DUNDEE - CROWN NEWSLETTER

Hello Dundee-Crown Families,

My name is Dr. Asia Gurney, and I am the interim principal at Dundee-Crown. I would like to take a moment to tell you a little bit about myself. I have worked at Dundee-Crown as the Associate Principal for Instruction for the past five school years. Prior to my work at Dundee-Crown, I served as the principal of Carpentersville Middle School and of Lakewood School. I attended college at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. I grew up in Chicago and attended Notre Dame High School for Girls. I have three children who are 20, 19 and 15 years of age. The two oldest children graduated from Jacobs High School, and my youngest currently attends Jacobs.

I enjoy working at Dundee-Crown with our students, our families, and our community. We have had a strong start to the 24-25 school year. Our staff work hard to make connections with each of our students and to make sure they have an enjoyable high school experience. Our goal is to individually problem solve any issues that arise. If you need help supporting your student academically, socially, or emotionally, please reach out to your student’s teacher, counselor or an administrator so we can be sure to find ways to support your student. A strong family/school connection is very important for student success. We are working diligently at school to remind students about how to monitor their attendance in PowerSchool as well as their grades in Schoology. We appreciate any help you can provide in monitoring this from home as well. We’re looking forward to a great year!

• SEPT 15 - OCT 15 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
• 16-20 HOMECOMING

• 2 - LATE START
• 4 - FALL STRING CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT 6:30 AM
• 9 - FALL TESTING DATE FOR ALL FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, and JUNIORS
• 9 -- NO SENIOR ATTENDANCE
• 9 - CHOIR CONCERT 7:00 PM
• 10 - END OF FIRST QUARTER
• 11 - NO SCHOOL
• 14 - DISTRICT HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL
• 24 - FALL BAND CONCERT
• 25 - NO SCHOOL - TEACHER INSTITUTE DAY
• 28 - D300 CHORAL FEST CONCERT 7:00 PM

Did you know that Dundee-Crown High School has an Internship Program? Students are allowed to spend part of the school day out at a site that matches their career inspirations. Internships are open to Juniors and Seniors.

Get Out of Your Head Day is scheduled for Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 from 1:48-2:55 pm. This event is a great deal of fun, and a great deal of time and effort goes into pulling it off each year. The purpose of GOYH Day is to introduce students to activities and hobbies that support mental health, connection with other people with similar interests, and new experiences. During our GOYH Day in October, we will offer over 70 different activities for students to choose from. Parents, GOYH Day is a regular attendance day so students are expected to stay the entire day. Also, if you have a hobby or an interest that you are passionate about and you would like to run one of our workshops, please contact Piper.Stratton@d300.org to share your idea.

We talk: they listen! Do you want to learn how to be heard? Win arguments? Improve your speaking and presenting skills? Make friends, go to competitions, and have fun? Join the Debate Team! Contact Coach Kronberg for questions!

In August, the Peer Mentors, a group of Juniors and Seniors, were in charge of introducing our freshman class to Dundee-Crown at Charger Quest. The mentors led students through team bonding activities including a Kahoot game of all things they need to know about D-C, and they walked them through a building tour so they felt comfortable on the first day of school. Now the mentors are working in freshman ASPs three days a week to build on those relationships and to assist all freshmen with their transition to high school! We truly value all the hard work the mentors are devoting to make Dundee-Crown a great place!

This year's Fall Play, "Deadline: A Horror Comedy," has started with a great showing of students at auditions! Mrs. Mear, Ms. Wendt, and Dr. Hernandez were all incredibly impressed with the talent they saw and are excited to work on this production with the cast and crew! "Deadline" is a story that follows eight mystery writers as they take on the Deadline Challenge -- what they thought were twenty-four hours to write as much of their new mystery novel as possible. In reality, the writers have a chance to solve a murder with the victim yet to be determined, and the killer yet to strike. If a writer can design and execute a perfect murder and get away with it, they will win a million dollars. Will they take on this challenge and survive to meet...the Deadline? Find out on November 14th, 15th, or 16th.

Did you know that books and other texts contain 50% more vocabulary words that children are unlikely to hear in spoken language, on TV, or on the radio? The literacy teachers at D-CHS would like to encourage parents and their children to read and grow their vocabulary together! Click on the picture to access an article that you and your child can read and discuss: Instagram Without the Likes.

Possible Discussion Questions: What is this article about? What is something you learned from reading this? Do you think that Instagram should permanently remove the public "like" feature? Why or why not?

If you purchased a 2023-2024 yearbook, look for communication in the following months for distribution. We expect the books to come in in October. If you would like to order a book for 2024-2025 please go click on the Yearbook image and use the code 3223 or search for D-CHS. Books are on sale now until the end of the year. The price for a Yearbook is $45.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes will meet on Wednesdays during the Fall Sports Season on Sept 18, Sept 25, Oct 9, Oct 23 @ 7:30 p.m. at Dundee-Crown High School in Room 27. It is open to every student at Dundee-Crown H.S. and is a time of games, competition, outreach, service, fellowship, and faith as students build community together with others through a Christian perspective in our various sports/activities.

The Dundee-Crown Dance Team is hosting a mini camp experience that will include a special performance during our October 4th Freshman/Sophomore halftime! K-8 Students are invited to participate at our Thursday, October 3rd clinic in the Dundee-Crown Multipurpose Room from 5:00PM - 7:00PM. All students who participate in the clinic will be given the opportunity to perform at our October 4th JV game halftime! You can register for this camp by clicking on the Dance Team photograph. The cost of the experience is $45 and will include the Freshman/Sophomore halftime performance, the clinic, a camp shirt, and a bow! The call time for the game will be at 5:00PM at the stadium. For any questions, please contact Coach Mortenson at Stephanie.Mortenson@d300.org.

Congratulations to our five All-State Boys Track Athletes for their performances in May of 2024. The Boys 4 by 100 meter relay of Torrion Bell, Terrion Spencer, Kali Freeman, Oreoluwa Sobodu took 2nd place in the IHSA State Meet while the 4 by 200 meter relay of Kali Freeman, Torrion Bell, Jeremiah Stewart, Terrion Spencer, and Oreoluwa Sobodu took 4th place in the IHSA State Meet. Over the last six years, D-C Boys Track has produced 14 All-State Athletes, the most of any team in the entire FVC Conference. Offseason for Non-Fall Sport Athletes in Boys Track and Field Starts on Monday, August 26th and runs all the way up until the start of the season. We can't wait to see what our athletes accomplish this year. Please contact Coach D'Angelo with any questions (matthew.dangelo@d300.org).

The D-C Boys Lacrosse team is beginning off season open fields for all those interested. This is a great way to try out the sport with no added pressure. Take the opportunity to have fun, meet players, and learn more about the sport! Listen to the announcements for a schedule or reach out to Coach Thompson to get involved at ryan.thompson@d300.org

• Counselors are busy working with Seniors in September. During the Student Success Summit on September 5th, we focused on future planning and how to use SchooLinks to help prepare for life after high school. All Seniors are scheduled for individual senior meetings with their counselors to review credits, graduation requirements, and their personal future plans. There will be district-hosted Senior Admissions/Financial Aid events throughout the fall. At Dundee-Crown, the date is September 18th 6-8pm(more details to come). Seniors interested in ECC or looking to learn more about four-year colleges should attend the ECC College Night on October 8th at 6 pm at Elgin Community College.

• Starting in Fall of 2024, the state of Illinois will transition to the use of ACT assessments for high school students in grades 9-11. Fall testing will occur on Wednesday, October 9th at Dundee-Crown. Fall testing provides students with the opportunity to find out what they may score on the actual test in April. If you would like additional information about these tests, click here (https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation.html)

I am Itzamná, Maya Lord of Knowledge and Wisdom. I am here to tell you about my people, who were expert mathematicians. The ancient Maya used mathematics to support many activities in their daily lives, from market transactions to predicting eclipses and making sophisticated calendar calculations.

• The most important lesson I have learned from a teacher is how to study and prepare for classes. It was very important because it can be used for all classes, including college.
• One thing that I have learned from a teacher was that anyone can take away your job or opportunities, but they can't take away your knowledge and expertise from you. Knowledge is one of the most valuable things a person can have.
• The most important lesson I have learned from my parents that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. My dad always says that, if it is worth spending some of the little bit of your short time on Earth doing, then complete it in the best way you can.
• The most important lesson I've learned from my parents is that high school isn't everything. The things we endure in high school may not matter in five or ten years...So focus on what makes us happy now and what will make us happy in the long run.
• Success is not handed to you. Work for what you want.
• It's okay to not always be okay. People are allowed to have off days.
• If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
• Life doesn't get easier; we just get stronger.
• Life is a series of choices...No matter what, you have a choice to make...whether it is what snack will you have, or what college will you go to.
• My parents have always taught me that no matter how much news might hurt, it's always better to say it how it is. Things happen for a reason. Nothing in life comes just because.
• Do what you want because people are going to judge you either way.
  
• The most important lesson from my father is that you don't get what you want, but what you work for yourself.
  
• The most important thing I've learned from my dad was to save all my money in a savings account.
  
• The most important lesson from my father is that you don't get what you want, but what you work for.
• Lead never follow.
• Be the best at the thing you do
  
• A friend is the one that is always there for you no matter what
  
• Be nice to others and appreciate the people you have with you because you don't know what you have until you lose it.
• Be myself and to NEVER give up on myself.
• The most important lesson I have learned is to believe in myself, give my best and not give up.
• Admit your mistakes.

• Every Title I school, in collaboration with parents, prepares a site level Title I Parent Involvement Policy and Home/School Compact.

• The school Title I Parent Involvement Policy and Home School Compact describes HOW the school will involve the parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way as well as the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I program at their school.

• The Home/School Compact describes the responsibilities of the school, the parent, and the student for improved student achievement.
  

• To see D-CHS compact please click on this link https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uMpCbc24_M3IG7lML4DIYAih9fXp1wxsylt3dblUqrE/edit