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Superintendent's Message
Dear RBHS Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
With all the mild weather we are experiencing, it is hard to believe we are in the month of December. The holiday season is fast approaching, and winter break is just days away. I hope it is a restful and enjoyable time for all our RBHS families.
I would like to wish all the District 208 community a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.
Our Board and Administration are already planning for the next school year. A "draft" of the 2016-17 school calendar was presented to the Board of Education at the December meeting. The feeder school superintendents and I have coordinated our calendars as best as possible. The calendar will most likely go to the Board for approval at the January Board of Education meeting.
In keeping with looking ahead to next school year, staffing and enrollment projections were presented to the Board of Education at the November meeting. The student enrollment projection for 2016-17 shows a slight enrollment increase to 1632. Staffing is projected to be at 100 certified staff members, which represents an increase of approximately three FTE. More information is on our website or can be seen in the Board meetings found on www.rbtv.tv.
Cordially,
Kevin Skinkis, Ed.D.
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The Life Safety/Capital Improvement Projects
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The District was issued a "stop work order" in November by the Village of Brookfield on the construction and surfacing of the long jump and pole vault runways. The District had not previously been informed by the Village of the need for a special use permit for this work, and we are seeking resolution of the issue with the Village. However, the "stop work order" may result in the District having to move all track events to off-site locations for the upcoming spring season. In addition, the Board of Education is still committed to installing the tennis courts on campus; however, due to the pending zoning litigation, this work may not occur by this spring. If the tennis courts are not built by spring, the boys' tennis season will also need to be played off site.
The District regrets the uncertainty that these matters cause for you and your children. We will make every reasonable effort to resolve these disputes with the Village as soon as possible so that the athletic seasons are not disrupted.
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Weather and School Cancellation
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Although we have had mild weather, the freezing temperatures and snow can't be far behind. Please remind your students to dress for the winter weather conditions. To gain the most of their classes and extracurricular activities, students must be mindful of their attendance. Dressing appropriately and making healthy choices are some of the ways to manage the cold and flu season.
I have met with area superintendents and public works officials from our neighboring communities. We discussed snow and ice removal from the streets and sidewalks leading to all our schools. We have plans in place to decide on school closings if the need arises. But our District goal is to hold classes when our faculty, staff, and facilities personnel are present to operate the school. If there are any questions about a cancellation, information can be found on our website, on Skyward, and local news stations.
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We had only one meeting in December due to the shortened month. The next Board meetings will be January 12 and 26, 2016. For more information on Board of Education meetings, please check the RB website under the Board of Education tab or watch the meetings on www.rbtv.tv.
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Principal's Message
December has been filled with many exciting events. Students in Honors Repertory Dance performed at their winter concert; visual art students showcased their work at the Winter Art Show; Shenanigans' students made everyone at their winter show laugh until their stomach ached; and band, orchestra, and choir students performed beautiful music at the Holiday Concert getting everyone excited for the upcoming holidays.
Earlier this month, the state released the local
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test
scores from the 2014-15 school year.
Last year, we administered the PARCC test to students in all levels of geometry and English 10, consisting primarily of students in the Class of 2017. Individual student results will be mailed home within the next few weeks.
We plan to use these results the way they were intended to be used, which is to inform curriculum decisions in our district. Our students are not defined by a single test score and we continue to utilize multiple assessment measures, such as the ACT and College Board Advanced Placement tests, to monitor student progress and readiness for college.
The faculty and staff wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season.
Kristin Smetana
Principal
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The final exam schedule for first semester is listed below. No final examinations or final summative assessments may be administered before regularly scheduled exams. Students may not be excused from this obligation by the classroom teacher.
National Honor Society tutoring is available in room 218 from 7:30 a.m. - 7:55 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays and 3:10 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students who would like some extra assistance preparing for final exams.
FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE
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DATE
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PERIOD
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TIME
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Friday, December 18
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Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Make-up
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
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Monday, December 21
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Period 4
Period 5
Make-up
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
11:15 a.m.- 1:15 p.m.
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Tuesday, December 22
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Period 6
Period 7
Make-up
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8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
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College Board's 100 Teacher Summit
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Pictured from L to R: Migle Medelis, RB student; Dr. Edward Feldman, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the White House Office of Science & Technology; Ms. Sandy Czajka, Math Teacher; Mr. Dan Bonarigo, Math Teacher
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Math teachers Sandy Czajka and Dan Bonarigo were invited by the College Board to attend the 100 Teacher Summit December 4-6 in Boston, Mass. This summit, hosted by the College Board and the National Science Foundation, supports the continued implementation of the AP Computer Science Principles course. Sandy was also invited to be a part of a teacher panel at the summit. In addition, RB was asked to bring one of the students the College Board observed during their visit to RB on October 2. Sophomore Migle Medelis accompanied the teachers to the summit and participated in a student panel. This is quite an honor, as only five schools were asked to bring a student. Migle shared her work and experiences in Computer Science Principles with teachers from across the country.
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Class of 2020 Important Registration Information
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Incoming Freshman Curriculum & Pre-Registration Night
Wednesday, January 13
Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.
All incoming freshmen students and at least one parent must attend. Using test data received from the placement exam and 8th grade teacher recommendations, Instructional Coaches will make placement recommendations in English, Math, Science, and World Language. You will receive placement exam results, recommended placements for your student's freshman year, and have an opportunity to speak with Instructional Coaches. Additionally, you will receive information about the registration process, course selections, and your registration appointment time for Saturday, January 23.
Please note:
In order to accommodate such a large incoming class, the event must be held in the RB gymnasium. We will have a limited number of chairs available on the main floor. Please be prepared that some families will have to use bleacher seating.
Incoming Freshman Registration & Course Selection Day
Saturday, January 23,
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (By scheduled appointment)
Parents will submit registration materials, and students will register for classes. Instructional Coaches and counselors will be available to answer questions about placements and elective opportunities.
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The December issue of the Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor Newsletter can be viewed on the
RBHS website.
This month's issue focuses mainly on helpful ways to beat the winter blues and the relationship between the holiday season and teen substance use.
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Winter Art Show and Reception
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The Art Department held their annual Winter Art Show and Reception on December 9 in the Art Pit. RB classes were invited to view the show during the school day to vote for their favorite pieces. All current artists in the program exhibited their work and were excited to share their accomplishments with their peers and teachers.
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Extracurricular Activities Update
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We encourage all students at RB to get involved and stay engaged by participating in an extracurricular activity throughout the school year. Please visit the
activity website
that outlines extracurricular programming, meeting times, and for sponsor contact information.
Association for Student Tolerance
 Every Wednesday, AST visits a group or residents at Cantata Adult Life Service Home. AST has visited this same group of residents in the assisted living area of Cantata weekly for the last ten years. Since AST's average  turnout has increased to 25-35 students every Wednesday, AST is now sending a second group of students to do other activities with the independent-living residents. In addition to their visits, AST also taught one-on-one technology classes to senior citizen students at Cantata. We had two of these classes in October, and will do them again, twice in January/February, and twice in April/May (Dates TBD).
| FCCLA Holiday Giving Tree |
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The Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), sponsored by Ms. Susan Brenner, held a Giving Tree collection for some RB students in need of a little extra holiday cheer this year. A total of 25 students were sponsored to receive holiday gifts from RB staff and student donors.
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German Club
The German Club was at the Christkindlmart in Chicago on December 5.
Pictured Front kneeling
: Catherine Lynch; Kaitlin Krivak; Jemma Perry; Mara Dunn.
Back Row standing:
Ms. Patricia Reaves; Olivia Beeners; Marissa Drake; Laura McLean; Rachel McLean; Evan Dunbar; Gustas Gladstein; John Gorski; Collin Dreilich; Nicole Kural; Carleen Egan
National Honors Society (NHS)
The National Honors Society (NHS) just wrapped up writing cards for troops during lunch periods. NHS sent about 400 cards to the USO of Illinois, which will distribute the cards to active service members, their families, and veterans throughout Illinois and the rest of the country. NHS also assisted with collecting items for the Blackhawks Fall Haul for Goodwill. Members encouraged students to take items directly to Goodwill or bring them to school, which NHS members delivered to Goodwill.
Rouser (Yearbook) Update
Pictured are the RB Rouser staff and editors who are working hard to create
this year's Yearbook.
Front row
: Mrs. Marsh, Maura O'Brien, Destinee Villanueva, Megan Kwilas, Maria Baltierrez, Millie Hernandez, Fabian Villalobos.
Second row:
Thais Kausal, Nadia Valencia. Third row: Dmitriy Aieta, Kathleen Mahoney, Nicole Dearcos Villalobos, Elizabeth Taber, Joseph Swallow, Karli Rivera, Kyle Delestowicz, Erin Grehan. Back row: Mary Padilla, Asonte Batts, Sally Kouba, Chris Colvin, Cristian Lopez, Schuyler Poss, Ashley Rivera, Dylan Gryczan. Not pictured: Allison Pras.
Rouser Editors
From left to right:
Design Editor: Megan Kwilas; Writing Editor: Maura O'Brien; Photography Editor: Karli Rivera;
Editor in Chief: Cris Lopez; Business Editor: Elizabeth Tab
er
Spring Musical
Workshops for the spring musical, The Addams Family, were held to help students prepare for the musical demands of the auditions. Auditions were held in December for the March performances of the musical.
Student Association Holiday Collections
The Student Association ran their annual holiday fundraisers. The
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Pictured from L to R: Ms. Michele Koehler, SA Sponsor; Tom Loftus, SA Executive Board, Student Spokesperson;
Max Alvarez, Jane Frank.
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Thanksgiving Basket Drive was
a huge success with enough donations collected to feed 26 local families!
The second fundraiser, Santa Anonymous, helps less-fortunate people in the area, with gift and monetary donations. The third fundraiser, the coat, blanket, hat, mitten, and scarf drive collected 115 coats, 6 blankets, 27 hats, 39 pairs of gloves, and 24 scarves to be donated to a local clothing pantry to keep many people warm this winter.
Thank you to the RB Community for your generous donations to help support local families and making their holiday season brighter!
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Office of Student Affairs Updates
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RB currently has two Deans in the main office, Neil Dughetti and Dave Sibley. The two Deans of Students split the student population by the alphabet: Students whose last name begins with A-M work with Mr. Sibley and students whose last name begins with N-Z work with Mr. Dughetti.
Parking
We would like to remind parents, guardians, and guests to park in a designated lined spot in our parking lot. We also ask guests to not park along the north side of the building as the gravel road should be utilized as a fire lane in case of emergencies. For after school events, there are additional parking spaces on Rockefeller Road that should be used when the staff lot is full.
Attendance
As we approach the beginning of the second semester next month, the Dean's Office would like to remind parents and guardians of our attendance expectations.
The Dean's Office will contact all families with a student who has five, seven, or ten absences. Students may have consequences depending on the amount of absences, and whether the absences are excused or unexcused. Please refer to pages 20-21 of the student handbook to review the different types of absences.
Once a student has been absent for 5% of the semester, a doctor's note will be required for each absence before an illness-related absence will be excused. See page 18 of the Student Handbook for additional information.
An unverified absence is when a student is not in their classroom while their teacher is taking attendance. Any student with an unverified absence will be issued a Saturday detention. It is the student's responsibility to follow up with the Dean's office to correct the unverified absence if it is incorrect.
Senior students who have no unverified absences or cuts for any period, during second semester, as outlined in the Student Handbook (page 12) will have opportunities for earning exemptions from their final exams.
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Upcoming Student Services Events
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College Aid Planning Night with Joe Orsolini from College Aid Planner
January 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Auditorium
Parents from all grade levels are welcome
Local Scholarship Applications for Seniors
The local scholarship applications will be available on the Student Services website on February 8. You can access the applications by clicking on the following links: Students, Student Affairs, Student Services, College & Career, and Local Scholarships. The deadline for most applications is March 11, although a few scholarships have different deadlines. Please see your counselor with any questions.
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Testing Information
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Upcoming Winter National ACT and SAT Exam Registration Deadlines
Students interested in taking either the SAT in January or national ACT in February may do so at any neighboring school that will be hosting the exam on those dates. RB will not be hosting either of those national test dates.
The national ACT will be offered on February 6. Interested students should register by January 8 at
www.actstudent.org.
Corrected Dates for RB Prep Courses
In a letter sent home to all families of current juniors, there was a typo that caused some confusion about the start dates for RB Prep, the ACT preparatory courses offered through RB. We apologize for any confusion our error may have caused students and families. The correct dates for RB Prep are as follows:
- Morning Classes: 7:10 a.m. - 7:50 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (4 classes a week). These classes are held in room 259. Classes begin Wednesday, February 17.
- Tuesday/Thursday Classes: After school from 3:20 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. There are two lessons a day, four lessons each week. These classes are held in room 259. Classes begin Thursday, February 18.
- Saturday Morning Classes: 8:45 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. There are six lessons each Saturday in one specific subject. These classes are held in room 259. Classes begin Saturday, March 5. Subsequent classes are schedule for March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2, and April 16.
RB will administer a full ACT test to all junior students on Tuesday, April 19 during the regular, school day.
Please contact Kylie Gregor, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, with further questions.
Advanced Placement (AP) Testing Information
Copies of the 2015-16 Bulletin for AP Students and Parents will be distributed to all students enrolled in an AP class during AP classes in January. Please take the time to read through this brochure as it provides important information regarding AP exams. A draft of the AP exam schedule at RBHS is available at by
clicking here.
PSAT Results
PSAT scores will be returned to test takers differently than in years past. The email address that was entered by the student on the answer folder on the day of testing will be used by College Board to send a link to access scores online. Please be on the lookout for this College Board generated email with the link to access scores as it will also include other important information.
RBHS will also hand out paper copies of the scores and return test booklets to each student that took the PSAT sometime in January. Students should listen to announcements for the hand out date and expect to receive a follow up email to confirm this information as well.
For testing-related questions, please contact Kevin Baldus, Testing Director, at baldusk@rbhs208.net.
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Athletics Department
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To help keep the Bulldog Community connected, sign up and follow us on TWITTER, @rbhsathletics, or visit our new website at
http://il.8to18.com/RBHS/
to sign up for e-mail alerts from the athletic department regarding important information regarding our athletic contests.
Fall Sports Summary
Congratulations to all fall athletes on a successful season. Some varsity team highlights are below. For a full, detailed summary, please visit the athletic website
- Girls Varsity Volleyball team are the MSC Conference Champions, having an 11-1 record in MSC and 26-10 overall record.
- Girls Varsity Cross Country team placed 1st in IHSA Regionals
- Boys Varsity Cross Country team placed 2nd in IHSA Regionals
- Girls Varsity Tennis placed 3rd in MSC Conference
- Varsity Football ended their season with a 10-2 overall record, 4-1 MSC record- 2nd Place, and advanced to Round 3 of IHSA Playoffs
- Girls Varsity Swimming took 4th place at the IHSA Sectional
- Boys Varsity Golf took 3rd place at IHSA Regional, advancing to the IHSA Sectional
- Boys Varsity Soccer took the title of MSC Conference Champions with a 5-0 record
Winter Sports are in Full Swing!
- Boys Basketball opened their season 4-0 and were champions of our own Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Tournament.
- Girls Basketball traveled to Waubonsie Valley for their Thanksgiving games going 1-3.
- Wrestling opened their season with wins over Morton HS and St. Rita.
- Girls Gymnastics won its first meet Dec. 1 at Morton East.
- Boys Swimming has its first meet Dec. 5 at the Maine East Invite.
- Competitive Dance will have their next competition Dec. 21 at Lake Zurich HS.
- Competitive Cheerleading - The Girls held their Youth Cheer Clinic and performed with them at the Boys Basketball Final Game on Nov. 28. Their first Competition was at Sandburg HS on Dec. 6.
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All State Musicians and ILMEA Music Festival
Several music students were selected by audition to participate in the District I ILMEA music festival. Congratulations to the following students:
In Band: Mia Haugland
In Orchestra: Luke Dickeson, Remy Doornebos, Marlene Santora, and Adam Wang
In Jazz Band: Tommy Kelliher
In Chorus: Gia Cinkay, Dylan Dreilich, Isabella Eliopulos, Eva Harvin, Lidija Kutlesa, Tom Loftus, Coco Murray, and Abigail Schwarz
Congratulations to our All State Musicians! They will perform in the Illinois All State Music Festival in January.
All State Choir: Dylan Dreilich
All State Orchestra: Luke Dickeson
26th Annual Sheriff's Youth Service Medal Of Honor
Volunteers make a difference in individual lives as well as communities. To recognize these efforts, the Sheriff of Cook County annually sponsors the 26th Annual Sheriff's Youth Service Medal of Honor. This award is given to residents of Cook County, grades 9-12, who have provided meaningful volunteer service to their communities. A minimum of 100 hours of voluntary (unpaid) community service is required to qualify during the period between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015. The following RB students received this award:
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Nicole Bajerek
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Class of 2017
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Nerija Cuplinskas
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Class of 2016
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Gianni D'Altorio
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Class of 2017
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Colin Hughes
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Class of 2016
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Samantha Miezio
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Class of 2017
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Hannah Ranft
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Class of 2016
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Jacqueline Servin
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Class of 2018
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Lizbeth Servin
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Class of 2017
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Math Team MSC Conference Tournament Results
On December 5, the math team competed in the MSC math competition at Guerin Prep. Individual and team accomplishments from the competition are below:
Algebra 1: Elise Wojack, 2nd place
Geometry: Jason Kenny, 1st place
Algebra 2: Melissa Tovar, 6th place
Pre-calculus: Justin Chaney, 8th place and Maura O'Brien, 10th place
Geometry Team: Kaitlin Gaynor, Mary Greenlees, Hailey Jurgens, and Jason Kenny, 3rd place
Algebra 2 Team: Sam Miezio, Melissa Tovar, Natalia Zhukova, and Radka Pribyl-Pierdinock, 3rd place
Freshman/sophomore 2-person team: Marta Janas and Jason Kenny, 3rd place
Freshman/sophomore 8-person team: Noah Hoadley, Marta Janas, Andres Resto, Elise Wojack, Kaitlin Gaynor, Mary Greenlees, Jason Kenny, and Radka Pribyl-Pierdinock, 1st place
First row seated: Andres Resto, Max Hoadley, Elise Wojack, Radka Pribyl-Pierdinock, Marta Janas.
Middle row: Jason Kenny, Jovita Berzanskyte, Melissa Tovar, Hailey Jurgens, Mary Greenlees.
Back row standing: Sam Miezio, Maura O'Brien, Natalia Zhukova, Justin Chaney, Alec Frank
Speech Team
Congratulations to Abigail Schwarz and Derek Johnson, who were the  tournament champions in the Humorous Duet Acting event at Downers Grove North High School on November 7. Abby and Derek also played the leading roles of Daisy and Gatsby in the fall play, The Great Gatsby. Go RB Speech Team!
Students of the Quarter
On Friday, December 11, we honored 11 students representing each academic department, in addition to a Student Building Leader, who exemplify our values of "Ex
cellence and Ethics in all Bulldogs Do!" These students were nominated by faculty for excelling in two areas: academics and character.
Front Row Kneeling: Emily Temmer, Selene Anaya, Hannah Ranft
Back Row Standing: Julia Kurth, Enya Callanan, Jacqueline Servin, Lizbeth Servin, Ms, Kristin Smetana, Cayley Stanislaw, Fernando Barraza, Shawn Spera
Not shown in photo: Nathan Lucas
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Applied Arts
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Cayley Stanislaw
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Class of 2016
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English
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Enya Callanan
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Class of 2016
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Fine Arts
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Emily Temmer
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Class of 2017
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Library
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Fernando Barraza
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Class of 2016
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Math
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Selene Anaya
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Class of 2016
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Science
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Lizbeth Servin
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Class of 2017
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Social Science
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Julia Kurth
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Class of 2016
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Special Education
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Sean Spera
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Class of 2016
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Wellness
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Nathan Lucas
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Class of 2019
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World Language
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Jacqueline Servin
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Class of 2018
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Building Leader
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Hannah Ranft
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Class of 2016
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 Suzanne Zimmerman, Fine Arts Teacher
Suzanne Zimmerman illustrated a children's book titled, Make Way for Mitchell! A Kindergarten Story, published this past January and is carried by Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. After earning a Masters of Fine Art in media art and teaching her craft to high school children for over a decade, a lifelong friendship lead to this most recent adventures with Mitchell - a curious boy exploring life's early milestones.
Patti Farlee and Patty Sarkady, Applied Arts Teachers
 Patti Farlee and Patty Sarkady presented at the Association of Career and Technical Education  National conference over the Nov 20 weekend. The title of their presentation was Evidence of Student Growth + Student Engagement = Formative Assessment.
In this presentation, participants learned about seven different formative assessment tools that help to easily check students' progress.
Kathleen Harsy, English Teacher
TED-Ed is an extension of TED and is committed to creating lessons  worth sharing. TED creates original lessons to be used with TED Talks and accepts lessons from TED visitors and subscribers, all with the goal of introducing new topics to learners in a way that excites and inspires them. As a TED-Ed Innovative Educator, Kathleen Harsy (English) attended the TED Youth Conference in New York City where she was able to share ideas with 24 TED-Ed Innovative educators from around the world. Additionally, Kathleen has been awarded $1,000 and books from TED-Ed for use with her students through the TED-Ed Innovation Project.
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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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December 18, 21, 22
1st Semester Final Exams
December 22
End of 2nd Quarter/1st Semester
December 23 - January 5
Winter Break
January 6, 2016
Classes Resume
January 11
PTO Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
January 18
Martin Luther King Holiday
No School
February 1
PTO Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Room 201
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Contact Us
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(708) 442-7500
newsletter@rbhs208.net
See our website for individual staff email addresses
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