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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
Excitement is in the air as this school year is coming to a close The Board and I would like to acknowledge the students and staff for all their hard work during the year. The caring atmosphere between the students, faculty, and staff fosters an environment that promotes learning and community involvement. In a few weeks, weather permitting, we will be holding our first commencement ceremony in the new Kennelly Athletic Complex. The graduating seniors are anxiously awaiting the opportunity of taking the historical first steps across the stage to accept their diploma. We wish them happiness and success in their journey after RB. Below are some points of interest from District 208.
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D.
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A settlement was reached between the Village of Brookfield and District 208 in regard to the "stop work order" on the track events located behind the home bleachers. Final construction on the long jump and pole vault runways has been completed. Our track and field teams will soon be able to host their first home meet, which everyone is very excited about.
We will continue to move forward with the litigation in regard to the School District building a parking lot on its own property. The District continues to believe that a solution should be found which permits parking on both School District property and Rockefeller Avenue, so as to adequately serve the needs of the school community and not push visitors to the School District onto residential streets.
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The Life Safety/Capital Improvement Projects
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The punch list for the outdoor athletic complex is down to a few items. As soon as the construction and parking litigation are completed behind the home bleachers, the District will allow the community to use the track during non-school hours and events. Rules for track usage will be posted and will be enforced. Following these guidelines will ensure that our track will be in top shape for everyone to enjoy for years to come.
Summer 2016 construction: The Life Safety and Capital Improvement items to be addressed in the summer of 2016 are the roof replacements (sections of the main building) and the installation of a new floor and bleachers in the main gym. Construction will begin June 8. Most of the staging for these projects will occur in the front of the building near Door G. The bids for these projects were approved at the March 8 Board meeting and are available on the RBHS website.
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The Board of Education and Riverside Brookfield Education Association (RBEA) are involved in contract negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement for the Teachers and Support Staff. The current contract expires on June 30, 2016.
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Last month we had an issue with our pool filtration system (specifically the digital chlorine monitor and pump). The pool was shut down for four-five days until all chemical levels were corrected and verified on regular manual tests. The pool has been re-opened since the equipment failure, and the chemical levels are being manually checked four-five times daily by our staff. The District is in the process of ordering a new chlorine monitor and pump system. The required paperwork for replacing a chlorine system was submitted to the Illinois Department of Health. The new system should be installed later this month.
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The next Board meetings will be May 10 and 24. Both beginning at 7:00 pm.
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 busy time of year filled with events highlighting student accomplishments and learning throughout the year. Last week, over $70,000 in scholarship money was distributed to students in the Class of 2016 in the 24th Annual Scholarship reception. This scholarship money, along with the events featured below, highlight student academic achievements, extra-curricular involvement, and service to the community throughout this school year.
In this edition of Hallways, you will also find important information about summer opportunities, immunization information, and the annual residency event. As the 2015 - 16 school year comes to a close, take time to celebrate another year of learning with your students and identify learning opportunities to engage in over the summer months.
Kristin Smetana
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RB Earns National and State Rankings
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Riverside Brookfield High School has made the
Washington Post 2016 list of America's Most Challenging High Schools. This year RB was ranked 15th out of 71 ranked Illinois schools and 8th when excluding private and selective enrollment schools. RB was also ranked 524th out of 2,333 national schools that made the list. This ranking is based on 2015 data.
RB was also ranked in
US News and World Report's
list of 2016 Best High Schools. This year RB was ranked 24th out of 94 ranked Illinois schools and 15th when excluding private and selective enrollment schools. RB was also ranked 661st out of 2,673 national schools that made the list. This ranking is based on 2014 data.
These national rankings affirm 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 and US News and Word Report websites for additional information on the rankings.
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Sign-Up Now for Summer Academics/Workshops and Athletic Camps
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Summer academic and athletic offerings for 2016 are posted on the RB website under the Student tab, "Forms and Documents". The academic offerings include several academic workshops and camps as well as credit recovery opportunities. The non-credit academic workshops will assist students in transitioning to Advanced Placement (AP) or pre-AP courses. There are also academic camps to provide students with opportunities to participate in band, prepare for the college application process, experience RBTV, and become familiar with Chromebooks. There are several athletic camps throughout the summer.
Registration is currently being taken in the Business Office through May 27. Forms are available online and in the Business Office. Currently enrolled students will be given priority for registration. All tuition and fees must be paid at the time of registration. Click here to link to the program booklet.
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Class of 2016 Commencement Information
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All graduates will be receiving a total of six tickets. Four tickets will be issued for the Kennelly Stadium or Main Gym (in the event of bad weather) and two for either the Little Theater or the Auditorium where the ceremony is being broadcast live. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. Any student with outstanding debt needs to contact the Business Office to discuss payment arrangements. Only one ticket will be issued to any student with any unpaid fees.
Please note that due to safety concerns, no heels of any kind can be worn on the turf. All female students must wear flats or wedged shoes to participate in the graduation ceremony.
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Class of 2016 Senior Picnic
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Lunch will be provided in the Field House during 4th and 5th Periods, along with other fun activities on Friday, May 20, for the Class of 2016. This is an official attendance day. Student I.D.'s are mandatory for picnic entrance and students must attend periods 1 - 3 to attend the picnic. Students who ordered yearbooks will receive them at the picnic. Senior students will be released at 1:15 p.m.
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Seniors who will be honored for academic excellence on Wednesday, May 18, at 7 p.m. will receive invitations in the mail. All students planning to attend the Senior Awards Ceremony must attend the mandatory practice held in the Auditorium on May 18 from 3:10 - 3:30 p.m. If unable to attend, students should speak with Mr. Mannon or Ms. Kennedy in the Main Office by Tuesday, May 17. Due to limited seating, students may bring up to four guests to the ceremony. Students must arrive in the Science Hallway by 6:30 p.m. to allow time to get into processional order. A reception hosted by the RBHS P.T.O. is held in the Student Cafeteria following the ceremony.
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Standardized Test Information
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ACT and PLAN Testing Results
Junior students took the ACT on April 19. Students can access their results via
actstudent.org
if they pre-registered with
actstudent.org
. Results are also sent to students directly from ACT. Also on April 19, Freshmen students took a practice PLAN test and Sophomore students took a practice ACT test. Results from those practice tests will be used to help provide academic support, interventions, and enrichment to students based on their scores.
Advanced Placement (AP) Testing
AP Testing began on May 2 and will continue through May 12. Please click the following link to access the
AP Testing Schedule
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Students that are taking AP exams should remember to bring two #2 pencils, two pens with blue or black ink, and a calculator for the Calculus, Physics, Chemistry or Stats exams. Snacks and drinks are allowed during breaks but must be left in a specific area as directed by the proctor.
AP Spirit Week
New this year, National Honors Society hosted a spirit week from April 25 - April 28 as a precursor to AP testing. Study sessions were held after school, spirit dress days were assigned for each day of the week, and students could purchase Candy Grams to wish each other luck. A raffle was held to throw a pie in a staff member's face in the Student Cafeteria on April 28 and all money raised will go to the Ronald McDonald House. A wall of encouragement was on display all week as well.
Illinois Science Assessment
All RBHS students that are enrolled in Biology, Honors Biology classes, or are AP Biology students taking their first ever biology course will be taking the Illinois Science Assessment during the week of May 2. The assessment will be administered via computer during the student's regularly scheduled Biology class. More information will be released when available.
ISBE Science Assessment Information
All School Testing Information
Thank you to the entire RBHS community for the success of our all school testing day on April 19. Attendance for testing was great, so good that there were only six total students absent for the Junior class ACT testing!
If you have any testing-related questions please contact Kevin Baldus at 708 442-7500 x2203 or
[email protected]
Second Semester Final Exam Schedule
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May 23, 2016
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Period 1
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8:00 - 9:30
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Period 2
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9:45 - 11:15
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Period 3
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11:30 - 1:00
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Make - up
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1:00 - 1:30
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May 24, 2016
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Period 4
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8:00 - 9:30
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Period 5
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9:45 - 11:15
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Make-up
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11:15 - 1:15
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May 25, 2016
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Period 6
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8:00 - 9:30
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Period 7
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9:45 - 11:15
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Make-up
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11:15 - 1:15
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All pedestrian foot traffic is being rerouted to the south sidewalk. Students will be able to use the north sidewalk once they have crossed First Avenue. During construction, drivers coming from Riverside should utilize all marked student drop off areas and will be discouraged from dropping students off within the construction zone. Motorists should expect heavy delays due to losing a lane on First Avenue and the right turn lane on Forest. As construction ramps up and additional equipment is brought in, extra fencing and barricades will be put in place by Kenny Construction.
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Annual Residency Save the Date
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Our annual residency event dates for the 2016 - 2017 school year have been set. Please mark your calendars for July 13, 21, and 25 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. The Class of 2020 will receive a Chromebook.
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Immunization Update for the Class of 2017
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All students entering 12th grade will be required to show proof of recent meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MCV). All 12th 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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Jazzapullooza X was a huge success! RB Students joined forces with jazz students from S.E. Gross to celebrate Jazz month with selections representing all the styles of jazz from Second Line to Fusion. RB students worked in combos to create their own arrangements of jazz standards. Many thanks to Katie Pilson, District 95 Band Director, and Doris Perry, RB Music Sponsors President.
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Music Sponsors - Volunteers Needed
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Parent volunteers are needed to get involved with Music Sponsors. There are many ways to volunteer, but we are especially in need of committee chairs and a president. Positions can be split between more than one person. Please contact Mr. Baum at
[email protected]
if you are able to help out.
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Student Association (SA) Update
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In April, Student Association hosted a Pop Tops contest. The total pop tops collected was over 80 lbs, which is equal to 101,000 pop tops! The 5th hour classes that collected the most were: 3rd  place - Ms. Hayes, 2nd place - Ms. Gordon, and in 1st place - Ms. Zimmerman's class. The pop tops benefit the Ronald McDonald House at Loyola. We also recently dropped off donations to the House, which included handmade fleece blankets and some much needed cleaning supplies. The final Spirit Friday competition of the year will be on Friday, May 13.
Student Association Elections for the 2016-17 Executive Board have elected the following officers:
Frankie Filec, President
Max Alvarez, Vice-President
Kaitlin Gaynor, Secretary
Claire Jacobs, Treasurer
Max Maher, Student Spokesperson
Jane Frank, Director of Communications
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 Seniors will receive their yearbook at the senior picnic on May 20. All other students can pick up their yearbook after school in the field house from 3:05 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. It's not too late to order a yearbook! Copies are limited, so make sure to reserve your copy online at
www.jostens.com
or in the Business Office. The cost is $55.00.
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Sign up for RB Camp College now through the Summer Academic Guide found on the
RBHS Website
. This summer camp runs from June 6 to June 10 for two and a half hours in the morning or afternoon. By the week's end, you'll have finished or nearly finished your personal essay and will understand much better how to choose a college and pay for it. This one week of camp will help make the college selection process less hectic and more well-informed. Please contact Mr Franko at
[email protected]
or
708-442-8520
if you have any questions.
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Over 275 students and 75 adults participated in the Day of Service. The theme this year was "Make a Splash" and the volunteers did just that. They cleaned up trash, cleared out buckthorn and weeds, painted benches, planted trees, and basically beautified areas in Riverside, North Riverside, Broadview, and Brookfield.
There were also a couple of contests this year. The volunteers at the Riverside Swim Club site were the winners of the most trash collected. They picked up 26 bags of trash! The other winners for the Scavenger Hunt were:
Cameron Shaw, Kate Barlow, Jack Sloan, Georgi Gomorczak, and Krystal Fragoso.
A huge thanks to all of our student volunteers, parent and teacher team leaders, set up/clean up crew, and refreshment servers. We also want to thank the RB administration and staff for all of their behind the scenes work. A special shout out to Patty Young who has been the teacher liaison for this event for the past four years!
We also want to thank the sponsors that made this event possible. Please be sure to visit these establishments as a thank you for all their wonderful donations.
Riverside Brookfield High School PTO
Brookfield Chamber of Commerce
The Frederick Law Olmsted Society of Riverside
Chik-fil-A
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Al's Pizzeria
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Meier - Harlem Plaza
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Aunt Diana's Candy
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Paisans Pizzeria
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Costco - North Riverside
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Quest Food Management
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DiNico's Pizza
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Riverside Foods
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Domino's Pizza
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Tony's Finer Foods
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Grand Tavern
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Trader Joe's LaGrange
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Jewel - North Riverside
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Village of North Riverside
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The RBHS Jazz Combo, directed by Mr. James Baum, performed at the  No MSing Around benefit held on February 27 to raise funds for the medical treatment expenses of a local man diagnosed with an aggressive form of MS. The following RB students and staff contributed their time and talents at this benefit:
James Baum, Director, Joseph Connelly, Andres Garcia, Maxwell Hoadley, Antonio Jimenez, Thomas Kelliher, Joseph Kinnan, Jakob Nordenstam, Spencer Williams, and Samuel Zalewski.
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Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Newsletter
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The April issue of the Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor Newsletter can be viewed on the
RBHS website
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The focus of this month's issue is on consequences of teenage drug and alcohol use.
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Spring sports have started and are in full gear! Check 8 to 18, http://il.8to18.com/rbhs
, which is our website for daily changes and cancellations. Also, sign up for e-mail alerts for up to the minute cancellations and make-up dates, because spring weather causes many changes.
IHSA State Competition will be starting soon! Here is a list of when each sport will start IHSA Sectional Competitions.
May 5 - 7 Badminton May 9 Boys Water Polo May 9 - 12 Girls Water Polo May 12 - 13 Girls Track May 13 - 14 Girls Soccer May 16 Softball May 19 - 20 Boys Track May 21 Boys Tennis May 23 Baseball and Boys Volleyball
Summer Camp
All Summer Camp dates and times are published and posted on the
RB School Website
. Sign ups and payments are being accepted in the Business Office.
RB Athletic Boosters Need Your Help
The Riverside Athletic Boosters are always appreciative of help. They will be meeting May 19 at 7 p.m. to elect new officers for the 2016-2017 school year. Please attend and give your input. All Booster Members can vote if present at the meeting. For more information email
[email protected]
or visit them online at
www.rbhs208athletics.org/boosters
Athletes of the Week
Congratulations to the latest RB "Athletes of the Week"
Peter Ferguson- Volleyball Ben Pollack- Tennis
Maclean Nolan- Volleyball Keri Burke- Water Polo
Kyle Fitzgerald- Baseball Mateo Nunez- Track
Hannah Flynn- Water Polo Sam Habayeb- Baseball
Boys Tennis Team Wins Wheeling Invite
Congratulations to the Boys Tennis team for winning the Wheeling Invite on April 17. The Bulldogs were led by individual champions, Ben Pollock at 2nd Singles, Will Dowling at 3rd Singles, and the 2nd Place finish of Elvis Begic at 1st Singles.
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Student Recognition
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Scholastic Art and Writing Award
Sara DiFatta
earned a National Medal in the 2016 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Her work was selected by creative professionals as the most accomplished in the nation. Nearly 320,000 works of art and writing were submitted with less than one percent recognized at the national level. The students receiving top awards have been invited to attend a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in June and to participate in showcase events at Parsons School for Design at The New School and Pratt Institute's Pratt Manhattan Gallery in New York City.
Cook County Sheriff's Youth Service Medal of Honor
The Sheriff's Youth Service Medal of Honor program was established to recognize Cook County students who have volunteered a minimum of 100 hours during the previous school year. Their volunteer service shows their commitment to others as well as demonstrates good citizenship. The following students received the Youth Service Medal of Honor recognition at the Cook County Sheriff's presentation ceremony. Congratulations go to Maxwell Hoadley and Isabel Blando.
FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community, Leaders of America)
The following students competed at the FCCLA State Competition in Springfield on April 8. We would like to congratulate:
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Alexandra Kusnierz and Kara Nedvar
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2nd Place, Interior Design Display
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Zoe Jacquat
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3rd Place, Apparel Construction, Formal
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Jacqueline Servin
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2nd Place, Apparel Construction, Formal
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Stefani Gonzalez
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2nd Place, Apparel Construction, Semi-Formal
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Isabella Martucci
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2nd Place, Pastry Arts-Cookie Decorating
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Elizabeth Murphy
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3rd Place, Pastry Arts-Frosted Cakes
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Sylvia Harvin
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2nd Place, Pastry Arts, Frosted Cakes
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Lizbeth Servin
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2nd Place, Personal Childcare Provider
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Rachel Magee
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3rd Place, Interior Design
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Campbell Hayes
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3rd Place, Interior Design
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Sydney Barrueta, Isabelle Echevarria, and Sarah Gentile qualified for State but were not able to compete due to prior commitments.
38 Students Earn Scholarships at the 24th Annual Scholarship Reception
Thirty-eight seniors from Riverside Brookfield were honored at the Twenty-fourth Annual Scholarship Reception, which was held on Monday, April 25. Students were recognized for academic excellence, academic promise, extra-curriculum involvement in sports and clubs and service to their community. Thank you to our very generous 25 scholarship donors that awarded over $70,000. Congratulations to all of these students for their accomplishments.
American Association of University Women - Riverside Chapter Fine Arts Scholarship
Abigail Schwarz
American Association of University Women - Riverside Chapter STEM Scholarship
Hannah Ranft
American Legion Scholarship
Nida Aleksa, Oliva Gyssler, Jacob Kreiss, David Pribyl Pierdinock,
and Evan St. Paul
Gerry Hejna P.E.O. Scholarship
Anisa Selenica
Dr. James R. Trost Digital Media Memorial Award
Collin Hughes
Best Buddies Scholarship
Ellie Richards
Blood Drive Scholarship
Silvana Alvarez and Morgan Kraus
Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
Ryan Swift
The Teachers' Association of Brookfield Scholarship
Ann Gauger
The Hess Scholarship
Yulissa Balderas, Dalissa Escamilla, Erin McGovern, Mallory McGovern, Sarah Schoenheider, and Collin Taylor
Kristen Fuerst Award
McKenna Powers
Robert P. Gwinn Award
Alyssa Vasquez
Otto Haack Memorial Award
Sydney Barrueta
RBHS Spirit Award
Keri Burke
Edwin R. Fredericksen Scholarship
Sydney Barrueta, Lukas Kulbis, Tadas Kunickas, Clare Payne, Cayley Stanislaw, and Matthew Suba
Kiwanis Club of Brookfield
Tadas Kunickas and Fabian Pacheco
RBEA Academic Scholarship Grant
Isabelle Echevarria, Ann Gauger, Olivia Gyssler, Lukas Kulbis, Tadas Kunickas, and Hannah Ranft
Reneé Petit Fine Arts Scholarship
Abigail Schwarz
Riverside Bank & Trust Scholarship
Isabella Eliopulos
Riverside Junior Woman's Charity
Hannah Ranft
Riverside Masonic Lodge Scholarship
E
van St. Paul
Rotary Club of Brookfield-Riverside - In Memory of Deceased Members Award
R. Matthew Patton
Aaron Semenske Memorial Scholarship
Dean Zigulich
James A. Swanson Memorial Scholarship
S
ydney Barrueta, Alec Frank, Ann Gauger, Daniel Rafael, and Marlene Santora
Rich Port YMCA Men's Club Service Award
Marlena Roberto
National Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to these senior students, Lukas Kulbis and Marlene Santora, who have been selected as winners of a National Merit $2500 Scholarship. This Scholarship is underwritten by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) with its own funds.
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Staff Recognition
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 Ms. Sandra Czajka, a veteran math teacher at RB, was recognized by the American Association of University Woman (AAUW) for her outstanding contributions in teaching and her passion for computer science. Ms. Czajka was awarded a $500 grant to be used to further enrich, enhance and development opportunities for female students in this area.
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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 2 - 13
AP Testing
May 5
Spring Choir Concert
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 9
P.T.O. Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Lehotsky Room 201
May 9
Chamber Orchestra Recital
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
May 10
Board Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Alumni Lounge
May 12
Apollo Music Awards
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 17
Jostens Cap and Gown Delivery
Lunches
Commons
May 18
Senior Awards Ceremony/Reception following
7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
May 20
Shenanigans Improv Spring Show
7:00 p.m.
Little Theater
May 23
Finals
Periods 1, 2, 3, and make-ups
May 24
Finals
Periods 4, 5, and make-ups
May 24
Board Meeting - Committee of the Whole
7:00 p.m.
Lehotsky Room 201
May 25
Finals
Periods 6, 7, and make-ups
May 27
Graduation
Mandatory Rehearsal for students 11:30 a.m.
Main Gym
Commencement
6:30 p.m.*
Kennelly Athletic Complex (Main Gym inclement weather)
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Please note that the graduation time has been moved up 30 minutes earlier to 6:30 p.m.
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Contact Us
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See our website for individual staff email addresses
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