October 7, 2025

If you ever need to refer back to a previous Titan Tuesday, visit the Titan Tuesday Archive.

Please note that there will be no Titan Tuesday during Fall Break. The next edition will be sent on Tuesday, October 21.

Halls Close

Friday, October 10, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Halls Reopen

Sunday, October 19, 2025

3:00 p.m.

There is a late fee of $25 assessed for every 5 minutes a student is not picked up after the halls close.

ATC Shuttles

• ATC Shuttles depart from the 1501 parking lot and must leave on time. Students should arrive at 1501 a few minutes before the departure time.
• Students must have a Clearance Card and parent/guardian permission to ride the ATC Shuttle.

Downstate Bus

• Downstate bus students will depart at 3:45 p.m., right after the academic day.
• The AC Pit will serve as a luggage holding area for Downstate students. Students can drop off their luggage starting at 7:15 a.m. on Friday.
• Students are required to have a clearance card from their RC before getting on the bus.

Health and Wellness Reminders for Fall Break

Student Medications

If you are a student who takes prescription medications and will be going home for Fall Break, please notify the Health Office of your departure date so we can prepare your medications in advance.

In addition, we kindly remind all students to return to school with their own supply of cold medicine and other over-the-counter medications for personal use.   

Sports Physicals

If students are planning on playing a winter sport, but have not yet had a sports physical, Fall Break is a great time to check that off the list! Students will not be able to participate in a sport without an updated sports physical on file.

The IMSA Merch Store is Open!

The online merch store is open with some new items! Order your IMSA merch today to help the Senior Class Club fundraise for prom.

Please make sure to order by 

October 15 at 11:59 p.m.

If you placed an order through the IMSA Online Store over the summer or during move-in, your merchandise is now ready for pickup in the Student Life Office.

Student Council and Class Clubs will be hosting the Class of 2028 Sophomore Class Club and Sophomore-at-Large Elections.

This event is required for all members of the Class of 2028, and attendance will be taken. Athletes who are participating in a competition are excused. Sophomore study hours will be replaced by elections. This event is only available to Class of 2028 students.

PSAT/NMSQT Exam

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

7:30 a.m.

Main Gym

All Juniors will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT exam this Wednesday. Please remember to eat a healthy breakfast beforehand, and to bring your laptops, chargers, and IMSA IDs.

"Join us to explore environmental justice, dive into equity issues, and learn powerful strategies for effective advocacy."

Marcus Sibley is a Newark, NJ native and advocate who uses speaking, poetry, and music to inspire justice. With undergraduate and graduate Social Work degrees from Rutgers University, he travels nationwide addressing environmental and social justice issues. He serves as the National Wildlife Federation’s NY Metro Director of Conservation Partnerships, Principal Consultant for Sanaa17 LLC, and Chair of the NJ Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition (NJPEEC). He also chairs the Southern Burlington County NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Committee, serves on the NJ Reparations Council Health Equity Committee, and co-leads NWF’s International Equity Project in the Northeast Region.

Poetic Justice Presents

Voices in Verse

With Marcus Sibley, MSW

Thursday, October 9, 2025

7:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m.

IN2

Visiting with college admissions representatives when they come to campus gives students a valuable opportunity to explore a variety of schools. All sessions are open to juniors and seniors. Sophomores may attend any military school visit and any session that does not say “Seniors/Juniors ONLY.”

You can find the complete list and room locations for upcoming visits in the CAC office.

Monthly PAC Meeting

Saturday, October 4, 2025

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

In Person or Virtual

Passcode: 193489

If you missed the Academic Support presentation from Family Day, or if you would like to reference the resources from the presentation, you can access the slideshow here.

IMSA’s Parent Book Club brings parents together to connect, reflect, and learn alongside others who understand the unique challenges and rewards of parenting an IMSA student.

This October, we’ll be reading The Anxious Generation by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Please join us via Zoom to discuss this book and help select the book for November 2025.

If you’re interested in supporting IMSA’s legislative advocacy to fund new residential facilities, please fill out the interest form.

We are proud to share that Dawn Waller, Innovation Hub Manager for IMSA, has been selected as a member of the 2025 Honorary Commander Program at Scott Air Force Base.

Over the course of her two-year appointment, Dawn and other civic leaders will partner with the Air Force through immersion tours, briefings, and unit events to build stronger connections between the civilian and military communities and to deepen understanding of the base’s mission.

Congratulations to Dawn for this well-deserved recognition! Her leadership and commitment continue to strengthen IMSA’s community and our broader region.

Senior Riyan Jain's SIR project, “Redefining Western Blot Procedures: A Modified Approach for the Reliable Detection of Amyloid-Beta Oligomers (AβOs) in Alzheimer’s Research,” has been accepted for presentation at the 2025 Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference in San Diego this November. This conference is the world’s largest gathering of neuroscience researchers.

Riyan’s project focuses on improving laboratory methods for detecting proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of making research on early detection and treatment more accurate and reliable.

Riyan will represent both IMSA and Northwestern University’s Klein Lab, and he is one of only a few high school students presenting at this international conference! Congratulations Riyan!

Crystal England

Accommodation Specialist

Meet Crystal England, IMSA’s Accommodation Specialist! Crystal works closely with students to ensure they have the right tools and supports to succeed both in and out of the classroom. This includes helping students access testing accommodations, navigate academic adjustments, and communicate their needs to teachers, all while empowering them to advocate for themselves and thrive at IMSA.

Originally from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Crystal moved to Illinois in 2004. She recently retired after an incredible 37-year career in public education, working in both special education and administration. Her dedication to students earned her recognition as Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year in 2017. She’s also a published author of several books for educators.

Crystal primarily works remotely, and the best way to reach her is at cengland@imsa.edu. She’s always happy to connect and help ensure every student has the support they need to succeed.

If you ask your student how things are going at IMSA and get a one-word answer, you’re not alone, and it doesn’t mean they aren’t having a meaningful experience. Many of us did the same thing as teens. Even in an environment as challenging, inspiring, and complex as IMSA, students may respond with "fine" or "good" when asked about their day.

Why? Because part of what they’re learning isn’t just academic - it’s independence. Your student may be juggling a wide range of emotions and experiences: managing a disappointing test score, navigating a roommate conflict, or trying to meet high expectations. Rather than turning to a parent right away, they might be choosing to handle these challenges on their own. That’s not a sign they don’t need you. It’s a sign they’re growing.

If they don’t bring their struggles or successes to you immediately, don't take it to heart. It means they’re learning how to advocate for themselves and take ownership of their journey. That’s something to be proud of.

Still, Fall Break can be a great opportunity to reconnect. If you’d like to go beyond the usual “How’s school?” try a few open-ended questions to spark more meaningful conversation:



• Can you tell me about a friend or IMSA staff member who's really supported you? What makes their advice valuable?
• Is there a project or assignment you’ve worked on that you're especially proud of? What did you enjoy about it?
• What’s something you’re looking forward to this year? Why is it important to you?

Also, remember, some students may just want to relax and recharge during break. Even if they don’t open up right away, your presence, your interest, and your encouragement matter more than you might realize. Keep showing that you care about their well-being, passions, and growth.

Enjoy this time together. You’ve all earned it!

Senator Visit

Illinois State Senator Chris Balkema (District 53) visited IMSA on October 2, where he met with Dr. Glazer, Ms. Armstrong, and students from his district - Cooper Lee '27, Jiya Vyas '27, and Dhruv Ravinuthala '27.

Senator Balkema also explored the AI Center to learn about student innovation and toured the residence halls with Chris Kornsey, Executive Director of Capital Planning.

Hispanic Heritage Month Read-In

The IRC extends its appreciation to all who attended the first Read-In of the year, held in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. During the event, participants honored former IMSA President Dr. José M. Torres, who passed away in May 2025. In continued recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, a recording of the event is available for those who were unable to attend but wish to view the program.

AP Exam Registration

This year, the CAC office will use Total Registration for online AP exam registration. Students must also enroll in their exams with College Board; registration is not complete until both steps are done and the PDF confirmation page from Total Registration is printed. Because parents may wish to assist, we strongly recommend that both students and parents complete the registration process together to ensure the correct exams are ordered.

Information Access

• Juniors and Seniors: Registration instructions will be posted in your Naviance Student → Shared Files library by October 1, 2025.
• Sophomores: Hard copies of the instructions will be available in the CAC Office after October 1.

Key Dates

• Registration opened: Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m.
• Registration closes: Monday, October 20, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
• AP confirmation forms and all payments are due to the CAC office by Monday, October 20, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Payments

• Credit card: Invoiced through MySchoolBucks (with a separate 4.9% processing fee line item).
• Check: Must be received by the CAC office by October 20.

October 10 - Alumni Awards Assembly; End of First Quarter

October 11-18 - Fall Break

October 19 - Halls Reopen

October 25 - Preview Day

Notice of Nondiscrimination: IMSA prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator.