U.S. News & World Report ranked Deerfield High School and Highland Park High School as two of the best high schools in the nation for 2022. Schools are ranked on six factors: college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rate.

U.S. News & World Report also ranked Deerfield High School as one of the best high schools in the nation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.

Although school rankings do not represent the entirety of our faculty and staff's work in serving students, they are just one way of providing recognition. Congratulations to all for this distinction.

On September 16, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced that Deerfield High School is one of 297 honorees for the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools award. Deerfield High School earned recognition as an Exemplary High-Performing School, which the U.S. Department of Education defines as among a state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

School Chest, Deerfield High School's annual charity drive, helps raise funds and awareness for a nonprofit organization selected by the student body. This year, Deerfield High School students selected the Dragonfly Foundation Chicago as their main recipient, which aims to support pediatric cancer patients and their families during and after treatment. School Chest also donated a portion of the funds raised to the Highland Park Community Foundation. Congratulations to all for their hard work in raising a total of $62,777.22.

Highland Park High School students and staff have selected the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation as the beneficiary for Charity Drive 2023, which takes place from January 16 - February 20.

Township High School District 113 has earned the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE), which is a prestigious achievement for excellence and transparency in financial reporting, from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) for its high-quality Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for Fiscal Year 2021. This is District 113's 30th consecutive COE from the ASBO.

In addition, District 113 was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (COA) for its ACFR from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the fifth consecutive year, and received Aaa ratings from Moody’s Investors Service for its excellent credit profile.

Congratulations to Assistant Superintendent for Finance Ali Mehanti and the Business and Finance Department on this achievement.

Every month during the school year, the District will release a new video in conjunction with the A Passion for Excellence video series, which aims to highlight and tell the story of teachers and staff in District 113. We kicked off the video series in October by featuring the 2022 Golden Apple Award Winner Nikki Lazzaretto. Since October, we have also featured Family and Consumer Science / Applied Arts Teacher and Preschool Director Stacy Chambers, Mathematics and Computer Science Teacher Deb Wilson, and Guidance Counselor Pablo Alvarez.

Future installments will come to the Board and be posted on the District's website on a monthly basis throughout the school year.

On Tuesday, November 15, the newly renovated Highland Park High School Library opened its doors to students and staff. The library houses the MakerSpace, Media Center, Learning Center and IT. In addition, there are four new collaboration rooms that students and staff can schedule, two classrooms that staff can reserve, and a silent study.

Below are some of the honors and accomplishments our staff have earned thus far this school year.

Deerfield High School Principal Kathryn Anderson has been nominated for the 2022-23 Illinois Principals Association Lake Region High School Principal of the Year award, which aims to recognize "outstanding high school leaders who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students." Winners will be announced on January 13.

Tom Benko, the director of percussion at Highland Park High School and a drummer for Blue Man Group, appeared as a guest drummer with the 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers to help raise awareness for the Highland Park Community Foundation's July 4 Shooting Response Fund.

Michael Clack, theater technical director at Deerfield High School, was selected as the assistant technical director for the 2023 All-State Company of Shrek The Musical.

Anthony Kopp, the head varsity football coach at Highland Park High School, was named "Coach of the Week" by the Chicago Bears in September. The Chicago Bears "Coach of the Week" program was launched in 1996 and honors outstanding Illinois high school coaches who develop players' football skills and knowledge, character, leadership, discipline and teamwork abilities.

Joe Navickas, fine and applied arts teacher at Deerfield High School, was named a Finalist for the Northwestern University Morton Schapiro Distinguished Secondary School Teaching Award (NU Schapiro Award), which is a prestigious honorific given to several outstanding high school educators who have had a transforming impact on students.

Below are some of the honors and achievements our students have earned thus far this school year.

Ben Gimelfarb - Jazz Band, Piano

Zachary Guo - Orchestra, Piano

Logan Liao - Orchestra, Violin

Ari Spector - Choir, Soprano II

Ryan Wilkov - Band, Percussion

Sasha Winters - Choir, Soprano I

Shaina Wolkenberg - Choir, Soprano II

Breanne Cerna-Wons - Band, Trumpet

Lev Friedman - Band, Trombone

Evan Kessler* - Band, Trumpet

Noah Apley* - Choir, Bass II

Owen Hanold* - Choir, Tenor I

Griffin Kelly* - Choir, Bass II

Robert Oboza* - Choir, Bass I

Alexis Plonsker - Choir, Soprano I

Nathaniel Wehner - Choir, Bass I

Ben Zeiss - Jazz Band II, Jazz Drum Set

Julian Kolthammer* - Orchestra, French Horn

Aidan O'Donovan - Orchestra, Viola

Elizabeth Smith* - Orchestra, French Horn

*Chosen for ILMEA All-State ensembles