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Weekly Update
August 29, 2024
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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
- No school Sept 2nd.
- Open House is September 5, 2024 from 6:14-8:44
- Check out our Athletics Section for a Wolters Field Parking Update
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Message from the Principal | |
As I woke up this morning, I was filled with gratitude to be the principal of Highland Park High School. Last night, I walked into my first Giants Club Meeting where caregivers come to support our athletic program through time, donations, participation, and care. One of the parents encouraged everyone to attend the Varsity Girls Flag Football games to see a team that represents the many different demographic identities of our school coming together and working hard on the field as one. This is what it means to be a GIANT. As I was leaving, our Girl’s Golf coach was making sure her last few players were picked up safely, they showed off their golf bags to me. A teammate and the coach applauded two of the students who had their first competitive match that evening. This is what it means to be a GIANT. I was walking with our new Superintendent, Dr. Holland, in our hallway on Tuesday morning when a junior popped out of her Class Council meeting excitedly whispering to three other students. She stopped and introduced herself to our new Superintendent and explained that they just chose the new Homecoming theme. She swore me to secrecy, and as a former counselor, I take confidentiality seriously, so you will have to wait to hear! This is what it means to be a GIANT. I walked through an art and written expression exhibit, set up in Sophomore English classes, where students showcased specific meals, dishes, snacks, and/or drinks that reveal something important about their identity and personal experiences through small clay artifacts and a vignette. This exhibit also showcased great vulnerability and creativity in the second week of school. This is what it means to be a GIANT. The effort to educate our youth takes a GIANT village, we are grateful to be in this village with you. As always, thank you for sharing your students with us this week and beyond. | |
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OPEN HOUSE REMINDER
We want to remind you to join us at our Annual Open House which will take place on Thursday, September 5. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. The schedule (period 1) will begin at 6:14 pm and go to approximately 8:45 pm. During the evening, you will have an opportunity to follow an abbreviated version of your student’s schedule so that you are able to meet your child’s teachers and learn about the curriculum and teacher expectations. More information will be shared in a separate communication on Monday.
Please note that there are special schedules for both Thursday, September 5, and Friday, September 6.
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ACADEMICS
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, sophomore and junior students have the opportunity to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). We strongly encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity. The school district will cover the costs to take this test.
This letter contains more information. The test is free of charge, and students can register via this Google Form. Registration closes on September 20, 2024.
STUDENT LIFE
Election Year Opportunity- Apply to become a Lake County Student Election Judge
Interested in providing essential support for the upcoming election this November? Please consider applying and training to become a Lake County Student Election Judge. This opportunity is currently being offered through the Lake County Clerk’s Office, which requires a successful application, followed by both online and in-person training modules. If you are interested, please respond to this one-question form and download, fill out, and return the application to Mrs Jobski in the Principal's office as soon as possible. Applications are due on or before September 5. Positions are limited, and applications will be considered by the Clerk’s Office on a first-come, first-served basis.
The following legal requirements must be met to qualify for Student Election Judge:
- Be enrolled as a Junior or Senior with a 3.0 GPA or higher
- Be a US citizen at the time of the next election
- Have written approval from a parent or guardian and the school principal
- Satisfactorily complete an election judge training course
- Register to vote if 18 years of age on or before the next consolidated or general election
- Assist other judges and share responsibility for the operation of the voting site
- Additionally, the Lake County Clerk’s Office requires a Social Security Number (student election judge is a paid position) and a declaration of party affiliation.
The in-person portion of election judge training will take place Monday afternoon, September 16th at HPHS. If your application is accepted, it is strongly encouraged that you finish the online portion of the training before September 16th. This opportunity is not affiliated with District 113, and all questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Lake County Election Judge Department at 847-377-2408.
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HP 2024 Homecoming Theme will be revealed from the Junior Class Council next week!!! Stay tuned!
Photos from our amazing Athletics/Activities Fair 2024! To view music thumping reels from our Athletics/Activities fair follow us on Instagram @hphsactvitites
This week Clubs and Activities are in full swing! Please feel free to visit our HPHS Student Activities website to view offerings. You will find where each team meets, when, frequency, sponsor email, etc. under the “At A Glance “ section.
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 |  | ACTIVITY TICKET: The purchase of the 24-25 yearbook is tied to the purchase of an activity ticket bundle! Now is the time to make this purchase before HPHS places their order with our yearbook publisher. You will find the purchase link in the Infinite Campus School Store. Activity Ticket purchases fund the entire student activities program. This bundle includes a yearbook, free admission to athletic events and free admission to student-directed fine arts events (STUNTS & the Short Play Festival) using a student ID. An activity ticket purchase also supports our school's literary magazine, school media/newspaper, all theater productions, assemblies, and all-school special activities. Yearbooks are part of the Activity Ticket bundle and are not sold separately. Students must go to the bookstore to redeem their free theater tickets. Of course this purchase is optional, however we do not order extra yearbooks to sell once they arrive. You can set up a cash payment plan in the bookstore if needed.
A FRAM discount (students enrolled in the free book program) is available when you go to make your purchase in Infinite Campus. The cost is $50. For more information, please contact Norma Aguilar, nagular@dist113.org .
Charity Drive 2025 Beneficiary Application Is Open! If you know of an amazing organization that could benefit from the funds and awareness raised by Charity Drive, please have them submit an application. Deadline is September 5th
ATHLETICS
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Wolters Field Parking Update
Construction has started on the parking lot at the Recreation Center of Highland Park. This is the lot we typically use for overflow parking when the lots at Wolters Field are full. See below for pertinent information about parking for Wolters Field events and practices the Fall:
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Please continue to use the west lot for drop off and pick up. Please do not use the side streets to the east of Wolters Field for picking up and dropping off students.
- Mondays through Thursdays, and Saturdays we will have parking in the West Lot and Center Lot. If those lots fill up, parking will be available at the Administration Building.
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On Friday nights, when we host varsity football games, parking will be available in the West Lot and grass lot for primary parking. We have asked visiting teams to utilize the Administration Building and east drive. When all of our lots fill up, people can try to park at the Rec Center, however we expect there to be very few spots available. Because of this we will be offering shuttle service from HPHS to Wolters Field. Our buses will be parked by the athletic entrance off of Vine Ave (see visual below). Shuttle service will be available after the game as well. Parking on the side streets near Wolters Field is prohibited.
- Carpooling for athletes and spectators is highly encouraged.
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Thanks for everyone's flexibility with the extreme heat earlier this week. We will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the Fall season and coaches will communicate any schedule changes to their respective teams when necessary. Updates will also be posted on the HPHS Athletic Department Website. Click here for information provided by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) that member schools use for appropriate exercise modifications. Our athletic department uses a wet bulb temperature reading at HPHS and at Wolters Field before making decisions about practice modifications. We encourage all students to drink plenty of water each day throughout the Fall season.
You can follow what’s happening with HPHS Athletics in the following places:
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DEANS
We believe that students are most successful in achieving their personal and academic goals when they are present in school.
The Dean’s Office would like to share some attendance procedures that we will be implementing this year. We are working to establish a more timely and fluid method to address student attendance, specifically tardiness and unauthorized absences.
This year Infinite Campus will automatically generate a referral when a student is unauthorized and/or tardy three times to a class. IC will be analyzing attendance for each class period and will generate the referral from there. The initiation of the referral will also generate a message that will go out to the student, parent, teacher and counselor.
Students will be notified of consequences through email.
It will be the student’s responsibility to check their email and complete all consequences by the assigned date. If it is not completed on time, students will be required to meet with their dean.
If there is an error in the attendance that resulted in an automatic referral, the student will need to email the teacher and dean to correct the attendance and detention.
Township High School District 113 Board of Education defines absences with valid cause as the following:
- Student illness
- Necessary medical appointments
- School-related absences (e.g., field trips, college visits (only 5 per year), participating in school activities and athletic competitions)
- Observance of a religious holiday
- Death in the immediate family
- Family emergencies
- Reasonable concern on the part of the parent/guardian for the health or safety of their child
- And/or other situations beyond the control of the student as determined by a school administrator.
- Mental Health
Absences must be reported by 11:59 p.m. the day of the absence. The Attendance Office must receive a parent/guardian call to authorize a student’s absence. This call must be received by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the absence. Authorization will not be granted after the day of the absence unless approved by the Principal for an extenuating, emergency circumstance. Information on how to report an absence can be found here.
Item Drop off during school hours: Has your student left an item at home that needs to be dropped off at school during the day? We know this might happen on occasion. However, our security staff is not permitted to hold those items at the security desk. Additionally, we do not want students leaving class in order to meet you at the entrance to retrieve the item. Unless it is absolutely necessary, please refrain from bringing items to your student during the school day. If a student leaves their Chromebook at home, they can check out a loaner from the Bookstore for the day and still have access to all of their school work via their District 113 Google account.
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HOMEROOM @ HOME
This week in homeroom, we:
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solved riddles together (Ask your student to help you with this one: I have no doors, but I have keys. I have no rooms, but I have space. You can enter, but you cannot leave. What am I? Answer next week!)
- practiced self-awareness about our energy levels,
- learned more about how to stay organized and informed via Schoology,
- and gained information about ways to engage in FOCUS and other activities around our House on Vine.
Next week, there will be two (rather than four) homeroom periods because of the holiday and Open House special schedules.
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FAMILY LIAISON
El día del Open House tendremos una reunión en español para los padres que son nuevos en nuestra escuela o que quieran refrescar información sobre cómo funciona nuestra High School. Los esperamos!
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Remember: Call 911 for an emergency
Submit online, D113 app, call, text, QR code
Dedicated D113 hotline for call/text: 844-224-1521
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