H-F FYI August 2021

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H-F FYI August 2021

Welcome to the 2021-2022 School Year!

Greetings, H-F Parents & Guardians! We are eager to have your students back for the start of the 2021-2022 school year, beginning Thursday, Aug. 12, for Grades 9 & 10 and transfer students. All students will then attend together on Friday, Aug. 13. If you missed our Return-to-School Webinar on Thursday, July 22, you can view a recording via the link above.

One very important announcement from the webinar was a change from a previous communication regarding masks on campus. As the school year begins, masks will be required inside the buildings for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. Reasons for this change include:

Our desire to keep school as safe as possible for the 3,000 students and 350 staff members who will be here daily and for their families at home.
The increasing prevalence of COVID-19 variants and the rising transmission rates.
The number of different environments that will still require masks on campus, regardless of a student’s vaccination status: science labs, music classes, bus transportation, P.E. classes, locker rooms, etc.
Wearing masks indoors drastically reduces the number of students required to be excluded from school due to quarantining as a result of close contact with a positive case.

Please know that we will continue to monitor metrics and evaluate our practice on a regular basis as the school year continues and are hopeful that we will be able to make adjustments in the near future. To help us monitor rates, we ask that you continue to use the District 233 COVID-19 Reporting Form to report cases and quarantines in your home. Click here to view the form...

Again, we are very much looking forward to having our Vikings back on campus soon. Here is a look at the schedule for the first week of the school year:

MONDAY, AUG. 9

Institute Day - No classes

TUESDAY, AUG.10

Professional Learning Day -No classes

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 11

Teacher Work Day -

No classes

THURSDAY, AUG. 12

1st Day for Freshmen, Sophomores & Transfer Students

Periods 1-7

FRIDAY, AUG.13

Classes begin for all students

Periods 1-7

Special Announcement:

Meet Dr. Mitchem, Interim Principal

Congratulations to Dr. James Mitchem, Jr. — an educator with nearly 40 years of experience — who will take the lead as the school’s interim principal for the 2021-2022 school year. Recently retired as superintendent from Valley View Consolidated Unit School District 365, Dr. Mitchem is ready to guide students and staff this school year. Dr. Mitchem’s career in education has spanned everything from teacher to dean of students to the highest levels of administration. Prior to serving as District 365’s superintendent from 2011-2020, Dr. Mitchem served as principal at three different schools: Bolingbrook High School (2006-2011), Romeoville High School (2002-2006) and B.J. Ward Middle School (2000-2002) in Bolingbrook.

Click here to read the official announcement...

Daily Academic Schedule with Viking Compass

New this school year at H-F every student will be given an advisory period — Viking Compass — as part of their schedule on Viking Days (regularly Mondays and Fridays). This non-credit, SEL-curriculum class will provide a small classroom environment with students all at the same grade level. Viking Compass aims to enhance the personal and academic progress of each student, while also fostering a sense of community within the school. Viking Compass sets aside time to intentionally build developmental relationships within the school to help students thrive in an expanding global society.

In addition to the advisory period, another change this school year is a slightly longer lunch period to allow students more time enjoy their food. To accommodate for social distancing, lunch has also been expanded to be offered in both gymnasiums, as well as both cafeterias.

A final change to the schedule this year is Late-Start Wednesdays. Period 1 classes will not meet on Wednesdays to provide time for staff professional development. All students will begin the day at 8:44 a.m.; please allow yourself a bit more time getting to campus on Wednesdays.

Questions about the new Viking Compass program? Contact MTSS Coordinator Jen Rudan at 708-335-5725, jrudan@hf233.org.

New Family Orientation Webinar

Tuesday, Aug. 3 • 7 p.m. • Zoom

All new families of incoming freshmen and transfer students are invited to learn all about the start of the 21-22 school year and get answers to your questions! Click here for the link...

Athletics & Activities Webinar

Wednesday, Aug. 4 • 7 p.m. • Zoom

The H-F Athletics and the H-F Activities departments will offer an introduction to the school's clubs, activities and sports teams for Grades 9 & 10 and all transfer students. Learn all about extracurricular opportunities and seasons for the 21-22 school year at H-F High School!

Click here for the link...

Getting to School

Walkers / Bike Riders — Students, for your own safety, please be sure to use crosswalks when coming and going from campus. For bike riders, bike racks are available at both buildings on campus for your bike and lock.

Student Drivers — Seniors and juniors may purchase a parking pass for the school year. Passes are $100 and allow the student to park in either the North or South Building lots in any white-lined spaces. Click here to learn more and to purchase your pass...

Driving Your Student to School — If you are dropping your student off at school, students will enter at the atrium at North Building. When dropping off at the South Building, students will enter Door 1 (facing Kedzie Ave.) or Door 12 (facing the Ice Arena). Please note that the front drive entrance near Door 1 is the route that buses will use for drop off and may be congested. Also, on Late-Start Wednesdays morning traffic will be heavier than normal, as all students will start at 8:44 a.m.

Riding the Bus — School bus companies across the nation are experiencing driver shortages. Please read the following message from our Transportation Office if you are planning to use bus services this school year: "Our contracted school bus company has recently expressed the need to cut 20% of morning E-Period and morning 2nd Period school bus routes. As a result, all school bus routes will be revamped and reconfigured. Our school bus company will provide the reconfigured routes within the next week. Bus routes will be made available on our website (click here). It will be necessary for all students who will utilize the bus to familiarize themselves with the new bus schedules, as they will be changing. Accompanying these routes will be a list of FAQs that will provide detailed information as it relates to bus transportation. Please be advised — due to the driver shortage — we anticipate that some routes may arrive late in the morning and afternoon for the first several weeks while transitioning to this adjustment. Students will not be penalized (tardy) if they are a little late arriving to school due to the school bus. For students who reside 1 ½ miles or less from school, paid transportation will not be available at this time. We understand the inconvenience these circumstances may cause, however, we are working closely with our transportation providers to run transportation as safely, and as efficient as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work toward the start of successful school year."

Steps for Setting Up a Lunch Account

• Step 1: Email your request for your student’s unique verification code to:

bmatthews@questfms.com

• Step 2: Set up your RevTrak account to connect students to your login and to add money to the account throughout the school year. Access RevTrak here.

• Step 3: Set up an account with MySchoolAccount to view foodservice menus, check account balances and see purchases made by your student with their ID throughout the year. Access MySchoolAccount here.

Lunch account system updated

This school year pre-packaged breakfasts and lunches will be available to purchase via cash or student ID in both cafeterias. Our foodservice company, Quest, will be using new lunch account systems: RevTrak and MySchoolAccount. (Students who had funds remaining in the former MySchoolBucks system — and who did not request a refund — have had their remaining balances transferred into RevTrak.) To set up your new lunch account for this school year, please follow the steps shown to the right.

RevTrak will be used to add funds via credit card; funds can also be added via cash payments or checks (made payable to Quest Foodservice) brought to the H-F Business Office in the North Building. To learn more about foodservice at H-F, visit: https://www.hfhighschool.org/resources/lunch-menus-payment/

Fall Athletic Tryouts begin Monday

Inspired by the Olympics? The fall IHSA athletic season will open on Monday, Aug. 9, with tryouts for the following sports at H-F:

Boys' Cross Country • Boys' Golf • Boys' Soccer

Co-Ed Cheer • Co-Ed Dance • Football

Girls' Cross Country • Girls' Field Hockey • Girls' Golf

Girls' Swimming & Diving • Girls' Tennis • Girls' Volleyball

Each student-athlete must submit an IHSA Physical Form and pre-register prior to the first day of tryouts/practice. Go, Vikings!

Click here for details & registration...

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Spiritwear Shop Now Open Online

Get all of the spiritwear and gear you need for the upcoming school year at H-F's new online shop:

Viking Spiritwear Shop

Hurry! The shop will close for ordering on Monday, Aug. 9.

H-F Parents, Join the HFPA!

Viking parents & guardians, the Homewood-Flossmoor Parent Association is looking to get you involved this school year. Please help them learn more about you by completing the Google Form below:

HFPA Interest Form

New Teacher Week

Last week was New Teacher Induction Week at H-F, when this year's new teachers come to campus to learn all our our district. The week includes a special trip to a Homewood classic: Aurelio's Pizza. Thank you to Joe Aurelio, H-F '80, and Aurelio's for welcoming our new teachers and our new Superintendent-Elect Dr. Scott Wakeley to H-F during our New Teacher Induction Week. Aurelio's has hosted our new teachers for more than 20 years!

Social Science

Social Worker

Science

Social Science

Social Science

English

English

English

English

Special Education

PE/Health/DE

Special Education

English

PE/Health/DE

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Chante Andrews - Career & Technical Education

Jeanette LaPlante - Science

VIKING VICTORIES

Two Seniors named to All-State Tech Crew

Congratulations to H-F seniors Destiny Garner and Kobe Gosha, who have been selected out of a large pool of students from across the state of Illinois to be a part of the All-State Tech Crew for the All-State production of Cabaret at this year's Illinois High School Theatre Festival! This production is used to showcase Illinois' brightest onstage and offstage stars! The students began working on the production at the end of July. H-F Tech Crew is sponsored by Mr. Tholl, Auditorium Manager.

Incoming Freshmen create Artwork

The first group visual art project for the new school year was completed by our Summer Academy freshmen. Under the direction of Mr. Petecki, the students collaborated to make Viking Compass (at right). The wooden 3D art piece hangs in the new Fine Arts wing. Congratulations to our budding student-artists!