Principal's Newsletter

Hello - this is a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have a student at, or have expressed an interest in, Glenbard West High School. Communication between Glenbard West and our families and community is very important to us. Don't forget to add gw_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.

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Hilltopper Community,

First, it’s not too late to get tickets for our fall musical The Addams Family. There are two performances left: tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 PM.

This month’s newsletter is the last principal’s newsletter of the calendar year and is full of information about our November and December events, the course enrollment process for the 25-26 school year, and upcoming deadlines for AP testing and the ACT prep class for juniors. Please read on for details.

There is always so much going on at Glenbard West, and the next two months are no exception. Parents, please encourage your students to get into the spirit by participating in our Turkey Trot (November 18th), Gratitude Day (November 20th), or Dodgeball Tournament (December 13th). All three of these are fun annual events that bring our students together for a good cause.

It is citrus season at Glenbard West. The Glen Ellyn Rotary Club provides our students with five scholarships each year. One way we can thank them for their generosity is by participating in their annual fundraising drive. My personal recommendation is a combo case of oranges and grapefruits. You can find the order form below, or you can purchase your case online here.

And finally, I want to congratulate all of our fall athletes on their successful seasons—those just wrapping up and those still continuing in the postseason. We are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to the start of the winter season!

As always, thank you for reading. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns.

Go West!

Ben Peterselli

630-942-7473

ben_peterselli@glenbard.org

November 1st

Freshman Leadership Conference

Glenbard West and Lake Ellyn Boathouse

Fall Musical Performances

7:30 to 10:00 pm

Auditorium

November 2nd

Fall Musical Performances

7:30 to 10:00 pm

Auditorium

November 5th

No School - Election Day

November 18th

Turkey Trot & Food Drive

3:00 to 4:30 pm

Ducheon Field

November 19th

Freshman PLC

2:23 to 3:05 pm

November 20th

Glenbard Gratitude Day - West Nation

3:00 to 4:00 pm

Cafeteria

November 21st

Band Ensemble Concert

7:30 to 9:00 pm

Choir/BlackBox/ Band Rooms

November 25th - December 3rd

Toiletry Drive

GE Junior Women's Club

Classrooms

November 27th - November 29th

No School - Thanksgiving Break

December 5th - 6th

Madrigal Performance

7:00 to 9:00 pm

St. Mark's Episcopal Church

393 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn

December 10th

Freshman PLC

2:23 to 3:05 pm

December 12th

Winter Music Festival

5:00 to 10:00 pm

Auditorium

December 13th

Winter Donut Breakfast

7:20 to 8:00am

Cafeteria

December 18th - December 20th

Final Exams

December 23rd - January 3rd

No School - Winter Break

January 6th

No School - Staff Institute Day

January 7th

School Resumes

Rhiannon Jones

Zekhi Joryman

Tobias Montilla

Sergio Arredondo

Lauren Escalante

Grayson Ganser

Ava Garzaro

Ryan Gritis

Angelina Hernandez

Lucas Krynen

William Lafontaine

Declan McCarthy

Tobias Montilla

Sebastian Reynaga

Ayden Rodriguez

Berenice Sanchez

Jaciel Villanueva

William Lafontaine

Tobias Montilla

Sergio Arredondo

Zacheriah Kando

Serena Malhan

Nikolina Mrkovic

Tina Nguyen

Ayushi Patel

Ishrat Patel

Aarogya Regmi

Berenice Sanchez

Eishaal Sodager

Kasper Szymczak

Amy Tran

Mila Vukmirovic

Jenna Woollard

Student Services hosted the March Matter of Pride Ceremony on October 18, 2024. For those that are not familiar with our Matter of Pride Award, it was created over 30 years ago at West as a way to recognize students with outstanding character. This is the only award at West that focuses on a student's kindness, willingness to help others, going above and beyond for their school and/or community, and positive attitude. Basically, Matter of Pride recipients are what makes

West the Best!

Congratulations to our October Award Recipients:

Cecelia Brosdal, Charlie Cage, Jack Farrell, Jazlynn Frias, Meredith Hedley, Nydia Jotzat, Scarlet Kirmis (not pictured), Claire Nielsen, Freddie Sochacki and AnDuy (AT) Tran

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: Paige Brondyke and Cole Lisook

Treble Chorus: Sophia Kennedy

Band: Simon Ellis

Orchestra: Chloe Kim

At the June 1970 commencement ceremony, the president of our Class of 1970 presented a class

gift to Principal John Sheahan. We know this because it is in the commencement program;

however, at our 50th class reunion, it was often mentioned that there was no memory or record

as to what our class gift was.

So as our reunion committee was starting to discuss our 55th reunion, and in conjunction with

Glenbard’s 100th anniversary and plan to spruce up Circle Drive, we thought that we could make a

new class gift, one that would benefit the school and also give our class something to be proud of

for years to come.

Working with Ms. Stacy Scumaci, Glenbard West’s Assistant Principal for Operations, we selected

a long-lasting, durable bench as an appropriate gift. We especially liked the fact that the bench is

on Circle Drive where is will be used by students and will also be readily visible to our classmates

as they visit the campus from time to time.

It is not often that a class gets the chance to “redo” its class gift. We appreciate the opportunity

as well as the assistance of the Glenbard West staff.

Mark Luginblll, class of 1970

Please note that students are not allowed to take early final exams due to a pre-arranged absence or family vacation. If these situations arise, students can either take their exam(s) during our makeup periods or receive an Incomplete and make up the exams upon return from Winter Break. If you know that your student will miss final exams, please alert our Deans’ Office as soon as possible.

Students who miss an exam due to an unexpected absence can make arrangements with their teacher to take the exam during the Makeup Exam slot on Friday at 11:10 a.m.

The deadline for withdrawing from a year-long or first semester AP course is fast approaching. November 15 is the last day students can withdraw from a year-long or first semester AP exam without incurring College Board’s $40 canceled exam fee. Please have your student log into their College Board account to confirm that the correct year-long and/or 1st semester courses are showing in their myAP classroom. Note that students are not registered for an exam until they join the myAP course section classroom using the code provided by their teacher.

For more information regarding exam registration and answers to frequently asked questions, please review the AP Guide for Families - Vol. 1 / AP Guide for Families Vol. 1 - Spanish. For any other questions, please contact the office of the Assistant Principal for Instruction: 630-942-7471. For AP-related updates throughout the school year, please join our Remind by texting @gbwaptest to the number 81010 or clicking here.

For the second year in a row, Glenbard West has earned Gold recognition from the College Board. College Board shared that “the AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.” Glenbard West earned an overall Gold status on the 2024 AP School Honor Roll, earning Gold status on our “College Culture” and Platinum status for both the “College Credit” and “College Optimization” categories. Click here for more information on AP School Honor Roll.

It is important to note that, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the state of Illinois will require students to take the school-day ACT as a graduation requirement. This will necessitate some changes to the testing calendar for the class of 2026:

• Wednesday, April 9, 2025: preACT testing for freshmen and sophomores

• Thursday, April 10, 2025: School-day ACT for Juniors *Students will be automatically registered at no additional cost.

We are confident this plan will help students to both prepare for the ACT in their Junior year and understand their own strengths in the knowledge and skill targets that are central to the exam. Both the ACT and SAT are aligned with Glenbard West’s curricula.

District 87 is offering a FREE ACT Prep course for all Glenbard Juniors. The ACT Prep course is provided by Academic Approach, a leading test preparation provider. Scoring well on the ACT affords students with post-secondary opportunities, including scholarships and admission to competitive colleges and universities.

Based on feedback from students and families regarding conflicts with extra-curriculars in years past, students will now have the option of in-person or virtual instruction. There are two options of courses for students: an 18-hour in-person or virtual session and a 12-hour virtual session. The 18-hour course is more comprehensive and recommended for students that would benefit from covering all areas of the test: English, reading, math, and science. The 12-hour course will consist of six hours of lecture with an additional six hours in their area of interest, either English/reading or math/science.

At Glenbard West, the 18-hour in-person class will meet after school on Thursdays and virtual classes will be offered Monday through Thursday, and on Saturdays. Prior to the class starting, students will take a diagnostic ACT which will be offered at Glenbard West on Tuesday, January 14th from 2:30-6pm or 6-9:30pm. Classes will begin the week of January 20th and end the week of April 1st. Students are expected to attend the entire class schedule. Please do not sign up for a class that competes with a Winter or Spring sport or activity.

Registration information will be shared with all junior students and families on November 8th and will close on December 1st.

We are excited to welcome the families of incoming freshmen to Glenbard West for our 8th Grade Family Curriculum Night on Wednesday, January 15th beginning at 6:30 p.m. This night is an opportunity for us to share information about our academic offerings, summer school enrichment opportunities, and the registration and enrollment process. Additional information will be sent directly to families of incoming freshmen mid-December.

Our Glenbard West Related Services Team is dedicated to providing interventions and support for all students. If your child is struggling from emotional barriers that are preventing them from succeeding in class, please do not hesitate to contact any of our dedicated staff members. I am excited to introduce our team!

Back row: Max Hufnagle, Nisa Gabbidon, Jaclyn Reeves, Pam Hagstrom, Deandra Bass

Front row: Lisa Cunningham, Jessica Walters, Peter Baker, Amanda Meyer, Bridget Mazzone

Left to right front row: Beatriz Ferreria, Mary Yangas, Rhiannon Sieck, Natalie Rubino, and Lissete Ochoa. Second row: Patty Fanella, Kate Culloton, Jeremiah Weincek and Matt Brodhead. Back row: Tad Keely, Mike Neberz, and Tony Bergantino.

Students who have notified their counselor and will complete all graduation requirements by the end of first semester are invited to attend the Early Grad Meeting on Friday, November 15th during 2nd period at the McClain Center.

Early grads will have the opportunity 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 the second semester. This meeting is mandatory for early graduates.

Invitations will be sent to students via the School Counseling office prior to the 15th. Contact Mr. Tad Keely in the School Counseling Office at tad_keely@glenbard.org with any questions about this event.

We will begin our enrollment and course selection process for the 2025-26 school year soon. From October 21 through November 8 teachers will begin talking to students in their classes about all the course options available in their subject area for next school year. These decisions are informed by PSAT scores, current course performance, and each student’s post-secondary goals. Students will have an automatically recommended course in PowerSchool in the areas of Math, Science, English, and Social Studies. The intention is to place students in the most challenging courses within these areas so they are most prepared for the post-high school experience. All families and students will have the opportunity to review and adjust these recommendations as needed. Then students will be meeting one-on-one with their School Counselor throughout January to ensure an overall healthy balance, before finalizing course selections. Look for updates from the School Counseling office by the beginning of December.

October 21 - November 8

Teacher Recommendations and discussions with students

November 25

-Course selection presentation in Glenbard Hour Advisories

-Email home with student course recommendations and instructions

November 25 - January 6

Families review course recommendations in PowerSchool, choose electives, and make adjustments

January 13 - February 7

Individual 1:1 follow-up meetings with School Counselors

School counselors will present course selection videos in all Glenbard Hour Advisory classes to discuss the online enrollment process and share instructions on the process. Freshmen will be meeting with their counselors in small groups throughout November to talk about their postsecondary plans and how to align their sophomore-year course selections.

Students and Families will review, edit, and enter their course requests online through a web browser in the student or parent portal of PowerSchool. Students who have an IEP or who receive academic support within the EL program will have access to view their course selections which will be chosen through an individualized team process. After January 6, students will meet individually with their school counselors during the weeks of January 13 - February 7.

The Course Selection Worksheet/Schedule and List of Courses (rough draft) can be reviewed and utilized as a tool to assist students/parents in selecting next year's courses.

For more detailed course descriptions please refer to the online Glenbard West Academic Program Guidebook (next year’s will be updated by December).

It is essential that every student give careful consideration to his/her course choices. We will do all we can to individualize course selection discussions with a focus on maintaining a healthy balance in every student’s overall educational experience. Any changes after February 7 must be discussed with the student's School Counselor and will only be available on a space-available basis. Parents, we value your input in this process because you best understand your own student's interests and goals. You also see how the overall academic rigor of his or her schedule affects daily functioning.

Check out the School Counseling College Application Resources for more info on scholarships, application support videos, and college research.

Seniors - We know you are feeling some relief as the bulk of the college application deadlines passed on November 1st! Don’t forget to update your decisions in SchooLinks as you get your results. We love to hear the updates! There are still applications being submitted for December and January deadlines, but we’ve currently had thousands of applications submitted! Make sure to remind your seniors to send a thank you note to all the teachers who took the extra time to write their letters of recommendation. We are excited to report we have hosted visits by 135 (and counting) college representatives, with 776 student attendees! Another reminder, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is planned to be available starting December 1 and is a graduation requirement. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you go to studentaid.gov to create your FSA ID. The FAFSA is not only for consideration of need-based financial aid but also scholarships from many colleges. Speaking of scholarships, Local Scholarship applications will become available in December on SchooLinks.

Juniors - College Night is tentatively being planned for February 20th. Stay tuned for more information! Although the bulk of our college rep visits have taken place, there will be more in the Spring! Make sure you are checking in SchooLinks to sign up for these virtual visits. Counselors will be doing follow-up visits to your English classes in February to get more in-depth with college research.

Sophomores - Make sure you’re talking to your teachers about recommendations on what you should be taking junior year. In Spring, we’ll be meeting in your English classes to guide you through a personality test on SchooLinks and begin exploring some potential careers, and college majors, and developing an activity resume.

Freshmen - Counselors are meeting in small groups with you over the next month to get to know you, talk about your sophomore year classes, get you logged in and introduced to SchooLinks, and work with you to set some postsecondary goals.

Incoming Class of 2029 - Electronic enrollment packets with detailed information will be going out in early January. Please make sure you check your emails and review the information thoroughly. If you have any questions, please contact Patty Fanella, School Counseling Administrative Assistant at patricia_fanella@glenbard.org or 630-942-7482. For Spanish please contact Bea Ferreira, Administrative Assistant School Counseling at beatriz_romerodeferreira@glenbard.org or 630-942-7483.

Did you know that students entering 12th grade must show proof of having two doses of the meningococcal vaccine?

Start making your appointments now for this needed vaccine and turn in your vaccine proof to the health office after your appointment! You can receive this vaccine when going to the doctor for your annual checkup or when getting a sports physical.

Questions about if you have already received it? Stop in the health office and we can let you know!

Senior MCV Form

Have you turned in your proof of dental examination?

If not please turn in the proof of examination form to the health office ASAP. Dental exams performed on/after 11/15/2023 will be accepted for this requirement. Exams can be sent to stephanie_brezwyn@glenbard.org or faxed to (630) 942-7559

Freshman Dental Examination Form

Glenbard uses the SchoolMessenger system to deliver text messages to your mobile

phone with important information about events, school closings, safety alerts and more.

You can participate in this free service by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our

school’s short code number, 67587.

You can also opt out of these messages at any time by replying to one of our messages

with “Stop”.

We are winding down the fall season with many of our teams having great success as we enter the postseason. We are so proud of the over 800 student athletes that participated this fall.

Congratulations to Connor Rowley who qualified for the IHSA 3A Boys Golf State Finals in Bloomington and Doubles team Audrey Creswell and Kendall Mehta who qualified for the IHSA 2A Girls Tennis State Finals. Please check our athletic website at https://schools.snap.app/glenbardwest for current postseason and future schedules.

Start dates for the following winter sports are as follows:

Girls Basketball- Monday, November 4

Boys Basketball, Girls Gymnastics, Boys and Girls Wrestling- Monday, November 11

Boys Swimming Coop with Glenbard South- Monday, November 25

Anyone interested in participating must register on PowerSchool. All physicals must be current within the last 13 months in order to participate. Physicals can be dropped off in the Athletic Office or emailed to Ms. Reifel at ellen_reifel@glenbard.org.

The mandatory winter parent athlete meeting will take place on Saturday, November 16, at 10:00am in Biester Gymnasium.

GO WEST!!!

The Deans Office has continued to be impressed with our attendance numbers here at West. August and Septemeber’s Average Daily Attendance has remained around 95% which is incredible! As we always say, there is no better place for our students than in their classrooms, and the Deans Office is grateful for all of our families for everything they do to get our students here on time and ready to learn.

In October, the Deans Office had enhanced our entry protocols for students at the start of the day and during passing periods. In the past, students would show their IDs upon entering the building in the morning and they were allowed to use pictures of their IDs on their phones. For the safety of our students and staff, we have began checking IDs during every passing period and required students to have physical IDs when entering the building. Students received two weeks of warnings at each entrance and messages through Schoology to inform them of the new procedures and the Deans Office has conducted ID sweeps. Currently, students can go to the library for a new ID when necessary, free of charge. The Deans Office has been monitoring the new procedures and making adjustments to ensure a smooth entry into our building without sacrificing our security.

Finally, remember to call the Attendance Line at (630) 858-5060 before 10:30 for any excused absences for your student. The voicemail is available 24 hours a day.

Glenbard District 87 is pleased to partner with OrganicLife as our new food service provider. Information regarding OrganicLife, menu offerings, and nutrition/allergen information will be available on your high school’s website this summer.

Visit www.pushcoin.com to sign up for the prepayment option with their easy-to-use system.

Please note that for the 2024-2025 school year, free meals will be available to those who qualify. Please see the “Residency, Fees, and Financial Assistance Information” page for more information.

Glenbard West Boosters is primarily a fundraising organization with more than 350 members and 125+ Board members that plans various Booster-sponsored events and fundraising activities. The funds raised enhance academic programs, athletic programs and extra-curricular activities that enrich the student experience at Glenbard West.

West Nation proudly supports Glenbard Parent Series (GPS). Visit www.GlenbardGPS.org for information on the nationally recognized speaker series for parents, students, educators and community members. The series is free and open to the public.

Please visit www.gbwnation.com to purchase a membership, make a donation and to volunteer. We invite all students and parents to be a part of WEST NATION!

Follow us on Twitter/@GWWestNation or Facebook/GlenbardWestNation

You can keep up with Glenbard information throughout the year by signing up for Glenbard News, our district-wide enewsletter, at this link.

Each week, you will receive district-wide news about students’ achievements in school-sponsored activities; upcoming events; fund-raisers; school board information and more.

Schools across the nation are experiencing more and more students who have latex allergies. Often, students with this allergy can have severe and even life-threatening reactions if exposed to latex resins and powders. For their safety, there are certain latex products we no longer allow on campus. Latex balloons and “Silly String” pose a significant health threat to students with a latex allergy. These products are not allowed on campus at any time, including after school, evening, and weekend events. With this in mind, we request your help: Please talk with your children about this health and safety issue. Some students might not understand the reason for a “balloon ban.” At West, we want all parents to know that their children are safe on campus.

Crisis Text Line - Text REACH to: 741741

This sends information to a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to help individuals return to a healthy/stable level of functioning.

Safe2Help Illinois Call 844-472-3345 or Text 72332(SAFE2)

Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is intended to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.”

Students who wish to report a potential act of school violence at Glenbard West may also leave an anonymous message with our School Resource Officer at (630) 681-3177 or call the Bullying Hotline Call (630) 942-7406

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call/Text 988

This number has trained staff to answer calls and respond to texts from individuals at risk for suicide as well as those experiencing other mental health and substance use-related emergencies. Specialized services will be available for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other groups.

Email: gw_news@glenbard.org
Website: glenbardwesths.org
Location: 670 Crescent Blvd.
Phone: 630-469-8600
Twitter: @GWHilltoppers