The Glenbard West Centennial Foundation has been established with the Centennial Committee, in collaboration with DuPage Foundation. The primary objective of the Foundation is to endow an annual scholarship that will be awarded to a graduating senior who best embodies the ethos and character of a Glenbard West Graduate. The Foundation will also look to fund a beautification update to Circle Drive. To learn more about the Glenbard West Centennial Foundation, and make your contribution, click HERE.
Glenbard West Community -
It is hard to believe, but this is the last newsletter of the 2022-2023 school year. This newsletter contains information related to everything from finals to student recognition to important dates moving into our next school year. It is so important to acknowledge the incredible students deserving of credit. Also, it is yet another reminder of how Glenbard West benefits hugely from our senior leaders who help us to set the stage for our entire student body. They provide a template of leadership, work ethic, and character that our younger students look up to. Take a look at our Ray Livingston and Rotary award winners in particular, and you will see what I mean.
As you may know, this week is recognized as “Teacher Appreciation Week.” It is so necessary and appropriate to highlight the incredible teaching staff that we have at this school. Our teachers are student-centered, and they are committed to achievement inside and outside of the classroom. As a building, we look to build positive relationships with our students, helping them to achieve their dreams and supporting them in their struggles. I encourage everyone to support our teachers' outstanding role in shaping our future world.
Finally, as some of you might know, I will officially retire at the end of June. Without getting too sentimental, working at Glenbard West over the past 28 years has been a significant highlight of my life. Over those years - decades - it has been a great joy to see how students make their way through these formative years. The students in front of us now have great potential and absolute goodness in their hearts. Furthermore, it has been an absolute honor to work side by side with so many outstanding educators who care so deeply about the success of our students. Finally, I am blessed to work closely with parents and families who understand the complexity of schools and have partnered with us to create something powerful and impactful for our young people. Next year, I am confident that Ben Peterselli and his team will carry on our tradition of excellence while working hard to meet the demands of the future.
I wish all the very best to everyone within the Glenbard West community.
Go West!
Peter Monaghan, Ed.D.
Son of the American Revolution Outstanding Citizenship Award Recipient
The criteria for this award are extensive and include dependability, honesty, courtesy, respect, leadership, and patriotism.
To excel in all of these characteristics is truly exceptional. In fact, this Outstanding Citizenship Award is designed to honor only one senior student at Glenbard West each year.
Congratulations to senior, Kate Lowrie, for earning the highest award in Girl Scouts - The Gold Award - and also being selected as Illinois Scout of the Year.
Seniors and Ambassadors earn the Gold Award—the highest award in Girl Scouting—by developing and carrying out lasting solutions to issues in their neighborhoods and beyond. Gold Award Girl Scouts truly are the world changers, rock stars, role models, and real-life heroes we all look up to. Plus, they’re amazing candidates for colleges, scholarships, competitive internship programs, and exciting careers.
As part of our Finish Strong Week initiative to help students prepare for finals, the library will be extending its hours until 6.00 p.m. from May 11th to May 16th. We will be offering the following services:
- Group-study cubicles with study supplies (highlighters, flashcards, whiteboards, etc).
- Snacks and beverages
- Relaxation Station (coloring, fidget toys, etc.)
- Study methods workshops
- Late bus for students who stay until closing
As this school year is coming to a close very quickly, we congratulate our Seniors for their commitment and dedication to Glenbard West. They have navigated a variety of situations that have led to both positive and difficult experiences and we know that they will continue on and be successful as they soon graduate.
Many of our spring sports will be entering the IHSA State Series in the upcoming weeks. Please continue to support all of our teams as we wish them the best of luck. We look forward to hosting the following IHSA State Series events weather pending:
Regional Boys Volleyball at Biester on Monday 5/22, Tuesday 5/23, and Thursday 5/25
Regional Softball at Memorial on Tuesday 5/23 and Friday 5/26.
Regional Baseball at Village Green on Wednesday 5/24 and Saturday 5/27
We look forward to all of our current and future Hilltoppers being involved and staying active during the summer. These camps will run through the Glen Ellyn Park District, and information can be found on their website at gepark.org.
Please note that this year all fall sports will begin on Monday, August 7, 2023. Fall sports to include Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Golf, Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Girls Swimming, Girls Tennis, and Girls Field Hockey. In order to participate, registration must be completed on the parent portal for PowerSchool which includes the Athletic Code agreement and concussion awareness agreement. In addition, a current physical within the last 13 months MUST be turned into the Athletic Office prior to practicing.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our entire Glenbard West community for their ongoing support. Glenbard West continues to celebrate the Centennial and all of us as Hilltoppers represent the very best in Pride, Tradition, and Excellence!
GO WEST!
Hey, Hilltoppers! The end of the semester is just around the corner, so it's a great time to start thinking about your summer reading list.
It's our hope that everyone finds something to read this summer that offers hope, joy, and new insights. Note that some of our classes, especially Honors and AP courses, have provided you with specific guidance for how you can prepare for the fall. To learn more, explore book recommendations, and read your course-specific letter, visit our Glenbard West Library website: https://glenbardwesths.libguides.com/gwlibhome/summer-reading-2023
Have a great summer!
Decade Fun Facts about Glenbard West
This is the last installment for The History of Glenbard West High School. We’ve already covered 1920’s through the 1980’s in past editions, so let’s wrap things up with a quick tour of the years from 1990 to 2023. To begin, the students began meeting in the Glenbard West High School building in April 1923, but the official dedication date was May 15, 1923. Happy Centennial on May 15, 2023!
Glenbard West turned out more State championship seasons in the last 10 years than previous 90 years. Glenbard West is home to champions! Astonishingly, in the first 88 years of Glenbard West’s history (1923-2011), four State trophies were won, but in the 10 years after, from 2012-2023, no fewer than 13 State trophies made their way into the cases in Biester Gymnasium.
The Victory Bell was a gift from the1960 and 1966 graduating classes. An extensive restoration for the Victory Bell began in 2017 and it was rededicated during a ceremony at the September 22, 2018 Homecoming Weekend, but in the Spring of 2021 after a football game victory, the refurbished bell was rung—and cracked. A new bell was commissioned and installed. The Original Victory bell will be placed in Biester Gymnasium.
The Elliot Library moved to the Hilltop Gym in the summer of 2000. Carpet was placed over the gym floor to both quiet the library and protect the maple gym floor.
In the 2016, classroom 400 became The Write Place-- our new writing center. The wall of The Write Place feature student painted murals. Hilltopper alum Chris Wahlgren painted them during her spring break in 1984.
In1999, Dr. Pam Zimmermann became named the 6th principal. In July 2006, Dr. Zimmermann moves to the Dist. 87 administrative office where she served as assistant superintendent of instruction.
In 2006, Dr. Jane Thorsen served as the 7th principal. During her time at Glenbard West, she helped with double-digit increase in the number of students enrolled in AP courses. Also, she was principal during a volunteer-driven capital campaign to provide a lighted, artificial turf field on Memorial Field.
On a scary day, on May 9, 2007, towards the end of the school day, an electrical transformer caught fire. The fire destroyed wiring in the building. The school was closed as crews were sent to repair and clean the building. Classes resumed on Tuesday, May 15, 2007.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, on April 18, 2013, the District Office closed all Glenbard schools due to massive rains and severe flooding.
Dr. Peter Monaghan, who started at Glenbard West as a dean, became the 8th principal of the school.
2015-2016 the science wing is added. In the fall of 2016, school opened with a new science wing—and air conditioning in the entire building. It was the first addition since 1964. Also, all students used iPads. Schoology was now used for all classes and students used Google Drive.
Glenbard West’s second student protest occurred on March 14, 2018. Students staged a walk-out
at 10:00 a.m. for 17 minutes to commemorate the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
At the end of the day on Friday, March 13, 2020, Principal Dr. Peter Monaghan announced that students and staff should leave the building for an undetermined time. The concern was the
corona virus—COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, most teachers believed the shutdown would be short-lived. Even the Chicago Tribune headlined that schools might not open until April. When Dr. Monaghan made the announcement, students were elated. Screams and yells of joy came from classrooms: Spring Break was still two weeks away and the prevailing timeline was that school would reopen afterwards. Schools did not reopen in April 2020. Instead, teachers had 100% virtual class using Google Meets. Class of 2020 Seniors experienced a variety of heartbreak and cancellations. Spring sports were cancelled. Senior Prom and graduation were cancelled. Instead, diplomas were mailed home.
For the first time in Glenbard West’s history, the football team played games in two different seasons: Spring 2021 and Fall 2021.
School began again in August 2020. Classes ran 70-minutes long on a block type of schedule, but the school day ended at 12:25 p.m. Teachers worked from home and classes met remotely though a web application called Zoom. Two separate graduation ceremonies were held, one at 4:00 p.m and one at 6:30 p.m. 632 students graduated on Duchon Field.
Dr. Peter Monaghan, who started at Glenbard West as a dean, served as the assistant principal for
student services, and became our 8th principal, announced that he would retire in June 2022. He was persuaded to remain for an additional year and will retire at the end of June 2023.
In the Spring of 2022, with the help of three Glenbard West and WGHS alumni, (Tony Rio, Kevin Cooper, and James Derk) WGHS Radio was back on the air after 35 years of silence. No longer a terrestrial broadcast, WGHS is now an internet streaming radio station. Former WXRX DJ Lori Williams became a co-sponsor with Steven Wiersum—an English teacher and the sponsor of the Glenbard West Historic Society. To listen to WGHS Radio Glenbard, just do a Google search for WGHS Radio.
In the Spring of 2023, Assistant Principal Ben Peterselli was named Glenbard West’s 9th principal, replacing the retiring Dr. Monaghan. Mr. Peterselli became Glenbard West’s first homegrown principal. He graduated from Glenbard West in 1998.
On May 15, 2023, Glenbard West formally celebrated her 100 years. A party was held in Circle
Drive—a fitting place since over $120,000 was raised for student scholarships as well as to
substantially beautify Circle Drive to honor our Centennial.
You can keep up with Glenbard information throughout the year by signing up for Glenbard News, our district-wide enewsletter, at this link.
Each week, you will receive district-wide news about students’ achievements in school-sponsored activities; upcoming events; fund-raisers; school board information and more.
Adults' message opposing underage drinking as powerful impact
Traditionally, spring is a season of celebrations. Unfortunately, those celebrations often involve underage drinking. Young people need strong boundaries and guidance, particularly during this season. The signals and messages from adults should be clear and consistent: it's illegal for anyone younger than 21 to drink alcohol.
What Can A Concerned Parent Do?
Parents can help their teens by building a culture of awareness and prevention through materials, resources and events. The Glenbard Parent Series is a great resource for families to gather knowledge and best practices for drug and alcohol prevention and learn parenting skills that will enhance teens’ social and emotional development and encourage responsible decision-making.
Also, the DuPage County Prevention Leadership Team offers the following suggestions:
- Make it clear to your children – and their friends – that you don’t approve of illegal drug use or under-age drinking and you don’t allow it in your home.
- Be home whenever there’s a non-drinking party on your property. And make sure you’re on duty as a supervising adult.
- If you drink alcohol, make sure your liquor can’t be accessed by under-age people.
- Talk to other parents to make sure that alcohol and illegal drugs are not available at parties in their homes.
- Talk to your children about the laws and liabilities that put you at serious risk if one of their friends drinks or uses drugs in your home.
- Keep the lines of communication open with your children about drug and alcohol abuse. A strong relationship and good communication between parents and children may be the most important preventive measure of all. Stress that you will pick up your child no questions asked if necessary – consider a text code to alert you.
It's critical, particularly during this season, that teens hear a consistent message from the adults in their lives. A consistent message helps young adults make good choices. While our children might not thank us right now for setting limits and saying no, be assured that they appreciate the adults who care enough to say they don’t approve of underage drinking.
SAFE2HELP ILLINOIS
Safe2Help Illinois Call 844-472-3345 or Text 72332(SAFE2)
Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is intended to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.”
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE/TEXT 988
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call/Text 988
This number has trained staff to answer calls and respond to texts from individuals at risk for suicide as well as those experiencing other mental health and substance use-related emergencies. Specialized services will be available for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other groups.
Glenbard West High School
Email: gw_news@glenbard.org
Website: glenbardwesths.org
Location: 670 Crescent Blvd.
Phone: 630-469-8600
Twitter: @GWHilltoppers