouser students have been diligently working throughout the year to capture these accomplishments in this year's edition of the yearbook, which will be distributed on May 15. In this edition of Hallways, you will also find important information about summer opportunities and the annual residency event.
Take time, too, to celebrate another year of learning with your student and set a shared summer learning goal or two with him or her. From reading the same book to visiting a museum, you can extend learning opportunities throughout the summer. Kristin Smetana |
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RB Ranks 10th on Washington Post's 2015 Most Challenging High Schools
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Riverside Brookfield High School is ranked 10th out of 72 Illinois schools and 454th out of 2,332 schools nationally on the recently released Washington Post's 2015 Most Challenging High Schools. Of the approximately 22,000 U.S. public high schools, only 11 percent made the America's Most Challenging High Schools list. This national ranking affirms our philosophy at Riverside Brookfield High School: By establishing high expectations for all students and allowing open access to a rigorous curriculum taught by outstanding teachers, students can reach their full potential. Visit the Washington Post website for additional information on the rankings.
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Testing Information
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Advanced Placement Exam Information, May 4 - May 15
Advanced Placement exams will be conducted here at Riverside Brookfield High School starting on May 4 and continuing through May 15. The testing location and time for each AP exam is posted on the RBHS home page under "Important AP Exam Information." Students should arrive on time and bring two #2 pencils, two pens with blue or black ink, and a calculator for the Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, or Statistics exams. Snacks and drinks are allowed during breaks, but must be left in a specific area as directed by the proctor. Students should review the AP student Bulletin they received earlier this year for a complete list of acceptable and unacceptable items during exams. Please contact Mr. Baldus or Mrs. Carey with any questions about AP exams. Good Luck Bulldogs!
Second Semester Final Exam Schedule
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May 20
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Period 1 |
8:00 - 9:30 |
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Period 2 |
9:45 - 11:15 |
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Period 3 |
11:30 - 1:00 |
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Make-up |
1:00 - 1:30 |
| May 21 |
Period 4 |
8:00 - 9:00 |
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Period 5 |
9:45 - 11:15 |
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Make-up |
11:15 - 1:15 |
| May 22 |
Period 6 |
8:00 - 9:00 |
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Period 7 |
9:45 - 11:15 |
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Make-up |
11:15 - 1:15 |
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Class of 2015 Updates
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Visit the RBHS website to view a copy of the Senior Bulletin that was emailed home last week. This bulletin contains information about senior awards night, the senior picnic, and graduation. Direct all questions to Mr. Passarella at [email protected] or at 708-442-7500 ext. 2112.
All seniors will complete a "Final Transcript Release Form" during graduation practice. Student Services will send only one final transcript unless you are later accepted to a wait-listed school. All final transcripts will be mailed starting the week of June 15.
Please bring a copy of your scholarship award letters to your counselor to help us determine how much scholarship money the Class of 2015 has been awarded.
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Summer Opportunities for Students
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Advanced Placement (AP) Summer Workshops for Students This summer RBHS is offering a variety of Advanced Placement academic three-day workshops to help prepare your child for the rigors of an AP class next school year. If your student is taking one or more of the classes noted below, we hope you will review our summer academic and athletic course booklet and enroll your child in one of our Bridge academic workshops. We are offering the following AP Bridge classes:
- Bridge to AP English Literature
- Bridge to AP French
- Bridge to AP German
- Bridge to AP Science
- Bridge to AP Spanish Language and Literature
- Bridge to AP US History
- Bridge to Honors Pre-Calculus
Registration details are available in the Summer Academic and Athletic program posted on the RBHS website.
CAMP COLLEGE: A College Application Seminar June 1 - 5 Fee: $80 Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Afternoon Session: 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Minimum 20 students (If demand exists) Camp College offers RBHS students entering their senior year the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the college search and application process. An RBHS English teacher and counselor will cover college search and selection topics, including Using Technology to Research Colleges; Completing the Application; Financial Aid/CSS Profile/FAFSA; and The Common Application. Students will develop a list of potential college options and create a college essay draft. One day may include a college tour. Instructors include, RB Counselor Jim Franko, RB English Teacher Mr Izaguirre, and Retired RB Counselor Marsha Hubbuch. The registration can be found in the Summer Academic and Athletic program on the RBHS webpage. Please contact Mr Franko with any questions. Summer Career Camp Opportunities Des Plaines Valley Region (DVR) is hosting three career camps in early June that interested RB students are encouraged to attend. There are camps in Health Careers, Food Sanitation, and Coding. If you are interested and want more information, visit the DVR website or see your guidance counselor. The registration deadline is May 20.
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Residency Save the Date
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Our annual residency event dates for the 2015 - 2016 school year
 have been set. Please mark your calendars for July 16, 22, and 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Additional information about scheduling your appointment for one of these dates will be emailed home in June. All families and their students must attend this event to establish residency. Also, at this event students will take their yearbook pictures and receive their class schedule and ID.
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Immunization Update for 2015-2016 School Year
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 Beginning next school year (Fall 2015), all students entering twelfth grade will be required to show proof of recent meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MCV). All twelfth grade students will need to show proof of receiving two doses unless the first dose was administered after 16 years of age. In this case, only one dose after 16 years of age is required. Students who do not provide the proper documentation of this vaccination will be excluded from school. Please contact your health care provider with any questions. For more information, please visit the RBHS website.
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National Honors Society (NHS) Service Project for Ronald McDonald House
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This past month, the National Honor Society students organized a donation drive for the Ronald McDonald House called "RB is Lovin' it". There was a large french fry container on the wall in the main entrance, filled with "fries" that noted the items needed by the Ronald McDonald House. Students and staff were encouraged to take a "fry" out of the container, purchase that item, and drop it off to NHS. This effort is paired with the Student Association effort to raise two million pop tops for the Ronald McDonald House.
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SEE Team's Environmental Literacy Conference
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SEE team is hosting their annual Environmental Literacy Conference (ELC) at the Discovery Center of the Brookfield Zoo on May 13 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. The ELC represents a summative project representing a year's worth of work on the team where students, in small groups, present 20-minute ecological "how to" workshops to peers, parents, Zoo personnel, RB faculty, and community members. Some planned workshops include, how to build your own window solar panel; how to cut $2,000 from your yearly electrical bill and save the planet, too; how to manage a backyard garden; and more.
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Bring Your Child to Work Day
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On April 24, over 40 students in our Child Development class hosted 75 staff members' children in the annual Bring your Child to Work Day. RB students applied what they had learned throughout the semester by running age appropriate activities for the children throughout the day. Susan Brenner, Applied Arts teacher, and Patti Farlee, Instructional Coach for Applied and Fine Arts, coordinated and oversaw this event.
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West 40 School Citizen of the Year (SCOTY) 
Junior student, Catherine Humphrey was selected to receive the West 40 School Citizen of the Year (SCOTY) Award. The ceremony was held April 15 at West Leyden High School, where Catherine was recognized among nearly 80 other local students for recognition of being good citizens and role models for other students.
Math Team Competes at State
Three RB students competed in the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) state math competition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on May 2. Freshman Jackson Hajer competed in the individual algebra competition, senior David Buksa competed in the individual pre-calculus competition, and senior David Buksa and junior Alec Frank competed in the orals team competition. David Buksa is the first student from RB to compete in the state math competition for three years!
FCCLA Goes to State
 On April 17, members of FCCLA traveled to Springfield to compete in the state competition. Congratulations to the following members:
Natalie Gutierrez- Cake Decorating- 1st Place
Isabella Martucci- Cookie Decorating- 2nd Place
Zoe Jacquat- Apparel Construction- 2nd Place
Mimi Pena and Chrissy Gruber- International Experience- 2nd Place
Anisa Selencia- Children's Literature- 3rd Place
Rachel Magee and McKenna Kunish- International Experience- 3rd Place
German National Exam Recognition
Seven students at RB were recognized on April 26 at the
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| Pictured left to right: Patricia Reaves, German teacher, Nicole Kural, Collin Dreilich, and John Parisi. |
College of DuPage Awards Ceremony for their performance in the 2015 American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) German National Exam. They all scored at least at 90 percent for their respective levels and received gold medals. RB was the only school that had four students receiving this honor for the level 4 German test. Congratulations to:
Collin Dreilich,
Nicholas Jepson,
Nicole Kural,
John Parisi,
Evangeline Pina,
Robert Peugh,
and Henry Scheffer.
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Athletic Accomplishments
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Ken Gerdes III Memorial Leadership Award
The Ken Gerdes III Memorial Foundation has awarded $100,000 to 100 athletes over the past 20 years. This year, Liliana Cortes was a recipient of the Ken Gerdes III Memorial Leadership Award. She is the first female wrestler to win the award and only the second person ever to earn a perfect score on her essay.
Athletic Service Projects
On March 21, the girls' badminton team paired with members of RB's Association of Students for Tolerance to cut down buckthorn, weed, clean up trash on the grounds, and interview the senior residents at the Cantata Retirement Home in Brookfield.
On May 12, the girls' water polo team will be heading to Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville to hand pack meals that will feed malnourished children around the world.
The softball program will be hosting their annual "Strike Out Cancer" on Friday, May 15. The event will include bake sales leading up to the game. Last year the program was able to raise $1,200 that was donated for cancer research.
In May, the baseball team will be doing a "Spring Clean Up" removing all leaves, debris, and trash from all the fields at Ehlert Park.
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Staff Recognition
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 Riverside Police Department Recognition
On April 16, the Riverside Police Department presented John Passarella, Assistant Principal of Student Affairs, with a Riverside Police Department's patch plaque at the Village Board meeting. The award recognizes him for his years of service at Riverside Brookfield High School and his capacity as liaison to the police department.
Counselor of the Year 
Beth Augustine, Director of Student Services, was named by Triton College as Counselor of the Year for her ambitious work and dedication in fostering a strong partnership with the college. She was chosen from the many counselors at 14 feeder high schools in the Triton district.
 Quest Staff Earns Ranking for Best Food
Best Food ranks 3,868 school districts based on district spending statistics and more than 580,000 opinions on food from 215,000 students and parents. RBHS was ranked in the top 100 schools in the U.S. and 7th
in Illinois for Best Food.
Congratulations to Dawne Ives and the Quest staff for being recognized. A high ranking indicates the district offers a variety of healthy, quality food options, accommodates various dietary preferences like vegan and gluten-free, and receives a favorable rating by the students on the quality of food.
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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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May 4
PTO Meeting
Room 201
7 p.m.
Week of May 4-15
Advanced Placement Testing
May 6
Senior Awards
Auditorium
7 p.m.
May 7
Choir Spring Concert
Auditorium
7 p.m.
May 11
Chamber Orchestra Recital
Little Theater
7 p.m.
May 14
Apollo Music Awards Concert Reception
7 p.m.
May 15
Senior Picnic
Gymnasium
Periods 4-5
May 15
Shenanigans Show
7 p.m.
May 19
Cap and Gown Delivery
Outside Student Cafeteria
Period 4
May 20, 21, 22
Final Exams
May 22
Graduation Ceremony
Gymnasium
7 p.m.
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Contact Us
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See our website for individual staff email addresses
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