Mustang families,

As we approach the last week of the semester, here are some ways you can help your child prepare for final exams next week.

• Establish a Consistent Study Schedule: Encourage your child to create a structured study timetable. Breaking down study sessions into manageable chunks with breaks will help maintain focus and prevent last-minute cramming.

• Provide a Quiet and Comfortable Study Environment: Ensure your child has a dedicated, distraction-free study space at home.

• Support Healthy Habits: Adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and regular physical activity contribute to overall well-being and improve cognitive function, aiding in better exam performance.

• Review and Practice: Assist your child in organizing study materials and creating a review plan. Emphasize the value of understanding key concepts and encourage regular practice with past exams or sample questions.

• Provide Emotional Support: Recognize that exam periods can be stressful. Be a source of encouragement and a listening ear for your child's concerns. Remind them that exams are part of the learning process, and their best effort is what matters most. Your positive reinforcement can significantly impact their confidence and motivation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Dr. Alexandria Rios Taylor

Principal, Mundelein High School

847-949-2200 x1257

www.d120.org

ataylor@d120.org

Dec 15 - Dias Festivos

Dec 18 - Mustang Roundup

Dec 19 - Special Schedule

Dec 20-21 - Final Exams (special schedule)

Dec 25 - Jan 5 Winter Break

Jan 9 - Students Return

Jan 18 - Class of 2028 Night

Jan 25 - Monthly Building Tour

As everyone is getting into the holiday spirit, we wanted to invite you to Puertas Club’s annual holiday event, Días Festivos, on Friday, December 15th, from 6:00-8:00 PM in the cafeteria! This bilingual, open-house style event is aimed at bringing families together at the school to celebrate the spirit of the season with their children and take part in family friendly activities that highlight some of the holiday and seasonal traditions of Latin America.

MHS Students - MHS Alumni are coming back to talk to you about their college experiences. Join us for the Mustang Roundup Event on Monday, December 18, 2023, during periods 1-8 in CCRC B105.

Register for a class period in Naviance(Opens in a new window).

Come take a break from prepping for finals and see the Orchesis show!

Students will be performing different types of dances such as: bachata, cumbia, k-pop, hip-pop, contemporary and much more!💃

Monday, December 18th

7:00pm

MHS auditorium.

$5 tickets go on sale at 6:30pm

We will have an early release for all students on this day to allow them to head home to prepare and “Study With Purpose” for their Final Exams.

Click here for the Special Schedule

Click here for the final exam schedule.

Wishing you all the best rest, relaxation and fun with family and friends.

A risky, online trend has recently resurfaced amongst teens. The “Benadryl challenge” encourages children to ingest significant amounts of diphenhydramine (the active ingredient found in Benadryl) to induce hallucinations. In many cases the ingestion of such a significant amount of the medication can cause diphenhydramine toxicity, leading to possible seizures, cardiac issues, coma, and even death.

Please take time in the coming days to talk with your students about the dangers of misusing over-the-counter medications. It is important for teens to understand the risks that are associated with taking these medications, many of which are readily available to them in pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. Additionally, guardians should ensure medications in their home are appropriately accounted for and not accessible to children without supervision. Below are some resources to guide your conversations with your students:

Mundelein Stand-Up Task Force: mundelein-stand-up.ueniweb.com

National Institute on Drug Abuse: www.drugabuse.gov

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids: www.drugfree.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: www.samhsa.gov

Students at Mundelein High School should never possess over-the-counter medications on their person or in their locker. Appropriate use of over-the-counter medications must be supervised through the nursing office. More information about our medication procedures can be found at: https://www.d120.org/resources/parents/administration-of-medication/

Students who believe they may need assistance with substance abuse concerns should reach out to a member of their Student Support Team who can assist in referring them to the appropriate resources.

Thank you,

Stevee Libert
Assistant Principal of Student Life

The School District 120 School Board of Education decided to not place a referendum on the March ballot, targeting the November general election instead. We will send you more information and opportunities for public input as we move forward. Please read our official statement here.

Please continue to visit our website for further developments: d120.org/mhs-facilities/

District Superintendent

Dr. Kevin Myers

The Mundelein Theatre Shakespeare Slam team was one of nine teams from throughout the Chicago area selected to perform in the final round of the Chicago Shakespeare Slam, held on Monday, December 11 at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier. The team was honored to be named one of the runner ups (with Niles North High School in Skokie). The winner of the Slam was Lindblom Math and Science Academy from the West Englewood neighborhood in Chicago. The judges commented on the cinematic look of the team’s work, building stunning visuals while working wonderfully together as an ensemble.

The team is made up of sixteen students. Eight students serve as assistants who help develop the pieces (Stephanie Aquino, Aedan Hogan, Sara McHugh, Avishi Mehta, Graham Ney, Nishna Shah, Jasmine Tigley). There are eight student performers (Grace DeMilio, Taylor Gates, Mia Joshi, Julia Myrant, Leandro Ocampo, Sydney Olorvida, Rey Palacios, Zoë Van Krey). Jonathan Meier and Jill Reznick are the Teacher Coaches.

Leandro Ocampo is the MHS Artist of the Month for December. Leandro is not only and outstanding student in the visual arts but also an accomplished vocalist in the performing arts. Check out his work adorning the front entrance.

At the beginning of this school year, MHS's Spanish Heritage IV Honor students participated in a successful pen pal program with Mechanics Grove elementary, promoting language development and lasting connections. Over 100 MHS sophomores visited their third- and fifth-grade pen pals, engaging in a postcard exchange.. The program, designed to support dual language learners, showcased practical language application and overcame initial student reservations. The initiative aligns with broader educational goals, fostering bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural development in our community based on relationships. This past week MHS student extended the impact sending holiday greetings and expressions of gratitude, exemplifying the program's success there is an MHS student who acknowledged the support of his new friend that came to an MHS event to see him perform.

For more on this story, visit our website.

Twelve students were honored at December's Mustang Pride breakfast, including their parents and staff members who nominated them. Students are nominated for demonstrating one of our D75/120 Profile of a Learner tenets (agile, self-assured, proactive, information-seeking, resilient, and empathetic.)

This month’s honorees and their nominating staff members include:

Bryce Quinn Smith Presented by Maureen Baker & Magda Vickerman

Aliyah Pagan Presented by Julie Ellingsen

Emily Gomez Presented by Melissa Sethna

Nayeli Abrego & Valeria Campechano Diaz Presented by Reed Christensen

Ashton Mark Gonzalez-Niesen Presented by Michele Bonadies

Shadow Reid Presented by Kevin Shifley

Chloe Langford Presented by Jerry Shelato & Andy Sturgeon

Lisa Joenngil Choi Presented by Jerry Shelato & Andy Sturgeon

Martin Palacios Presented by Jerry Shelato & Andy Sturgeon

Mariana Evangela Van Eycke Presented by Jerry Shelato & Andy Sturgeon

Yanneth Estrada Presented by Heather Ryan

From our 4 final presentations, our esteemed judges panel selected Bernie’s Book Bank, presented by Amber Dean, Michael McMurray and Rachel Sciortino, as the winners of the 2nd Annual Charitable Outreach Project. Congratulate on a wonderful presentation!

Also, please recognize our other final charity presenters—Evan Niernberg, Griffin Troha, Alina Leschinsky, Tyler Przespolewski, Nicole Casino, Sklar Brown, and Talia Zaviolav. They all did a great job representing their organizations.

Mark Landuyt & Sarah Wilson

Honors English 4 Teachers

mlanduyt@d120.org

sawilson@d120.org

Not sure what to buy your favorite Mustang for the Holidays? How about a Mustang Nation eGift Card? Buy for one person, or send to several people all with one transaction. Have others contribute to the gift card amount before sending if you like. No plastic card to use or lose either! Recipients can just show their electronic gift card at checkout in the spirit store located next to the café at Mundelein High School. For in-store purchases only.

Spread the Mustang spirit this holiday season! Purchase an eGift card at: mustang-nation.com

Just a reminder that semester 2 schedules are available to view in PowerSchool. Please reach out to your student's counselor with any questions.

No School

1st Day of Semester 2

The course selection process for the 2024-2025 school year will begin in the coming weeks. Please take a moment to read through all of the information and links below to ensure that you are well-informed of this process.

Counselors will be making presentations in developmental guidance lessons to inform students and will begin meeting with individual students on the following dates:

• Juniors: November 27 - Completed
• Sophomores: December 11 - Completed
• 8th graders: January 18
• Freshman: February 5

If you have any questions about this process you can reach out directly to your school counselor for more information.

We look forward to working closely with you and your student to plan for an exciting and challenging 2024-2025 school year.

• Course Selection Preparation and Process (English / Spanish)

• Mundelein High School Academic Course Guide (English/Spanish)

• Course Request Worksheet (English / Spanish)

• Mundelein High School Career Pathways (English / Spanish)

• Advanced Placement/Honors Recruitment Letter to Parents/Guardians (English / Spanish)

• Accelerated Placement Act Letter to Parents/Guardians (English / Spanish)

On Thursday, January 18th, we will be hosting our Class of 2028 Incoming Freshmen Night at Mundelein High School for both families and students.

Join us for a night of information, fun and new beginnings as we celebrate our incoming freshmen.

Click here for more information.

We are proud to host visitors to learn more about our programming and facilities. In order to minimize the impact on the educational environment, we have chosen to host visitors on select days throughout the school year.

Therefore, to secure a visitation time, please select from the following options so we are able to provide the necessary information and personnel during your visit.

Our next tour is on January 25th at 4:30pm.

Click here to register.

Freshman and Sophomore Student Leadership are hosting our first ever "Glam for Good Drive: Supporting Students in Style."

We are hoping to offer affordable formal wear for students to purchase at low or no cost for Turnabout (March 2nd, 2024).

The items we aim to collect include:

• semi-formal and formal dresses
• dress shirts
• dress pants and slacks
• suits
• neckties and bow ties
• shoes (formal or stylish sneakers)
• jewelry
• makeup (must be new and unused)

Put items in individual ziplock bags and take to MHS Main Office by January 12th.

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.

If you know of anyone who needs career direction or are a professional who would like to offer guidance to our students, please contact:

Alexander Kapotas

Career Exploration & Internship Coordinator

847-949-2200 x1092

akapotas@d120.org

Athletics Schedule week of 12/18/23

Submitted by: Coach Prorok

This week, the Varsity Bowling team continued our winning streak by staying undefeated in conference with wins over Stevenson and Libertyville. Over the weekend, the JV Bowling team took 4th place out of 18 teams in the JV Girls Bowling Bakers Class tournament. Cecilia Osorio Rodriguez took 6th place Individual High Game with a score of 171. Charlotte Niziolek took 5th place with a series score of 429. Up next is the S"no"w Tap Tournament held in Vernon Hills on Saturday.

Submitted by Coach Newsom

Our Varsity Cheer team placed 5th out of 12 teams at the Stevenson Invitational this past weekend! We are so proud of their hard work and dedication this season. We can’t wait to watch them shine again this weekend!

Submitted by Coach Harris

What a fantastic Saturday for varsity at the Hoffman estates tournament!

YOUR MUSTANGS WON THE TEAM TITLE!!!!! Out of the 10 wrestlers we had wrestled in this tournament, 8 placed! Congratulations to CHAMPIONS Ethan Banda, Kevin Hernandez, and Celso Cabrera.

Runner-ups Ethan Thomas and Mac Rastrelli 3rd place finish by Pedro Becerra 4th place finish by Neftali Cernas, 5th place finish by Abisai Hernandez.

Freshman also had a great day with 6 individual champions at their tournament. Champions include Shane Quinn, Christian Calderon, Alvaro Guadarrama, Andres Ramirez, Sladen Poutre, and Will Pasquier.

Each week we will feature a student, staff member or department at our school (Or all three at once), to give Mustang Nation a closer look at these wonderful folks! “We are MHS”! To nominate yourself or others for this feature, please email Mr. Gonzalez – hgonzalez@d120.org

The Noteables is our all-abilities choir, and consists of students from our Supported Learning Program, as well as our general education population. Students explore many facets of music - singing, playing bells, boomwhackers, xylophones, and percussion instruments, as well as learning about different elements of music. These students work tirelessly every day to learn their music for each concert, and they bring joy and passion to the music room by their presence. During the second semester, the Noteables will explore elements of musical theater, and enjoy learning about all that goes into putting on a production!

The Mundelein Foundation is seeking new members! Do you have one night a month to make a difference? Contact Jennifer for more information on how you can have some fun helping the next generation: 847-987-7955 or brunkow4@sbcglobal.net

ASPIRE

Our MHS Portrait of a Learner tenets affirm student identity through schoolwide values, expectations and practices.

Student Supports

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.

Literacy Center

Visit the Literacy Center

Go Mustangs!

Past blogs are available at:

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

Email: ataylor@d120.org
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