Falcon Focus
February 4, 2022
From Mr. Biscan
We are full steam ahead into the 2nd semester of our school year! Classroom activities, athletics, performing arts, and activities are all serving as platforms for students to grow and learn.
Our staff has done a great job of leading positive, challenging, and supporting learning environments for our students. Even though we have conducted a somewhat "normal" school year, the amount of work, effort, and leadership that our Wheaton North staff has provided has been exemplary and I couldn't be more proud of them.
The information contained in this edition of the Falcon Focus spans all facets of our school and I encourage you to take a few minutes to see what's happening within Wheaton North.
As always, thank you for your support.
Have a great weekend.
We are Falcons. We are Proud. We are North.
From the Desk of Dr. Ellett, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction
Falcon Parents: Your Feedback is Requested!
Wheaton North High School and all District 200 schools are participating in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey.
The 5Essentials Survey is given to students, teachers, and parents to measure a school's progress in instruction, family connections, the school environment, collaborative teaching, and school leadership. The securely collected data is used by school leaders to drive school improvement and identify areas of strength.
The parent survey can be found at this link.
Parent feedback is a critical and valued component of this survey.
Would you please help and take the 5Essentials Survey?
Thank you for your time and feedback; both are greatly appreciated!
From the Desk of Dr. Pavlini, Assistant Principal of Student Services
School staff are continuing to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. We are using a program called SOS Signs of Suicide. The program teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help.
SOS has been used by thousands of schools over the past few decades. Studies have shown that it effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of students’ self-reported suicide attempts.
Through the program, students learn:
that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it
Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a response slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk.
Following the video, students will complete a brief depression screening tool. This tool cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should be referred for evaluation by a mental health professional.
We encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this program please contact me at julie.pavlini@cusd200.org, 630.784.7306
Bus Riders - Facemask Reminder
Our bus drivers have a limited amount of facemasks that are available for an emergency such as a damaged mask or an occasional forgotten mask. We appreciate your continued support in making sure your student comes to the bus stop and school with a mask from home.
Illinois Seal of Biliteracy Test
Class of 2022 - Are you able to understand, speak, read and write in another language other than English? If so, we have a fantastic opportunity for you to showcase those skills. We will be offering a language proficiency test that you will take here at Wheaton North in the LLC on March 16. The Seal of Biliteracy test is offered in Arabic, Chinese-Mandarin, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai. Every public university in the State of Illinois offers between 4 and 8 college credits for a passing score on the test.
If this is of interest to you, please see Mr. Laird in room 406 or 407 or email him at eric.laird@cusd200.org to get an application and more information.
Dual Credit Opportunity
Studying sociology is an amazing opportunity to analyze human behavior and social interaction. Throughout the semester, students will read, participate in simulations, view video clips and engage in discussions to examine culture, crime, poverty, race, and gender through a sociological lens. Sociology is a one semester elective for Juniors and Seniors.
Wheaton North students who have above a 2.7 GPA are invited to consider earning 3 hours of college credit from the University of Indiana as part of their Advance College Project (ACP) program through this Sociology course. It is a great opportunity for high school Juniors or Seniors to practice the skills and habits of a college student without the stress and pressure of an Advanced Placement exam.
If you have further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Hayley.Lotspeich@cusd200.org or via phone at 630-784-7300 ex 8465.
Winter Play
February 10, 11, and 12 at 7:00 pm in Taylor Auditorium
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Wheaton North Students- Free
Students- $5
Adults- $10
Seniors- $5
Monthly Scholarship Bulletin
From the Counseling Office
General Announcements
Please follow the counseling department on Twitter @wncounseling for up-to-date information on a variety of topics from scheduling to scholarship information.
All students should join their counselor’s Remind account for important text updates. Parents are welcome to join as well. You can find more information on joining via the Counseling Remind Codes page.
During the 2021-2022 school year, students can request virtual or in person meetings with their counselor by visiting the counseling office, via email or by calling a counselor’s direct line.
Counselor Assignments / Alpha Split. 2021-2022
Course Selection For 2022-2023
Please visit our course selection page on the counseling website.
Current freshmen began picking their courses for the 2022-2023 school year this week. Sophomores will visit the counseling center from 2/7-2/11. Please take a moment to review the District 200 Course Catalog to help your student plan for this process. Additionally, all students will meet individually with their assigned counselor to finalize requests and discuss graduation requirements..
Freshman and Sophomores can see their recommendations for next year by clicking on “Course Request” in their studentvue accounts. Junior course requests will appear after registration meetings held from February 14-18th.
Course Selection Calendar All Grade Levels
Senior Class of 2022 - Financial Aid Information
Check out the updated information on the Counseling Financial Aid Page regarding the 2021-2022 FAFSA and Financial Aid.
An updated monthly scholarship bulletin will be posted to the counseling office website each month. Seniors can apply to a number of local scholarships by following the links provided.
The FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) opens today, October 1. This application allows students to receive financial aid from a number of resources. All students should complete the FAFSA regardless of the family income level. Many colleges require the FAFSA in order for students to receive any kind of aid, including merit scholarships. For a complete guide to the FAFSA, please check out the counseling website under the Financial Aid link.
Students must meet one of the following requirements to receive a public school diploma (Public Act 101-0180):
File a FAFSA Application; or
File an Application for State Financial Aid; or
File a waiver/opt out with the school district. (This form should be printed and dropped off in the counseling office). Emailed forms will not be accepted.
Nothing additional is needed to meet the graduation requirement. Once you file your FAFSA, the state reports back to WN that it is complete.
Senior Conferences are complete.. If your son or daughter has questions they should reach out to their counselor to set up a follow up appointment.
Make sure to continue checking Naviance to see if any of your prospective schools still have visits scheduled at Wheaton North. This is a great opportunity to ask any follow up questions about housing, scholarships and potential majors.
There are some great resources to assist you and your students as your family navigates the college application process. Check out the Senior Grade Level Curriculum for more information.
Juniors Class of 2023
Good news! The Common App essay prompts are staying the same for next year.. Students applying in 2022-23 can get started on their essays early so there are no delays during application season next year.
College Preview Night was held on October 27, 2021 and can be found here. The presentation is geared towards families with Sophomore and Junior students interested in attending 4-Year Colleges or Universities after graduation.
Individual Junior Conferences will continue through Spring Break. Students and families looking to get a headstart can access all College Search Materials via the counseling website. Materials will update throughout first semester.
Juniors can sign up for college rep visits by logging into their Naviance account using “Clever” and then entering their Google credentials. Students should then click on “Colleges” and select “College Visits”. This allows students to hear directly from a college representative visiting Wheaton North. Don’t delay, sign up now as many colleges and universities are already scheduled to visit us.
Sophomore Class of 2024
All sophomores will register for classes between February 7th and 11th. Recommendations for next year’s courses are now visible via studentvue. Login into your account and click on the “Course Requests” to view your recommendations.
Sophomores can sign up for college rep visits by logging into their Naviance account using “Clever” and then entering their Google credentials. Students should then click on “Colleges” and select “College Visits”. This allows students to hear directly from a college representative visiting Wheaton North. Don’t delay, sign up now as many colleges and universities are already scheduled to visit us.
Yearbook and Picture Information
Interested in Purchasing a 2021-2022 Yearbook
If so, please click HERE to be directed to the Jostens Website. Yearbooks are $50.
Interested in Purchasing a 2020-2021 Yearbook
These can be purchased through the Athletic Office. Yearbooks are $50. If you did not receive your yearbook, please stop by the Athletic Office to pick up your book today.
Falcon Wings
SUPERBOWL SQUARES!
Don’t miss this chance to support our Falcon’s by purchasing a SuperBowl Square! 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter wins 10% of the pot, the person with the correct final score wins 20% and 50% of the proceeds are donated back to the Falcon WiNGS to fund things like scholarships, student activity wish lists and more!
To purchase $25 squares please click on the following link and use Code: WINGS25 and Password: WN2022
https://superbowlsquares.org/WN25
Winners will be contacted via Email following the end of the game. Thank you for your continued support and good luck!
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN
The WiNGS Scholarship Application is available! The Falcon WiNGS annually award ten $500 scholarships to seniors of Falcon WiNGS Members. Please note the NEW DEADLINE is March 25, 2022. Apply here!
WINTER/SPRING SPORTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The winter sports season is in full swing. Please check out your availability and sign up to work! Check out the Falcon’s home schedule here.
POST PROM - 50/50 RAFFLE!
Please support Operation Safe Celebration/Post Prom!
Join us at the Wheaton North vs. Wheaton Warrenville South Basketball Game TONIGHT, Friday, February 4, at HOME at 7:15.
We will have a 50/50 Raffle benefitting Operation Safe Celebration. Purchase your raffle tickets at a table at the entrance to the gym and students will circulate selling tickets throughout the first half of the game. The raffle winner will be drawn at halftime and you must be present to win!
Thank you for your support in this community tradition for the past 25 years!
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? WE NEED YOU!
The WiNGS have a few open opportunities to serve with the Falcon WiNGS next year. We are currently looking for a Vice-President, Concession Coordinator, Webmaster, and Program Coordinator. Reach out to any current board members for more information. Come join us, we help our Falcon’s Fly!
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8 at 7pm, in the Wheaton North Commons. Masks are required.