DHS Implements Gluten-Free Cafeteria

Food for Students

By Zosia Zarnecki, Staff Reporter

As of December 2nd, students that have a gluten allergy and/or Celiac Disease are now able to receive hot lunches from the cafeteria. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect one in 100 people worldwide.

Previously, the cafeteria didn’t offer many gluten-free lunch options. Chips, drinks, and a fruit cup are limited options for a balanced meal. Even with an option for gluten-free free bread from the sandwich station, there was a risk off cross-contamination with wheat. Now, gluten-free students can pre-order their lunch before the school day starts, experience a “normal” lunch, and stay safe.

As a student at DHS with Celiac, I found it important that every student with Celiac Disease feels included during lunch. To get started, I set up a meeting with our school food provider, Quest, the assistant principal, Mr. Chamberlin, the head chef of the school cafeteria, Edgar Posadas, and myself. Since the school can't provide a separate fryer, they agreed to purchase a small air fryer for gluten-free items. To start simple, we decided that I should test out the food and ordering process, and report back to the chef for adjustments. After weeks of testing, a final menu was printed out and ready for other students to use.

The current order form includes a gluten-free burger, grilled chicken sandwich, grilled cheese, and a salad made safely to prevent cross-contamination for those with Celiac. To order, students will go to the cafeteria before 9:00 am, and ask the person at the cashier station for a Gluten Free Order Form, fill it out, and pay. If no one at the cashier station, students should ask to talk to Mr. Posadas. To pick up, students wait in line at the “PICANTE” station, give their name, what they ordered, and enjoy!

Looking ahead, the school plans to monitor this project's success through student feedback and hopes to expand the menu’s gluten-free offerings. The next steps are to incorporate options like fries and chicken tenders. These can all be made in the air fryers, so once the current system gets more involvement from other students, more items will be provided.

By introducing warm gluten-free meals, Deerfield High School sets an example for other schools to follow, proving that inclusive dining can be both practical and delicious.

Meet Lane Linder -

D113's Director of Security

By Madeline Geres, Staff Reporter

On September 24, 2024, District 113’s Board of Education appointed Mr. Lane Linder as the new Director of Security at DHS and HPHS. Deerprints got the opportunity to interview Mr. Linder to get insight on what really goes on behind the scenes with our security measures.

As students at Deerfield High School, we all deserve to feel safe and secure coming to our place of education. Keeping all students safe is District 113’s number one priority and with that, updates to security members and systems are incredibly important. When taking into account the recent events that have occurred around Deerfield, students, not only here, but in schools all over America, have the right to feel confident that their administration is making sure the schools are safe and secure.

Mr. Linder has spent his career in this profession in several different environments including places of education. As some may already know, Mr. Linder is a retired police officer of many years and the former director of security and operations of six years in District 115. On top of this, he graduated from college with a degree in hostage management and went on to be a member of the emergency response team and a hostage negotiator at Northwestern University. His other areas of work include ten years as a school resource officer in both a high school and a middle school.

Coming into our district, Mr. Linder commented that our security program is incredibly innovative and cutting-edge, noting that his position seeks to enhance what we already have in place. Much of the work that has been put into the school’s safety systems is behind the scenes, which most students don’t necessarily see but experience daily. 

What can we expect from Mr. Linder going forward? Primarily, students should expect to see K9 units present after the start of the new year as well as many experiences that remain behind the scenes. This includes: upgrading the security command center to improve emergency response protocols to operate seamlessly across all departments, thoroughly training security staff, and visitor screening process, improving the PA systems to communicate effectively during an emergency, as well as more measures that will be put in place as the school year continues.

Although our security team works immensely hard for our student population in District 113, students and staff also need to understand their shared responsibilities in school security. As Mr. Linder said, “I think that students have to understand and recognize that they are stakeholders in school safety and security,and what I mean by stakeholder is not only are they the purpose of a lot of what we do but they have a role and a shared responsibility. Staff are the facilitators to the procedures such as response drills and are key because they are the ones interacting with students during schools.” Whether it’s following procedures put in place or reporting suspicious behavior to avoid the escalation of situations, we all have a role to play.

In conclusion, Mr. Linder shared his message: “We are all here to serve and that is my message to not only the teams but also my message to our students, their families, and our staff. I'm here to serve and I think that a lost component in school safety and security is customer service, while we do all of these measures to keep the school safe our students safe and our staff safe, we still have to make sure our schools are safe and welcoming environments for everybody and we are trying to find that balance where everybody feels safe.” 

Mr. Linder is a highly qualified addition to our district and our students, staff, administration, families, and guests are in wonderful hands in regard to safety and security going forward.

2025 Movie Madness

By Lexi Spector, Staff Reporter

A new year means new recently released movies… here is a quick look at the most highly anticipated movies coming out soon in 2025.

*possible spoilers for the original movies*

Live Action Remakes

Mufasa

A prequel to The Lion King, viewers follow the story of Mufasa as a child. It features his relationship with Scar, back when he was known as Taka, and how he came to ‘find his place in the circle of life’ and the lion hierarchy.

Minecraft Movie

While Minecraft has already made animated series and a movie, new CGI has taken it to the next level, adding people into the blocky world. While it still holds the square features, it seems to be a look at how a character is supposed to progress through the game. The two main characters are Jack Black portraying Steve, as well as Jason Momoa portraying Garett.

How To Train Your Dragon

While it's not being brought up as much as the Mufasa and The Minecraft Movie, this movie is set to rock the world of cinema. It will be a live action version of How to Train Your Dragon 1 that expands more on the backstory from the books and shows a detailed glimpse into Hiccup and Toothless’ backstory giving fans new information about any and all things How to Train Your Dragon.

Animated Movies

Moana 2

Even though many trailers are out, Disney fans seem to be confused about the plot of Moana 2. Here is a brief synopsis of what I could gather- This movie takes place on Moana’s island, three years after the first movie. Moana is tasked with connecting her people to others in Oceania. She must venture through unknown and treacherous waters to face challenges she’s never known before.

Zootopia 2

The sequel includes reptiles, which is new to the sweries which previously only included mammals. While specific details are unknown, fans asume the reptiles will be troublemaking, and Nick and Judy will have to crack the case.

Horror/Thriller

The Monkey

Twins Bill and Hal find their fathers toy wind-up monkey in the attic. Following this, a series of murders of people close to the twins starts. Thinking the newly discovered monkey has something to do with it, they throw it away.

Black Phone 2

While very little is known about the movie, it is suspected to be about the backstory of the Grabber and his kidnapping victims. Fans also think that the logistics of how the spirits go through the disconnected phone will be explored further.

Adventure/Action

The Thunderbolts

A continuation of the Marvel Universe that includes a group of already known anti heroes/supervillains being sent on missions by the government.

Comedy