Principal's November Newsletter
November 17, 2023
Hi, this is a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have a student at, or have expressed an interest in, Glenbard East High School. Communication between Glenbard East and our families and community is very important to us. Don't forget to add ge_news@glenbard.org to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! Please email any questions directly to Glenbard Staff, we are happy to respond.
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL
IMPORTANT DATES
November 22 - 24
NO SCHOOL
Thanksgiving Break
December 2
Jingle Bell Jubilee
(more info at lombardparks.com/jubilee/)
Helen Plum Library & Lombard Bible Church
December 6
Holiday Concert
7PM – Biester Auditorium
Tickets: $5, purchase at gefinearts.org
December 11
East Films Showcase
6PM - Rider Hall
&
Acting Class Studio Production
7PM – Rider Hall
December 19
FREE Hot Chocolate & Candy Canes
ALL STUDENTS
7AM – 7:30AM Auditorium Foyer
December 20
Cookies & Carols Concert
7PM - Auditorium Foyer
December 20 - 22
FINAL EXAMS
Special Schedule
December 25 – January 5
NO SCHOOL
Winter Break
January 8
NO SCHOOL
Institute Day
A MESSAGE ABOUT ATTENDANCE FROM PRINCIPAL ANDERSON
We are thankful for you!
As we prepare to take time off from school, 11/22 - 11/24, for the Thanksgiving break, we want to express our gratitude for everyone who has helped restore a routine for showing up to school while supporting students and families.
We thank:
- Our students and families who do their best to show up to class every day even when it isn’t easy.
- Our fantastic teachers who have gone above and beyond to help make school a welcoming learning environment where students can thrive.
- Our administrators who help us work together to ensure we are healthy and safe, feel a sense of community and experience the excitement of an engaging learning environment.
- Our support staff who provide the extra hands and attention our students need.
We truly appreciate everyone’s efforts. Daily routines are essential for reducing stress and creating a sense of security for students and adults. Missing just a few days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and leave students behind in school. This is as true in high school as it is in kindergarten. Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as connect to peers and their teachers. Therefore, as the weather changes, please take the necessary steps to keep your student(s) healthy and send them to school unless they are truly sick.
May these days off be restful and healing. We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on Monday, 11/27.
Thank you for partnering with us!
2024-25 SCHOOL CALENDAR
FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE
1. CAFETERIA SERVICE – There will be limited food service on exam days. The Cafeteria lines will be open to serve our students during the following times: 7:00 a.m.-7:35 a.m., 8:45 a.m.-9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m., 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
2. EXAM MAKE-UP – Students who have an excused absence from an exam may make arrangements with their teacher to make up the exam during the Exam Make-up Sessions. Students may also arrange with teachers to make up exams during Resource Periods.
3. TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF DUPAGE – There will be no TCD classes for students on exam days.
4. QUIET STUDY AREAS – Supervised quiet study areas will be available for those students who wish to study during the exams, when they have a free period. All Physical Education and Driver Education classes WILL MEET ON EXAM DAYS. There are to be no students in the halls without a pass during the exam periods. All students are to remain in their classes during the entire period.
5. RESCHEDULED EXAMS – Students who feel they have a heavy load of exams on Day 1 or Day 2 may elect to change or move one of their exams to the Make-up time slot on Day 3. This request must be made with the teacher at least one week prior to their scheduled exam.
6. SCHOOL CODE – School Code requires that Districts schedule a minimum of 300-minutes of instruction and student support during the last day of each academic semester. Passing periods do not count toward the 300-minute requirement.
7. ATHLETICS – Practices may begin after 1:30 p.m. Students should check with their coach for actual start time.
PREPARING FOR COURSE ENROLLMENT FOR 2024-25
Once again this year, students of all four of the Glenbard High Schools will be online selecting their courses for the 2024-25 school year through their Power School accounts. With an online enrollment process, parents can be involved in course selection and better prepare students for engaging in a similar process during their college years. Students can select their courses between December 4th and January 8th. After January 8th, students will continue to be able to view their choices in their PowerSchool accounts, but any changes will need to be requested through their school counselors. Counselors will meet with all students individually between January 15th and February 2nd to ensure student selections address the remaining graduation requirements and finalize all course requests. Please continue to monitor your student’s PowerSchool account during that time to note any changes. Please be sure to review your student’s course requests! Course changes and adds for the 2024-25 school year will not be permitted based on available space.
Students will receive instructions on how to complete the online enrollment process on December 4th, during RAM TIME. They will also receive course recommendations from all of their teachers. For any questions regarding recommendations in a particular department, please contact your student’s teacher or the department chair overseeing that course for additional information. For questions regarding your student’s progress toward graduation, please contact your student’s assigned counselor. For any questions regarding the enrollment process, please contact Selina Lepsi, the Director of School Counseling, selina_lepsi@glenbard.org.
GRADE LEVEL CHECKLISTS
The Glenbard East School Counseling Department has created checklists by grade levels to assist families navigate the steps in postsecondary planning. We encourage families to use these as a guide throughout high school.
GEHS School Counseling Freshman Checklist
GEHS School Counseling Sophomore Checklist
SAVE THE DATE: FUTURE RAMS ACADEMIC AND ACTIVITY NIGHT
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Please join us and meet our fine coaches, teachers, department chairs and administrators.
5:00PM - 5:45PM Athletic and Activity Fair in the Field House
6:05PM - 6:25PM Principal Welcome & Enrollment Information
6:30PM - 8:16PM Department visits
We are very excited to welcome the Class of 2028!
SEMESTER GRADUATION MEETING
Students who have completed all graduation requirements by the end of the first semester are invited to attend a graduation meeting in November. Semester grads will be able to learn about the logistics of finishing mid-year, including participating in the annual graduation ceremony held in May. A representative from the Admissions Office at the College of DuPage will also be on hand to answer questions and assist students interested in transitioning to the College of DuPage for 2nd semester. Invitations will be sent to all students who have informed their counselor of their intent to graduate mid-year. For questions about your student’s eligibility for semester graduation, please contact your student’s counselor. You may contact Mrs. Ramirez in the School Counseling office (630-424-7144) with any questions about this event.
FINANCIAL AID NIGHT & WORKSHOP
Financial Aid Night - 6:00 PM on 12/7/23 in the Glenbard East Library
Feeling lost and need help understanding the financial aid process for sending your
student to college? The Glenbard East School Counseling Department will host a Financial Aid Night on Thursday, December 7th, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for both English and Spanish-speaking families. The presentations are designed to assist parents of seniors with understanding the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) completion process, Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, and other aspects of applying for financial aid. Parents of students in all grade levels are welcome to attend. Contact Mr. Bryan Witte at bryan_witte@glenbard.org in the School Counseling office with any questions on this event.
Financial Aid Workshop at 7:00 PM in the library on 12/7/23
Immediately following the Financial Aid Night presentation, families of seniors are welcome to attend our Financial Aid Workshop in our library. All seniors must complete a financial aid form to receive a high school diploma. The 24-25 FAFSA is undergoing a simplification process and is expected to become available in December. With the support of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, families can submit their financial aid forms during our workshop. Families of seniors should be on the lookout for an email from our School Counseling Department to notify them of the date that the 24-25 FAFSA is available in December and a list of what to bring to participate in the workshop. If the 24-25 FAFSA is not available by 12/7/23, then the workshop will include support for creating the required FSA ID for submitting the FAFSA once it is available.
ATTENDANCE
Student attendance is one of the most common predictors of academic achievement. Students who consistently miss school develop habits that will lead into their adult life, which can impact their education, career, and social connections.
Research shows:
- That student attendance is highly correlated with success in school.
- That missing 10 percent of school, or about 18 days, negatively impacts a student’s performance.
- That students who regularly arrive and/or leave early are miss out on valuable instruction time and are more likely to be chronically absent.
When students improve their attendance, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating. Establishing good attendance habits better equip students to be productive members of society.
Once a student misses nine full days of school, the school may require a doctor’s note on file in order for each absence to be excused. If a student has more than nine days of excused absences, Student Intervention Teams are actively providing the student and family with appropriate interventions.
A WORD ON BLANKETS
As it starts to get colder, please note that students are not allowed to have blankets in school. Please encourage your student to dress in layers to ensure they are comfortable throughout the school day. All students have an assigned locker where they can store outerwear as needed.
WHAT DEAN DO I CONTACT?
FRESHMAN CLASSES & CAREERS
Counselors will visit all Freshmen Biology classes on December 6th. Prior to this visit, students will complete a “Find your Path Assessment” with School Links, our new College and Career readiness platform, during RAM Time. This assessment will help students understand their personality match, explore career clusters, and research post-secondary options. They will also play a career jeopardy game and review course enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year.
JUNIOR CLASS POST SECONDARY OPTIONS PROGRAM
Counselors will visit all US History and AP US History classes on Wednesday, November 29th, to provide a program on researching post-secondary options, including college, trades, and the military. The program will provide students with various resources to assist in this discovery process, including access to their Schoolinks accounts our premiere career and college search and investigation tool.
We encourage families to visit colleges throughout the school year to see their options firsthand. Most colleges and universities offer a wide variety of visit programs that are convenient to schedule around your availability and comfort level. We recommend the following schedule for when to visit colleges:
- Sophomore year: Attend at least three college visits with dramatically different environments, such as one large university, one small liberal arts school, and one school in a large city, such as Chicago. Start to understand what your family values in the college experience and what type of general environment will be most conducive to your student's collegiate success.
- Junior year: Visit multiple schools throughout the year as you further develop your list of potential schools.
- Senior year: Visit the schools you have applied to again to affirm your interest and prepare for your final decision before May 1.
Our school counseling team can assist students at any point in their college exploration and application processes. Parents and students are encouraged to contact their assigned counselor at any point.
GLENBARD EAST FOOD DRIVE SET FOR DECEMBER 9
Glenbard East has been involved in a community food drive in some way for more than 25 years. Their donations are always counted on and welcomed by the Lombard Food Pantry, in fact they say that it is the 2nd largest food drive next to the Post Office Drive!
Here’s how it works:
- Glenbard East students meet at 8 AM outside the nurse’s office on December 2nd to stuff bags with a letter containing directions on how to donate and we drop them off to a large section of Lombard.
- The following weekend (December 9th) students arrive at Glenbard East at 9AM outside the nurse's office and we go out in cars and vans to the same neighborhoods and pick up any food that is put outside by people of our community (per directions in the letters)!
If you are not in the area that we service here are 3 other options:
- Bring your non perishable food donations to the New Location The Outreach House 805 S Main St. Lombard, between 9 AM and noon, December 9th.
- Go to The Outreach House for more details!
- Send your Glenbard East student on December 2nd at 8AM AND/OR on December 9th at 9AM to help us in this drive!
If you have questions or want to help with donating, contact Glenbard East teacher Donna Slusher at 630-424-6739.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DAR WINNER
Congratulations to Margaret LeBeau for earning the Good Citizenship Award sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution for the class of 2024. Margaret earned this award through a write-in ballot amongst Glenbard East staff based upon the merits of leadership, dependability, service, and patriotism.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SAR WINNER
Congratulations to Sophia Opila for earning the Outstanding Citizenship Award sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution for the class of 2024. Sophia earned this award through a write-in ballot amongst Glenbard East staff based upon the merits of dependability, honesty, courtesy, respect, leadership, and patriotism.
CONGRATULATIONS TO STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR MUSIC FESTIVAL
Congratulations to Glenbard District 87 students selected for the Illinois Music Education Association’s District IX Honors Music Festivals. Each student was chosen from the more than 1,000 students across the west suburban area who submitted audition recordings consisting of prepared musical selections and scales.
Chorus
Serge Dulang - tenor 2
Annalee Kalbfleisch - soprano 2
Taylor Kowallis - soprano 1
Zach Mullins - bass 1
Tricia Tran - alto 1
Erik Vazquez - tenor 2
Treble Chorus
Olivia Gomez - soprano 2
Olive Turner - soprano 1
Ivonne Vazquez - alto 2
Band
Axel Capetillo - percussion
Trevor Dunham - tenor sax
Lucas Logacho - tuba
Brayden Smith - trumpet
Orchestra
Grace Boddy - violin
Vocal Jazz Ensemble III
Olive Turner - soprano
Vocal Jazz Ensemble II
Serge Dulang - tenor
Vocal Jazz Ensemble I
Grace Boddy - soprano
Ava McGee - alto
STAFFULTY OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER
The Glenbard East Staffulty of the Month Award has been established to recognize outstanding
people for their dedication, professionalism, and work. Those receiving this award are nominated by administrators, colleagues, and students for exhibiting our D87 Profile of an Educator tenants.
Each month, we recognize two staff members based on their advocacy for students, empathy for
others, critical thinking, embracing diversity, innovation, and collaboration.
Congratulations to this month's honorees!!!
DANIEL VOSS
Dan Voss was nominated by a staff member for exhibiting the following Profile of an Educator competencies: Advocates, Empathizes, Thinks Critically, Innovates, and Collaborates. Here is what they had to say:
"Dan is deserving of this recognition because he truly cares about his students and his colleagues.
Whenever I am in need of a sounding board, I know that I can go to Dan. He will not only give me feedback, but will also help me push my ideas beyond where they started. This feedback will always be focused on what is best for students. Nobody else I know can play Devil's Advocate and Hype Man as well as he does simultaneously!
Recently, I experienced a family emergency and needed to quickly drop everything to attend to it. This prevented me from creating a reflection for my students and printing off copies of a remediation that I was going to give the next period. I asked Dan if he could help me out. Not only did he stop what he was doing and complete all of my work for me, but the reflection he wrote (for a class he doesn't even teach) was better than anything I would have come up with.
This nomination is written from a very personal perspective, but Dan's relationships with students and leadership in our building speaks for itself. He is an exemplary teacher and worthy of this honor."
"I think Voss thinks critically in the classroom and outside of it "
DIANE MARTIN
Diane Martin was nominated by her department for exhibiting the following Profile of an Educator competencies: Advocates, Empathizes, Thinks Critically, Embraces Diversity, Innovates, Collaborates. Here is what they had to say:
"Diane empathizes with students, staff, and families to best find out what they may need and get them an answer or to the right person in her caring and compassionate way. She always takes the initiative to assist anyone who walks through the door of the School Counseling Office. As a new employee, she has learned the systems that are already in place and tweaks them to make them even better and more efficient. She thinks and plans ahead to try to eliminate or prevent possible issues/obstacles that may arise.
Diane has consistently shown compassion and support of all students but specifically our EL students. We have had an influx of newcomers since she started in our counseling department and has gone above and beyond to welcome and support our students. Her ability to speak Spanish and use google translate to find a way to meet the needs of students in Arabic, Ukrainian and Russian have been appreciated and should be recognized.
Thank you Diane! We appreciate you!"
RULER MOOD METER
GPS PRESENTATIONS
ATHLETICS NEWS FOR NOVEMBER
We continue to build and live by our athletic motto: Students First: VICTORY Will Happen…as victory is way more important than just simply winning. We continue to implement Glenbard Profile of a Graduate transferable life skills and its six (6) competencies: self-empowered, communicates, thinks critically, embraces diversity, creates, and collaborates. We feel these skills will afford our students post-secondary opportunities including college, jobs/careers, military, or wherever their life takes them.
Congratulations to our 2023 Football Rams for a historical season! The Rams made history earning a berth to the quarterfinals - only the second football team in school history and first since 1999.
Glenbard East Athletic Boosters held their 1st Annual Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 21 and had close to 100 vendors (many which were local) in attendance. Hundreds of visitors took advantage of the opportunity to shop, throughout the day. We appreciate the vendors for signing up as well as all that attended. The date for next year will be Saturday, October 26, 2024 - please mark your calendars.
WINTER SPORTS INFO
Basketball Boys, Eric Kelly (eric_kelly@glenbard.org), first game is Mon Nov 20
Basketball Girls, Nicole Miller (nicole_miller@glenbard.org), first game is Sat Nov 18
Bowling Boys, Steve Bair (steve_bair@glenbard.org), season started already
Bowling Girls, Dawn Chantos (dawn_chantos@glenbard.org), first meet starts Tue Nov 28
Cheer CoEd Sideline, Kelly Dolan (kelly_dolan@glenbard.org), season started already
Dance (Poms), Courtney Clay (courtney_clay@glenbard.org), season started already
Gymnastics Girls, Jessica Bugajsky (jessica_bugajsky@glenbard.org), first meet starts Wed Nov 22
Swimming Boys Co-op with Glenbard North, Tyler Buss (tyler_buss@glenbard.org), season starts Mon Nov 20
Wrestling, Donald Pool (donald_pool@glenbard.org), first meet starts Wed Nov 22
ATHLETIC BOOSTER INFO
Our Athletic Booster Club annually raises over $30,000 for our teams and student-athletes. They help provide essentials that enhance our athletic teams pursuit of VICTORY! However, we need more parent volunteers! Please sign up to help enhance our athletic program. The main website is: geramsboosters.org for information about membership, parent volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, concession, purchasing spirit wear, and family activity passes. Any further inquiries please contact Athletic Booster Club President, Mrs. Jerri Gapastione (jgw8@comcast.net).
Be on the lookout for information on upcoming for fundraisers in 2024, including Trivia Night (Friday, March 1, 2024) and the Summer Golf Outing (Friday, June 21, 2024).
Glenbard East High School
Email: ge_news@glenbard.org
Website: glenbardeasths.org
Location: 1014 South Main Street, Lombard, IL, USA
Phone: (630) 627-9250
Twitter: @GE_Rams