Principal's Blog #30

Dear MHS Families,

On April 8, 2024, the skies above Mundelein will treat us to a solar eclipse! This is a fantastic learning opportunity for our students and a memorable experience for your family to share together.

Here are the key details:

• Date: April 8, 2024
• Optimal viewing time: 2:07pm

Student safety is our top priority. During the eclipse, MHS students will have the opportunity to go outside, supervised by staff, to view the eclipse using scientifically-approved eclipse viewers that the school will provide.

If your family plans to view the eclipse from home, please ensure you use approved solar viewing glasses. Never look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection.

This rare solar eclipse is a unique opportunity for students and families to learn together about astronomy, space science, and the incredible natural phenomena in our universe. We encourage you to take advantage of this special event and to support your student's curiosity and learning at home. Discussing the science behind eclipses or doing eclipse-related activities together can enrich this experience for your student.

We look forward to this exciting day of learning and discovery!

Dr. Alexandria Rios Taylor

Principal, Mundelein High School

847-949-2200 x1257

www.d120.org

ataylor@d120.org

Visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to learn more.

MHS is excited for our seniors who participate in the A-Z themed dress-days. To ensure the safety of all our students, please refer to the expectations that were sent home.

On Wednesday, April 10 and Thursday, April 11, MHS will conduct the required state tests for grades 9, 10 and 11. Seniors will not be in session either day. The schedule for these two days is as follows:

April 10

Grade 10 - PSAT 10

Grade 11 - SAT

April 11

Grade 9 - PSAT 8/9

Grade 11 - ISA

Click here for more information.

Mundelein High School will be hosting area businesses and industry representatives for a its annual school-wide Job Fair and Career Expo on Friday, April 12th between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

Local businesses, industry reps and military branches will be on site to recruit talent for hourly (year-round), seasonal (summer-only), and entry level (18+/graduate-only) openings.

For more information, please contact Alexander Kapotas, Career Exploration & Internship Coordinator, at akapotas@d120.org or 847-949-2200 x1092.

We are so excited to be gearing up for El Baile 2024! Get ready for a night in traditional Latin America as this year’s theme is Herencia Hispana!

DATE: Saturday, April 13th from 7-10 PM.

TICKETS: $5 in advance in person and online Online tickets go on sale starting Monday, 4/1 and close the night of Thursday, 4/11. In-Person tickets will be sold near the cafeteria during all lunch periods Monday, 4/8, Tuesday, 4/9, and Friday, 4/12. At the door tickets will be sold for $15! The first 50 students who buy their tickets this year will receive free food and drink vouchers at the dance!

GUESTS: Guests are welcome. Forms will be available in the Deans’ office starting Monday, 4/1 and will be due on Tuesday, 4/9 after school.

The annual Mayor’s Cup STEM Challenge is a great opportunity for Mundelein students to showcase their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills, earn cash rewards, and have fun in the process! Think critically, work together in teams, test your knowledge, and strengthen your collaborative and social skills. Expect real-world problem solving, hands-on involvement, and out-of-the-box thinking!

Questions? Please contact Jennifer Marshall at 847-949-3225 or jmarshall@mundelein.org

The 2024 Mundelein High School Prom is quickly approaching! Prom will be held Friday, May 3 from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM at the Marriott Lincolnshire in the Grand Marquee Pavilion. All Mundelein High School Juniors and Seniors are invited to attend. This year’s theme is A Night Under Lanterns.

Tickets will be sold the week of Monday, April 8th to Thursday, April 18th online through RevTrak on the D120 website. All students must be in good standing in order to purchase tickets. The price per ticket is $85.00.

Click here to learn more.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Join us on May 14th at 7:00pm in the Auditorium to celebrate our Senior Class. We have a remarkable senior class and we’re proud to celebrate their impressive and unique accomplishments:

• As outstanding scholars earning top grades and honors

• As stars in art, theater, choir and band

• As accomplished athletes - many in multiple sports - spreading Mustang Pride across the state and country

• As compassionate citizens, demonstrating support for your classmates, the community, and our country

Graduation will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the NOW Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, IL. Seniors need to report to the NOW Arena by 2:00 pm. Students may drive on their own, however bus transportation to the NOW Arena and back to MHS will be available for any students and their families who need it. Information regarding transportation services will be released in the spring.

Tickets and seating: Each graduate will be issued 15 tickets (wristbands) for guest seating. General seating will begin at 2:00 pm.

Congratulations to Sophomore Christian Tomaschtik (Picture below) and Junior Flor Duque !! We received 65 submissions this week! 🙂

Don’t be an April Fool and check out Jaxon Wasseluk’s @hijaxmemes artist of the month display. Just like Jaxon it has a lot of energy, humor, and skill. @mhs_fineartscte @mundeleinhighschool

Today's State Walk honored our MHS state-qualifying Winter Guard Team. They will compete in the state championship on Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7.

MHS juniors Marisa Romero (right) and Alejandra Mata (left) have been selected as Mundelein High School’s representatives for American Legion Auxiliary Girls State. Arlene Lolley, President of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 867 Mundelein, serves as a sponsor for Girls State.

Mundelein High School FBLA students recently participated in the 2024 Northern Area Conference at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. They will compete this upcoming weekend (April 5-6) at the State Competition in Springfield, IL.

Area schools and students participated in over 70 events. MHS students either took objective tests or gave live/recorded presentations on a wide variety of topics. Students who score the top in their event can advance to the previously mentioned State Competition.

Top 10 finishers at the competition included the following:
1 Victoria Zherebna, Business Communication

1 Michael Townsend, Client Service

2 Animesh Bijawat, Personal Finance

3 Xander Ede, Website Design

3 Gabrielle Goodson, Job Interview
3 Azael Sanchez, Economics

4 William Fisher, Public Speaking
5 Olivia Wallace, Introduction to Business Communication
5 Devin Boongaling, UX Design

5 Marsha De Quina, Tagala Public Speaking
6 Alan Fisher, Introduction to Business Communication

6 Adrian Rosales, Hospitality & Event Management
8 Aidan Hanrahan, Computer Problem Solving
10 Anthony Vynnyk, Accounting I
10 Lisa Choi, Health Care Administration

Mundelein High School has been awarded with NAMM Foundation Best Communities for Music Education recognition.

"The Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Award is a signature program of The NAMM Foundation that recognizes and celebrates school districts and schools for their support and commitment to music education and their efforts to ensure access to music for all students as part of a well-rounded education. Throughout the program's 25 years, the foundation has recognized over 1,000 school districts and schools, combined, in 43 states."

Adapted from https://www.nammfoundation.org/what-we-do/best-communities-music-education

I wanted to take a moment to brag about my students and some of the great work they are doing in Physics right now.

With their consent, I took a few pictures throughout the day of my 3 class periods of core physics completing an activity I call "Electricity at Home," where students get a small taste of how residential electrical systems really work. We are learning about electricity; ohm's law, power, and circuits in class and this is my way of connecting that knowledge with real world applications.

This has proven to be a favorite activity of many students throughout the course and I never get tired of seeing and hearing how excited the students become when they get their light to turn on.

A little more context: I walk the students through level 1 of 3 for this activity where they learn how to hard wire a light bulb into a circuit using proper convention for wire color usage, etc. Once they complete this successfully, they get to move on to level 2, which requires them to take their circuit apart and install a light switch that will control the light bulb. Once that is done successfully, they graduate to level 3 where they are required to have a light bulb controlled by the light switch and an outlet which is permanently on, as one might find in their house. "You mean I could plug my phone in and charge it from there?" is commonly exclaimed after I test their circuit. "Absolutely, and you did that!" is my typical response.

Anyway, all this is to say that I am proud of them, and love seeing them excited about these new things, and possibly even learning something accidentally. Enjoy the pictures in the message below.

One more note, if you are into constellations and historical figures, I invite you to take a quick gallery walk through the C-wing hall where we have adorned the walls with some cool astronomy facts!"

- Mr. Michalski

"My family and I visited San Diego over Spring Break. On the afternoon of March 24, we visited USS Midway, a retired aircraft carrier anchored in the harbor. I always wear my MHS hoodie on trips. You'll discover why this is important. The self-guided tour follows thousands of feet of corridors that crisscross the vessel. We spent almost 6 hours aboard. In that time, an adult stopped me and asked if I was from Mundelein. I replied that I am a teacher at MHS. Moments later, my student Ben Casino, sophomore, walks over and we surprised one another. What are the odds of finding each other in a distant city, on a huge vessel, on the same day? Ben's older brother lives in San Diego.

I have met Mundelein staff and residents on several of the Spring Breaks since being hired in 2009. A Mundelein firefighter spotted me standing in a river 3,500 feet up in the Smoky Mountains. A resort concierge, also at Smoky Mountains, was a former graduate. Joe Vukovic and I crossed paths at Universal Studios Florida two years ago.

Mustang Nation truly stretches across the nation!"

-Mr. Michalides

Quest is proud to be your dining partner and we are committed to providing the best experience possible to every student, including nutritious food, a wide variety of choices, and a seamless dining experience. We wanted to share a few important reminders about the dining program and we welcome your questions and feedback. Click here for more information.

Did you know that you can customize your Mustang spirit wear online? Since 2010, hundreds of items are available to choose from infant sizes to 6XL. Choose embroidery or screenprint, ladies or men’s fit, and front and back printing. You can add custom text to add your name to your shirt. Look at actual garment size (chest, body, and sleeve length) to find the perfect fit. Buy accessories like hats, bags, and luggage tags. All customizable and shipped directly to you! Visit us at mymustangnation.com or linked through the d120.org website.

Each year, the highlight of our graduation ceremony is our student speakers. If you are interested in giving a speech on stage this year, please submit your speech by clicking this link!

• Submission deadline Friday, April 19, 4pm

• Full speech must be submitted in writing

• Maximum speech length is 5 minutes

• Prompt: How has MHS propelled you forward / onward or helped you to ASPIRE (Get creative!)

If your speech is selected, you will then be given a mentor to guide you through the process of refining your speech and preparing you to speak in front of a live audience on the day of graduation.

Click here to see the full schedule of upcoming graduations events.

The Welcome Center is in need of donations to continue assisting those members of our community that are in need. With the fallout from some of our families being displaced recently by inclement weather, those donations are even more important today. We welcome donations of non-perishable food items, personal hygiene items, soaps, detergents and clothing. To help assist those families in need, we are also accepting gift card donations. Please take a minute to watch this video about how The Welcome Center helps our community.

The Wellness Center team is proud to share Mental Health Must-Haves for Mundelein Mustangs, a resource packet filled with tips and tricks to manage emotions and stress, regulate thoughts and anger, improve self-love and self-confidence, increase executive functioning, and enhance overall self-care.

Take a moment to review the April self-care check list.

Click here to see all the student support areas we have to offer.

MHS has many supports to offer students. Students can access a quick-reference guide of all supports available on this page. Available is everything from social-emotional support, to financial support. Check it out!

Click here to see all the student support areas we have to offer.

This annual event provides our freshman and sophomore students and their families with information about the resources available at MHS and some things to consider early on as you plan to attend college in your future.

Experiential Education describes all opportunities offered to students to give them a chance to explore the world of careers and professions. These include classes like Dual Credit Student Internship, Business INCubator, and Geometry in Construction as well as career treks and featured guest speakers.

Mundelein High School alum Dani Adaska (‘18), joined by her mentor Rachel Garrison, spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of artistic students about their experiences navigating a career in the tattooing industry.

Dani and Rachel delivered a fascinating presentation that included sketchbooks, practice “hands”, stencil samples, and tools they use on the job. Additionally, students were coached on the personality characteristics necessary for connecting with and guiding their clients in their tattoo choices, as well as the financial planning skills needed to maintain a quality standard of living.

“You can have a great career as a tattoo artist, but you have to be smart with money,” advised Adaska. “Right away, you need to set aside a significant portion of your income for taxes, savings, and purchasing and maintaining your equipment”. Our guests also advised students on the certifications and licenses needed to set up shop in our state.

"The presentation was fascinating and well-presented," stated staff member Jennifer Lipske, who brought a couple of her students for the presentation. "What I liked most about their message," she added, "was the fact that they stressed the need to work hard 24/7 in order to find success in the profession."

As always, photos from the event will tell the story better than any narrative. Check them out below… and stay tuned for next week’s entry, “Careers in Aerospace Engineering”, featuring Susan Olson, a local aerospace engineer who has worked on both military and commercial aircraft!

Athletics schedules week of 4/8/24

Submitted by Coaches Willis

Our season is now in full swing with our first matches against Vernon Hills and Zion Benton this week. Our athletes have been playing cohesively and with tremendous heart. All levels have been working hard and showing improvement every single day in practice, especially in the areas of communication and teamwork. Varsity plays in a 3-game Quad at Deerfield High School this weekend; the Fresh/Soph team plays in the Libertyville Invitational, and the JV play at the Barrington Invite. The boys at all levels continue to bring energy and determination each week, building on their experiences from the week before. It’s going to be a great season for Mustang volleyball. Our next games are Monday, April 8 at Wheeling and Wednesday, April 10 at home against Waukegan. The Waukegan match is also our Staff Appreciation Night. The Varsity will be honoring staff members who have made a positive impact in their time here at MHS. We would love to see you there!

Student Registration opened February 1, 2024. All students must register yearly. Visit our registration page for more information: https://www.d120.org/resources/parents/registration-2/

The 2024/2025 Early Registration Fee item has been added to PowerSchool fee accounts for the Class of 2026, 2027, and 2028. If you choose to pay the Registration Fee by May 1st, 2024, you will receive the $25 discount, currently applied in PowerSchool.

Starting May 2nd, the discount will be removed and the regular Registration Fee of $275 will be listed. Please know that all prior Registration and Course fees must be paid off before paying the Early Registration item.

If you have any questions, please reach out to KC Olson in the MHS Payment Center at kolson@d120.org.

Visit the Literacy Center

Past blogs are available at:

https://www.d120.org/about-mhs/principals-newsletter/

Website: www.d120.org
Location: 1359 West Hawley Street, Mundelein, IL, USA
Phone: 847-949-2200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Mundelein-High-School-District-120/100095401983567/
Twitter: @MundeleinHS