December 10, 2024

Titan Tuesdays are packed with valuable information. Depending on your email settings, you may need to click "Display Images" to see the full content of Titan Tuesday. If you ever need to refer back to a previous edition, you can find all the information in our Titan Tuesday Archive.

The last day of regular classes for the first semester will be on Wednesday, December 18. Any class with a final exam will conduct that test during regular class time within the next two weeks. There is no separate final exam schedule. 

Students are expected to attend classes through Wednesday, December 18. Faculty will be available for students on Thursday, December 19 if needed. Residence Halls will close at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 19.  

Peer Tutors will be available to assist students with final projects and exam prep.

The Speech Team dominated the Dekalb Tournament last Saturday! Congratulations to the following students for their outstanding performance:

Mbayie Tendong '27 - Tournament Champion, Original Oratory

Eric Lee '26 - Tournament Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking

Emily Schart '27 - 2nd place, Novice Final, Prose Reading

Sonya Patel ''26 - 3rd place, Novice Final, Radio Speaking

Dhruv Ravinuthala '27 - 5th place, Novice Final, Impromptu Speaking

Maggie McIntyre '27 - 3rd place, Novice Final, Informative Speaking

Navya Dixit '25 and Rachel Qi '25 - 7th place, Next-in finals, Humorous Duet Acting Shihan Cheng '27 - 4th place, Next-in Final, Oratorical Declamation

Kavya Uppal '25 - 3rd place, Next-in Final, Poetry Reading

Madhulata Prabha '27 - 7th place, Varsity finals, Dramatic Interpretation

Ellen Hsuan '25 - 2nd place, Varsity Final, Special Occasion Speaking

All student medications will be sent home over Winter Break (including discontinued medications). There is no need for parents, guardians, or students to make a formal request to the Health Office. 

Parents and guardians can pick up student medications from the Health Office before 3:00 p.m. when they pick up their student for the break, or they can pick them up from the RC Office after 3:00 p.m. Students riding the downstate bus will receive their medications as they board the bus.

Please return all medication bottles to the health office, as they are used to send medications to the halls on nights and weekends.

When sending medications back to campus, please complete all necessary paperwork, which can be found on the Health Services page under "Forms" on the right sidebar.

• The Authorization Form for Prescription Medications gives the IMSA health office permission to administer medication(s) to your student. Complete this form for new medications or dosage changes. This form must include signatures from the prescribing physician, parent, and student.
• The Prescription Medication Drop-Off Receipt form must be completed each time a prescription medication is brought onto campus for student administration. 

If your student goes home frequently, please remember to keep a supply of medications at home.

If you have any questions about medications, please reach out to the Health Office at nurse@imsa.edu.

One spot has become available on the New York intersession trip from January 11-17. This opportunity is on a first-come, first-served basis and is specifically for a male student due to shared rooming accommodations on the trip. The trip will provide an opportunity to connect with Bronx Science High School, engage IMSA alumni in their NYC careers, and enjoy NYC culture and entertainment. The trip expense is $2000 to cover travel, food, and entertainment and is due this Friday.

Contact eglazer@imsa.edu if you are interested.

Top Driver offers a convenient after-school class during the Spring semester at IMSA. 

Top Driver is independent of IMSA and we are not responsible for handling any registration, scheduling, driving instruction, make-up classes, etc.  We simply provide the space for the classes.

For pricing, more information, or to enroll, please contact Top Driver directly at 800.374.8373 or visit their website.

If a student is going to miss class for any reason, parents or guardians must notify the Attendance Office by emailing attendance@imsa.edu or calling 630.907.5029.

All college visits must be pre-approved by the CAC office. Email your CAC and CC Attendance to get permission.

For any pre-arranged absence longer than three days, Dr. White must grant the student special permission. Email Dr. White at awhite@imsa.edu at least one week in advance.

 A parent may not call their student in sick if the student is on campus. The student must be seen by the nurse for evaluation and recommendations for class.  

This information can be found on page 27 of the Student and Parent Handbook.

College Admissions

December 11

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Auditorium

Sophomore

Course Selection

January 22, 2025

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Auditorium

Sophomores will meet with Faculty Department Team Coordinates (TCs) to go over the course selection process.

Sophomore and Junior Elective

Mini-Fair

January 29, 2025

2:00 p.m. - 4:25 p.m.

Main Gym

Sophomores and Juniors can learn more about electives offered next year.

College Admissions Orientation

For Parents and Guardians of Juniors

December 17

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Via Zoom

Passcode: 822504

Other Resources

• Previous webinars are also available on the CAC webpage under "College Planning Process."
• Click here to view your student's CAC assignment.

Families choose IMSA for many reasons, and one of them is the pursuit of academic challenges or opportunities. You have recognized the chance for your student to be stretched further than they would have been if they attended their local school. Thank you for valuing this reason as a family, and deciding to send your student to IMSA.

As we close out the first semester, some students might begin to feel that the academic stretch may be too much. The environment introduces situations where grades might be lower, and many students begin to realize earning an A is much more challenging. They may also face peer pressures when comparing themselves to others, as well as high standards from parents/guardians or faculty that can elevate stress. When students have previously exceeded expectations, and then run into new challenges, it's natural for them to question their sense of belonging. They may also have a sense of imposter syndrome, where they feel they're not good enough to be at IMSA. 

If and when you sense these feelings among your IMSA students, it's an opportunity to take the foot off the gas pedal, offer assurance that they belong, remind them struggling is essential to growth, and brainstorm approaches to receive support. I encourage you to start with curiosity -- ask them to share more about why it's stressful. Then, find ways to relate, perhaps by sharing one of your struggles when you were growing up. Most importantly, brainstorm about resources available at IMSA to support them, whether that's tutoring, mental health, study strategies, academic advising, or peer intervention. If you are unsure, please reach out to your student's RC or CAC. We believe struggles are a natural part of development, and we want students to utilize our support systems to the greatest extent possible so they can thrive in our challenging environment and be prepared to lead in their next one.

Virtual Monthly PAC Meeting

For All Parents and Guardians

Saturday, December 14

10:30 am

Zoom

Senior Parent Monthly Meeting

Monday, December 16

6:30 pm

Zoom

Junior Parent Monthly Meeting

Meeting with the CAC team

Tuesday, December 17

6:30

Zoom

Sophomore Parent Meeting

**Date and time to be determined**

Meet in the AI Center during S&E period (2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.) to hear from guest lecturers in various AI fields.

• December 17: Mr. Dan Campbell, Software Engineering Career

The AI Center (A-148 by the math study area) is excited to announce DAILY hours staffed by our amazing CS faculty and AI Center student interns. Stop in for CS study, AI/CS mentorship, guest speakers, peer collaboration, and career guidance.

A, C, and D Days

Staffed by CS Faculty for AI Study & Project Help

8:55 a.m. - 11:35 a.m.

12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.



I Days

Staffed by AI Student Interns and IMSA Staff

9:50 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.

B Days

AI Bytes Student Programming

2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Anna Yang '25 joined the Times Square Korea Peace Treaty campaign, a collective effort to advocate for a formal peace agreement to end the Korean War. As a member of the HANA Center’s Suburban Youth Council (SYC), Anna was featured on the Times Square billboard as one of three individuals representing this cause, serving as the youth representative for the campaign.

Anna had the opportunity to be interviewed by the Korean American Peace Fund (KAPF) to share her perspective on the importance of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.

This campaign raised awareness about the ongoing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the urgent need for diplomacy to end a war that has lasted for 71 years formally. 

Congratulations to Ms. Kara Molenhouse, College and Academic Counselor, who was recently appointed to Purdue University's Counselor Advisory Board for a three-year term! 

Selected to this board of certified high school counselors from throughout the world, Ms. Molenhouse will help advise and consult with Purdue on wide-ranging topics related to the college search and application process, enrollment, retention, and student success. Ms. Molenhouse has served as a CAC at IMSA for 12 years, sharing her passion for college counseling with students and colleagues. She holds a Master's Degree in Counselor Education and a Professional Educator License in High School Counseling. Ms. Molenhouse is looking forward to sharing her immense knowledge and experience to positively impact current and future students. 

SPARK took twelve students to Stable Minds Equine Center on November 13th. Equine therapy has a host of mental health benefits, including reducing stress, increasing mindfulness, and helping with impulse regulation.

Stable Minds is a scenic farm in Elburn, where the students had a blast observing the herd's dynamics, grooming the animals, and guiding them through obstacle courses they created for them.

Stay tuned for the next Spark event in the Spring semester!

Managing Procrastination

It can be easy to procrastinate from time to time, as you know what you need to do, but sometimes put it off until the very last minute. However, procrastination is not a good habit to have. It can lead to more anxiety, less motivation, and even feeling more depressed. Here are some tips to help you improve on managing tasks better to avoid procrastinating:

• Planning and organizing – Creating a plan for yourself is a way that you can stay ahead and allocate time to assignments. Being organized in your plan can help you feel on top of tasks and ready to attack your workload. Make a to-do list with due dates for each task.
• Reducing distractions – It is so easy for us to get distracted now, especially with our phones. Finding ways to limit your distractions and increase your productivity is a helpful way to stay on top of tasks.
• Practicing mindfulness – We can often struggle with focusing and being present. Mindfulness is something that helps you regain focus on the present moment. One simple mindfulness activity you can do is to stop and move your body. Focusing on movement and how that makes you feel can help clear your mind to tackle your tasks more effectively.

Please remember to be vigilant in logging your service learning hours into Helper Helper and then following up to make sure they are fully approved. As a reminder, students who do not complete the graduation requirement for service learning, as stated here will not receive their final transcripts until they have done so. All hours must be submitted and fully approved (present in PowerSchool).

Group Fitness Classes

There are now two weekly group fitness opportunities for staff and students! No registration is required. Just show up with workout clothes, shoes, and water. If you have any questions, email Counselor/Group Fitness Instructor Alex Pratt at apratt@imsa.edu.

Weight Training

Mondays

1:55 p.m. - 2:35 p.m.

(S&E Period)

Multipurpose Room

Group Fitness Class

Wednesdays or I-Days

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Multipurpose Room

Mark Your Calendars! 

December 13 - Holiday Concert

December 18 - End of 1st Semester

December 19 - Halls Close at 3:00 p.m.

December 20 - January 4 - Winter Break

January 5 - Halls Open at 3:00 p.m.

Click below to view the complete 12-month calendar, along with other helpful information about various bell schedules. Please refer to these calendars for important dates and special class schedules throughout the year.

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.